DNA adducts formed from N-benzoyloxy-N-methyl-4-aminoazobenzene in vitro and from N, N-dimethyl-4-aminoazobenzene in mouse liver.

Reaction of N-benzoyloxy-N-methyl-4-aminoazobenzene with (14C) deoxyguanosine yielded a series of at least 10 dye derivatives separable by high-performance liquid chromatography. The major adduct, N-(deoxyguanosin-8-yl)-N-methyl-4-aminoazobenzene, was present as both cis and trans isomers. Similar series of adducts were obtained from enzymatic digests of DNA reacted in vitro with N-benzoyloxy-N-methyl-4-aminoazobenzene or from hepatic DNA of (C57BL/6 x C3H/He)F, males given injections at 12 days of age of [prime ring-(3)H]N, N-dimethyl-4-aminoazobenzene. The concentrations of the major adduct and of the second most prominent adduct in the hepatic DNA, after correction for liver growth, were approximately 30 to 70% of the initial values after 10 days; thus the second adduct was poorly removed in comparison to the major adduct.