Molecular analysis of DNA adducts and hprt mutations produced by 6-nitrosochrysene in Chinese hamster ovary cells

A core in vitro genotoxicity battery comprising the Ames test plus the in vitro micronucleus test is sufficient to detect rodent carcinogens and in vivo genotoxins

In vitro genotoxicity testing needs to include tests in both bacterial and mammalian cells, and be able to detect gene mutations, chromosomal damage and aneuploidy. This may be achieved by a combination of the Ames test (detects gene mutations) and the in vitro micronucleus test (MNvit), since the latter detects both chromosomal aberrations and aneuploidy. In this paper we therefore present an analysis of an existing database of rodent carcinogens and a new database of in vivo genotoxins in terms of the in vitro genotoxicity tests needed to detect their in vivo activity. Published in vitro data from at least one test system (most were from the Ames test) were available for 557 carcinogens and 405 in vivo genotoxins. Because there are fewer publications on the MNvit than for other mammalian cell tests, and because the concordance between the MNvit and the in vitro chromosomal aberration (CAvit) test is so high for clastogenic activity, positive results in the CAvit test were taken as indicative of a positive result in the MNvit where there were no, or only inadequate data for the latter. Also, because Hprt and Tk loci both detect gene-mutation activity, a positive Hprt test was taken as indicative of a mouse-lymphoma Tk assay (MLA)-positive, where there were no data for the latter. Almost all of the 962 rodent carcinogens and in vivo genotoxins were detected by an in vitro battery comprising Ames+MNvit. An additional 11 carcinogens and six in vivo genotoxins would apparently be detected by the MLA, but many of these had not been tested in the MNvit or CAvit tests. Only four chemicals emerge as potentially being more readily detected in MLA than in Ames+MNvit--benzyl acetate, toluene, morphine and thiabendazole--and none of these are convincing cases to argue for the inclusion of the MLA in addition to Ames+MNvit. Thus, there is no convincing evidence that any genotoxic rodent carcinogens or in vivo genotoxins would remain undetected in an in vitro test battery consisting of Ames+MNvit.

Liver tumors induced in B6C3F1 mice by 7-chlorobenz[a]anthracene and 7-bromobenz[a]anthracene contain K-ras protooncogene mutations

We previously examined the tumorigenicity of 7-chlorobenz[a]anthracene (7-Cl-BA) and 7-bromobenz[a]anthracene (7-Br-BA) in the neonatal mouse bioassay and found that 7-Cl-BA and 7-Br-BA induced hepatocellular adenoma in 92 and 96% of the mice and hepatocellular carcinoma in 100 and 83% of the mice, respectively. In the present study, mRNA was isolated from each of the liver tumors induced by the two compounds and reverse-transcribed to cDNA. Portions of the K- and H-ras oncogene coding sequences were then amplified and analyzed for DNA sequence alterations. Eighty-three percent (20/24) of 7-Cl-BA-induced and 91% (20/22) of 7-Br-BA-induced liver tumors had activated ras protooncogenes. In contrast to the general finding of H-ras mutations in B6C3F1 mouse liver tumors, both compounds had 95% (19/20) of the mutations located at the first base of K-ras codon 13, resulting in a pattern of GGC --> CGC. Thus, our results demonstrate that 7-Cl-BA and 7-Br-BA induce a unique type of ras (K-ras) oncogene activation in liver tumors of B6C3F1 mice.

Molecular characterization of hprt mutations from Chinese hamster ovary cells treated with 1-, 3-, and 6-nitrosobenzo[a]pyrene

1-, 3-, and 6-nitrobenzo[a]pyrene (nitro-BaP) are environmental contaminants that can be metabolized to genotoxic derivatives by either nitroreduction or ring-oxidation. In this study, we examined the types of mutations produced by the primary nitroreduced metabolites, 1-, 3-, and 6-nitroso-BaP (NO-BaP) in the hprt gene of Chinese hamster ovary cells. RNA from 6-thioguanine-resistant mutants was reverse-transcribed to cDNA and the hprt coding sequence was amplified and sequenced. The mutational patterns produced by the three compounds exhibited extensive similarities: 1) base pair substitutions accounted for 67% (28/42) of 1-NO-BaP, 51% (26/51) of 3-NO-BaP, and 50% (11/22) of 6-NO-BaP mutations; 19-36% of the mutations were exon deletions and 14-18% were frameshifts; 2) most (64-84%) of the simple base pair substitutions occurred at G:C, mainly G:C-->T:A and G:C-->C:G transversions; 3) 98% (46/47) of the simple base pair substitutions at G:C had the mutated dG on the non-transcribed strand and 81% (38/47) were located with the mutated dG flanked 3' by at least one purine; and 4) most simple base pair substitutions (48/62, 77%) occurred in exons 2, 3, and 8 of the hprt gene. Although there were no significant differences among the mutation profiles of the NO-BaPs, a significant difference did exist between the mutation pattern produced by 3-NO-BaP and the mutation pattern previously determined for the ring-oxidized product of 3-nitro-BaP metabolism, trans-7,8-dihydroxy-anti-9,10-epoxy-7,8,9, 10-tetrahydro-3-nitrobenzo[a]pyrene. This observation indicates that differences in the structures of closely related adducts can be important enough to have an effect on mutation profiles.

Characterization of DNA adducts in Chinese hamster ovary cells treated with mutagenic doses of 1- and 3-nitrosobenzo[a]pyrene and the trans-7,8-diol-anti-9,10-epoxides of 1- and 3-nitrobenzo[a]pyrene

The environmental contaminants 1- and 3-nitrobenzo[a]pyrene (1- and 3-nitro-BaP) are mutagens in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells with exogenous metabolic activation. Previous studies demonstrated the potent direct-acting mutagenicity of the oxidized metabolites, trans-7,8-dihydroxy-anti-9,10-epoxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-1-nitrobenzo[a] pyrene (1-NBaPDE) and trans-7,8-dihydroxy-anti-9,10-epoxy-7,8,9, 10-tetrahydro-3-nitrobenzo[a]pyrene (3-NBaPDE), and the partially nitroreduced metabolites, 1- and 3-nitrosobenzo[a]pyrene (1- and 3-NO-BaP). In this study, we have identified the major adduct formed by incubation of calf thymus DNA with 1-NBaPDE and used this standard in conjunction with other adduct standards to characterize the 32P-postlabeled DNA adducts produced by 1- and 3-nitro-BaP metabolites in CHO cultures. The major adduct from 1-NBaPDE exposure was 10-(deoxyguanosin-N2-yl)-7,8,9-trihydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-1- nitrobenzo[a]pyrene; from 3-NBaPDE, 10-(deoxyguanosin-N2-yl)-7,8,9-trihydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-3- nitrobenzo[a]pyrene; from 1-NO-BaP, 6-(deoxyguanosin-N2-yl)-1-aminobenzo[a]pyrene; and from 3-NO-BaP, 6-(deoxyguanosin-N2-yl)-3-aminobenzo[a]pyrene. For comparison, the adducts formed by trans-7,8-dihydroxy-anti-9,10-epoxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[a]pyrene and the related nitroreduced derivative 6-nitrosobenzo[a]pyrene were also examined. The nitrobenzo[a]pyrene DNA adducts described in this study are proposed to be involved in the mutagenicity of 1- and 3-nitro-BaP upon either oxidative or reductive metabolism.

Molecular analysis of lacI mutations in Rat2 cells exposed to 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene: evidence for DNA sequence and DNA strand biases for mutation

The Rat2 cell line carries 50-70 stably integrated copies per cell of a lambda/lacI shuttle vector as a target for mutagenicity testing. Rat2 cells were exposed to 1 and 10 micrograms/ml of 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) for 24 h at 37 degrees C in the presence of primary rat hepatocytes, and grown to confluence. The shuttle vector was rescued from untreated and mutagen-treated cells and mutant frequencies were determined. The low and high doses of DMBA induced mutant frequencies that were 7-fold (25 +/- 4.9 x 10(-5)) and 33-fold (127 +/- 19.9 x 10(-5)) higher, respectively, than the spontaneous mutant frequency (3.8 +/- 0.7 x 10(-5)). DNA sequence analysis of the DMBA-induced lacI- mutants indicated that they contained mainly basepair substitution mutations at A:T and G:C, and that A:T-->T:A and G:C-->T:A transversions were the predominant types. In addition, 23 of 28 (82%) A:T basepair substitution mutations occurred with the mutated dA, the putatively adducted base, on the coding strand. Furthermore, 20 of the 28 (71%) A:T mutations had the mutated dA flanked 5' by a dC, and 17 of these were A:T-->T:A transversions, suggesting a sequence preference for this mutation. Except for a higher proportion of G:C-->A:T transitions in the low dose data, the mutational profiles from low and high doses of DMBA were similar. These results indicate that DMBA mutagenesis in the lacI gene of Rat2 cells displays distinct DNA sequence and DNA strand preferences.

DNA sequence analysis of hprt mutations in lymphocytes from Sprague-Dawley rats treated with 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene

Treatment of female Sprague-Dawley rats with the potent mammary gland carcinogen 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) results in the formation of DNA adducts with dG and dA and in the induction of 6-thioguanine-resistant (TGr) lymphocyte mutants. In this study, we have examined the types of mutations induced in TGr lymphocytes from DMBA-treated rats. DNA from 263 TGr lymphocyte clones was screened for mutations in exons 2, 3, and 8 of the hprt gene by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of the exons followed by heteroduplex analysis using denaturing gradient-gel electrophoresis. Twenty-five of the clones produced heteroduplexes in exon 2, 35 produced heteroduplexes in exon 3, and 36 produced heteroduplexes in exon 8. Direct sequence analysis of the heteroduplexes revealed 96 mutations, and at least 74 of these mutations were produced independently. Eighty-five of the total mutations were simple base pair (bp) substitutions, with A --> T and G --> T transversions being the predominant types. Seven mutations were deletions, three were complex bp substitutions, and one was an insertion. The results suggest that the types of mutations produced by DMBA in rat lymphocytes are specific to the DNA adducts produced by this compound.

Molecular characterization of mutation and comparison of mutation profiles in the hprt gene of Chinese hamster ovary cells treated with benzo[a]pyrene trans-7,8-diol-anti-9,10-epoxide, 1-nitrobenzo[a]pyrene trans-7,8-diol-anti-9,10-epoxide, and 3-nitrobenzo[a]pyrene trans-7,8- diol-anti-9,10-epoxide

Both 1- and 3-nitrobenzo[a]pyrene (nitro-BaP) are environmental contaminants, potent mutagens in Salmonella, and moderate mutagens in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. The mutagenicity of their oxidized metabolites,trans-7,8-dihydroxy-anti-9,10-epoxy-7,8,9,10-epoxy -7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-1-nitrobenzo[a]pyrene (1-nitro-BaP-DE) and trans-7,8-dihydroxy-anti-9,10-epoxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-3-nitrobenzo[a]- pyrene (3-nitro-BaPDE), together with trans-7,8-dihydroxy-anti-9, 10-ep- oxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[a]pyrene (BaP-DE), was determined in CHO-K1 cells, and the resulting mutations at the hprt locus were characterized by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of reverse-transcribed hprt mRNA, followed by DNA sequence analysis. The mutant frequencies, in mutants/10(6) clonable cells, at 30 and 100 ng/ml, were BaP-DE, 248 and 456; 1-nitro-BaP-DE, 68 and 260; 3-nitro-BaP-DE, 81 and 232, respectively. In general, the three diolepoxides exhibited similar mutational spectra: 1) 64% (23/36 sequenced mutants) of BaP-DE, 53% (19/36) of 1-nitro-BaP-DE, and 64% (23/36) of 3-nitro-BaP-DE mutants resulted from simple base pair substitution, with the predominant mutation being G-->T transversion; 2) 90%, 100%, and 100% of mutations at G:C had the mutated dG on the nontranscribed DNA strand; and 3) about one quarter of the mutants produced by each mutagen had one or more PCR products with partial or complete exon deletions. The mutagens induced few frameshifts or complex mutations. Among the differences in mutational specificity for the three diolepoxides, the proportion of substituted dGs with 3' purines was significant (P < 0.05) for BaP-DE (16/19, 84%) and 3-nitro-BaP-DE (17/20, 85%), but not significant for 1-nitro-BaP-DE-induced mutants (11/17, 65%, P > 0.05). Also, high proportions of BaP-DE and 3-nitro-BaP-DE base pair substitutions at G:C occurred in DNA sequence contexts of 5'-GG-3', 5'-GGA-3', and 5'-TGGA-3', while the proportions of 1-nitro-BaP-DE mutants in these contexts were often lower. The results indicate that nitro substitution at C1 or C3 of BaP-DE reduces mutational potency in CHO cells and appears to have only subtle effects upon the mutational pattern in the hprt gene.

Mutational specificity of 2-amino-3-methylimidazo-[4,5-f]quinoline in the hprt locus of CHO-K1 cells

2-Amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (IQ), a food carcinogen formed in cooked meats, can induce gene mutation at the hprt locus of CHO-K1 cells in the presence of hepatic S9 mix. To elucidate the molecular nature of IQ-induced mutation, we characterized the entire coding region of the hypoxanthine phosphoribosyl-transferase gene of 23 independent mutants derived from IQ-treated CHO cells by direct sequencing of polymerase chain reaction-amplified cDNA. Ten of the 23 IQ-induced mutants examined contained single base substitutions; one mutant had three single-base substitutions. Among the base substitutions, G.C-->C.G (six of 13) and A.T-->C.G (three of 13) transversions predominated. Most of the base-substitution mutations occurred preferentially at a middle G and had a dA in their 3' ends. Of the 13 other mutations (56.5%), 12 missing one or more complete exons were splice-site mutations, and one mutant had a partial deletion of an exon. A high frequency of complete exon deletion (11 of 12) in exons 2-5 was observed. Interestingly, 75% of the mutants (nine of 12) with splice-site mutations were induced by IQ only at higher concentrations (300-500 microM). This was probably due to the occurrence of GC base-substitution mutations that affected hprt mRNA splicing, especially at the intron-exon boundaries.

Postlabeling: a sensitive method for studying DNA adducts and their role in carcinogenesis

The covalent binding of xenobiotics to DNA is an important trigger of the multistage process that leads to carcinogenesis. 32P-postlabeling represents a highly sensitive method for biomonitoring exposure to genotoxic agents and for cancer risk assessment; it is capable of detecting less than one DNA adduct per human genome. Recent improvements to the technique have shown that the resistance of adducted DNA to enzyme digestion may lead to an overestimation of the number of different adducts present in a sample.

Genomic DNA sequencing of mRNA splicing mutants in the hprt gene of Chinese hamster ovary cells

We have analyzed 41 mRNA-splicing mutants from the hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyl-transferase (hprt) gene of Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. Twenty-two of these mutants produced single cDNA PCR products with a partial or complete exon deletion; 19 mutants produced multiple cDNA PCR products, and most of these products contained one or more deleted exons. The affected exons and surrounding introns were amplified from genomic DNA and sequenced in order to identify mutations causing aberrant splicing. We found acceptor site mutations in 10 mutants, exonic mutations in 8 mutants, and no mutations in 5 mutants. Four mutants from solvent controls did not amplify the appropriate exons and were considered genomic deletion mutants. Our previous work [Manjanatha MG et al. (1994): Mutat Res 308;65-75] showed that nonsense mutants in the hprt gene of CHO cells are associated with multiple cDNA PCR products containing deleted exons and a low abundance of hprt mRNA if the mutation is found in an internal exon. The present results are consistent with these associations being facilitated by instability of mRNA after ribosome termination at nonsense codons.

Analysis of in vivo mutation in exon 8 of the rat hprt gene

We have analyzed mutations in exon 8 of the hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (hprt) gene in T-lymphocytes from the spleens of ethylnitrosourea-treated female rats. Presumptive hprt- mutants were isolated by clonal growth in the presence of 6-thioguanine. DNA from 6-thioguanine-resistant colonies was amplified by the polymerase chain reaction using intronic primers flanking hprt exon 8. The identification of mutant sequences and the separation of mutant DNA from contaminating wild-type DNA was accomplished by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis. Of 118 clones analyzed, 19 contained mutations and DNA sequence analysis identified eight unique sequence alterations. We also used single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis to screen for mutations in the same fragment of the hprt gene. This analysis was less successful than denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis in detecting the eight unique mutations. The procedures described here may represent a useful approach for studying the mechanisms of in vivo mutation.

Low hprt mRNA levels and multiple hprt mRNA species in 6-thioguanine-resistant Chinese hamster cell mutants possessing nonsense mutations

Previous studies suggested that many Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell hprt mutants having point mutations in the protein coding region also have low steady-state hprt mRNA concentrations. In addition, polymerase-chain reaction (PCR) amplification of hprt cDNA synthesized from some of these mutants results in multiple products containing deleted exons indicating that these mutants possess multiple species of hprt mRNA. In this study, we have used northern blot analysis to quantify the concentrations of hprt mRNA in 86 mutants known to possess point mutations leading to either missense or nonsense mutations. 28 of 35 nonsense mutants (80%), but only 7 of 51 missense mutants (14%), had < 50% of the hprt mRNA concentration found in parental CHO cells. Furthermore, all the nonsense mutants with premature termination codons in the internal exons of the gene (i.e., exons 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7) showed a significant reduction (averages < 16% of parental) in the steady-state levels of hprt mRNA, while nonsense mutants with termination codons situated in the extreme 5' and 3' regions of the gene had near parental hprt mRNA levels. In the same collection of mutants, the proportion of mutants producing multiple cDNA PCR products was much greater (18/35) for mutants having nonsense mutations than for mutants with missense mutations (2/51). All nonsense mutants with mutations in exons 3, 4 and 5 produced multiple species, while all those with mutations in exons 7, 8 and 9 produced a single PCR product. These results suggest that sequence changes in mammalian genes that affect protein chain length can also affect mRNA concentration and the splicing of pre-mRNA molecules.