Interactions between Tobacco Smoke Constituents in Rodent Tumor Models
Interactions between Tobacco Smoke Constituents in Rodent Tumor Models
Principal Investigator: Lisa A. Peterson
Funding Mechanism: National Institutes of Health- Grant
ID Number: 1R01CA184987-01
Award Date: 6/12/2014
Institution: University of Minnesota
Tobacco smoke is a complex mixture of chemicals, many of which are toxic and carcinogenic. However, it is unclear how individual components of the mixture interact to trigger cancer. Reducing the levels of one chemical may not reduce the overall carcinogenic properties of the tobacco product if the interaction between chemicals amplifies the effects of residual carcinogen levels. The goal of this project is to characterize the potential interactions between known human carcinogens (4-methylnitrosoamino-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone [NNK], N’-nitrosonornicotine [NNN], and benzo[a]pyrene [BaP]) and volatile components of tobacco smoke (acetaldehyde, acrolein, and formaldehyde) in established rodent tumor models. Specific aims are: (1) to determine if acetaldehyde influences the carcinogenic properties of NNN in a rat esophageal tumor model; (2) to determine if inhaled aldehydes (i.e., formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acrolein) modulate the carcinogenic properties of NNK in a mouse lung tumor model; and (3) to determine if inhaled aldehydes modulate the carcinogenic properties of BaP in a mouse lung tumor model. These studies may provide important new information about the ability of volatile compounds to influence the tumor-related activity of tobacco carcinogens, and may be used to inform product regulation.