Insights into the mechanism of action of benzoyl peroxide as a tumor promoter.

A comparison of the mechanism of action of benzoyl peroxide, a tumor promoter was studied in three different cell lines i.e. NIH 3T3, HDCS and A431. Benzoyl peroxide was found to mediate its effect by inducing poly ADP-ribosylation in all the three cell types studied but to different extents, with histone H1 serving as a common acceptor for poly ADP-ribose. It also stimulated the activities of the antioxidant enzymes CuZn superoxide dismutase and catalase in NIH 3T3 and HDCS cells, but not in A431. Alterations in the expression of c-jun and c-fos were observed in NIH 3T3 and A431 cells. Benzoyl Peroxide appeared to mediate its effect via genetic and epigenetic mechanisms.