Skin-tumor-initiating ability of benzo(a)pyrene-7,8-diol-9,10-epoxide (anti) when applied topically in tetrahydrofuran

• Published in: Cancer letters Vol. 3; no. 1-2; pp. 23 - 30
• Main Authors: Slaga, Thomas J., Viaje, Aurora, Bracken, William M., Berry, David L., Fischer, Susan M., Miller, Don Ray, Leclerc, Susan M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ireland Elsevier Ireland Ltd 01.01.1977
• Subjects: Acetone - toxicity; Animals; Benzene - toxicity; Benzopyrenes - administration & dosage; Benzopyrenes - metabolism; Benzopyrenes - toxicity; Carcinogens; Drug Interactions; Female; Furans - toxicity; Mice; Neoplasms, Experimental - chemically induced; Papilloma - chemically induced; Skin Neoplasms - chemically induced; Solvents - toxicity; Stereoisomerism; Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate
• ISSN: 0304-3835; 1872-7980
• DOI: 10.1016/S0304-3835(77)93845-9

The skin-tumor-initiating abilities of various metabolites of benzo(a)pyrene (BP) were determined in mice by using a two-stage system of tumorigenesis. We previously reported that BP-7,8-dihydrodiol (± trans) was approximately as potent as BP, suggesting that it may be a proximate carcinogen, but the alleged ultimate carcinogen of BP [BP-7,8-dihydrodiol-9,10-epoxide (anti)] was a weak tumor initiator (Cancer Lett. 2: 115, 1976). Because of its high reactivity, the tumor-initiating ability of the BP-7,8-dihydrodiol-9,10-epoxide (anti) was determined by using acetone, benzene, and tetrahydrofuran (THF) as the solvent vehicles. The ‘diol-epoxide’ of BP was found to be an effective tumor initiator when applied topically in THF. The effectiveness of the various vehicles for the ‘diol-epoxide’ was as follows: THF > benzene > acetone; however, acetone was the best solvent for BP tumor initiation. The BP-9,10-dihydrodiol and BP-3-hydroxy were found to be weak tumor initiators. BP-3-hydroxy was also tested for tumor-promoting ability and was found to be inactive in this capacity.