Distribution, covalent binding, and DNA adduct formation of 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene in SENCAR and BALB/c mice following topical and oral administration.

SENCAR mice are much more susceptible to tumor initiation by 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA) administered topically than p.o. and are also more susceptible to initiation by topically applied DMBA than are BALB/c mice. To determine how the distribution and metabolic activation of DMBA differed in these strains and with route of administration, BALB/c and SENCAR mice were exposed to [3H]DMBA topically and p.o., and the distribution and DNA binding of DMBA were analyzed. Both the amount of DMBA in skin and the covalent binding of DMBA to epidermal DNA were greater following topical administration than after p.o. administration in both strains. Differences in DMBA distribution and macromolecular binding were found between SENCAR and BALB/c mice, with the binding of DMBA to DNA in epidermis tending to be greater in BALB/c mice than in SENCAR mice when differences were observed. The formation of individual DMBA:DNA adducts in epidermis was also examined in SENCAR and BALB/c mice following topical administration of DMBA. No substantial qualitative or quantitative differences in DMBA:DNA adducts were found between SENCAR and BALB/c mice. The anti/syn-DMBA-diol-epoxide-DNA adduct ratios calculated from the three major DMBA:deoxyribonucleoside adducts increased with time in both SENCAR and BALB/c mice. The data suggest that differences in the distribution and macromolecular binding of DMBA are responsible for the much greater skin tumor initiating activity of DMBA applied topically than p.o. but do not account for the greater sensitivity of the SENCAR mouse to DMBA-induced epidermal tumorigenesis.