Tumor initiating activity of 9- and 10-fluoro-7,12-dimethylbenz[a]-anthracene (DMBA) and the effect of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin on tumor initiation by monofluoro derivatives of DMBA in SENCAR mice.

We have determined the skin tumor initiating activity in SENCAR mice of 6 monofluoro derivatives of 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA). 9-Fluoro-DMBA (9-F-DMBA) was approximately as active, and 10-F-DMBA was more active than the parent hydrocarbon, DMBA. The difference between DMBA and 10-F-DMBA was most dramatic at the highest initiating doses of 10-F-DMBA tested. 4-F-DMBA, which was only weakly active as an initiator, was also tested as a complete carcinogen on mouse skin; after 30 weeks of treatment, 50- and 100-nmol weekly doses failed to elicit papillomas or carcinomas. Animals treated with 50 nmol of DMBA weekly exhibited a 100% papilloma incidence and a 42% carcinoma incidence. Pretreatment with 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) effectively inhibited tumor initiation with all of the monofluoro derivatives of DMBA tested. The ED50 (dose of TCDD producing half-maximal inhibition) for the inhibition of DMBA initiation in SENCAR mice was determined to be 1.8 X 10(-3) micrograms/mouse (5.6 pmol). The results indicate that the introduction of a fluorine atom in ring D of DMBA has no effect (positions 9 and 11) or enhances (position 10) tumor initiating activity. We believe 10-F-DMBA to be the first example of a hydrocarbon with a fluoro substituent giving rise to increased tumor initiating activity. The results also indicate that structural modifications that alter tumor initiating activity do not alter the ability of TCDD to inhibit tumorigenesis by DMBA.