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Mechanisms of Chemical Carcinogenesis

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Biochemistry of Chemical Carcinogenesis

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Abstract

Chemical carcinogenesis is a multistage process, consisting of different steps leading ultimately to malignant tumors. Initiation is considered to be the first stage, leading to a rapid and probably irreversible change in the target cells. A generalized theory of the initiation step.in chemical carcinogenesis has been proposed by Miller & Miller (1976) which is now generally accepted for so-called genotoxic carcinogens. Chemical carcinogens are not normally reactive by themselves, but need metabolic activation to form highly reactive, electrophilic species (ultimate carcinogens), interacting with nucleophilic sites in the cell, especially in DNA. Several examples for typical genotoxic carcinogens will be given.

However, other chemicals are known which in animal experiments induce tumors, but which probably do not form adducts with DNA and therefore are not mutagenic in short-term tests. Some of these epigenetic carcinogens will be mentioned and the available knowledge of reaction mechanisms discussed.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Toxicology and Chemotherapy, German Cancer Research Centre, D-6900, Heidleberg, Germany

    Rudolf Preussman

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  1. Rudolf Preussman
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of York, York, UK

    R. Colin Garner

  2. Research Institute for Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases, Prague, Czechoslovakia

    Jan Hradec

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© 1989 Plenum Press, New York

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Preussman, R. (1989). Mechanisms of Chemical Carcinogenesis. In: Garner, R.C., Hradec, J. (eds) Biochemistry of Chemical Carcinogenesis. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-0539-2_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-0539-2_3

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4612-7856-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4613-0539-2

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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