Genotoxicology of N-nitroso compounds

This book attempts to demonstrate the complexity of the mechanisms of biological action of the toxic N-nitroso compounds. The conclusions presented on genetic toxicology are based on comparative studies of biological assays and a firm foundation of chemical structural relations among N-nitroso compounds. Topics considered include the formation of N-nitroso compounds and their significance, N-nitrosamine mutagenicity using the Salmonella/Mammalian-Microsome Mutagenicity Assay, the structural basis for the mutagenic activity of N-nitrosamines in the Salmonella Histidine Reversion Assay, the effect of pH and structure on the mutagenic activity of N-nitroso compounds, the induction of bacteriophage lambda by N-nitroso compounds, the relationship between the carcinogenicity and mutagenicity of nitrosamines in a Hepatocyte-Mediated Mutagenicity Assay, the mutagenic activity of nitrosamines in mammalian cells (study with the CHO/HGPRT and human leukocyte SCE assays), dimethylnitrosamine demethylase and the mutagenicity of dimethylnitrosamine (effects of rodent liver fractions and dimethylsulfoxide), the relationship between metabolism and mutagenicity of two cyclic nitrosamines, structureactivity relations in carcinogenesis by N-nitroso compounds, and a comparison of mutagenic and carcinogenic properties.