title: Quercetin tests negative for genotoxicity in transcriptome analyses of liver and small intestine of mice.
abstract: Given the positive results of quercetin in in vitro genotoxicity studies, the in vivo genotoxic properties of this important dietary flavonoid warrant testing, especially considering possible high intake via widely available food supplements. Here, this was done by transcriptome analyses of the most relevant tissues, liver and small intestine, of quercetin supplemented mice. Quercetin (0.33%) supplemented to a high-fat diet was administered to mice during 12 weeks. Serum alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase levels revealed no indications for hepatotoxicity. Microarray pathway analysis of liver and small intestine showed no regulation of genotoxicity related pathways. Analysis of DNA damage related genes also did not point at genotoxicity. Furthermore, a published classifier set of transcripts for identifying genotoxic compounds did not indicate genotoxicity. Only two transcripts of the classifier set were regulated, but in the opposite direction compared with the genotoxic compounds 2-acetylaminofluorene (2-AAF) and aflatoxin B1 (AFB1). Based on the weight of evidence of three different types of analysis, we conclude that supplementation with quercetin at ~350 mg/kg bw/day for 12 weeks in mice showed no up-regulation of genotoxicity related pathways in liver and small intestine.
authors: Human and Animal Physiology, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 338, 6700 AH, Wageningen, The Netherlands; Division of Toxicology, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 8000, 6700 EA, Wageningen, The Netherlands; RIKILT Wageningen UR, P.O. Box 230, 6700 AE Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors: Elise F
authors: EF
authors: Hoek-van den Hil
authors: Human and Animal Physiology, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 338, 6700 AH, Wageningen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: evert.vanschothorst@wur.nl.
authors: Evert M
authors: EM
authors: van Schothorst
authors: Human and Animal Physiology, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 338, 6700 AH, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors: Inge
authors: I
authors: van der Stelt
authors: RIKILT Wageningen UR, P.O. Box 230, 6700 AE Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors: Peter C H
authors: PCH
authors: Hollman
authors: Human and Animal Physiology, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 338, 6700 AH, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors: Jaap
authors: J
authors: Keijer
authors: Division of Toxicology, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 8000, 6700 EA, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors: Ivonne M C M
authors: IMCM
authors: Rietjens
mesh_terms: D015073:2-Acetylaminofluorene / Q000633:toxicity; D016604:Aflatoxin B1 / Q000633:toxicity; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D004249:DNA Damage / Q000187:drug effects*; D059305:Diet, High-Fat; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D046228:Microarray Analysis; D011794:Quercetin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D011794:Quercetin; D015073:2-Acetylaminofluorene; D016604:Aflatoxin B1; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase
keywords: Flavonoid; Genotoxicity; Quercetin; Transcriptomics