The role of hydroxyamines in bladder cancer—I: Fluorescence studies of the bladder mucosa of dogs fed 2-aminonapthalene

Fluorescence spectroscopy of the bladder mucosa of dogs given the bladder carcinogen 2-aminonaphthalene revealed the presence of a fluorescent metabolite displaying maxima at 400 mμ and 440 mμ at 340 mμ excitation. Control dog bladder mucosa displayed a single maximum of lower intensity at 440 mμ. The same fluorescence spectrum was obtained after the in-vitro interaction of the 2-amino-1-naphthyl sulfate with control dog bladder mucosa. However, other 2-amino-1-naphthol derivatives displayed the same fluorescence maxima under these conditions. The fluorescence is completely removed by dialysis of the bladder mucosa and also disappears if the ingestion of the 2-aminonaphthalene is discontinued for a few days. The metabolite was identified as 2-amino-1-naphthyl sulfate by paper chromatography. No other metabolites of 2-aminonaphthalene were detected.