[Mutagenic activation and carcinogenicity of aminoazo dyes of ortho-aminoazotoluene and 3'-methyl-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene in experiments on suckling mice].

It is found that after administration of 3'-methyl-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene (3'-Me-DAB,) which was hepatocarcinogenic to rats, in suckling mice, the number of neoplastic lesions in the liver of mice was 3 times higher than after analogous administration of equimolar dose of ortho-aminoazotoluene (OAT)). However, in the Ames test (TA-98 strain of Salmonella typhimurium) with activation by hepatic enzymes (S-9 fraction) of both intact and Aroclor-1254-induced mice and rats OAT contributed by an order of magnitude to revertant colonies compared to 3'-Me-DAB. In vivo inhibition of sulfotransferase activity, the enzyme which catalyzes the final stage of the mutagenic activation of aminoazo dyes, had no effect on carcinogenicity of 3'-Me-DAB but more than 4 times elevated that of OAT. It was concluded that the mechanism of carcinogenic action of aminoazo dyes studied is not genotoxic and that the carcinogenic potential of OAT is lost in the process of mutagenic activation.

Enhancement of hepatocarcinogenesis by sorbitan fatty acid ester, a liver pyruvate kinase activity-reducing substance.

Effect on hepatocarcinogenesis of dietary sorbitan fatty acid ester (SorFAE), which had been known to cause decrease in pyruvate kinase (PK) activity, was studied in rats fed a diet containing 0.06% 3'-methyl-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene (3'-Me-DAB) for 6 weeks. The incidence of hyperplastic nodules and/or hepatocellular carcinomas in the rats fed the 3'-Me-DAB diet alone was 45.0% at the end of 51 weeks, whereas the incidence in the rats fed 3'-Me-DAB diet followed by 5 or 10% SorFAE or 0.1% phenobarbital (PB) diet were 76.2, 90.5, and 95.0%, respectively. These incidences were significantly higher compared with the group fed 3'-Me-DAB diet alone (P less than .05). No tumors were observed in rats fed 10% SorFAE diet alone. The results show that SorFAE has an enhancing effect on hepatocarcinogenesis, although the effect was weak compared to that of the effective PB dose. The results seem to confirm our assumption that a chemical that causes decrease in PK activity in rat liver might promote hepatocarcinogenesis.

Comparison of drug-metabolizing activities in the livers of carcinogen-sensitive parent rats and carcinogen-resistant descendants.

Donryu strain albino rats were maintained on a diet containing 0.06% 3'-methyl-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene (3'-Me-DAB) for nine successive generations. Some rats in the fourth to eighth generations showed marked resistance to the carcinogenic action of 3'-Me-DAB. In the liver where we found tumors, their size and number are smaller than in the corresponding original strain of rats fed on a diet containing 3'-Me-DAB. No significant differences were found in the total cytochrome P-450 contents or epoxide hydrolase activities of the livers of the resistant variant and the original strain, but the benzo(a)pyrene hydroxylase activity which is mainly attributed to cytochrome P-448 and glutathione S-transferase activity of the resistant variant were lower. The inductions of hepatic cytochrome P-488 and benzo(a)pyrene hydroxylase on administration of polychlorinated biphenyls or 3-methylcholanthrene were also lower in the resistant rats. In the mutagenicity test on Salmonella typhimurium TA 98 the liver 9000 X g supernatant fraction from 3'-Me-DAB-resistant F7 rats did not fully induce the mutagenicities of 3'-Me-DAB and several other carcinogens. Thus the resistance of F7 rats to the chemical carcinogen may be related to the lower activities of some drug-metabolizing enzymes and the poor inducibility of cytochrome P-448 in their liver, although selection of resistant rats should be continued for further generations before coming to a definite conclusion on biochemical basis of apparent resistance to 3'-Me-DAB.

Antigenic changes in nonhistone proteins during azo dye hepatocarcinogenesis.

We have investigated the appearance of specific nonhistone proteins during azo dye-induced hepatocarcinogenesis in the rat. Groups of animals fed azo dye-containing diet were sacrificed at approximately 3-week intervals, portions of their livers were examined histologically, and the remaining material was fractionated into chromatin and cytoplasmic fractions. Livers of the azo dye-fed animals exhibited histological changes that have been classically attributed to the course and development of cancer; by 28 to 30 weeks of treatment, nearly all animals had developed hepatomas. Heterogeneous rabbit antisera were prepared to dehistonized chromatin from several azo dye-induced hepatomas. These antisera were then used to assess various chromatins for the appearance of antigens specific for neoplasia during inducing carcinogenesis using immunodetection of antigens separated electrophoretically and transferred to nitrocellulose. Changes in the immunoreactivity of liver chromosomal proteins during carcinogen treatment were evident after 3 weeks, and the antigenic profiles of various chromatin samples gradually assumed the characteristics of the hepatoma. The transformation was accompanied by qualitative changes in chromosomal protein antigens, and although these antigenic species were not directly quantitated, noticeable enrichment of tumor-specific species occurred with treatment time. Immunotransfer assays of cytoplasmic fractions indicated most antigens to be specific for chromatin. Normal tissue chromatin exhibited minimal immunoreactivity, and slightly more antigenic homology was noted with regenerating liver and most transplantable tumor chromatins. Interestingly, the transplantable tumor Walker 256 carcinosarcoma was highly enriched in antigens recognized by antisera to azo dye hepatoma dehistonized chromatin. These studies establish a define chronological correlation between the chemical induction of cancer and sequential changes in the immunological specificity of nonhistone protein antigens.

Unscheduled DNA synthesis induced by procarcinogens in suspensions and primary cultures of hepatocytes on collagen membranes.

Unscheduled DNA synthesis was induced by procarcinogens in freshly isolated suspensions and primary cultures (6 days old) of hepatocytes on collagen membranes. Incorporation of [3H]thymidine in the presence of hydroxyurea was used to measure unscheduled DNA synthesis. When hepatocellular DNA was isolated on cesium chloride gradients, significant levels of unscheduled DNA synthesis were measured. Similar concentrations of procarcinogens elicited higher levels of unscheduled DNA synthesis in hepatocellular suspensions than in primary cultures. The results demonstrate that hepatocytes cultured on collagen membranes can metabolize chemical carcinogens. Suspensions of freshly isolated hepatocytes, however, are more active in procarcinogen metabolism than are those of primary cultures. The selective advantages of the two systems of hepatocytes can be utilized for the establishment of short-term in vitro screening systems of mutagens and carcinogens.

Detection of chemical carcinogens by unscheduled DNA synthesis in rat liver primary cell cultures.

Unscheduled DNA synthesis was observed in primary rat liver cell cultures treated with members of five different classes of chemical procarcinogens requiring enzymatic activation as well as with a direct-acting carcinogen. In total, ten carcinogens and one related analog not commonly accepted as carcinogenic were active, while one weak carcinogen and four noncarcinogens were inactive. The production of unscheduled DNA synthesis by this spectrum of chemical carcinogens indicates that these cultures have substantially retained the metabolic capability of liver for activating diverse procarcinogens. Thus, such cultures may be useful for detecting the ability of chemicals to interact with DNA and, thereby, assigning them priority for consideration as potential cancer-causing agents.

Changes in peroxisomes in preneoplastic liver of rats induced by 3'-methyl-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene.

Histochemical investigations used the 3,3'-diaminobenzidine reaction to demonstrate the catalase activity and thus variations in numbers of peroxisomes, and electron microscopic examinations were made of hyperplastic liver lesions in rats fed 0.06%3'-methyl-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene. At the 10th week of carcinogen feeding, hyperplastic lesions (hyperplastic foci, areas, and nodules) appeared and advanced to further stages. Most of the foci and some of the areas and nodules showed very low catalase activity and, correspondingly, a small number of peroxisomes. When rats were administered ethyl-alpha-p-chlorophenoxyisobutyrate, most of the foci, areas, and nodules showed a moderate increase in catalase activity and in peroxisome number. Hyperplastic foci seemed to grow larger with time to form hyperplastic areas and/or nodules, mostly accompanying maturation as well as proliferation of the hepatocytes involved. Maturation is well characterized by an increase in the endogenous level of catalase and in the number of peroxisomes, as well as by an enhancement of the responsiveness to ethyl-alpha-p-chlorophenoxyisobutyrate. However, there was a small proportion of lesions in which all cells or some cells did not mature and thus were considered persistently altered. It is suggested that these altered cells serve mainly as intimate precursors of hepatomas.

Purification and characterization of a novel abundant protein in rat bile that binds azo dye metabolites and copper.

Following intravenous administration to rats of the azo dye hepatocarcinogen 3'-methyl-N,N-dimethyl-4-aminoazo-[14C]benzene, 60-70% of the injected dose was recovered in bile in 2 h. Approximately 10% of bile radioactivity was trichloroacetic acid-precipitable, not extracted by n-butanol and non-dialyzable. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of bile followed by fluorography revealed two major and several minor proteins to which radiolabelled azo dye metabolites were bound; one of these major proteins (50 kDa) was purified from bile and shown to be homogeneous by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, isoelectric focusing (pI 7) under denaturing conditions and N-terminal analysis. The protein (MBP) comprises 15% of the total bile protein. Amino acid analysis revealed a preponderance of acidic and hydrophobic amino acids. The absorption spectrum of the native protein had a major peak at 280 nm and minor peaks at 345, 400, 600 and 650 nm. The fluorescence spectrum showed a major excitation maxima at 285 and 350 nm and corresponding emission maxima at 345 and 440 nm. Atomic absorption spectroscopy revealed 5 atoms of Cu per mol protein. Approximately 90% of the Cu was EPR silent. MBP did not react with antisera directed against rat serum IgA, albumin or ceruloplasmin; nor did these proteins react against antisera to MBP. Seven distinct peptide bands ranging from 5 to 18 kDa were obtained when MBP was subjected to CNBr cleavage and the digests were analyzed by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The [14C]-Me-DAB derived radioactivity was present in only two of the peptides, indicating specific binding sites for azodye metabolites.

The effect of phenobarbital and 3'-methyl-N,N-dimethyl-4-aminoazobenzene administration on catalytic, binding and immunological properties of ligandin subunits in rat liver.

Following administration of phenobarbital to rats, liver ligandin content, bilirubin binding, glutathione-S-transferase and steroid isomerase activities increased by 150% and the 22000-dalton subunit was selectively increased. Following administration of 3'-methyl-N,N-dimethyl-4-aminoazobenzene, rat liver ligandin content and steroid isomerase decreased by 65%, glutathione-S-transferase increased by 100%, bilirubin binding was abolished, and the relative proportion of the 22000- and 25000-dalton subunits remained unchanged.

Inhibition of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation by 2-methyl-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene.

The azodye 2-methyl-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene inhibited oxidation and phosphorylation in tightly coupled rat liver mitochondria. Phosphorylation was more sensitive to the inhibitory action of the azodye than was the oxidation of succinate or ascorbate. The oxidation of NAD+-linked substrate was severely inhibited by the compound. In submitochondrial particles, only NADH oxidation was sensitive. The site of inhibition has been identified to lie between the dehydrogenase flavoprotein and ubiquinone.

Differential perturbation of erythrocyte membrane-associated transport and enzyme activities by structurally related lipophilic compounds.

The alteration of two erythrocyte plasma membrane functions, acetylcholine hydrolysis and glucose exchange, by a series of structurally related small lipophilic compounds which exhibit antihemolytic behavior was studied. 2-Methyldimethylaminoazobenzene is a more potent inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase than the 3'-methyl analogue, while the unsubstituted compound fails to inhibit. Esterase inhibition by the 2-methyl compound is non-competitive and dependent on the anion composition of the assay buffer. The temperature dependence of acetylcholinesterase activity in the presence of the 2-methyl compound suggests that interaction with inhibitor is influenced by the state of lipids tightly bound to the enzyme. Glucose exchange is inhibited to the same extent by both methyl derivatives but not by the unsubstituted dye, and the temperature dependence in the presence of inhibitor is not grossly altered. The lack of correlation between inhibition of membrane function adn stabilization of erythrocytes against osmotic hemolysis is discussed.

Effect of administration of 2-methyl-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene on the half-lives of rat liver mitochondria and cytochrome oxidase.

The turnover of total mitochondrial proteins and cytochrome oxidase in the livers of rats administered with 2-methyl-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene (2-Me-DAB) has been determined. The incorporation of [14C]bicarbonate revealed a half-life of 3.1 days in control and 6 to 9 days in azodye administered animals for whole mitochondrial proteins. The incorporation of [35S]methionine yielded t1/2 values of 8.5 days and 15.4 days, respectively. The t1/2 of cytochrome oxidase, 10.8 days for control and 19.3 days for 2-Me-DAB-treated animals, indicated that the delay in the decay of the enzyme was of the same order as that of whole mitochondria. Short term incorporation revealed that the administration of the azodye stimulated the synthesis of the enzyme. Mitochondria isolated from azodye-administered animals appeared less susceptible to lysosomal proteolysis. Also, azodye administration seemed to impair the ability of lysosomes to degrade mitochondria.

Expression of non-hepatic-type S-adenosylmethionine synthetase isozyme in rat hepatomas induced by 3'-methyl-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene.

It is known that a high incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma in rat liver can be induced by such azo dye carcinogens as 3'-methyl-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene (3'-MeDAB). Mammalian S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet) synthetase exists as two isozymes, non-hepatic-type and liver-type enzymes, which are the products of two different genes. We have examined the expression of two AdoMet synthetase isozyme proteins and mRNAs in rat hepatomas induced by 3'-Me-DAB. The levels of non-hepatic-type enzyme protein and mRNA are clearly induced by 3'-Me-DAB feeding. On the other hand, the levels of liver-type enzyme protein and mRNA are nearly the same or slightly decreased during hepatocarcinogenesis. These results indicate that the expression of the non-hepatic-type isozyme gene is obviously influenced with the progression of carcinogenesis and that the non-hepatic-type isozyme is useful as a oncodevelopmental marker in the liver.

Early modifications of gene expression induced in liver by azo-dye diet.

The expression and regulation of the phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase gene were not grossly modified by feeding rats a 3'-methyl-4-(dimethylamino)azobenzene-containing diet despite maximum expression of the L-type pyruvate kinase gene being dramatically reduced as early as the 24th hour of the carcinogenic diet. Inhibition of aldolase B mRNA synthesis occurred more slowly, being maximum at the 3rd day. After stopping administration of the carcinogen, a very rapid, but transient increase of the L-type pyruvate kinase mRNA was observed at the 24th hour, whereas aldolase B mRNA increased only slowly. The amount of aldolase A mRNA fell quickly after termination of carcinogen administration, levels being normal at the 2nd-3rd day. At this time, the histological structure of the liver was indistinguishable from that of animals still receiving the azo-dye diet. It appears, therefore, that in the rat both administration and withdrawal of the azo-dye carcinogen induce rapid modifications of the expression of some genes, before any cellular modification is distinguishable.

Induction of drug-metabolizing enzymes in the rat liver by 3'-methyl-4-(dimethylamino)azobenzene.

The influence of 3-methyl-4-(dimethylamino)azobenzene(3'-Me-DAB) on the drug-metabolizing system in the liver was investigated. Feeding of 3-Me-DAB for 3 weeks at 10, 20 and 600 ppm increased the content of hepatic microsomal cytochrome P-450 slightly (up to 27% raise) but significantly. The feeding effects were also demonstrated in S-9 activity (up to 91% raise) when the mutagenicity of 3-methylcholanthrene (3-MC) and 3-amino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole (Trp-P-2) was assayed in Ames system using S-9 fraction from 3'-Me-DAB-treated rat livers.

Dose and sex dependent effects of 2-acetylaminofluorene, 3'-methyl-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene and DL-ethionine in induction of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase-positive liver cell foci in rats.

The dose-dependent and sex-related effects of 3 hepatocarcinogens were investigated by measuring the number and area of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (gamma-GT) positive foci appearing in the liver. For this, three different doses of 2-acetylaminofluorene (2-AAF), 3'-methyl-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene (3'-Me-DAB) and DL-ethionine (ethionine), respectively, were given to F344 rats of both sexes for 6 weeks after a single injection of diethylnitrosamine (DEN). The inductions of gamma-GT positive foci by 2-AAF and 3'-Me-DAB were clearly dose-dependent, but with 2-AAF this was clearer in males than females. Ethionine had less clear dose-dependent effects in both males and females. Under these conditions, the minimal effective doses of 2-AAF, 3'-Me-DAB and ethionine, respectively, were 0.0008%, 0.0024% and 0.05% in males and 0.004%, 0.012% and 0.05% in females. The results indicate that these 3 carcinogens had clear dose-dependent effects in the induction of gamma-GT positive foci when given for a short period in the promotive stage and that male rats were more susceptible than females to 2-AAF.

Low frequency of ras activation in 2-acetylaminofluorene- and 3'-methyl-4-(dimethylamino)azobenzene-induced rat hepatocellular carcinomas.

Activation of ras protooncogenes in 11 2-acetylaminofluorene (AAF)-induced hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) or liver cell lines and 9 3'-methyl-(dimethylamino)azobenzene (3'-Me-DAB)-induced HCCs in rats was examined using the NIH3T3 cell transfection assay and oligonucleotide hybridization analysis. Only one cell line established from a AAF-treated rat liver demonstrated transforming activity with a point mutation and ATTA transversion at the second position of H-ras codon 61. The rates of ras activation were thus very low for both AAF- and 3'-Me-DAB-induced rat HCCs, the results thus extending and confirming the findings indicating that ras activation in rat HCCs induced by various type of carcinogens is infrequent.

Analysis of cytological changes in hepatocytes from rats dosed with 3'-methyl-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene: initial response appears to involve cytokinesis of binucleated cells.

The reduction in the ratio of tetraploid (4N + 2 X 2N) to diploid (2N) hepatocytes in the adult rat after treatment with the hepatocarcinogen 3'-methyl-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene (3'M) has been investigated. Analysis of isolated hepatocytes 18-28 days after treatment has confirmed that initially some of the 2 X 2N hepatocytes are converted into 2N cells by cytokinesis, and that there is no DNA synthesis during this process. Shortly afterwards nonpolyploidizing growth commences by proliferation of some 2N cells.

Nucleocytoplasmic release of repetitive DNA transcripts in carcinogenesis correlates with a 60 kilodalton cytoplasmic protein.

Treatment of rats with the hepatocarcinogen 3'-methyl-4-dimethylamino-azobenzene (3'-MeDAB) causes the appearance in the liver cytosol of a 60 kilodalton oncofetal protein. The appearance of this factor occurs within 40 h of treatment and coincides with the increase in the amount of rapidly labeled RNA released from nuclei in a reconstituted cell-free system. Cross-over experiments show that this increase is due to an enhanced transport capacity of the cytosol. The 60 kilodalton RNA transport factor is also present in the cytosol of tumor cells. Addition of the 60 kilodalton factor to normal liver cytosol causes the transport of repetitive RNA sequences similar to those transported from liver nuclei to tumor cell cytosol and those transported to the tumor cell cytoplasm in vivo. This factor modifies nuclear RNA restriction, at least in part, by eliciting the transport of repetitive RNA normally retained within the nucleus of the normal cell.

Gomisin A, a lignan component of Schizandora fruits, inhibits development of preneoplastic lesions in rat liver by 3'-methyl-4-dimethylamino-azobenzene.

The effects of gomisin A, a lignan component of Schizandra fruits, on development of preneoplastic lesions in the liver after a short-term (3 weeks) feeding of 3'-methyl-4-dimethyl-aminoazobenzene (3'-MeDAB) to male Donryu rats were investigated, and compared with the effects of phenobarbital. Gomisin A inhibited both increases of the level of glutathione-S-transferase placental form (GST-P) and the number and size of GST-P positive foci in the liver increased after treatment with 3'-MeDAB. Moreover, although the population of diploid nuclei was increased and that of tetraploid nuclei was decreased by pretreatment with 3'-MeDAB, gomisin A returned this to near the normal ploidy pattern. But phenobarbital increased the level of GST-P and the number and size of GST-P positive foci with little affect on the ploidy population changed by 3'-MeDAB. Thus, the effect of gomisin A on hepatocarcinogenesis was inhibitory in contrast with that of phenobarbital. This study suggests that gomisin A is a candidate for a chemopreventive drug inhibiting the promotion process in hepatocarcinogenesis.