Toxicological Sciences, Vol 47, 187-194, Copyright © 1999 by Society of Toxicology
DL Morgan, JF Mahler, DT Kirkpatrick, HC Price, RW O'Connor, RE Wilson and MP Moorman
alpha-Methylstyrene (AMS) is a chemical intermediate used in the synthesis
of specialty polymers and copolymers. Inhalation studies of AMS were
conducted because of the lack of toxicity data and the structural
similarity of AMS to styrene, a toxic and potentially carcinogenic
chemical. Male and female B6C3F1 mice were exposed to 0, 600, 800, or 1000
ppm AMS 6 h/day, 5 days/week, for 12 days. After 1 exposure, 21% (5/24) of
female mice were found dead in the 1000-ppm group, 56% (10/18) in the
800-ppm group, and 6% (1/18) in the 600-ppm concentration group. After 12
exposures, relative liver weights were significantly increased and relative
spleen weights were significantly decreased in both male and female mice at
all concentrations. No microscopic treatment-related lesions were observed.
A decrease in hepatic glutathione (GSH) was associated with AMS exposure
for 1 and 5 days. Male and female F344 rats were exposed to 0, 600 or 1000
ppm AMS for 12 days. No mortality or sedation occurred in AMS-exposed rats.
Relative liver weights were significantly increased in both males and
females after 12 exposures to 600 or 1000 ppm. An increased hyaline droplet
accumulation was detected in male rats in both concentration groups; no
significant microscopic lesions were observed in other tissues examined.
Exposure of male and female F344 rats and male NBR rats to 0, 125, 250 or
500 ppm AMS, 6 h/day for 9 days resulted in increased accumulation of
hyaline droplets in the renal tubules of male F344 rats in the 250 and 500
ppm concentration groups. Although AMS and styrene are structurally very
similar, AMS was considerably less toxic for mice and more toxic for male
rats than styrene.
ARTICLES
Characterization of inhaled alpha-methylstyrene vapor toxicity for B6C3F1 mice and F344 rats
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709, USA. morgand@niehs.nih.gov
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