Transplacental effects of nitrosamines in Syrian hamsters: I. Dibutylnitrosamine and nitrosohexamethyleneimine.

The transplacental carcinogenic effects of dibutylnitrosamine (DBN) and nitrosohexamethyleneimine (N-6-MI) were examined in Syrian hamsters. A proportion of both substances reached the fetal tissue unaltered. No macroscopic malformations were observed in the offspring; however, postnatal mortality was high. Respiratory tumours were found upon histologic examination of surviving animals. Single doses of 30 mg/kg body weight (b.w.) DBN and 2 doses of 10 mg/kg b.w. N-6-MI did not induce tumours in the P-generation, but led to a low tumour incidence in the F1-generation (DBN, 7.0%, N-6-MI, 2.0%). Treatment for up to eight days during the second half of pregnancy led to a higher tumour incidence in the P-generation (DBN, 22%; N-6-MI, 20%), than in the F1-generation (DBN, 6.0%; N-6-MI, 10%).