[Correlation of the rates of singlet oxygen inactivation by phenols and their efficacy in the inhibition of neoplasms induced by benzo(a)pyrene]. / Corrélation entre les vitesses de désactivation de l'oxygène singulet par les phénols et leur efficacité dans l'inhibition de néoplasies induites par le benzo (a) pyrène.

ABSTRACT

Prooxidant states, characterised by an increase in the intracellular concentration of activated forms of oxygen, are able to promote tumors. The inhibitory effects of synthetic phenolic compounds added to the diet of mice on benzo(a)pyrene-induced neoplasia of the forestomach have been determined by Wattenberg et al. The efficiency of this inhibition has been estimated quantitatively for each phenol, using the ratio R of the number of tumors per mouse in the treated group over the number of tumors per mouse in the control group. We have observed a linear correlation between the antitumoral efficiency (1-R) and the logarithm of the rate of quenching of singlet oxygen, k, y, by this family of phenols, log k being itself correlated with the half-wave oxidation potential of the phenols. These correlations suggest a charge transfer mechanism for the inhibition of neoplasia induced by benzo(a)pyrene, B(a)P. It should be pointed out that singlet oxygen can be generated via enzymatic reactions in the dark and thus might play a role in the formation of the ultimate carcinogenic metabolite B(a)P-7, 8-dihydroxy-9, 10-epoxide. The correlations described emphasize the interest in scaling the inhibitors of mutagenicity induced by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons with respect to their oxidation potentials. Our result is a first step towards a better understanding of the molecular reactions involved in chemically-induced neoplasia and in its prevention.