A deep dive into historical Ames study data for N-nitrosamine compounds

HESI GTTC ring trial: Concordance between Ames and rodent carcinogenicity outcomes for N-nitrosamines (NAs) with rat and hamster metabolic conditions

A multi-sector study (i.e., Ring Trial) was designed to improve the in vitro detection of N-nitrosamine (NA)-associated mutagenicity by optimizing the bacterial reverse mutation (i.e., Ames) assay protocol and testing various conditions on the sensitivity and specificity for the prediction of rodent carcinogenicity. A total of 29 NAs and 3 N-nitroso drug-like compounds from different structural classes and carcinogenicity outcomes were tested (two independent laboratories per compound) across 5 bacterial strains using a 30-min pre-incubation protocol. To evaluate the impact of different metabolic activating systems (MASs), testing conditions included the use of 10 or 30 % liver S9 fractions prepared from rats or hamsters pretreated with inducers of enzymatic activity. Results indicate that E. coli and Salmonella typhimurium strains detecting single base pair mutations, coupled with MASs containing 30 % hamster S9s were the most sensitive (90 %) for identifying NAs that are rodent carcinogens. Regarding MAS combinations, the highest sensitivity was 30 % rat and 30 % hamster (93 %), but has low specificity (45 %), with good laboratory agreement for the Ames calls (91 %). DMSO and water were considered suitable solvents, except for small-molecular weight alkyl NAs. These results will support harmonized Ames testing of NAs, giving high confidence for a negative result.

An Enhanced Metabolization Protocol for In Vitro Genotoxicity Assessment of N-Nitrosamines in Mammalian Cells

N-Nitrosamines (NAs) are probable human carcinogens and were detected as impurities in pharmaceuticals, which led to a concern for human health. NAs require metabolic activation before they become mutagenic, and not all NAs are mutagenic since their reactivity is related to their structure. While some NAs are potent mutagens in vivo, in vitro metabolization with exogenous S9 liver extract is generally less efficient. While an enhanced bacterial mutagenicity protocol was recently developed, which uses increased concentrations of S9 liver extracts, there presently is not an improved metabolization protocol suitable for mammalian cell genotoxicity assays. Therefore, we optimized a hamster S9 liver extract-based protocol for in vitro NA metabolization and assessed the genotoxic potential of various NAs using ToxTracker. With this enhanced metabolization protocol (EMP), the genotoxic potency of N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) increased approximately 200-fold compared with the standard S9 liver extract-based exposure protocol in ToxTracker. The EMP was further validated with seven additional mutagenic NAs to which humans are commonly exposed: N-nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA), N-nitrosodiethanolamine (NDELA), N-nitrosodibutylamine (NDBA), N-nitrosofluoxetine (NF), 1-nitrosopyrrolidine (NPYR), N-nitrosomorpholine (NMOR), and 1-cyclopentyl-4-nitrosopiperazine (CPNP), and two non-mutagenic NAs: N-nitrosobupropion (NBuPRO) and N-nitrosoproline (NPRO). Genotoxicity could be confirmed for six NAs using the EMP, demonstrating that mammalian cells and the new approach methodology (NAM) ToxTracker may have potential when investigating NA-related genotoxicity.

A comparative analysis of select P450 enzymes in uninduced and PB/BNF-induced hamster and rat liver S9

The assessment of potentially carcinogenic N-nitrosamine impurities in drugs has become crucial for the pharmaceutical industry to ensure public safety. The in vitro Ames test, which uses rat or hamster liver S9 for metabolic activation, is an important component of regulatory test batteries for assessing mutagenicity and has been the traditional method for assessing the potential mutagenicity of chemicals, including N-nitrosamines. This test, however, has shown inconsistencies with some N-nitrosamines, raising concerns about the liver S9's ability to activate N-nitrosamines to their proximate mutagens. Assays from Vivid® CYP450 Screening Kits and the 7-benzyloxyquinoline assay were used to measure substrate activities of P450 enzymes involved in N-nitrosamine metabolism in rat and hamster liver S9. Both uninduced and induced rat and hamster liver S9 preparations were used. The results provide a comparative assessment of the metabolic competency of the rodent S9s to metabolize N-nitrosamines to their mutagenic forms. Hamster S9 consistently showed increased CYP activity compared to rat S9 under the same conditions. Induced rat S9 also displayed relatively high conversion levels, with the greatest increase in 7-benzyloxyquinoline conversion (CYP3A-like activity) over uninduced (15.7-fold). The highest increase observed with induced hamster S9 was for CYP2A6-like activity which was induced over 7.8-fold and was ∼60-fold higher in induced hamster S9 compared to induced rat S9. These results demonstrate that both rat and hamster S9 contain relevant P450 enzyme activities for N-nitrosamine bioactivation, but hamster S9 is recommended for nitrosamine in vitro tests due to its overall higher P450 activity levels.

Ames mutagenicity of 15 aryl, benzyl, and aliphatic ring N-nitrosamines

The Ames mutagenicity test is an effective means of screening compounds for their carcinogenic potential. Here, we conducted Ames tests on 15 aryl, benzyl, and aliphatic ring N-nitrosamines. Then, by using two indicators of mutagenicity strength calculated from the Ames test results, namely, maximum specific activity (MSA; number of revertant colonies) and maximum fold increase (MFI; relative ratio of increased colonies), we examined the relationship between Ames mutagenicity strength and Carcinogenic Potency Categorization Approach (CPCA) potency category, which is a structure-activity-relationship-based prediction of the carcinogenic potency of nitrosamines. Eleven of the test compounds were Ames positive and four were negative. Of the 11 positive compounds, three were categorized as strong positive (MSA ≥1000), five as medium positive (100 ≤ MSA <1000), and three as weak positive (MSA <100). The compounds with an aliphatic ring showed a negative relationship between mutagenicity strength (i.e., MSA or MFI) and carcinogenic potential (i.e., CPCA category), whereas, the alpha-methyl aryl N-nitrosamines did not. Overall, MSA and MFI were found to be detailed indicators of the carcinogenic potency of the N-nitrosamines and can potentially be used to support CPCA categorization.

Mutagenicity and genotoxicity evaluation of 15 nitrosamine drug substance-related impurities in human TK6 cells

Nitrosamine drug substance-related impurities (NDSRIs) are a sub-category of N-nitrosamine drug impurities that share structural similarity to the corresponding active pharmaceutical ingredient. The mutagenicity of NDSRIs is poorly understood. We previously tested a series of NDSRIs using the Enhanced Ames Test (EAT). In this follow-up study, we further examined the genotoxicity and mutagenicity of 15 of these NDSRIs in human TK6 cells. Seven EAT-positive NDSRIs, including N-nitroso-nortriptyline, N-nitroso-fluoxetine, N-nitroso-desmethyl-diphenhydramine, N-nitroso-duloxetine, N-nitroso-lorcaserin, N-nitroso-varenicline, and N-nitroso-sertraline, induced concentration-dependent increases in micronuclei after bioactivation with hamster liver S9. These NDSRIs were also mutagenic in the TK and HPRT gene mutation assays, consistent with their positive EAT results. In the presence of hamster liver S9, the eight EAT-negative NDSRIs were negative in the micronucleus assay and negative for mutation induction. Using TK6 cells endogenously expressing a single human cytochrome P450 (CYP), we found that CYP2C19, CYP2B6, CYP2A6, and CYP3A4 are key enzymes activating the genotoxicity and mutagenicity of these NDSRIs. Overall, the hamster S9-mediated TK6 cell mutagenicity results agreed with those observed in the EAT, indicating consistency in the mutagenic responses produced by NDSRIs across different testing systems. These data support the use of EAT for hazard identification and safety assessment of NDSRIs.

Optimizing the detection of N-nitrosamine mutagenicity in the Ames test

Accurately determining the mutagenicity of small-molecule N-nitrosamine drug impurities and nitrosamine drug substance-related impurities (NDSRIs) is critical to identifying mutagenic and cancer hazards. In the current study we have evaluated several approaches for enhancing assay sensitivity for evaluating the mutagenicity of N-nitrosamines in the bacterial reverse mutagenicity (Ames) test. Preincubation assays were conducted using five activation conditions: no exogenous metabolic activation and metabolic activation mixes employing both 10% and 30% liver S9 from hamsters and rats pretreated with inducers of enzymatic activity. In addition, preincubations were conducted for both 60 min and 30 min. These test variables were evaluated by testing 12 small-molecule N-nitrosamines and 17 NDSRIs for mutagenicity in Salmonella typhimurium tester strains TA98, TA100, TA1535, and TA1537, and Escherichia coli strain WP2 uvrA (pKM101). Eighteen of the 29 N-nitrosamine test substances tested positive under one or more of the testing conditions and all 18 positives could be detected by using tester strains TA1535 and WP2 uvrA (pKM101), preincubations of 30 min, and S9 mixes containing 30% hamster liver S9. In general, the conditions under which NDSRIs were mutagenic were similar to those found for small-molecule N-nitrosamines.

N-nitrosamine impurity risk assessment in pharmaceuticals: Utilizing In vivo mutation relative potency comparison to establish an acceptable intake for NTTP

The finding of N-nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA) and N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) in marketed drugs has led to implementation of risk assessment processes intended to limit exposures to the entire class of N-nitrosamines. A critical component of the risk assessment process is establishing exposure limits that are protective of human health. One approach to establishing exposure limits for novel N-nitrosamines is to conduct an in vivo transgenic rodent (TGR) mutation study. Existing regulatory guidance on N-nitrosamines provides decision making criteria based on interpreting in vivo TGR mutation studies as an overall positive or negative. However, point of departure metrics, such as benchmark dose (BMD), can be used to define potency and provide an opportunity to establish relevant exposure limits. This can be achieved through relative potency comparison of novel N-nitrosamines with model N-nitrosamines possessing robust in vivo mutagenicity and carcinogenicity data. The current work adds to the dataset of model N-nitrosamines by providing in vivo TGR mutation data for N-nitrosopiperidine (NPIP). In vivo TGR mutation data was also generated for a novel N-nitrosamine impurity identified in sitagliptin-containing products, 7-nitroso-3-(trifluoromethyl)-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-[1,2,4]triazolo-[4,3-a]pyrazine (NTTP). Using the relative potency comparison approach, we have demonstrated the safety of NTTP exposures at or above levels of 1500 ng/day.

Evaluation of the nitrosamine impurities of ACE inhibitors using computational, in vitro, and in vivo methods demonstrate no genotoxic potential

Evaluation and mitigation of the potential carcinogenic risks associated with nitrosamines in marketed pharmaceutical products are areas of interest for pharmaceutical companies and health authorities alike. Significant progress has been made to establish acceptable intake (AI) levels for N-nitrosamine drug substance-related impurities (NDSRIs) using SAR, however some compounds require experimental data to support derivation of a recommended AI. Many angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, identified by the suffix "pril," have secondary amines that can potentially react to form nitrosamines. Here we consider a structural assessment and metabolism data, coupled with comprehensive in vitro and in vivo (mouse) genotoxicity testing to evaluate this particular class of nitrosamines. N-nitroso ramipril and N-nitroso quinapril, both of which are predicted to have inhibited nitrosamine bioactivation due to steric hinderance and branching at the α-position were non-genotoxic in the in vivo liver comet assay and non-mutagenic in the in vivo Big Blue® mutation and duplex sequencing assays. Predicted metabolism along with in vitro metabolism data and quantum chemical calculations related to DNA interactions offer a molecular basis for the negative results observed in both in vitro and in vivo testing. These nitrosamines are concluded to be non-mutagenic and non-carcinogenic; therefore, they should be controlled according to ICH Q3B guidance. Furthermore, these results for N-nitroso ramipril and N-nitroso quinapril should be considered when evaluating the appropriate AI and control strategy for other structurally similar "pril" NDSRIs.

Ames test study designs for nitrosamine mutagenicity testing: qualitative and quantitative analysis of key assay parameters

The robust control of genotoxic N-nitrosamine (NA) impurities is an important safety consideration for the pharmaceutical industry, especially considering recent drug product withdrawals. NAs belong to the 'cohort of concern' list of genotoxic impurities (ICH M7) because of the mutagenic and carcinogenic potency of this chemical class. In addition, regulatory concerns exist regarding the capacity of the Ames test to predict the carcinogenic potential of NAs because of historically discordant results. The reasons postulated to explain these discordant data generally point to aspects of Ames test study design. These include vehicle solvent choice, liver S9 species, bacterial strain, compound concentration, and use of pre-incubation versus plate incorporation methods. Many of these concerns have their roots in historical data generated prior to the harmonization of Ames test guidelines. Therefore, we investigated various Ames test assay parameters and used qualitative analysis and quantitative benchmark dose modelling to identify which combinations provided the most sensitive conditions in terms of mutagenic potency. Two alkyl-nitrosamines, N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) and N-nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA) were studied. NDMA and NDEA mutagenicity was readily detected in the Ames test and key assay parameters were identified that contributed to assay sensitivity rankings. The pre-incubation method (30-min incubation), appropriate vehicle (water or methanol), and hamster-induced liver S9, alongside Salmonella typhimurium strains TA100 and TA1535 and Escherichia coli strain WP2uvrA(pKM101) provide the most sensitive combination of assay parameters in terms of NDMA and NDEA mutagenic potency in the Ames test. Using these parameters and further quantitative benchmark dose modelling, we show that N-nitrosomethylethylamine (NMEA) is positive in Ames test and therefore should no longer be considered a historically discordant NA. The results presented herein define a sensitive Ames test design that can be deployed for the assessment of NAs to support robust impurity qualifications.