title: Oncogenic interaction of carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in mice.
abstract: To evaluate possible interactions between PAH occurring in automobile exhaust condensates with regard to their tumour forming potency, the following experiments were performed. Six different doses of benzo[a]pyrene (3-100 microgram) and of dibenzo]a,h]anthracene (2-75 microgram) and mixtures thereof were tested subcutaneously on female NMRI mice. In addition, mixtures of 10 non-carcinogenic hydrocarbons were applied: benzo[e]pyrene, benzo[a]anthracene, phenanthrene, anthracene, pyrene, fluoranthene, chrysene, perylene, benzo[ghi]perylene and coronene. Mixtures of all 12 PAH were also applied. The proportion of PAH in all mixtures used was the same as in automobile exhaust condensates; benzo[a]pyrene was used as reference substance. The most important results were as follows: 1. Small doses of dibenzo[a,h]anthracene have a greater tumour promoting effect than do comparable doses of benzo[a]pyrene. Increased doses increase the effect of benzo[a]pyrene more than that of dibenzo[a,h]anthracene. 2. The mixture of benzo[a]pyrene and dibenzo[a,h]anthracene is 1.4 time more active than dibenzo[a,h]anthracene alone. 3. The mixture of all PAH has a lower efficacy than dibenzo[a,h]anthracene alone, amounting to only 0.03 that of dibenzanthracene; however, the activity of dibenzo[a,h]anthracene within the mixture of the 12 PAH increases by a factor of 3.1. 4. The activity of a mixture of dibenzo[a,h]anthracene and benzo[a]pyrene depends to about 40% on dibenzo[a,h]anthracene; and that of 12 PAH to 30% on dibenzo[a,h]anthracene alone or to 80% on a mixture of dibenzo[a,h]anthracene and benzo[a]pyrene.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000873:Anthracenes / Q000633:toxicity; D001580:Benzopyrenes / Q000633:toxicity; D002274:Carcinogens, Environmental / Q000633:toxicity*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004347:Drug Interactions; D051379:Mice; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced*; D011083:Polycyclic Compounds / Q000633:toxicity*; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000139:chemically induced; D001335:Vehicle Emissions / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D000873:Anthracenes; D001580:Benzopyrenes; D002274:Carcinogens, Environmental; D011083:Polycyclic Compounds; D001335:Vehicle Emissions