The effect of glycerol and 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide on active oxygen formation in sub-cellular fractions of lung tissue.

Glycerol enhances pulmonary tumorigenesis in mice treated with 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide (4NQO). The present study shows that active oxygen formation by glycerol may be responsible for this enhanced tumorigenesis. Male ddY mice were treated with 4NQO and given a 5% glycerol solution instead of drinking water for up to 4 weeks after 4NQO injection. There was no difference in NADH-dependent active oxygen formation of the mitochondria between the 4NQO- and 4NQO-plus-glycerol-treated groups but the ratios of NADH- and NADPH-dependent active oxygen formation of the microsomes and nuclei of the 4NQO-plus-glycerol-treated group to the 4NQO-treated group increased with increasing time after 4NQO injection. Significant differences in the maximum NADH- and NADPH-dependent active oxygen formation were observed 2 or 4 weeks after 4NQO injection.