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Mechanisms of Endogenous Nitrosation

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Chemical Carcinogenesis

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Abstract

Substantial evidence has been assembled suggesting the possible health risk from exposure to N-nitroso compounds. Sander1 originally proposed the concept of endogenous intragastric nitrosation, a process capable of generating carcinogenic N-nitroso compounds in humans. It has also been demonstrated that N-nitroso compounds are formed endogenously in animals given nitrite and a suitable amine2,3. However, the initial research on endogenous synthesis of N-nitroso compounds in humans was complicated by the presence of numerous artifacts of the analytical methods and the collection procedures. A method proposed by Ohshima and Bartsch4 was the first potentially suitable procedure for estimating daily human exposure to endogenously formed N-nitroso compounds. The monitoring of urinary levels of N-nitrosoproline (NPRO) after dosing with nitrate and proline was utilized in a human volunteer without adverse biological effects. Since this publication, a number of other investigators have used this procedure to demonstrate the endogenous formation of nitrosoproline as well as other nitrosoamino acids in humans.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Applied Biological Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, 56-311, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA

    Steven R. Tannenbaum

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  1. Steven R. Tannenbaum
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy

    Francesco Feo  & Renato Garcea  & 

  2. University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy

    Paolo Pani  & Amedeo Columbano  & 

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Tannenbaum, S.R. (1988). Mechanisms of Endogenous Nitrosation. In: Feo, F., Pani, P., Columbano, A., Garcea, R. (eds) Chemical Carcinogenesis. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-9640-7_67

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-9640-7_67

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4757-9642-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4757-9640-7

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