Inductions of ornithine decarboxylase and DNA synthesis in rat stomach mucosa by glandular stomach carcinogens.

The inductions of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) and DNA synthesis in the pyloric mucosa of the stomach of male F344 rats after oral administrations of chemicals were studied. The glandular stomach carcinogens N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine, N-ethyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine, N-propyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine, 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide and N-nitroso-N-methylurethane induced up to 100-fold increase in ODC activity in the pyloric mucosa of the stomach; the activity was maximal 24 hr after administration and returned to the control level after 48 to 72 hr. These compounds also induced 14- to 30-fold increase in DNA synthesis in the pyloric mucosa of the stomach; synthesis was maximal 16 to 24 hr after administration and returned to the control level after 144 hr. The non-gastric carcinogens 2-acetylaminofluorene, dimethylnitrosamine and 3-amino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole (Trp-P-2) did not induce ODC or DNA synthesis in the pyloric mucosa of the stomach. Ethyl alcohol also did not induce ODC or DNA synthesis in the pyloric mucosa of the stomach. These results and previous findings that stomach-tumor promoters such as NaCl, taurocholate, glyoxal, K2S2O5 and formaldehyde induced ODC and DNA synthesis in the pyloric mucosa of the stomach of F344 rats suggest that the inductions of ODC and DNA synthesis in the glandular stomach mucosa are markers of promotive activities of complete carcinogens and tumor promoters in the glandular stomach.