CAS 38252-74-3: N-Butyl-N-(3-carboxypropyl)nitrosamine

4-(N-Butyl-N-nitrosamino)butyric Acid (4-NBB) is a potent carcinogen that has been shown to induce bladder cancer in animals following administration by intravesical instillation. 4-NBB is a metabolite of the tobacco-specific nitrosamine, N′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN). The carcinogenic activity of 4-NBB was demonstrated in a number of in vitro and in vivo studies. In vitro assays with human bladder cells showed that 4-NBB induced DNA damage and mutation frequency. Wild type mice treated with 4-NBB developed cancers at the site of injection, whereas wild type mice not exposed to 4-NBB did not develop any tumors. Cancer studies on rats also revealed that exposure to 4-NBB led to increased incidence and multiplicity of bladder tumors. These findings provide strong evidence for the genotoxic effects of this compound.