Anthracene Related to Carcinogenicity1
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[CANCER RESEARCH 29,506—509,March1969] Molecular Site of Substituents of Benz(a)anthracene Related to Carcinogenicity1 JohnPatakiandCharlesHuggins The Ben May Laboratory for Cancer Research, The University ofChicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637 SUMMARY The tumor-producing effect of dibenz(a,h)anthracene led Cook (5) to undertake experiments showing that 9-isopropyl Benz(a)anthracene did not induce tumors in rats, but its BA is a (weak) carcinogenand Fieseret aL (9) synthesizedthe derivatives were highly and equally carcinogenic when they stronger cancer-producing substances 7-methyl-BA and possessed two or three methyl groups in any combination at 7,8-DMBA. Considerably later it was found that 7,12-DMBA the following special sites: positions 6, 7, 8, or 12. Derivatives (1), 7,8,12-TMBA (1), and 6,7,8-TMBA (21) are very powerful of benz(a)anthracene with pairs of methyl groups at sites 1 carcinogens. It was evident that substitution of BA at positions and 12 or 3 and 9 were not carcinogenic. 7,12-Dimethylbenz 7 and 8 to form cholanthrene or 7,8-DMBA was more effective (a)anthracene and 7,8,12-trimethylbenz(a)anthracene are in promoting carcinogenic potency than substitution of BA at equivalent in their ability to elicit neoplasms in rats and far positions 8 and 9 was, irrespective of whether a new ring was exceed 3-methylcholanthrene and benzo(a)pyrene in this formed or the substituents remained as alkyl groups. regard. MATERIALSANDMEThODS INTRODUCTION Chemicals. Of 26 compounds which were tested, four were In this paper it will be demonstrated that the addition of new. These were synthesized in our laboratories. The new one, two, or three small alkyl substituents at certain positions compounds (Table 2) are: 7-methoxy-12-methyl-BA (XVIII); in benz(a)anthracene is highly advantageous in transforming 7-ethoxy-12-methyl-BA (XIX); 6,7,12-TMBA (XXIV), and this molecule to an active carcinogen, whereas the introduc 6,8,12-TMBA (XXV). Satisfactory elemental analyses were ob tion of pairs of methyl groups into other sites was ineffective tamed for each compound. Their nuclear magnetic resonance in this regard. (NMR) spectra are in complete agreement with the assigned Kennaway and Cook made the basic discoveries in the sys structures. In addition, thin-layer chromatography (12) with tematic correlation of cancer-producing activity with chemical migration as a single spot was the minimum requirement for constitution. Benz(a)anthracene (7), benz(a)acridine (3) and purity of the compounds. benz(c)acridine (19) do not elicit cancer, but the ring system Lipid emulsions for i.v. injection were prepared by the of each is potentially carcinogenic, and cancer-producing prop method of Schurr (22). The hydrocarbon-concentration (w/w) erties are developed by substitution in suitable positions. The of our emulsions (Table 1) was: BA, BP, 3-MC, 0.25%; basic structures are activated to carcinogenic status by the 7,12-DMBA, 7,8,12-TMBA, 0.5%. addition of a supplementary ring or by the introduction of one Adrenal Apoplexy. Female rats of Sprague-Dawley strain or more small alkyl groups into the molecule. were injected i.v. with massive doses of each emulsion at 50 The strong 3-banded fluorescence spectrum of the carci days of age (Day 0); necropsy was performed on Day 3, and nogenic tars derived from isoprene and acetylene led to the the hemoglobin content of the adrenals was determined (16). identification of dibenz(a,h)anthracene (7) as the first pure Induction of Mammary Cancer. Normal female rats of aromatic carcinogen. It was found soon thereafter that 3- Sprague-Dawley strain weighing 140—160 gm were given a methylcholanthrene (24) and benzo(a)pyrene (6) greatly cx commercial ration (Rockland Mouse/Rat Diet, Tekiad, Inc., ceeded DBA2 in carcinogenic potency in the sense that these Monmouth, Illinois) and water ad libitum and kept in an air compounds gave rise to tumors more rapidly than DBA did. conditioned room at 25 ±1°C.Vaginal smears were examined daily. The rats remained healthy in the sense that (a) estrus cycles were regular and (b) there was no pulmonary disease. There were 8—10 animals in each group. ‘This investigation was supported by grants from American Cancer The animals were injected i.v. on 3 occasions with the lipid Society, Jane Coffin Childs Memorial Fund for Medical Research, and Walter Schwimmer. emulsion containing 2 mg of the hydrocarbon (approx. 13 2Abbreviations used: BA, benz(a)anthracene ; BP, benzo(a)pyrene; mg/kg) at 50 (Day 0), 53, and 56 days of age. The time of DBA, dibenz(a,h)anthracene;DMBA, dimethylbenz(a)anthracene; 3.MC, appearance of palpable mammary cancers was determined. The 3-methylcholanthrene ; TMBA, trimethylbenz(a)anthracene. animals were sacrificed on Day 98; active centers are mam Received September 3, 1968; accepted October 30, 1968. mary cancers found at necropsy. 506 CANCER RESEARCH VOL.29 Downloaded from cancerres.aacrjournals.org on October 1, 2021. © 1969 American Association for Cancer Research. Advantageous Carcinogenic Sites of Benz(a)anthracene Table 1Appearance ofpalpablecancers, days. ActiveNo. withMeancentersHydrocarbonratscancerRangeofRats S.D.(mean)Benz(a)anthracene280Benzo(a)pyrene30957—95 ± 1813-MC20744—98 71 ± 68±151.27,12-DMBA747428—58 35±76.97,8,12-TMBA202029—62 39 ±107.1 Mammary cancer evoked by pulse-doses of hydrocarbons. Female Sprague-Dawley rats, approx. 150 gm, on 3 occasions were given an intravenous injection of hydrocarbon respec tively at 50, 53, and 56 days of age respectively. Each dose of hydrocarbon was 2 mg (13 mg/kg). Active centers are cancers found at necropsy. See Footnote 2 for abbreviations. Induction of Sarcoma. Solutions of hydrocarbons (Table 2) of rats injected with 7-ethyl-BA (IV), 7-methoxy-BA (V), or in sesame oil, 0.5% w/v, were freshly prepared. The recipients 12-ethyl-BA (VIII). 7-Formyl-BA (VI) did not evoke tumors. were males, 25 days old (Day 0), Long-Evans strain; each was The following compounds (Table 2) with two alkyl groups injected i.m. in a hind leg with 0.5 ml of oil containing 2.5 mg were strong carcinogens, and sarcoma became evident in all of a compound. There were 8 animals in each group. The groups at about the same time: 6,7-DMBA (XI), 6,8-DMBA experiment was terminated on Day 270 when necropsy was (XII), 6,12-DMBA (XIII), 7,8-DMBA (XIV), 7,12-DMBA performed. (XV), 8,1 2-DMBA (XVI). 7-Methoxy-12-methyl-BA (XVIII), By our definition, a strong carcinogen induced sarcoma with 7-ethoxy-12-methyl-BA (XIX), and 7-formyl-1 2-methyl-BA in 6 months in every animal in a group of 8 rats; a weak (XXII)werealsostrongcarcinogens.Tworelatedcompounds, carcinogen elicited sarcoma more slowly and only in a propor 7,12-dimethoxy-BA (XX) and 7-hydroxymethyl-12-methyl-BA tion of the members of the group; a compound is inactive (XXI),wereweakcarcinogens. when no member of the group developed sarcoma in 9 Two derivatives of BA (Table 2) possessing pairs of methyl months. groups failed to cause sarcoma. The inactive compounds were 1,12-DMBA (IX) and 3,9-DMBA (X). 9,10-DMBA (XVII) was RESULTS a feeble carcinogen. Each of four derivatives of BA possessing three methyl Adrenal Effects. In the adult rat a single large dose of groups (Table 2) was a very strong carcinogen and equivalent 7,12-DMBA (16) and closely related compounds causes selec in the speed with which sarcoma became evident: 6,7,8-TMBA tive necrosis of the adrenal cortex with adrenal apoplexy. (XXIII), 6,7,12-TMBA (XXIV), 6,8,12-TMBA (XXV), and We found that an i.v. injection of a lipid emulsion of 7,8,12-TMBA (XXVI). 7,8,12-TMBA causes the same sort of adrenocorticolysis but less efficiently than 7,12-DMBA does. In female Sprague Dawley rats, 50 days old, the minimum quantity of hydrocar DISCUSSION bon to cause adrenal apoplexy in every member of a group of 4 animals was: 7,12-DMBA, 18 mg/kg; 7,8,12-TMBA, 90 The carcinogenicity of polycycic aromatic hydrocarbons for mg/kg. the rat was tested by 2 methods; each of these has advantages Adrenal hemorrhage was not observed in rats injected with peculiar to itself. emulsions of BA, BP, or 3-MC; in each case the dose of hydro The classical method (4) of intramuscular injection of solu carbon was 60 mg/kg. tions of hydrocarbons in oil is advantageous when the amount Mammary Cancer. A set of pulse-doses of 7,12-DMBA and of compound available is small; a pool of injected oil remains 7,8,12-TMBA evoked mammary cancer rapidly and in every for more than 1 year as a marker of the site of injection. But member of the group (Table 1). The number of active centers the development of sarcoma is slow and, as an additional dis was large and equal in rats injected with emulsions of each advantage, a pool of sesame oil in muscle can serve as a local compound (Table 1). Similar sets of pulse-doses of BP or 3-MC izing agent (14) for circulating carcinogens. The appearance of evoked mammary cancer respectively in 30 and 35% of the sarcoma in a small proportion of injected animals is not proof rats; the appearance of palpable tumors was delayed and the of carcinogenicity of the injected compound. yield of active centers was 1. Our emulsion of BA did not The use of injectable emulsions (15) of hydrocarbons is induce cancer.