Elevation of the salvage synthesis of ribonucleic acid in the rat liver during the induction of hepatoma with 3'-methyl-4-(dimethylamino)azobenzene.

Incorporation of uracil and orotic acid into the ribonucleic acid (RNA) fraction of rat liver during carcinogenesis induced with 3'-methyl-4-(dimethylamino)azobenzene was investigated. Uracil incorporation was found to be gradually elevated during the early stage (about 2 weeks) of the carcinogenesis, although not in the normal rat liver homogenates contacted with the carcinogen for a short hours, and the elevated uptake was maintained until tumor induction. On the other hand, orotic acid incorporation reverted to the original level after a temporary increase during the early stage. In a good agreement with the increased uracil incorporation, activities of both uridine phosphorylase and uridine kinase involved in the salvage pathway of RNA synthesis also increased during the early stage, and their activities in the liver were maintained at elevated levels after discontinuance of the carcinogen feeding. The activity of uridine monophosphate (UMP) pyrophosphorylase, converting uracil to UMP, was not detected during the early stage. Significance of the activation of the salvage pathway of RNA synthesis during the early stage of an axo dye-induced carcinogenesis were discussed.