Methylated purine bases in hepatic and colonic RNA of rats treated with 1,2-dimethylhydrazine.
Administration of 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH) to rats produces colon cancer. The mechanism by which this agent induces colon cancer is unclear. This investigation was conducted to assess the effect of DMH on the hepatic RNA and the colonic RNA of rats. DMH (300 mg/kg body wt) was administered to rats by ip injections. After 24 h, the hepatic RNA and the colonic RNA were isolated and their component purine bases were analyzed by HPLC. DMH treatment resulted in the formation of 1-methyladenine, 1-methylguanine, N2-methylguanine, O6-methylguanine, and 7-methylguanine in RNA. These methylated products may play a role in cellular injury produced by DMH.