Activation of the K-ras protooncogene in lung tumors from rats and mice chronically exposed to tetranitromethane.

Dominant transforming genes were detected in lung tumors from Fischer 344 rats and C57BL/6 X C3H F1 mice chronically exposed by inhalation to tetranitromethane, a highly volatile compound used in several industrial processes. The rat lung neoplasms were classified as adenocarcinomas, squamous cell carcinomas (epidermoid carcinomas), or adenosquamous carcinomas. The mouse lung tumors were classified as papillary adenocarcinomas or adenomas. In both species, the tumors were morphologically similar to lung tumors in humans. The transfection assay using NIH/3T3 mouse fibroblasts detected transforming genes in 74% (14 of 19) of the rat lung tumors and in 100% (4 of 4) of the mouse lung tumors. Southern blot analysis indicated that transforming gene was an activated K-ras protooncogene in both species. The first exon of the K-ras gene in normal DNA and in DNA from two cell lines transformed by tumor DNA was compared by cloning and sequencing the gene. Experiments showed that there was a GC----AT transition in the second base of the 12th codon of the K-ras oncogene in the two transfectant DNAs. Oligonucleotide hybridization indicated that all of the rat and mouse transfectants had this activating lesion. Additional tumor DNA was then tested for the presence of a mutated allele with the GC----AT transition. All of the rat tumors tested and all of the mouse tumors tested had this mutation present. Hybridization using the normal oligonucleotide sequence around the 12th codon indicated that the normal allele was also present in the majority of the tumors, suggesting that the loss of normal allele is not necessary for the development of neoplasia. One rat lung tumor had no normal allele present, possibly suggesting that this tumor could have been in a more advanced stage than the other tumors. This is the first study to detect activated protooncogenes in rodent tumors induced under conditions which mimic human exposure to a chemical in the workplace. Tetranitromethane may exert its carcinogenic action by both activation of the K-ras oncogene and stimulation of cell proliferation by its irritant properties.