Synthesis and tumor-initiating activity in mouse skin of dibenzo[a,l]pyrene syn- and anti-fjord-region diolepoxides.
Dibenzo[a,l]pyrene (DB[a,l]P) is the most potent carcinogen among polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Because the fjord-region diolepoxide (DE) pathway is one of the mechanisms of activation, (+/)-trans-DB[a,l]P-11,12-dihydrodiol, (+/-)-anti-DB[a,l]PDE and (+/-)-syn-DB[a,l]PDE were synthesized. The key intermediate for these syntheses, 12-methoxy-DB[a,l]P, was successfully obtained by cyclization of 6-(3-methoxybenzyl)benzanthrone with methanesulfonic acid, which in turn was prepared by 1,4 conjugate addition of 3-methoxybenzyl magnesium bromide to benzanthrone. The presence of the DB[a,l]P nucleus in the dihydrodiolepoxides and diolepoxides was proven by conversion of 12-methoxyDB[a,l]P into the parent compound in several steps. The tumor-initiating activity of the two diolepoxides in mouse skin was compared to that of DB[a,l]P-11,12-dihydrodiol and the parent DB[a,l]P. Groups of 24 8 week old female SENCAR mice were topically initiated with 12, 4 or 1.33 nmol of compound in 100 microliters of acetone. Starting 1 week later, promotion with 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (1.62 nmol in 100 microliters acetone) was begun and continued twice weekly for 30 weeks. At the 12, 4 and 1.33 nmol doses, anti-DB[a,l]PDE induced 2.0, 0.7 and 0.7 tumors per mouse (t/m) respectively, whereas syn-DB[a,l]PDE induced 1.8, 1.5 and 1.8 t/m. At the same three doses, DB[a,l]P-11,12-dihydrodiol induced 4.6, 4.3 and 2.8 t/m, and DB[a,l]P resulted in 9.3, 7.1 and 5.2 t/m. These results confirm that DB[a,l]P is more potent than its 11,12-dihydrodiol and show that the two diolepoxides are less tumorigenic than their precursors. At the medium and low doses, syn-DB[a,l]PDE is more tumorigenic than its congener anti-DB[a,l]PDE.
Marion Merrell Dow Inc., Cincinnati, OH 45215.
H S
HS
Gill
P L
PL
Kole
J C
JC
Wiley
K M
KM
Li
S
S
Higginbotham
E G
EG
Rogan
E L
EL
Cavalieri
D000818:Animals; D001580:Benzopyrenes / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000633:toxicity; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000633:toxicity; D004852:Epoxy Compounds / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000633:toxicity; D005260:Female; D051379:Mice; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced*; D013237:Stereoisomerism
D001580:Benzopyrenes; D002273:Carcinogens; D004852:Epoxy Compounds; C041517:dibenzo(a,l)pyrene