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Tumor-initiating Activity of Benz[c]acridine and Twelve of Its Derivatives on Mouse Skin

Department of Biochemistry and Drug Metabolism, Hoffmann-La Roche Inc., Nutley, New Jersey 07110 [W. L., A. W. W., R. L. C., A. H. C.]; Department of Chemistry, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma 73019 [S. K., R. E. L.]; and Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry, National Institute of Arthritis, Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland 20205 [H. Y., D. M. J.]

Benz[c]acridine (B[c]ACR) and 12 of its derivatives, including the 5 metabolically possible trans-dihydrodiols, the diastereomeric bay-region diol-epoxides, 2 non-bay-region diol-epoxides, and the K-region arene oxide, were tested for tumor-initiating activity on mouse skin. A single topical application of 0.4 to 2.5 µmol of compound was followed 12 days later by twice-weekly applications of the tumor promoter 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate for 25 weeks. B[c]ACR was a weak tumor initiator on mouse skin, producing a 37% tumor incidence and 1.33 tumors/mouse at the 2.5-µmol dose. Of the five metabolically possible trans-dihydrodiols of B[c]ACR, only trans-3,4-dihydroxy-3,4-dihydro-B[c]ACR had significant tumor-initiating activity. This compound was at least 6-fold more active than was the parent compound at the three doses tested. The diastereomeric bay-region diol-epoxides, in which the epoxide oxygen is either cis(isomer 1) or trans (isomer 2) to the benzylic hydroxyl group, each had significant tumor-initiating activity, although isomer 2 was at least 5-fold more active than was isomer 1 and had activity equal to that of its potential metabolic precursor, trans-3,4-dihydroxy-3,4-dihydro-B[c]ACR. Two non-bay-region diolepoxides (isomer 2 of the 8,9-diol-10,11-epoxide and the 10,11-diol-8,9-epoxide) and the 5,6-arene oxide (K-region) were inactive at the doses tested. 3,4-Dihydro-B[c]ACR, the potential metabolic precursor of a bay-region tetrahydroepoxide, was the most potent tumor initiator analyzed in the present study. At an initiating dose of 0.4 µmol, this compound produced a 97% tumor incidence and 7.90 tumors/mouse after 15 weeks of promotion with 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate. These results suggest that B[c]ACR, the N-12 analogue of benz[a]anthracene, undergoes metabolic activation to an ultimate carcinogenic metabolite via formation of a bay-region diol-epoxide, as has already been demonstrated for benz[a]anthracene.

¹ To whom requests for reprints should be addressed.

² Supported in part by Grant CA 22985 from the National Cancer Institute.

Received 3/24/83. Accepted 7/ 6/83.

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