Edmond J. LaVoie

Toxicity studies on clove cigarette smoke and constituents of clove: determination of the LD50 of eugenol by intratracheal instillation in rats and hamsters

Eugenol, eugenol acetate, β-caryophyllene, and α-humulene are constituents of clove and clove cigarette smoke. The toxicity of these compounds was evaluated by intratracheal instillation in male F-344 rats. Eugenol was most toxic in this assay. The LD50 of eugenol was 11 mg/ kg in male F-344 rats and 17 mg/kg in male Syrian golden hamsters. Congestion of the lung with interstitial hemorrhages, acute emphysema, and acute pulmonary edema were among the macroscopic and histologic findings observed in the animals after intratracheal administration of eugenol. Similar effects were not observed with male Syrian golden hamsters exposed to clove cigarette smoke. The estimated daily intake of eugenol for those hamsters exposed to clove cigarette smoke was below 2 mg/kg.

Methylated derivatives of pyrene and fluorene: Evaluation of genotoxicity in the hepatocyte/DNA repair test and tumorigenic activity in newborn mice

The genotoxicity of 1-methylpyrene, 1,6-dimethylpyrene, 1-methylfluorene, 9-methylfluorene, and 1,9-dimethylfluorene was evaluated in the hepatocyte primary culture/DNA repair test, and the tumorigenic potency of these compounds was tested by bioassay in newborn mice. With the exception of 1-methylfluorene, all of these methylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are known mutagens in Salmonella typhimurium. Both 1-methylpyrene and 1,6-dimethylpyrene induced unscheduled DNA synthesis in rat hepatocytes. However, only 1-methylpyrene was tumorigenic when administered to newborn male mice. None of the methylated fluorenes assayed in the hepatocyte primary culture/DNA repair test induced unscheduled DNA synthesis. While 1,9-dimethylfluorene exhibited weak tumorigenic activity when administered by subcutaneous injection to newborn mice, 1-methylfluorene and 9-methylfluorene were inactive.

Fluoranthene and pyrene enhance benzo[a]pyrene—DNA adduct formation in vivo in mouse skin

Fluoranthene and pyrene are potent cocarcinogens when applied together with benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) on mouse skin. In this study the effect of fluoranthene, pyrene and phenanthrene on the formation of BaP--DNA adducts in mouse skin was investigated. Co-application of either fluoranthene or pyrene with [3H]BaP resulted in an average increase in the level of [3H]BaP--DNA adducts of 56% to 66%, respectively, as compared to [3H]BaP alone. Only minor differences were observed in the ratio of (+/-)anti- to (+/-)synbenzo[a]pyrene diol epoxide--DNA adducts between experimental groups. An average 17% decrease in the formation of [3H]BaP--DNA adducts was observed upon co-application of [3H]BaP on mouse skin with phenanthrene. These data suggest a correlation between the observed increase in tumorigenicity of BaP in the presence of either fluoranthene or pyrene and an increase in the formation of (+/-)anti-benzo[a]pyrene diol epoxide--DNA adducts.

Tumorigenic activity of non-alternant polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons in newborn mice

The tumorigenic activity of benzo[b]fluoranthene, benzo[j]fluoranthene, benzo[k]fluoranthene, and indeno-[1,2,3-cd]pyrene was evaluated in newborn CD-1 mice. The total doses of these non-alternant polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons employed in this study ranged from 0.5 to 2.1 mumol per mouse. The results of this assay indicate that both benzo[b]fluoranthene and benzo[j]fluoranthene exhibit significant tumorigenic activity. In contrast to these results, neither benzo[k]fluoranthene nor indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene were tumorigenic under these assay conditions.

Mutagenicity of substituted phenanthrenes in Salmonella typhimurium

An extensive series of alkylated phenanthrenes was assayed for mutagenic activity in Salmonella typhimurium TA98 and TA100. Among the alkylated phenanthrenes assayed, 1-methylphenanthrene, 9-methylphenanthrene, 1,4-dimethylphenanthrene and 4,10-dimethylphenanthrene were active as mutagens. These studies suggest that the structural requirements favoring mutagenic activity among alkylated phenanthrenes are inhibition of 9,10-dihydrodiol formation and the presence of an unsubstituted angular ring adjacent to a free peri position. The mutagenic activities of 9-fluoro-, 9-chloro-, and 9-bromo-phenanthrene were also evaluated. The positive mutagenic response of these halogenated phenanthrenes further supports the observation that inhibition of 9,10-dihydrodiol formation among substituted phenanthrenes favors mutagenic activity.

Effects of ortho-methyl substituents on the mutagenicity of aminobiphenyls and aminonaphthalenes☆

A series of aminobiphenyls and aminonaphthalenes were assayed for mutagenicity toward S. typhimurium, in the presence of rat liver 9000 g supernatant, to investigate the effects of positional isomerism and ortho-methyl substitution. Among the 3 possible aminobiphenyl isomers, only 4-aminobiphenyl was a potent mutagen, showing activity in S. typhimurium TA1538 and TA100, but not TA1535. 4-Amino-3-methylbiphenyl was a more potent mutagen in S. typhimurium TA1538 than was 4-aminobiphenyl, whereas both 3-amino-4-methylbiphenyl and 3-aminobiphenyl were inactive in this strain. 3-Amino-4-methylbiphenyl was mutagenic in S. typhimurium TA100, in contrast to 3-aminobiphenyl. These results demonstrate the enhancing effect of an ortho-methyl group on mutagenicity in the aminobiphenyls, which contrasts to the inhibitory effect of methyl substitution frequently observed in the 4-nitrobiphenyl system. Among the 2-aminonaphthalenes, 2-amino-3-methylnaphthalene was the most mutagenic compound in S. typhimurium TA1538, followed by 2-amino-1-methylnaphthalene and 2-aminonaphthalene. In S. typhimurium TA1535, however, 2-aminonaphthalene was a more potent mutagen than either of the ortho-methyl substituted derivatives. No significant mutagenic activity was observed for either 1-aminonaphthalene or 1-amino-2-methylnaphthalene in S. typhimurium TA1538 and TA1535. However, 1-aminoanaphthalene was weakly mutagenic in S. typhimurium TA 100.

Tumor-initiating activity of quinoline and methylated quinolines on the skin of SENCAR mice

Quinoline and all 7 positional isomers of methylquinoline were assayed for tumor-initiating activity on the skin of SENCAR female mice with promotion by tetradecanoyl phorbol acetate. The total initiation dose of either quinoline or the isomeric methylquinolines was 7.5 mg per mouse. Quinoline induced tumors in 53% of the mice (0.73 tumors per animal). While 2-, 3-, 5- and 7-methylquinoline did not exhibit significant tumorigenic activity in this assay, 4-methylquinoline induced tumors in 45% of the mice (0.90 tumors per animal). 8-Methylquinoline induced tumors in 45% of the mice (0.66 tumors per animal).

32P-Postlabeling analysis of DNA adducts from non-alternant PAH using thin-layer and high performance liquid chromatography

DNA adduct formation in vivo in mouse skin following a single topical application of benzo[a]fluoranthene (BbF), benzo[j]fluoranthene (BjF), benzo[k]fluoranthene (BkF), or indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene (IP) was investigated in female CD-1 mice using 32P-postlabeling analysis. Distinct adduct profiles were detected for each of the non-alternant hydrocarbons examined. Two adducts, one major and one minor, were detected using polyethyleneiminecellulose (PEI-cellulose) thin-layer chromatography (TLC) for BbF and BjF while a single major adduct was detected for BkF and IP. The relative extent of binding to mouse skin DNA was in the order BbF greater than BjF greater than BkF greater than IP. 32P-Postlabeled DNA adducts separated by PEI-cellulose TLC were further analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). A single radioactive peak was detected for 32P-labeled DNA adducts of BjF and BkF. Three general areas of radioactivity were detected when 32P-labeled DNA adducts of BbF were separated on HPLC.

Mutagenicity of methylated fluorenes and benzofluorenes

Methylated fluorenes were assayed for mutagenic activity towards Salmonella typhimurium TA98 and TA100. None of these methylfluorenes were mutagenic in the absence of metabolic activation. In the presence of 9000 X g supernatant from Aroclor-induced rats, 9-methylfluorene and 1,9-dimethylfluorene were active towards TA98 and TA100. The structural requirement for mutagenic activity within this series was the presence of a single methyl substituent at the 9-position. Enhanced mutagenic activity was also observed for benzofluorenes similarly methylated at their benzylic positions.

Mutagenicity of substituted carbazoles in Salmonella typhimurium

Mutagenic activities of 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-, and 9-methylcarbazole were evaluated in S. typhimurium TA1535, TA1537, TA1538, TA98, and TA100. Only 9-methylcarbazole was found to be mutagenic in S. typhimurium TA100 in the presence of rat-liver homogenate. Mutagenic activity was also observed in TA100 for 2,9-, 3,9-, and 4,9-dimethylcarbazole. None of these methylated carbazole derivatives was mutagenic in TA1535, TA1537, TA1538 and TA98 in either the presence of absence of rat-liver homogenate. These results indicate that a 9-methyl substituent is associated with the mutagenic activity of these carbazole derivatives. Comparative studies on the mutagenic activity of 9-substituted carbazoles demonstrated that the activity of 9-ethylcarbazole was less than that of 9-methylcarbazole. 9-Phenyl- and 9-i-propylcarbazole were inactive under identical assay conditions. 9-Hydroxymethylcarbazole, a major metabolite of 9-methylcarbazole, was confirmed to be a direct-acting mutagen in S. typhimurium TA100. 9-Formylcarbazole was inactive as a mutagen when assayed with or without metabolic activation. These data are consistent with the finding that 9-hydroxymethylcarbazole is a major proximate mutagenic form of 9-methylcarbazole.