Assessment of the genotoxic potential of ISIS 2302: a phosphorothioate oligodeoxynucleotide.

ISIS 2302, a phosphorothioate oligodeoxynucleotide with antisense activity against human ICAM-1 mRNA, was evaluated in a battery of tests to assess genotoxic potential. There was no evidence of genotoxicity in three in vitro studies performed: (i) a bacterial reverse mutation test; (ii) a chromosomal aberration test in Chinese hamster ovary cells; (iii) a mammalian cell gene mutation assay in L5187Y cells. Additionally, there was no in vivo evidence of genetic toxicity in a bone marrow micronucleus study in male and female mice. For all tests, top concentrations or doses assessed met harmonized regulatory guidelines. The cellular uptake of ISIS 2302 into target cells was confirmed using capillary gel electrophoresis and immunohistochemistry. Intracellular uptake into CHO cells, L5187Y cells, Salmonella typhimurium TA98 and bone marrow was concentration- and time-dependent. Consistent with what is known about the physical and chemical properties of phosphorothioate oligodeoxynucleotides, there was no evidence of genotoxicity in any of the assessed end-points. Furthermore, the absence of genotoxicity could not be ascribed to test system insensitivity or to an absence of exposure of the test system to ISIS 2302.

The in vitro unscheduled DNA synthesis (UDS) assay in rat primary hepatocytes: evaluation of 24 drug candidates.

The in vitro unscheduled DNA synthesis assay (UDS) is part of the routine genetic toxicology screening at The Upjohn Company. The purpose of this paper is to report results for 24 drug candidates which were tested as coded compounds. These compounds are very diverse in chemical structure and represent classes of compounds selected because of biological activity in a variety of preliminary drug efficacy screens. None of the compounds reported here produced an increase in UDS, and therefore, the UDS results with these materials do not suggest potential for mutagenesis or carcinogenesis.

Measurement of unscheduled DNA synthesis and S-phase synthesis in rodent hepatocytes following in vivo treatment: testing of 24 compounds.

The in vivo-in vitro hepatocyte DNA repair assay has been shown to be useful for studying genotoxic hepatocarcinogens. In addition, measurement of S-phase synthesis (SPS) provides an indirect indicator of hepatocellular proliferation, which may be an important mechanism in rodent carcinogenesis. This assay was used to examine 24 chemicals for their ability to induce unscheduled DNA synthesis (UDS) or SPS in Fischer-344 rats or B6C3F1 mice following in vivo treatment. Hepatocytes were isolated by liver perfusion and incubated with 3H-thymidine following in vivo treatment by gavage. UDS was measured by quantitative autoradiography as net grains/nucleus (NG). Controls from both sexes of both species yielded less than 0.0 NG. Chemicals chosen for testing were from the National Toxicology Program (NTP) genetic toxicology testing program and most were also evaluated in long-term animal studies conducted by the NTP. 11-Aminoundecanoic acid, benzyl acetate, bis(2-chloro-1-methylethyl)ether (BCMEE), C.I. Solvent Yellow 14, cinnamaldehyde, cinnamyl anthranilate, dichloromethane, dichlorvos, glutaraldehyde, 4,4'-methylenedianiline (MDA), 4-nitrotoluene, 4,4'-oxydianiline, a polybrominated biphenyl mixture (PBB), reserpine, 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane, 1,1,2-trichloroethane, trichloroethylene, and 2,6-xylidine all failed to induce UDS in rats and/or mice. Dinitrotoluene and Michler's Ketone induced positive UDS response in rat, while N-nitrosodiethanolamine and selenium sulfide induced equivocal UDS results in mouse and rat, respectively. BCMEE, bromoform, chloroform, PBB, 1,1,2-trichloroethane, and trichloroethylene were all potent inducers of SPS in mouse liver, while C.I. Solvent Yellow 14, and 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane yielded equivocal SPS results in rat and mouse, respectively. These results indicate that most of the test compounds do not induce UDS in the liver; however, the significant S-phase responses induced by many of these compounds, especially the halogenated solvents, may be an important mechanism in their hepatocarcinogenicity.

Induction of unscheduled DNA synthesis in primary cultures of rat, mouse, hamster, monkey, and human hepatocytes.

Variation in hepatic metabolism between species may be an important factor in the differences observed in chemical carcinogenesis. We examined 6 chemicals representative of 4 chemical classes in the in vitro hepatocyte DNA repair assay using cells isolated from the Fischer-344 rat, B6C3F1 mouse, Syrian golden hamster, cynomolgus monkey and from human liver. Hepatocytes were isolated by in situ or biopsy liver perfusion and incubated with [3H]-thymidine and the test chemical. Unscheduled DNA synthesis (UDS) was measured as net grains/nucleus (NG) by quantitative autoradiography. Qualitative and quantitative differences in UDS responses were observed for every chemical. Liver cultures isolated from the rat, mouse, hamster, human, and monkey and treated with aflatoxin B1 or dimethylnitrosamine all yielded dose-related increases in NG. Human, rat, and hamster hepatocyte cultures yielded positive responses following exposure to the aromatic amines 2-acetylaminofluorene, 4-aminobiphenyl, and benzidine, whereas cultures isolated from the monkey and mouse yielded less than 0 NG. Treatment with benzo[a]pyrene (BAP) produced strong positive responses in monkey and human hepatocyte cultures, weak positive responses in hamster cultures, and equivocal or negative responses in rat and mouse hepatocyte cultures. Hepatocyte function was assessed by measurement of DNA content, glutathione content, BAP hydroxylase activity, p-nitroanisole-O-demethylase activity, p-nitrophenol conjugation, and urea synthesis rates. The functional capabilities of isolated hamster, monkey, and human hepatocyte cultures do not appear to correlate with UDS responses observed for any compound; however, they indicate that the cultures were metabolically competent at the time of chemical exposure. These studies suggest that rat hepatocytes are a suitable model for human hepatocytes, whereas mouse and male monkey hepatocytes may be insensitive to aromatic amines.

Induction of hepatic cell proliferation and unscheduled DNA synthesis in mouse hepatocytes following in vivo treatment.

We have modified the in vivo-in vitro hepatocyte DNA repair assay for measurement of unscheduled DNA synthesis (UDS) and hepatic cell proliferation in B6C3F1 mice. Dimethylnitrosamine and methylmethane sulfonate produced significant increases in UDS in both rats and mice. 2-Acetylaminofluorene induced a significant increase in UDS in rats, but not in mice. The mouse hepatocarcinogens, carbon tetrachloride, trichloroethylene, polybrominated biphenyls and 2,6-dichloro-p-phenylenediamine all failed to induce UDS in male and female mice, but all induced significant elevations in hepatic cell proliferation. Increased cell turnover in the liver may therefore be an important mechanism in hepatocarcinogenicity in the mouse.