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Effects of repeated low-level X radiation on functional microvascular changes in hamster cheek pouch epithelium during and following carcinogenesis by 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) were studied. Prior studies showed enhancement of such carcinogenesis by repeated 20 rad head and neck X-radiation exposures, and it was proposed that one possible mechanism was radiogenic alteration of the functional microvasculature in a manner which favored subsequent tumor development. Hamsters were treated with either radiation, DMBA, radiation + DMBA, or no treatment. Animals were sacrificed at 3-week intervals from 0 to 39 weeks after treatments began. Pouch vascular volume and permeability changes were studied by fractional distributions of radiotracers and were analyzed by a variety of statistical methods which explored the vascular parameters, treatment types, elapsed time, presence of the carcinogen, and histopathologic changes. All treatments resulted in significant changes in vascular volume with time, while only DMBA treatments alone resulted in significant changes in vascular permeability with time. Prior to the appearances of frank neoplasms, volumetric changes in DMBA only and radiation only groups were similar, while volume changes in DMBA + radiation groups increased slowly to a peak later than in other groups and then declined steadily to levels similar to the radiation only group. As in prior studies, there were significant vascular volume differences between DMBA and DMBA + radiation groups of tumor-bearing cheek pouches. DMBA maxima were significantly higher than those of DMBA + radiation. Radiation significantly affected DMBA-associated vascular volume and permeability changes during carcinogenesis. Several possible explanations for the relationship of these changes to the enhancement of DMBA carcinogenesis include: radiation blocking normal capillary proliferative and/or dilatory responses to inflammation secondary to neoplastic changes; radiation-induced focal increases in the pericapillary connective tissue histohematic barrier, stimulating angiogenesis but reducing nutrient diffusion; radiation exposures sensitizing vascular endothelium to subsequent angiogenic stimulation from premalignant tissues; DMBA vascular and epithelial effects partially or completely blocking radiation effects on epithelial and/or endothelial cells; and radiation damage to vessel walls partially or fully inhibiting normal physiologic mechanisms of repairing DMBA damage to the vessels.

Anatomical and functional vascular changes during hamster cheek pouch carcinogenesis were studied by light microscopy; scanning electron microscopy of vascular casts; transmission electron microscopy of cheek pouch capillaries; and fractional distributions of 51Cr-erythrocytes, 125I-human serum albumin, and 86RbCI which were used to determine vascular volume, permeability, and perfusion. Histopathological changes and focal capillary changes in vascular casts were measured quantitatively by an image analyzer. Male Syrian hamsters received 0.5% 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) in mineral oil for 11 weeks and were sacrificed at periodic intervals from 2 to 20 weeks after initial treatment. Simple hyperplasia was first seen at Week 1. The area of hyperplastic epithelium, expressed as percentage, increased to about 60% by Week 8 and then decreased to 30% at Week 20. Dysplastic foci were first seen at Week 2. The percentage of the area of dysplasia increased with time to 41% at Week 20. Squamous cell carcinomas occurred from Week 10, increased with time, and were found in all animals at Week 20. Vascular cast diameters of normal-looking capillaries were larger during than after DMBA treatment. Type 3 vascular proliferations were found beneath dysplasia and cancer. Capillaries beneath simple hyperplasia and type 3 capillaries beneath dysplasia and cancers were dilated but not fenestrated. Changes in vascular volume were independent of changes in permeability and perfusion and also occurred in contralateral untreated pouches of treated animals. While 86Rb values initially correlated with 125I values, the 86Rb values were unstable in intermediate and later time periods. Changes of vascular volume were accompanied initially by the presence of DMBA and were coincident with increased areas of dilated capillaries beneath simple hyperplasia and later with areas of type 3 capillary proliferation beneath dysplasia and cancer. Changes of vascular permeability were related to inflammation indices throughout the study. DMBA may lastingly alter capillary endothelium in a manner which allows or aids in its subsequent dilatory and proliferative responses to angiogenic stimulation from malignant tumors, and possibly from premalignant or malignantly transformed cells.

Studies examined the effects of acute and fractionated low to moderate level X-ray exposures on hamster cheek pouch carcinogenesis in vivo by 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA). Animals were grouped by treatment as follows: acute doses of 0.85-3.40 Gy X rays; 17 once weekly doses of 0.01-0.20 Gy X rays (fractionated radiation); topical DMBA for 10 weeks; DMBA plus fractionated radiation starting together; DMBA plus acute radiation in Week 1 or 10 of DMBA treatments; and sham irradiation, DMBA vehicle, or anesthesia controls. After 44 weeks, hamsters were sacrificed, and their cheek pouches were excised, serially sectioned, and examined by light microscopy for histopathology. No histologic changes were observed in radiation-only hamsters. Carcinoma incidences in DMBA-only groups ranged from 45 to 60%. Carcinoma incidences were greater in groups receiving DMBA plus fractionated radiation than in groups receiving either acute radiation + DMBA or DMBA alone. Carcinoma incidences in acute radiation plus DMBA groups were lower than those in DMBA-only groups. These results suggest complex interactions between radiation and DMBA, perhaps with radiogenic cell killing being a principal factor in acute radiation + DMBA groups, and reciprocal additive or synergistic effects of radiation and DMBA on cancer induction and manifestation in fractionated radiation + DMBA groups.

Studies examined the binding of radiolabeled 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) to epithelial DNA of hamster cheek pouch (HCP) maintained in organ explant culture. Adduct formation was studied as functions of [3H]DMBA dose, of the time after single [3H]DMBA applications, and of the route by which the DMBA was administered--either topically or in the culture media. Total DMBA-DNA adduct formation [total binding index (TBI)] was determined by DNA-bound 3H activity, and qualitative binding characteristics were further studied by high-pressure liquid chromatography. [3H]DMBA was applied either in the culture media at concentrations of 0.005-0.5 micrograms/ml or topically in mineral oil or ethanol in doses of 0.005-0.5 micrograms to each tissue fragment. Histopathologic changes in DMBA-treated HCP fragments included substantial aberrations in maturation of cornified and keratin layers and focal squamatization and dysplasia of the basal epithelium--considerable tissue necrosis was encountered in the high-DMBA-dose groups. Dose-response data were qualitatively similar among treatment types, with the greatest TBIs in topical ethanol groups and the lowest TBIs in culture medium groups. Kinetics of adduct formation and removal showed a rapid increase in TBIs to peak values at 24-72 hours followed by a biphasic decrease in TBIs, which leveled off at 7%-20% of peak values at 120-240 hours. Chromatographic analyses of selected samples at various times from all treatment groups showed three major peaks that are likely to be the same 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-3,4-dihydroxy-1, 2-oxide-deoxyribonucleoside adducts observed in other rodent in vivo and cell culture systems. These results are consistent with those of other laboratories studying DMBA-DNA interactions and suggest that in vitro studies of DMBA-treated HCP explants are useful in studying the molecular nature of DMBA-DNA interactions in oral mucosal carcinogenesis.

Studies examined the in vivo binding of radiolabeled 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA) to hamster cheek pouch epithelial DNA. Adduct formation was studied as functions of [3H]DMBA dose and of the time after single [3H]DMBA applications in mineral oil. Total DMBA-DNA adduct formation was determined by DNA-bound 3H activity, and qualitative binding characteristics were further studied by high-pressure liquid chromatography. Adduct formation 24 h after single [3H]DMBA applications rapidly increased from DMBA concentrations of 0.05-5.0 micrograms. While binding also increased from DMBA concentrations of 5.0-50.0 micrograms, the variability in adduct formation at 50.0 micrograms was considerable. Adduct formation following single 5.0-micrograms [3H]DMBA applications rose slowly to a peak value of 76 pmol DMBA/mg DNA at 36 h. This level decreased very slowly in a biphasic manner through 240 h, at which time the adduct levels were 23% of maximum. Adduct levels of 1.5 pmol/mg DNA were measured as late as 5 wk after a single 5.0-micrograms [3H]DMBA application. Chromatographic analyses of the 24-, 36-, and 96-, and 240-h samples showed three major peaks which are likely to be 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-3,4-dihydroxy-1,2-oxide-deoxyribonucleoside adducts. While these analyses were limited by the small amounts of radioactivity which could be retrieved from [3H]DMBA-treated pouches, the study suggests that the DMBA-induced hamster cheek pouch carcinoma may be useful in some molecular in vivo studies of chemical-DNA interactions in carcinogenesis.