Unventilated indoor coal-fired stoves in Guizhou province, China: cellular and genetic damage in villagers exposed to arsenic in food and air.

BACKGROUND: Inorganic arsenic (iAs) is a well-known human carcinogen recognized by the World Health Organization and the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Currently, most iAs studies in populations are concerned with drinking water and occupational arsenicosis. In Guizhou province, arsenicosis caused by the burning of coal in unventilated indoor stoves is an unusual type of exposure. Because the poisoning mechanism involved in arsenicosis is as yet unknown and no effective therapy exists, progress has been slow on the prevention and therapy of arsenicosis. OBJECTIVES: We examined the relationship between arsenic (As) exposure from the burning of coal in unventilated indoor stoves and genetic damage in humans, using cellular and molecular indices. We selected villagers from Jiaole township, Guizhou province, China, who had been exposed to milligram levels of As daily via food and air contaminated by the burning of As-containing coal in unventilated indoor stoves. RESULTS: The As-exposed subjects from Jiaole were divided into four groups according to skin lesion symptoms: nonpatients, mild, intermediate, and severe arsenicosis. Another 53 villagers from a town 12 km from Jiaole were recruited as the external control group. In the four groups of exposed subjects, As concentrations in urine and hair were 76-145 microg/L and 5.4-7.9 microg/g, respectively. These values were higher than those in the external control group, which had As concentrations of 46 microg/L for urine and 1.6 microg/g for hair. We measured sister chromatid exchange and chromosomal aberrations to determine human chromosome damage, and for DNA damage, we measured DNA single-strand breaks and DNA-protein cross-links. All measurements were higher in the four exposed groups compared with the external control group. DNA repair was impaired by As exposure, as indicated by the mRNA of O-6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT), X-ray repair complementing defective repair in Chinese hamster cells 1 (XRCC1), and, to a lesser extent, by the mismatch repair gene hMSH2 mRNA. The expression of mutant-type p53 increased with aggravation of arsenicosis symptoms, whereas the expression of p16-INK4(p16) decreased. p53 mutated at a frequency of 30-17% in the carcinoma (n = 10) and precarcinoma (n = 12) groups. No mutation was found in p16, although deletion was evident. Deletion rates were 8.7% (n = 23) and 38.9% (n = 18) in noncarcinoma and carcinoma groups, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The results showed that long-term As exposure may be associated with damage of chromosomes and DNA, gene mutations, gene deletions, and alterations of DNA synthesis and repair ability.

Aberrant DNA methylation and gene expression in livers of newborn mice transplacentally exposed to a hepatocarcinogenic dose of inorganic arsenic.

Our prior work showed that brief exposure of pregnant C3H mice to inorganic arsenic-induced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) formation in adult male offspring. The current study examined the early hepatic events associated with this oncogenic transformation. Pregnant mice were exposed to a known carcinogenic dose of arsenic (85 ppm) in the drinking water from gestation days 8 to 18. The dams were allowed to give birth and liver samples from newborn males were analyzed for arsenic content, global DNA methylation and aberrant expression of genes relevant to the carcinogenic process. Arsenic content in newborn liver reached 57 ng/g wet weight, indicating arsenic had crossed the placenta, reached the fetal liver and that significant amounts remained after birth. Global methylation status of hepatic DNA was not altered by arsenic in the newborn. However, a significant reduction in methylation occurred globally in GC-rich regions. Microarray and real-time RT-PCR analysis showed that arsenic exposure enhanced expression of genes encoding for glutathione production and caused aberrant expression of genes related to insulin growth factor signaling pathways and cytochrome P450 enzymes. Other expression alterations observed in the arsenic-treated male mouse newborn liver included the overexpression of cdk-inhibitors and stress response genes including increased expression of metallothionein-1 and decreased expression of betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase and thioether S-methyltransferase. Thus, transplacental exposure to arsenic at a hepatocarcinogenic dose induces alterations in DNA methylation and a complex set of aberrant gene expressions in the newborn liver, a target of arsenic carcinogenesis.

Transplacental exposure to inorganic arsenic at a hepatocarcinogenic dose induces fetal gene expression changes in mice indicative of aberrant estrogen signaling and disrupted steroid metabolism.

Exposure to inorganic arsenic in utero in C3H mice produces hepatocellular carcinoma in male offspring when they reach adulthood. To help define the molecular events associated with the fetal onset of arsenic hepatocarcinogenesis, pregnant C3H mice were given drinking water containing 0 (control) or 85 ppm arsenic from day 8 to 18 of gestation. At the end of the arsenic exposure period, male fetal livers were removed and RNA isolated for microarray analysis using 22K oligo chips. Arsenic exposure in utero produced significant (p<0.001) alterations in expression of 187 genes, with approximately 25% of aberrantly expressed genes related to either estrogen signaling or steroid metabolism. Real-time RT-PCR on selected genes confirmed these changes. Various genes controlled by estrogen, including X-inactive-specific transcript, anterior gradient-2, trefoil factor-1, CRP-ductin, ghrelin, and small proline-rich protein-2A, were dramatically over-expressed. Estrogen-regulated genes including cytokeratin 1-19 and Cyp2a4 were over-expressed, although Cyp3a25 was suppressed. Several genes involved with steroid metabolism also showed remarkable expression changes, including increased expression of 17beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-7 (HSD17beta7; involved in estradiol production) and decreased expression of HSD17beta5 (involved in testosterone production). The expression of key genes important in methionine metabolism, such as methionine adenosyltransferase-1a, betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase and thioether S-methyltransferase, were suppressed. Thus, exposure of mouse fetus to inorganic arsenic during a critical period in development significantly alters the expression of various genes encoding estrogen signaling and steroid or methionine metabolism. These alterations could disrupt genetic programming at the very early life stage, which could impact tumor formation much later in adulthood.

Fetal onset of aberrant gene expression relevant to pulmonary carcinogenesis in lung adenocarcinoma development induced by in utero arsenic exposure.

Arsenic is a human pulmonary carcinogen. Our work indicates that in utero arsenic exposure in mice can induce or initiate lung cancer in female offspring. To define early molecular changes, pregnant C3H mice were given 85 ppm arsenic in drinking water from days 8 to 18 of gestation and expression of selected genes in the fetal lung or in lung tumors developing in adults was examined. Transplacental arsenic exposure increased estrogen receptor-alpha (ER-alpha) transcript and protein levels in the female fetal lung. An overexpression of various estrogen-regulated genes also occurred, including trefoil factor-3, anterior gradient-2, and the steroid metabolism genes 17-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 5 and aromatase. The insulin growth factor system, which can be influenced by ER and has been implicated in the pulmonary oncogenic process, was activated in fetal lung after gestational arsenic exposure. In utero arsenic exposure also induced overexpression of alpha-fetoprotein, epidermal growth factor receptor, L-myc, and metallothionein-1 in fetal lung, all of which are associated with lung cancer. Lung adenoma and adenocarcinoma from adult female mice exposed to arsenic in utero showed widespread, intense nuclear ER-alpha expression. In contrast, normal adult lung and diethylnitrosamine-induced lung adenocarcinoma showed little evidence of ER-alpha expression. Thus, transplacental arsenic exposure at a carcinogenic dose produced aberrant estrogen-linked pulmonary gene expression. ER-alpha activation was specifically associated with arsenic-induced lung adenocarcinoma and adenoma but not with nitrosamine-induced lung tumors. These data provide evidence that arsenic-induced aberrant ER signaling could disrupt early life stage genetic programing in the lung leading eventually to lung tumor formation much later in adulthood.

Further studies on aberrant gene expression associated with arsenic-induced malignant transformation in rat liver TRL1215 cells.

Chronic arsenic exposure of rat liver epithelial TRL1215 cells induced malignant transformation in a concentration-dependent manner. To further define the molecular events of these arsenic-transformed cells (termed CAsE cells), gene expressions associated with arsenic carcinogenesis or influenced by methylation were examined. Real-time RT-PCR showed that at carcinogenic concentrations (500 nM, and to a less extent 250 nM of arsenite), the expressions of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), Wilm's tumor protein-1 (WT-1), c-jun, c-myc, H-ras, c-met and hepatocyte growth factor, heme oxygenase-1, superoxide dismutase-1, glutathione-S-transferase-pi and metallothionein-1 (MT) were increased between 3 to 12-fold, while expressions of insulin-like growth factor II (IGF-II) and fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR1) were essentially abolished. These changes were not significant at the non-carcinogenic concentration (125 nM), except for IGF-II. The positive cell-cycle regulators cyclin D1 and PCNA were overexpressed in CAsE cells, while the negative regulators p21 and p16 were suppressed. Western-blot confirmed increases in AFP, WT-1, cyclin D1 and decreases in p16 and p21 protein in CAsE cells. The CAsE cells over-expressed MT but the demethylating agent 5-aza-deoxycytidine (5-aza-dC, 2.5 microM, 72 h) stimulated further MT expression. 5-Aza-deoxycytidine restored the loss of expression of p21 in CAsE cells to control levels, but did not restore the expression of p16, IGF-II, or FGFR1, indicating the loss of expression of these genes is due to factors other than DNA methylation changes. Overall, an intricate variety of gene expression changes occur in arsenic-induced malignant transformation of liver cells including oncogene activation and alterations in expression of genes critical to growth regulation.

Global gene expression associated with hepatocarcinogenesis in adult male mice induced by in utero arsenic exposure.

Our previous work has shown that exposure to inorganic arsenic in utero produces hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in adult male mice. To explore further the molecular mechanisms of transplacental arsenic hepatocarcinogenesis, we conducted a second arsenic transplacental carcinogenesis study and used a genomewide microarray to profile arsenic-induced aberrant gene expression more extensively. Briefly, pregnant C3H mice were given drinking water containing 85 ppm arsenic as sodium arsenite or unaltered water from days 8 to 18 of gestation. The incidence of HCC in adult male offspring was increased 4-fold and tumor multiplicity 3-fold after transplacental arsenic exposure. Samples of normal liver and liver tumors were taken at autopsy for genomic analysis. Arsenic exposure in utero resulted in significant alterations (p < 0.001) in the expression of 2,010 genes in arsenic-exposed liver samples and in the expression of 2,540 genes in arsenic-induced HCC. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis revealed that significant alterations in gene expression occurred in a number of biological networks, and Myc plays a critical role in one of the primary networks. Real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analysis of selected genes/proteins showed > 90% concordance. Arsenic-altered gene expression included activation of oncogenes and HCC biomarkers, and increased expression of cell proliferation-related genes, stress proteins, and insulin-like growth factors and genes involved in cell-cell communications. Liver feminization was evidenced by increased expression of estrogen-linked genes and altered expression of genes that encode gender-related metabolic enzymes. These novel findings are in agreement with the biology and histology of arsenic-induced HCC, thereby indicating that multiple genetic events are associated with transplacental arsenic hepatocarcinogenesis.

Transplacental arsenic plus postnatal 12-O-teradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate exposures associated with hepatocarcinogenesis induce similar aberrant gene expression patterns in male and female mouse liver.

Our prior work shows that in utero arsenic exposure alone is a complete transplacental carcinogen, producing hepatocellular carcinoma in adult male offspring but not in females. In a follow-up study to potentially promote arsenic-initiated tumors, mice were exposed to arsenic (85 ppm) from gestation day 8 to 18 and then exposed to 12-O-teradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate (TPA), a well-known tumor promoter after weaning. The dermal application of TPA (2 mug/0.1 ml acetone, twice/week for 21 weeks) after transplacental arsenic did not further increase arsenic-induced liver tumor formation in adult males but significantly increased liver tumor formation in adult females. Thus, for comparison, liver tumors and normal liver samples taken from adult male and female mice at necropsy were analyzed for aberrant gene/protein expression by microarray, real-time RT-PCR and Western blot analysis. Arsenic/TPA treatment resulted in increased expression of alpha-fetoprotein, k-ras, c-myc, estrogen receptor-alpha, cyclin D1, cdk2na, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, cytokeratin-8, cytokeratin-18, glutathione S-transferases and insulin-like growth factor binding proteins in liver and liver tumors from both male and female mice. Arsenic/TPA also decreased the expression of BRCA1, betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase, CYP7B1, CYP2F2 and insulin-like growth factor-1 in normal and cancerous livers. Alterations in these gene products were associated with arsenic/TPA-induced liver tumors, regardless of sex. Thus, transplacental arsenic plus postnatal TPA exposure induced similar aberrant gene expression patterns in male and female mouse liver, which are persistent and potentially important to the mechanism of arsenic initiation of hepatocarcinogenesis.

Biokinetics and subchronic toxic effects of oral arsenite, arsenate, monomethylarsonic acid, and dimethylarsinic acid in v-Ha-ras transgenic (Tg.AC) mice.

Previous research demonstrated that 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) treatment increased the number of skin papillomas in v-Ha-ras transgenic (Tg.AC) mice that had received sodium arsenite [(As(III)] in drinking water, indicating that this model is useful for studying the toxic effects of arsenic in vivo. Because the liver is a known target of arsenic, we examined the pathophysiologic and molecular effects of inorganic and organic arsenical exposure on Tg.AC mouse liver in this study. Tg.AC mice were provided drinking water containing As(III), sodium arsenate [As(V)], monomethylarsonic acid [(MMA(V)], and 1,000 ppm dimethylarsinic acid [DMA(V)] at dosages of 150, 200, 1,500, or 1,000 ppm as arsenic, respectively, for 17 weeks. Control mice received unaltered water. Four weeks after initiation of arsenic treatment, TPA at a dose of 1.25 microg/200 microL acetone was applied twice a week for 2 weeks to the shaved dorsal skin of all mice, including the controls not receiving arsenic. In some cases arsenic exposure reduced body weight gain and caused mortality (including moribundity). Arsenical exposure resulted in a dose-dependent accumulation of arsenic in the liver that was unexpectedly independent of chemical species and produced hepatic global DNA hypomethylation. cDNA microarray and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction analysis revealed that all arsenicals altered the expression of numerous genes associated with toxicity and cancer. However, organic arsenicals [MMA(V) and DMA(V)] induced a pattern of gene expression dissimilar to that of inorganic arsenicals. In summary, subchronic exposure of Tg.AC mice to inorganic or organic arsenicals resulted in toxic manifestations, hepatic arsenic accumulation, global DNA hypomethylation, and numerous gene expression changes. These effects may play a role in arsenic-induced hepatotoxicity and carcinogenesis and may be of particular toxicologic relevance.

Estrogen signaling in livers of male mice with hepatocellular carcinoma induced by exposure to arsenic in utero.

BACKGROUND: Exposure of pregnant mice to inorganic arsenic induces a spectrum of tumors, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), in their adult offspring similar to that induced by exposing adult mice to estrogenic compounds. To investigate whether arsenic exposure in utero causes altered estrogen signaling, we examined expression of estrogen receptor-alpha (ER-alpha), cyclin D1 (an estrogen-responsive hepatic oncogene), and several cytochrome P450 genes (with sexually dimorphic liver expression patterns) in livers from adult male mice with in utero arsenic-induced HCC. METHODS: Quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction was used to evaluate gene expression in livers of adult male mice that had (i.e., exposed mice; n = 8) or had not (i.e., control mice; n = 5) been exposed to arsenic in utero. DNA methylation status of portions of the ER-alpha and cyclin D1 gene promoters in liver tissue was measured using methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction. Statistical tests were two-sided. RESULTS: ER-alpha mRNA levels were 3.1-fold (95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.0-fold to 4.3-fold) higher in livers of exposed mice than in those of control mice, and cyclin D1 levels were 3.0-fold (95% CI = 1.7-fold to 4.3-fold) higher. Exposed mice showed a feminized expression pattern of several cytochrome P450 genes, expressing the female-dominant CYP2A4 (P =.017 versus control) and CYP2B9 (P<.001) genes at 8.7 and 10.5 times, respectively, the level in control mice and expressing the male-dominant CYP7B1 at approximately one-fourth the level in control mice(P =.0012). Exposed mice exhibited reduced (by approximately 90%) methylation of the ER-alpha gene promoter in liver DNA as compared with control mice; the cyclin D1 gene promoter was not methylated in either exposed or control mice. CONCLUSION: Altered estrogen signaling may play a role in induction of HCC by arsenic exposure in utero. Specifically, overexpression of ER-alpha, potentially through promoter region hypomethylation, in livers of such mice may be linked to the hepatocarcinogenicity of arsenic.

Toxicokinetic and genomic analysis of chronic arsenic exposure in multidrug-resistance mdr1a/1b(-/-) double knockout mice.

Multidrug-resistance gene knockout mdr1a/1b(-/-) mice, which are deficient in P-glycoproteins, are more sensitive than wild-type (WT) mice to acute arsenic toxicity. This study assessed toxic manifestations of chronic oral arsenic in mdr1a/1b(-/-) mice, including oxidative stress and altered gene expression, and investigated altered toxicokinetics as a potential basis of enhanced arsenic toxicity. Thus, mdr1a/1b(-/-) and WT mice were exposed to sodium arsenite (0-80 ppm as arsenic) in the drinking water for 10 weeks at which time hepatic arsenic accumulation, lipid peroxidation (LPO), redox status and change in gene expression level were assessed. All mice survived the arsenic exposure, but body weight gain in the highest dose group was reduced in both mdr1a/1b(-/-) and WT mice. Arsenic induced pathological changes, elevated LPO levels and enhanced glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity, in the liver to a greater extent in mdr1a/1b(-/-) than in WT mice. Arsenic also decreased Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase activity in both mdr1a/1b(-/-) and WT mice. The expressions of certain genes, such as those encoding cell proliferation, GST, acute-phase proteins and metabolic enzymes, were modestly altered in arsenic-exposed mice. The expression of cyclin D1, a potential hepatic oncogene, was enhanced in arsenic-exposed mdr1a/1b(-/-) mice only. At the highest level of exposure, hepatic arsenic content was higher in mdr1a/1b(-/-) than in WT mice, suggesting that enhanced accumulation due to transport deficiency may, in part, account for the enhanced toxicity in these mice. In summary, this study shows that chronic arsenic toxicity, including liver pathology and oxidative stress, is enhanced in mdr1a/1b(-/-) mice, possibly due to enhanced accumulation of arsenic as a result of transport system deficiency.

Toxicogenomic analysis of aberrant gene expression in liver tumors and nontumorous livers of adult mice exposed in utero to inorganic arsenic.

Arsenic is a known human carcinogen. We have reported that brief exposure of pregnant C3H mice to arsenite in their drinking water during gestation induced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in male offspring after they became adults. Tumor formation is typically associated with multiple gene expression changes, and this study examined aberrant gene expression associated with transplacental arsenic hepatocarcinogenesis. Liver tumors and nontumorous liver samples were taken at necropsy from adult male mice exposed in utero to either 42.5 or 85 ppm arsenic as sodium arsenite or unaltered water from day 8 to 18 of gestation. Total RNA was extracted and subjected to microarray analysis. Among 600 genes, arsenic-induced HCC showed a higher rate of aberrant gene expression (>2-fold and p < 0.05, 14%) than spontaneous tumors (7.8%). Overexpression of alpha-fetoprotein, c-myc, cyclin D1, proliferation-associated protein PAG, and cytokeratin-18 were more dramatic in arsenic-induced HCC than spontaneous tumors. In nontumorous liver samples of arsenic-exposed animals, 60 genes (10%) were differentially expressed, including the increased expression of alpha-fetoprotein, c-myc, insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1, superoxide dismutase, glutathione S-transferases, and CYP2A4, and the depressed expression of CYP7B1. Real-time RT-PCR analysis largely confirmed these findings. This toxicogenomic analysis revealed several aberrant gene expression changes associated with transplacental arsenic carcinogenesis. It is indeed remarkable that expression changes occurred in adulthood even though arsenic exposure ended during gestation. Some of these aberrantly expressed genes could play a role in the development of arsenic-induced tumors, at least in the liver.

[Synthesis and luminescence spectrum of trinuclear copper(I) complex].

The novel luminescent trinuclear copper( I ) complex [Cu3 (dppm)3 (NO3) (OH)] (NO3) has been obtained by treating binuclear copper(I) [Cu(dppm) (NO3)]2 with sodium tetraphenyl boron (dppm = Ph2 PCH2 PPh2). The complex was characterized by physico-chemical and spectroscopic methods. The title complex exhibits photoluminescence behavior at room temperature.