Disposition of the plasmacytomagenic alkane pristane (2,6,10,14-tetramethylpentadecane) in mice.

The intraperitoneal administration of pristane (2,6,10,14-tetramethylpentadecane) induces peritoneal plasmacytomas in genetically susceptible BALB/c mice. The purpose of this study was to estimate the disposition of an amount of intraperitoneally injected pristane that would conventionally be used in a tumor induction protocol. The distribution of 3H-labeled pristane in various tissues was monitored by liquid scintillation counting at different times after injection. The data show that pristane is present in the blood and detectable in all tested tissues during an observation period of one to 64 days. The levels of pristane fluctuate in some tissues such as lymph node and bone marrow but show a clear tendency to accumulate in others such as liver, spleen and kidney. Evidence is also presented for the in vivo metabolism of pristane based on the observed urinary excretion of tritium and on the high levels of radioactivity in the gall bladder fluid. It is concluded that intraperitoneally administered pristane is distributed throughout the mouse and is stored in tissues in sufficient amounts to allow interactions with the cells residing there.