Effects of magnesium basic carbonate (MgCarb) and metallic iron powder (Fe0) on nickel subsulfide (Ni3S2)-induced carcinogenesis were studied in kidneys of male F344/NCr rats. The rats, 20-40/group, received injections of Ni3S2 alone (62 mumol Ni) or with equimolar doses of MgCarb or Fe0 into the renal cortex of each pole of the right kidney. Control rats were given MgCarb, Fe0, or 0.1 ml of 50% aqueous glycerol, the injection vehicle. Final incidence of renal tumors 2 years after the injection of Ni3S2 alone or mixed with Fe0 was 60%. However, rats given Ni3S2 + Fe0 developed renal tumors much more rapidly. In contrast, the incidence of renal tumors in rats given Ni3S2 + MgCarb was only 20% (P < 0.01 vs. Ni3S2 alone). No kidney tumors were observed in the control rats. Between weeks 4 and 32 post injection, Ni3S2 alone caused erythrocytosis. This effect was attenuated by Fe0, but not by MgCarb. Hence, there is no firm correlation between carcinogenic activity of nickel and its ability to induce erythropoiesis. All kidney tumors were of mesenchymal cell origin and resembled the sarcomatous variant of the classic rat renal mesenchymal tumor. Some of them metastasized to the lungs and other organs. In 3-35 days post-injection, kidneys of rats treated with Ni3S2 alone showed moderate to extensive necrosis, inflammation, fibrosis, and degenerative and regenerative proliferative changes in the proximal tubular epithelium at the injection site. Similar, but more severe and multifocal changes were observed in the kidneys of Ni3S2 + Fe0-treated rats. The necrosis was less severe in kidneys injected with Ni3S2 + MgCarb, but fibrosis and degenerative and regenerative changes in proximal tubular epithelium were similar to those observed in other treatment groups. Ni3S2 deposits were seen inside macrophages and proximal tubular epithelial cells of Ni3S2 and Ni3S2+ Fe0-treated kidneys more frequently than in Ni3S2 + MgCarb-treated kidneys. Thus, magnesium antagonizes nickel carcinogenesis in the rat kidney while iron tends to enhance it. This result may be related to respectively attenuating or enhancing effects of magnesium and iron on the inflammatory response to Ni3S2.