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Carcinogenic effect of 14 N-nitrosamines related to N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl(nitrosamine (BBN) and N,N-dibutylnitrosamine (DBN) was studied in ACI/N male rats by administration in the drinking water. BBN homologs having methyl, ethyl, or pentyl group selectively induced urinary bladder tumors, but a homolog with tert-butyl group did not have any carcinogenic effect. N-Ethyl-N-(3-carboxypropyl)nitrosamine, the principal urinary metabolite of the ethyl homolog of BBN, did also induce bladder tumors selectively, thus providing an additional evidence that N-alkyl-N-(3-carboxypropyl)nitrosamines are responsible for the selective induction of bladder tumors by BBN homologs. N-Butyl-N-(carboxymethyl)nitrosamine and BBN analogs having 3-hydroxypropyl chain together with ethyl or butyl group were found to be noncarcinogenic. N-Propyl-N-butylnitrosamine and DBN induced hepatomas, but simultaneous development of esophageal tumors were observed only with the former. N-Butyl-N-(3-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine, one of the principal metabolities of DNB, did not induce any tumors, but its further transformation product, N-butyl-N-(3-oxobutyl)nitrosamine as well as N-butyl-N-(2-oxobutyl)nitrosamine, another metabolic intermediate of DBN, induced hepatomas. Possible correlation of structure and metabolism with organotropic carcinogenesis by N-N-dialkylnitrosamines is discussed, with special reference to selective induction of urinary bladder tumors.
A hundred samples of total diets, 19 samples of cheese (mainly Dutch), a total of 30 samples of muscle, fat liver, kidney, blood and fried meat from experimental veal calves (fed daily with 0.6 or 300 mg of potassium nitrate per kg b.w.) and 14 samples of urine of patients medicated with massive amounts of ammonium nitrate (up to an equivalent of 180 mg potassium nitrate per kg b.w.) have been analysed with GC-TEA for their content of the following N-nitrosamines: NDMA, NDEA, NDPA, NDBA, NPIP, NPYR and NMOR. NDMA was frequently found, but always in the sub micrograms per kg range, except for two diets (1.2 and 1.7 microgram/kg). Other N-nitrosamines were sporadically found in the same concentration range, except for one diet (NPYR, 1.9 microgram/kg). No correlation was found between NDMA content and the composition of diets or the nitrate load of patients or veal calves. Mean daily intake of NDMA, potassium nitrate and sodium nitrite from total diets was calculated to be 0.5 microgram, 215 mg and 7.7 mg respectively. N-nitrosamine recoveries from the various samples were determined mostly at the 1 microgram/kg level. Contents of potassium nitrate and sodium nitrite are reported for 124 samples of various vegetables, 94 samples of canned baby food and 48 samples of human saliva, collected at various times after the intake of meals. Some kinds of vegetables showed high to very high nitrate contents, for example, purslane, red beets, spinach and lettuce. Only traces of nitrite were found in the vegetables. Salivary nitrite content was shown to be highly dependent on the dietary intake of nitrate and increased up to 60 times its initial value after the consumption of vegetable-rich meals.
The effects of the bladder carcinogens butyl(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine (BBN) and butyl(3-carboxypropyl)-nitrosamine (BCPN) on proliferating transitional rat epithelium in organ culture were studied. At low to intermediate concentration ranges (0.5--2.9 mM), both compounds appeared to stimulate hyperplasia in some regions of epithelia. The major effect of both carcinogens, however, was to suppress hyperplasia in other regions of epithelia and, at higher concentrations (5--6 mM), to cause necrosis. For comparable concentrations, BBN was more effective in suppressing proliferation and causing necrosis than was BCPN.
The homologons alkyl-acetoxymethyl-nitrosamines were tested for carcinogenicity in SD rats. All compounds were found to be carcinogenic and induced within the same time carcinomas of the forestomach. The total doses necessary for induction of tumors are related to the length of the alkyl chain and hence to the watersolubility. These results are discussed.
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The formation of carcinogenic N-nitrosamines in neutral and alkaline aqueous solutions (pH 6-14) at 25 degrees C is reported using dissolved N2O3 and N2O4 gases. These reactions are very much faster than those with acidified nitrite: typically, 2 X 10(-3) M amine gives ca. 10-50% N-nitrosamine in a few seconds with 5-20 fold excess of nitrogen oxide. The N-nitrosamine yield in 0.1 M sodium hydroxide is independent of amine basicity from pKA 11.2-0.99, but decreases with decreasing pH of the reaction solution for the more basic amines. Significantly, N-nitrosamine yields are not lowered with diluted nitrogen oxides (1000 ppm) and moderately basic amines (eg. N-methylpiperazine) react readily at physiological pH. The mechanism by which these reactions occur is discussed, with particular reference to the existence of two reactive tautomeric forms of N2O3 and N2O4. The formation of carcinogenic N-nitrosamines from NO in ethanol at 25 degrees C is also reported. These reactions are slow in the absence of air (oxygen), I2 or metal salts. Oxygen accelerates nitrosation by converting NO via NO2 to either N2O3 or N2O4, but both I2 and metal salts are effective under anaerobic conditions, where reaction rates are virtually independent of amine basicity but depend on the nature of the added reagent. The most effective substance is I2, which gives quantitative yields of N-nitrosamine in a few minutes at 25 degrees C by forming the reactive nitrosyl iodide (NOI) reagent. Acceleration in ethanol at 25 degrees C is also observed with AgI, CuI, CuII, ZnII, FeIII and CoII salts, among others, with substantial amounts of N-nitrosamine being produced in ca. 30-300 min. Metal iodides intervene by way of the NOI reagent, as for I2, but other salts require a mechanism involving reaction between a metal-amine complex and NO, itself. The results show that carcinogenic N-nitrosamines may form under a much wider range of experimental conditions than suspected hitherto. Their relevance to human exposure is discussed, with particular reference to urban pollution and the effect of dietary antioxidants.
All of the 4 noncarcinogenic nitrosamines (NA) and 4 of 7 carcinogenic nitrosamines examined increased the urinary ascorbic acid output after oral administration to rats. Of the remaining carcinogenic nitrosamines, dimethyl-NA decreased, and diethyl-NA and methyl-n-pentyl-NA only marginally affected ascorbic acid output. All of the carcinogenic nitrosamines, except dipentyl-NA, increased pentobarbital-induced sleeping time (PST), serum glutamic oxalacetic transaminase (SGOT) and produced loss of glycogen and necrosis in the centrologular area of the liver after 1 or 3 oral doses. In contrast, noncarcinogenic nitrosamines and dipentyl-NA shortened PST and had no effect on liver histology (light microscopy) and SGOT. Generally, changes in ascorbic acid output correlated neither with carcinogenicity nor acute hepatotoxicity of known nitrosamines, hence the ascorbic output could not be used to predict the carcinogenicity of unknown or untested nitrosamines.
The interactions of 5 carcinogenic and 1 non-carcinogenic nitrosamines with hepatic microsomal cytochrome (cyt.) P-450 were investigated, using both optical difference and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopic methods. Liver microsomes from phenobarbital (PB)-pretreated mice and 3-methylcholanthrene (3-MC)-pretreated rats were used, in order to have an increased specific content of cyt. P-450 and cyt. P-448 respectively. The optical and EPR spectral data obtained in the oxidised state suggest that nitrosamines are able to bind both as substrates and as ligands to the hemoprotein cyt. P-450, depending on the concentration of nitrosamine, its chemical identity and the cytochrome species present. After reduction with dithionite or NADPH in the optical difference spectrum a Soret band developed between 444 and 453 nm to an extent, which is dependent on the particular nitrosamine present. This initial nitrosamine-induced spectrum might represent a ferrous nitric oxide (NO)-cyt. P-450 complex. It appears unstable and is converted kinetically into a spectrum lacking a Soret band, but with a predominant absorbance minimum at about 425 nm. A visible band is located at 585 nm. In the EPR spectrum a sharp 3-line signal around g = 2.01 appears concomitantly. Both spectral parameters are typical of a NO-cyt. P-420 complex. These results, in conjunction with metabolic studies, indicate that nitrosamines are denitrosated by a reductive process in which cyt. P-450 appears to be involved. The resulting NO-cyt. P-450 complex denatures to a NO-cyt. P-420 complex when the dioxygen level is not sufficiently high to complete successfully.
5 nitrosamines formed from the nitrosation of spermidine were investigated for mutagenicity using various strains of Salmonella typhimurium in the presence and absence of S9 mix. Using the plate incorporation method, 3-butenyl-(2-propenyl)-N-nitrosamine, 3-hydroxybutyl (2-hydroxypropyl)-N-nitrosamine, 4-hyroxybutyl-(2-hydroxypropyl)-N-nitrosamine, 4 hydroxybutyl-(3-hydroxypropyl)-N-nitrosamine, and in the liquid test 3-hydroxybutyl-(3-hydroxypropyl)-N-nitrosamine were mutagenic in the absence of S9 mix.
Tobacco contains specific carcinogenic nitrosamines which are derived from nicotine. These compounds may be among the causative agents for the various cancers (lung, oral cavity, oesophagus, bladder and pancreas) which are associated with tobacco usage. The major tobacco specific nitrosamine is N'-nitrosonornicotine (NNN), which has been detected in both unburned tobacco (0.3-90.6 ppm) and cigarette mainstream smoke (137-238 ng/cig.). Studies with labelled precursors showed that the major source of NNN formed during curing of tobacco was nicotine, rather than nornicotine. The transfer rate of NNN from tobacco to mainstream smoke was 11.3%; about half the NNN present in smoke therefore originated from tobacco, with the remainder being formed during smoking. Model studies of the reaction of nicotine and nitrite showed that, in addition to NNN, two other nitrosamines, 4-(N-methyl-N-nitrosamino)-4-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanal (NNA) and 4-(N-methyl-N-nitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) were formed. Analysis of tobacco revealed the presence of NNK in chewing tobacco and snuff (0.6-2.4 ppm). A comparative bioassay of NNN, NNK and NNA in strain A mice indicated that NNK was more tumorigenic than NNN and that NNA was inactive. NNN, which had previously been shown to induce oesophageal and nasal cavity tumours in rats, also was a moderately active carcinogen in the Syrian golden hamster, giving tracheal tumours. A study of the metabolism of cyclic nitrosamines was initiated. Metabolic alpha-hydroxylation of nitrosopyrrolidine, which is thought to be the critical step in activation of this compound, was demonstrated by detection in vitro and in vivo of 2-hydroxytetrahydrofuran, which was the product of decomposition of alpha-hydroxynitrosopyrrolidine. The metabolism of the related cyclic nitrosamine, NNN, is currently under investigation, with emphasis on metabolites resulting from alpha- and beta-hydroxylation. These analytical and metabolic studies are intended to clarify the possible relationship of tobacco-specific nitrosamines and site-specific cancers in tobacco users.
The preparation of a series of N-nitrosamines for carcinogenicity studies presented an opportunity to study mass spectral fragmentation schemes in detail. Condensed spectra are listed for 146 N-nitrosamines of widely differing structures, including nitroso derivatives of commercial drugs and insecticides. Aliphatic nitrosamines were generally characterized by molecular ions and loss of OH. Subsequent fragmentation via alpha-cleavage is similar to that of aliphatic amines. The loss of OH is believed to result in a cyclic ion. Subsituted aliphatic nitrosamines varied in fragmentation schemes with structure and position of the substitutent groups. However, most showed alpha-cleavage at some point in fragmentation. When substituted with aromatic groups prominent peaks due to the aromatic moiety were observed. The alicyclic nitrosamines showed losses of NO, NOH and OH and subsequent alpha-cleavages. Nitrosamides were characterized by rupture of the carbonyl to nitrogen bond. Spectra of substituted ureas usually showed charge retention by the carbonyl fragment, while carbamate esters showed ions from both fragments.
Inhibition of hepatic dimethylnitrosamine (DMN) metabolism by a variety of cyclic and acyclic nitrosamines was demonstrated. Nitrosoproline, a noncarcinogenic nitrosamine, behaved differently from the carcinogenic nitrosamines as an inhibitor for DMN-demethylase. Secondary amines corresponding to the nitrosamines inhibited DMN-demethylase in a manner similar to the nitrosamines.
The rat liver microsome-mediated mutagenicities of a series of N-nitrosodialkylamines and heterocyclic N-nitrosamines were determined in a liquid incubation system using Salmonella typhimurium TA1530. The influence on mutation frequency of the concentration of co-factors for mixed-function oxidase and composition and molarity of the buffer was investigated, using N-nitrosomorpholine as substrate. The mutagenicity of the N-nitroso compounds in the liquid incubation system under optimal reaction conditions at equimolar concentration was compared quantitatively with that obtained in a soft-agar incorporation assay. N-Nitrosodi-n-pentylamine and N-nitrosodi-n-butylamine showed no enzyme-mediated mutagenicity in the liquid incubation system, and metabolically activated N-nitroso-dimethylamine and N-nitroso-diethylamine showed negligible mutagenic activity in the soft-agar assays. In contrast with these results with the N-nitrosodialkylamines, the mutagenic effects of heterocyclic N-nitrosamines were similar in the liquid incubation system and in soft-agar incorporation assays. The heterocyclic N-nitrosamines showed rat-liver microsome-mediated mutagenicity in the following descending order: N-nitrosomorpholine greater than N-nitrosopyrrolidine greater than N-nitrosopiperidine greater than N-nitroso-N'-methylpiperazine. Seven human liver specimens converted all heterocyclic N-nitrosamines into mutagens; this activity was similar to that of rat liver, except that for N-nitroso-N'-methylpiperazine, fractions from three human liver biopsies were three to 30 times more active than those from untreated rats. The specific reversion of S. typhimurium TA1530 to histidine prototrophy provides experimental evidence that all the N-nitrosamines studied were converted by liver microsomal enzymes into monofunctional alkylating agents.
Nitrosamines (NA) are chemical impurities that are present in tobacco, foods, more recently in some pharmaceuticals and are associated with genotoxicity and carcinogenicity. We evaluated the in vivo mutagenicity of nicotine-derived nitrosamine ketone (NNK) or 4-(methyl nitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone, a model compound used as an anchor molecule to estimate carcinogenic potency of unknown nitrosamine impurities. Big Blue rats were treated with NNK at doses ranging from 0.001 to 30 mg/kg for 28 days, following which liver and lung tissue were harvested 3 days later for nuclear genomic DNA isolation. Mutations in liver and lung were assessed with the cII transgene assay and endogenous genomic loci using Duplex Sequencing (DupSeq), a highly validated error-corrected sequencing (ECS) technology. The no genotoxic effect level (NOGEL) was 1 mg/kg in liver and 0.1 mg/kg in lung while the benchmark dose (BMD) analysis for cII mutagenicity determined a BMDL50 of 1.3 mg/kg in liver and 0.12 mg/kg in lung, consistent with lung being the more sensitive target organ for carcinogenicity for NNK. ECS-derived mutagenicity was highly correlated with cII-derived mutagenicity. Interestingly, the types of mutations formed appeared to be tissue-specific with higher C > T transitions and lower T > G transversions in lung compared to liver, differences that may reflect tissue-specific DNA repair capacity and/or metabolic differences. Collectively, these data support the use of in vivo mutagenicity data─from both TGR cII and ECS methods─for human health and cancer risk characterization of nitrosamines and for estimating acceptable daily intakes for unknown nitrosamine drug substance related impurities.
During diethylnitrosamine (DEN) administration, a distinctive difference was observed between rats and guinea-pigs in the sequence of ultrastructural changes in the hepatic endoplasmic reticulum (ER). In DEN-induced hepatic tumour cells in the guinea-pig there was extensive proliferation of the rough ER, while the smooth ER was quite sparse; in the premalignant liver the opposite was noted. This is in contrast to the rat, in which administration of either DEN or 3'-methyl-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene (3'-Me-DAB) brings about, in both premalignant and malignant hepatic tissue, proliferation of the smooth ER and sparsity of the rough ER. Yet, as in the rat, the number of ribosomes on the outer surface of the guinea-pig liver rough ER is greatly reduced and this is paralleled by a 49% decrease of the RNA/protein ratio as early as 4 weeks of nitrosamine administration. The decrease of RNA/protein ratio and ultrastructurally observed loss of ribosomes from the ER, following nitrosamine administration, correlate with a decrease of photometric response of microsomal suspensions to the sulphydryl probe, p-chloromercuribenzoate. While azo-dye-reductase activity is higher in untreated rats than in untreated guinea-pigs, feeding 3'-Me-DAB for 6 weeks brings about a 76% decrease in the rat, but no significant decrease in the guinea-pig, which is refractory to azo-dye carcinogenesis. Thus, the ability of the liver to inactivate the dye is greatly decreased in the rat, but not in the guinea-pig, as administration progresses toward the threshold dose for tumorigenesis. On the other hand, constitutive levels of nitrosamine dealkylase are identical in the 2 species and remain essentially unchanged following administration of DEN for 10 weeks. Inasmuch as nitrosamine dealkylation represents activating metabolism, this provides a rationale for the comparable susceptibility of the rat and guinea-pig to DEN carcinogenesis. Of the 2 enzymes in the 2 species, it is only azo-dye reductase in the guinea-pig which appears to be unregulated by glucose repression, since starvation brings about no change in this activity. Starvation-induced increase of azo-dye reductase in the rat is not influenced by administration of 3'-Me-DAB and only slightly by DEN. The starvation-induced increase of nitrosamine dealkylation is abolished, however, in both species by administration of DEN but only slightly decreased by 3'-Me-DAB.
The carcinogenic effects of low doses of 10 nitrosamines were determined in pregnant Syrian golden hamsters and their offspring. Compounds studied included dimethylnitrosamine, di-n-propylnitrosamine, di-n-butylnitrosamine, nitrosopiperidine, nitrosohexamethyleneimine, 2-dydroxypropyl-propyl-nitrosamine, 2-oxopropyl-propyl-nitrosamine, methylpropylnitrosamine, di(2-hydroxypropyl) nitrosamine, and 4-hydroxybutyl-butyl-nitrosamine. Tumor incidences of all organ systems were almost always higher and latencies shorter in the mothers than in the offspring. Exceptions occurred in the respiratory system in which several compounds induced a low incidence of tumors in the offspring but none in the mothers. Fetal susceptibility appeared greatest toward the end of gestation. For purposes of bioassay, transplacental exposure was less efficient than conventional adult treatment.
A simple experimental demonstration of the permeability of protective gloves to volatile nitrosamines has been carried out. Rubber and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) gloves were turned inside out and the fingers filled with dilute solutions of nitrosamines in hexane. The outer faces of the fingers were washed with water at various times and the nitrosamine content of these washings determined. From these measurements the proportions of the various nitrosamines passing through the gloves were calculated. For both types of gloves N-nitrosopyrrolidine (NPYR) permeated the fingers most rapidly and to the greatest extent. Only a relatively small amount of N-nitrosodibutylamine (NDBA) was transmitted. It was also established that the rubber gloves themselves did not contain any of the common volatile nitrosamines; N-nitrosomethylphenylamine and N-nitrosodiphenylamine were also absent.