Early alterations of rat intestinal diamine oxidase activity by azoxymethane, an intestinal carcinogen.

Some mutagenic hydrazino compounds are also diamine oxidase inhibitors. Therefore, this interrelationship was studied for the intestinal carcinogen azoxymethane. In vitro, azoxymethane was a very weak inhibitor of rat intestinal diamine oxidase activity. In vivo, after subcutaneous injection of a single dose of azoxymethane, diamine oxidase activity was increased in the duodenum but was mainly inhibited in the colon. Intestinal diamine oxidase activity may then be influenced by regulatory processes induced by azoxymethane rather than by a direct effect.