Mechanisms of inhibitors of mutagenesis and carcinogenesis.

For a rational implementation of chemoprevention strategies it is essential not only to assess the efficacy and safety of putative inhibitors by using a variety of test systems but also to understand the mechanisms involved. This article proposes a detailed classification of mechanisms along with pertinent examples of agents which may be potentially exploited in the host-addressed prevention of cancer and other mutation-related diseases. The classification, presented in tabulated form, covers a variety of mechanisms interfering with different phases of mutagenesis and carcinogenesis. However, the reported sequence of events is not meant to follow a rigid scheme, and several mechanisms are reiterated throughout evolution of these processes. Similarly, a number of protective agents are shown to work through multiple and often interconnected mechanisms.