Preneoplastic lesions, DNA adduct formation and mutagenicity of 5-, 7- and 9-hydroxy-2-nitrofluorene, metabolites of the air pollutant 2-nitrofluorene

The metabolites of 2-nitrofluorene (NF), 5-, 7- and 9-OH-2-nitrofluorene (OH-NF) were compared for their genotoxicity. Seventy-two hours after intraperitoneal administration of these substances individually to rats (100 mg/kg body wt.), DNA adducts in liver tissue were analyzed with ³²P-TLC and ³²P-HPLC. An in vivo liver model was used to test the initiating capacity of the said substances for the formation of preneoplastic lesions. 5-OH-NF showed low capacity to induced DNA adduct formation and low potential as initiator to induce preneoplastic lesions-foci/nodules in the liver of rats. Both 7- and 9-OH-NF induced DNA adducts and preneoplastic liver lesions but with smaller quantities compared to NF. It seems that 7- and 9-OH-NF can not be considered as detoxification products of NF. In general, the initiating capacity of these substances for the formation of preneoplastic lesions has a good correlation with their potency to form DNA adducts.