THE CARCINOGENICITY OF CERTAIN DERIVATIVES OF p-DIMETHYLAMINOAZOBENZENE IN THE RAT

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Abstract
1. Eighteen known or possible metabolites of the hepatic carcinogen 4- (or p-) dimethylaminoazobenzene were tested for carcinogenic activity in the rat. Of these compounds only 4-monomethylaminoazobenzene, a known metabolite, proved to be active. Eight compounds, which appear to be metabolites of the dye, were inactive; these included 4-aminoazobenzene, 4'-hydroxy-4-monomethylaminoazobenzene, 4'-hydroxy-4-aminoazobenzene, N-methyl-p-phenylenediamine, p-phenylenediamine, aniline, p-aminophenol, and o-aminophenol. Nine compounds which may possibly be metabolites also were inactive; these compounds were 4'-hydroxy-, 3'-hydroxy-, and 2'-hydroxy-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene, 4-formylaminoazobenzene, 4-hydroxyazobenzene, 2, 4'-diamino-5-dimethylaminodiphenyl, 3-dimethylaminocarbazole, N,N-dimethyl-p-phenylenediamine, and p-hydroquinone. A mixture of 9 known and possible metabolites was also found to be inactive. These data indicate that the primary carcinogen operative in tumor formation by 4-dimethylaminoazobenzene is probably an azo dye closely related to the parent carcinogen. This conclusion is supported by recent work from this laboratory which indicates that the primary carcinogen consists of either or both of the protein-bound dyes found in the liver, i.e. 4-monomethylaminoazobenzene and an unidentified polar aminoazo dye, and that the formation of bound dye constitutes one of the first steps in this carcinogenic process.