Relationship of Hepatic Peroxisome Proliferation and Replicative DNA Synthesis to the Hepatocarcinogenicity of the Peroxisome Proliferators Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate and [4-Chloro-6-(2,3-xylidino)-2-pyrimidinylthio]acetic Acid (Wy-14,643) in Rats

The mechanism of hepatocarcinogenesis caused by peroxisome proliferators (PP) is poorly understood, making it difficult to predict the carcinogenicity of PP to rodents or other species. It has been suggested that the carcinogenic potential of individual PP in rodents is correlated with the degree of PP-induced hepatic peroxisome proliferation. To evaluate this possible correlation, di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) at 1.2% and [4-chloro-6-(2,3-xylidino)-2-pyrimidinylthio]acetic acid (Wy-14,643) at 0.1% were fed to male F-344 rats for up to 365 days and hepatocytic peroxisome proliferation and DNA replication were measured. All rats fed Wy-14,643 for 365 days had numerous grossly visible nodules in comparison to none in the livers of DEHP-fed or control rats. Despite this difference in the induction of tumors, both DEHP and Wy-14,643 increased the peroxisomal volume density 4- to 6-fold from 8 to 365 days of treatment. Peroxisomal β-oxidation enzyme activities were increased 8-fold by both DEHP and Wy-14,643 after 18 days. At later time points (77 to 365 days), these enzyme activities were about 25% higher in livers of Wy-14,643- than DEHP-fed rats. DEHP or Wy-14,643 increased absolute liver weights 50 to 75% above controls after 18 to 365 days of feeding. Labeling of hepatocyte nuclei with a single injection of tritiated thymidine revealed a rapid burst in replicative DNA synthesis in both DEHP and Wy-14,643-fed rats, with a return to control levels by 4 days. Additional rats were implanted with 7-day osmotic pumps containing tritiated thymidine. With this more extended method of labeling a 5- to 10-fold increase in replicative DNA synthesis was observed in rats receiving Wy-14,643 for 39 to 365 days as compared to DEHP-fed rats or controls. In conclusion, when performed under conditions similar to the tumorigenicity studies, the degree of peroxisome proliferation correlated poorly with the relative hepatocarcinogenicity of DEHP and Wy-14,643. However, a strong correlation was observed between the relative hepatocarcinogenicity of DEHP and Wy-14,643 and the ability to induce a persistent increase in replicative DNA synthesis. These data emphasize the possible importance of cell replication in the mechanism of PP-induced hepatocarcinogenesis.