Reactivity in vivo of the carcinogen N-hydroxy-2-acetylaminofluorene: increase by sulfate ion.

Injections of sulfate ion in rats given the carcinogen N-hydroxy-2-acetylaminofluorene increased (i) the formation of 1-and 3-(methion-S-yl)-2-acetylaminofluorene bound to protein in the liver, (ii) the formation of fluorenyl derivatives bound to total protein, ribosomal RNA, and DNA in the liver, and (iii) the toxicity of the carcinogen. These data provide evidence that the highly reactive ester 2-acetylaminofluorene-N-sulfate, previously suggested as an ultimate reactive and carcinogenic metabolite of N-hydroxy-2-acetylaminofluorene, is formed in the rat liver in vivo.