Studies on the tissue-disposition and fate of N-[14C]ethyl-N-nitrosourea in mice

The tissue-disposition and fate of N-[14C]ethyl-N-nitrosourea has been studied in mice. A large part of the injected N-[14C]ethyl-N-nitrosourea radioactivity was found to be exhaled as 14CO2. Whole-body autoradiography showed evenly distributed radioactivity in most tissues shortly after the administration of N-[14C]ethyl-N-nitrosourea which probably is due to the homogeneously distributed substance and the non-enzymatically formed ethyl-carbonium ions which have reacted with the tissues. The blood-brain barrier seemed to have a capacity to partially prevent the uptake of the substance in the central nervous system. A high radioactivity was observed in the liver, which may imply that N-[14C]ethyl-N-nitrosourea is enzymatically decomposed in this tissue. An observed labelling of kidneys may be connected with urinary excretion of radioactivity. The radioactivity in the liver and kidney decreased at later survival intervals and a distribution pattern appeared, which was characterized by a labelling of tissues with a high protein or steroid synthesis and of fat containing tissues. The distribution pattern corresponded to the one seen after the administration of [14C]acetaldehyde and is probably due to normal biosynthetic incorporation of radioactivity in the 2-carbon pool. Pretreatments with pyrazole, nialamide and diethyldithiocarbamate caused a marked inhibition of the exhalation of 14CO2 and of the incorporation of radioactivity in the liver. This effect may be directed towards the decomposition of N-[14C]ethyl-N-nitrosourea itself, but an effect on the metabolism of formed 2-carbon fragments is also possible. The incorporation of radioactivity in other tissues was not influenced by the pretreatments.