We recently demonstrated the metabolism of 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) in rat intestinal segments, as well as the inducibility of intestinal NNK metabolism by starvation or acetone treatment. To improve our understanding of intestinal NNK turnover we have additionally investigated NNK metabolism in isolated perfused jejunal segments from NMRI mice and Syrian golden hamsters. [14C]NNK (1 micromol/l) was metabolized extensively by jejunal segments from female NMRI mice (88.5%) and female Syrian hamsters (86.4%), whereas in male NMRI mouse segments a slightly lower metabolism (68.8%) was observed. Alpha-Hydroxylation was the predominant metabolic pathway in mice (58% of total metabolism), whereas in female Syrian hamsters N-oxidation accounted for >50% of the metabolites [4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl-N-oxide)-1-butanol 27%, 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl-N-oxide)-1-butanone 22% of total radioactivity]. Formation of 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol (NNAL) was low in both species. Total NNK metabolism in male NMRI mice was increased by starvation to 84.4% and by acetone treatment to 90.0% of the absorbed radioactivity. This increase was due to an increase in N-oxidation, whereas the amounts of alpha-hydroxides and NNAL remained unchanged. In female Syrian hamsters acetone treatment had only minimal effects upon the metabolite composition. Acetone-treated NMRI mice and Syrian hamsters were additionally gavaged with the chemopreventive agent phenethylisothiocyanate (PEITC). In mice this treatment slightly decreased keto acid formation (0.6-fold, P<0.05), whereas in hamsters PEITC had no effect. In summary, intestinal metabolism of NNK in rats, mice and hamsters differs in both the extent of total metabolism (hamsters > or = mice > rats) and the metabolite composition, indicating major species differences.