Accumulation of O6-methylguanine in non-target-tissue deoxyribonucleic acid during chronic administration of dimethylnitrosamine.

1. BD-IV rats were given labelled dimethylnitrosamine (2 mg/kg) by stomach tube on weekdays (Monday to Friday) for up to 24 weeks. The rats killed after 2, 4, 8, 16 and 24 weeks of treatment (72 h after the final dimethylnitrosamine gavage) and DNA was isolated from the pooled livers, kidneys and lungs. Purine bases were released from the DNA by mild acid hydrolysis and separated by Sephadex G-10 chromatography. 2. Throughout the experiment, the content of 7-methylguanine in liver DNA was approx. 16 times that in kidney and lung. The amount of this product increased in the DNA of all three tissues up to 16 weeks, but by 24 weeks had decreased by 20% in the liver and 46% in the other tissues. 3. O6-Methylguanine was not detected in liver DNA, but was easily measured in kidney and lung DNA after 4 weeks of dimethylnitrosamine administration. The amount of O6-methylguanine in kidney and lung DNA increased relative to that of 7-methylguanine, and by 24 weeks was 60% of the 7-methylguanine content in both tissues. 4. Incorporation of radioactive C1 breakdown products of dimethylnitrosamine into normal purines in DNA increased continuously in all three tissues. 5. The results are discussed with respect to the specific hepatocarcinogenic effect of chronic administration of dimethylnitrosamine and the possible contribution of increased DNA repair and DNA synthesis.