Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a class of widespread environmental carcinogens. Most of our knowledge of their mechanisms of metabolic activation to DNA-binding "ultimate carcinogenic" metabolites has come from analysis of the DNA interaction products formed by these highly reactive intermediates. Studies of their role in forming DNA-binding intermediates identical to those formed in vivo from the PAH itself have also allowed identification of the particular cytochrome P450 enzymes involved in activating various structural classes of carcinogenic PAHs. It has been established that PAHs, after metabolic activation in vivo, are capable of inducing mutations in oncogenes and, by inducing multiple mutations, may result in tumors. PAHs also cause changes in cellular gap-junction communication similar to those caused by the tumor promoter 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate. Thus, PAHs may also act through a promotional mechanism in addition to serving as tumor initiators. Previous studies on these mechanisms are described and summarized.

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Nanomaterials (NMs) present unique challenges in safety evaluation. An international working group, the Genetic Toxicology Technical Committee of the International Life Sciences Institute's Health and Environmental Sciences Institute, has addressed issues related to the genotoxicity assessment of NMs. A critical review of published data has been followed by recommendations on methods alterations and best practices for the standard genotoxicity assays: bacterial reverse mutation (Ames); in vitro mammalian assays for mutations, chromosomal aberrations, micronucleus induction, or DNA strand breaks (comet); and in vivo assays for genetic damage (micronucleus, comet and transgenic mutation assays). The analysis found a great diversity of tests and systems used for in vitro assays; many did not meet criteria for a valid test, and/or did not use validated cells and methods in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development Test Guidelines, and so these results could not be interpreted. In vivo assays were less common but better performed. It was not possible to develop conclusions on test system agreement, NM activity, or mechanism of action. However, the limited responses observed for most NMs were consistent with indirect genotoxic effects, rather than direct interaction of NMs with DNA. We propose a revised genotoxicity test battery for NMs that includes in vitro mammalian cell mutagenicity and clastogenicity assessments; in vivo assessments would be added only if warranted by information on specific organ exposure or sequestration of NMs. The bacterial assays are generally uninformative for NMs due to limited particle uptake and possible lack of mechanistic relevance, and are thus omitted in our recommended test battery for NM assessment. Recommendations include NM characterization in the test medium, verification of uptake into target cells, and limited assay-specific methods alterations to avoid interference with uptake or endpoint analysis. These recommendations are summarized in a Roadmap guideline for testing.

Metabolic activation, DNA binding, and tumorigenicity of the carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon dibenzo[a,l]pyrene (DB[a,l]P) catalyzed by murine cytochrome P450 (P450) enzymes were investigated. DNA binding of DB[a,l]P in human mammary carcinoma MCF-7 and human P450-expressing Chinese hamster V79 cell lines was previously shown to occur preferentially with metabolically generated fjord region DB[a,l]P-11,12-dihydrodiol 13,14-epoxides (DB[a,l]PDE). To elucidate different capabilities of murine P450 1A1 and 1B1 for metabolic activation of DB[a,l]P, V79 cell cultures stably expressing P450s 1A1 or 1B1 from mice were exposed to 10 or 100 nM DB[a,l]P. Both cell lines transformed DB[a,l]P to DNA binding intermediates. As with V79 cells expressing the corresponding human P450 enzyme [Luch et al. (1998) Chem. Res. Toxicol. 11, 686-695], murine P450 1B1-catalyzed metabolism and DNA binding proceeded exclusively through generation of fjord region DB[a,l]PDE. In addition, only DB[a,l]PDE-derived DNA adducts were found in V79 cells expressing P450 1A1 from mice. This is in contrast to our recent findings with V79 cells expressing P450 1A1 from humans or rats which catalyzed the formation of both highly polar DNA adducts as well as nonpolar DB[a,l]PDE-DNA adducts. To establish the role of P450 1B1 in DB[a,l]P-induced tumor formation in vivo, we treated P450 1B1-null and wild-type mice intragastrically and monitored survival rates and appearance of neoplasias in various organs. All wild-type mice (n = 17) used in this study developed at least one tumor at one site (tumor rate of 100%). In contrast, 5 of 13 P450 1B1-null mice were observed to be free from any tumor (tumor rate of 62%). The organ sites of tumor formation and the dignity of tumors were different between wild-type and P450 1B1-null mice. Wild-type mice were diagnosed with both benign and malignant tumors of the ovaries, lymphoid tissues, as well as with skin and endometrial hyperplasias, whereas P450 1B1-null mice developed only lung adenomas and endometrial hyperplasias. DNA binding studies using embryonic fibroblasts isolated from these animals provided further evidence that P450 1B1-catalyzed formation of fjord region DB[a,l]PDE-DNA adducts is the critical step in DB[a,l]P-mediated carcinogenesis in mice, and probably also in man.

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A symposium at the 40th anniversary of the Environmental Mutagen Society, held from October 24–28, 2009 in St. Louis, MO, surveyed the current status and future directions of genetic toxicology. This article summarizes the presentations and provides a perspective on the future. An abbreviated history is presented, highlighting the current standard battery of genotoxicity assays and persistent challenges. Application of computational toxicology to safety testing within a regulatory setting is discussed as a means for reducing the need for animal testing and human clinical trials, and current approaches and applications of in silico genotoxicity screening approaches across the pharmaceutical industry were surveyed and are reported here. The expanded use of toxicogenomics to illuminate mechanisms and bridge genotoxicity and carcinogenicity, and new public efforts to use high-throughput screening technologies to address lack of toxicity evaluation for the backlog of thousands of industrial chemicals in the environment are detailed. The Tox21 project involves coordinated efforts of four U.S. Government regulatory/research entities to use new and innovative assays to characterize key steps in toxicity pathways, including genotoxic and nongenotoxic mechanisms for carcinogenesis. Progress to date, highlighting preliminary test results from the National Toxicology Program is summarized. Finally, an overview is presented of ToxCast™, a related research program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, using a broad array of high throughput and high content technologies for toxicity profiling of environmental chemicals, and computational toxicology modeling. Progress and challenges, including the pressing need to incorporate metabolic activation capability, are summarized.

The fetus and neonate are sensitive targets for chemically induced carcinogenesis. Few studies have examined the risk/benefit of chemoprotective phytochemicals, given in the maternal diet, against transplacental carcinogenesis. In this study, B6129 SF1/J (AHR(b-1/d)) and 129Sv/ImJ (AHR(d/d)) mice were cross-bred. The polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, dibenzo[a,l]pyrene (DBP), was administered to pregnant mice (15 mg/kg, gavage) on gestation day 17, and 2000 p.p.m. indole-3-carbinol (I3C), a chemoprotective phytochemical from cruciferous vegetables, was fed to half of the mice from gestation day 9 until weaning. Offspring born to dams fed I3C exhibited markedly fewer mortalities (P< 0.0001). Maternal dietary exposure to I3C also significantly lowered lung tumor multiplicity (P = 0.035) in offspring surviving to 10 months of age. The I3C chemoprotection was independent of either maternal or fetal AHR genotype. The bioavailability of DBP to fetal target tissue was demonstrated by assessing DNA covalent adduction with a (33)P-post-labeling assay. The bioavailability of I3C was determined by dosing a subset of pregnant mice with [(14)C]-I3C. Addition of chemoprotective agents to the maternal diet during pregnancy and nursing may be an effective new approach in reducing the incidence of cancers in children and young adults.

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