Potential carcinogenicity of Aza‐aromatic hydrocarbons: Azabenz(A)anthracenes

Abstract

The potential carcinogenicity of 3 azabenz(a)anthracenes was determined in vitro. The 3 compounds tested were 1-, 2-, and 9-azabenz(a)anthracene. The initial assay was chemical carcinogen-induced enhancement of anchorage-independent survival of Rauscher leukemia virus-infected Fischer rat embryo cells, 2FR(4)50 (2FR4). Cells treated with 2- and 9-azabenz(a)anthracene showed dose-dependent increased survival. After continued subculturing, the surviving cells from 2- and 9-azabenz(a)anthracene-treated cultures displayed morphological transformation and ability to grow in semi-solid medium. Mock-treated controls and I-azabenz(a)anthracene-treated cultures did not show either of these properties. These data suggest that certain azabenz(a)anthracenes are potential carcinogens.

The use of survival in aggregation to detect potential carcinogens with retrovirus-infected fischer rat embryo cells

“…The assay system has demonstrated a high degree of reproducibility in assessing the responses of known carcinogens and noncarcinogens and good qualitative reproducibility in assessing coded compounds (7,8,10). This bioassay has the ability to discriminate between structurally related chemicals, without the addition of exogenous activation (2,10). However, the lack or variability or both of responses with some chemicals may indicate the need for incorporating a metabolic activating system.…”