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Biomedical subjects

Hideki Wanibuchi

Publications and source records attributed to Hideki Wanibuchi.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2005

Lack of potential of low dose N-nitrosodimethylamine to induce preneoplastic lesions, glutathione S-transferase placental form-positive foci, in rat liver.

Induction of liver lesions in male F344 rats by the genotoxic and carcinogenic N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) was studied at a wide range of dose levels, i.e. from 0.001 to 10 ppm, in drinking water for 16 weeks. Dose related and statistically significant increase of glutathione S-transferase placental form-positive foci, endpoint markers for hepatocarcinogenesis in rats, at 1 and 10 ppm dose groups was obtained, but no increment in foci could be detected with the lower doses (0.001, 0.01, and 0.1 ppm). This finding of a no-observed effect level supports our hypothesis that a threshold, at least in practical terms, exists in carcinogenesis proposed on the basis of extensive wide range dose-dependence studies of other genotoxic carcinogens.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Critical role of angiotensin II in excess salt-induced brain oxidative stress of stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The detailed role of angiotensin II in salt-exacerbated stroke is unclear. We examined the role of angiotensin II in salt-accelerated stroke of stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSP). METHODS: Salt-loaded SHRSP were orally given the angiotensin II type 1 (AT1) receptor blocker candesartan (0.3 to 3 mg/kg per day) and calcium channel blocker amlodipine (1 mg/kg per day), and the effects on stroke (n=61) and brain superoxide were compared between them. We also examined the effect of angiotensin II infusion (200 ng/kg per min) on brain superoxide production and blood-brain barrier. RESULTS: Despite the comparable hypotensive effect between candesartan and amlodipine, candesartan prolonged survival of salt-loaded SHRSP much more than amlodipine (P<0.01), being associated with more improvement of cerebral arteriolar thickening, cerebral arteriolar cell proliferation, and hippocampal CA1 neuronal cell reduction (1024.9+/-20.6 versus 724.9+/-22.8 cells/mm2; P<0.01; n=7 to 10 in each group) in SHRSP by candesartan (P<0.05) than amlodipine. Salt loading increased superoxide and NADPH oxidase activity in brain cortex and hippocampus of SHRSP, and this increase was prevented by candesartan (P<0.01) but not amlodipine. Angiotensin II infusion, via AT1 receptor, directly increased brain superoxide by 1.8-fold (P<0.05; n=6 to 7 in each group) and impaired blood-brain barrier in salt-loaded SHRSP by 1.7-fold (P<0.05), and this increase in brain superoxide and blood-brain barrier impairment was prevented by tempol as well as candesartan. CONCLUSIONS: Excess salt, via oxidative stress, accelerates stroke, and angiotensin II, via AT1 receptor, plays a pivotal role in brain superoxide production of SHRSP by excess salt.

Amlodipine↗
PubMed2005

Enhancement by estradiol 3-benzoate in thioacetamide-induced liver cirrhosis of rats.

As part of an investigation on the role of estrogen in liver disease, we tested the effects of estradiol-3-benzoate (EB) in the thioacetamide (TAA)-induced rat liver cirrhosis model. Male F344 rats (n = 100) were divided into six groups. Animals of groups 1-4 received TAA (0.03% in drinking water) for 12 weeks, and groups 5 and 6 served as controls without TAA. For the exposure period, EB pellets were implanted subcutaneously to give doses of 0 (groups 1 and 5), 1 (group 2), 10 (group 3), and 100 mug (groups 4 and 6) simultaneously. All animals were sacrificed at week 12. Significant increase of liver cirrhosis, liver weight, collagen content, and lipid peroxidation in the livers was evident in groups 3 and 4 (p < 0.05) compared with group 1. Formation of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) was significantly elevated in group 4 (p < 0.01), along with expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) and stellate cell activation-associated protein (STAP), as determined by RT-PCR analysis (p < 0.01). However, there were no differences in liver weight, collagen content, lipid peroxidation, 8-OHdG formation, and alpha-SMA and STAP mRNA expression between groups 5 and 6. We conclude that EB treatment enhances TAA-induced cirrhosis, associated with increase of oxidative stress and activation of hepatic stellate cells.

Actins↗
PubMed2005

JTE-522, a selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor, inhibits induction but not growth and invasion of 1,2-dimethylhydrazine-induced tubular adenocarcinomas of colon in rats.

We have previously demonstrated that JTE-522, a selective cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor, inhibited development of aberrant crypt foci (ACF) in rats, a putative preneoplastic lesion in colon, and suggested its inhibitory potential in rat colon carcinogenesis. To evaluate the chemopreventive properties of JTE-522, the present study was design to evaluate the inhibitory effects of JTE-522 on rat colon tumorigenesis induced by 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH). Rats at 6 weeks of age were divided into 4 groups. One week after the start of the experiment, all rats received DMH by s.c. injection at a dose of 40 mg/kg body weight once a week for 4 successive weeks. As the initiation and postinitiation treatment groups, groups 1-3 were fed diets containing 0, 50, or 150 ppm JTE-522, respectively, from the start of the study to the end. As the postinitiation treatment group, group 4 was given 150 ppm JTE-522 from 1 week after the last DMH injection to the end of the study. Forty weeks after the start of the experiment, administration of 150 ppm JTE-522 during both initiation and postinitiation stages significantly inhibited the incidences of tubular adenocarcinomas and total carcinomas, as well as total tumors in the colon. The inhibitory effect of JTE-522 was most prominent for tubular adenocarcinomas, but was not observed in the nontubular carcinomas (signet-ring cell and mucinous carcinomas). Almost equal inhibitory effects on tubular adenocarcinomas were also observed in the rats given 150 ppm JTE-522 during the postinitiation stage, suggesting that its major anticancer action is at the postinitiation phase. However, JTE-522 had no effect on the size or invasive extent of tubular adenocarcinomas. Furthermore, microarray analyses revealed that JTE-522 had no effect on gene expression levels in DMH-induced tubular adenocarcinomas. These findings suggest that JTE-522 possesses chemopreventive activity against induction but not progression of tubular adenocarcinomas in rat colon. In view of the significant inhibitory effects of JTE-522 on ACF, its major anticancer action may occur in the postinitiation stage but before the malignant conversion stage of DMH-induced colon carcinogenesis.

1,2-Dimethylhydrazine↗
PubMed2005

Lack of urinary bladder carcinogenicity of sodium L-ascorbate in human c-Ha-ras proto-oncogene transgenic rats.

Sodium L-ascorbate (Na-AsA) is widely known to be a tumor promoter of rat bladder carcinogenesis but tests negative in standard 2-year bioassays. In the present study, bladder-cancer-susceptible transgenic rats designated Hras128 were used to further examine the tumorigenicity of Na-AsA. A total of 40 7-week-old male transgenic (Tg) and 42 littermate nontransgenic (Non-tg) rats were divided into 4 groups and given powdered MF diet with or without 5% Na-AsA for 57 weeks. Tg rats showed significantly short survival compared with Non-tg, independent of Na-AsA treatment. Tg rats treated with Na-AsA showed a slightly higher incidence of carcinoma (29.6%) as compared to those without Na-AsA treatment (15.4%), but this was without statistical significance. Moreover, the total bladder tumor incidences, including papillomas, did not differ statistically (with Na-AsA, 37.0%; without Na-AsA, 30.8%). No bladder tumor was detected in Non-tg rats. Various kinds of other lesions in various organs were noted in Tg rats treated with or without Na-AsA treatment, but no intergroup differences were evident. In conclusion, Na-AsA did not show tumorigenicity in highly bladder-cancer-susceptible transgenic Hras128 rats. These results suggest that Na-AsA is a pure promoter but not a complete carcinogen in rats.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Persistence of liver cirrhosis in association with proliferation of nonparenchymal cells and altered location of alpha-smooth muscle actin-positive cells.

This study was carried out to achieve pathological understanding for the persistence of cirrhosis induced by thioacetamide (TAA). Forty-five, male,21-day-old, F344 rats were randomly allocated to group I and received drinking water as a control, and groups 2 and 3 given 0.015% or 0.03%TAA, respectively for 12 weeks. Two-third of animals per group were sacrificed, and remainder were maintained for a further 4 weeks without TAA treatment. Liver cirrhosis was induced in all animals in group 3 at week 12, with obvious increase of collagen content, and this persisted after cessation of TAA. Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) positive labeling indices of nonparenchymal cells were increased significantly after cessation in groups 2 and 3 (p < 0.01). RT-RCR analysis of a-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) showed significant increase in group 3 compared to that of control at both time points (p < 0.05). Immunohistochemical staining of it demonstrated positive cells to mainly be located around regenerating hepatic nodules at week 12, however, they were focused into enlarged portal areas consisting of fibrous tissues and pseudo-bile ductular cells after the cessation. Taken together, we conclude persistence of liver cirrhosis could be associated with the proliferation of nonparenchymal cells and altered location of alpha-SMA positive cells.

8-Hydroxy-2'-Deoxyguanosine↗
PubMed2005

Differences in susceptibility to N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine-induced urinary bladder carcinogenesis between SD/gShi rats with spontaneous hypospermatogenesis and SD/cShi rats with spontaneous hydronephrosis.

Differences in susceptibility to N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine (BBN)-induced urinary bladder carcinogenesis between two substrains of male Sprague-Dawley rats were examined. One substrain was SD/gShi, which has spontaneous hypospermatogenesis, and the other was SD/cShi, which is a sister strain of SD/gShi, and has normal testis but spontaneous hydronephrosis. SD/gShi rats had a lower incidence of urinary bladder tumors and had lower 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine labeling indices in the urinary bladder epithelium than SD/cShi rats when BBN was given. SD/gShi rats had significantly lower urinary concentrations of N-butyl-N-(3-carboxypropyl)nitrosamine (BCPN), which is a metabolite and proximate carcinogen of BBN. In vitro analysis also showed significantly less BCPN formation, using an S9 mix derived from the liver and kidney, in SD/gShi rats than in SD/cShi rats. BCPN formation in vitro was markedly inhibited by non-selective cytochrome P450 (CYP) inhibitors, but not alcohol dehydrogenase inhibitor. However, analysis of CYP proteins including hepatic CYP1A1/2, 2B1/2, 2E1, and 3A2 and renal CYP2E1 and 3A2 revealed no significant variation in levels in either tissue in the groups. There were also no significant intergroup differences in the mutagenicity of carcinogens, including heterocyclic amines and N-nitrosamines, activated by CYP1A1/2 and CYP2E1 and/or CYP2B1/2, respectively. These results suggest that SD/gShi rats are less susceptible to BBN, possibly because less BCPN is produced by CYP isoforms other than those investigated. A contribution of CYP4B1 to the strain difference is also possible.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Dose-dependence of promotion of 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline-induced rat hepatocarcinogenesis by ethanol: evidence for a threshold.

Although ethanol is thought to be a tumor-promoter, there are conflicting results concerning its effects on experimental hepatocarcinogenesis. Furthermore, the relationship between the amount of ethanol consumed and tumor promoting effects has hitherto not been investigated in detail. In the present study, 21-day-old F344/DuCrj rats were fed 200 p.p.m. 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (MeIQx) in their diet for 8 weeks and thereafter received ethanol at doses of 0, 0.1, 0.3, 1, 3, 10 and 20% in drinking water ad libitum for 16 weeks. The incidences of hepatocellular adenoma and total tumors increased dose-dependently with statistical significance at doses of 10% and 20%, compared to the initiated control value. Similarly, dose dependence was observed for the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma, which was elevated significantly at the dose of 20%. No alteration in development of preneoplastic glutathione-S-transferase placental form positive foci or tumors was observed with 0.1-1%. Cell proliferation also increased dose-dependently and CYP2E1 protein induction was recognized in centrilobular regions without alteration in mRNA levels, but no effects were evident on formation of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine, an oxidative DNA damage marker, or lipid peroxidation in any of the initiated groups. The mRNA expression of cyclin D1 increased dose dependently. The results demonstrated that ethanol dose-dependently promotes hepatocarcinogenesis induced by MeIQx, but with no adverse influence at doses of 1% or less, comparable to sensible drinking levels in humans.

Adenoma↗
PubMed2005

Establishment and characterization of a human colonic mucinous carcinoma cell line with predominant goblet-cell differentiation from liver metastasis.

Many human colorectal adenocarcinoma cell lines have been developed. However, differentiated type colorectal cancer cell lines, particularly, the goblet-cell differentiated type, are scarce. In the present study a novel colorectal adenocarcinoma cell line (designated as COLM-6) with predominant goblet-cell differentiation was established from the rectal mucinous adenocarcinoma of a Japanese woman. COLM-6 cells grow in a typical epithelial monolayer in culture. They expressed epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor and HER2 on their surface and accordingly, their growth was significantly stimulated by EGF, transforming growth factor (TGF)-alpha and heregulin. COLM-6 cells form tumor with typical mucinous adenocarcinomatous appearance in nude mice. Immunohistochemical analysis of these subcutaneous tumors demonstrated that COLM-6 cells strongly express MUC2 as a goblet-cell marker and Cdx2 in the nucleus. Some weakly express villin and carbonic anhydrase 1 as a columnar absorptive-cell marker as well. They were also positive for adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) cytoplasmically and expressed beta-catenin in their cytoplasm and cell membrane without nuclear accumulation. These results indicate that COLM-6 cell line has unique characteristics and may provide a useful tool to study the mechanism of growth and differentiation of colonic epithelium as well as the biological behavior of colorectal mucinous adenocarcinoma.

Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous↗
PubMed2004

Microbial metabolite of dimethylarsinic acid is highly toxic and genotoxic.

Dimethylarsinic acid [DMA, (CH(3))(2)AsO(OH)] causes cancer in the urinary bladder of rats. However, its mechanism of cancer or the ultimate carcinogenic form is not yet known. Rats administered dimethylarsinic acid excrete three unknown arsenic compounds (termed M-1, M-2, and M-3) in urine or feces, and these compounds are presumed to be produced by intestinal bacteria. Escherichia coli A3-6 isolated from a rat yielded two unknown arsenic compounds (M-2 and M-3) from dimethylarsinic acid and M-1 from trimethylarsine oxide (TMAO) in the presence of cysteine (Cys). Contents of M-2 and M-3 varied with cysteine concentration. The cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of the bacteria-free solution of dimethylarsinic acid or trimethylarsine oxide metabolized by E. coli A3-6 were studied using V79 cells. Dimethylarsinic acid (1 mM) metabolized by E. coli A3-6 in the presence of cysteine (1 mM) was highly cytotoxic (50% survival reduction concentration; 2.1 microM As) in V79 cells, and the toxic substance appeared to be M-2. The metabolite solution (at 2.5-10 microM total As) induced c-mitosis and tetraploids, and caused mitotic arrest, since it increased mitotic cells at the cytotoxic dose. The metabolite solution also significantly increased sister chromatid exchange (SCE) and chromosomal aberrations, most of which were chromatid gaps and chromatid breaks. A3-6 converted 96.1% of trimethylarsine oxide to M-1 in the presence of cysteine. This metabolite solution did not exhibit cytotoxicity or genotoxicity. The reported M-2 concentration in urine of rats administered levels of DMA via drinking water known to cause bladder tumors was sufficient to exhibit cytotoxic and genotoxic effects in urinary bladder. Thus, we hypothesize that intestinal bacteria play an important role in carcinogenicity of dimethylarsinic acid.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Understanding arsenic carcinogenicity by the use of animal models.

Although numerous epidemiological studies have indicated that human arsenic exposure is associated with increased incidences of bladder, liver, skin, and lung cancers, limited attempts have been made to understand mechanisms of carcinogenicity using animal models. Dimethylarsinic acid (DMA), an organic arsenic compound, is a major metabolite of ingested inorganic arsenics in mammals. Recent in vitro studies have proven DMA to be a potent clastogenic agent, capable of inducing DNA damage including double strand breaks and cross-link formation. In our attempts to clarify DMA carcinogenicity, we have recently shown carcinogenic effects of DMA and its related metabolites using various experimental protocols in rats and mice: (1) a multi-organ promotion bioassay in rats; (2) a two-stage promotion bioassay by DMA of rat urinary bladder and liver carcinogenesis; (3) a 2-year carcinogenicity test of DMA in rats; (4) studies on the effects of DMA on lung carcinogenesis in rats; (5) promotion of skin carcinogenesis by DMA in keratin (K6)/ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) transgenic mice; (6) carcinogenicity of DMA in p53(+/-) knockout and Mmh/8-OXOG-DNA glycolase (OGG1) mutant mice; (7) promoting effects of DMA and related organic arsenicals in rat liver; (8) promoting effects of DMA and related organic arsenicals in a rat multi-organ carcinogenesis test; and (9) 2-year carcinogenicity tests of monomethylarsonic acid (MMA) and trimethylarsine oxide (TMAO) in rats. The results revealed that the adverse effects of arsenic occurred either by promoting and initiating carcinogenesis. These data, as covered in the present review, suggest that several mechanisms may be involved in arsenic carcinogenesis.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

No-observed effect levels for carcinogenicity and for in vivo mutagenicity of a genotoxic carcinogen.

To elucidate the relationship between in vivo carcinogenic and mutagenic potentials of genotoxic carcinogens, low doses were tested in the livers of Big Blue transgenic rats with 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (MeIQx). Male Big Blue rats were fed a diet containing 0.001, 0.01, 0.1, 1, 10, or 100 ppm of MeIQx for 16 weeks, and the frequencies of lacI mutants and glutathione S-transferase placental form (GST-P) positive foci in the liver were determined. The mutation frequencies significantly increased at doses of 10 and 100 ppm, and GST-P positive foci significantly increased at a dose of 100 ppm. However, no statistical increases in both frequencies were observed at lower doses. MeIQx most frequently induced G frameshifts, followed by G to T transversions. Thus, no observed effect level (NOEL) was demonstrated for both carcinogenicity in terms of preneoplastic lesion induction and in vivo mutagenicity of MeIQx, and the NOEL for in vivo mutagenicity was lower than that for carcinogenicity.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Revised rat multi-organ carcinogenesis bioassay for whole-body detection of chemopreventive agents: modifying potential of S-methylcysteine.

The DMBDD rat multi-organ carcinogenesis model based on two-stage carcinogenesis theory was revised to make more suitable assay system for detecting chemopreventive effects of chemical substances by increasing the doses of two carcinogens, 1,2-dimethylhydrazine dihydrochloride (DMH) and N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine (BBN). The revised bioassay resulted in increasing preneoplastic or neoplastic lesions in the colon, urinary bladder and liver. S-Methylcysteine (SMC), a water-soluble organosulfur compound, was used as a test chemical in the new initiation regimen. Though SMC did not express clear-cut inhibitory effects in tumor levels, it showed modifying effects on the development of lung hyperplastic and colon preneoplastic lesions. In conclusion, the present model featuring high yields of preneoplastic and neoplastic lesions with low mortality in a short period (30 weeks), might be suitable for testing the efficacy of possible chemopreventive chemicals at the whole-body level.

1,2-Dimethylhydrazine↗
PubMed2004

Determination of trivalent methylated arsenicals in rat urine by liquid chromatography-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry after solvent extraction.

A method for the determination of trivalent arsenicals in urine was examined. Trivalent arsenicals, extracted as complexes with diethylammonium diethyldithiocarbamate (DDDC) into carbon tetrachloride, were determined by liquid chromatography-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LC-ICP-MS). The trivalent methylated arsenicals monomethylarsonous acid (MMA(III)), dimethylarsinous acid (DMA(III)), and trimethylarsine (TMA) were detected in urine of rats that had received dimethylarsinic acid (DMA(V)) or monomethylarsonic acid (MMA(V)) at concentration of 200 microg ml(-1) in drinking water for 24 weeks. This method is the first to permit quantification of trivalent methylated arsenicals in urine without significant changes in concentration during storage or pretreatment.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Lack of carcinogenicity of enzymatically modified isoquercitrin in F344/DuCrj rats.

The present study was conducted to evaluate the potential carcinogenicity of enzymatically modified isoquercitrin, administered in the diet at doses of 0.5% or 1.5% to groups of 50 male and female F344/DuCrj rats. Control males and females (50 rats each) were maintained on basal diet. Animals were observed for 104 weeks. There were no treatment-related clinical signs of toxicity in the treated groups. Body weights, feed consumption, survival rates and hematological findings for exposed rats of both sexes showed no variations among the groups. There was a slight but significant dose-dependent decrease in relative spleen weights in all treated groups, albeit with no histopathological variation. Overall histopathological evaluation of neoplasms and all tissues after 2 years showed that tumors developed in all groups including the controls. There was a non-significant tendency for increase in the incidence of pituitary gland adenomas in the high dose-treated females (45.5%) as compared to controls (27.7%), with a slight increase in hemorrhage incidences, but values for males were low and similar in both control and treated rats. There were no apparent effects of isoquercitrin on development of kidney neoplasms, hyperplasias or chronic nephropathy. Parathyroid adenomas or hyperplasias were found not affected by isoquercitrin treatment, and there were no differences in mammary gland fibroadenomas or hyperplasias between treated and control rats. Various tumors were found in other organs with no significant differences between the groups. In conclusion, under the conditions of this 2-year feeding experiment, no evidence was obtained of carcinogenicity of enzymatically modified isoquercitrin in male or female F344 rats.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Induction of DNA-adducts and increase of 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine, but no development of preneoplastic lesions in offspring liver with transplacental and trans-breast milk exposure to 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo [4,5-f ]quinoxaline (MeIQx) in rats.

Humans may be exposed to 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f ]quinoxaline (MeIQx) at low doses during the period of gestation and lactation, and thereafter throughout life. The current study was designed to examine the possibility that early exposure may increase the risk of liver tumor development and related genetic changes. Male and female F344 rats were therefore administered MeIQx in diet (1, 10 and 100 ppm) for 4 weeks before mating and also during gestation and lactation. We also examined the carcinogenic risk of low-dose maternal and post-weaning exposure (MeIQx at doses of 1 and 10 ppm). Surviving male F1 rats were sacrificed under ether anesthesia at 19 weeks of age for analyses of glutathione S-transferase placental form-positive foci in the liver and aberrant crypt foci in the colon, as putative preneoplastic lesions. Transplacental and trans-breast milk exposure to MeIQx did not enhance development of the lesions, and levels of cell proliferation in the liver also did not differ from control values. However, excretion of MeIQx into breast milk and transfer to the fetus and offspring were observed with resultant hepatic MeIQx-DNA adducts and 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine formation. Thus, our data suggest that maternal exposure to MeIQx during the period of pregnancy and lactation may not increase the risk of hepatocarcinogenesis in male offspring, despite causing genetic damage. If this result can be extrapolated to humans, exposure to MeIQx may not increase carcinogenic risk in offspring at usual human exposure levels.

8-Hydroxy-2'-Deoxyguanosine↗
PubMed2004

Possible distinct molecular carcinogenic pathways for bladder cancer in Ukraine, before and after the Chernobyl disaster.

After the Chernobyl accident in 1986, the incidence of urinary bladder cancers in the Ukraine increased gradually from 26.2 to 43.3 per 100,000 people between 1986 and 2001. In the areas of low level but persistent cesium-137 (137Cs) radio-contamination, a unique atypical radiation-related urinary bladder cystitis named 'Chernobyl cystitis', a possible pre-neoplastic condition in humans, has been detected. We have previously documented high incidences of bladder lesions, including severe dysplasias and/or carcinoma in situ, in association with this cystitis and correlating with oxidative DNA damage. To further investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying bladder carcinogenesis with this specific etiology, mutation analysis of p53 gene (exon 5-8) was performed for 11 and 18 paraffin-embedded bladder cancers in Ukrainians, respectively collected before and after the Chernobyl disaster. DNAs were extracted and subjected to nested PCR-single-strand conformational polymorphism analysis followed by direct DNA sequencing, as well as p53 immunohistochemistry (IHC). The incidences of p53 gene mutation were 54.5 and 16.7% for before and after the Chernobyl disaster, respectively, the difference being statistically significant. Also a tendency for higher p53 IHC score was apparent in the earlier group of lesions. No significant difference was noted for the proportions of historical types. These results point to possible distinct molecular carcinogenic pathways of bladder cancer formation, before and after the Chernobyl disaster, on the basis of variation in p53 gene alteration.

Adult↗