The reduction of tumor initiating activity and cell mediated mutagenicity of dimethylbenz[a]anthracene by a copper coordination compound.

Cu(II) (3,5-diisopropyl salicylate)2 (CuDIPS) which is an anti-inflammatory copper coordination compound (mol. wt. 503) possessing superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was tested to determine its effect on 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA)-induced initiation of tumors in mouse skin and on mutagenicity to 6-thioguanine resistance in a mouse keratinocyte mediated Chinese hamster V-79 cell system. A single application of CuDIPS (0.4 mg/mouse) administered at a short interval before DMBA application when followed by 20 weeks of promotion by TPA reduced the mouse skin tumor yield by 55%. When DMBA-induced cell-mediated mutagenesis was tested in the presence of CuDIPS a significant reduction in the number of V-79 6-thioguanine resistant mutants was observed.