Roles of urinary sodium ion concentration and pH in promotion by ascorbic acid of urinary bladder carcinogenesis in rats.

Since the sodium salt of ascorbic acid (AA) promoted two-stage urinary bladder carcinogenesis in rats, whereas AA itself did not, the roles of the urinary sodium ion concentration and pH on urinary bladder carcinogenesis were investigated. Male F344 rats were given 0.05% N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine in their drinking water for 4 weeks and then treated with basal diet containing 5% AA plus 3% sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3), 5% AA, 3% NaHCO3 or 5% sodium L-ascorbate (SA), 5% SA plus 1% ammonium chloride (NH4Cl) or 1% NH4Cl, or no added chemical for 32 weeks. NaHCO3 significantly increased the induction of neoplastic and preneoplastic lesions of the urinary bladder. Like SA, AA plus NaHCO3 induced high incidences of neoplastic and preneoplastic lesions of the urinary bladder, whereas AA alone did not. NH4Cl reduced the promoting activity of SA in urinary bladder carcinogenesis. These results suggest important roles for urinary sodium ion concentration and pH in modulating urinary bladder carcinogenesis. Moreover, AA was found to act as a copromoter under conditions of increased urinary pH and sodium ion concentration.