Immunohistochemical demonstration of carcinogen-DNA adducts in target and non-target tissues of rats given a prostate carcinogen, 3,2'-dimethyl-4-aminobiphenyl.

An immunohistochemical procedure was applied which allows accurate localization of DNA lesions within organs and tissues of rats given 3,2'-dimethyl-4-aminobiphenyl (DMAB) using polyclonal antibodies against DMAB-DNA adducts. Dose-related nuclear staining was observed in organs regardless of DMAB-carcinogenic organotropism. In the male accessory sex organs, the lateral lobe of the prostate, a non-target site, demonstrated a similar staining intensity to that found for the ventral prostate and seminal vesicle, target sites. Orchiectomy and pretreatment with ethinyl estradiol resulted in a moderate to slight decrease in binding in the accessory sex organs. No observable decrease in staining intensity was evident in most organs 168 h after the administration of DMAB. These findings suggest that DNA adduct formation itself is not necessarily sufficient for tumor induction.