An evaluation of changes and recovery in the olfactory epithelium in mice after inhalation exposure to methylethylketoxime.

Methylethylketoxime, also known as MEKO or 2-butanone oxime (CAS No. 96-29-7), is a clear, colorless to light yellow liquid at room temperature. It is an industrial antioxidant used as an antiskinning agent in alkyd paint, an industrial blocking agent for urethane polymers, and a corrosion inhibitor in industrial boilers, and can be found in some adhesives and silicone caulking products. Male CD-1 mice were exposed 6 h/day, 5 days/wk, for 1, 2, 4, or 13 wk via whole-body inhalation exposures to MEKO vapor concentrations of 0, 3 +/- 0.1, 10 +/- 0.3, 30 +/- 1, or 100 +/- 2 ppm (10 mice/group/interval). Satellite animals were removed after 1, 2, 4, or 13 wk of exposure and allowed to recover for 4 or 13 wk (5 mice/group/interval). After termination, the nasal turbinates were evaluated microscopically, and cross-sectional nasal maps of the lesions were prepared. At the end of the 1-, 2-, 4-, and 13-wk exposure periods, degeneration of the olfactory epithelium lining the dorsal meatus was seen in the anterior region of the nasal cavity. In a few instances, the olfactory epithelium covering the tips of the nasoturbinal scrolls projecting into the dorsal region of the nasal cavity was also degenerated. Large areas of olfactory epithelium lying laterally and posteriorly were unaffected. In general, approximately 10% or less of the total olfactory tissue was affected. In several instances, the degenerated olfactory epithelium was reepithelialized by squamous/squamoid and/or respiratory types of epithelium. Degeneration, which was dose related in incidence and severity, was seen in mice exposed to 30 and 100 ppm after 1 wk of exposure and in several mice exposed to 10 ppm after 13 wk of exposure. The incidence and severity of the degeneration present after 1 wk of exposure did not increase with the longer exposures. The olfactory degeneration was reversible. Recovery was complete within 4 wk following exposures at 10 ppm and nearly complete within 13 wk after exposures at 30 and 100 ppm. A no-observed-effect level (NOEL) for the olfactory degeneration was considered to be 3 ppm.