The Tg rasH2 mouse in cancer hazard identification

The Tg rasH2 transgenic mouse has been developed as an altemative to the lifetime mouse bioassay to predict the carcinogenic potential of chemicals. Unlike the p53+/- mouse, the Tg rasH2 mouse is sensitive to both genotoxic and nongenotoxic carcinogens. The Tg rasH2 mouse, officially designated CB6F1-TgN (RasH2), contains multiple copies of the human c-Ha-ras oncogene and promoter within its genome. These mice develop spontaneous andchemically inducedneoplasms earlierin life and in greaternumbersthan wild-type mice, reflectingtheirenhanced sensitivity to neoplasia. The most common spontaneous neoplasms in control Tg rasH2 mice 8 to 9 months of age are lung adenomas and carcinomas (7.4% incidence), splenic hemangiomas and hemangiosarcomas (5.4%), forestomach squamous cell papillomas and carcinomas (2.4%), and skin neoplasms (1.2%). Simulations have demonstrated that 20 to 25 mice/sex/treatment group are required to provide the assay with adequate statistical power. Four of 6 known or suspected human carcinogens tested in Tg rasH2 mice were positive in this assay. For 19 nonmutagenic agents testing positive in conventional rodent bioassays, 7 chemicals were positive, 10 chemicals were negative, and 2 were equivocal. None of the 10 nonmutagenic rodent carcinogens that were negative in the Tg rasH2 mouse model are considered to be human carcinogens. All nonmutagenic chemicals that were negative in the conventional rodent bioassays were also negative in the Tg rasH2 model. Results for 15 of 18 mutagenic chemicals tested in Tg rasH2 mice agreed with the results of conventional rodent bioassays, and 3 results were equivocal. The Tg rasH2 mouse model appears to predict known or suspected human carcinogens as well as the traditional mouse bioassay, but with fewer positive results for nongenotoxic compounds that are not considered human carcinogens. The Tg rasH2 mouse model is the most thoroughly tested in vivo altemative to the lifetime mouse bioassay for nongenotoxic compounds administered by oral or parenteral routes. The U.S. FDA Carcinogenicity Assessment Committee has determined that the Tg rasH2 model has been adequately evaluated for consideration for carcinogenicity testing of pharmaceutical candidates and its use could contribute to the weight of evidence for carcinogenicity assessment. The FDA will consider proposals to replace lifetime mouse carcinogenicity studies with 6-month Tg rasH2 mouse studies to support pharmaceutical registration on a case-by-case basis.