ToxSci Advance Access published online on October 30, 2008
Toxicological Sciences, doi:10.1093/toxsci/kfn228
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Published by Oxford University Press 2008.
Evaluation of dichloroacetic acid for carcinogenicity in genetically modified Tg.AC hemizygous and p53 haploinsufficient mice






* Environmental Diseases and Medicine Program
Environmental Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, P.O. Box 12233, 111 T. W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 email addresses: kissling{at}niehs.nih.gov; malarkey{at}niehs.nih.gov; vallant{at}niehs.nih.gov; herbert{at}niehs.nih.gov; boorman{at}niehs.nih.gov
Battelle Columbus Operations, Health Division, Columbus, OH, 43201 johnsojd{at}battelle.org, hejtman{at}battelle.org
1 To whom correspondence should be addressed at the National Institute of Environmental Heath Sciences, MD A3-03, Environmental Diseases and Medicine Program, P.O. Box 12233, 111 T. W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, Phone (919) 541-1756. Fax (919) 541-4311. Email: kissling{at}niehs.nih.gov
Received July 25, 2006; revision received September 21, 2006; accepted September 22, 2006
| Abstract |
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There has been considerable interest in the use of genetically modified mice for detecting potential environmental carcinogens. For this reason, the National Toxicology Program (NTP) has been evaluating Tg.AC hemizygous and p53 haploinsufficient mice as models to detect potential carcinogens. It was reasoned that these mouse models might also prove more effective than standard rodent models in evaluating the numerous disinfection by-products that are found in low concentrations in drinking water. Dichloroacetic acid (DCA) is one of the most frequently found disinfection by-products and DCA has been consistently shown to cause hepatocellular tumors in rats and mice in standard rodent studies. Tg.AC hemizygous and p53 haploinsufficient mice were exposed in the drinking water to DCA for up to 41 weeks. In a second study Tg.AC mice were subjected to dermal DCA exposure for up to 39 weeks. Increased incidences and severity of cytoplasmic vacuolization of hepatocytes were seen in the p53 mice, but there was no evidence of carcinogenic activity at exposures of up to 2000 mg/L in the drinking water. Increased incidences and severity of cytoplasmic vacuolization of hepatocytes were seen in the drinking water study with Tg.AC mice and a modest non-dose related increase in pulmonary adenomas was observed in males exposed to 1000 mg/L in the drinking water. Dermal exposure up to 500 mg/kg for 39 weeks resulted in increased dermal papillomas at the site of application in Tg.AC mice. No significant increase in papillomas under the same study conditions was seen in the 26-week study. For DCA under these study conditions, the p53 and Tg.AC mice appear less sensitive to hepatocarcinogenesis than standard rodent models. These results suggest caution for the use of Tg.AC and p53 mice to screen unknown chemicals in drinking water for potential carcinogenicity.
Key Words: Bioassays; Tg.AC; p53; mice; Dichloroacetic Acid; Drinking Water.