Cancer Science & Therapy

An Additional risk of Lung Cancer from Recurrent Exposure to Ethyl Carbamate (EC) in BALB/C Mice

Abstract

Mohamed A Hamzawy, Amira M Abo-youssef, Heba F Salem and Sameh Mohamed A

Ethyl carbamate (EC); urethane is a chemical carcinogen (IARC group 2A). It has been commonly found in the fermented food and beverages. EC induced cancerous lesion in different sites due to the formation of active metabolite; vinyl carbamate (VC). The current study aims to investigate the potential risk of cancerous lesions in small and repeated exposure of ethyl carbamate in BALB/C mice. Three groups of BALBL/C mice were treated for 120 days included untreated control; group treated with a single dose of urethane (1.5 g/kg B.w/i.p) at a day one; group treated with repeated doses, the first at a day one and a second at day sixty (1.5g/ kg B.w/i.p). Ethyl carbamate (EC) exposure showed sever changes of serum biochemical markers, apoptosis markers, inflammatory cytokines as well as lipid peroxide formation in lung homogenate, these changes were pronounced in repeated exposure to ethyl carbamate. In addition, histological examinations revealed that epithelial changes in pulmonary tissues were advanced in animals treated with repeated doses of ethyl carbamate. These findings indicate that repeated exposure to ethyl carbamate of fermented foods and beverages is an additional risk for lung cancer due to permanent mitochondrial dysfunction and increase the cellular mitotic activity.