Cyclic nucleotide concentrations in 1,2-dimethylhydrazine induced rat colon adenocarcinoma.

The intracellular concentrations of adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) in colonic tumors induced in adult male Holtzman rats by 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH) were found to be 1/2 the concentration found in normal large bowel tissue. Intracellular concentrations of guanosine 3'-5'-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP) in the neoplastic cells were twice the normal colon level. The concentrations of these two cyclic nucleotides were relatively constant throughout the normal colon. Thus, the anomalous tumor cyclic nucleotide concentrations are attributed to the specific cell population of the lesion and not to the site of development within the colon.