Leukemias induced by 1-butyl- and 1-propyl-1-nitrosoureas in the rat.

The leukemogenic effect of 1-propyl- and 1-butyl-1-nitrosourea (PNU and BNU) was studied in Donryu and Sprague-Dawley rats, which received the chemical in their drinking water. BNU produced leukemia in 42 out of 46 (91%) of the Donryu rats, and the majority of the induced leukemia were myeloblastic type. In the Sprague-Dawley rats, the incidence of leukemia was 70% (47/67), of which 37%(13/35) were myelocytic leukemia, although the development of myeloblastic leukemia was still predominant (54%, 19/35). The leukemogenic activity of PNU was slightly lower than that of BNU; it produced leukemia in 64% (61/95) of the Donryu rats. The predominant type of induced leukemia was myelocytic leukemia (59%, 36/61). Therefore, it was demonstrated through the series of experiments using BNU and PNU that the strength of leukemogenic activity has a close relationship to the types of leukemia induced in animals. Both BNU and PNU, however, provide excellent disease models of myelogeneous leukemia in the human being.