Aging and urinary bladder carcinogenesis induced in rats by N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine

The effect of age on induction of carcinogenesis by N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine [(BBN) CAS: 3817-11-6] in the urinary bladder epithelium was examined in 130 male and 130 female F344 rats. Rats of both sexes 6, 52, and 98 weeks old were given 0.025% BBN in their drinking water for 20 weeks. Then approximately half the rats were sacrificed, while the rest were maintained without further treatment for 10 weeks. Examination of the rats revealed an age-related increase in the induction of urinary bladder carcinoma, although the total intakes of BBN and urinary excretions of its proximate carcinogen were not age related. Rats treated with BBN at 98 weeks of age developed more squamous cell carcinomas and invasive carcinomas than the 2 younger groups. This study demonstrated an increased risk of urinary bladder carcinogenesis with age in animals.     

Activation of H-ras oncogene in rat bladder tumors induced by N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine

Ras-oncogene activation was investigated in the bladder tumors of F344 male rats given N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine (BBN) in drinking water. DNA from one of the nine transitional cell carcinomas contained an H-ras oncogene detectable by the NIH/3T3 transfection assay. Analysis of p21 ras proteins suggested that the activating mutation resided within codon 61 of the H-ras gene and that such activating mutations were not present in other tumors. In contrast to mutational activation of ras genes, enhanced expression of p21 was observed in all tumors examined by immunohistochemical techniques with the use of Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue sections and an anti-ras p21 antibody, RAP-5. Further histochemical analysis of bladder tissues at various stages of the BBN-induced carcinogenic process indicated that the enhanced expression of p21 appeared early; the reactivity with RAP-5 was observed in diffuse hyperplastic epithelia after 5 weeks of exposure to BBN. The frequency of ras oncogenes, activated either by point mutations or overexpression of p21, in BBN-induced rat bladder carcinomas has thus been shown to be similar to that observed in human bladder carcinomas.     

Effect of UFT on urinary bladder tumors in rats induced by N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine

The effect of combined tegafur and uracil (UFT) on the development of rat urinary bladder tumors induced by N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine (BBN) was studied. Two hundred F344 male rats were divided into 10 groups. Groups 1 to 5 were given 0.05% BBN in drinking water for the initial 8 weeks of the experiment, and Groups 6 to 10 were the controls of the prior 5 groups treated with BBN. UFT in commercial diet was administered at daily doses of 100mg (30.9 mg as FT-207) per kg of body weight in Groups 2 and 4 and 200 mg (61.7 mg as FT-207) per kg of body weight in Groups 3 and 5. Groups 2 and 3 received UFT throughout the period of the experiment, and Groups 4 and 5 for 12 weeks after 8 week treatment with BBN. All animals were sacrificed at 20 weeks, and studied histopathologically. In Groups 1 to 5, urinary bladder tumors developed in 20 of 20, 13 of 20, 6 of 20, 14 of 20 and 6 of 20, respectively. Incidences of tumors in the 4 groups treated with UFT were significantly lower than that in Group 1 treated with BBN alone. This result shows that UFT inhibits the development of urinary bladder tumors in rats induced by BBN.     

Strain differences in N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine bladder carcinogenesis in rats

Differences in susceptibility of the urinary bladder epithelium to N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)-nitrosamine (BBN) in various strains were examined. In experiment 1, 5 strains of male rats were given 0.025% BBN in the drinking water for 8 weeks followed by drinking water without BBN for 32 weeks. Analbuminemic rats (NAR) and ACI rats had high incidences of urinary bladder lesions (papillary or nodular hyperplasia, papilloma and carcinoma), F344 and Wistar rats had low incidences, and Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats showed an intermediate incidence. Carcinoma area was largest in NAR rats followed in decreasing order by SD, ACI and F344 rats. The extent of tumor invasion was higher in NAR and ACI rats than in SD rats. In experiment 2, the 5 strains of male rats were administered 0.025% BBN in the drinking water. Some rats from each group were killed after each of weeks 4 and 8. The urinary bladder of ACI and NAR rats given BBN had the most marked lesions observed by scanning electron microscopy, with less marked changes in SD rats. F344 and Wistar rats showed the weakest response. Cytochrome P-450 content of the liver in ACI rats treated with BBN for 4 weeks was significantly higher than those of controls. Cytochrome P-450 and cytochrome b5 contents of the control and BBN-treated rats were significantly higher in ACI and SD rats than in Wistar, F344 or NAR rats. These results indicate that there are strain differences in the urinary bladder response to BBN.     

Evaluation of DNA content in preneoplastic changes of mouse urinary bladder induced by N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl) nitrosamine

Using image cytometry analysis we analysed the deoxyribonucleic acid content of preneoplastic lesions induced in C3H/He female mice. Female mice (n = 30) were given 0.05% BBN in their drinking water for 4, 8 and 12 weeks, and were then euthanized. At the 4th week 90% hyperplasias, 90% dysplasias and 10% papillary tumours developed selectively in the bladder, after 8 weeks mice developed 80% hyperplasias and 80% dysplasias and 12 weeks we identified 70% hyperplasias, 70% dysplasias, 10% papillary tumours and 20% squamous metaplasia. Among the ones who developed simple hyperplasia, 58.3% were diploid and 41.7% were aneuploid. In the dysplasia lesions 29.2% were diploid and 70.8% were aneuploid (p = 0.041). All papillary tumours were aneuploid and all epidermoid metaplasias were diploid. These results suggest that aneuploidization, DNA content alteration of preneoplastic lesions, might be considered as a prognostic factor.     

Increased expression of cyclooxygenase-2 protein in rat urinary bladder tumors induced by N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl) nitrosamine

The anti-inflammatory drugs, aspirin and piroxicam, are known to possess chemopreventive potential against rat superficial urinary bladder carcinogenesis induced by N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine (BBN). Recently, we found similar inhibitory effects with a selective cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 inhibitor, nimesulide. In order to clarify the inhibitory mechanisms, we have further studied the expression of COX-2 protein in urinary bladder tumors induced by BBN in Fischer 344 male rats. For comparison, papillomatosis caused by uracil-induced urolithiasis, and normal epithelial cells, were also investigated. Western blot analysis revealed COX-2 protein to be barely expressed in the normal epithelial cells, whereas it was increased 13-22-fold in varying sizes of urinary bladder tumors and 7-fold in papillomatosis. Immunohistochemically, COX-2 protein was diffusely expressed in transitional cell carcinomas and nodulo-papillary hyperplasia but weakly expressed only in basal cells in simple hyperplasia and normal-looking surrounding epithelia. In papillomatosis, it was moderately expressed only in endothelial cells in stroma. These results indicate that COX-2 plays important roles in the development of preneoplastic and neoplastic lesions in the rat urinary bladder, and therefore could be a good target for chemoprevention of superficial lesions.     

E-cadherin expression during urothelial carcinogenesis induced by N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl) nitrosamine in rats

An alteration in the expression of E-cadherin has been observed in many epithelial neoplasms. No data exist, however, for the expression of this protein in an animal model for urinary bladder cancer. The present study investigated the expression of E-cadherin in rat urothelial preneoplastic lesions and tumours induced by oral administration of N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl) nitrosamine, during 10, 15 and 20 weeks. Simple hyperplasia and squamous metaplasia showed a similar E-cadherin pattern when compared with normal urothelium, with its expression confined to cell membrane. Thirty eight percent of the nodular hyperplasia, 41.4% of the dysplasia and 100% of the papillomas showed a weak E-cadherin expression. All papillary neoplasm of low malignant potential, low-and high-grade papillary carcinoma, and invasive carcinoma revealed an abnormal staining pattern with an increase in cytoplasm reactivity and discontinuous cell membrane positivity. The loss of expression for low-grade papillary carcinoma versus simple hyperplasia, nodular hyperplasia and dysplasia was statistically significant (p = 0.0001, p = 0.007 and p=0.008, respectively). There was a similar decrease in E-cadherin expression for papillary neoplasm of low malignant potential versus simple hyperplasia, nodular hyperplasia and dysplasia (p = 0.0001; p = 0.001 and p=0.0001, respectively). These results suggest that alteration in the expression of this adhesion molecule in rat may be indicative of tumour progression in N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl) nitrosamine-induced bladder cancer.     

Agglutination of isolated rat bladder cells by lectins after administration of N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl) nitrosamine

Lectins, concanavalin A (Con A), wheat germ agglutinin (WGA), and Ricinus communis agglutinin (RCA) were used for agglutination of isolated rat bladder cells after administration of N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)-nitrosamine (BBN). The results showed that WGA and RCA, as well as Con A, agglutinated rat bladder cells during the early stage of bladder carcinogenesis. The agglutinations by the 3 kinds of lectins were different; WGA and Con A agglutinated only BBN-treated cells but RCA agglutinated both BBN-treated and untreated cells. These findings may be useful in analyzing the membrane alterations during the early phase of bladder carcinogenesis.     

Combined effects of L-ascorbic acid, citric acid or their sodium salts on tumor induction by N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine or N-ethyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine in the rat urinary bladder

L-Ascorbic acid, citric acid or their sodium salts (at levels equivalent to 5% sodium L-ascorbate) were fed in the diet simultaneously with N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine (BBN) or N-ethyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine (EHBN) (0.025% BBN or 0.021% EHBN) in the drinking water to male F344 rats for 20 weeks to determine whether urinary pH changes affect the carcinogenicity of BBN or EHBN. In the urine, pH was decreased in rats fed the acidic chemicals and increased in rats fed their corresponding sodium salts. Histopathologically, the incidences and numbers of preneoplastic and neoplastic lesions in groups treated with each test chemical were not different from those in control groups except for sodium citrate-treated groups in which induction of carcinomas was higher, resulting from increased intake of either carcinogen and also from increased urinary excretion of main carcinogenic metabolites. These results show that the test chemicals do not affect the carcinogenicity of BBN or EHBN on the rat urinary bladder when simultaneously administered despite significant differences in urinary pH.     

LOH and mutational analysis of p53 alleles in mouse urinary bladder carcinomas induced by N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl) nitrosamine

In human urinary bladder carcinogenesis, alterations in the p53 tumor suppressor gene are common events. We have previously reported that they are also frequent in invasive urinary bladder carcinomas induced by N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine (BBN) in NON/Shi mice. To further investigate the significance of the p53 gene status for mouse urinary bladder carcinogenesis, we examined both allele loss and mutational alterations in urinary bladder cancers of (NON/Shi x C3H/He/Shi) F1 hybrid mice exposed to the carcinogen for 12 weeks and then maintained for a further 9 weeks without treatment. An intragenic silent polymorphism within exon 7 of the p53 gene between NON/Shi and C3H/He/Shi mice allows assessment of allele loss of the p53 gene and determination of the parental origin of mutated and/or lost alleles. A tissue microdissection method was employed to obtain carcinoma samples without excessive contamination with normal tissue. Allele losses were detected in one of 14 tumors (7.1%) and nine mutations in eight of 14 (57%) tumors were found in exons 5-8 by polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism followed by DNA direct sequencing analysis. All mutations involved one base substitution with an amino acid change, although the types of base substitution were random. In conclusion, the high incidence of p53 alterations suggests a significant role in the genesis of invasive urinary bladder tumors in BBN-treated mice.     

Absence of ras oncogene activation in rat urinary bladder carcinomas induced by N-methyl-N-nitrosourea or N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine.

Previously, we demonstrated point mutations of the H-ras gene in N-[4-(5-nitro-2-furyl)-2-thiazolyl]formamide (FANFT)-induced rat urinary bladder carcinomas. In this study, ras oncogene activation was examined in urinary bladder carcinomas induced by N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine (BBN) or N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU) administration followed by uracil treatment. In the first experiment, MNU (20 mg/kg body wt) was i.p. injected into 11 male F344 rats twice a week for 4 weeks, followed by feeding 3% uracil for 20 weeks (MNU/uracil group). Ten rats were given only 3% uracil without MNU pretreatment. In the second experiment, 20 male F344 rats were given 0.05% BBN in the drinking water for 4 weeks, then fed 3% uracil for 20 weeks (BBN/uracil group). Another 20 rats were fed 3% uracil without the BBN pretreatment. Transitional cell carcinomas were induced in the urinary bladder of all rats in the MNU/uracil and BBN/uracil groups. Papillomas and hyperplasias were present in the rats given uracil without prior BBN or MNU. DNA and protein were extracted from the tumors (MNU/uracil or BBN/uracil groups) or from the scraped bladder epithelium (uracil alone groups). Sequences around codons 12, 13 and 61 of H-, K- and N-ras genes were examined by direct sequencing after polymerase chain reaction, and p21 was examined by Western blotting. No mutation was found within the examined sequences and p21 showed no changes in mobility. There was no difference in the level of p21 expression between rats treated with MNU/uracil or BBN/uracil compared to corresponding uracil alone groups. These results indicate that the ras oncogene was not activated in urinary bladder carcinomas induced by BBN or MNU in combination with uracil treatment, in contrast to previous findings with FANFT.     

Enhancement of urinary bladder carcinogenesis in nullizygous p53-deficient mice by N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine

We recently reported p53 mutations to be frequent in mouse invasive urinary bladder carcinomas, with and without metastasis. However, the role of p53 dysfunctions during carcinogenesis remains unclear. In the present study, heterozygous and nullizygous p53-deficient mice and their littermates were treated with the urinary bladder carcinogen, N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)-nitrosamine (BBN), at a concentration of 0.01% in the drinking water throughout the experiment. This markedly accelerated urinary bladder carcinogenesis but not development of other tumors in the nullizygous p53-deficient mice. Thus the appearance of neoplastic urothelial lesions in nullizygotes (at day 60 of the experiment) was earlier than in wild-type mice and heterozygotes (at day 125). Moreover, malignant vascular tumors (hemangiosarcomas (HS)) were found in all four nullizygotes killed later than day 108. Mutational inactivation of the wild-type allele was not apparent in either the single transitional cell carcinoma observed in a wild-type mouse and a hemangiosarcoma in a heterozygote. Overall, it can be concluded that the number of normal p53 alleles is a significant determining factor in the susceptibility of urothelial cells to carcinogens. The role of the p53 defect in mouse urinary bladder carcinogenesis may thus be to diminish the threshold for occurrence of additional genetic alterations.     

Promoting effects of various agents in rat urinary bladder carcinogenesis initiated by N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine

The effects of various chemicals on the development of neoplastic lesions in the urinary bladder were investigated in male F344 rats given 0.05% N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine (BBN) as an initiator in their drinking water for 4 weeks. The compounds tested, indomethacin, acemetacin, epsilon-aminocaproic acid (EACA), diphenyl, allopurinol and acetaminophen (AAP), were added to the diet or drinking water for 32 weeks, and all animals were killed at the end of week 36. Of the chemicals tested, only diphenyl significantly increased the incidences and average numbers (per 10 cm basement membrane) of papillary or nodular hyperplasias (PN hyperplasia), papillomas and carcinomas of the urinary bladder over those in animals treated with BBN alone. These findings show that diphenyl is a promoter of urinary bladder carcinogenesis in male F344 rats.     

Possible mechanistic roles of anatomical and functional vascular changes in rat urinary bladder carcinogenesis induced by N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine

Anatomical and functional vascular changes during rat urinary bladder carcinogenesis were studied by scanning electron microscopy of vascular casts, transmission electron microscopy of bladder capillaries, and fractional distributions of 51Cr-erythrocytes, 125I-human serum albumin, and 86RbCl which were used to determine vascular volume, permeability, and perfusion. Histopathological changes and focal capillary changes in vascular casts were measured quantitatively by an image analyzer. Male Wistar rats received 0.05% N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine (BBN) in their drinking water for 8 weeks and were then maintained on tap water without BBN for an additional 32 weeks. Simple hyperplasia was first seen at Week 2. The percentage of the area of hyperplastic epithelium increased to about 95% by Week 8 and then decreased to 4 to 6% at Weeks 20 or 40. Papillary or nodular hyperplasia was first seen at Week 6. The percentage of the area of papillary or nodular hyperplasia increased with time to 31.0% at Week 40. Papillary transitional-cell carcinomas were found from Week 20, increasing with time, and their incidence was 100% after Week 35. Vascular cast diameters of normal-looking capillaries were larger during than after BBN treatment. Type 3 vascular proliferations were found beneath papillary or nodular hyperplasia and cancer. Capillaries beneath simple hyperplasia and type 3 capillaries beneath capillary or nodular hyperplasia and cancers were fenestrated and dilated. Changes in vascular volume were independent of changes in permeability and perfusion. Best-fit curve analyses showed the maximum vascular volume at 8 weeks and minimum at 25 weeks, and the permeability maxima at 4 and 25 weeks with minima at 15 and 32 weeks. While 86Rb values correlated 125I values (r = 0.58), they were unstable in intermediate time periods. Changes of vascular volume were coincident initially with increased areas of dilated capillaries beneath simple hyperplasia and later with areas of type 3 capillary proliferation beneath papillary or nodular hyperplasia and cancer. Changes of vascular permeability were related to inflammation indices throughout the study. Increases in permeability were coincident with fenestrated capillaries beneath simple hyperplasia in early stages, and subsequently with fenestrated type 3 capillaries beneath papillary or nodular hyperplasia and cancer. BBN appears to cause alterations in vascular volume via induction of capillary dilation and also possibly by enhancing the responsiveness of host endothelium to angiogenic stimulation from neoplastic or preneoplastic tissues.     

The effects of catechol on the urinary bladder of rats treated with N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine

The effect of catechol on the development of urinary bladder tumors in Fischer rats treated with N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine (BBN) was studied. A solution of 0.05% catechol and 0.001% BBN was administered in the drinking water ad libitum for 78 weeks. The urinary bladders were then removed and examined microscopically. No statistically significant difference was observed between the experimental group receiving 0.001% BBN with 0.05% catechol and animals receiving 0.001% BBN alone with respect to the incidence of hyperplasia, papilloma, or carcinoma of the urinary bladder. Animals receiving 0.05% catechol alone in the drinking water had no macroscopic or microscopic lesions significantly different from those in control animals receiving tap water. Analyses of the urine of animals receiving catechol in their drinking water indicated that greater than 99% of the catechol present was in the form of either glucuronide or sulfate conjugates. In a second bioassay, the potential cocarcinogenicity of catechol, administered together with BBN, was explored by direct instillation into the urinary bladder. The development of calculi and possible infections of the urinary tract within all groups of treated animals suggests that this bioassay technique for cocarcinogenicity is of questionable value. These data show that catechol at the dose and mode of administration employed in this study did not affect the epithelium of the urinary bladder or enhance the carcinogenic activity of BBN.     

Mutagenicity of N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine, a bladder carcinogen, and related compounds.

N-Butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine (BBN), which specifically induces bladder tumors, was shown to be mutagenic to Salmonella typhimurium strains TA 1535 and TA100 in the presence of an S-9 mix prepared from the liver of rats treated with polychlorinated biphenyl. Reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide was a more effective cofactor than reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate in the activation of BBN by the rat liver S-9 fraction, N-Butyl-N-(3-carboxypropyl)nitrosamine, reported to be the main urinary metabolite of BBN as well as of N,N-dibutylnitrosamine and to induce urinary bladder tumors specifically, was found to be mutagenic without metabolic activation by the S-9 mix. The mutagenicities of 31 compounds related structurally or metabolically to BBN and N,N-dibutylnitrosamine were tested. Of these compounds, 13 have previously been demonstrated to be carcinogenic, and nine have been shown to be noncarcinogenic. All the carcinogenic compounds were found to be mutagenic to strain TA1535 with or without the S-9 mix. Four of the nine noncarcinogenic compounds were also mutagenic. These "false-positive" compounds were predicted, in fact, to be carcinogenic.     

Effects of intravesical instillation of antitumor chemotherapeutic agents on bladder carcinogenesis in rats treated with N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine

The effects of intravesical instillation of Adriamycin (doxorubicin) (ADR), and mitomycin C (MMC), as inhibitors of development of rat bladder tumors, were examined in rats treated with N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine (BBN). Intravesical instillation of ADR or MMC once a week for 12 weeks into rats pretreated with BBN for 4 weeks markedly enhanced development of bladder tumors. That is, one week after the end of intravesical instillation of these compounds the incidence of papillary or nodular hyperplasias, namely preneoplastic lesions, was significantly increased, and at the end of the experiment the incidence of not only papillary or nodular hyperplasias but also of papillomas and cancers was significantly increased. These results indicate that the intravesical instillation of ADR or MMC promotes two-stage bladder carcinogenesis in rats.     

Soft agar colony formation of bladder cells during carcinogenesis induced by N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine and application to detection of bladder cancer promoters

N-Butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine (BBN) was given to male Fischer 344 rats at a dose of 0.05% in drinking water for 2, 4, 6 and 12 weeks, and double soft agar colony formation of the uroepithelial cells was determined periodically, during and after this administration. In the group administered BBN for 2 weeks, no significant colony growth was observed until week 8. In the group given BBN for 4 weeks, colony growth was observed at week 4 and the numbers of colonies remained constant until week 8. In the group given BBN for 6 weeks, significant colony growth was observed at weeks 6 and 8. In the group on BBN for 12 weeks, colonies grew from week 4 and significant numbers of colonies were observed from week 6, increasing up to week 10. Colony formation preceded papilloma development in the rat bladder, and was dependent on the duration of BBN administration. The effect of amino acids and sodium saccharin on colony formation was also evaluated. The rats were given 0.05% BBN for 3 weeks, followed immediately by the administration for 9 weeks of 2% L-tryptophan, 1% D-tryptophan, 2% L-leucine, 2% D-leucine, 2% DL-leucine, 2% L-isoleucine, 2% DL-isoleucine or 5% sodium saccharin in the diet. At week 12, the numbers of colonies were significantly higher in the groups given sodium saccharin, L-leucine, DL-leucine, L-isoleucine, DL-isoleucine and D-tryptophan. This method provides a potentially useful approach toward analyzing the early events in bladder carcinogenesis and may be applicable to detect new bladder carcinogens and promoters.     

The dynamics of the imprinted H19 gene expression in the mouse model of bladder carcinoma induced by N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine

The imprinted H19 gene product is an oncofetal RNA molecule in humans. It is expressed in fetal bladder, down-regulated postnatally and is re- expressed in human bladder carcinoma. This study was designed to investigate the dynamics of the expression of H19 in the mouse bladder carcinoma induced by N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine (BBN) and its relation to stages of neoplastic transformation. BBN was administered to mice in the drinking water for 26-28 weeks. The bladders were removed at 5-10 week intervals for histopathological examination and for in situ hybridization for H19 RNA, using a 35S- labeled probe. Following BBN administration expression of H19 first appeared after 5 weeks in the lamina propria adjacent to the basement membrane, concomitant with mucosal hyperplasia. At 11 weeks focal expression was noted in epithelial cells. Invasive carcinomas, of the transitional and squamous sub-types, were seen after 20 weeks and more of BBN administration. At this stage H19 expression was observed in scattered tumor cells, in the connective tissue stroma of the tumor and in the lamina propria underlying the remaining hyperplastic/dysplastic mucosa. Abundant expression of H19 was evident in fetal bladder but was absent in normal adult bladder. We conclude that, similar to humans, the H19 gene product is an oncofetal RNA molecule in the experimental mouse model of bladder carcinoma. In this model H19 is expressed in the connective tissue of the lamina propria prior to its expression in epithelial cells, concurrent with preneoplastic changes in the transitional epithelium of the bladder.