Influence of vitamin A on the formation of ethylnitrosourea (ENU)-induced leukemias.

In mice, administration of ethylnitrosourea (120 mg/kg body weight) on day 14 of pregnancy leads to a transplacentally induced and transplantable leukemia in a high percentage of the offspring. Moreover, 100% of the offspring develop, later on, adenomas of the lung. Application of retinol palmitate (daily dose 170,000 IU/kg) reduces leukemogenesis up to 50%, yet without influencing formation of lung adenomas.