Influence of prior dietary protein intake on metabolism, DNA binding and adduct formation of 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene in isolated rat mammary epithelial cells.

These studies were designed to examine the influence of prior dietary protein intakes in rats on the ability of their isolated mammary cells to metabolize 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA). Total metabolism of DMBA increased as dietary protein increased. After 6 h of incubation, water-soluble metabolites made only a minor (less than 12%) contribution to total DMBA metabolism. The binding of DMBA to isolated mammary cell DNA after 6 h of incubation from rats fed 15% dietary protein was 20% higher than binding from cells of rats fed 7.5% dietary protein. The increased binding in mammary epithelial cells from rats fed 15% protein was associated with an increase in the syn-dihydrodiol-epoxide adduct. The syn-dihydrodiol-epoxide:deoxyadenosine adduct was the major contributor to binding. The present studies are consistent with a decrease in carcinogen activation in tissues obtained from animals fed diets limiting in protein.