Ochratoxin A carcinogenesis in the (C57BL/6J X C3H)F1 mouse

The potential carcinogenic effects of the mycotoxin ochratoxin A [(OA); CAS: 303-47-9] were assessed in a 24-month feeding study in male and female (C57BL/6J X C3H)F1 (B6C3F1) mice. The mice were assigned to 3 groups of 50 males and 50 females each; group 1 mice were the controls, group 2 mice were fed 1 ppm OA, and group 3 mice were fed 40 ppm OA. Renal neoplasms, both carcinomas and adenomas, were found only in male mice of the 40-ppm dose group. Fourteen of 49 animals that survived at least 20 months had neoplasms morphologically consistent with renal carcinoma. Renal adenomas were present in some of these mice and in other 40-ppm-group males, making a total of 26 mice with renal adenomas. All male mice of the 40-ppm dose group had nephropathy characterized by varying degrees of renal tubular dilation, attenuation and hyperplasia of lining epithelium, and proliferation of regenerative tubules. Females of the 40-ppm dose group had similar but less severe renal changes but no carcinomas or adenomas. Compound-related renal lesions were absent in the 1-ppm dose group. The incidence of hepatocellular neoplasms was slightly increased in male and female mice fed diets containing OA. These results indicate that OA is a renal carcinogen in male B6C3F1 mice and a hepatic carcinogen in female mice of this strain.