Biphasic removal of DNA adducts in a repetitive DNA sequence after dietary administration of 2-acetylaminofluorene

Effect of 2-acetylaminofluorene and its genotoxic metabolites on DNA adduct formation and DNA damage in 3D reconstructed human skin tissue models

In vitro genotoxicity assays utilising human skin models are becoming important tools for the safety assessment of chemicals whose primary exposure is via the dermal route. In order to explore metabolic competency and inducibility of CYP450 activating enzymes, 3D reconstructed human skin tissues were topically treated with 2-acetylaminofluorene (2-AAF) and its genotoxic metabolites, N-hydroxy-2-acetylaminofluorene (N-OH-2-AAF) and N-hydroxy-2-aminofluorene (N-OH-2-AF), which primarily cause DNA damage by forming DNA adducts. 2-AAF did not increase DNA damage measured in the reconstructed skin micronucleus (RSMN) assay when administered in multiple applications at 24 h intervals but was detected in the skin comet assay in the presence of the DNA polymerase inhibitor aphidicolin (APC). Similarly, no increase was found with N-OH-2-AAF in the RSMN assay after multiple treatments whereas a single 3 h exposure to N-OH-2-AAF caused a large dose-related increase in the skin comet assay. A significant increase in the RSMN assay was only obtained with the highly reactive N-OH-2-AF metabolite after multiple treatments over 72 h, whereas N-OH-2-AF caused a strong increase after a single 3 h exposure in the skin comet assay. In support of these results, DNA adduct formation, measured by the ³²P-postlabelling assay, was examined. Adduct levels after 2-AAF treatment for 3 h were minimal but increased >10-fold after multiple exposures over 48 h, suggesting that enzyme(s) that metabolise 2-AAF are induced in the skin models. As expected, a single 3 h exposure to N-OH-2-AAF and N-OH-2-AF resulted in adduct levels that were at least 10-fold greater than those after multiple exposures to 2-AAF despite ~100-fold lower tested concentrations. Our results demonstrate that DNA damage caused by 2-AAF metabolites is more efficiently detected in the skin comet assay than the RSMN assay and after multiple exposures and enzyme induction, 2-AAF-induced DNA damage can be detected in the APC-modified comet assay.

The Use of Biomarkers as Alternatives to Current Animal Tests on Food Chemicals

Recent developments in biomarkers relating to the interrelationship of diet, disease and health were surveyed. Most emphasis was placed on biomarkers of deleterious effects, since these are of greatest relevance to the subject of this review. The area of greatest activity was found to be that relating to biomarkers of mutagenic, genotoxic and carcinogenic effects. This is also one of the major areas of concern in considerations of the beneficial and deleterious effects of dietary components, and also the area in which regulatory testing requires studies of the longest duration. A degree of progress has also been made in the identification and development of biomarkers relating to certain classes of target organ toxicity. Biomarkers for other types of toxicity, such as immunotoxicity, neurotoxicity, reproductive toxicity and developmental toxicity, are less developed, and further investigation in these areas is required before a comprehensive biomarker strategy can be established. A criticism that recurs constantly in the biomarker literature is the lack of standardisation in the methods used, and the lack of reference standards for the purposes of validation and quality control. It is encouraging to note the growing acknowledgement of the need for validation of biomarkers and biomarker assays. Some validation studies have already been initiated. This review puts forward proposals for criteria to be used in biomarker validation. More discussion on this subject is required. It is concluded that the use of biomarkers can, in some cases, facilitate the implementation of the Three Rs with respect to the testing of food chemicals and studies on the effects of diet on health. The greatest potential is seen to be in the refinement of animal testing, in which biomarkers could serve as early and sensitive endpoints, in order to reduce the duration of the studies and also reduce the number of animals required. Biomarkers could also contribute to establishing a mechanistic basis for in vitro test systems and to facilitating their validation and acceptance. Finally, the increased information that could result from the incorporation of biomarker determinations into population studies could reduce the need for supplementary animal studies. This review makes a number of recommendations concerning the prioritisation of future activities on dietary biomarkers in relation to the Three Rs. It is emphasised, however, that further discussions will be required among toxicologists, epidemiologists and others researching the relationship between diet and health.

High-Affinity Low-Capacity and Low-Affinity High-Capacity N-Acetyl-2-Aminofluorene (AAF) Macromolecular Binding Sites Are Revealed During the Growth Cycle of Adult Rat Hepatocytes in Primary Culture

Long-term cultures of primary adult rat hepatocytes were used to study the effects of N-acetyl-2-aminofluorene (AAF) on hepatocyte proliferation during the growth cycle; on the initiation of hepatocyte DNA synthesis in quiescent cultures; and, on hepatocyte DNA replication following the initiation of DNA synthesis. Scatchard analyses were used to identify the pharmacologic properties of radiolabeled AAF metabolite binding to hepatocyte macromolecules. Two classes of growth cycle-dependent AAF metabolite binding sites-a high-affinity low-capacity site (designated Site I) and a low-affinity high-capacity site (designated Site II)-associated with two spatially distinct classes of macromolecular targets, were revealed. Based upon radiolabeled AAF metabolite binding to purified hepatocyte genomic DNA or to DNA, RNA, proteins, and lipids from isolated nuclei, Site IDAY 4 targets (KD[APPARENT] ≈ 2-4×10-6 M and BMAX[APPARENT] ≈ 6 pmol/106 cells/24 h) were consistent with genomic DNA; and with AAF metabolized by a nuclear cytochrome P450. Based upon radiolabeled AAF binding to total cellular lysates, Site IIDAY 4 targets (KD[APPARENT] ≈ 1.5×10-3 M and BMAX[APPARENT] ≈ 350 pmol/106 cells/24 h) were consistent with cytoplasmic proteins; and with AAF metabolized by cytoplasmic cytochrome P450s. DNA synthesis was not inhibited by concentrations of AAF that saturated DNA binding in the neighborhood of the Site I KD. Instead, hepatocyte DNA synthesis inhibition required higher concentrations of AAF approaching the Site II KD. These observations raise the possibility that carcinogenic DNA adducts derived from AAF metabolites form below concentrations of AAF that inhibit replicative and repair DNA synthesis.

Repair-Resistant DNA Lesions

The eukaryotic global genomic nucleotide excision repair (GG-NER) pathway is the major mechanism that removes most bulky and some nonbulky lesions from cellular DNA. There is growing evidence that certain DNA lesions are repaired slowly or are entirely resistant to repair in cells, tissues, and in cell extract model assay systems. It is well established that the eukaryotic DNA lesion-sensing proteins do not detect the damaged nucleotide, but recognize the distortions/destabilizations in the native DNA structure caused by the damaged nucleotides. In this article, the nature of the structural features of certain bulky DNA lesions that render them resistant to NER, or cause them to be repaired slowly, is compared to that of those that are good-to-excellent NER substrates. Understanding the structural features that distinguish NER-resistant DNA lesions from good NER substrates may be useful for interpreting the biological significance of biomarkers of exposure of human populations to genotoxic environmental chemicals. NER-resistant lesions can survive to replication and cause mutations that can initiate cancer and other diseases. Furthermore, NER diminishes the efficacy of certain chemotherapeutic drugs, and the design of more potent pharmaceuticals that resist repair can be advanced through a better understanding of the structural properties of DNA lesions that engender repair-resistance.

Modulation of Cytotoxicity by Transcription-Coupled Nucleotide Excision Repair Is Independent of the Requirement for Bioactivation of Acylfulvene

Bioactivation as well as DNA repair affects the susceptibility of cancer cells to the action of DNA-alkylating chemotherapeutic drugs. However, information is limited with regard to the relative contributions of these processes to the biological outcome of metabolically activated DNA alkylating agents. We evaluated the influence of cellular bioactivation capacity and DNA repair on cytotoxicity of the DNA alkylating agent acylfulvene (AF). We compared the cytotoxicity and RNA synthesis inhibition by AF and its synthetic activated analogue iso-M0 in a panel of fibroblast cell lines with deficiencies in transcription-coupled (TC-NER) or global genome nucleotide excision repair (GG-NER). We related these data to the inherent bioactivation capacity of each cell type on the basis of mRNA levels. We demonstrated that specific inactivation of TC-NER by siRNA had the largest positive impact on AF activity in a cancer cell line. These findings establish that transcription-coupled DNA repair reduces cellular sensitivity to AF, independent of the requirement for bioactivation.

A no observed adverse effect level for DNA adduct formation in rat liver with prolonged dosing of the hepatocarcinogen 2-acetylaminofluorene

Administration of AAF by gavage to male rats resulted in formation of several DNA adducts in liver, the pattern of which changed over time and with repair. The cumulative dose of 0.125 mg kg⁻¹ AAF achieved in repeated doses for 16 weeks was a NOAEL for DNA adducts.

Structural and dynamic characterization of polymerase κ's minor groove lesion processing reveals how adduct topology impacts fidelity

DNA lesion bypass polymerases process different lesions with varying fidelities, but the structural, dynamic, and mechanistic origins of this phenomenon remain poorly understood. Human DNA polymerase κ (Polκ), a member of the Y family of lesion bypass polymerases, is specialized to bypass bulky DNA minor groove lesions in a predominantly error-free manner, by housing them in its unique gap. We have investigated the role of the unique Polκ gap and N-clasp structural features in the fidelity of minor groove lesion processing with extensive molecular modeling and molecular dynamics simulations to pinpoint their functioning in lesion bypass. Here we consider the N²-dG covalent adduct derived from the carcinogenic aromatic amine, 2-acetylaminofluorene (dG-N²-AAF), that is produced via the combustion of kerosene and diesel fuel. Our simulations reveal how the spacious gap directionally accommodates the lesion aromatic ring system as it transits through the stages of incorporation of the predominant correct partner dCTP opposite the damaged guanine, with preservation of local active site organization for nucleotidyl transfer. Furthermore, flexibility in Polκ’s N-clasp facilitates the significant misincorporation of dTTP opposite dG-N²-AAF via wobble pairing. Notably, we show that N-clasp flexibility depends on lesion topology, being markedly reduced in the case of the benzo[a]pyrene-derived major adduct to N²-dG, whose bypass by Polκ is nearly error-free. Thus, our studies reveal how Polκ’s unique structural and dynamic properties can regulate its bypass fidelity of polycyclic aromatic lesions and how the fidelity is impacted by lesion structures.

DNA adducts of the tobacco carcinogens 2-amino-9H-pyrido[2,3-b]indole and 4-aminobiphenyl are formed at environmental exposure levels and persist in human hepatocytes

Aromatic amines and structurally related heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs) are produced during the combustion of tobacco or during the high-temperature cooking of meat. Exposure to some of these chemicals may contribute to the etiology of several common types of human cancers. 2-Amino-9H-pyrido[2,3-b]indole (AαC) is the most abundant HAA formed in mainstream tobacco smoke: it arises in amounts that are 25-100 times greater than the levels of the arylamine, 4-aminobiphenyl (4-ABP), a human carcinogen. 2-Amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (MeIQx) is a prevalent HAA formed in cooked meats. AαC and MeIQx are rodent carcinogens; however, their carcinogenic potency in humans is unknown. A preliminary assessment of the carcinogenic potential of these HAAs in humans was conducted by examining the capacity of primary human hepatocytes to form DNA adducts of AαC and MeIQx, in comparison to 4-ABP, followed by the kinetics of DNA adduct removal by cellular enzyme repair systems. The principal DNA adducts formed were N-(deoxyguanosin-8-yl) (dG-C8) adducts. Comparable levels of DNA adducts were formed with AαC and 4-ABP, whereas adduct formation was ∼5-fold lower for MeIQx. dG-C8-AαC and dG-C8-4-ABP were formed at comparable levels in a concentration-dependent manner in human hepatocytes treated with procarcinogens over a 10,000-fold concentration range (1 nM-10 μM). Pretreatment of hepatocytes with furafylline, a selective inhibitor of cytochrome P450 1A2, resulted in a strong diminution of DNA adducts signifying that P450 1A2 is a major P450 isoform involved in bioactivation of these procarcinogens. The kinetics of adduct removal varied for each hepatocyte donor. Approximately half of the DNA adducts were removed within 24 h of treatment; however, the remaining lesions persisted over 5 days. The high levels of AαC present in tobacco smoke and its propensity to form persistent DNA adducts in human hepatocytes suggest that AαC can contribute to DNA damage and the risk of hepatocellular cancer in smokers.

Use of precision cut human liver slices for studying the metabolism and genotoxic potential of xenobiotics by means of the (32)P-postlabelling technique: steps towards method validation using testosterone and 2-aminofluorene

In the present study, a new in vitro model combining the short-term incubation of precision-cut human liver slices with DNA-adduct analysis by the (32)P-postlabelling technique is proposed for investigation of the genotoxic potential of xenobiotics. For method validation, the metabolic turnover of testosterone (TES) and the DNA-adduct inducing potential of 2-aminofluorene (2-AF) were used. Precision-cut human liver slices were prepared from a total of 12 human liver samples which were freshly obtained as parts of resectates from liver surgery. The slices were incubated as submersion cultures with TES and 2-AF for up to 6 h in 12-well tissue culture plates at concentrations of 10-50 and 0.06-28 μM, respectively. Slices recovered from the slicing procedure in the 4 °C cold Krebs-Henseleit buffer as indicated by intracellular potassium concentrations which increased for 2 h and then remained stable until the end of the incubation. TES was extensively metabolized by human liver slices with a similar metabolite pattern as observed in vivo. Almost 90% of the metabolites were conjugates. Major phase-I metabolites were androstendione, 6β-OH-androstendione, 6β-OH-TES, and 15β-OHTES. After incubation with 2-AF, substance related DNA-adducts were detected which increased dose-dependently from 12 to 1146 adducts per 10(9) nucleotides. The adduct pattern consisted of one major adduct spot, A, representing 80-90% of the total adduct level and up to four minor adduct spots, B-E. In summary, the present data demonstrate that precision-cut liver slices are a valuable alternative in vitro system for DNA-adduct determination to screen chemicals for potential genotoxicity in humans.

Genetic and epigenetic changes in rat preneoplastic liver tissue induced by 2-acetylaminofluorene

Genotoxic carcinogens, including 2-acetylaminofluorene (2-AAF), in addition to exerting their genotoxic effects, often cause a variety of non-genotoxic alterations in cells. It is believed that these non-genotoxic effects may be indispensable events in tumorigenesis; however, there is insufficient knowledge to clarify the role of carcinogens in both the genetic and epigenetic changes in premalignant tissues and a lack of conclusive information on the link between epigenetic alterations and carcinogenic exposure. In the current study, we investigated whether or not the mechanism of 2-AAF-induced hepatocarcinogenesis consists of both genotoxic (genetic) and non-genotoxic (epigenetic) alterations. Male and female Sprague-Dawley rats were fed NIH-31 diet containing 0.02% of 2-AAF for 6, 12, 18 or 24 weeks. The levels of DNA adducts obtained from 2-AAF in liver and kidney tissues were assessed by high-performance liquid chromatography combined with electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-ES-MS/MS). N-(Deoxyguanosine-8-yl)-2-aminofluorene was the major adduct detected at all time points in both tissues. Global DNA methylation in the livers and kidneys, as determined by an HpaII-based cytosine extension assay and by HPLC-ES-MS/MS, did not change over the 24-week period. In the livers of male rats, there was a progressive decrease of global and long interspersed nucleotide element-1-associated histone H4 lysine 20 trimethylation, as well as hypermethylation of the p16(INK4A) gene. These epigenetic changes were not observed in the livers of female rats or the kidneys of both sexes. Importantly, morphological evidence of formation and progression of neoplastic process was observed in the liver of male rats only. In conclusion, we have demonstrated that exposure of rats to genotoxic hepatocarcinogen 2-AAF, in addition to formation of 2-AAF-specific DNA lesions, resulted in substantial alterations in cellular epigenetic status.

Synthesis of oligonucleotides containing the N2-deoxyguanosine adduct of the dietary carcinogen 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline

2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (IQ) is a highly mutagenic heterocyclic amine formed in all cooked meats. IQ has been found to be a potent inducer of frameshift mutations in bacteria and carcinogenic in laboratory animals. Upon metabolic activation, IQ forms covalent adducts at the C8- and N2-positions of deoxyguanosine with a relative ratio of up to approximately 4:1. We have previously incorporated the major dGuo-C8-IQ adduct into oligonucleotides through the corresponding phosphoramidite reagent. We report here the sequence-specific synthesis of oligonucleotides containing the minor dGuo-N2-IQ adduct. Thermal melting analysis revealed that the dGuo-N2-IQ adduct significantly destabilizes duplex DNA.

Suppression of 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene-induced mammary carcinogenesis by pre-initiation treatment of rats with beta-naphthoflavone coincides with decreased levels of the carcinogen-derived DNA adducts in the mammary gland

BACKGROUND

Mechanisms underlying prevention by beta-naphthoflavone (beta-NF) of mammary carcinogenesis initiated with 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) in the rat were elucidated.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Treatment of female Sprague-Dawley rats with beta-NF at 40 mg/kg b.wt. for 4 days by oral gavage in corn oil before a single oral dose of DMBA (112 mg/kg b.wt.) suppressed mammary gland carcinogenesis as shown by an increase in the median latent period from 10 to 24 weeks and a 60% decrease in the multiplicity of mammary adenocarcinomas. In contrast, a 20-day treatment with beta-NF starting 3 weeks after DMBA had no significant effects on mammary tumorigenesis. The activities of phase I and phase II enzymes were examined in the liver and mammary gland 24 h after treatment of rats with beta-NF, DMBA, or beta-NF followed by DMBA as in the first bioassay. Treatment with either beta-NF or DMBA increased the hepatic activities of cytochrome P450 (CYP)1A1, 1A2, and 2B1/2, and glutathione S-transferase, and the mammary activity of CYP1A1. The activity of mammary CYP2B1/2 induced by DMBA was decreased by beta-NF. In the liver, the increase of UDP-glucuronosyl transferase (GT) activity in rats treated with beta-NF and DMBA was 2.3-fold greater than in rats treated with DMBA alone. Thus, treatment with beta-NF likely increased the rate of glucuronidation of DMBA dihydrodiols leading to carcinogen detoxification. The levels of the DMBA adducts determined by 32P-postlabeling of the mammary gland DNA were decreased in the beta-NF-pretreated rats.

CONCLUSION

The beta-NF-induced increase in the hepatic UDP-GT activity and decrease in the mammary DNA-DMBA adducts occurred under the same treatment regimen that led to suppression of DMBA-induced mammary carcinogenesis.

Gene expression profiles and genetic damage in benzo(a)pyrene diol epoxide-exposed TK6 cells

Microarray analysis is a powerful tool to identify the biological effects of drugs or chemicals on cellular gene expression. In this study, we compare the relationships between traditional measures of genetic toxicology and mutagen-induced alterations in gene expression profiles. TK6 cells were incubated with 0.01, 0.1, or 1.0 microM +/-anti-benzo(a)pyrene-trans-7,8-dihydrodiol-9,10-epoxide (BPDE) for 4 h and then cultured for an additional 20 h. Aliquots of the exposed cells were removed at 4 and 24 h in order to quantify DNA adduct levels by 32P post-labeling and measure cell viability by cloning efficiency and flow cytometry. Gene expression profiles were developed by extracting total RNA from the control and exposed cells at 4 and 24 h, labeling with Cy3 or Cy5 and hybridizing to a human 350 gene array. Mutant frequencies in the Thymidine Kinase and Hypoxanthine Phosphoribosyl Transferase genes were also determined. The 10alpha-(deoxyguanosin-N(2)-yl)-7alpha,8beta,9beta-trihydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo(a)pyrene (dG-N(2)-BPDE) adduct increased as a function of dose and was the only adduct identified. A dose-related decrease in cell viability was evident at 24 h, but not at 4 h. Cell death occurred by apoptosis. At 4 h, analysis of the gene expression profiles revealed that Glutathione Peroxidase and Gadd45 were consistently upregulated (greater than 1.5-fold and significantly (P < 0.001) greater than the control in two experiments) in response to 1.0 microM BPDE exposure. Fifteen genes were consistently down-regulated (less than 0.67-fold and significantly (P < 0.001) lower than the control in two experiments) at 4 h in cultures exposed to 1.0 microM BPDE. Genes with altered expression at 4 h included genes important in the progression of the cell-cycle and those that inhibit apoptosis. At 24 h post-exposure, 16 genes, involved in cell-cycle control, detoxification, and apoptosis were consistently upregulated; 10 genes were repressed in cultures exposed to the high dose of BPDE. Real-time quantitative PCR confirmed the differential expression of selected genes. These data suggest that changes in gene expression will help to identify effects of drugs and chemicals on molecular pathways in cells, and will provide useful information about the molecular responses associated with DNA damage. Of the endpoints evaluated, DNA adduct formation was the most sensitive indicator of DNA damage. DNA adduct formation was clearly evident at low doses, but the number of genes with significantly altered expression (P < 0.001) was minimal. Alterations in gene expression were more robust at doses associated with cellular toxicity and induction of mutations.

Comparison of hprt and lacI mutant frequency with DNA adduct formation in N-hydroxy-2-acetylaminofluorene-treated Big Blue rats

N-Hydroxy-2-acetylaminofluorene (N-OH-AAF) is the proximate carcinogenic metabolite of the powerful rat liver carcinogen 2-acetylaminofluorene. In this study, transgenic Big Blue(R) rats were used to examine the relationship between in vivo mutagenicity and DNA adduct formation by N-OH-AAF in the target liver compared with that in nontarget tissues. Male rats were given one, two, or four doses of 25 mg N-OH-AAF/kg body weight by i.p. injection at 4-day intervals, and groups of treated and control rats were euthanized up to 10 weeks after beginning the dosing. Mutant frequencies were measured in the spleen lymphocyte hprt gene, and lacI mutant frequencies were determined in the liver and spleen lymphocytes. At 6 weeks after beginning the dosing, the hprt mutant frequency in spleen lymphocytes from the four-dose group was 16.5 x 10(-6) compared with 3.2 x 10(-6) in control animals. Also at 6 weeks, rats given one, two, or four doses of N-OH-AAF had lacI mutant frequencies in the liver of 97.6, 155.6, and 406.8 x 10(-6), respectively, compared with a control frequency of 25.7 x 10(-6); rats given four doses had lacI mutant frequencies in spleen lymphocytes of 55.8 x 10(-6) compared with a control frequency of 20.4 x 10(-6). Additional rats were evaluated for DNA adduct formation in the liver, spleen lymphocytes, and bone marrow by (32)P-postlabeling. Adduct analysis was conducted 1 day after one, two, and four treatments with N-OH-AAF, 5 days after one treatment, and 9 days after two treatments. N-(Deoxyguanosin-8-yl)-2-aminofluorene was the major DNA adduct identified in all the tissues examined. Adduct concentrations increased with total dose to maximum values in samples taken 1 day after two doses, and remained essentially the same after four doses. In samples taken after four doses, adduct levels were 103, 28, and 7 fmol/microg of DNA in liver, spleen lymphocytes, and bone marrow, respectively. The results indicate that the extent of both DNA adduct formation and mutant induction correlates with the organ specificity for N-OH-AAF carcinogenesis in the rat. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 37:195-202, 2001. Published 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Sequence specificity of Hprt lymphocyte mutation in rats fed the hepatocarcinogen 2-acetylaminofluorene

Rats fed the hepatocarcinogen 2-acetylaminofluorene (2-AAF) have a low, but significantly increased, frequency of lymphocyte Hprt mutants. In this study, mutants from 2-AAF-fed and control F344 rats were examined for mutations in the Hprt gene in order to determine if the 2-AAF treatment resulted in an agent-specific mutation profile. The most common mutation from 2-AAF-treated rats was G:C-->T:A transversion (32% of all mutations) followed by 1-basepair (bp) deletion (19%); there were very few (5%) G:C-->A:T transitions. Among mutations from control rats, G:C-->A:T transition was the most common (43%), and there were very few G:C-->T:A transversions (5%) and no 1-bp deletions. The profile of mutations from 2-AAF-fed rats was significantly different from control rats (P = 0.003) and was consistent with the types of mutations produced by 2-AAF in vitro. The results of this study indicate that even weak mutational responses in the lymphocyte Hprt assay are capable of producing mutation profiles that reflect the DNA damage inducing them.

Hprt lymphocyte mutant frequency in relation to DNA adduct formation in rats fed the hepatocarcinogen 2-acetylaminofluorene

The lymphocyte hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (Hprt) assay is frequently used as a biomarker for the exposure of both humans and laboratory animals to potentially carcinogenic agents. To obtain information concerning the sensitivity of the rat Hprt lymphocyte assay toward aromatic amine carcinogens, male F344 rats were fed 0.02% 2-acetylaminofluorene (2-AAF) for 1 month and then returned to control diet for 2 months. At 4, 27, 48, 62, and 90 days after the initiation of 2-AAF-feeding, the frequency of mutants in the Hprt gene was determined. In addition, DNA was isolated from liver nuclei, spleen lymphocytes, bone marrow, and thymus, and DNA adducts were analyzed by 32P-postlabeling. 2-AAF feeding resulted in a significant induction of 6-thioguanine-resistant T-lymphocytes and the mutant frequency continued to increase after the 2-AAF feeding was stopped. The same major DNA adduct, N-(deoxyguanosin-8-yl)-2-aminofluorene, was detected in liver, spleen lymphocytes, bone marrow, and thymus. DNA adduct levels were greatest in the tumor target tissue (liver) but occurred in all T-lymphocyte compartments, being highest in spleen lymphocytes. The DNA adduct levels were highest at the end of the 1-month 2-AAF feeding period and decreased rapidly in all tissues. The data indicate that the Hprt lymphocyte mutagenesis assay detects arylamine carcinogens, but with relatively low sensitivity.

Formation and persistence of DNA adducts during and after a long-term administration of 2-nitrofluorene

2-Nitrofluorene (NF) is an environmental pollutant. Our previous studies have shown that NF is a carcinogen, primarily targeting the liver, kidney and forestomach in rats. NF-induced DNA adducts were also shown higher levels in the tumor-targeting tissues compared to non-tumor targeting organs. The present study was aimed to observe the kinetics of DNA adduct formation and persistence during the process of NF-induced tumor formation. NF was supplemented in diet at three dose levels and was fed to rats continuously for up to 11 months. DNA adduct formation in the liver, kidney, spleen and stomach of rats after different period (10 days and 11 months) of NF administration was analyzed with 32P-HPLC techniques. DNA adduct persistence in the liver was also assessed after the withdrawal of NF administration. Four major NF-DNA adducts (adducts A, B, C and D) were found in the liver and kidney. DNA adduct D showed high level in the forestomach mucosa after 10 days of NF feeding while adducts A and C were undetectable. DNA adduct C and D co-migrated with C3-(deoxyguanosin-N2-yl)-2-acetylaminofluorene (dG-N2-AAF) and N-(deoxyguanosin-8-yl)-2-aminofluorene (dG-C8-AF), respectively, by 32P-HPLC co-chromatography. DNA adducts A and B constituted the major part (>80%) of NF-DNA adducts after a long period (11 months) of NF feeding. The four NF-DNA adducts showed different recovery from different enrichment procedures, i.e., nuclease P1 or butanol treatment. Three out of the four NF-DNA adducts were still detectable in the rat liver after 11 months on the basal diet. In conclusion, four major DNA adducts are induced by NF oral administration. Among those, one is identified as dG-N2-AAF and another one as dG-C8-AF. The four NF-DNA adducts showed different kinetics of formation and persistence, which may play different roles in NF-induced tumor formation.

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.

Detection of DNA modifications by the 32P-postlabelling assay

The 32P-postlabelling assay is widely used for detection of carcinogen-DNA adducts and other types of modified nucleotides in DNA. The principle of the method is the enzymatic digestion of DNA to nucleotides, 5'-labelling of these nucleotides with an isotopically labelled phosphate group, and the resolution and detection of the labelled products. Since the development of the original procedure in the early 1980s, many methods have been developed to increase the sensitivity of the method by selection of the modified nucleotides prior to labelling. In favourable circumstances, the method can achieve a level of detection as low as 1 modification in 10(10) nucleotides and requires relatively small quantities of DNA (less than 10 microg). It has been used to detect and characterise DNA adducts formed by numerous genotoxic carcinogens in bacterial and mammalian cells, in animals and, in some cases, in human tissues. Most classes of carcinogen have been subjected to 32P-postlabelling analysis, ranging from bulky and/or aromatic compounds to small and/or aliphatic compounds; it has also been used, with modifications, to detect apurinic sites in DNA, oxidative damage to DNA, UV-induced photodimers and, to a lesser extent, DNA damage caused by cytotoxic drugs. It has provided the first clear evidence for the DNA-damaging properties of several synthetic carcinogenic hormones. It has revealed the DNA-damaging potential of complex mixtures such as coal-tar and tobacco smoke. It has been used in human biomonitoring studies to detect DNA damage from occupational exposure to carcinogens, and also from environmental (i.e. non-occupational) exposures. It has also led to the discovery of the presence of numerous modifications in DNA arising from endogenous processes. The rapid expansion in the use of the assay has resulted in some divergence of procedures and there is a case to be made for the use of more standardised protocols, particularly where human exposure to carcinogens is being measured and where such results may be required for risk assessment. While the procedure is quantifiable, the efficiency of adduct labelling is, in many cases, not quantitative, and the lack of adduct standards has, in many cases, limited the interpretation of data to a demonstration of higher adduct levels in exposed groups compared with unexposed groups. Future developments are expected in automation, standardisation and, in combination with other analytical methods, elucidation of the structures of the many DNA lesions whose existence has been revealed by the 32P-postlabelling technique.

Induction of O6-alkylguanine-DNA-alkyltransferase in the hepatocytes of rats following treatment with 2-acetylaminofluorene

Molecular and immunohistological techniques have been used to study the induction in rat liver of the DNA repair protein O6-alkylguanine-DNA-alkyltransferase (ATase), following an acute dose (60 mg/kg) of the hepatocarcinogen, 2-acetylaminofluorene (2-AAF). An increase in ATase activity was specific to the liver, with a five- to six-fold induction being observed 72 hr after administration of 2-AAF. A similar temporal increase of both activity and ATase protein (detected by immunoblotting) was observed up to 1 week following treatment, but after 2 weeks the activity had returned to control levels. Although maximal induction of hepatic ATase mRNA was observed as early as 24 hr, the levels remained elevated at least 1 week after 2-AAF treatment. Using a rabbit antiserum raised against purified recombinant rat ATase, ATase-specific staining was observed in the nuclei of both nonhepatocytes and hepatocytes in control liver sections. There was, however, a significant differential staining of hepatocytes across the liver lobule, with ATase staining being most intense in the periportal region. In the livers of 2-AAF-treated rats, an increased intensity of staining was observed in hepatocytes throughout the liver lobule, whereas the nonparenchymal cells showed much less, or no, increase in staining. The increased expression of ATase in hepatocytes and its differential distribution across the lobule were confirmed by image analysis. Thus, ATase induction in response to 2-AAF treatment was an hepatocyte-specific response and not confined to any particular region of the liver lobule.

Lymphocyte mutant frequency in relation to DNA adduct formation in rats treated with tumorigenic doses of the mammary gland carcinogen 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene

The ability of the rat lymphocyte hprt assay to detect tissue-specific carcinogens was evaluated using 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) administered under conditions that result in mammary gland tumors. Fifty-day-old female Sprague-Dawley rats were given single doses of 5 and 20 mg/kg DMBA by gavage, and the frequency of 6-thioguanine-resistant (TGr) T-lymphocytes was measured over a period of 21 weeks. A time- and dose-dependent increase in mutant frequency was found, with a maximum frequency found 9-15 weeks after treatment with 20 mg/kg of DMBA. Rats were also dosed with 1, 2.5, 5, 10, 15 and 20 mg/kg of DMBA and assayed for TGr mutant frequency 10 weeks after treatment. A significant linear dose-response was found, with all the DMBA doses resulting in significant increases in mutant frequency. To determine whether or not DMBA-induced mutants in rat lymphocytes reflected the DNA damage in the target tissue, rats were treated with 5 and 20 mg/kg of DMBA and spleen lymphocytes and mammary gland tissue were assayed for DNA adduct formation 1, 3 and 7 days later. A similar pattern of 32P- postlabeled adducts, involving both dG and dA nucleotides, was found in DNA from both the target tissue and the surrogate lymphocytes. Adduct formation was dose responsive in both tissues, with a 2.3- to 4-fold higher concentration in mammary gland as compared with lymphocytes. These results indicate that the rat lymphocyte hprt assay is sensitive to a mammary gland carcinogen and that similar types of DNA adducts are associated with both the lymphocyte mutants and the mammary gland tumors induced by DMBA.

Differential mutagenicity and cytotoxicity of (+/-)-benzo[a]pyrene-trans-7,8-dihydrodiol and (+/-)-anti-benzo[a]pyrene-trans-7,8-dihydrodiol-9,10-epoxide in genetically engineered human fibroblasts

DNA repair-deficient (xeroderma pigmentosum group A (XPA)) and DNA repair-proficient (normal) human skin fibroblasts were genetically engineered by transformation with a controllable human cytochrome P450 (CYP)1A1 expression vector. Induction of CYP1A1 enabled these cells to metabolize (+/-)-benzo[a]pyrene-trans-7,8-dihydrodiol (BPD) into a potent cytotoxicant and mutagen. The XPA cells were more susceptible than the normal cells to the cytotoxic effects of both CYP1A1-metabolized BPD and exogenously supplied (+/-)-anti-benzo[a]pyrene-trans-7,8-dihydrodiol-9,10- epoxide (BPDE). Furthermore, the differential cytotoxicity between XPA and normal cells induced by CYP1A1-metabolized BPD was 8.4-fold greater than that induced by exogenously supplied BPDE. The two cell lines had similar CYP1A1 activities, suggesting that a difference in metabolic potential was not the cause of the differential response to BPD. At comparable cytotoxicity in both XPA and normal cells, BPD treatment induced more mutants and more DNA adducts than BPDE treatment did. At similar levels of DNA adducts in XPA cells, the levels of cytotoxicity induced by CYP1A1-metabolized BPD and exogenously supplied BPDE were similar, but CYP1A1-metabolized BPD induced a threefold higher hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase mutation frequency. In contrast, at similar levels of adducts in CYP1A1-expressing normal cells, BPD induced less cytotoxicity and a lower mutation frequency. DNA adducts were identified and quantified by 32P-postlabeling analyses. The principal adduct formed by both CYP1A1-metabolized BPD and exogenously supplied BPDE was 10-beta-(deoxyguanosin-N2-yl)-7 beta,8 alpha,9 alpha-trihydroxy-7,8,9,10- tetrahydrobenzo[a]pyrene, indicating that the differential effects of BPD- and BPDE-induced adducts were not due to a difference in the types of adducts formed. The results of these studies suggest that CYP1A1-metabolized BPD may form adducts preferentially in transcriptionally active genes or that the intracellular concentration of BPDE may influence the balance between cytotoxicity and mutagenicity (or both).

Genetic toxicity of 2-acetylaminofluorene, 2-aminofluorene and some of their metabolites and model metabolites

2-Acetylaminofluorene and 2-aminofluorene are among the most intensively studied of all chemical mutagens and carcinogens. Fundamental research findings concerning the metabolism of 2-acetylaminofluorene to electrophilic derivatives, the interaction of these derivatives with DNA, and the carcinogenic and mutagenic responses that are associated with the resulting DNA damage have formed the foundation upon which much of genetic toxicity testing is based. The parent compounds and their proximate and ultimate mutagenic and carcinogenic derivatives have been evaluated in a variety of prokaryotic and eukaryotic assays for mutagenesis and DNA damage. The reactive derivatives are active in virtually all systems, while 2-acetylaminofluorene and 2-aminofluorene are active in most systems that provide adequate metabolic activation. Knowledge of the structures of the DNA adducts formed by 2-acetylaminofluorene and 2-aminofluorene, the effects of the adducts on DNA conformation and synthesis, adduct distribution in tissues, cells and DNA, and adduct repair have been used to develop hypotheses to understand the genotoxic and carcinogenic effects of these compounds. Molecular analysis of mutations produced in cell-free, bacterial, in vitro mammalian, and intact animal systems have recently been used to extend these hypotheses.