The in vitro interaction of the carcinogens, 4-nitroquinoline-N-oxide and its metabolite 4-hydroxylaminoquinoline-N-oxide, with intact rat liver mitochondria.

The inhibition of rat liver mitochondrial respiration caused by rotenone, is relieved by the 2 carcinogens, 4-nitroquinoline-N-oxide (NQO) and its metabolite 4-hydroxylaminoquinoline-N-oxide (HAQO). Thus these agents cause reducing equivalents to circumvent the first coupling site of the respiratory chain. This is another example of the experimental confluence between oxidative phosphorylation and chemical carcinogenesis.