Initiating potential of 2-(2-furyl)-3-(5-nitro-2-furyl)acrylamide (AF-2), butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and 3,3',4',5,7-pentahydroxyflavone (quercetin) in two-stage mouse skin carcinogenesis

Tumor initiating activity of 3,3',4',5,7-pentahydroxyflavone (quercetin), butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and 2-(2-furyl)-3-(5-nitro-2-furyl) (AF-2) acrylamide) were tested in a two-stage mouse skin carcinogenesis model using 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate (TPA) as a promoter. These compounds dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide were topically applied twice weekly for 5 weeks on the dorsal skin, and then followed by TPA for 47 weeks. The total initiating dose was 100 mg for each compound. 7,12-Dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA) at a total dose of 100 micrograms was used as a positive control compound. AF-2 induced skin tumors in 35% of the mice (average of 0.4 tumors/mouse), HBA in 15% in (0.2/mouse), BHT in 13% (0.13/mouse) and quercetin in 5% (0.1/mouse). No tumors appeared in the groups treated with either test chemicals alone or TPA alone. Statistical analysis according to either Fisher's exact test or Peto's trend test revealed significant differences for tumor appearance in the AF-2/TPA and BHA/TPA followed by TPA groups as compared to in the DMSO/TPA group. The results indicate that AF-2 and BHA have weak tumor initiating activity on mouse skin, but such effects are not apparent for BHT or quercetin.