Activation of some aromatic amines to mutagenic products by human red blood cell cytosol.

The ability of human red blood cell cytosol to activate aromatic amines was evaluated with the Ames test using Salmonella typhimurium TA98 in the liquid preincubation condition. While negative results were obtained with 4-acetylaminofluorene (4AAF) and 1-naphtylamine (1NA), a slight response was observed for 4-aminobiphenyl (4ABP) and 2-naphthylamine (2NA). Human red blood cell cytosol was able to activate 2-aminofluorene (2AF), 2-acetylaminofluorene (2AAF) and 2-aminoanthracene (2AA) to mutagenic intermediates. Extracts of human red blood cell cytosol incubated with 2AF were analyzed by gas chromatography: N-hydroxy-2-aminofluorene was identified as a metabolite.