Sei-ichi Sato

Evaluation of the rodent micronucleus assay in the screening of IARC carcinogens (Groups 1, 2A and 2B): The summary report of the 6th collaborative study by CSGMT/JEMS·MMS

To assess the correlation between micronucleus induction and human carcinogenicity, the rodent micronucleus assay was performed on known and potential human carcinogens in the 6th MMS/CSGMT collaborative study. Approximately 100 commercially available chemicals and chemical groups on which there was little or no micronucleus assay data were selected from IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer) Groups 1 (human carcinogen), 2A (probable human carcinogen) and 2B (possible human carcinogen). As minimum requirements for the collaborative study, 5 male mice were treated by intraperitoneal injection or oral gavage once or twice with each chemical at three dose levels, and bone marrow and/or peripheral blood was analyzed. Five positives and 2 inconclusives out of 13 Group 1 chemicals, 7 positives and 5 inconclusives of 23 Group 2A chemicals, and 26 positives and 6 inconclusives of 67 Group 2B chemicals were found. Such low positive rates were not surprising because of a test chemical selection bias, and we excluded well-known micronucleus inducers. The overall evaluation of the rodent micronucleus assay was based on the present data combined with published data on the IARC carcinogens. After merging, the positive rates for Groups 1, 2A and 2B were 68.6, 54.5 and 45.6%, respectively. Structure-activity relationship analysis suggested that the micronucleus assay is more sensitive to the genetic toxicity of some classes of chemicals. Those to which it is sensitive consist of (1) aziridines and bis(2-chloroethyl) compounds; (2) alkyl sulfonate and sulfates; (3) acyl-type N-nitroso compounds; (4) hydrazines; (5) aminobiphenyl and benzidine derivatives; and (6) azo compounds. Those to which it is less sensitive consist of (1) dialkyl type N-nitroso compounds; (2) silica and metals and their compounds; (3) aromatic amines without other functional groups; (4) halogenated compounds; and (5) steroids and other hormones. After incorporation of structure-activity relationship information, the positive rates of the rodent micronucleus assay became 90.5, 65.2 and 60.0% for IARC Groups 1, 2A and 2B, respectively. Noteworthy was the tendency of the test to be more sensitive to those carcinogens with stronger evidence human carcinogenicity.

Evaluation of the rat micronucleus test with bone marrow and peripheral blood: Summary of the 9th collaborative study by CSGMT/JEMS·MMS

The mouse has traditionally been used for the micronucleus test, with bone marrow the usual target organ. The aim of the 9th collaborative study by CSGMT was to evaluate the suitability of the rat for the micronucleus test, with bone marrow and peripheral blood as the target organ. Since the rat spleen eliminates circulating micronucleated erythrocytes, a rat peripheral blood micronucleus assay might not be feasible.

Difference between intraperitoneal and oral gavage application in the micronucleus test: The 3rd collaborative study by CSGMT/JEMS · MMS

In the third collaborative study organized by the Collaborative Study Group for the Micronucleus Test (CSGMT), a task group belonging to the Mammalian Mutagenesis Study subgroup of the Environmental Mutagen Society of Japan (JEMS.MMS), intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection and oral (p.o.) gavage were compared as routes of administration of test chemicals. Two mouse strains, MS/Ae and CD-1, and 17 chemicals with various modes of action were used. The chemicals were 1-beta-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine, 6-mercaptopurine monohydrate, benzo[a]pyrene, 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene, 2-acetylaminofluorene, phenacetin, cyclophosphamide, ethyl methanesulfonate, N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea, methyl methanesulfonate, mitomycin C, colchicine, vincristine sulfate, potassium bromate, potassium chromate(VI), benzene, and procarbazine hydrochloride. On the basis of the findings of an acute toxicity test and a pilot experiment for dose and sampling time, a full-scale micronucleus test was performed on each chemical. Almost all the chemicals showed a positive response in micronucleus induction by both routes of administration in both mouse strains. Contradictory outcomes were obtained between the i.p. and p.o. routes on potassium chromate in both strains (i.p.: positive, p.o.: negative). In the CD-1 mice, benzene potently induced micronuclei when administered p.o., but gave only a marginal response when administered i.p. Generally, the chemicals induced micronuclei at lower dose levels (mg/kg) when administered i.p. This tendency, however, was decreased or even reversed when the dose was expressed as a percentage of the LD50. Although the i.p. route, an artificial exposure route, is useful to detect the inducibility of micronuclei of a test chemical per se at a small dose, the p.o. route seemed sensitive and valuable enough to evaluate the test chemicals. When the dose levels of chemicals are adjusted on the basis of the LD50, both i.p. injection and p.o. gavage are acceptable as routes of administration in the micronucleus test.

Mouse strain differences in the induction of micronuclei by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

The frequency of micronucleated erythrocytes (MNE) in 3 inbred mouse strains and 2 of their hybrids (C57BL/6, BALB/c, DBA/2, BDF1 and CDF1) were examined after polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs; 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA), 3-methylcholanthrene (3-MC), benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), benzo[e]pyrene (BeP) and anthracene (ANT] were injected i.p. PAHs are thought to form active metabolites after being administered to mammals. In mouse strains with inducible PAH activating enzymes, such as C57BL/6 or BALB/c, MNE were significantly induced, as compared to control mice, 48 h after DMBA, BaP, or 3-MC was injected. No increase in the frequency of MNE occurred in the DBA/2 strain which cannot induce the activating enzymes. BeP and ANT did not increase the frequency of MNE in any mouse used. The levels of MNE induction in BDF1 or CDF1 hybrids were similar to those in C57BL/6 or BALB/c. These results support the view that the genetic capacity to metabolize PAHs is strongly associated with micronucleus induction as in the case of PAH carcinogenesis.

A comparison of intraperitoneal injection and oral gavage in the micronucleus test with mitomycin C in mice.

Intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection and oral (p.o.) gavage were evaluated in the mouse micronucleus test with mitomycin C (MMC). The tests were carried out in 2 laboratories with the MS/Ae and CD-1 mouse strains. On the basis of a small-scale acute toxicity study and a pilot experiment, the full-scale micronucleus test was performed with a 24-h sampling time at doses of 1, 2, 4, and 8 mg/kg for both treatment routes. In both strains, a clear positive dose-response relation was shown by both routes. Although the frequency of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes (MNPCEs) was higher with i.p. on a mg/kg basis, this tendency was reversed when dose was expressed as a percentage of the LD50.

Mouse strain differences in induction of micronuclei by base analogues and nucleosides.

The frequency of induced micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes (MNPCEs) was compared in BALB/c, C57BL/6, and DBA/2 mice after intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of 5-bromodeoxyuridine (BUdR), 5-fluorodeoxyuridine (FUdR), cytosine arabinoside (Ara-C), 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP), 5-bromouracil (5-BU), thymidine (TdR), uridine (UdR), adenosine (AdR) and guanosine (GdR). The experimental procedure was a single i.p. injection followed by harvest at 30 h. The frequency of MNPCEs was significantly increased in all strains by treatment with BUdR, FUdR, Ara-C and 6-MP compared to vehicle control. TdR and UdR induced MNPCEs slightly in BALB/c mice but showed no effect on C57BL/6 and DBA/2 mice. 5-BU, AdR, and GdR did not increase the frequency of MNPCEs in any mouse strain used. These results suggest that BALB/c mice are more susceptible to induction of MNPCEs by clastogenic base analogues and nucleosides than are C57BL/6 or DBA/2 mice.

Effect of aging on spontaneous micronucleus frequencies in peripheral blood of nine mouse strains: the results of the 7th collaborative study organized by CSGMT/JEMS · MMS: Mutation Res. 338 (1995) 51–57☆☆☆

Abstract The spontaneous frequencies of micronucleated reticulocytes (MNRETs) were examined monthly over the life spans of animals beloning to nine mouse strains for the 7th collaborative study organized by the CSGMT/JEMS · MMS. Both sexes of the BDF1 strain and females of the A/J strain showed a statistically significant increase ni mean spontaneous MNRET frequency in their last month of life, suggesting the possibility of strain-specific, age-dependent chromosomal instability. SAMP6/Tan, an accelerated senescence-prone strain, showed the same tendency, although it was not statistically significant. The other strains studied, ddY, CD-1, B6C3F1, SAMR1, and MS/Ae, did not show significant age-related differences in mean of MNRET frequencies. More extensive statistical analyses are underway, and the outcomes will be reported separately.

Early/prefibrotic primary myelofibrosis in patients who were initially diagnosed with essential thrombocythemia

A new entity, namely early/prefibrotic primary myelofibrosis (PMF), was introduced as a subtype of PMF in the 2016 revised World Health Organization (WHO) criteria for myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN). It was diagnosed based on histopathological features of bone marrow (BM) biopsy specimens together with clinical parameters [leukocytosis, anemia, elevated lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) values, and splenomegaly]. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of early/prefibrotic PMF in patients who were previously diagnosed with ET, and to compare clinical features at diagnosis and outcomes between early/prefibrotic PMF and essential thrombocythemia (ET) patients. BM biopsy samples obtained at the time of ET diagnosis were available in 42 patients. Sample reevaluation according to the 2016 revised WHO criteria revealed that early/prefibrotic PMF accounted for 14% of patients who were previously diagnosed with ET, which was comparable to the rates in previous reports. Compared to patients with ET, patients with early/prefibrotic PMF had higher LDH values and higher frequencies of splenomegaly. Overall, myelofibrosis-free and acute myeloid leukemia-free survivals were comparable between the 2 groups. Accurate diagnosis is required to clarify the clinical features of Japanese ET patients.