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Organ Specificity and Interspecies Differences in Carcinogenesis by Metabolism-Independent Alkylating Agents

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Organ and Species Specificity in Chemical Carcinogenesis

Part of the book series: Basic Life Sciences ((BLSC))

Abstract

The metabolism-independent or “direct-acting” alkylating agents comprise a structurally diverse group of chemically reactive organic compounds that include some of the most potent known mutagens and carcinogens. Their conversion to reactive intermediates requires no enzyme-mediated catalysis, and in this respect these compounds differ from the great majority of organic chemical carcinogens. Many of the direct-acting alkylating agents have been used in chemical syntheses for decades, and their chemistry is accordingly well known. The carcinogenicity of a number of these compounds has been studied extensively in both rodent and non-rodent species, and the results of such studies provide a remarkable illustration of qualitative interspecies differences in susceptibility to carcinogenesis that cannot be ascribed to differences in metabolism of xenobiotic compounds.

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  1. Laboratory of Comparative Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Institute, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland, 21701, USA

    Jerry M. Rice & Alan Perantoni

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  1. Jerry M. Rice
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  1. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA

    Robert Langenbach  & Stephen Nesnow  & 

  2. National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA

    Jerry M. Rice

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© 1983 Plenum Press, New York

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Rice, J.M., Perantoni, A. (1983). Organ Specificity and Interspecies Differences in Carcinogenesis by Metabolism-Independent Alkylating Agents. In: Langenbach, R., Nesnow, S., Rice, J.M. (eds) Organ and Species Specificity in Chemical Carcinogenesis. Basic Life Sciences. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-4400-1_5

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