potassium-bromate and Adenoma

Five chemicals that are known to induce in rats thyroid follicular-cell adenomas and carcinomas were assayed for their ability to induce DNA damage and DNA repair synthesis in primary cultures of human thyroid cells. Significant dose-dependent increases in the frequency of DNA single-strand breaks and alkali-labile sites, as measured by the same Comet assay, were obtained after a 20-h exposure to the following subtoxic concentrations of the five test compounds: methimazole from 2.5 to 10mM; nitrobenzene, potassium bromate, N,N'-diethylthiourea and ethylenethiourea from 1.25 to 5mM. Under the same experimental conditions, DNA repair synthesis, as evaluated by quantitative autoradiography, was present in potassium bromate-exposed thyroid cells from all the three donors and in those from two of three donors with either nitrobenzene or ethylenethiourea, but did not match the criteria for a positive response in thyroid cells from any of the donors with methimazole and N,N'-diethylthiourea. Consistently with their ability to induce thyroid tumors, all the five test compounds, administered p.o. in rats in a single dose corresponding to 1/2 LD50, induced a statistically significant degree of DNA fragmentation in the thyroid. These findings suggest that the five test compounds might be carcinogenic to thyroid in humans.

Topics: Adenocarcinoma, Follicular; Adenoma; Animals; Bromates; Carcinogens; Cells, Cultured; DNA Damage; DNA Fragmentation; DNA Repair; Ethylenethiourea; Humans; In Vitro Techniques; Kidney; Liver; Male; Methimazole; Nitrobenzenes; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Thiourea; Thyroid Gland; Thyroid Neoplasms

Dose-response studies on the carcinogenicity of potassium bromate (KBrO3), a food additive, were undertaken to examine its effects at low doses. A total of 148 6-week-old male inbred F344 rats were divided into 7 groups. They were given KBrO3 orally in their drinking water at doses of 500, 250, 125, 60, 30, 15, and 0 ppm for 104 weeks, at the end of which time all the surviving animals were autopsied and then examined histopathologically. Shortening of the survival times and marked inhibition of body weight increase were observed in a group given 500 ppm KBrO3. The combined incidences of renal adenocarcinomas and adenomas were significantly increased in rats treated with KBrO3 at doses of 500, 250, and 125 ppm in a dose-related manner. The dose-response curve showed a sigmoid appearance. The value for the virtually safe dose (VSD), calculated by the probit model, was 0.950 ppm KBrO3 at a risk level of 10(-6). However, significant increases in the occurrence of dysplastic foci of the kidney were found in groups at doses higher than 30 ppm KBrO3. The VSD value for the dysplastic foci estimated by the gamma-multi-hit model was 0.148 X 10(-3) ppm KBrO3 at a risk level of 10(-6). In a group tested with 500 ppm KBrO3, the combined incidences for follicular adenocarcinomas and adenomas of the thyroid and for mesotheliomas of the peritoneum were shown to be significantly increased.

Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Adenoma; Animals; Bromates; Bromine; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Food Additives; Kidney Neoplasms; Male; Mesothelioma; Neoplasms, Experimental; Peritoneal Neoplasms; Rats; Rats, Inbred F344; Thyroid Neoplasms

The carcinogenicity of potassium bromate, a food additive and a neutralizer in permanent waving, was tested by adding it to the drinking water of F344 rats for 110 weeks. Groups of 53 males and 53 females, each, were given solutions of 500 or 250 ppm of potassium bromate or distilled water. A concentration of 500 ppm markedly inhibited an increase of body weight of male rats. The mean survival time was shortest for males given 500 ppm (88.1 +/- 18.1 wk); the survival times of other groups were 101-104 weeks. The percentage survival in week 104 was relatively high in all groups, and it was 77.4% for males and 66.0% for females in the control group. High incidences of renal cell tumors (in males and females given 500 or 250 ppm) and mesotheliomas of the peritoneum (in males given 500 ppm) were observed. The incidences of these tumors in test groups were significantly higher than those in controls (P less than .001). It was concluded that, when orally administered under the conditions of this experiment, potassium bromate was carcinogenic to F344 rats.

Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Adenoma; Animals; Body Weight; Bromates; Bromine; Female; Food Additives; Hair Preparations; Kidney Neoplasms; Male; Mesothelioma; Peritoneal Neoplasms; Probability; Rats; Rats, Inbred F344