ABSTRACT
Heterocyclic amines, which can be formed during the cooking of food, represent a subclass of chemical carcinogens that are structurally and biologically related to the bicyclic and polycyclic aromatic amines. The latter, which include 2-naphthylamine and 4-amino-biphenyl, are generally recognized as strong carcinogens in both humans and dogs and, to a lesser extent, in rodent bioassays. 1 Over the last decade, several heterocyclic amines have tested positive for carcinogenicity in rats and mice in chronic feeding studies and after single subcutaneous doses in neonatal mice (see Chapter by Sugimura). These have included 3-amino-1,4-dimethyI-5H-pyrido-[4,3-ft]indole (Trp-P-1), 3-amino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-f] indole (Trp-P-2), 2-amino-6-methyldipyrido[1, 2-a: 3′, 2′-d] imidazole (Glu-P-1), 2-ami-nodipyrido-[1,2-a:3′,2’-d]imidazole (Glu-P-2), 2-amino-α-carboline (AαC), 2-amino-3-methyl-α-carboline (MeAαC), 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (IQ), 2-amino-3,4-dimethyl-3H-imidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (MeIQ), 2-amino-3,8-dimehtylimidazo[4,5-f] quinoxaline (MeIQx), and 2-amino-1-inethy]-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]-pyridine (PhIP). The carcinogenicity of 2-amino-3,4,8-trimethylimidazo[4,5-f]-quinoxaline (DiMeIQx) has not yet been reported.
