Ras mutations in methylclofenapate-induced B6C3F1 and C57BL/10J mouse liver tumours

The majority of genotoxic carcinogen-induced liver tumours of the sensitive B6C3F1 mouse contain activated H-ras oncogenes. Such mutations also occur in hepatocarcinogenesis-resistant strains. In order to determine whether this is true of non-genotoxic carcinogen-induced tumours, liver tumours induced in B6C3F1 and C57BL/10J mice by methylclofenapate (MCP) were compared. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis revealed H-ras codon 61 mutations in 11/46 B6C3F1 and 4/31 C57BL/10J liver tumours. The nude mouse tumorigenicity (NMT) assay was used to analyse tumours without codon 61 mutations. Of the 12 B6C3F1 liver tumour DNAs subjected to this assay, one contained a H-ras codon 117 mutation. Further PCR analysis on frozen tumour samples (46 B6C3F1 and 15 C57BL/10J) revealed no codon 12 mutations; one additional codon 117 mutation was identified in a B6C3F1 tumour. Overall, then, H-ras codon 61 mutations were detected in MCP-induced B6C3F1 tumours less frequently than in genotoxin-induced tumours. Two B6C3F1 tumours contained codon 117 mutations similar to those previously found in tumours induced by ciprofibrate, furan and furfural, and in at least one spontaneous tumour. Ras mutations were also detected in some C57BL/10J tumours, providing further evidence that ras oncogenes can participate in hepatocarcinogenesis in resistant mice.