title: Mutagenic activity and structure-activity relationships of short-chain dialkyl N-nitrosamines in a hamster hepatocyte V79 cell-mediated system.
abstract: A series of 19 short chain dialkyl N-nitrosamines was studied for mutagenic activity in an uninduced hamster hepatocyte V79 cell-mediated mutagenesis system. Ouabain was used as the selective agent to quantitatively analyze for chemically induced mutants. None of the nitrosamines was mutagenic in the absence of hamster hepatocyte activation. The relative mutagenic activities of the nitrosamines at an equimolar dose are presented. The results of the study indicated that: increasing alkyl chain length decreased mutagenic activity; oxidation of the 2-carbon position to a carbonyl group increased the mutagenic activity of symmetrical and asymmetrical nitrosamines, whereas oxidation to a hydroxyl group only increased the mutagenic activity of the asymmetrical nitrosamines tested; and the carbon position at which oxidation occurred was important in determining mutagenic activity. The relationships between structure, metabolic activation, and mechanisms of mutagenic activity are discussed.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001711:Biotransformation; D002460:Cell Line; D006224:Cricetinae; D003412:Cricetulus; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects*; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism*; D008168:Lung; D008297:Male; D008647:Mesocricetus; D009152:Mutagenicity Tests / Q000379:methods*; D009602:Nitrosamines / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
chemical_list: D009602:Nitrosamines