INCREASED RISK OF CANCER IN THE DESCENDANTS OF SYRIAN-HAMSTERS EXPOSED PRENATALLY TO DIETHYLNITROSAMINE (DEN)

Transmission of site-specific tumorigenicity (papillomas in larynx and trachea) of diethylnitrosamine (DEN) to the 2 subsequent generations (FI and Fz) was studied using an outbred strain (Han:AURA) of pregnant Syrian golden hamsters (P generation), which were treated i.p. with 1 0 mg/kg b.w. of DEN on day 12, 13 or 14 of gestation. Laryngotracheal papillomas were induced by DEN in the P and F-1 generations only, whil e these tumours did not occur in the F-2 generation. Spontaneously occ urring tumours, including uterine adenocarcinomas, lymphomas, and lary ngotracheal neuro-endocrine cell tumours, were observed at higher inci dences among the Fz animals derived from the P generation hamsters tre ated with DEN only on day 13 or 14 of gestation. In the same animals, the ratio of malignant to benign tumours was considerably higher than in controls. In addition, the f(2) hamsters derived from the DEN-treat ed P generation showed more frequent multiple organ involvement in tum origenesis than the F-2 controls. Several uncommon malignant tumours w ere detected in the F-2 offspring, possibly the result of damage cause d to germ cells by the prenatal exposure of F-1 Syrian hamsters to DEN . (C) 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.