Assessment of nitrosamine transplacental carcinogenesis in the Syrian golden hamster

The effects of diethylnitrosamine (DEN) and vinylethylnitrosamine (VEN) in the F1 generation of Syrian golden hamsters are described after the compounds were administered to the P generation during the second half of pregnancy. Morphologic findings revealed that the upper respiratory tract (i.e., trachea) was most affected. VEN appeared highly effective because the first neoplastic alterations (papillary polyps) were seen in both the P and the F1 animals at the 30th postnatal day. The fetal tracheal epithelium also showed chromosomal aberrations after DEN exposure, and VEN enhanced the cloning efficiency of these cells. Combined in vivo - in vitro studies are discussed with special emphasis on the early detection of transformation and neoplastic growth.