[The role of nitrites in carcinogenesis]

Data from literature as well as the results of the author's investigations on the genotoxic and carcinogenic effects of sodium nitrite (SN) are presented. Carcinogenicity of SN detected in animal experiments proved to be connected with the formation of nitroso compounds from endogenous nitrosable precursors. Sodium nitrite possessed the transforming and promoting effects in the cell cultures as well as the mutagenic effects in the bacterial systems where predominant effect of SN as compared with N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) was registered. The prolonged pretreatment with SN amplified the liver DNA damage in rats in case of NDMA endogenous synthesis.