Nitration of carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons results in products able to induce transformation of Syrian hamster cells.

Five nitrated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, synthesized from benzo[a]pyrene, fluoranthene, pyrene, and chrysene induced dose-dependent transformation of Syrian hamster embryo cells. Benzo[a]pyrene, a known carcinogen, induced transformation while the other parental compounds, which are non-carcinogens, were not effective. The transforming potential of the nitro derivatives varied from compound to compound; on a molar basis, 1,8-dinitropyrene was the most effective nitrated hydrocarbon followed in order by 3-nitrofluoranthene, 1-nitropyrene, 6-nitrochrysene, and 6-nitrobenzo[a]pyrene. The ability to obtain dose-dependent transformation frequencies indicates that hamster cell transformation represents a responsive model for elucidating the mechanism of action of nitrated carcinogens. Because of their ubiquitous distribution and their ability to induce morphological transformation in mammalian cells, nitrated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons must be considered as potential carcinogens.