Relationship of hydroquinone-associated rat renal tumors with spontaneous chronic progressive nephropathy

Hydroquinone exposure has been reported by the National Toxicology Program (NTP) to produce renal tubule adenomas and to exacerbate spontaneous chronic progressive nephropathy (CPN) in male F344 rats. A mechanism for hydroquinone-related tumorigenesis has not been established, but CPN is known to involve, and hydroquinone produces, enhanced renal tubule cell proliferation. Through an independent review of the renal histopathology from the NTP study, the grade of CPN and the presence of atypical tubule hyperplasia and adenomas was evaluated. Hydroquinone exposure in males at 50 mg/kg, produced a statistically significant increase in the grade of CPN. At 0, 25, and 50 mg/kg, 0/44, 4/49, and 15/51 male rats had either atypical tubule hyperplasias or adenomas; all were within areas of severe or end-stage CPN and were statistically significantly associated with CPN grade. Additionally, there was a dose-related increase in profiles believed to represent new tubule proliferation within areas of advanced CPN, as well as an apparent expansion of these into unusual complex tubule profiles in end-stage kidneys of the high-dose male group. In summary, this histopathological review suggest a mechanism for hydroquinone-related adenoma formation that includes enhancement of the severity of CPN coupled with stimulation of tubule proliferation.