Suppressive effect of cupric acetate on DNA alkylation, DNA synthesis and tumorigenesis in the liver of dimethylnitrosamine-treated rats.

The effect of cupric acetate on dimethylnitrosamine (DMN)-induced hepatocarcinogenesis in rats was investigated. The surviving rats in the group given DMN (25 ppm) in the drinking water alone were killed at 26 weeks and it was found that 12 of 16 rats had developed liver tumors. In the group given DMN and cupric acetate (sc injections of 2 mg of Cu/kg of body weight once a week for 26 weeks), 7 of 22 rats developed liver tumors. The incidence of liver tumors in rats given DMN and cupric acetate was thus only about 40% of that in rats given DMN alone. No tumor was observed in the group given saline or cupric acetate alone. The thymidine incorporation into the liver DNA of rats was measured at 2 and 4 weeks after the start of the carcinogenicity experiment. The thymidine incorporation into the liver DNA of rats given DMN was significantly suppressed by the administration of cupric acetate. The methylation of liver DNA in rats given a single dose of DMN was also significantly suppressed by sc injection of cupric acetate; the formation of both O6-methylguanine and 7-methylguanine was reduced. This result suggests that sc injection of cupric acetate may have a suppressive effect on the initiation of carcinogenesis in the liver.