A single neonatal exposure to aflatoxin b1 induces prolonged genetic damage in two loci of mouse liver

Toxicol Sci. 2012 Aug;128(2):326-33. doi: 10.1093/toxsci/kfs151. Epub 2012 Apr 26.

Abstract

Aflatoxin B (1) (AFB(1)) is a risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma in humans. Infant, but not adult, mice are sensitive to AFB(1)-induced liver carcinogenesis; a single dose during the neonatal period leads to hepatocellular carcinoma in adulthood. Earlier work defined the mutational spectrum in the gpt gene of gpt delta B6C3F1 mice 3 weeks after exposure to aflatoxin. In the present study, we examined the gpt spectrum 10 weeks postdosing and expanded the study to examine, at 3 and 10 weeks, the spectrum at a second locus, the red/gam genes of the mouse λEG10 transgene. Whereas the gpt locus is typically used to define local base changes, the red/gam genes, via the Spi(-) assay, often are used to detect more global mutations such as large deletions and rearrangements. Three weeks after dosing with AFB(1), there was a 10-fold increase over the control in the Spi(-) mutant fraction (MF) in liver DNA; after 10 weeks, a further increase was observed. The MF in the gpt gene was also increased at 10 weeks compared with the MF at 3 weeks. No gender-specific differences were found in the Spi(-) or gpt MFs. Whereas Spi(-) mutations often signal large genetic changes, they did not in this specific case. The Spi(-) spectrum was dominated by GC to TA transversions, with one exceptionally strong hotspot at position 314. Using two genetic loci, the data show a strong preference for the induction of GC to TA mutations in mice, which is the dominant mutation seen in people exposed to aflatoxin.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Aflatoxin B1 / administration & dosage
  • Aflatoxin B1 / toxicity*
  • Animals
  • Animals, Newborn
  • Base Sequence
  • DNA Primers
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Liver / drug effects*
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C3H
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction

Substances

  • DNA Primers
  • Aflatoxin B1