The clinical investigator

, Volume 70, Issue 3–4, pp 299–306 | Cite as

Systemic genotoxic effects of tobacco-related nitrosamines following oral and inhalational administration to Sprague-Dawley rats

  • B. L. Pool-Zobel
  • R. G. Klein
  • U. M. Liegibel
  • F. Kuchenmeister
  • S. Weber
  • P. Schmezer
Original Article

Summary

An ex vivo model to detect nonspecific DNA damage in different rat tissues has been developed and employed to study systemic properties of tobacco-specific N-nitrosamines. One hour after treatment of rats with the carcinogens, primary, intact cells were isolated from various organs. Viability of the cells was monitored by trypan blue exclusion. Genotoxicity was determined by alkaline elution, in situ nick translation or microgel electrophoresis. We found that oral application of 4-(N-methyl-N-nitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) induces genotoxic effects in the liver (3.125–50 mg/kg), whereas N-nitrosonornicotine (NNN) is only moderately active (50–100 mg/kg). Furthermore, oral administration of NNK, NNN, and of N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), induces DNA damage in the nasal cavity. In peripheral blood lymphocytes genotoxicity of NDMA (< 2 mg/kg), but not of NNK (50 mg/kg), was observed. NDMA and NNK are just as genotoxic in the liver when administered by inhalation as orally (effective doses: 0.1–1 and 50 mg/kg, respectively). For human cancer, these results indicate that in addition to the susceptibilities in local organs (oral cavity after snuff dipping and lung after tobacco smoke inhalation), these nitrosamines also pose a risk systemically for more remote organs.

Key words

Tobacco-specific nitrosamines Toxicokinetics Genotoxicity Systemic effects Primary cells Detection of DNA damage 

Abbreviations

AE

alkaline filter elution

ATP

adenosine triphosphate

C

values obtained for untreated control groups

CTP

cytidine triphosphate

DMSO

dimethyl sulphoxide

GTP

guanosine triphosphate

MGE

microgel electrophoresis

NDMA

N-nitrosodimethylamine

NMBzA

N-nitrosomethylbenzylamine

NNK

4-(N-methyl-N-nitrosoamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone

NNN

N-nitrosonornicotine

NT

nick translation

T

values obtained for test groups

TTP

thymidine triphosphate

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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag 1992

Authors and Affiliations

  • B. L. Pool-Zobel
    • 1
  • R. G. Klein
    • 2
  • U. M. Liegibel
    • 2
  • F. Kuchenmeister
    • 2
  • S. Weber
    • 2
  • P. Schmezer
    • 2
  1. 1.Institute for Hygiene and ToxicologyFederal Research Center for NutritionKarlsruhe
  2. 2.Institute for Toxicology and ChemotherapyGerman Cancer Research CenterHeidelberg

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