251
ABSTRACTS OF MEMBERS PAPERS
chromium salts could induce tumours at ation was available on their long-term sites of cell damage, where release of hydroly- effects. tic enzymes and subsequent formation of One preparation contains 2-nitrophenylglycidal can occur. enediamine, the other an azo-dye metal derivative and an aminonitrophenol, in MUTAGENICITY OF HAIR COLOUR- addition to detergent, perfume and a clay ANTS IN BACTERIA: POSSIBLE LINK base. They are being applied twice weekly WITH CARCINOGENICITY. S. VENITT in aqueous acetone to the clipped skin of A and C. T. BUSHELL, Pollards Wood Research and DBA mice. Some of each preparation is probably absorbed orally through licking. Station, Bucks. So far, malignant lymphomata have Preliminary results (C. E. Searle, un- devreloped after 26-57 weeks in 6-9% of published data) obtained in mice suggest a mice and 0-3% of controls. Only possible carcinogenic hazard associated with treated of dyes themselves are certain hair colourants. Eleven such pro- low concentrations in the solutions applied and tests ducts were tested for mutagenicity in present single constituents are now needed. bacteria, since there is a reasonable corre- using 2-Nitro-p-phenylenediamine and 4-nitrolation between carcinogenicity and muta- o-phenylenediamine are present in a number genicity. Six colourants were strongly of proprietary hair colourants. When added mutagenic in Salmonella typhimurium TA to cultures of human blood lymphocytes, 1538 (frameshift): of these, one required small increase in chromatid aberrationsa metabolic activation with liver supernatant was observed at 48 h. (LS), 5 did not. Two of these were also mutagenic in another frameshift mutant, TA 1537. We obtained negative results in all strains which revert by base-pair substi- THE NITROSATION OF FOOD tution (S. typhimurium TA 1535 and E. coli AMINES UNDER STOMACH CONDIWP2). 2-nitro-p-phenylenediamine (2NP) TIONS. C. S. DYKE and C. L. WALTERS, and 4-nitro-o-phenylenediamine (4NO), both B.F.M.I.R.A., Leatherhead, Surrey. dyes known to be present in one of the Nitrosamines can be formed by the action colourants tested, were mutagenic (without of nitrous on secondary and tertiary LS) in TA 1537 and TA 1538. A combin- amines and acid quarternary compounds. Nitroation of TLC and spot testing showed that 5 sation is catalysed by thiocyanate is of the 6 mutagenic colourants contained one secreted in the saliva and particularlywhich that of or both of these dyes, together with other (Boyland, Nature, Lond., 1974,248, unidentified mutagenic components. It is smokers of food amines at high levels 601). Nitrosation suggested that products containing these of nitrate (0 * 14 mol/l) of the stomach dyes should be withdrawn from use pending of the consumer has ledatypical to the formation of up further studies of their biological activity. to 80 ,ug/kg N-nitrosopiperidine (N Pip). At 0 145 mmol/l nitrite, a level considered to be the maximum likely to occur normally in the TESTS OF TWO HAIR COLOURANTS stomach, nitrosation occurred but to a much FOR CARCINOGENIOITY BY RE- reduced extent with the formation of volatile PEATED APPLICATION TO MOUSE nitrosamines, in the presence of SKIN. C. E. SEARLE and D. G. HARNDEN, thiocyanate. particularly Studies in which volunteers Department of Cancer Studies, University of were given a meal including meat Birmingham Medical School and O.H.B. containing nitrite within the legalcured limit GYDE, Department of Haematology, East so far been negative, following recovery ofhave the Birmingham Hospital. meal after 30 min, whilst corresponding in Routine questioning of a patient with vitro studies have revealed 1-7 ,ug/kg N Pip neutropenia revealed that she frequently after 1 h and 3 4 ,ug/kg after 3 h. The used 2 " semi-permanent " hair colourants. possibility therefore exists that nitrosamines When she subsequently developed myelopro- could be formed in the stomach after a liferative disease it was decided to initiate longer residence time, unless this is precluded preliminary tests on these materials by by an inhibitory physiological factor such as topical application to mice since no inform- ascorbate. -
ABSTRACTS OF MEMBERS PAPERS
chromium salts could induce tumours at ation was available on their long-term sites of cell damage, where release of hydroly- effects. tic enzymes and subsequent formation of One preparation contains 2-nitrophenylglycidal can occur. enediamine, the other an azo-dye metal derivative and an aminonitrophenol, in MUTAGENICITY OF HAIR COLOUR- addition to detergent, perfume and a clay ANTS IN BACTERIA: POSSIBLE LINK base. They are being applied twice weekly WITH CARCINOGENICITY. S. VENITT in aqueous acetone to the clipped skin of A and C. T. BUSHELL, Pollards Wood Research and DBA mice. Some of each preparation is probably absorbed orally through licking. Station, Bucks. So far, malignant lymphomata have Preliminary results (C. E. Searle, un- devreloped after 26-57 weeks in 6-9% of published data) obtained in mice suggest a mice and 0-3% of controls. Only possible carcinogenic hazard associated with treated of dyes themselves are certain hair colourants. Eleven such pro- low concentrations in the solutions applied and tests ducts were tested for mutagenicity in present single constituents are now needed. bacteria, since there is a reasonable corre- using 2-Nitro-p-phenylenediamine and 4-nitrolation between carcinogenicity and muta- o-phenylenediamine are present in a number genicity. Six colourants were strongly of proprietary hair colourants. When added mutagenic in Salmonella typhimurium TA to cultures of human blood lymphocytes, 1538 (frameshift): of these, one required small increase in chromatid aberrationsa metabolic activation with liver supernatant was observed at 48 h. (LS), 5 did not. Two of these were also mutagenic in another frameshift mutant, TA 1537. We obtained negative results in all strains which revert by base-pair substi- THE NITROSATION OF FOOD tution (S. typhimurium TA 1535 and E. coli AMINES UNDER STOMACH CONDIWP2). 2-nitro-p-phenylenediamine (2NP) TIONS. C. S. DYKE and C. L. WALTERS, and 4-nitro-o-phenylenediamine (4NO), both B.F.M.I.R.A., Leatherhead, Surrey. dyes known to be present in one of the Nitrosamines can be formed by the action colourants tested, were mutagenic (without of nitrous on secondary and tertiary LS) in TA 1537 and TA 1538. A combin- amines and acid quarternary compounds. Nitroation of TLC and spot testing showed that 5 sation is catalysed by thiocyanate is of the 6 mutagenic colourants contained one secreted in the saliva and particularlywhich that of or both of these dyes, together with other (Boyland, Nature, Lond., 1974,248, unidentified mutagenic components. It is smokers of food amines at high levels 601). Nitrosation suggested that products containing these of nitrate (0 * 14 mol/l) of the stomach dyes should be withdrawn from use pending of the consumer has ledatypical to the formation of up further studies of their biological activity. to 80 ,ug/kg N-nitrosopiperidine (N Pip). At 0 145 mmol/l nitrite, a level considered to be the maximum likely to occur normally in the TESTS OF TWO HAIR COLOURANTS stomach, nitrosation occurred but to a much FOR CARCINOGENIOITY BY RE- reduced extent with the formation of volatile PEATED APPLICATION TO MOUSE nitrosamines, in the presence of SKIN. C. E. SEARLE and D. G. HARNDEN, thiocyanate. particularly Studies in which volunteers Department of Cancer Studies, University of were given a meal including meat Birmingham Medical School and O.H.B. containing nitrite within the legalcured limit GYDE, Department of Haematology, East so far been negative, following recovery ofhave the Birmingham Hospital. meal after 30 min, whilst corresponding in Routine questioning of a patient with vitro studies have revealed 1-7 ,ug/kg N Pip neutropenia revealed that she frequently after 1 h and 3 4 ,ug/kg after 3 h. The used 2 " semi-permanent " hair colourants. possibility therefore exists that nitrosamines When she subsequently developed myelopro- could be formed in the stomach after a liferative disease it was decided to initiate longer residence time, unless this is precluded preliminary tests on these materials by by an inhibitory physiological factor such as topical application to mice since no inform- ascorbate. -
