ACCUMULATION OF ALUMINUM IN CANCERS OF THE LIVER, STOMACH, DUODENUM AND MAMMARY-GLANDS OF RATS

The aim of the present investigation was to evaluate abnormal changes in trace element concentrations during carcinogenesis. First, Al, Zn a nd Cu in the liver tissues of rats were measured by atomic absorption analysis over a half year of hepatocarcinogenesis. Male Wistar rats we re given carcinogenic food containing 600 mg/kg of 3'-methyl-4-dimethy laminoazobenzene (3'-MeDAB) in a basal diet for several months. After 4 to 6 months of feeding, hepatocarcinomas developed in the rats. Zn a nd Cu concentrations in the hepatocarcinomas of the 3'-MeDAB group sig nificantly decreased as compared with normal liver tissues of the cont rol groups. On the other hand, the aluminum concentration in the hepat ocarcinomas was more than three times that in the normal liver tissues . The Al and Se contents of developed gastric and mammary cancers were measured in Experiment II. Male and female rats were given 1-methyl-3 -nitrothoguanidine(MNNG) and 2,7-dimehtylbenz(a)anthracene(DMBA), resp ectively. After several months, carcinomas developed in over half of t he rats. The Al and Se concentrations in cancers, livers and the blood were determined by atomic absorption analysis. It was shown that both gastric and mammary carcinomas contained a high level of aluminum and very little selenium in comparison with normal liver tissues. The pre sent study demonstrated that aluminum accumulated in experimentally in duced carcinomas in rats, i.e., cancers of the liver, stomach, duodenu m and mammary glands.