Induction of adenocarcinomas in the submandibular salivary glands of female Wistar rats treated with 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene

In 12 male and 12 female Wistar rats, 7–9 weeks of age, a solution of 0.05 ml of 1% 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA) dissolved in acetone was injected directly into the submandibular glands biweekly, after the gland had been injured. In some rats the carcinogen was injected 1 week after the injury. Each rat received six to seven injections. Swelling was observed in the submandibular gland region as early as 4 weeks after the last injection. The animals were killed 4–8 weeks after the last injection and glands with tumour tissues were processed for light microscopy. The control rats of the same age that received a corresponding amount of acetone only (three male, three female), carcinogen injection alone (three male, five female), and injury only (four male, four female) were killed at the same time. Histological examination revealed adenocarcinomas of the submandibular gland in 1212 (100%) female rats, six of which were associated with fibrosarcomas. The adenocarcinomas basically consisted of ductal and glandular structures. Sometimes tubular, cystic, papillary-cystic and cribriform-like structures were also observed. Male rats mainly developed fibrosarcomas, although there was one squamous-cell carcinoma. The reasons for the sex difference are not known. One adenocarcinoma developed in the submandibular gland of a female rat (15) that received carcinogen injections alone. Thus direct injections of DMBA into the submandibular gland produce adenocarcinomas in female Wistar rats.