Gastric tumor induction by 1,2-dimethylhydrazine in Wistar rats with intestinal metaplasia caused by X-irradiation.

Five-week-old male Wistar rats were X-irradiated with a total of 20 Gy in 2 equal fractions at a 3-day interval. 1,2-Dimethylhydrazine (DMH) solution was injected i.m. into the back musculature at a dose of 20 mg/kg body weight weekly for 10 weeks, beginning 20 weeks after the final irradiation. Twelve months after the initial carcinogen treatment, tumors in the fundus of the glandular stomach were observed in 5 of 23 animals receiving both X-irradiation and DMH treatment. No tumors of the glandular stomach were observed in the DMH and X-ray alone or nontreatment groups. It is concluded that the presence of intestinal metaplasia may increase sensitivity to the induction of gastric tumors by carcinogens like DMH.     

Carcinogenicity of 1,2-DimethyIhydrazine in Colorectal Tissue Heterotopically Transplanted into the Glandular Stomach of Rats

The present study was designed to examine the effect of the intestinal carcinogen 1,2-dimethyl-hydrazine (DMH) on grafted colorectal mucosa implanted into the glandular stomach of rats. Four groups were studied: Group 1 received the operation and DMH, Group 2 received the operation alone, Group 3 received DMH alone and Group 4 (controls) received only a sham operation. For Groups 1 and 2, about 8-mm diameter segments of colorectal tissue obtained from various sites in the large intestine of 8-week-old male F344 rats were isologously implanted into the fundic region of the stomachs of age-matched rats. DMH was injected at a dose of 20 mg/kg body weight i.m. per week for 20 weeks beginning 4 weeks after the operation. The animals were then observed for 8 months after the initial DMH treatment. In Group 1, adenocarcinomas developed in 41 of 60 successful implants (68%). Furthermore, poorly differentiated type tumors were observed in the grafts obtained from the rectum. This finding was contrary to that for intrinsic rectal tumors, all of which were well differentiated. The histochemical staining of mucin in the tissues from different sites of the large intestine revealed that sulfomucin, which normally exists essentially only in the intrinsic descending colon or rectum, was present in the grafts from the proximal ascending or ascending colon. No gastric tumors were observed in the control rats, which received either DMH or sham operations alone. Tumors in the intrinsic large intestine were observed only in rats that received DMH. These results indicate that colorectal mucosa implanted into the glandular stomach, like the intrinsic large intestine, is still sensitive to tumorigenesis caused by DMH.     

Carcinogenicity of 1,2-dimethylhydrazine in colorectal tissue heterotopically transplanted into the glandular stomach of rats.

The present study was designed to examine the effect of the intestinal carcinogen 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH) on grafted colorectal mucosa implanted into the glandular stomach of rats. Four groups were studied: Group 1 received the operation and DMH, Group 2 received the operation alone, Group 3 received DMH alone and Group 4 (controls) received only a sham operation. For Groups 1 and 2, about 8-mm diameter segments of colorectal tissue obtained from various sites in the large intestine of 8-week-old male F344 rats were isologously implanted into the fundic region of the stomachs of age-matched rats. DMH was injected at a dose of 20 mg/kg body weight i.m. per week for 20 weeks beginning 4 weeks after the operation. The animals were then observed for 8 months after the initial DMH treatment. In Group 1, adenocarcinomas developed in 41 of 60 successful implants (68%). Furthermore, poorly differentiated type tumors were observed in the grafts obtained from the rectum. This finding was contrary to that for intrinsic rectal tumors, all of which were well differentiated. The histochemical staining of mucin in the tissues from different sites of the large intestine revealed that sulfomucin, which normally exists essentially only in the intrinsic descending colon or rectum, was present in the grafts from the proximal ascending or ascending colon. No gastric tumors were observed in the control rats, which received either DMH or sham operations alone. Tumors in the intrinsic large intestine were observed only in rats that received DMH. These results indicate that colorectal mucosa implanted into the glandular stomach, like the intrinsic large intestine, is still sensitive to tumorigenesis caused by DMH.     

Gastric Tumorigenicity of 1,2-Dimethylhydrazine on the Background of Gastric Intestinal Metaplasia Induced by X-Irradiation in CD (SD) Rats

Five-week-old male CD (SD) rats were X-irradiated with a total of 20 Gy in 2 equal fractions with a 3-day interval. After the second irradiation, rats were fed normal diet supplemented with 1% sodium chloride, which is known to increase intestinal metaplasia. 1,2-Dimethylhydrazine (DMH) solution was injected i.m. into the back musculature at a dose of 20 mg/kg body weight weekly for 10 weeks, beginning 20 weeks after the final irradiation. Twelve months after the initial carcinogen treatment, gastric tumors in the glandular stomach were observed in 2 (3 lesions) of 30 animals in the X-irradiated and DMH-treated group fed diet supplemented with 1% sodium chloride. No gastric tumors were observed in the group which excluded X-irradiation from the experimental protocol.     

Comparison of stomach cancer induced in rats by N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine or N-propyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine

N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) and N-propyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (PNNG) were administered to male F344 rats at a single dose of 200 mg/kg by gavage and the animals were observed for 110 weeks. The results revealed that PNNG was a weaker carcinogen for the stomach than MNNG under these conditions. After MNNG, the mortality of animals was higher and their average survival time was shorter than after PNNG. Neoplasms were induced in both the forestomach and glandular stomach by both agents. The incidence of forestomach tumors was high: 85% with MNNG, 64% with PNNG, but with PNNG a greater proportion of the forestomach neoplasms were benign. The incidence of neoplasms of the glandular stomach was 18% with PNNG as compared to 65% with MNNG. Intestinal metaplasia appeared in the glandular stomach after exposure to either MNNG or PNNG. There was also a high incidence in untreated control rats. Most glandular stomach neoplasms were composed of both gastric-type and intestinal-type epithelial elements. Only 3 cases of adenocarcinomas were composed solely of intestinal-type cells. These findings suggest that intestinal metaplasia may not necessarily be a preneoplastic stage.     

Carcinogenesis by the cultivated baked Agaricus bisporus mushroom in mice

The mushroom of commerce in the Western hemisphere, Agaricus bisporus, was administered orally to Swiss mice that were 6 weeks old at the start of the experiment The mushrooms were baked at 220-230 degrees C for 10 min. Subsequently, the mushrooms were fed to the animals for 3 days and were followed by a semisynthetic diet for 4 days each week, for life. The treatment induced tumors in the forestomach, glandular stomach, duodenum, and ovaries in the following incidences: 20, 12, 14 and 12% in females and 16, 20, 4 and 0% in males. In the tissues of the untreated controls, only an ovarian tumor was found in a female. Histopathologically, the neoplasms were classified as squamous cell papillomas and carcinomas of the forestomach, and adenomas and adenocarcinomas of the glandular stomach, duodenum, and ovaries. Since Agaricus bisporus is mainly eaten in baked form in the United States, the findings may carry useful implications.     

Chemoprevention of 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo- [4,5-b]pyridine-induced colon carcinogenesis by 1-O-hexyl-2,3,5-trimethylhydroquinone after initiation with 1,2-dimethylhydrazine in F344 rats

The aim of this study is to investigate the chemopreventive effects of the synthetic phenolic antioxidant 1-O-hexyl-2,3, 5-trimethylhydroquinone (HTHQ) on 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP)-associated colon carcinogenesis in rats after initiation with 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH) in male F344 rats. Groups of 20-22, 6-week-old male F344 rats were given four subcutaneous injections of 40 mg/kg body wt of DMH during the initial 4 weeks. They were then maintained on powdered basal diet containing 0.03% PhIP alone, PhIP together with 0.5 or 0.125% HTHQ, 0.5 or 0.125% HTHQ alone or basal diet for 32 weeks. A small number (1.1 +/- 1.1/rat) of colon tumors were induced by DMH treatment alone. After initiation with DMH, the number of colon tumors was greatly increased to 8.3 +/- 5.6 by the administration of PhIP. Additional treatment with HTHQ dose-dependently decreased the multiplicity of colon adenocarcinomas to 4.9 +/- 2.8 and 2.6 +/- 1.4 with 0.125 and 0.5%, respectively. This treatment similarly reduced atypical hyperplasias of the ventral prostate. Furthermore, HTHQ significantly reduced the multiplicity of duodenal adenocarcinomas induced by DMH + PhIP or DMH alone. Immunohistochemically, HTHQ was revealed to suppress PhIP-DNA adduct formation in the epithelial cells of the colon and prostate in a separate 2 weeks experiment. The present results clearly showed that HTHQ has chemopreventive potential for PhIP-associated colon and prostate carcinogenesis. The observed inhibition may largely be due to interference with PhIP-DNA adduct formation. In addition, HTHQ has been demonstrated to inhibit duodenal carcinogenesis in the post-initiation stage.     

Promotion by histamine of carcinogenesis in the forestomach and protection by histamine against carcinogenesis induced by N-nitroso-N-methylnitroguanidine in the glandular stomach in W rats

The effect of histamine on induction of tumors in the forestomach and the glandular stomach after N-nitroso-N-methylnitroguanidine (MNNG) administration was studied in male inbred W rats. Animals were given 50 micrograms MNNG solution/ml orally for 25 weeks and then 4 mg histamine dihydrochloride sc per day in depot form. Administration of histamine in depot form after MNNG significantly increased the incidence of tumors in the forestomach, but it significantly decreased the incidence of adenocarcinomas in the glandular stomach. All of the tumors induced in the forestomach were of the squamous cell type, and 50% of them were squamous cell carcinomas. Histamine alone had no apparent carcinogenicity in rats.     

Effects of NaCl, Tween 60 and a low dose of N-ethyl-N' -nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine on gastric carcinogenesis of rat given a single dose of N-methyl-N' -nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine

Effects of NaCI, Tween 60 and N-ethyl-N' -nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine(ENNG) on gastric carcinogenesis were investigated in male Wistarrats. Animals received a single dose of N-methyl-N' -nitro-N-nitrosoguanidlne(MNNG) at 250 mg/ kg body weight by gastric tube followed oneweek later by either 10% NaCI in their diet, twice-weekly applicationsof 1 ml of saturated NaCI solution by gastric tube, 1.0% Tween60 in their drinking water or 0.0005% ENNG in their drinkingwater. One group of rats were given MNNG 24 h after a singleapplication of 1 ml of saturated NaCI solution to investigatethe effect of NaCI on initiation. A single dose of MNNG to ratsresulted in development of multiple epithelial tumors in theforestomach and no epithelial tumors in the glandular stomachafter 52 weeks. There were no differences in tumor incidencesof the forestomach and glandular stomach between experimentalgroups which were given a subsequent treatment with NaCI orTween 60 and the control group with MNNG alone. ENNG significantlyenhanced the tumor induction in the glandular stomach, whileENNG alone did not induce any tumors in the stomach. The NaCItreatment prior to MNNG administration also increased tumordevelopment in the glandular stomach but not in the forestomach.     

Modification by five antioxidants of 1,2-dimethylhydrazine-initiated colon carcinogenesis in F344 rats

The effects of antioxidants given in the post initiation phaseof colon tumor development were investigated in male F344 ratstreated with 1 ,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH). Animals (20/group)were given s.c. injections of DMH at a dose of 20 mg/kg oncea week for four consecutive weeks. One week after the last injection,rats were fed diet containing 5% sodium L-asorbate (SA), 0.5%butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), 0.8% ethoxyquin (EQ), 1.0% propylgallate or 0.5% butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) for 36 weeks.A control group was fed the basal diet not containing antioxidants.The experiment was terminated 40 weeks after the first injectionof DMH and all intestinal tumors were confirmed histologically.SA significantly increased the incidence of adenomas and thenumber of tumors per rat of the colon (especially of the distalcolon). Although EQ and BHT did not affect the number of ratswith colon tumors, the number of tumors per rat occurring inthe distal colon was significantly increased by EQ while beingdecreased by BHT. No modification of tumor development was observedwith BHA or PG. Thus, modification of tumor development by SA,EQ and BHT was apparent, mainly in the distal colon.     

Early detection of cancer-associated gene alterations in DNA isolated from rat feces during intestinal tumor-induction with 1,2-dimethylhydrazine

A highly sensitive mutation detection method was applied to reveal tarry K-ras alterations in exfoliated intestinal epithelium of Fischer-344 rats during the course of 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH)-induced carcinogenesis. Ten weekly s.c. injections of DMH (50 mg/kg) in combination with consumption of a low-fiber diet resulted in 100% incidence of intestinal tumors at 20 weeks after initial DMH injection. Analysis of DNA extracted from fresh fecal samples obtained individually showed that proportion of codon 12 K-ras oncogene mutant alleles (G-->A transition at the second position of codon 12) was increased in some rats at 4 weeks and clearly in all rats at 8 weeks after initial DMH injection, i.e. much earlier than the first tumors appeared (14 weeks). A gradual increase of mutant K-ras fraction in DNA samples extracted from feces led to an extremely high level of the mutant reaching 10% of the oncogene alleles at the end of the experiment (20 weeks). K- and H-ras oncogene and p53 tumor suppressor gene mutations were analyzed in the resulting colon and duodenal tumors. 14 of 17 colon tumors had K-P as mutations (11 - G-->A transition at codon 12 second base; 3 - G-->A transition at codon 13 second base). G-->A transitions at codon 12 first base of H-ras were detected in 3 colon tumors. All 5 duodenal tumors induced in the experiment had G-->A transition at codon 12 second base of K-ras. 3 of these tumors also had H-ras mutations. No mutation was detected within exons 4-7 of p53 gene indicating that p53 alterations may not be involved in the rapid development of tumors induced by high doses of DMH. Our observations suggest that detection of K-ras mutations in stool samples are predictive of later tumor development from a very early stage.     

Effect of polyamine oxidase inhibition on the colonic malignant transformation process induced by 1,2-dimethylhydrazine

Recent studies of colon adenocarcinomas in humans and experimentally induced colonic tumors in rodents have demonstrated selective elevations in the level of N1-acetylspermidine in these malignant tissues. The exact relationship of these alterations in acetylated polyamine levels to the malignant transformation process, however, remains unclear. In order to clarify this issue, rats were given s.c. injections of 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH; 20 mg/kg body wt/week) or diluent for up to 26 weeks. After 10 weeks of carcinogen treatment, one-half of the animals in each group were also concomitantly given i.p. injections of MDL 72527 (20 mg/kg body wt/week), a specific inhibitor of polyamine oxidase, until they were killed. Animals were killed after 15 weeks of DMH treatment and polyamine levels as well as the activities of polyamine oxidase, ornithine decarboxylase and spermidine-N1-acetyltransferase were measured and compared in rat proximal and distal colonic mucosa of each group. Polyamine levels were also assessed in each of these groups after 26 weeks of treatment with this carcinogen +/- MDL 72527. In addition, in view of recent studies that have indicated that polyamines may influence certain oncogenes in human colonic carcinoma cells, tumors from DMH +/- MDL 72527 were analyzed for K-ras mutations. The results of these experiments demonstrated for the first time that: (i) MDL 72527 was a specific inhibitor of polyamine oxidase in normal and malignant colonic tissue; (ii) concomitant administration of this agent with DMH enhanced the elevation of colonic N1-acetylspermidine and significantly reduced the mean colonic tumor burden, as assessed by total tumor area per rat, produced by this carcinogen alone; (iii) analysis of K-ras mutations revealed a similar incidence (62-69%) in adenocarcinomas for both groups (+/- MDL 72527); (iv) however, analysis of the K-ras-mutated and non-mutated tumors revealed that in both carcinogen-treated groups (+/- MDL 72527), tumors with such mutations were smaller than their counterparts without such genetic alterations. Moreover, MDL 72527 reduced the average size of tumors, with and without such mutations, to a similar extent.     

Potentiation of 1-2-dimethylhydrazine-induced bowel carcinogenesis by the urinary bladder carcinogen N-[4-(5-nitro-2-furyl)-2-thiazolyl]formamide

Male inbred 10–12 week old Wistar/Furth rats receivedeither no carcinogen, or 1-2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH) 20 mg/kgbody weight s.c. once weekly for 16 weeks, or N-[4-(5-nitro-2-furyl)-2-thiazolyl]-formamide(FANFT) 0.2% of the feed for 16 weeks, or DMH and FANFT concurrently.Thirty-three weeks after carcinogen exposure, all survivingtreated and control animals were killed and examined for boweland urinary bladder tumors. Adenocarcinomas of the large andsmall bowel occurred in approximately 33% of DMH-treated animals,and transitional cell carcinomas of the urinary bladder in approximately33% of the FANFT-treated animals. After concurrent exposureto both carcinogens, no increased incidence of bladder tumorswas noted compared to FANFT treatment alone. However, the numberof animals with one or more adenocarcinomas of the bowel (22/30versus 17/50, p<0.001), the mean number of tumors per animal(2.1 ± 0.2 versus 1.1 ± 0.1, p <0.01), andthe invasiveness of the tumors through the bowel wall were allsignificantly increased after DMH + FANFT compared to DMH exposurealone.     

Influence of the rhythm and route of 1,2-dimethylhydrazine administration on its carcinogenic effect in mice

Effects of route of administration (subcutaneous, intraperitoneal, by stomach tube and with drinking water) and dose fractionation on the carcinogenicity of 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH) were studied in CBA and (C57B1/6j X CBA)F1 mice. Fractionation of DMH dose given subcutaneously exerted different effects on tumors at various sites: decrease of colon and anal tumor incidence, increase of vascular liver tumors and renal adenomas and no influence on hepatoma, lung adenoma and uterine sarcoma induction. When given with drinking water, DMH did not induce colon and anal tumors but produced high incidence of vascular neoplasms. No such effect was observed when DMH was administered weekly by stomach tube. Alteration of the organotropism of DMH given with drinking water is attributed by authors to the decrease of single DMH dose and not to peroral route of administration.     

N-Methyl-N-nitrosourea Concentration-dependent, Rather than Total Intake-dependent, Induction of Adenocarcinomas in the Glandular Stomach of BALB/c Mice

The influence of the level of carcinogen exposure on histopathological types and cellular differentiation of the induced tumors was examined in 100 male BALB/c mice given N -methyl- N -nitrosourea (MNU) in their drinking water at 240 ppm on alternate weeks (total exposure: five weeks) (group 1), at 120 ppm similarly (total exposure: ten weeks) (group 2), at 60 ppm for 20 weeks continuously (group 3), or at 30 ppm for 40 weeks continuously (group 4). Forty-three differentiated and 17 undifferentiated type adenocarcinomas were induced. Glandular stomach carcinomas and undifferentiated type lesions were more common in mice treated with a high concentration of MNU for a short period than with a low concentration of MNU for a long period, even though total measured intake of MNU was smaller ( P <0.01). All the induced glandular stomach carcinomas, independent of the treatment schedule, consisted entirely of gastric phenotype cells. In conclusion, the induction of glandular stomach cancers and the proportion of undifferentiated type lesions depend not on the total quantity, but rather on the concentration of the carcinogen, while the phenotypic expression of tumor cells is not affected by the differences in the administration protocol.     

Inhibition of ornithine decarboxylase with 2-difluoromethylornithine: reduced incidence of dimethylhydrazine-induced colon tumors in mice

2-Difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) was administered to 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH)-treated mice to reduce colonic polyamine levels and mucosal hyperplasia. Mice received 1% DFMO in drinking water throughout the experiment and were given injections of DMH (20 mg/kg) weekly for 28 weeks. DFMO inactivated 93% of colonic ornithine decarboxylase activity. Although DMH treatment did not induce colonic ornithine decarboxylase activity by Week 28, the putrescine content was increased 31% in DMH-treated mice (p less than 0.01). Concurrent treatment with DFMO depressed putrescine content (42 to 63%) and spermidine content (27 to 38%), but it increased spermine content (18 to 22%). At Week 28 of treatment with DMH alone, RNA content was increased 8.6% (p less than 0.01), DNA content 10% (p less than 0.01), DNA specific activity 24% (p less than 0.01), and crypt depth 20% (p less than 0.01), but not in mice receiving DMH and DFMO. At 28 weeks, 13 of 17 mice (76%) treated with DMH alone had histologically confirmed colon cancers; of mice treated with DMH and DFMO, two of 18 (11%) had colonic tumors. Throughout the experiment, 50 colon cancers developed in 16 DMH-treated mice (mean, 3.12 tumors/mouse); three mice treated with DMH and DFMO developed three colon cancers total (p less than 0.001). Reduction of colonic polyamine levels after DFMO treatment prevents proliferative changes induced by DMH and reduces the incidence of tumors.     

Distribution of preneoplastic lesions and tumors, and beta-catenin gene mutations in colon carcinomas induced by 1,2-dimethylhydrazine plus dextran sulfate sodium

Mucin-depleted foci (MDF) are considered as useful biomarkers in rat colon carcinogenesis. The purpose of the present study was to examine the mechanism(s) underlying rat colon carcinogenesis induced by 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH) plus 1% Dextran Sulfate Sodium (DSS). Twelve male F344 rats were given subcutaneous injections (40mg/kg body) of DMH twice a week. They received DSS in the drinking water for 1 week after the first injection of DMH and then were maintained on tap water. The rats were sacrificed at 10 and 14 weeks after the first injection of DMH. Colon tissues were divided into 10 segments from anus to cecum (A/J) and stained with Alcian blue (AB) to identify MDF. We found that MDF and tumors were induced in the rat colon after treatment with DMH plus DSS and that the number of MDF in each segment of the colon was significantly correlated with that of tumors (p=0.006). In addition, we found that the beta-catenin protein was accumulated in cytoplasm and nuclei of MDF and the frequent beta-catenin gene mutations in the colon tumors. These results suggest that MDF is closely related to rat colon carcinogenesis induced by DMH plus DSS.     

Induction of Signet Ring Cell Carcinomas in X-Irradiated Hypocatalasemic Mice (C3H/Ob8)

The stomach region of hypocatalasemic mice of both sexes was X-irradiated once with a dose of 20 Gy. Thirteen months after the irradiation, 3 out of 13 (20%) males and 2 out of 9 (15%) females were observed to have developed signet ring cell carcinomas in the glandular stomach. This finding was statistically significant (P < 0.01 in males and P < 0.05 in females) compared to a total absence of similar tumors in the non-irradiated controls. Local invasion of malignant tumors into muscle and subserosal layers was observed, but no metastatic tumors were found in distant organs.     

Induction of signet ring cell carcinomas in X-irradiated hypocatalasemic mice (C3H/Cbs).

The stomach region of hypocatalasemic mice of both sexes was X-irradiated once with a dose of 20 Gy. Thirteen months after the irradiation, 3 out of 13 (20%) males and 2 out of 9 (15%) females were observed to have developed signet ring cell carcinomas in the glandular stomach. This finding was statistically significant (P less than 0.01 in males and P less than 0.05 in females) compared to a total absence of similar tumors in the non-irradiated controls. Local invasion of malignant tumors into muscle and subserosal layers was observed, but no metastatic tumors were found in distant organs.     

Effect of metabolic inhibitors, methylxanthines, antioxidants, alkali metals, and corn oil on 1,2-dimethylhydrazine carcinogenicity in rats.

The effect of the oral administration of 10 compounds on 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH) carcinogenesis was investigated in 180 male Wistar rats and 510 male BD6 rats. DMH, administered s.c. once per week for 20 consecutive weeks (20 mg/kg body wt/dose), produced intestinal (mainly colon) tumors of various histological type in 100% of both rat strains and, in addition, caused Zymbal gland carcinomas in 79.7% of Wistar rats. Pretreatment with disulfiram (DSF, 500 mg/kg), a known inhibitor of DMH metabolism, totally prevented intestinal and Zymbal gland tumors in Wistar rats. When DSF treatment started after the first DMH injection, the protective effect was not total, the incidence and multiplicity of both types of tumors being comparable to those observed following a single injection of the carcinogen alone. This confirms the involvement of DSF in the initiation stage only of DMH carcinogenesis. A complete prevention of intestinal tumors in BD6 rats was also produced not only by the DSF metabolite carbon disulfide (250 mg/kg) but also by the hepatotoxic agent carbon tetrachloride (1.5 ml/kg), which suggests that the block of DMH metabolism in rat liver is not an exclusive property of thiono-sulfur compounds. Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) decreased the multiplicity of intestinal tumors, but not to a significant extent. BHT and the aforementioned metabolic inhibitors were administered by gavage in corn oil, which per se did not significantly decrease intestinal or Zymbal gland tumors. All remaining modulators were administered with drinking water. Two additional antioxidants triggered opposite effects on the multiplicity of intestinal tumors. In fact, sodium selenite (10 mg/l) significantly decreased the number of tumors, whereas ascorbic acid (10 g/l), irrespective of its combination with CaCl2, produced a marked enhancement. The alkali metal salts CaCl2 and KCl (both at 5 g/l) as well as the methylxanthines caffeine and theophylline (both at 600 mg/l) were devoid of significant effects. Neither treatment with DMH alone nor its association with test modulators was accompanied by significant changes in body weight gain or survival of animals. On the whole, depending on the mechanisms involved, the comparative study of test compounds led to a broad array of effects on DMH carcinogenesis, ranging from complete inhibition to significant enhancement. The resulting picture can be visualized at a glance in Figure 1 of this article.