Background: 4-Aminobiphenyl (4-ABP) and o-toluidine are known human bladder carcinogens, but only 4-ABP-releasing DNA adducts are known.
Methods: Determination of 4-ABP and o-toluidine-releasing DNA adducts in epithelial and submucosal bladder tissues of sudden death victims (SDV: n=46), and bladder tumours (n=12) by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.
Results: Above background, 4 and 11 of 12 tumour samples contained adducts of 4-ABP (0.057 ± 0.125 fmol/µg DNA) and o-toluidine (8.72 ± 4.49 fmol/µg DNA), respectively. Lower adduct levels were present in both epithelial and submucosal bladder tissues of SDV (4-ABP: 0.011 ± 0.022 and 0.019 ± 0.047 fmol/µg DNA; o-toluidine: 0.24 ± 0.63 and 0.27 ± 0.70 fmol/µg DNA).
Conclusion: Detection of o-toluidine-releasing DNA adducts support the carcinogenicity of o-toluidine in the human bladder.