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 and Cu in the liver tissues of rats were measured by atomic absorption analysis over a half year of hepatocarcinogenesis. Male Wistar rats were given carcinogenic food containing 600 mg/kg of 3'-methyl-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene (3'-MeDAB) in a basal diet for several months. After 4 to 6 months of feeding, hepatocarcinomas developed in the rats. Zn and Cu concentrations in the hepatocarcinomas of the 3'-MeDAB group significantly decreased as compared with normal liver tissues of the control groups. On the other hand, the aluminum concentration in the hepatocarcinomas 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), respectively. After several months, carcinomas developed in over half of the 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 present study demonstrated that aluminum accumulated in experimentally induced carcinomas in rats, i.e., cancers of the liver, stomach, duodenum and mammary glands.