The synergistic effect of urine concentrate on 2-aminoanthracene in the Ames test

Benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) and 2-aminoanthracene (2-AA) were tested in the Ames test in the presence of varying amounts of rat liver homogenate or in the presence of a concentrate of human urine. The results indicate that the synergistic effect found by Hannan et al. (Cancer Letters, 13 (1981) 203-212) of urine concentrate from smokers on the Ames test effect of 2-AA can be attributed to effects on the metabolic conversion of this compound and that this effect is not solely linked to smoking.