Diethylnitrosamine initiation does not alter clofibric acid-induced hepatocarcinogenesis in the rat

Clofibric acid (CLO) is a nongenotoxic hepatocarcinogen in rodents that causes altered hepatocellular foci and/or neoplasms. Initiation by DNA-damaging agents such as diethylnitrosamine (DEN) accelerates focus and tumor appearance and could therefore significantly contribute to shortening of the regulatory 2-year rodent carcinogenicity bioassays. However, it is crucial to evaluate the histological and molecular impact of initiation with DEN on hepatocarcinogenesis promoted by CLO. Male F344 rats were given a single nonnecrogenic injection of DEN (0 or 30 mg/kg) followed by Control diet or CLO (5000 ppm) in diet for up to 20 months. Histopathology and gene expression profiling were performed in liver tumors and surrounding nontumoral liver tissues. The molecular signature of DEN was characterized and its histopathological and immunohistopathological effects on focus and tumor types were also determined. Although foci and tumors appeared earlier in the DEN+CLO-treated group compared to the group treated with CLO alone, DEN had little impact on gene expression in nontumoral tissues since the gene expression profiles were highly similar between Control and DEN-treated rats, and DEN+CLO- and CLO-treated rats. Finally, tumors obtained from DEN+CLO and CLO-treated groups displayed highly correlated gene expression profiles (r>0.83, independently of the time-point). The pathways involved in tumor development revealed by Gene Ontology functional analysis are similar when driven either by spontaneous initiation or by a chemically induced initiation step. Our work described here may contribute to the design optimization of shorter preclinical tests for the evaluation of the nongenotoxic hepatocarcinogenic potential of drugs under development.