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A female congenic rat produced by repeated backcrossing of Nihon rats, a model for hereditary renal cell carcinoma, to Brown Norway rats was necropsied at 24 months of age. At necropsy, a white mass about 1 centimeter in size was observed in the thoracic cavity, and the mass partly adhered to the esophagus and the diaphragm. Histologically, the mass was clearly circumscribed by connective tissue, and consisted of neoplastic cuboidal epithelial cells that showed cystic tubular proliferation. Some islands of well-differentiated hepatocytes and some vessels were observed in the mass. Immunohistochemically, the tumor cells were strongly positive for cytokeratin and partly positive for vimentin but were negative for mesothelin and Von Willebrand Factor. The positive rate for Ki-67 was 2.4%. Based on these histological and immunohistochemical evidences, we diagnosed this tumor as a cystic cholangioma that might have arisen from the ectopic hepatic tissue in the thoracic cavity.

In the present study, we investigated the histological, immunohistochemical and ultrastructural characteristics of cytoplasmic blood plasma inclusions that spontaneously occurred in a rat liver. Histologically, a number of cytoplasmic inclusions were observed in the liver of an 8-week-old female SD rat. These inclusions were strongly positive for PAS staining and resistant to diastase digestion. Immunohistochemical analyses revealed that these inclusions were positive for albumin and IgG; however, most of them were negative for LAMP-1 and LAMP-2. Ultrastructurally, the inclusions were surrounded by limiting membranes and composed of moderately electron dense, homogenous materials. These characteristics described here represent valuable information for pathological examination in toxicity studies.

The main objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of the antipsychotic drugs haloperidol (HAL) and chlorpromazine (CPZ) on bone mineral density (BMD) in female rats and to examine the relationship between the effects on bone and reproductive organs or hormone concentrations. Female rats were orally administered HAL (2 or 10 mg/kg) or CPZ (25 or 50 mg/kg) once daily (7 days/week) for 6 months resulting in a significant increase in prolactin. Hyperprolactinemia resulted in enlarged corpora lutea in the ovary, because prolactin has a luteotropic activity. Thus, atrophy in the uterus, epithelial mucification in the vagina and continuous diestrus stages were observed. These events in the reproductive organs induced a decrease in estradiol, elevation of biochemical markers of bone metabolism, significant reductions of BMD in trabecular bone of the femur and decreased trabecular bone in the femur. The bone loss is associated with an increase in bone resorption due to decreased estradiol derived from the luteotropic activity of prolactin. The mechanism of dopamine blockers to induce bone loss in female rats is considered to be rodent specific because the luteotropic effects of prolactin are confined primarily to rodents. Also, it appears that chronic hyperprolactinemia and maintained corpora lutea leading to bone loss are commonly inducible in female rats receiving long-term treatment with antipsychotic drugs possessing dopamine D2 receptor antagonist activity.

Lactic acidosis has been considered to be a side effect of some biguanides, after phenformin was withdrawn from the market because of its association with lactic acidosis. The potential of lactic acidosis induced by biguanides at human therapeutic exposure levels, however, has not been examined. Then, we compared the risk of lactic acid at doses providing exposure levels comparable to human therapeutic doses. Metformin and phenformin were orally administered to rats for up to 28 days, and plasma drug concentrations and blood lactic acid levels were examined. Metformin did not elevate lactic acid levels at the dose corresponding to higher systemic drug exposure than human therapeutic level, even for repeated doses. In contrast, phenformin elevated lactic acid levels at the dose corresponding to lower exposure than human therapeutic level, and sustained high levels were observed up to 24h post-dose; furthermore, these changes were enhanced by repeated doses. Direct comparison at each rat equivalent dose clearly indicated that lactic acid levels of phenformin were higher than those of metformin. These non-clinical findings suggest that metformin dose not increase lactic acid levels like phenformin does, and therefore may not increase the risk for lactic acidosis at human therapeutic exposure level.

A germline insertion of a single nucleotide in the rat homologue of the human Birt-Hogg-Dubé (BHD) gene gives rise to dominantly inherited renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in the Nihon rat model. In this study, we established 7 lines (NR cell lines NR22, 24, 32, 45, 49, 54 and 64) from an RCC found in a Nihon rat. All cell lines consisted mainly of round or polygonal cells arranged in a cobblestone-like growth pattern. Cells of NR cell lines had abundant cytoplasm and tight junctions as well as microvilli on electron microscopy and were positive for cytokeratin on immunocytochemistry. Cell lines NR22, 24 and 32 showed rapid growth, whereas the growth of the remaining lines was very slow. While the modal chromosome number of lines NR24, 45 and 54 was 42, the remaining lines exhibited aberrant modal numbers ranging from 70 to 96. All NR cell lines formed tumors at subcutaneous inoculation sites in nude mice, and tumors from lines NR54 and 64 developed pulmonary metastases. All NR cell lines had a germline mutation in the rat Bhd gene in the gene analysis. NR cell lines would prove valuable experimental tools for studies on unique functions of the Bhd gene and renal carcinogenesis.

Fibromatosis-type fibromas were found to develop at abdominal surgical sites in 4 heterozygous Nihon rats, a model for the human Birt–Hogg–Dube syndrome. In all 4 rats, solitary and firm nodules were located within the lateral abdominal musculature involving the full thickness of the abdominal wall at the sites of laparotomy. Histologically, the nodules consisted of well-differentiated fibroblastic spindle-shaped cells. These cells were surrounded by large amounts of collagen fibers, and appeared to infiltrate within the abdominal musculature. A portion of the spindle-shaped cells showed features of myofibroblasts. These characteristics are consistent with desmoid tumors in human. Although the etiology of desmoid tumors in human remains unclear, they are known to occur in association with hormonal factors, surgical trauma, and familial adenomatous polyposis. In animals, they have been reported in dogs, cats, horses, and genetically modified mouse models for human familial adenomatous polyposis. The development of the tumors in the Nihon rats was apparently associated with surgical incisions. Genetic factor should be involved in the occurrence of the tumor, since it was found only in the Nihon rats among many rats. Our present data suggest that Bhd gene mutation is not likely to be a candidate.

An immunohistochemical staining method for prohibitin, a 30-kDa protein located in the inner membrane of mitochondria, is used for detection of mitochondria on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded sections. Methapyrilene hydrochloride (MP), which is known to increase mitochondria in periportal hepatocytes, was administered once by oral gavage to male rats at a dose of 100 mg/kg. Hypertrophy with eosinophilic granules was noted in the periportal hepatocytes treated with MP. Immunohistochemical staining with prohibitin antibody demonstrated a positive reaction to eosinophilic granules. Electron microscopy showed an increased number of mitochondria in the periportal hepatocytes treated with MP compared to the control. Although electron microscopy is a useful tool to detect ultrastructural changes, an immunohistochemical examination with anti-prohibitin antibody is a simple and easy method for detecting cytoplasmic mitochondria quantitatively.

Certain kinds of developmental neurotoxicants are considered to act by affecting the levels of thyroid hormones, which are essential for the brain development of both humans and experimental animals. Hypothyroidism experimentally induced in rats with propylthiouracil (PTU) offers a useful animal model for developmental neurotoxicity. The purpose of the present study was to clarify developmental alterations in gene expression caused by PTU in this model, with the focus on eight genes implicated in neural network formation or synaptic functions, such as the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and NMDA receptors 2A/2B. First, we measured the developmental profile of gene expression in vehicle-dosed rat cerebellum by quantitative RT-PCR and then examined the effects of PTU on mRNA levels on postnatal day (PND) 22, when most of the cerebellar structures in mature animals are already formed. PTU induced up-regulation of NR2B mRNA and down-regulation of NR2A and BDNF mRNAs in the cerebellum on PND 22, but there were no changes in the other genes (growth associated protein-43, L1, neuronal cell adhesion molecule, synaptophysin, post synaptic density-95). Examination of the effects of PTU on maturation of NMDAR subunits (NR2A/NR2B) demonstrated changes in relative expression on PND 14, but not on PND 4, with recovery after maturation. The profile of NMDAR subunits in vehicle-dosed rats showed a shift from NR2B to NR2A during development. These results suggest PTU can delay this switching from NR2B to NR2A subunits in the maturation of NMDA receptors.

Although benomyl and its metabolite carbendazim have been shown to adversely affect male reproduction, the mechanisms of action do not appear to involve the endocrine system. However, few studies have been conducted using currently proposed tests specifically focused on endocrine disruption. Here, potential estrogen- and androgen-mediated activity of benomyl was therefore investigated in vitro and in vivo. Benomyl and carbendazim proved negative for agonistic and antagonistic activity in reporter gene assays for the human estrogen receptor alpha and androgen receptor. In uterotrophic and Hershberger assays using Crj:CD(SD)IGS rats, benomyl (100, 300 or 1000 mg/kg/day, p.o., N = 6) did not exert agonistic effects. However, the highest dose decreased uterine weights in the uterotrophic assay, and decreased weights of some androgen-related tissues of castrated rats receiving a testosterone propionate (TP, 0.2 mg/kg) injection in the Hershberger assay; the effects were less severe than those with p,p'-DDE (100 mg/kg/day). When 4 mg/kg/day of TP was injected, decrease of organ weights due to benomyl was attenuated but still observed. Thus, its influence in some tissues was more potent than that of p,p'-DDE. Benomyl had no apparent effects on serum androgen levels. Microarray analysis of the gene expression profile in the ventral prostate of TP-injected castrated rats treated with benomyl indicated clear differences from the patterns observed with p,p'-DDE and flutamide. Taken together, these findings suggest the decreased organ weights observed in vivo to be caused by mechanisms that are not steroid-receptor-mediated, such as interfering with assembly of microtubules by benomyl. The study furthermore suggests that functional genomics may provide a reliable evidence for accurate categorization of test chemicals.

Development of an internationally recognized standard for the Hershberger assay as a screening tool to detect potential (anti-)androgenic chemicals is in progress. In the present preliminary study, we evaluated the reliability of the enhanced Hershberger assay to detect thyroid hormone modulating activity, while concentrating attention on possible confounding influence on evaluation of (anti-)androgenic activity. Castrated or testosterone propionate (TP; 0.2 or 0.25 mg/kg/day)-injected castrated male Crj:CD(SD) IGS rats (seven weeks of age) were dosed for 10 days by oral gavage with vehicle (corn oil) or the following chemicals: propylthiouracil (PTU; 2.5 mg/kg/day), a potent inhibitor of thyroid hormone synthesis, phenobarbital (PB; 125 mg/kg/day) and 2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)-1,1-dichloroethylene (p,p'-DDE; 100 mg/kg/day), two hepatic enzyme inducers that enhance the clearance of thyroid hormones. PTU markedly increased thyroid weights, and decreased serum T3 and T4, and increased serum TSH, also causing marked microscopic alteration of the thyroid gland. In comparison, PB and p,p'-DDE only significantly affect serum T4 and revealed some histopathological findings. The alterations appeared to be more robust in the presence of TP. Furthermore, data for p,p'-DDE demonstrated its anti-androgenic effects, whereas PTU and PB had little or no effects on the weights of androgen-related accessory glands/tissues: the ventral prostate, dorso-lateral prostate, seminal vesicles with coagulating glands, glans penis, Cowper's glands, and levator ani plus bulbocavernosus (LABC) muscles. Weight of the LABC muscles was decreased by PB treatment in TP-treated castrated rats. These findings in the present study suggests that the enhanced Hershberger assay, with evaluation of thyroid histopathology and weights, and hormone levels, appears to be reliable for screening for not only (anti-)androgenic chemicals but also thyroid hormone modulators. In order to evaluate whether the sensitivity and specificity of such a thyroid assay is great enough for routine screening purposes, future experiments including dose-response studies using lower dose levels have to be performed.

Synthetic pyrethroids are among the most common pesticides and insecticides currently in worldwide use. Eriksson and co-workers postulated that oral exposure of mice to pyrethroids during a neonatal brain growth spurt induces permanent disturbance in the cerebral muscarinic cholinergic receptor (MAChR) and behaviour. However, the scientific basis for these phenomena is now under discussion. The present study was performed to determine whether the experimental findings of Eriksson's study could be reproduced in newborn mice by inhalation. Male and female NMRI mice were exposed to d-allethrin by whole-body inhalation for 6 h per day between postnatal days 10 and 16. Actual concentrations of d-allethrin were 0.43, 1.35, 3.49 and 74.2 mg m(-3) (equivalent to 0.70, 2.2, 5.7 and 120.2 mg kg(-1) day(-1), respectively), and the mass median aerodynamic diameter and geometric log-standard deviation of mist particles ranged from 2.58 to 2.98 micro m and from 1.58 to 2.09 micro m for all groups, respectively. The highest exposure level in the present study (74.2 mg m(-3)) was ca. 13,000 times as high as the concentration used in practice. The MAChR in the three brain areas (cortex, hippocampus and striatum) and motor activity were examined at the ages of 17 days and 4 months. In addition, a water-maze test was performed at the age of 11 months. There was no systemic toxicity interfering with the interpretation of assay results. The neonatal exposure to d-allethrin by inhalation did not induce effects either on the brain MAChR density and motor activity at 17 days and 4 months or on performance in the learning/memory test at the age of 11 months. The effects of allethrins on developmental neurotoxicity that Eriksson and co-workers reported previously were not reproduced in the present study.

A computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA) system was used to examine the motion of epididymal spermatozoa derived from cyclophosphamide (CP)-treated male rats. Male rats were orally dosed daily for 1 week with 20 mg/kg of CP. Males were euthanized or were mated 3 times with untreated females at 1 day, 3 weeks, and 8 weeks after the final treatment. Significant decreases in testicular and epididymal weights and epididymal sperm counts of the treated animals were noted after 8-week recovery. Histopathological morphometry of the testis revealed minimal damage to spermatogonia at 1 day after the final treatment and to spermatocytes after 3-week recovery in the CP-treated group. On Caesarian section, increased post-implantation losses were found in females mated with CP-treated males in matings starting 1 day and 3 weeks after the final treatment. On the other hand, none of the sperm motion parameters of treated males derived from the CASA system exhibited significant changes at any time points, although the spermatozoa of treated males at 1 day and 3 weeks after the final treatment were damaged at the DNA level, and the spermatozoa of males after 8-week recovery had been the target cells of CP when they were spermatogonia in the testis. It was thus found that damaged spermatozoa could exhibit no changes on their motion when the damage was confined to the nuclei, and that the effect of CP on sperm nuclei was reversible.

An 18-month-old male Brown Norway (BN) rat showed a grayish-white subcutaneous mass in the right cheek. Histologically, the mass was composed of highly pleomorphic cells producing collagen. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that the tumor cells were strongly positive for vimentin and partially positive for Ki-67; however, they were negative for ED-1, ED-2, S-100, cytokeratin, desmin and myoglobin. Ultrastructurally, the cytoplasms of the tumor cells contained well-developed rough endoplasmic reticulum. Thus, the tumor had no characteristic feature other than collagen production and was diagnosed as a fibrosarcoma.

A male ferret, which was purchased from abroad at 9 months of age, had shown significant weight loss starting at 13 months of age. The ferret subsequently showed decreasing motor activity and recumbency and was euthanized at 14 months of age. At necropsy, a white, quail egg-sized mass was found in the mesentery. Histopathologically, multifocal granulomas consisting of necrotic foci, macrophages, fibroblasts and plentiful fibrous connective tissues were observed in the mesenteric mass. Surrounding the granulomas, inflammatory cell infiltration consisting of neutrophils, lymphocytes and plasmacytes was observed diffusely and significantly. Immunohistochemistry revealed small numbers of macrophages around necrotic foci that were positively stained for anti-mouse feline coronavirus. Electron microscopically, the cytoplasm of the macrophages contained viral particles, which were identified as coronavirus. The histopathological features in this ferret were similar to those in cats with feline infectious peritonitis (FIP). This was the first case in ferrets in Japan.

A 5-day Hershberger assay using young mature male rats to detect compounds interfering with androgen receptor (AR)-mediated mechanisms was evaluated for ability to identify p,p'-DDE (a weak AR antagonist) and methyltestosterone (MT, an AR agonist). Fenitrothion, an organophosphate pesticide, was also evaluated in this validated assay. Castrated male Crj:CD(SD)IGS rats (1 week after castration, 11 weeks of age) were subjected to experiments. To determine a suitable value of testosterone propionate (TP) as a reference androgen for detection of antiandrogenic chemicals, castrated male rats were treated daily with TP (0, 0.06, 0.25, 1, 4, or 16 mg/kg/day, s.c.). TP produced increases in weights of ventral prostate, seminal vesicles and levator ani plus bulbocavernosus muscles. Serum androgen level measured by RIA kit (mostly TP) were elevated in a dose-related manner, while the weights of organs with 1 mg/kg/day of TP were nearly equivalent to the maximum responses (i.e., sub-maximal). One hundred mg/kg/day of p,p'-DDE significantly attenuated TP 0.1 mg/kg-induced increases in weights of seminal vesicles and muscles, and TP 1 mg/kg-induced increases in weights of ventral prostate, seminal vesicles and muscles, but did not affect the weight of these organs in either TP 16 mg/kg-treated or intact rats, demonstrating that the dose range of 0.1-1 mg/kg TP is suitable for reference androgen. Oral treatment with 100 mg/kg of MT increased the weights of ventral prostate, seminal vesicles and muscles as strongly as did subcutaneous injection of 1 mg/kg of TP. These findings demonstrate that the 5-day Hershberger assay using young mature as well as immature male rats is a sensitive and valid short-term screening method for the detection of chemicals interfering with AR-mediated mechanisms. To determine whether fenitrothion interferes with AR-mediated mechanisms in vivo, fenitrothion (0, 0.75, 1.5 or 3 mg/kg/day) was administered by gavage for 5 days to castrated rats for androgenicity, or to castrated rats treated with 1 mg/kg TP for antiandrogenicity. Treatment with fenitrothion had no adverse effects on clinical signs, body weight, or liver or kidney weights, but cholinesterase activities in the brain and erythrocytes were significantly suppressed by fenitrothion to, respectively, 77-81% and 66-67% of control levels. In the antiandrogenicity experiment, serum androgen levels of TP-treated, castrated rats did not differ among groups. Treatment with 100 mg/kg of p,p'-DDE as a positive control again significantly attenuated TP-induced increases in weights of the ventral prostate and seminal vesicles, while fenitrothion had no effect on the weights of any organs. In the androgenicity experiment, treatment with 100 mg/kg of MT significantly increased weights of ventral prostate, seminal vesicles and muscles, but fenitrothion had no effects on the weights of any of these organs. These findings yield no evidence that fenitrothion interferes with AR-mediated mechanisms in vivo, consistent with the result of several toxicological bioassays.

Promotion effects of sodium L-ascorbate (Na-AsA) on two-stage urinary bladder carcinogenesis were examined in male NCI-Black-Reiter (NBR) rats, which lack a2u-globulin-synthesizing ability, and F344 rats for comparison of the action. The animals were initiated with exposure to 0.05% N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine (BBN) via the drinking water for 4 weeks, and then treated with a basal diet containing a 5% supplement of Na-AsA or no added chemical for 32 weeks. The urinary pH and Na ion concentration in both strains of rats treated with BBN followed by Na-AsA (BBN→Na-AsA) were significantly higher than those in the matched controls (BBN alone). Microscopically, significantly increased incidences of papillary or nodular hyperplasia, papillomas, and transitional cell carcinomas were observed in F344 rats treated with BBN →Na-AsA, whereas the incidences of these lesions in NBR rats were comparable in the BBN→Na-AsA and BBN alone cases. These data indicate NBR rats to be resistant to Na-AsA-induced promotion of two-stage urinary bladder carcinogenesis. Since the elevation of urinary parameters generally associated with tumor promotion by Na-AsA was a feature with both strains, another factor such as a2u-globulin, may also be active for enhancement of lesion development.

Hyaline glomerulopathy with tubulo-fibrillary deposits was observed in two young female ddY mice. One of the mice showed gross systemic edema and bilateral enlargement and pale color of the kidneys, whereas no significant gross findings were noted in the other mouse. Microscopically, a large number of the glomeruli in both mice were enlarged because of diffuse and global deposition of amorphous eosinophilic materials. The deposits were negatively stained with Congo red and positively stained with IgG, IgM, IgA, C3, and periodic acid–Schiff. Electron microscopic examination revealed microtubular and fibrillary deposits with diameters of 80–100 and 9–16 nm, respectively, in the subendothelial space of the glomeruli. These features are histopathologically similar to immunotactoid glomerulopathy or fibrillary glomerulonephritis according to the classification of human glomerular lesions. Understanding of these characteristics of hyaline glomerulopathy in ddY mice is essential when evaluating pharmacological, pharmacokinetic, and toxicological studies using this mouse strain.

The embryonic stem cell test (EST) is a validated method and a useful screening tool for drug discovery. EST requires microscopic observation of beating cells to be considered cardiomyocytes as an endpoint assay. However, this procedure is time-consuming and limits the throughput performance. Instead of microscopic observation, we previously established a novel assay method based on cardiac field potential as an endpoint. However, cardiac specificity of this field potential is not yet clarified, because beating cells have not been rigorously evaluated as skeletal or cardiomyocyte. Here, we investigated the relationships between field potential, beating, and cardiac troponin T (cTnT) expression, selected as a cardiomyocyte-specific marker, and evaluated suitability of the field potential as a marker for cardiomyocyte in vehicle or 5-fluorouracil treated embryo bodies. Embryoid bodies of mouse embryonic stem cells (D3) were differentiated in a chamber with multi-electrode array for 5 days, and field potential and beating were measured at the end of differentiation. In addition, these chambers were immunohistochemically stained with anti-cTnT antibody, and the correlation between field potential, beating, and cTnT expression was examined. These results indicated the area of field potential or beating mainly coincided with that of cTnT expression. 5-fluorouracil treatment decreased not only the number of field potential detecting electrodes and beating area, but also cTnT expression, and the area of these parameters was also nearly identical. These results indicate that field potential can be used as a suitable cardiac differentiation marker, and can be a promising parameter of EST.

The embryonic stem cell test (EST) is a validated in vitro method to assess the embryotoxic potential of compounds and is a promising tool for drug screening. EST requires microscopic observation of beating cardiomyocytes differentiated from embryonic stem cells as a toxicological endpoint. However, this process is time-consuming and lacks throughput performance. To improve the analysis, we introduced an electrophysiological method with a microelectrode array system for the evaluation of differentiated cardiomyocytes. Embryotoxic (valproic acid, verapamil, and 5-fluorouracil) and non-embryotoxic (penicillin G, d-camphor, and isoniazid) compounds were assessed with the system. Mouse embryonic stem cells were differentiated into cardiomyocytes and treated with each compound during the differentiation process. The embryotoxicity of each compound was then assessed by measuring the field potentials of differentiated cardiomyocytes using the microelectrode array system, as well as by microscopic evaluation. All the embryotoxic compounds dose-dependently inhibited the field potential formation and the myocardial beating of differentiated cells, while the non-embryotoxic compounds did not affect either endpoint. The detection capabilities of the two assay methods were similar. These results indicated that the field potential measurements can be used as an alternative endpoint of EST. Moreover, the field potential can be measured automatically, introducing a high throughput performance compared to the conventional microscopic observation. We therefore concluded that the endpoint analysis with the microelectrode array system improves the original EST and can be useful for the assessment of the embryotoxic potential of compounds.

Antiepileptic agents are known to cause adverse effects in human liver, including steatosis. Clobazam (CLB), a 1,5-benzodiazepine, is clinically used as an antiepileptic agent. In the previous study, 4-week treatment with CLB induced hepatomegaly in male rats. In the present study, the human risk of hepatomegaly was assessed and the causative mechanism in terms of cell proliferation and apoptosis, oxidative stress, and drug-metabolizing enzyme induction was elucidated by toxicological approach. Male SD rats were treated orally with 400 mg/kg CLB for 1, 3, 7, 14, or 28 days. The 28-day treatment was followed by 7 or 14 days of withdrawal. At the end of each treatment, the liver and plasma of each rat were examined. Liver weight increased from Day 3 of CLB treatment. This increase was mostly accompanied by hepatic centrilobular hypertrophy and proliferation of smooth endoplasmic reticulum (SER), and by an increase in microsomal proteins. Cyp2b1, Cyp3a1, Cyp3a2, and Ugt2b2 mRNA levels in the liver were upregulated as compared to the control group throughout the dosing period. On the other hand, the thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) formulation, hepatocyte proliferation, and apoptosis, assumed to play roles in laying groundwork for effective induction of metabolizing enzymes, were increased only at the acute phase of treatment. These results suggested that CLB-induced hepatomegaly in male rats is mainly attributable to microsomal enzyme induction associated with Cyp2b1, Cyp3a1, Cyp3a2, and Ugt2b2 gene upregulation, but does not cause any toxicological concerns.

Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) has great advantages for analyzing organic/amino acids, which are often targets in efficacy and/or toxicity studies. Although GC-MS has been used for the detection of many metabolic disorders, applications of GC-MS-based metabolomics in pharmacology/toxicology are relatively underdeveloped. We intended to investigate applicability of a GC-MS-based metabolomics approach for toxicological evaluation, and tried to elucidate the mechanism of hydrazine-induced hepatotoxicity. Rats were administered hydrazine chloride orally (120 and 240 mg kg⁻¹), and urine, plasma and liver samples were collected at 24 or 48 h post-dosing. Conventional clinical chemistry and liver histopathology were performed, urine and plasma were analyzed by GC-MS, and metabolic profiles were assessed using chemometric techniques. Principal component analysis score plots showed clear separation of the groups, indicating dose-dependent toxicity and recovery. The mechanism of toxicity was investigated based on semi-quantification data of identified metabolites. Amino acid precursors of glutathione (cystein, glutamate and glycine) and a product of glutathione metabolism (5-oxoproline) were elevated dose-dependently, accompanied with elevation of ascorbate levels. In addition, intermediates of the TCA cycle were decreased, whereas participants of the urea cycle and other amino acids were increased. These alterations were associated with histopathological changes such as fatty degeneration and glycogen accumulation. Application of GC-MS-based metabolomics revealed that oxidative stress and GSH consumption play important roles in the etiology of hydrazine-induced hepatotoxicity, demonstrating that this approach is a useful tool in pharmacology and toxicology for screening, elucidating mode of action and biomarker discovery.

To examine the mechanism and toxicological significance of thyroidal tumor observed slightly in a long-term rat study with diethofencarb (isopropyl 3, 4-diethoxycarbanilate), male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed diethofencarb in diets at concentrations of 0, 5, 000 or 20, 000 ppm for 3 months. Examinations mainly for thyroid functions including thyroid uptake of &lt125&gtI, serum thyroid hormone and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) level, hepatic UDP-glucuronyltransferase (UDP-GT) activity and histopathological examination in thyroid were performed at week 13. Decreases of body weights and food consumptions were observed at and above 5, 000 ppm. Under these conditions, decrease of serum free T4 and increase of serum TSH level were observed only at 20, 000 ppm, concurrently with liver weight increase at and above 5, 000 ppm and increase of hepatic UDP-GT activity at 20, 000 ppm. However, no compound related effects were noted in thyroid weight, thyroid uptake of &lt125&gtI and gross or histopathological examination in thyroid. These results indicate that the administration of diethofencarb leads to an increase in UDP-GT activity and acceleration of thyroid hormone excretion from the liver. The acceleration causes a decrease in serum free T4 level, triggering the feedback mechanism of the pituitary gland, promotion of TSH release and consequently an increase in serum TSH level. Thus, the slightly higher incidence of thyroid follicular cell tumors observed in the chronic and oncogenicity study with non-genotoxic diethofencarb is considered to be caused by these weak pituitary-thyroid hormonal imbalances. The toxicological significance in humans is extremely low according to the well established facts that the chronic TSH stimulatin would not induce thyroid tumors in humans and humans may be less sensitive than rats in regard to the response to goitrogenic stimuli.

Sample collection procedures of pharmacology and toxicology studies might have a great impact on interpretation of metabolomic study results. Characterization of range variation among sample collection methods is necessary to prevent misinterpretation, as is use of optimal methods in animal experiments to minimize biological/technical variation. Here, we investigated the influence of urine and plasma sample collection and handling procedures on GC-MS based metabolomic studies as follows: for urine, pooling period and tube conditions during collection; for plasma, sampling sites, anesthesia and anticoagulants. Metabolic profiles of urine varied dramatically depending on urine pooling period and tube conditions, underscoring the importance of determining appropriate sampling periods in consideration of diurnal effects and targets of effect/toxicity, and suggesting it would be preferable to keep tubes in metabolic cages under iced conditions for urine sampling. Metabolic profiles of plasma differed depending on blood sampling sites. Anesthesia was not effective in reducing individual variation, although the anesthesia was beneficial in reducing discomfort in rats. In GC-MS based metabolomic studies, we recommend that EDTA be used as anticoagulant in plasma sample preparation, because peaks derived from heparin might overlap with endogenous metabolites, which may induce inter-sample variation. The present study demonstrated that biofluid sample collection and handling procedures provide great impact on metabolic profiles, at the very least for minimizing biological/technical variation, sampling period for urine collection should not be set as a short period, and the use of EDTA is recommended as anticoagulant in preparing plasma for analysis by GC-MS.

In this study, the effects of atropine sulfate (atropine) on swallowing and cough reflex were evaluated in the two experimental models in conscious dogs. To evaluate the effects of atropine on swallowing, 1 mL of marker (contrast medium) was injected into the pharynx under X-ray exposure to induce swallowing. Baclofen, used as a positive control, caused marker congestion in the upper esophagus. In our experimental model, atropine (0.02 and 0.1 mg /kg, i.v.) dose-dependently increased not only the number of marker congestions but also that of the swallows. In addition, atropine significantly shortened the onset of first swallowing. In the evaluation of atropine effects on electrically evoked cough reflex induced by two electrodes implanted into the trachea, atropine strongly inhibited the number of coughs at 0.01 or 0.05 mg/kg accompanied with 0.01 or 0.05 mg/kg per hour (i.v.), respectively. These findings indicate that atropine has the potential of causing aspiration pneumonia through induction of swallowing disorder and inhibition of the cough reflex. Keywords:: swallowing disorder, inhibition of cough reflex, anti-cholinergic agent, dog, aspiration pneumonia

Hypothyroidism in the rat induced by perinatal exposure to propylthiouracil (PTU) is a useful animal model to study molecular changes underlying neurobehavioral defects associated with this condition. Understanding the developmental alterations in gene expression related to the neurobehavioral dysfunction should help to identify molecular markers for developmental neurotoxicity at an early stage of development. In the present study, we evaluate the effects of PTU on the expression of a set of genes implicated in neural network formation or synaptic function at a minimal dose of PTU causing behavioral alteration. Various doses of PTU were administered to dams from late pregnancy to the lactation period and the expression of selected genes in the hippocampus and the cerebral cortex of offspring was examined by quantitative RT-PCR. Behavioral performance of PTU-treated rats was also assessed. PTU-treated rats showed increased motor activity and impairment of E-maze learning at weaning and after maturation. At doses causing such behavioral alteration, expression of GAP-43 and M1 mRNAs was changed during neuronal network formation, suggesting that levels of these factors during development are important for accurate postnatal development and function.

Fenitrothion is a broad-spectrum organophosphate insecticide. Recently, it has been reported to exert androgenic or anti-androgenic activity in in vitro and in vivo screening assays, although the effects appear equivocal in vivo. To provide a conclusive and comprehensive evaluation of fenitrothion, especially regarding its anti-androgenic activity in the reproductive and endocrine systems, we conducted a one-generation reproductive toxicity study at appropriately toxic dose levels with a number of sensitive endpoints for endocrine disruption. Fenitrothion was administered to Crj:CD(SD)IGS parental animals (P) at concentrations of 10, 20, and 60 ppm in the diet for 10 weeks prior to mating, and throughout mating, gestation and lactation. Their offspring (F1) were exposed from weaning until maturation at the age of 10 weeks. In the P generation, brain cholinesterase activity was remarkably reduced in the 60 ppm males and in the 20 and 60 ppm females. Reproductive performance, organ weights, histopathology, and sperm analytical parameters were not affected. In the F1 generation, no general toxicity or effects on anogenital distance, retention of areolae/nipples, onset of puberty, organ weights, histopathological findings, and sperm parameters were observed. In conclusion, fenitrothion had no effects on the reproductive or endocrine systems of the P and F1 generations, even at toxic doses that markedly suppressed brain cholinesterase activity in P animals. The results suggest that fenitrothion at in-use levels in the environment is unlikely to cause disruption of human endocrine systems.

As part of an international validation project to establish a test protocol for the 'Enhanced OECD Test Guideline no. 407', a 28-day repeated dose study of flutamide was performed (1) to examine which of the current and/or additional parameters can detect endocrine effects of test chemicals most reliably and sensitively, (2) to investigate whether it is actually feasible to routinely include all additional parameters into the testing routine, and (3) to assess intra-laboratory variability by performing two identical studies (experiments A and B) in parallel using groups of five animals each per dose and sex. Groups of five male and five female CD(SD)IGS rats were treated by oral gavage with 0, 1, 10 and 100 mg flutamide/kg body weight for at least 28 days. The dose level considered to be around the MTD (100 mg/kg) exerted the expected antiandrogenic effects on androgen related tissues: significant decrease of the weights of androgen dependent organs and the sperm count and increase in histopathological lesions. At the middle dose (10 mg/kg), significant decrease of prostate weight (ventral and dorso-lateral parts combined) was observed and it was suggested that weight measurement of androgen dependent organs provides the most reliable and sensitive endpoint with this protocol. As for the feasibility, because of many items in this protocol, selection should be based on the sensitivity. From our data, addition of weight measurement of androgen dependent organs to the items of the existing OECD 407 guideline might allow accurate screening for endocrine disruptors. At the dose level considered to be around the MTD, the findings achieving statistical significance in one experiment with five animals/dose/sex could be reproduced in the second experiment, and evaluation with the small groups was consistent with findings using the combined groups of 10 animals/dose/sex. The results demonstrate that the protocol can reliably detect antiandrogenic effects of flutamide.

Synthetic pyrethroids are among the most common insecticides and pesticides currently in use worldwide. Recently, d -phenothrin, a synthetic pyrethroid, is suspected to have endocrine activities through the estrogen and androgen receptors. However, no study has been conducted to evaluate its potential for hormonal activity using an in vivo test specifically focused on estrogenic and androgenic activities. In this study, we evaluated the interaction of d -phenothrin (0, 100, 300 or 1000 mg/kg per day, p.o.) with estrogen- or androgen-mediated mechanisms using in vivo short-term assays. While internationally standardized protocols for the uterotrophic and Hershberger assays have not yet been fully developed, both are widely used and are being considered by the OECD as short-term screening assays for hormonal activity. The highest dose level tested for d -phenothrin was a limit dose (1000 mg/kg per day) designated in the current draft protocol by the OECD, and in fact there was no excessive systemic toxicity in both assays; slightly increased liver weight but no change of serum androgen levels in accessing anti-androgenicity. Potential estrogenic effect of d -phenothrin was evaluated by means of 3-day uterotrophic assay using immature Crj:CD(SD)IGS rats (20 days of age). No increase in uterine weight (wet or blotted) was observed following oral exposure to d -phenothrin. Reference control ethynyl estradiol (0.001 mg/kg per day) showed a significant effect in this assay protocol. A 10-day Hershberger assay using castrated peripubertal male rats measures the androgenic or anti-androgenic effects of the test chemicals on several accessory glands/tissues (the ventral prostate, dorso-lateral prostate, seminal vesicles with coagulating glands, levator ani plus bulbocavernosus muscles, glans penis and Cowper's glands). d -Phenothrin was administered by oral gavage for 10 days to castrated male Crj:CD(SD)IGS rats (7 weeks of age, rats were castrated at 6 weeks of age) with or without co-administration of 0.2 mg/kg per day testosterone propionate (subcutaneous injection on the dorsal surface). Reference controls of methyltestosterone and p , p ′-DDE (100 mg/kg per day) provided significant effects in this assay protocol, whereas d -phenothrin did not show any androgenic or anti-androgenic effects. It is concluded that, based on the results of these two reliable in vivo assays, d -phenothrin exhibits no potential to cause adverse estrogenic or (anti-)androgenic effects even at dose of 1000 mg/kg per day, the limit dose designated in the current draft protocol by the OECD.

Synthetic pyrethroids are among the most common pesticides and insecticides currently in use worldwide. Recently, chemicals classified as synthetic pyrethroids are suspected as being endocrine disrupting chemicals. However, no study has been conducted to assess their potential hormonal activities using in vivo test specifically focused on endocrine disruption. In the present study, we evaluated the interaction of three pyrethroids (esfenvalerate, fenvalerate, and permethrin) with androgen receptor (AR)- and estrogen receptor (ER)-mediated mechanisms using in vivo short-term assays. While internationally standardized protocols for the Hershberger and uterotrophic assays have not yet been fully developed, both are widely used and are being considered by OECD as short-term screening assays for hormonal activity. A 5-day Hershberger assay using castrated male rats measures agonistic and androgenic ability of the test chemicals to AR of several accessory glands/tissues (the ventral prostate, dorsolateral prostate, seminal vesicles with coagulating glands, and levator ani plus bulbocavernosus muscles). Esfenvalerate (5, 10, or 20 mg/kg/day), fenvalerate (20, 40, or 80 mg/kg/day), or permethrin (25, 50, or 75 mg/kg/day) was administered by oral gavage for 5 days to castrated male Crj:CD(SD)IGS rats (1 week after the castration, 11 weeks of age) with or without coadministration of 0.25 mg/kg/day testosterone propionate (subcutaneous injection on the dorsal surface). The highest dose levels tested for each chemical were considered the maximum level that could be used without causing excessive systemic toxicity. None of esfenvalerate, fenvalerate, and permethrin showed any androgenic or antiandrogenic effects. Reference control of p,p'-DDE and methyltestosterone (100 mg/kg/day) provided significant effects in this assay protocol. Potential effects of these pyrethroids mediated through the ER were evaluated by means of 3-day uterotrophic assay using ovariectomized Crj:CD(SD)IGS rats (2 weeks after the ovariectomy, 8 weeks of age). No increase in weight of uterus (wet or blotted) was observed following oral exposure to esfenvalerate (5, 10, or 20 mg/kg/day), fenvalerate (20, 40, or 80 mg/kg/day), or permethrin (37.5, 75, or 150 mg/kg/day), respectively. Again, the highest dose levels tested for each chemical were considered the maximum level that could be used without causing excessive systemic toxicity. Reference controls consisting of ethynyl estradiol (0.03 mg/kg/day) and methoxychlor (125 mg/kg/day) both showed a significant effect in this assay protocol. It is concluded that, based on the results of these two reliable in vivo assays, none of esfenvalerate, fenvalerate, or permethrin exhibit any potential to cause adverse (anti-) androgenic or estrogenic effects at dose levels below that of those causing excessive systemic toxicity.

The rodent Hershberger assay has been used predominantly by the pharmaceutical industry to evaluate androgenic and antiandrogenic chemicals for potential therapeutic use. However, this assay has not yet been formally validated and standardized for use in toxicology testing. There are many variations in the protocol used for this assay. The weight of androgen-dependent tissues is a definitive endpoint in the Hershberger assay. To find out the reliable assay protocol with feasibility, although many possible factors may affect assay reliability, the present study consist of a series of three separate experiments focused on method of dissection and weighing of accessory sex glands (ASGs: ventral and dorso-lateral prostate, seminal vesicles together with coagulating glands, and Cowper's glands), animal age and number of doses. Furthermore, male pubertal assay, an alternative to the Hershberger assay, was also examined its reliability. Experiment 1 explored whether reliably accurate ASG weights can be obtained after formalin fixation. The ASGs were collected from castrated male rats (11 weeks of age) treated daily with corn oil, or testosterone propionate (TP, 0.25 mg/kg/day, s.c.) and p,p′-DDE (0 or 100 mg/kg/day, p.o.) for 5 days. One day after the final treatment, the ASGs were removed carefully and weighed separately, and then fixed overnight in a 10% neutral-buffered formalin and weighed again. After that, the tissues were dried overnight in an oven and weighed again. A high correlation between fresh and fixed tissue weights, and a high correlation between fixed and dried tissue weights were noted. The changes in the tissue weight due to fixation were marginal and were proportional to the fresh weights of the individual tissue. Standard deviation of the fixed tissue weight in each group and the magnitude of responses to TP or p,p′-DDE in fixed tissues were equivalent to those in fresh or dried tissues. These findings indicate that formalin fixation does not interfere with interpretation of assay results, and this procedure was used in the subsequent experiments. Experiments 2 and 3 explored whether animal age or treatment duration altered assay sensitivity. In Experiment 2, antiandrogenic effect of p,p′-DDE (100 mg/kg/day) was detected after 5-and 10-day treatment irrespective of animal age (7 vs 11 weeks). In Experiment 3, antiandrogenic effects of flutamide (1 and 10 mg/kg/day) and p,p′-DDE (10 and 100 mg/kg/day) were compared between two different protocols, the 10-day assay using peripubertal rats and the 5-day assay using young mature rats. Results demonstrated that both protocols could significantly detect antiandrogenic effects of flutamide and p,p′-DDE. These findings demonstrate that (1) dissection and weighing of ASGs after formalin fixation is reliable in the Hershberger assay, (2) when this procedure is used, the 5-day Hershberger assay using young mature rats, expected to be more feasible assay than the 10-day assay using peripubertal rats, is also reliable as well as the 10-day assay using peripubertal rats. Furthermore, we confirmed that male pubertal assay with use of dissection and weighing of fixed tissues also reliable.

To assess the toxicological significance of thyroidal tumor observed slightly in a long-term rat study with diniconazole, (E)-1-(2, 4-dichlorophenyl)-4, 4-dimethyl-2-(1, 2, 4-triazol-1-yl)-1-penten-3-ol, a 3-month subacute feeding study was conducted in male Crj: CD (SD) rats by administering diniconazole in diet at concentrations of 0, 100, 1, 000, or 2, 000 ppm. Examinations mainly for thyroid functions were performed at Weeks 2, 4 and 13. Measurement of serum hormone levels revealed continuous decreases in serum thyroxine (T4) and free T4 levels at and above 1, 00 ppm and increase in serum thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) level at 2, 000 ppm concurrently with liver weight and hepatic UDP-glucuronyltransferase (UDP-GT) increases at and above 1, 000 ppm. No changes were observed in serum triiodothyronine (T3) and free T3 levels. Increase in thyroid uptake of &lt125&gtI and organification of &lt125&gtI in the thyroid at 2, 000 ppm and thyroid follicular cell hyperplasia at and above 1, 000 ppm were also observed. However, no compound-related changes were observed in autopsy and organ weight in the thyroid. Based on the above results, diniconazole induces increases in the hepatic UDP-GT activity and the thyroid hormone excretion from the liver. The increased excretion of thyroid hormones causes decrease in serum T4 and free T4 levels, triggering the feedback mechanism of the pituitary gland, promotion of TSH release from the pituitary gland and increase in serum TSH level. The increased serum TSH level probably leads to increased &lt125&gtI uptake of thyroid and thyroid follicular cell hyperplasia. Thus, the thyroid tumorigenesis in rats treated with diniconazole is due to the secondary overstimulant effect on the thyroid by increased serum TSH level. The toxicological significance in humans is extremely low and it is unlikely that diniconazole would increase thyroid tumor in humans even if diniconazole were to alter normal thyroid hormone level in humans.

We have reported that the Nihon rat, a rat model of hereditary renal cell carcinoma (RCC), carries a single germline nucleotide insertion in the rat counterpart of human Birt–Hogg–Dube gene ( BHD ). In heterozygotes, RCC develops from early preneoplastic lesions, which began to appear as early as 3 weeks of age, to adenocarcinomas by the age of 6 months. The present work was conducted to further characterize aspect of RCC and to investigate extra-renal lesions of the Nihon rat. A total of 492 rats obtained from a colony of the Nihon rats were assigned at an age of 4 weeks to studies to evaluate the histopathological features of RCC and extra renal lesions. All rats were maintained in a barrier facility for up to 12 or 16 months, then the rats were euthanized and necropsied. All organs were fixed in 10% buffered formalin, and routinely processed for embedding in paraffin. Histopathological examination was performed using sections stained with hematoxylin and eosin, special stainings, and immunohistochemical methods, and electron-microscopy. Two out of 4 abdominal nodules were subjected to genomic analysis to detect mutations or loss of heterozygosity. The primary cell types of the RCC were of the clear/acidophilic cell type where some similarities were evident to RCCs in BHD syndrome. Heterotopic ossification was occasionally found within RCCs. As the extra-renal lesions, the Nihon rats also showed clear cell hyperplasia/adenoma of the endometrium, clear cell change of the epithelium of striated portions of salivary glands, cardiac rhabdomyomatosis and postoperative abdominal desmoid tumor(s). This rat model provides a useful tool for analyzing the series of events leading to renal tumorigenesis and for studying BHD gene functions.

Wistar rats and ddY mice were fed diet containing 10 to 3000 ppm technical fenvalerate for the major portion of their life span. Microgranulomatous changes were observed in lymph nodes, liver and spleen of both rats and mice as well as in adrenals of rats. The no-effect level for microgranulomatous changes was 30 ppm for mice and 150 ppm for rats. Transmission electron microscopy of phagocytes in the granulomatous foci revealed needle- or rod-shaped crystalline bodies within the cytoplasm. To examine reversibility of the microgranulomatous changes, ddY mice were fed the diet containing technical fenvalerate at the levels of 1000 and 3000 ppm for 6 weeks, followed by rearing on the control diet for up to 12 months. The size and number of the microgranulomatous changes were reduced with time. The microgranulomatous changes were typical of foreign body granulomas; they did not have the appearance of granulomas formed in response to immunologic stimulus.

Male mice of the ddY strain were fed a diet containing the [2S, alpha S]-, [2S, alpha RS]-, [2R, alpha S]-, and [2R, alpha R]-isomers of fenvalerate. Microgranulomatous changes were observed only in mice treated with the [2R, alpha S]-isomer at 125 and 1000 ppm for 1, 2, or 3 months. In contrast, the changes did not occur in mice treated with the [2R, alpha R]-isomer under the same conditions. Feeding of the [2S, alpha S]- and [2S, alpha RS]-isomers for 1 year did not cause the microgranulomatous changes at 500 or 1000 ppm. To clarify the causative agent of granuloma formation, cholesterol ester of 2-(4-chlorophenyl)isovaleric acid (CPIA), a lipophilic conjugate from the [2R, alpha S]-isomer of fenvalerate, was injected iv into ddY mice. Microgranulomatous changes were observed in the liver of mice treated with the [2R]-, [2S]-, or [2RS]-CPIA-cholesterol ester 1 week after a single treatment of 1, 10, or 100 mg/kg, as well as in liver of mice treated with a single dose of 10 or 30 mg/kg of the [2R]-CPIA-cholesterol ester and kept up to 26 weeks afterward. Histochemistry and microscopic autoradiography of the liver of mice demonstrated the presence of tritium derived from 3H-labeled[2R]-2-(4-chlorophenyl)isovalerate and cholesterol. Histochemistry also was positive for cholesterol ester in livers of mice treated with the [2R, alpha S]-isomer of fenvalerate. These results lend support for the hypothesis that CPIA-cholesterol ester is the causative agent of microgranulomatous changes induced by fenvalerate.

Groups of 21 male and 21 female Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were fed diets containing pyriproxyfen at concentrations of 0, 80, 400, 2,000 and 10,000 ppm for 6 months. No death was found in any group. Alopecia in the neck and/or back, and soft feces were noticed in both sexes fed 10,000 ppm. A marked decrease in body weight gain was observed in both sexes fed 10,000 ppm throughout the treatment period, accompanying a decrease in food-consumption and an increase in water-intake during the initial stage of treatment. In terms of urinalysis, proteinuria, increases in K excretion, and, in number, yellowness or browish-yellowness in appearance, were observed in both sexes fed 10,000 ppm. In females fed 10,000 ppm, increases in bilirubin, Na excretion and specific gravity, and a decrease in ketone bodies, were observed. In hematology, decreases in erythrocyte count, hemoglobin concentration and hematocrit value, were observed in both sexes fed 10,000 ppm and in males fed 2,000 ppm. Also, an increase in MCH (in males), decreases in MCHC and platelet count (in females) were observed in 10,000 ppm group. Blood biochemistry revealed increases in total protein, albumin, alpha 2-globulin fraction, blood urea nitrogen, calcium (in both sexes fed 10,000 ppm), A/G ratio (in males fed 2,000 and 10,000 ppm), total cholesterol, phospholipid (in males fed 2,000 and 10,000 ppm, and in females fed 10,000 ppm), sodium (in females fed 2,000 and 10,000 ppm), gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase activity (in males fed 10,000 ppm) and alpha 1-globulin fraction (in females fed 10,000 ppm), and decreases in glucose, GOT (in both sexes fed 10,000 ppm), beta-globulin fraction (in males fed 2,000 and 10,000 ppm, and in females fed 10,000 ppm), GPT (in females fed 2,000 and 10,000 ppm), triglyceride, potassium (in males fed 10,000 ppm), and cholinesterase activity (in female fed 10,000 ppm). In organ weight, increases in liver (in males fed 2,000 ppm and 10,000 ppm, and in females fed 10,000 ppm), kidney (in both sexes fed 10,000 ppm) and thyroid (in females fed 10,000 ppm) and a decrease in pituitary (in females fed 2,000 and 10,000 ppm) were observed. Gross pathology revealed a higher incidence of blackish-brown coloration of the liver, and a lower incidence of accentuated lobular pattern of the liver (in males fed 10,000 ppm). An enlargement of the liver was seen in a few of both sexes fed 10,000 ppm. Histopathological examination showed that the sole effect attributable to treatment of this compound was on slight hypertrophy in the liver of both sexes fed 10,000 ppm, with a higher incidence.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

d·d-T80-prallethrin, a pyrethroid insecticide for sanitary use, was administered to Crj : CD (Sprague Dawley) rats at concentrations of 120, 600 or 3, 000 ppm in diet for one year to assess the chronic toxicity potential and the reversibility. The summarized results obtained are as follows : 1. Chronic toxicity study 3, 000 ppm : Decreases in body weight gain, food consumption, and water intake were observed. Slight alopecia in the neck and/or back was noticed during the first and second weeks, but the animals were recovered thereafter. Slight anemic changes such as decreases in hemoglobin concentration, hematocrit value, MCV and MCH were observed in the females3 at 52 week. Blood biochemistry revealed increases in total cholesterol (in the males and females at 13, 26 and 52 weeks), phospholipid (in the males and females at 13, 26 and 52 weeks), albumin (in the males at 13 and 26 weeks, in the females at 52 week), total protein (in the males at 26 week, in the females at 52 week), A/G ratio (in the males at 13 week, in the females at 26 week), creatinine (in the males at 52 week), urea nitrogen (in the females at 52 week), GOT (in the males and females at 52 week) and GPT (in the males and females at 52 week), and decreases in triglyceride (in the females at 26 and 52 weeks) and alkaline phosphatase (in the males at 13 and 52 weeks). In urinalysis, an increase in bilirubin was observed in the males at 52 week. Gross-pathology revealed a lower incidence of accentuated lobular pattern of liver (in the males at 26 week) and a higher incidence of enlarged liver (in the males at 52 week). In organ weight, increases in liver (in the males and females at 26 and 52 weeks), kidney (in the males at 26 and 52 weeks) and thyroid weights (in the males at 26 and 52 weeks, in the females at 26 week), and decreases in spleen (in the females at 26 and 52 weeks) and adrenal weights (in the females at 52 week) were observed. Histopathological examination revealed a lower incidence of fatty metamorphosis in the liver of females at 52 week. 600 ppm : An increase in liver weight was observed in the males at 26 week. 120 ppm : No effect was observed. 2. Reversibility study Almost all the above chronic toxicities were reversible. However, blood biochemistry revealed increases in albumin (in the females), A/G ratio (in the females) and creatinine (in the males) and a decrease in alkaline phosphatase (in the males) at 3, 000 ppm. Based on the above results, one year d·d-T80-prallethrin administration revealed slight toxic effects mainly in the liver, kidney and thyroid at the dose level of showing body weight gain suppresion. However, most of the toxic effects were reversible after 13-week withdrawal period. It is concluded that no-observed effect level is 600 ppm (43.3 mg/kg/day) for female and 120 ppm (7.16 mg/kg/day) for male.