Urinary metabolites of N-nitrosodibutylamine in the rat: identification of N-acetyl-S-butyl-L-cysteine derivatives.

N-Acetyl-S-(butyl, 3-oxobutyl and 3-hydroxybutyl)-L-cysteines have been isolated and identified (as their methyl esters) from the urine of rats given N-nitrosodibutylamine (NDBA), N-nitrodibutylamine (NTDBA) and their corresponding alpha-acetoxy derivatives, N-nitroso-N-butyl(1-acetoxybutyl)amine and N-nitro-N-butyl(1-acetoxybutyl)amine, respectively. Greater amounts of these L-cysteine derivatives were detected in urine after administration of NDBA than of NTDBA. This suggests that the markedly different biological activities of NDBA and NTDBA might be due, in part, to a difference in their alkylating abilities in vivo.

Directly-acting mutagens formed from N-nitroso-N-(formylmethyl)alkylamines.

Directly-acting mutagens formed from N-nitroso-N-(formylmethyl)alkylamines (I) were isolated and identified as N-nitroso-N-alkyl-1-hydroxyimino-2-oxoethylamines (II). Their structures were elucidated on the basis of nuclear magnetic resonance spectra and confirmed by leading to their crystalline 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazone. II (alkyl = ethyl and n-butyl) were strongly mutagenic to Salmonella typhimurium TA1535 and Escherichia coli WP2 hcr- without metabolic activation, while II with a tert-butyl group was not mutagenic.