A mutagenicity methodology for assessing the formation of N-dimethylnitrosamine in vivo.
The mutagenicity test methodology in vitro has been extensively used during recent years in the identification of potential carcinogenic agents. Mutagenic analyses have been applied to the study of chemical reaction products for the demonstration of the formation of mutagenic agents. Recent studies have indicated that secondary and tertiary amines, when reacted with nitrite in acidic conditions, yield N-nitroso compounds, including the potent carcinogen N-dimethylnitrosamine (NDMA). This finding raises the problem of risk evaluation of several food components of human diets for the presence of potential carcinogenic compounds. By combining a mutagenicity test procedure with yeast cells inoculated into the blood system of mice and incubated in the liver for various times (minutes or hours) we have devised a model methodology which allows the detection of the formation of N-dimethylnitrosamine (NDMA) at a level lower than 1 mg/kg. The methodology has been examined for its use in the study of activators of the nitrosation, such as thiocyanate, and of inhibitors of the nitrosation, such as ascorbic acid and tannic acid. Other food components of the human diet, such as red wine, have also been investigated by this methodology.
D000818:Animals; D001681:Biological Assay / Q000379:methods; D004128:Dimethylnitrosamine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009152:Mutagenicity Tests / Q000379:methods*; D009153:Mutagens; D012568:Schizosaccharomyces / Q000235:genetics
D009153:Mutagens; D004128:Dimethylnitrosamine