Species variations in the metabolism of N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl) nitrosamine and related compounds in relation to urinary bladder carcinogenesis.

Species variations in response to urinary bladder carcinogens, N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine (BBN), N-ethyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine (EHBN), and N,N-dibutylnitrosamine (DBN), were investigated in several animal species from the metabolic point of view. Since N-butyl-N-(3-carboxypropyl) nitrosamine (BCPN) and N-ethyl-N-(3-carboxypropyl) nitrosamine (ECPN) had been found to be the principal urinary metabolites which are responsible for the induction of bladder tumors by BBN or DBN and EHBN, respectively, in rats, acidic urinary metabolites with the N-nitroso moiety were isolated and determined by a colorimetric method after oral administration of these nitrosamines to rats, mice, hamsters, guinea pigs, and dogs. Qualitatively almost no species differences were observed among these animals in regard to the urinary metabolites except in the case of mice, in which the glycine conjugate of BCPN was isolated from the urine and identified as the principal metabolite of BBN and DBN. However, appreciable quantitative differences in the urinary excretion of BCPN or ECPN were found among these animal species, indicating that the differences in the susceptibilities of different animal species to urinary bladder carcinogenesis induced by BBN, DBN and EHBN may be closely related to the different extents of urinary excretion of the active metabolites of these nitrosamines.