Distribution, metabolism, and irreversible binding of hexamethylmelamine in mice bearing ovarian carcinoma

Cancer Chemother Pharmacol. 1983;11(1):51-5. doi: 10.1007/BF00257418.

Abstract

The covalent binding of hexamethylmelamine (HMM) and its metabolites was studied in liver, tumor, blood, kidney, spleen, lung, brain, heart, and small intestine after a single IP injection of 2,4,6-14C-hexamethylmelamine (50 mg/kg) to C57Bl/6J female mice bearing 20-day-old M5076/73A ovarian cancer. Covalent binding to tissue macromolecules was measured 2, 10, and 40 h after injection of the drug. At 2 h liver and small intestine showed the highest levels of irreversibly bound metabolites, the lowest being found in brain and heart. Except in the small intestine, where a decrease was observed between 2 and 10 h, the level of covalent binding was constant up to 40 h. HMM metabolism was also studied. Tissue distribution of pentamethylmelamine (PMM), 2,2,4,6-tetramethylmelamine (TMM), and 2,4,6-trimethylmelamine (TriMM) was determined at the three times considered. At 2 h the drug was already extensively metabolized, TriMM being the major metabolite among those determined.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Altretamine / analogs & derivatives
  • Altretamine / metabolism*
  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents / metabolism
  • Female
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Tissue Distribution
  • Triazines / metabolism*

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Triazines
  • N(2),N(2),N(4),N(6)-tetramethylmelamine
  • 2,4,6-trimethylmelamine
  • Altretamine
  • pentamethylmelamine