Nickel is a widely used metal in industrial and commercial applications, being both workable and highly resistant to corrosion. Certain nickel compounds are known human carcinogens, but not all nickel compounds are equally hazardous. A robust method of assessing the carcinogenic potential of various nickel compounds is needed in order to determine safe occupational exposure levels. This work attempts to develop an in vitro mammalian cell culture method for assessing the carcinogenic and toxic potential of nickel compounds by metabolic and cell cycle analysis. Two cell lines, C3H/10T1/2 and MRC-5, were used. Measurements of extracellular metabolites by enzymatic methods and HPLC were combined with cell counts and cell cycle and apoptosis analysis by flow cytometry. This work shows that nickel sulphate can elicit a metabolic response similar to that of organic carcinogens, though the underlying mechanisms are likely different. / Vale Canada Limited, NSERC

Bibliography: leaves 159-192. / 11, 192, [58] leaves, [16] leaves of plates : ill. ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Discusses the evidence implicating papillomaviruses in the development of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and carcinomas and documents derivation of clones and validation of experimental procedures, epidemiological studies of ano-genital neoplasia, HPV transcription mapping in genital neoplastic lesions and cell lines, and mechanisms of tumor development. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Microbiology and Immunology, 1992

Flavonoids, present in fruits, vegetables and beverages derived from plants, have been described as health-promoting, disease-preventing dietary supplements, and have activity as cancer preventive agents. The cancer protective effects of flavonoids have been attributed to a wide variety of mechanisms, including modulating enzyme activities resulting in the decreased carcinogenicity of xenobiotics. Cytochrome P4501A1 (CYP1A1) is a Phase I enzyme which is known to be involved in the activation of procarcinogens and Glutathione S-Transferase (GST) is a Phase II enzyme which is largely responsible for the detoxification of carcinogens. In this study, it was aimed to investigate the mechanisms of inhibition of CYP1A1 and GST activities of fish by phenolic compounds/flavonoids. Leaping mullet (Liza saliens), captured from highly polluted sites of izmir Bay, expressing high levels of CYP1A, were used in order to investigate these effects. It was demonstrated that all of the phenolic compounds/flavonoids used, exert an inhibitory effect on both CYP1A1 associated 7-Ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) activity and GST activities of fish, although the degree of inhibition was varied with the flavonoid used. Of the flavonoids tested, the most potent inhibitor of CYP1A1 associated EROD activity was found to be quercetin. The potency of the phenolic compounds/flavonoids to inhibit CYP1A1 associated EROD activity follow the sequence of quercetin &gt / resveratrol &gt / naringenin &gt / hesperidin &gt / rutin with IC50 values of 1.32 &micro / M, 3.59 &micro / M, 9.78 &micro / M, 98.5 &micro / M and 0.64 mM respectively. Quercetin, resveratrol, hesperidin and rutin were found to inhibit EROD activity in a competitive manner, on the other hand, naringenin was found to inhibit EROD activity in a non-competitive manner. Inhibition constant (Ki) values of quercetin, resveratrol, naringenin, hesperidin and rutin were calculated from Dixon plots as 0.12 &micro / M, 0.67 &micro / M, 2.63 &micro / M, 18 &micro / M and 0.1 mM, respectively. In the case of GST enzyme, it was demonstrated that all of the phenolic compounds/flavonoids used, exert an inhibitory effect on both total GST and GST-Mu activities of fish. Of the flavonoids tested, the most effective inhibitor of total GST activity was found to be resveratrol. The potency of the phenolic compounds/flavonoids to inhibit total GST activity follow the sequence of resveratrol &gt / quercetin &gt / rutin &gt / naringenin &gt / hesperidin with IC50 values of 7.1 &micro / M, 24.5 &micro / M, 89 &micro / M, 116 &micro / M and 118 &micro / M respectively. Resveratrol, quercetin and hesperidin were found to inhibit total GST activity in a competitive manner, on the other hand, rutin and naringenin were found to inhibit GST activity in a mixed type manner. Ki values of resveratrol, quercetin, hesperidin, naringenin and rutin were calculated from Dixon plots as 3.2 &micro / M, 12.5 &micro / M, 45 &micro / M, 128 &micro / M and 150 &micro / M respectively. In the case of GST-Mu activity, the most potent inhibitor was found to be rutin. The potency of the phenolic compounds/flavonoids to inhibit GST-Mu activity follow the sequence of rutin &gt / resveratrol &gt / quercetin &gt / naringenin &gt / hesperidin with IC50 values of 66.5 &micro / M, 72.3 &micro / M, 113.5 &micro / M, 135.5 &micro / M and 196 &micro / M, respectively. In conclusion, this study indicated that flavonoids were the strong inhibitors of CYP1A1 associated EROD activity and GST activities of mullet liver. The modulation of drug-metabolizing enzymes by flavonoids is important in terms of human health, since these enzymes can activate or inactivate carcinogens. The potential role of xenobiotic metabolizers CYP1 family in the activation of carcinogens and inactivation of chemotherapeutics suggests a potential therapeutic benefits in inhibiting these enzymes. The results of the present study support the hypothesis that flavonoids may be involved in the prevention of malignant transformation, by reducing the formation of carcinogens through inhibition of enzymes such as CYP1A1 which is known to be involved in carcinogen activation.

Thesis (M.S.)--California Polytechnic State University, 2009. / Title from PDF title page; viewed on September 22, 2009. Major professor: Trevor Harding, Ph.D. "Presented to the faculty of California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo." "In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree [of] Master of Science in Engineering, with Specialization in Materials Engineering." "June 2009." Includes bibliographical references (p. 80-84). Also available on microfiche.

1. The acid catalyzed cyclodehydration method was extended to the 9-aryl-1,2-benzanthracene and 9-naphthylanthracene series. 2. A new method of cyeclodehydration was described. 3. The series of 10-mono- and 10-dimethylphenyl-1,2-benzanthracenes was completed. All the isomeric 9-mono- and 9-dimethylphenyl-1,2-benzanthracenes were prepared together with the corresponding ketones. Some highly hindered ketones were prepared and their cyclization realized. A total of 47 compounds, not previously reported in the literature, were synthesized. 4. The spectra of 24 hydrocarbons were recorded and the theory of nonplanarity of these compounds substantiated. / Ph. D.

The antimutagenic potency of wheat grain and berry extracts was studied in vitro against several heterocyclic amines (HCAs) using the Salmonella mutagenicity assay and the anticarcinogencity of wheat grain was studied in vivo using the rat colonic aberrant crypt focus assay. Wheat bran, which binds HCAs in vitro, as well as refined wheat and unrefined whole wheat, inhibited the mutagenic activities of 2-amino-3- methylimidazo [4, 5-f] quinoline (IQ), 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4, 5-b]pyridine (PhIP) and 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (MeIQx) when they were co-incubated and the supernatant (minus grain) was added to the Salmonella mutagenicity assay. The water-soluble fraction alone from refined and unrefined wheat, but not bran, also inhibited these mutagens in vitro. In vivo, AIN- 93G diets containing refined wheat or unrefined wheat were examined for their ability to inhibit IQ-induced colonic aberrant crypt foci (ACF) in the F344 rat. A slight increase in the number of aberrant crypts/ACF (AC/ACF) was seen after 16 weeks in rats treated post-initiation with refined wheat (p<0.05), and fewer foci with 2 or 3 aberrant crypts (ACF-2) were found in rats given unrefined whole wheat post-initiation compared with animals treated with the same diet during the initiation phase (p<0.05). There was no significant difference in the profile of IQ urinary metabolites or excretion of promutagens 0-48 hours after carcinogen dosing, and grains had no effect on hepatic cytochrome P450 (CYP) 1A1, CYP1A2, aryl sulfotransferase, or N-acetyltransferase activities; however, a slightly higher UDP-glucuronosyl transferase activity was observed in rats fed unrefined wheat compared with refined wheat diets (p<0.05). Thus, despite their antimutagenic activities in vitro, only marginal effects were seen with refined and unrefined wheat in vivo with respect to induction of hepatic enzyme activities, carcinogen metabolism, or IQ-induced ACF in the rat colon. The fresh juice and extract of crandall black currant (Ribes aureum) were not mutagens in the Salmonella mutagenicity assay. Berry extract or fresh juice at levels to 50 ��l (22 mg berry) in a 500 ��l pre-incubation system significantly inhibited the mutagenicity of IQ, a mutagen from cooked meat, by 32% when rat liver S9 bioactivation system was present. One hundred ��l of crandall black currant extract gave 89% inhibition of IQ mutagenicity (p<0.05). However, the mutagenicity of 2-hydroxyamino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f] quinoline (N-hydroxy- IQ), a direct-acting metabolite of IQ, was not affected. An in vitro fluorometric assay showed the activity of cytochrome P 450 (CYP) 1A1 and CYP 1A2 was decreased. Inhibition of CYP 1A2 activity may be an important mechanism of antimutagenicity of crandall black currant extract. Similar results were also observed with other berry samples. Key word: cereal grains, black currant, berry, aberrant crypt foci, heterocyclic amines, CYP1A1, CYP1A2, Salmonella mutagenicity assay. / Graduation date: 2003

Elevated concentrations of arsenic in groundwater pose a public health threat to millions of people worldwide. While arsenic is an established human carcinogen, a mode of action has yet to be determined for arsenic carcinogenesis. However, the oxidative stress and DNA repair pathways have been implicated in arsenic toxicity and have been hypothesized to underlie arsenic carcinogenesis. To date, few epidemiologic studies have evaluated genetic susceptibility to arsenical skin lesions based on single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in antioxidant enzyme or DNA repair genes. Utilizing cross-sectional data from the 2000-2002 survey of the Health Effects of Arsenic Longitudinal Study (HEALS) for 610 prevalent arsenical skin lesion cases and 1,079 randomly selected controls, I evaluated the associations of SNPs in genes encoding antioxidant enzymes and DNA repair enzymes on skin lesion prevalence. I also evaluated potential interactions between the SNPS as well as SNP-environment interactions in determining skin lesion prevalence. In the first study of this dissertation (Chapter 2), I assessed the relationship between SNPs in antioxidant enzyme genes and skin lesion prevalence, as well as possible interactions of these associations on the additive scale by various environmental factors. There were no statistically significant associations between these SNPs (SOD2, rs4880; CAT, rs1001179; GPX1, rs1050450; and MPO, rs2333227) and skin lesion prevalence. Additionally, there was no evidence of additive interaction by arsenic exposure levels, body mass index, smoking status, or fruit and vegetable intake with the SNPs in relation to skin lesion prevalence. However, there was marginal evidence that skin lesion prevalence was increased among individuals who carried 4 or more risk alleles compared to individuals carrying 0-3 risk alleles in these SNPs. Additionally, I observed a significant departure from additivity for the risk allele score and primary methylation index on skin lesion prevalence. In the second study of this dissertation (Chapter 3), I assessed the relationship between SNPs in DNA repair genes (OGG1, rs1052133; XRCC1, rs25487 and rs1799782; XRCC3, rs861539; ERCC2, rs1052559; ERCC5, rs17655; and LIG4, rs1805388) and skin lesion prevalence, as well as possible interactions of these associations on the additive scale by various environmental factors. In logistic regression models controlling for sex, age, and well water arsenic concentration, no associations were observed between measured SNPs and skin lesion prevalence. The results did not vary by arsenic exposure levels, body mass index, or smoking status. However, I did observe a significant inverse association of total fruit and vegetable consumption with skin lesion prevalence, and its additive interaction with the polymorphism in ERCC5. In the third study of this dissertation (Chapter 4), I utilized a multi-analytic approach to explore gene-gene, gene-environment, and higher-order interactions among 10 SNPs related to the oxidative stress and DNA repair pathways by MDR, CART, and logistic regression models. As shown in Chapters 2 and 3, none of these SNPs were associated with skin lesion prevalence, however, were evaluated for potential SNP-SNP interactions. MDR and CART modeling approaches were utilized for the selection of potential gene-gene and gene-environment interactions. Considerable overlap of the interactions detected by both these methods was observed, which were further evaluated by logistic regression. Results from logistic regression modeling, provided some evidence of these statistical interactions; however, their biological interpretation was limited. In summary, there was marginal evidence that skin lesion prevalence was increased among individuals who carried 4 or more risk alleles in genotyped SNPs related to the oxidative stress pathway compared to individuals carrying 0-3 risk alleles in these SNPs and, a significant departure from additivity was observed for the risk allele score and primary methylation index on skin lesion prevalence. Additionally, a significant inverse association of total fruit and vegetable consumption with skin lesion prevalence was observed and, a significant interaction between the polymorphism in ERCC5 and total fruit and vegetable intake was observed in relation to skin lesion prevalence on the additive scale. However, these finding require replication in other studies.

Background: In Bangladesh, more than 57 million individuals are exposed to arsenic-contaminated drinking water at concentrations that exceed the World Health Organization guideline for safe drinking water, which is 10 μg/L. Arsenic is a human carcinogen, which has also been associated with numerous non cancer outcomes, including cardiovascular disease. For many arsenic-related health outcomes, susceptibility differs by sex, with some outcomes preferentially afflicting males and others females. Although reducing exposure to arsenic-contaminated drinking water is the primary strategy for preventing arsenic toxicity, cancer risks remain elevated decades after arsenic exposure has been reduced. Therefore, public health approaches which complement arsenic remediation efforts are needed. One potential set of strategies includes nutritional interventions. Deficiencies in one-carbon metabolism (OCM nutrients can cause hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcys), which has been associated with adverse health outcomes, including cancers and cardiovascular disease. In Bangladesh, the prevalence of HHcys is quite high and differs by sex (63% among men, 26% among women). Nutrients involved in the OCM pathway may also protect against arsenic toxicity. Two potential mechanisms include: 1) by enhancing arsenic metabolism and 2) by preventing/reversing arsenic-induced epigenetic dysregulation. Arsenic metabolism facilitates urinary arsenic elimination and depends on two sequential S-adenosylmethionine (SAM)-dependent methylation steps, which yield the mono- and dimethyl arsenical species (MMA and DMA, respectively and S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH), a potent inhibitor of most methyltransferases. SAM is synthesized via OCM, a pathway with many nutritional influences, including folate and cobalamin. There is substantial evidence from experimental studies that the OCM pathway is important for facilitating arsenic metabolism and elimination. However, the relationships between SAM, SAH, and arsenic methylation may be particularly complex in populations exposed continuously to arsenic, because 1) the arsenic metabolites compete for methylation, since each methylation step is catalyzed by the arsenic (+3) methyltransferase and requires a methyl group from SAM, and 2) folate and cobalamin nutritional status may vary between individuals. Although the mechanisms mediating arsenic toxicity remain largely unclear and are likely multifactorial, there is increasing evidence that arsenic induces epigenetic dysregulation, including alterations in both DNA methylation and posttranslational histone modifications (PTHMs), and these effects may differ by sex. Arsenic has also been shown to alter gene expression in a sex dependent manner. However, the sex-specific effects of arsenic on PTHMs and gene expression have not been confirmed in a large epidemiological study. Since many of the enzymes involved in epigenetic regulation, including DNA methyltransferases and lysine histone methyltransferases, depend on SAM, epigenetic modifications are also influenced by OCM. Previous studies have demonstrated that nutritional methyl donors involved in the OCM pathway buffer against/modify toxicant-induced alterations in DNA methylation. This may also be true for arsenic-induced alterations in PTHMs. However, the relationships between OCM indices and PTHMs have not been characterized in arsenic-exposed populations. Objectives: We had five main objectives: 1) to examine the relationships between SAM, SAH, and arsenic methylation capacity, and potential effect modification by folate and cobalamin nutritional status; 2) to characterize a specific cleavage product of histone H3, which we identified in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in our early analyses of PTHMs; 3) to evaluate the effects of arsenic exposure and arsenic removal on three candidate PTHMs (di- and tri-methylation at lysine 36 of histone H3 (H3K36me2 and H3K36me3, respectively) and di-methylation at lysine 79 of histone H3 (H3K79me2)), which were selected because they are dysregulated in cancers and are altered by arsenic and/or nutritional methyl donors in vitro; 4) to examine associations between arsenic exposure and gene-specific DNA methylation and mRNA expression, particularly for genes involved in pathways implicated in arsenic toxicity; and 5) to characterize the relationships between OCM indices and our three candidate PTHMs, and the effect of folic acid (FA) supplementation on these same PTHMs. For objectives 3-5, we also examined potential differences by sex. Methods: To address these objectives, we used data from three epidemiological studies of arsenic-exposed Bangladeshi adults: 1) the Folate and Oxidative Stress (FOX) study, a cross-sectional study of healthy individuals; 2) the Folic Acid and Creatine Trial (FACT), a randomized placebo-controlled trial (duration 24 weeks) in which healthy participants received an arsenic-removal water filter at baseline and were also randomized to one of five nutrition intervention arms: placebo, 400 μg FA/day (FA400), 800 μg FA/day (FA800), 3 g creatine/day (Creatine), and Creatine + FA400; and 3) the Bangladesh Vitamin E and Selenium Trial (BEST), a randomized placebo controlled trial (duration 6 years) in which individuals with arsenicosis were randomized to one of four nutrition intervention arms: placebo, vitamin E (alphatocopheral, 100 mg/day), selenium (L-selenomethionine, 200 μg/day), or a combination of vitamin E and selenium. In Chapter 3, we examined associations between blood SAM and SAH and the proportion (%) of each arsenic metabolite, measured in blood and urine, among FOX participants. We further examined if these associations differed within strata of folate and/or cobalamin nutritional status. In Chapter 4, we characterized a specific cleavage product of histone H3, which we identified in human PBMCs from a subset of FACT participants (n = 32). We also determined the prevalence of H3 cleavage in these samples and the impact of H3 cleavage on the measurement of downstream PTHMs. In Chapter 5, we presented sex-specific associations between pre-intervention measures of blood arsenic and creatinine-adjusted urinary arsenic (uAsCr) and PTHMs, measured in PBMCs collected from FACT participants (n = 317). We also evaluated whether PTHMs were stable for the 12 week duration after FACT participants received arsenic-removal water filters (n = 60 from placebo group). In Chapter 6, we presented associations between pre-intervention uAsCr and gene-specific DNA methylation (whole blood, n = 400) and mRNA expression (PBMCs, n = 1799) for 47 candidate genes involved in arsenic metabolism, OCM, epigenetic regulation, DNA repair, or tumor suppression/oncogenesis, using baseline-collected samples from BEST participants. We also evaluated these associations separately by sex. In Chapter 6, we examined sex-specific associations between baseline circulating concentrations of OCM indices, including folate, cobalamin, choline, betaine, and homocysteine, and PTHMs measured in PBMCs collected from FACT participants (n = 324). We also evaluated whether FA400 (n = 106), compared with placebo (n = 60), for a duration of 12 weeks increased global levels of PTHMs. Results: We observed that folate and cobalamin nutritional status significantly modified associations between SAM and the % arsenic metabolites, as hypothesized (Chapter 3). Among folate and cobalamin deficient individuals, SAM was positively associated with the %MMA, and negatively associated with the %DMA, in blood. In Chapter 4, we determined that H3 cleavage was evident in one third of the FACT PBMC samples examined. We further demonstrated that H3 cleavage impacts the measurement of certain PTHMs. In Chapter 5, we reported that biomarkers of arsenic exposure were associated with H3K36me2 in a sex-dependent manner. In particular, uAsCr was positively associated with H3K36me2 among men, but not women. Furthermore, the use of arsenic-removal water filters was associated with significant reductions in H3K36me2 over a 12 week period, but this did not differ by sex. We also observed that uAsCr was associated with the methylation and expression of several genes involved in OCM, epigenetic regulation, DNA repair, and tumor suppression, and many of these associations differed by sex (Chapter 6). The associations between several OCM indices and PTHMs were also sex-dependent (Chapter 7). Specifically, choline was positively associated with H3K36me2 among men only, while cobalamin was positively associated with H3K79me2 among women only. However, FA400 for 12 weeks did not alter global levels of the PTHMs examined. Conclusions: Given that cancer risks remain elevated decades after arsenic exposure has ceased, public health interventions which complement arsenic remediation efforts are needed. Nutritional interventions may be one promising approach. Previous studies have observed that a higher %MMA, and a lower DMA, in urine is associated with an increased risk of developing adverse health outcomes. Our finding that SAM was positively associated with %MMA, and negatively associated with %DMA, among individuals deficient for folate and cobalamin contributes additional evidence that nutritional status may explain some of the inter-individual differences in arsenic methylation capacity and, consequently, in susceptibility to arsenic toxicity. Our observation that arsenic exposure was positively associated with global levels of H3K36me2 among men, but not women, and that arsenic was associated with gene specific DNA methylation and mRNA expression in a sex-dependent manner, adds to a growing literature that arsenic induces epigenetic dysregulation differentially by sex. Furthermore, these findings suggest that this may have functional consequences, such as alterations in mRNA expression, including for genes involved in pathways implicated in arsenic toxicity. While it is tempting to speculate that this may explain some of the sex differences in susceptibility to arsenic toxicity, the clinical implications of our findings will require additional study. We also provided the first evidence from an arsenic exposed population that choline and cobalamin are associated with PTHMs(H3K36me2 and H3K79me2, respectively) in a sex-dependent manner, and that 12 weeks’ supplementation with FA, at a dose based on the recommended dietary allowance for folate, does not significantly alter global levels of H3K36me2, H3K36me3, or H3K79me2 in human PBMCs. Previous studies have shown that nutrients in the OCM pathway protect against toxicant induced alterations in DNA methylation. Our findings suggest that some OCM nutrients, particularly choline and cobalamin, may also influence PTHMs in human PBMCs. These findings lay the groundwork for future studies which further examine whether these nutrients can protect against or modify arsenic induced alterations in PTHMs.

Bibliography: leaves 263-270.

Chlorophyllin (CHL), a water-soluble derivative of the green plant pigment, chlorophyll, is an effective antimutagen and anticarcinogen in various model systems when used as a modulator against a class of carcinogens that, in general, have a structure consisting of at least three fused rings. Dibenzo[a,l]pyrene (DBP), an extremely potent environmental carcinogen, has been isolated from urban air samples, tobacco smoke, and coal smoke condensate. A study was conducted to evaluate the complex interrelationships among dietary DBP doses with co-exposure to a range of CHL doses. In order to achieve adequate statistical power in the generation of multiple dose-response curves, this dose-dose matrix experiment utilized over 12,000 rainbow trout. The resulting DNA adducts were assessed and evaluated as biomarkers of exposure to discern their relationship with the final tumor outcome. CHL was highly effective in reducing DBP-initiated DNA adduct formation in the liver and stomach and strongly inhibited tumor formation in the liver (56-79% inhibition), stomach (30-68%), and swim bladder (over 80% at the highest DBP dose). Molecular dosimetry revealed adduct formation to be predictive of final tumor response in both organs regardless of CHL dose. Other parameters evaluated were consistent with CHL-mediated protection. A clinical CHL preparation, evaluated in a human population subsequent to the seminal demonstration of CHL chemopreventive properties against AFB��� in trout (1), revealed CHL to be just as effective in reducing biomarkers of alfatoxin exposure to humans (2). Dietary administration of this clinical preparation along with DBP in the rainbow trout demonstrated CHL protective capacity against DBP-initiated multi-organ DNA adduct formation and final tumor incidence. Sucrose was evaluated, deemed unlikely to be sequestered in a complex with CHL, and was used as a control in a pharmacokinetic study evaluating the biodistribution of DBP with and without CHL. The results provide evidence against a non-specific masking mechanism for CHL-mediated blocking of DBP (or aflatoxin)-initiated tumorigenesis. CHL at multiple doses provided significant protection against multi-dose DBP-initiated DNA adduction and tumor formation in multiple organs. CHL-mediated protection, primarily by reduced carcinogen biouptake and consistent with a complexation mechanism, is supported by these results. / Graduation date: 2003