A framework has been evolving for evaluation of mode of action (MOA) of rodent toxicity and carcinogenicity findings and their relevance to humans. Folpet produces duodenal glandular tumors in mice, but is not carcinogenic in rats. A wealth of information is available regarding folpet's mode of action, providing an excellent example of how this tumor can be evaluated using this framework. Folpet reacts with thiol groups, and is rapidly hydrolyzed at pH 7. Both reactions produce thiophosgene that reacts with thiols and other functional groups. Folpet is not genotoxic in vivo. At sufficiently high, prolonged dietary doses, folpet irritates the mouse duodenum, resulting in cytotoxicity with consequent regenerative proliferation and ultimately tumor development. Forestomach lesions secondary to cytotoxicity are also induced. Dogs have stomachs similar to humans and show no evidence of gastrointestinal toxicity or tumor formation at exposure levels at least as high as rodents. The data support a MOA in mice involving cytotoxicity and regenerative proliferation. Based on MOA analysis and assessment of human relevance, folpet, like captan, another trichloromethylthio-related fungicide with similar toxic and carcinogenic effects, is not likely to be a human carcinogen at dose levels that do not cause cytotoxicity and regenerative proliferation.

Folpet and captan are fungicides whose genotoxicity depends on their chemical reaction with thiols. Multiple mutagenicity tests have been conducted on these compounds due to their positive activity in vitro and their association with gastrointestinal tumors in mice. A review of the collective data shows that these compounds have in vitro mutagenic activity but are not genotoxic in vivo. This dichotomy is primarily due to the rapid degradation of folpet and captan in the presence of thiol-rich matrices typically found in vivo. Genotoxicity has not been found in the duodenum, the mouse tumor target tissue. It is concluded that folpet like captan presents an unlikely risk of genotoxic effects in humans.

1,3-Butadiene and two major genotoxic metabolites 3,4-epoxybutene (EB) and 1,2:3,4-diepoxybutane (DEB) were used as model compounds to determine if genetic toxicity findings in animal and human cells can aid in extrapolating animal toxicity data to man. Sister chromatid exchange (SCE) and micronucleus induction results indicated 1,3-butadiene was genotoxic in the bone marrow of the mouse but not the rat. This paralleled the chronic bioassays which showed mice to be more susceptible than rats to 1,3-butadiene carcinogenicity. However, 1,3-butadiene did not induce unscheduled DNA synthesis (UDS) in the rat or mouse hepatocytes following in vivo exposure. Likewise, UDS in rat and mouse hepatocytes in vitro was not induced by EB or DEB. Salmonella typhimurium gene mutation (Ames) tests of 1,3-butadiene using strains TA1535, TA97, TA98, and TA100 and employing rat, mouse, and human liver S9 metabolic systems were barely 2-fold above background only in strain TA1535 at 30% 1,3-butadiene in air with induced and uninduced rat S9 and mouse S9 (uninduced). 1,3-Butadiene was negative in in vitro SCE studies in human whole blood lymphocytes cultures treated in the presence of rat, mouse, or human liver S9 metabolic activation. In general, 1,3-butadiene is genotoxic in vivo but is a weak in vitro genotoxin.

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The usefulness of the 32P-post-labeling/t.l.c. method for quantitative DNA adduct dosimetry was evaluated. 2-Acetylaminofluorene (2-AAF)-DNA adducts from three systems were characterized qualitatively and quantitatively by the 3H-radiolabeled technique with subsequent analysis by h.p.l.c. (pre-labeling method) and by the 32P-post-labeling method. Both methods showed N-acetoxyacetylaminofluorene (N-OAc-AAF) reaction products with calf thymus DNA were predominantly N-(deoxyguanosin-8-yl)-2-acetylaminofluorene (dG-C8-AAF) with some N-(deoxyguanosin-8-yl)-2-aminofluorene (dG-C8-AF) and N-(deoxyguanosin-N2-yl)-2-acetylaminofluorene (dG-N2-AAF). In contrast, Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells treated with [3H]N-OAc-AAF gave 80 or 90% dG-C8-AF adducts and 20 or 10% dG-C8-AAF adducts with the post- or pre-labeling method, respectively. Likewise in CHO cells treated with 2-AAF in the presence of rat liver homogenate, approximately 90% dG-C8-AF and 10% dG-C8-AAF adducts were detected using the 32P-post-labeling method. In Salmonella typhimurium strain TA1538 treated with 2-AAF or [3H]2-AAF in the presence of a rat liver homogenate, one adduct, dG-C8-AF, was identified. Similar quantitative results were also obtained with the two methods. However, the 32P-post-labeling method was more sensitive and also eliminated the use of radiolabeled-mutagen treatments. Quantitative DNA adduct dosimetry was applied to AAF-induced mutagenesis in the S. typhimurium and CHO/HPRT mutation assays. A linear and reproducible relationship existed between dG-C8-AF levels and AAF-induced mutants in both systems.