Global Gene Expression Associated with Hepatocarcinogenesis in Adult Male Mice Induced by in Utero Arsenic Exposure

Our previous work has shown that exposure to inorganic arsenic in utero produces hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in adult male mice. To explore further the molecular mechanisms of transplacental arsenic hepatocarcinogenesis, we conducted a second arsenic transplacental carcinogenesis study and used a genomewide microarray to profile arsenic-induced aberrant gene expression more extensively. Briefly, pregnant C3H mice were given drinking water containing 85 ppm arsenic as sodium arsenite or unaltered water from days 8 to 18 of gestation. The incidence of HCC in adult male offspring was increased 4-fold and tumor multiplicity 3-fold after transplacental arsenic exposure. Samples of normal liver and liver tumors were taken at autopsy for genomic analysis. Arsenic exposure in utero resulted in significant alterations (p < 0.001) in the expression of 2,010 genes in arsenic-exposed liver samples and in the expression of 2,540 genes in arsenic-induced HCC. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis revealed that significant alterations in gene expression occurred in a number of biological networks, and Myc plays a critical role in one of the primary networks. Real-time reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analysis of selected genes/proteins showed > 90% concordance. Arsenic-altered gene expression included activation of oncogenes and HCC biomarkers, and increased expression of cell proliferation–related genes, stress proteins, and insulin-like growth factors and genes involved in cell–cell communications. Liver feminization was evidenced by increased expression of estrogen-linked genes and altered expression of genes that encode gender-related metabolic enzymes. These novel findings are in agreement with the biology and histology of arsenic-induced HCC, thereby indicating that multiple genetic events are associated with transplacental arsenic hepatocarcinogenesis

The Ingenuity Pathways Analysis of gene expression changes (detailed in “Material and Methods”)

<p><b>Copyright information:</b></p><p>Taken from "Global Gene Expression Associated with Hepatocarcinogenesis in Adult Male Mice Induced by Arsenic Exposure"</p><p>Environmental Health Perspectives 2005;114(3):404-411.</p><p>Published online 6 Oct 2005</p><p>PMCID:PMC1392235.</p><p>This is an Open Access article: verbatim copying and redistribution of this article are permitted in all media for any purpose, provided this notice is preserved along with the article's original DOI.</p> The network number 1 from arsenic-induced HCC and control liver samples is depicted. The central role of MYC activation in transplacental arsenic carcinogenesis is illustrated. Red indicates increases in gene expression, and green indicates decreases