Targeting neddylation sensitizes colorectal cancer to topoisomerase I inhibitors by inactivating the DCAF13-CRL4 ubiquitin ligase complex

Colorectal cancers (CRCs) are prevalent worldwide, yet current treatments remain inadequate. Using chemical genetic screens, we identify that co-inhibition of topoisomerase I (TOP1) and NEDD8 is synergistically cytotoxic in human CRC cells. Combination of the TOP1 inhibitor irinotecan or its bioactive metabolite SN38 with the NEDD8-activating enzyme inhibitor pevonedistat exhibits synergy in CRC patient-derived organoids and xenografts. Mechanistically, we show that pevonedistat blocks the ubiquitin/proteasome-dependent repair of TOP1 DNA-protein crosslinks (TOP1-DPCs) induced by TOP1 inhibitors and that the CUL4-RBX1 complex (CRL4) is a prominent ubiquitin ligase acting on TOP1-DPCs for proteasomal degradation upon auto-NEDD8 modification during replication. We identify DCAF13, a DDB1 and Cullin Associated Factor, as the receptor of TOP1-DPCs for CRL4. Our study not only uncovers a replication-coupled ubiquitin-proteasome pathway for the repair of TOP1-DPCs but also provides molecular and translational rationale for combining TOP1 inhibitors and pevonedistat for CRC and other types of cancers.

Identification of Formaldehyde-Induced DNA-RNA Cross-Links in the A/J Mouse Lung Tumorigenesis Model

4-(Methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) is a potent lung carcinogen present in tobacco products, and exposure to it is likely one of the factors contributing to the development of lung cancer in cigarette smokers. To exert its carcinogenic effects, NNK must be metabolically activated into highly reactive species generating a wide spectrum of DNA damage. We have identified a new class of DNA adducts, DNA-RNA cross-links found for the first time in NNK-treated mice lung DNA using our improved high-resolution accurate mass segmented full scan data-dependent neutral loss MS3 screening strategy. The levels of these DNA-RNA cross-links were found to be significantly higher in NNK-treated mice compared to the corresponding controls, which is consistent with higher levels of formaldehyde due to NNK metabolism as compared to endogenous levels. We hypothesize that this DNA-RNA cross-linking occurs through reaction with NNK-generated formaldehyde and speculate that this phenomenon has broad implications for NNK-induced carcinogenesis. The structures of these cross-links were characterized using high-resolution LC-MS2 and LC-MS3 accurate mass spectral analysis and comparison to a newly synthesized standard. Taken together, our data demonstrate a previously unknown link between DNA-RNA cross-link adducts and NNK and provide a unique opportunity to further investigate how these novel NNK-derived DNA-RNA cross-links contribute to carcinogenesis in the future.

8-Oxoguanine: from oxidative damage to epigenetic and epitranscriptional modification

In pathophysiology, reactive oxygen species control diverse cellular phenotypes by oxidizing biomolecules. Among these, the guanine base in nucleic acids is the most vulnerable to producing 8-oxoguanine, which can pair with adenine. Because of this feature, 8-oxoguanine in DNA (8-oxo-dG) induces a G > T (C > A) mutation in cancers, which can be deleterious and thus actively repaired by DNA repair pathways. 8-Oxoguanine in RNA (o⁸G) causes problems in aberrant quality and translational fidelity, thereby it is subjected to the RNA decay pathway. In addition to oxidative damage, 8-oxo-dG serves as an epigenetic modification that affects transcriptional regulatory elements and other epigenetic modifications. With the ability of o⁸G•A in base pairing, o⁸G alters structural and functional RNA-RNA interactions, enabling redirection of posttranscriptional regulation. Here, we address the production, regulation, and function of 8-oxo-dG and o⁸G under oxidative stress. Primarily, we focus on the epigenetic and epitranscriptional roles of 8-oxoguanine, which highlights the significance of oxidative modification in redox-mediated control of gene expression.

Programmed death-1 promotes contused skeletal muscle regeneration by regulating Treg cells and macrophages

Immune cells are involved in skeletal muscle regeneration. The mechanism by which Treg cells are involved in the regeneration of injured skeletal muscle is still unclear. The purpose of this study was to explore the role of programmed death-1 in contused skeletal muscle regeneration, and to clarify the regulation of programmed death-1 on Treg cell generation and macrophage polarization, in order to deepen our understanding of the relationship between the immune system and injured skeletal muscle regeneration. The results show that programmed death-1 knockdown reduced the number of Treg cells and impaired contused skeletal muscle regeneration compared with those of wild-type mice. The number of pro-inflammatory macrophages in the contused skeletal muscle of programmed death-1 knockout mice increased, and the expression of pro-inflammatory factors and oxidative stress factors increased, while the number of anti-inflammatory macrophages and the expression of anti-inflammatory factors, antioxidant stress factors, and muscle regeneration-related factors decreased. These results suggest that programmed death-1 can promote contused skeletal muscle regeneration by regulating Treg cell generation and macrophage polarization.

Endogenous aldehyde accumulation generates genotoxicity and exhaled biomarkers in esophageal adenocarcinoma

Volatile aldehydes are enriched in esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) patients' breath and could improve early diagnosis, however the mechanisms of their production are unknown. Here, we show that weak aldehyde detoxification characterizes EAC, which is sufficient to cause endogenous aldehyde accumulation in vitro. Two aldehyde groups are significantly enriched in EAC biopsies and adjacent tissue: (i) short-chain alkanals, and (ii) medium-chain alkanals, including decanal. The short-chain alkanals form DNA-adducts, which demonstrates genotoxicity and confirms inadequate detoxification. Metformin, a putative aldehyde scavenger, reduces this toxicity. Tissue and breath concentrations of the medium-chain alkanal decanal are correlated, and increased decanal is linked to reduced ALDH3A2 expression, TP53 deletion, and adverse clinical features. Thus, we present a model for increased exhaled aldehydes based on endogenous accumulation from reduced detoxification, which also causes therapeutically actionable genotoxicity. These results support EAC early diagnosis trials using exhaled aldehyde analysis.

Single molecule analysis reveals monomeric XPA bends DNA and undergoes episodic linear diffusion during damage search

Nucleotide excision repair (NER) removes a wide range of DNA lesions, including UV-induced photoproducts and bulky base adducts. XPA is an essential protein in eukaryotic NER, although reports about its stoichiometry and role in damage recognition are controversial. Here, by PeakForce Tapping atomic force microscopy, we show that human XPA binds and bends DNA by ∼60° as a monomer. Furthermore, we observe XPA specificity for the helix-distorting base adduct N-(2'-deoxyguanosin-8-yl)-2-acetylaminofluorene over non-damaged dsDNA. Moreover, single molecule fluorescence microscopy reveals that DNA-bound XPA exhibits multiple modes of linear diffusion between paused phases. The presence of DNA damage increases the frequency of pausing. Truncated XPA, lacking the intrinsically disordered N- and C-termini, loses specificity for DNA lesions and shows less pausing on damaged DNA. Our data are consistent with a working model in which monomeric XPA bends DNA, displays episodic phases of linear diffusion along DNA, and pauses in response to DNA damage.

A nucleotide resolution map of Top2-linked DNA breaks in the yeast and human genome

DNA topoisomerases are required to resolve DNA topological stress. Despite this essential role, abortive topoisomerase activity generates aberrant protein-linked DNA breaks, jeopardising genome stability. Here, to understand the genomic distribution and mechanisms underpinning topoisomerase-induced DNA breaks, we map Top2 DNA cleavage with strand-specific nucleotide resolution across the S. cerevisiae and human genomes-and use the meiotic Spo11 protein to validate the broad applicability of this method to explore the role of diverse topoisomerase family members. Our data characterises Mre11-dependent repair in yeast and defines two strikingly different fractions of Top2 activity in humans: tightly localised CTCF-proximal, and broadly distributed transcription-proximal, the latter correlated with gene length and expression. Moreover, single nucleotide accuracy reveals the influence primary DNA sequence has upon Top2 cleavage-distinguishing sites likely to form canonical DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) from those predisposed to form strand-biased DNA single-strand breaks (SSBs) induced by etoposide (VP16) in vivo.

Aristolochic acid exposure in Romania and implications for renal cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Aristolochic acid (AA) is a nephrotoxicant associated with AA nephropathy (AAN) and upper urothelial tract cancer (UUTC). Whole-genome sequences of 14 Romanian cases of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) recently exhibited mutational signatures consistent with AA exposure, although RCC had not been previously linked with AAN and AA exposure was previously reported only in localised rural areas.

METHODS

We performed mass spectrometric measurements of the aristolactam (AL) DNA adduct 7-(deoxyadenosin-N(6)-yl) aristolactam I (dA-AL-I) in nontumour renal tissues of the 14 Romanian RCC cases and 15 cases from 3 other countries.

RESULTS

We detected dA-AL-I in the 14 Romanian cases at levels ranging from 0.7 to 27 adducts per 10(8) DNA bases, in line with levels reported in Asian and Balkan populations exposed through herbal remedies or food contamination. The 15 cases from other countries were negative.

INTERPRETATION

Although the source of exposure is uncertain and likely different in AAN regions than elsewhere, our results demonstrate that AA exposure in Romania exists outside localised AAN regions and provide further evidence implicating AA in RCC.

Contribution of organ vasculature in rat renal analysis for ochratoxin a: relevance to toxicology of nephrotoxins

Assumptions surrounding the kidney as a target for accumulation of ochratoxin A (OTA) are addressed because the contribution of the toxin in blood seems invariably to have been ignored. Adult rats were maintained for several weeks on toxin-contaminated feed. Using standard perfusion techniques, animals were anaesthetised, a blood sample was taken, one kidney was ligated, and the other kidney perfused with physiological saline in situ under normal blood pressure. Comparative analysis of OTA in pairs of kidneys showed marked reduction in the perfused organ in the range 37%-98% (mean 75%), demonstrating the general efficiency of perfusion supported also by histology, and implying a major role of blood in the total OTA content of kidney. Translation of OTA values in plasma to whole blood, and its predicted contribution as a 25% vascular compartment in kidney gave values similar to those in non-perfused kidneys. Thus, apparent 'accumulation' of OTA in kidney is due to binding to plasma proteins and long half-life in plasma. Attention should be re-focused on whole animal pharmacokinetics during chronic OTA exposure. Similar principles may be applied to DNA-OTA adducts which are now recognised as occurring in blood; application could also extend to other nephrotoxins such as aristolochic acid. Thus, at least, quantitative reassessment in urological tissues seems necessary in attributing adducts specifically as markers of potentially-tumourigenic exposure.

Effects of an oil spill in a harbor assessed using biomarkers of exposure in eelpout

Oil spills occur commonly, and chemical compounds originating from oil spills are widespread in the aquatic environment. In order to monitor effects of a bunker oil spill on the aquatic environment, biomarker responses were measured in eelpout (Zoarces viviparus) sampled along a gradient in Göteborg harbor where the oil spill occurred and at a reference site, 2 weeks after the oil spill. Eelpout were also exposed to the bunker oil in a laboratory study to validate field data. The results show that eelpout from the Göteborg harbor are influenced by contaminants, especially polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), also during "normal" conditions. The bunker oil spill strongly enhanced the biomarker responses. Results show elevated ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) activities in all exposed sites, but, closest to the oil spill, the EROD activity was partly inhibited, possibly by PAHs. Elevated DNA adduct levels were also observed after the bunker oil spill. Chemical analyses of bile revealed high concentrations of PAH metabolites in the eelpout exposed to the oil, and the same PAH metabolite profile was evident both in eelpout sampled in the harbor and in the eelpout exposed to the bunker oil in the laboratory study.

Benzo pyrene-induced DNA adducts and gene expression profiles in target and non-target organs for carcinogenesis in mice

BACKGROUND

Gene expression changes induced by carcinogens may identify differences in molecular function between target and non-target organs. Target organs for benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) carcinogenicity in mice (lung, spleen and forestomach) and three non-target organs (liver, colon and glandular stomach) were investigated for DNA adducts by 32P-postlabelling, for gene expression changes by cDNA microarray and for miRNA expression changes by miRNA microarray after exposure of animals to BaP.

RESULTS

BaP-DNA adduct formation occurred in all six organs at levels that did not distinguish between target and non-target. cDNA microarray analysis showed a variety of genes modulated significantly by BaP in the six organs and the overall gene expression patterns were tissue specific. Gene ontology analysis also revealed that BaP-induced bioactivities were tissue specific; eight genes (Tubb5, Fos, Cdh1, Cyp1a1, Apc, Myc, Ctnnb1 and Cav) showed significant expression difference between three target and three non-target organs. Additionally, several gene expression changes, such as in Trp53 activation and Stat3 activity suggested some similarities in molecular mechanisms in two target organs (lung and spleen), which were not found in the other four organs. Changes in miRNA expression were generally tissue specific, involving, in total, 21/54 miRNAs significantly up- or down-regulated.

CONCLUSIONS

Altogether, these findings showed that DNA adduct levels and early gene expression changes did not fully distinguish target from non-target organs. However, mechanisms related to early changes in p53, Stat3 and Wnt/β-catenin pathways may play roles in defining BaP organotropism.

Mechanisms of enzyme-catalyzed reduction of two carcinogenic nitro-aromatics, 3-nitrobenzanthrone and aristolochic acid I: Experimental and theoretical approaches

This review summarizes the results found in studies investigating the enzymatic activation of two genotoxic nitro-aromatics, an environmental pollutant and carcinogen 3-nitrobenzanthrone (3-NBA) and a natural plant nephrotoxin and carcinogen aristolochic acid I (AAI), to reactive species forming covalent DNA adducts. Experimental and theoretical approaches determined the reasons why human

NAD(P)H

quinone oxidoreductase (NQO1) and cytochromes P450 (CYP) 1A1 and 1A2 have the potential to reductively activate both nitro-aromatics. The results also contributed to the elucidation of the molecular mechanisms of these reactions. The contribution of conjugation enzymes such as N,O-acetyltransferases (NATs) and sulfotransferases (SULTs) to the activation of 3-NBA and AAI was also examined. The results indicated differences in the abilities of 3-NBA and AAI metabolites to be further activated by these conjugation enzymes. The formation of DNA adducts generated by both carcinogens during their reductive activation by the NOQ1 and CYP1A1/2 enzymes was investigated with pure enzymes, enzymes present in subcellular cytosolic and microsomal fractions, selective inhibitors, and animal models (including knock-out and humanized animals). For the theoretical approaches, flexible in silico docking methods as well as ab initio calculations were employed. The results summarized in this review demonstrate that a combination of experimental and theoretical approaches is a useful tool to study the enzyme-mediated reaction mechanisms of 3-NBA and AAI reduction.

Quantitation of pyridyloxobutyl-DNA adducts in tissues of rats treated chronically with (R)- or (S)-N'-nitrosonornicotine (NNN) in a carcinogenicity study

We quantified DNA adducts resulting from 2'-hydroxylation of enantiomers of the tobacco-specific nitrosamine N'-nitrosonornicotine (NNN) in tissues of male F-344 rats after 10, 30, 50, and 70 weeks of treatment with 14 ppm in the drinking water. These rats were in subgroups of a carcinogenicity study in which (S)-NNN was highly tumorigenic in the oral cavity and esophagus, while (R)-NNN was relatively weakly active. DNA adducts were quantified by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry in six tissues: oral mucosa, esophageal mucosa, nasal respiratory mucosa, nasal olfactory mucosa, liver, and lung. O²-[4-(3-Pyridyl)-4-oxobut-1-yl]thymidine (O²-POB-dThd, 7) and 7-[4-(3-pyridyl)-4-oxobut-1-yl]-2'-deoxyguanosine (7-POB-dGuo, 8), the latter as 7-[4-(3-pyridyl)-4-oxobut-1-yl]guanine (7-POB-Gua, 11), were detected at each time point in each tissue. In the target tissues for carcinogenicity, oral mucosa and esophageal mucosa, levels of 7-POB-Gua (11) and O²-POB-dThd (7) were similar, or 11 predominated, while in all other tissues at all time points for both enantiomers, 7 was clearly present in greater amounts than 11. Total measured DNA adduct levels in esophageal mucosa and oral mucosa were higher in rats treated with (S)-NNN than (R)-NNN. The highest adduct levels were found in the nasal respiratory mucosa. DNA adducts generally persisted in all tissues without any sign of substantial decreases throughout the 70 week time course. The results of this study suggest that inefficient repair of 7-POB-dGuo (8) in the rat oral cavity and esophagus may be important in carcinogenesis by NNN and support the development of these DNA adducts as potential biomarkers of NNN metabolic activation in people who use tobacco products.

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.

Variation in PAH-related DNA adduct levels among non-smokers: the role of multiple genetic polymorphisms and nucleotide excision repair phenotype

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) likely play a role in many cancers even in never-smokers. We tried to find a model to explain the relationship between variation in PAH-related DNA adduct levels among people with similar exposures, multiple genetic polymorphisms in genes related to metabolic and repair pathways, and nucleotide excision repair (NER) capacity. In 111 randomly selected female never-smokers from the Golestan Cohort Study in Iran, we evaluated 21 SNPs in 14 genes related to xenobiotic metabolism and 12 SNPs in eight DNA repair genes. NER capacity was evaluated by a modified comet assay, and aromatic DNA adduct levels were measured in blood by32P-postlabeling. Multivariable regression models were compared by Akaike's information criterion (AIC). Aromatic DNA adduct levels ranged between 1.7 and 18.6 per 10(8) nucleotides (mean: 5.8 ± 3.1). DNA adduct level was significantly lower in homozygotes for NAT2 slow alleles and ERCC5 non-risk-allele genotype, and was higher in the MPO homozygote risk-allele genotype. The sum of risk alleles in these genes significantly correlated with the log-adduct level (r = 0.4, p < 0.001). Compared with the environmental model, adding Phase I SNPs and NER capacity provided the best fit, and could explain 17% more of the variation in adduct levels. NER capacity was affected by polymorphisms in the MTHFR and ERCC1 genes. Female non-smokers in this population had PAH-related DNA adduct levels three to four times higher than smokers and occupationally-exposed groups in previous studies, with large inter-individual variation which could best be explained by a combination of Phase I genes and NER capacity.

Lung carcinogenesis by tobacco smoke

Cigarette smoke is a complex mixture of chemicals including multiple genotoxic lung carcinogens. The classic mechanisms of carcinogen metabolic activation to DNA adducts, leading to miscoding and mutations in critical growth control genes, applies to this mixture but some aspects are difficult to establish because of the complexity of the exposure. This article discusses certain features of this mechanism including the role of nicotine and its receptors; lung carcinogens, co-carcinogens and related substances in cigarette smoke; structurally characterized DNA adducts in the lungs of smokers; the mutational consequences of DNA adduct formation in smokers' lungs; and biomarkers of nicotine and carcinogen uptake as related to lung cancer. While there are still uncertainties which may never be fully resolved, the general mechanisms by which cigarette smoking causes lung cancer are well understood and provide insights relevant to prevention of lung cancer, the number one cancer killer in the world, causing 1.37 million deaths per year.

Altered DNA binding and amplification of human breast cancer suppressor gene BRCA1 induced by a novel antitumor compound, [Ru(η(6)-p-phenylethacrynate)Cl(2)(pta)]

The ruthenium-based complex [Ru(η(6)-p-phenylethacrynate)Cl(2)(pta)] (pta = 1,3,5-triaza-7-phosphatricyclo-[3.3.1.1]decane), termed ethaRAPTA, is an interesting antitumor compound. The elucidation of the molecular mechanism of drug activity is central to the drug development program. To this end, we have characterized the ethaRAPTA interaction with DNA, including probing the sequence specific modified DNA structural stability and DNA amplification using the breast cancer suppressor gene 1 (BRCA1) of human breast and colon adenocarcinoma cell lines as models. The preference of ethaRAPTA base binding is in the order A > G > T > C. Once modified, the ethaRAPTA-induced BRCA1 structure has higher thermal stability than the modified equivalents of its related compound, RAPTA-C. EthaRAPTA exhibits a higher efficiency than RAPTA-C in inhibiting BRCA1 amplification. With respect to both compounds, the inhibition of BRCA1 amplification is more effective in an isolated system than in cell lines. These data provide evidence that will help to understand the process of elucidating the pathways involved in the response induced by ethaRAPTA.

Exposure to benzo[a]pyrene of Hepatic Cytochrome P450 Reductase Null (HRN) and P450 Reductase Conditional Null (RCN) mice: Detection of benzo[a]pyrene diol epoxide-DNA adducts by immunohistochemistry and 32P-postlabelling

Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) is a widespread environmental carcinogen activated by cytochrome P450 (P450) enzymes. In Hepatic P450 Reductase Null (HRN) and Reductase Conditional Null (RCN) mice, P450 oxidoreductase (Por) is deleted specifically in hepatocytes, resulting in the loss of essentially all hepatic P450 function. Treatment of HRN mice with a single i.p. or oral dose of BaP (12.5 or 125mg/kg body weight) resulted in higher DNA adduct levels in liver (up to 10-fold) than in wild-type (WT) mice, indicating that hepatic P450s appear to be more important for BaP detoxification in vivo. Similar results were obtained in RCN mice. We tested whether differences between hepatocytes and non-hepatocytes in P450 activity may underlie the increased liver BaP-DNA binding in HRN mice. Cellular localisation by immunohistochemistry of BaP-DNA adducts showed that HRN mice have ample capacity for formation of BaP-DNA adducts in liver, indicating that the metabolic process does not result in the generation of a reactive species different from that formed in WT mice. However, increased protein expression of cytochrome b(5) in hepatic microsomes of HRN relative to WT mice suggests that cytochrome b(5) may modulate the P450-mediated bioactivation of BaP in HRN mice, partially substituting the function of Por.

Subchronic oral exposure to benzo(a)pyrene leads to distinct transcriptomic changes in the lungs that are related to carcinogenesis

We have previously shown that acute oral exposure to the environmental carcinogen benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) elicits comparable levels of DNA adducts, but distinct transcriptomic changes, in mouse lungs and livers, the two main BaP bioactivating organs. Oral BaP exposure is predominantly associated with lung cancer and not hepatic cancer in some animal models, suggesting that gene expression differences may provide insight into the drivers of tissue-specific carcinogenesis. In the present study, we examine pulmonary DNA adduct formation, lacZ mutant frequency, and mRNA profiles in adult male MutaMouse following subchronic (28 day) oral exposure to BaP (0, 25, 50, and 75 mg/kg/day) and sacrificed 3 days postexposure. The results are compared with those obtained from livers of the same mice (previously published). Although there was a 1.8- to 3.3-fold increase in the levels of DNA adducts in lung compared with liver, the lacZ transgene mutant frequency was similar in both tissues. At the transcriptomic level, a transition from activation of the DNA damage response p53 pathway at the low dose to the induction of genes involved in angiogenesis, evasion of apoptosis and growth signals at the high doses was evident only in the lungs. These results suggest that tissue DNA adducts and mutant frequency are sensitive markers of target tissue exposure and mode of action, whereas early changes in gene expression may provide a better indication of the likelihood of carcinogenic transformation in selected tissues. Moreover, the study provides new information on the underlying mechanisms that contribute to tissue-specific responses to BaP.

The sphingolipid degradation product trans-2-hexadecenal forms adducts with DNA

Sphingosine 1-phosphate, a bioactive signaling molecule with diverse cellular functions, is irreversibly degraded by the endoplasmic reticulum enzyme sphingosine 1-phosphate lyase, generating trans-2-hexadecenal and phosphoethanolamine. We recently demonstrated that trans-2-hexadecenal causes cytoskeletal reorganization, detachment, and apoptosis in multiple cell types via a JNK-dependent pathway. These findings and the known chemistry of related α,β-unsaturated aldehydes raise the possibility that trans-2-hexadecenal may interact with additional cellular components. In this study, we show that it reacts readily with deoxyguanosine and DNA to produce the diastereomeric cyclic 1,N(2)-deoxyguanosine adducts 3-(2-deoxy-β-d-erythro-pentofuranosyl)-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-8R-hydroxy-6R-tridecylpyrimido[1,2-a]purine-10(3H)one and 3-(2-deoxy-β-d-erythro-pentofuranosyl)-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-8S-hydroxy-6S-tridecylpyrimido[1,2-a]purine-10(3H)one. Thus, our findings suggest that trans-2-hexadecenal produced endogenously by sphingosine 1-phosphate lyase can react directly with DNA forming aldehyde-derived DNA adducts with potentially mutagenic consequences.

Formation of cyclophosphamide specific DNA adducts in hematological diseases

BACKGROUND

Fanconi anemia (FA) patients are hypersensitive to DNA alkylating agents and require lower doses than non-FA patients to minimize serious toxicity. The mechanism by which hypersensitivity occurs is thought to be due to the inability of these individuals to effectively repair drug-induced interstrand DNA-DNA crosslinks. We recently developed a highly sensitive assay for cyclophosphamide specific interstrand DNA-DNA crosslinks (G-NOR-G) and are able to quantify and compare formation of these adducts in the blood of patients. Therefore we sought to determine whether FA patients have higher in vivo exposure to the cyclophosphamide specific interstrand DNA crosslink, G-NOR-G, relative to patients without FA.

PROCEDURE

Cyclophosphamide interstrand DNA crosslinks were measured with the first dose of cyclophosphamide in FA and non-FA patients receiving a cyclophosphamide based preparative regimen prior to hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). FA patients received a lower cyclophosphamide dose than the non-FA patients (5-10 mg/kg/day vs. 50-60 mg/kg/day).

RESULTS

Despite the lower cyclophosphamide dose and lower plasma concentrations in FA patients, they had G-NOR-G amounts similar to the non-FA patients (area under the curve (AUC)(0-∞) , 99.8 vs. 144.9 G-NOR-G adducts/10(6) nucleotides hour, respectively, P = 0.47). When G-NOR-G AUC was normalized for cyclophosphamide plasma concentrations, FA study subjects produced 15-fold higher adducts than non-FA patients (P = 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

FA patients are hypersensitive to DNA alkylating agents possibly as a result of greater formation of cyclophosphamide specific interstrand DNA crosslinks and/or diminished capacity for DNA repair. Identification and quantification of these adducts may be important determinant of cyclophosphamide related toxicity.

Nontargeted nucleotide analysis based on benzoylhistamine labeling-MALDI-TOF/TOF-MS: discovery of putative 6-oxo-thymine in DNA

A method for nontargeted analysis of modified nucleotides in DNA (and RNA) is reported based on labeling with benzoylhistamine (BH) followed by MALDI-MS. The method provides deoxynucleotide-specific detection, accurate measurement of molecular ions, high sensitivity, semiquantitation, and, to the extent studied to date, normalization of response within a factor of <3.

GenoMass software: a tool based on electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry for characterization and sequencing of oligonucleotide adducts

The analysis of DNA adducts is of importance in understanding DNA damage, and in the last few years mass spectrometry (MS) has emerged as the most comprehensive and versatile tool for routine characterization of modified oligonucleotides. The structural analysis of modified oligonucleotides, although routinely analyzed using mass spectrometry, is followed by a large amount of data, and a significant challenge is to locate the exact position of the adduct by computational spectral interpretation, which still is a bottleneck. In this report, we present an additional feature of the in-house developed GenoMass software, which determines the exact location of an adduct in modified oligonucleotides by connecting tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) to a combinatorial isomer library generated in silico for nucleic acids. The performance of this MS/MS approach using GenoMass software was evaluated by MS/MS data interpretation for an unadducted and its corresponding N-acetylaminofluorene (AAF) adducted 17-mer (5'OH-CCT ACC CCT TCC TTG TA-3'OH) oligonucleotide. Further computational screening of this AAF adducted 17-mer oligonucleotide (5'OH-CCT ACC CCT TCC TTG TA-3'OH) from a complex oligonucleotide mixture was performed using GenoMass. Finally, GenoMass was also used to identify the positional isomers of the AAF adducted 15-mer oligonucleotide (5'OH-ATGAACCGGAGGCCC-3'OH). GenoMass is a simple, fast, data interpretation software that uses an in silico constructed library to relate the MS/MS sequencing approach to identify the exact location of adduct on oligonucleotides.

Tobacco carcinogen metabolites and DNA adducts as biomarkers in head and neck cancer: potential screening tools and prognostic indicators

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is one of many cancers that are strongly associated with tobacco use. Whereas HNSCC is often seen in tobacco users, many tobacco users do not develop carcinoma; and the differences between smokers with and without HNSCC are poorly studied to date. Some smokers may be inherently more susceptible to developing carcinoma due to patterns of tobacco use, innate metabolism of carcinogens, or altered excretion. Identifying those smokers at greatest risk for HNSCC would have great benefit through targeted smoking cessation efforts and enhanced surveillance. One approach to better understand the extent of exposure to, and metabolism of, tobacco carcinogens is through the use of tobacco-specific metabolites. Tobacco-specific metabolites can identify patterns of dose, exposure, and metabolism, and perhaps ultimately characterize the important differences between smokers who develop HNSCC and smokers who do not.

Bioactivation versus detoxication of the urothelial carcinogen aristolochic acid I by human cytochrome P450 1A1 and 1A2

Exposure to aristolochic acid (AA) is associated with human nephropathy and urothelial cancer. Individual susceptibility to AA-induced disease likely reflects individual differences in enzymes that metabolize AA. Herein, we evaluated AAI metabolism by human cytochrome P450 (CYP) 1A1 and 1A2 in two CYP1A-humanized mouse lines that carry functional human CYP1A1 and CYP1A2 genes in the absence of the mouse Cyp1a1/1a2 orthologs. Human and mouse hepatic microsomes and human CYPs were also studied. Human CYP1A1 and 1A2 were found to be principally responsible for reductive activation of AAI to form AAI-DNA adducts and for oxidative detoxication to 8-hydroxyaristolochic acid (AAIa), both in the intact mouse and in microsomes. Overall, AAI-DNA adduct levels were higher in CYP1A-humanized mice relative to wild-type mice, indicating that expression of human CYP1A1 and 1A2 in mice leads to higher AAI bioactivation than in mice containing the mouse CYP1A1 and 1A2 orthologs. Furthermore, an exclusive role of human CYP1A1 and 1A2 in AAI oxidation to AAIa was observed in human liver microsomes under the aerobic (i.e., oxidative) conditions. Because CYP1A2 levels in human liver are at least 100-fold greater than those of CYP1A1 and there exists a > 60-fold genetic variation in CYP1A2 levels in human populations, the role of CYP1A2 in AAI metabolism is clinically relevant. The results suggest that, in addition to CYP1A1 and 1A2 expression levels, in vivo oxygen concentration in specific tissues might affect the balance between AAI nitroreduction and demethylation, which in turn would influence tissue-specific toxicity or carcinogenicity.

Peroxidase-mediated dealkylation of tamoxifen, detected by electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry, and activation to form DNA adducts

Tamoxifen (TAM) is extensively used for the treatment and prevention of breast cancer. Associated with TAM treatment is a two- to eightfold increase in risk of endometrial cancer. To understand the mechanisms associated with this increased risk several pathways for TAM metabolism and DNA adduct formation have been studied. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of peroxidase enzymes in the metabolism of TAM and its activation to form DNA adducts. Using advanced tandem mass spectrometry we have investigated the peroxidase-mediated metabolism of TAM. Incubation of TAM with horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and H(2)O(2) produced multiple metabolites. Electrospray ionization-MS/MS analysis of the metabolites demonstrated a peak at 301.3m/z with daughter ions at 183.0, 166.9, 128.9, and 120.9m/z, which identified the metabolite as metabolite E (ME). The levels of ME were significantly inhibited by the addition of ascorbic acid to the incubation mixture. Co-incubation of either TAM or ME and DNA with HRP and H(2)O(2) produced three DNA adducts with a RAL of 1.97±0.01×10(-7) and 8.45±2.7×10(-7). Oxidation of ME with MnO(2) produced metabolite E quinone methide (MEQM). Furthermore, incubation of either TAM or ME with HRP and H(2)O(2) resulted in formation of MEQM. Reaction of calf thymus DNA with MEQM produced three DNA adducts with a RAL of 9.8±1.0×10(-7). Rechromatography analyses indicated that DNA adducts 1, 2, and 3 formed in the HRP activation of either TAM or ME were the same as those formed by the chemical reaction of DNA with MEQM. The results of these studies demonstrate that peroxidase enzymes can both metabolize TAM to form the primary metabolite ME and activate ME to a quinone methide intermediate, which reacts with DNA to form adducts. It is possible that peroxidase enzymes or peroxidase-like activity in endometrium could contribute to the formation of DNA damage and genotoxic effects in endometrium after TAM administration.

Hepatic mRNA, microRNA, and miR-34a-target responses in mice after 28 days exposure to doses of benzo(a)pyrene that elicit DNA damage and mutation

Benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) is a mutagenic carcinogen that is ubiquitous in our environment. To better understand the toxic effects of BaP and to explore the relationship between toxicity and toxicogenomics profiles, we assessed global mRNA and microRNA (miRNA) expression in Muta™Mouse. Adult male mice were exposed by oral gavage to 25, 50, and 75 mg/kg/day BaP for 28 days. Liver tissue was collected 3 days following the last treatment. Initially, we established that exposure to BaP led to the formation of hepatic DNA adducts and mutations in the lacZ transgene of the Muta™Mouse. We then analyzed hepatic gene expression profiles. Microarray analysis of liver samples revealed 134 differentially expressed transcripts (adjusted P < 0.05; fold changes > 1.5). The mRNAs most affected were involved in xenobiotic metabolism, immune response, and the downstream targets of p53. In this study, we found a significant 2.0 and 3.6-fold increase following exposure to 50 and 75 mg/kg/day BaP, respectively, relative to controls for miR-34a. This miRNA is involved in p53 response. No other significant changes in miRNAs were observed. The protein levels of five experimentally confirmed miR-34a targets were examined, and no major down-regulation was present. The results suggest that liver miRNAs are largely unresponsive to BaP doses that cause both DNA adducts and mutations. In summary, the validated miRNA and mRNA expression profiles following 28 day BaP exposure reflect a DNA damage response and effects on the cell cycle, consistent with the observed increases in DNA adducts and mutations.

Biomarkers of exposure and effect-interpretation in human risk assessment

The effect of exposure to carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons adsorbed onto respirable air particles (PM2.5, diameter < 2.5 μm) on DNA adducts and chromosomal aberrations was repeatedly studied in Prague, Czech Republic, in groups of policemen working in the downtown area and in bus drivers. Personal exposure was evaluated using personal samplers during working shifts. DNA adducts were analyzed in lymphocytes by the (32)P-postlabeling assay and chromosomal aberrations were analyzed by conventional cytogenetic analysis and fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH). The impact of environmental pollution on DNA adducts and chromosomal aberrations was studied in a total of 950 subjects. Our results suggest that the environmental exposure of nonsmokers to concentrations higher than 1 ng benzo[a]pyrene/m(3) represents a risk of DNA damage, as indicated by an increase in DNA adducts and the genomic frequency of translocations determined by FISH.

Concentration dependent effects of tobacco particulates from different types of cigarettes on expression of drug metabolizing proteins, and benzo(a)pyrene metabolism in primary normal human oral epithelial cells

The ability of tobacco smoke (TS) to modulate phase I and II enzymes and affect metabolism of tobacco carcinogens is likely an important factor in its carcinogenicity. For the first time several types of TS particulates (TSP) were compared in different primary cultured human oral epithelial cells (NOE) for their abilities to affect metabolism of the tobacco carcinogen, (BaP) to genotoxic products, and expression of drug metabolizing enzymes. TSP from, reference filtered (2RF4), mentholated (MS), reference unfiltered, (IR3), ultra low tar (UL), and cigarettes that primarily heat tobacco (ECL) were tested. Cells pretreated with TSP concentrations of 0.2-10 μg/ml generally showed increased rates of BaP metabolism; those treated with TSP concentrations above 10 μg/ml showed decreased rates. Effects of TSPs were similar when expressed on a weight basis. Weights of TSP/cigarette varied in the order: MS≈IR3>2RF4>ECL>UL. All TSPs induced the phase I proteins, cytochrome P450 1A1 (CYP1A1) and 1B1 (CYP1B1), phase II proteins, NAD(P)H dehydrogenase quinone 1 (NQO1), and microsomal glutathione S-transferase 1 (MGST1), and additionally, hydroxysteroid (17-beta) dehydrogenase 2 (HSD17B2), as assessed by qRT-PCR. The pattern of gene induction at probable physiological levels favored activation over detoxification.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons-aromatic DNA adducts in cord blood and behavior scores in New York city children

BACKGROUND

Airborne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) are widespread urban pollutants that can bind to DNA to form PAH-DNA adducts. Prenatal PAH exposure measured by personal monitoring has been linked to cognitive deficits in childhood in a prospective study conducted by the Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health.

OBJECTIVES

We measured PAH-DNA and other bulky aromatic adducts in umbilical cord white blood cells using the 32P-postlabeling assay to determine the association between this molecular dosimeter and behavioral/attention problems in childhood.

METHODS

Children born to nonsmoking African-American and Dominican women residing in New York City (NYC) were followed from in utero to 7-8 years of age. At two time points before 8 years of age (mean ages, 4.8 years and 7 years), child behavior was assessed using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). To estimate and test the association between adducts and behavioral outcomes, both CBCL continuous raw scores and dichotomized T-scores were analyzed.

RESULTS

Higher cord adducts were associated with higher symptom scores of Anxious/Depressed at 4.8 years and Attention Problems at 4.8 and 7 years, and with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition-oriented Anxiety Problems at 4.8 years.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that PAH exposure, measured by DNA adducts, may adversely affect child behavior, potentially affecting school performance.

Evolution of research on the DNA adduct chemistry of N-nitrosopyrrolidine and related aldehydes

This perspective reviews our work on the identification of DNA adducts of N-nitrosopyrrolidine and some related aldehydes. The research began as a focused project to investigate mechanisms of cyclic nitrosamine carcinogenesis but expanded into other areas, as aldehyde metabolites of NPYR were shown to have their own diverse DNA adduct chemistry. A total of 69 structurally distinct DNA adducts were identified, and some of these, found in human tissues, have provided intriguing leads for investigating carcinogenesis mechanisms in humans due to exposure to both endogenous and exogenous agents.

Endogenous versus exogenous DNA adducts: their role in carcinogenesis, epidemiology, and risk assessment

There is a strong need for science-based risk assessment that utilizes known data from diverse sources to arrive at accurate assessments of human health risk. Such assessments will protect the public health without mandating unreasonable regulation. This paper utilizes 30 years of research on three "known human carcinogens": formaldehyde, vinyl chloride (VC), and ethylene oxide (EO), each of which forms DNA adducts identical to endogenous DNA adducts in all individuals. It outlines quantitative data on endogenous adducts, mutagenicity, and relationships between endogenous and exogenous adducts. Formaldehyde has the richest data set, with quantitative data on endogenous and exogenous DNA adducts from the same samples. The review elaborates on how such data can be used to inform the current risk assessment on formaldehyde, including both the biological plausibility and accuracy of projected risks. Finally, it extends the thought process to VC, EO, and additional areas of potential research, pointing out needs, nuances, and potential paths forward to improved understanding that will lead to strong science-based risk assessment.

Protective effects of selenium against DNA adduct formation in Inuit environmentally exposed to PCBs

Dietary habits that expose populations to potential toxicants as well as protective agents simultaneously are a realistic scenario where a meaningful assessment of the interactions and net benefit or damage can be made. A group of Inuit from Salluit, Northern Canada are exposed to high levels of PCBs and selenium, both present in the Inuit traditional foods such as blubber from sea mammals and fatty fish. Blood samples were collected from 83 Inuit, 22-70 years old. Blood selenium and PCB levels were determined previously and ranged from 227 to 2069µg/L and 1.7 to 143µg/L, respectively. DNA isolated from white blood cells were analyzed by modified (32)P-postlabeling adductomics technology that detects a multitude of highly polar to lipophilic adducts. The levels of 8-oxodG adducts ranged from 470 to 7400 adducts/10(9) nucleotides. Other as yet unidentified polar adducts showed a 30 to 800-fold inter-individual variability. Adduct levels were negatively associated with PCB and selenium levels. The subjects were classified into high and low ratio groups, with respect to selenium/PCB. In the high ratio group, the coefficient of selenium is significantly negatively correlated with 8-oxodG (r = -0.38, p = 0.014) and total adducts (r = -0.41, p = 0.009) while there was no correlation within the low selenium/PCB group. This study suggests that increasing selenium has mitigating effect in reducing DNA adducts and therefore, possible negative effects of PCB were not seen. A protective effect of selenium is highlighted.

Intrauterine exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, fine particulate matter and early wheeze. Prospective birth cohort study in 4-year olds

The main goal of the study was to determine the relationship between prenatal exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) measured by PAH-DNA adducts in umbilical cord blood and early wheeze. The level of PAH-DNA adducts in the cord blood is assumed to reflect the cumulative dose of PAHs absorbed by the foetus over the prenatal period. The effect of prenatal PAH exposure on respiratory health measured by the incidence rate ratio (IRR) for the number of wheezing days in the subsequent 4 yr follow-up was adjusted for potential confounding factors such as personal prenatal exposure to fine particulate matter (PM(2.5)), environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), gender of child, maternal characteristics (age, education and atopy), parity and mould/dampness in the home. The study sample includes 339 newborns of non-smoking mothers 18-35 yr of age and free from chronic diseases, who were recruited from ambulatory prenatal clinics in the first or second trimester of pregnancy. The number of wheezing days during the first 2 yr of life was positively associated with prenatal level of PAH-DNA adducts (IRR = 1.69, 95%CI = 1.52-1.88), prenatal particulate matter (PM(2.5)) level dichotomized by the median (IRR = 1.38; 95%CI: 1.25-1.51), maternal atopy (IRR = 1.43; 95%CI: 1.29-1.58), mouldy/damp house (IRR = 1.43; 95%CI: 1.27-1.61). The level of maternal education and maternal age at delivery was inversely associated with the IRRs for wheeze. The significant association between frequency of wheeze and the level of prenatal environmental hazards (PAHs and PM(2.5)) was not observed at ages 3 or 4 yrs. Although the frequency of wheezing at ages 3 or 4 was no longer associated with prenatal exposure to PAHs and PM(2.5), its occurrence depended on the presence of wheezing in the first 2 yr of life, which nearly tripled the risk of wheezing in later life. In conclusion, the findings may suggest that driving force for early wheezing (<24 months of age) is different to those leading to later onset of wheeze. As we reported no synergistic effects between prenatal PAH (measured by PAH-DNA adducts) and PM(2.5) exposures on early wheeze, this suggests the two exposures may exert independent effects via different biological mechanism on wheeze.

Formaldehyde and leukemia: epidemiology, potential mechanisms, and implications for risk assessment

Formaldehyde is widely used in the United States and other countries. Occupational and environmental exposures to formaldehyde may be associated with an increased risk of leukemia in exposed individuals. However, risk assessment of formaldehyde and leukemia has been challenging due to inconsistencies in human and animal studies and the lack of a known mechanism for leukemia induction. Here, we provide a summary of the symposium at the Environmental Mutagen Society Meeting in 2008, which focused on the epidemiology of formaldehyde and leukemia, potential mechanisms, and implication for risk assessment, with emphasis on future directions in multidisciplinary formaldehyde research. Updated results of two of the three largest industrial cohort studies of formaldehyde-exposed workers have shown positive associations with leukemia, particularly myeloid leukemia, and a recent meta-analysis of studies to date supports this association. Recent mechanistic studies have shown the formation of formaldehyde-induced DNA adducts and characterized the essential DNA repair pathways that mitigate formaldehyde toxicity. The implications of the updated findings for the design of future studies to more effectively assess the risk of leukemia arising from formaldehyde exposure were discussed and specific recommendations were made. A toxicogenomic approach in experimental models and human exposure studies, together with the measurement of biomarkers of internal exposure, such as formaldehyde-DNA and protein adducts, should prove fruitful. It was recognized that increased communication among scientists who perform epidemiology, toxicology, biology, and risk assessment could enhance the design of future studies, which could ultimately reduce uncertainty in the risk assessment of formaldehyde and leukemia.

The influence of cytosine methylation on the chemoselectivity of benzo[a]pyrene diol epoxide-oligonucleotide adducts determined using nanoLC/MS/MS

Benzo[a]pyrene is a major carcinogen implicated in human lung cancer. Almost 60% of human lung cancers have a mutation in the p53 tumor suppressor gene at several specific codons. An on-line nanoLC/MS/MS method using a monolithic nanocolumn was applied to investigate the chemoselectivity of the carcinogenic diol epoxide metabolite, (+/-)-(7R,8S,9S,10R)-benzo[a]pyrene 7,8-diol 9,10-epoxide [(+/-)-anti-benzo[a]pyrene diol epoxide (BPDE)], which was reacted in vitro with a synthesized 14-mer double stranded oligonucleotide (5'-ACCCG5CG7TCCG11CG13C-3'/5'-GCGCGGGCGCGGGT-3') derived from the p53 gene. This sequence contained codons 157 and 158, which are considered mutational 'hot spots' and have also been reported as chemical 'hot spots' for the formation of BPDE-DNA adducts. In evaluating the effect of cytosine methylation on BPDE-DNA adduct binding, it was found that codon 156, containing the nucleobase G5 instead of the mutational hot spot codons 157 (G7) and 158 (G11), was the preferential chemoselective binding site for BPDE. In all permethylated cases studied, the relative ratio for adduction was found to be G5 >> G11 > G13 > G7. Permethylation of CpG dinucleotide sites on either the nontranscribed or complementary strand did not change the order of sequence preference but did enhance the relative adduction level of the G11 CpG site (codon 158) approximately two-fold versus the unmethylated oligomer. Permethylation of all CpG dinucleotide sites on the duplex changed the order of relative adduction to G5 >> G7 > G11 > G13. The three- to four-fold increase in adduction at the mutational hot spot codon 157 (G(7)) relative to the unmethylated or single-stranded permethylated cases suggests a possible relationship between the state of methylation and adduct formation for a particular mutation site in the p53 gene. Using this method, only 125 ng (30 pmol) of adducted oligonucleotide was analyzed with minimal sample cleanup and high chromatographic resolution of positional isomers in a single chromatographic run.

Mutagenicity, stable DNA adducts, and abasic sites induced in Salmonella by phenanthro[3,4-b]- and phenanthro[4,3-b]thiophenes, sulfur analogs of benzo[c]phenanthrene

Sulfur-containing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (thia-PAHs or thiaarenes) are common constituents of air pollution and cigarette smoke, but only a few have been studied for health effects. We evaluated the mutagenicity in Salmonella TA98, TA100, and TA104 of two sulfur-containing derivatives of benzo[c]phenanthrene, phenanthro[3,4-b]thiophene (P[3,4-b]T), and phenanthro[4,3-b]thiophene (P[4,3-b]T) as well as their dihydrodiol and sulfone derivatives. In addition, we assessed levels of stable DNA adducts (by (32)P-postlabeling) as well as abasic sites (by an aldehydic-site assay) produced by six of these compounds in TA100. P[3,4-b]T and its 6,7- and 8,9-diols, P[3,4-b]T sulfone, P[4,3-b]T, and its 8,9-diol were mutagenic in TA100. P[3,4-b]T sulfone, the most potent mutagen, was approximately twice as potent as benzo[a]pyrene in both TA98 and TA100. Benzo-ring dihydrodiols were much more potent than K-region dihydrodiols, which had little or no mutagenic activity in any strain. P[3,4-b]T sulfone produced abasic sites and not stable DNA adducts; the other five compounds examined, B[c]P, B[c]P 3,4-diol, P[3,4-b]T, P[3,4-b]T 8,9-diol, and P[4,3-b]T 8,9-diol, produced only stable DNA adducts. P[3,4-b]T sulfone was the only compound that produced significant levels of frameshift mutagenicity and induced mutations primarily at GC sites. In contrast, B[c]P, its 3,4-diol, and the 8,9 diols of the phenanthrothiophenes induced mutations primarily at AT sites. P[3,4-b]T was not mutagenic in TA104, whereas P[3,4-b]T sulfone was. The two isomeric forms (P[3,4-b]T and P[4,3-b]T) are apparently activated differently, with the latter, but not the former, involving a diol pathway. This study is the first illustrating the potential importance of abasic sites in the mutagenicity of thia-PAHs.

Mitochondrial DNA adducts in the lung and liver of F344 rats chronically treated with 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone and (S)-4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol

Two recent studies conducted in our laboratory have demonstrated formation and accumulation of pyridyloxobutyl (POB) and pyridylhydroxybutyl (PHB) adducts in lung and liver total DNA of F344 rats chronically treated with the tobacco-specific carcinogen 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) and (R)- and (S)-enantiomers of its metabolite, 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol (NNAL). In this study, we measured POB and PHB adducts in lung and liver mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), as previous studies suggest a potentially important role of mtDNA in carcinogenesis. Rats were sacrificed after 1, 2, 5, 10, 16, and 20 weeks of treatment with 10 ppm of NNK or (S)-NNAL in drinking water, and mtDNA and nuclear DNA (nDNA) adduct levels in the lung and liver were determined by LC-ESI-MS/MS-SRM. The mean levels of individual POB adducts in mtDNA at all time points were slightly higher than those in nDNA for both NNK and (S)-NNAL-treated rats in the lung (P < 0.001 for both treatments) but not in the liver (P > 0.05). Lung mtDNA of both NNK- and (S)-NNAL-treated rats contained higher concentrations of the sum of three POB adducts (P < 0.001 for both treatments) than nDNA, while the levels of mtDNA and nDNA total POB adducts in the liver were not significantly different in either NNK- or (S)-NNAL-treated rats. Analysis of PHB adducts in mtDNA and nDNA produced results similar to those obtained for POB adducts. The steady accumulation of the lung and liver mtDNA adducts over the course of the study indicates inefficient repair of these adducts in mtDNA. This is the first study to examine the formation of NNK- and (S)-NNAL-derived adducts in rat mtDNA. The results support the hypothesis that preferential binding of tobacco carcinogens to mtDNA of the lung might be functionally important in the development of smoking-induced lung cancer.

Identification of adducts formed in the reactions of 5'-acetoxy-N'-nitrosonornicotine with deoxyadenosine, thymidine, and DNA

N'-Nitrosonornicotine (NNN) is the most prevalent of the carcinogenic tobacco-specific nitrosamines found in all tobacco products. Previous studies have demonstrated that cytochrome P450-mediated 5'-hydroxylation of NNN is a major metabolic pathway leading to mutagenic products, but to date, DNA adducts formed by this pathway have been only partially characterized, and there have been no studies reported on adducts formed with bases other than dGuo. Because adducts with dAdo and dThd have been identified in the DNA of the livers of rats treated with the structurally related carcinogen N-nitrosopyrrolidine, we investigated dAdo and dThd adduct formation from 5'-acetoxyNNN (3), a stable precursor to 5'-hydroxyNNN (2). Reaction of 3 with dAdo gave diastereomeric products, which were identified by their spectral properties and LC-ESI-MS/MS-SRM analysis as N(6)-[5-(3-pyridyl)tetrahydrofuran-2-yl]dAdo (9). This adduct was further characterized by NaBH(3)CN reduction to N(6)-[4-hydroxy-4-(3-pyridyl)but-1-yl]dAdo (17). A second dAdo adduct was identified, after NaBH(3)CN treatment, as 6-[2-(3-pyridyl)pyrrolidin-1-yl]purine-2'-deoxyriboside (18). Reaction of 3 with dThd, followed by NaBH(3)CN reduction, gave O(2)-[4-(3-pyridyl)-4-hydroxybut-1-yl]thymidine (11). Adducts 9, 11, 17, and 18 were all identified by LC-ESI-MS/MS-SRM comparison to synthetic standards. The reaction of 3 with calf thymus DNA was then investigated. The DNA was enzymatically hydrolyzed to deoxyribonucleosides, and the resulting mixture was treated with NaBH(3)CN and analyzed by LC-ESI-MS/MS-SRM. Adducts 11, 17, and 18, as well as the previously identified dGuo adducts, were identified. The results of this study provide a more comprehensive picture of DNA adduct formation by the quantitatively important 5'-hydroxylation pathway of NNN and will facilitate investigation of the presence of these adducts in laboratory animals treated with NNN or in people who use tobacco products.

Oxaliplatin-DNA adduct formation in white blood cells of cancer patients

In this study, we investigated the kinetics of oxaliplatin-DNA adduct formation in white blood cells of cancer patients in relation to efficacy as well as oxaliplatin-associated neurotoxicity. Thirty-seven patients with various solid tumours received 130 mg m(-2) oxaliplatin as a 2-h infusion. Oxaliplatin-DNA adduct levels were measured in the first cycle using adsorptive stripping voltammetry. Platinum concentrations were measured in ultrafiltrate and plasma using a validated flameless atomic absorption spectrometry method. DNA adduct levels showed a characteristic time course, but were not correlated to platinum pharmacokinetics and varied considerably among individuals. In patients showing tumour response, adduct levels after 24 and 48 h were significantly higher than in nonresponders. Oxaliplatin-induced neurotoxicity was more pronounced but was not significantly different in patients with high adduct levels. The potential of oxaliplatin-DNA adduct measurements as pharmacodynamic end point should be further investigated in future trials.

Germ-line mutations, DNA damage, and global hypermethylation in mice exposed to particulate air pollution in an urban/industrial location

Particulate air pollution is widespread, yet we have little understanding of the long-term health implications associated with exposure. We investigated DNA damage, mutation, and methylation in gametes of male mice exposed to particulate air pollution in an industrial/urban environment. C57BL/CBA mice were exposed in situ to ambient air near two integrated steel mills and a major highway, alongside control mice breathing high-efficiency air particulate (HEPA) filtered ambient air. PCR analysis of an expanded simple tandem repeat (ESTR) locus revealed a 1.6-fold increase in sperm mutation frequency in mice exposed to ambient air for 10 wks, followed by a 6-wk break, compared with HEPA-filtered air, indicating that mutations were induced in spermatogonial stem cells. DNA collected after 3 or 10 wks of exposure did not exhibit increased mutation frequency. Bulky DNA adducts were below the detection threshold in testes samples, suggesting that DNA reactive chemicals do not reach the germ line and cause ESTR mutation. In contrast, DNA strand breaks were elevated at 3 and 10 wks, possibly resulting from oxidative stress arising from exposure to particles and associated airborne pollutants. Sperm DNA was hypermethylated in mice breathing ambient relative to HEPA-filtered air and this change persisted following removal from the environmental exposure. Increased germ-line DNA mutation frequencies may cause population-level changes in genetic composition and disease. Changes in methylation can have widespread repercussions for chromatin structure, gene expression and genome stability. Potential health effects warrant extensive further investigation.

Identification of adducts formed in the reaction of alpha-acetoxy-N-nitrosopyrrolidine with deoxyribonucleosides and DNA

N-Nitrosopyrrolidine (NPYR) is a well-established hepatocarcinogen in the rat. NPYR requires metabolic activation by cytochrome P450-catalyzed alpha-hydroxylation to express its carcinogenic activity. This produces alpha-hydroxyNPYR (2), which spontaneously ring opens to 4-oxobutanediazohydroxide (4), a highly reactive intermediate, which may itself modify DNA or yield a cascade of electrophiles that react with DNA to produce adducts. Multiple dGuo adducts formed in this reaction have been previously characterized, but there are no examples of adducts formed with other DNA nucleobases. In this study, we used alpha-acetoxyNPYR (3) as a stable precursor to 2 and 4. Compound 3 was allowed to react with DNA. The DNA was enzymatically hydrolyzed to deoxyribonucleosides, and the products were analyzed by LC-ESI-MS and LC-ESI-MS/MS. Reactions of 3 with individual deoxyribonucleosides were also carried out. The products were identified by their MS, UV, and NMR spectra as N6-(tetrahydrofuran-2-yl)dAdo (16) and N4-(tetrahydrofuran-2-yl)dCyd (17) in addition to the previously characterized N2-(tetrahydrofuran-2-yl)dGuo (13). Unstable dThd adducts were also formed. Further characterization of the adducts was achieved by NaBH3CN reduction of the reaction mixtures of 3 with deoxyribonucleosides or DNA. This produced N6-(4-hydroxybut-1-yl)dAdo (21), N4-(4-hydroxybut-1-yl)dCyd (22), O2-(4-hydroxybut-1-yl)dThd (23), O4-(4-hydroxybut-1-yl)dThd (24), and 3-(4-hydroxybut-1-yl)dThd (25). Adducts 21 and 22 were characterized by their spectral properties, while the dThd adducts 23-25 were identified by comparison to synthetic standards. The results of this study demonstrate that 3 forms adducts with dAdo, dCyd, and dThd in DNA, in addition to the previously characterized dGuo adducts. These newly characterized standards can be used to investigate DNA adduct formation in rats treated with NPYR.

Analysis of adducts in hepatic DNA of rats treated with N-nitrosopyrrolidine

N-Nitrosopyrrolidine (NPYR) is a hepatocarcinogen in rats. It is metabolically activated by cytochrome P450 enzymes in the liver leading to the formation of 4-oxobutanediazohydroxide (4) and related intermediates that react with DNA to form adducts. Because DNA adducts are thought to be critical in carcinogenesis by NPYR, we analyzed hepatic DNA of NPYR-treated rats for several adducts: N2-(tetrahydrofuran-1-yl)dGuo (N2-THF-dGuo, 13), N6-THF-dAdo (14), N4-THF-dCyd (17), and dThd adducts 15 and 16. The rats were treated with NPYR in the drinking water, 600 ppm for 1 week, or 200 ppm for 4 or 13 weeks. Hepatic DNA was isolated, enzymatically hydrolyzed, and analyzed by capillary LC-ESI-MS-SIM, which indicated the presence of adducts 13, 14, and 17. Because these adducts can be unstable at the deoxyribonucleoside level, further analyses were carried out using DNA treated with NaBH3CN, which converts adducts 13-17 to N2-(4-hydroxybut-1-yl)dGuo [N2-(4-HOB)dGuo, 18], N6-(4-HOB)dAdo (19), O2-(4-HOB)dThd (20), O4-(4-HOB)dThd (21), and N4-(4-HOB)dCyd (22). [15N]-Labeled analogues of adducts 18-20 and 22 were synthesized and used in this analysis, which was performed by capillary LC-ESI-MS/MS-SRM. Convincing evidence for the presence of adducts 18-22 was obtained. Levels of 18, 19, 20, and 21 were (mumol/mol dGuo): 3.41-5.39, 0.02-0.04, 2.56-3.87, and 2.28-5.05, respectively. Compound 22 was not quantified due to interfering peaks. These results provide the first evidence for tetrahydrofuranyl-substituted DNA adducts in the livers of rats treated with NPYR. The finding of dAdo and dThd adducts is of particular interest since previous studies have shown that NPYR causes mutations at AT base pairs in DNA of rat liver.

Elevation of cellular BPDE uptake by human cells: a possible factor contributing to co-carcinogenicity by arsenite

BACKGROUND

Arsenite (iAsIII) can promote mutagenicity and carcinogenicity of other carcinogens. Considerable attention has focused on interference with DNA repair by inorganic arsenic, especially the nucleotide excision repair (NER) pathway, whereas less is known about the effect of arsenic on the induction of DNA damage by other agents.

OBJECTIVES

We examined how arsenic modulates DNA damage by other chemicals.

METHODS

We used an NER-deficient cell line to dissect DNA damage induction from DNA repair and to examine the effects of iAsIII on the formation of benzo[a]pyrene diol epoxide (BPDE)-DNA adducts.

RESULTS

We found that pretreatment with iAsIII at subtoxic concentrations (10 microM) led to enhanced formation of BPDE-DNA adducts. Reduced glutathione levels, glutathione S-transferase activity and chromatin accessibility were also measured after iAsIII treatment, but none of these factors appeared to account for the enhanced formation of DNA adducts. However, we found that pretreatment with iAsIII increased the cellular uptake of BPDE in a dose-dependent manner.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that iAsIII enhanced the formation of BPDE-DNA adducts by increasing the cellular uptake of BPDE. Therefore, the ability of arsenic to increase the bioavailability of other carcinogens may contribute to arsenic co-carcinogenicity.

Validation and calibration of a model used to reconstruct historical exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons for use in epidemiologic studies

OBJECTIVES

We previously developed a historical reconstruction model to estimate exposure to airborne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from traffic back to 1960 for use in case-control studies of breast cancer risk. Here we report the results of four exercises to validate and calibrate the model.

METHODS

Model predictions of benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) concentration in soil and carpet dust were tested against measurements collected at subjects' homes at interview. In addition, predictions of air intake of BaP were compared with blood PAH-DNA adducts. These same soil, carpet, and blood measurements were used for model optimization. In a separate test of the meteorological dispersion part of the model, predictions of hourly concentrations of carbon monoxide from traffic were compared with data collected at a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency monitoring station.

RESULTS

The data for soil, PAH-DNA adducts, and carbon monoxide concentrations were all consistent with model predictions. The carpet dust data were inconsistent, suggesting possible spatial confounding with PAH-containing contamination tracked in from outdoors or unmodeled cooking sources. BaP was found proportional to other PAHs in our soil and dust data, making it reasonable to use BaP historical data as a surrogate for other PAHs. Road intersections contributed 40-80% of both total emissions and average exposures, suggesting that the repertoire of simple markers of exposure, such as traffic counts and/or distance to nearest road, needs to be expanded to include distance to nearest intersection.

Relationships among polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon-DNA adducts, proximity to the World Trade Center, and effects on fetal growth

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are toxic pollutants released by the World Trade Center (WTC) fires and various urban combustion sources. Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) is a representative member of the class of PAHs. PAH-DNA adducts, or BaP-DNA adducts as their proxy, provide a measure of chemical-specific genetic damage that has been associated with increased risk of adverse birth outcomes and cancer. To learn whether PAHs from the WTC disaster increased levels of genetic damage in pregnant women and their newborns, we analyzed BaP-DNA adducts in maternal (n = 170) and umbilical cord blood (n = 203) obtained at delivery from nonsmoking women who were pregnant on 11 September 2001 and were enrolled at delivery at three downtown Manhattan hospitals. The mean adduct levels in cord and maternal blood were highest among newborns and mothers who resided within 1 mi of the WTC site during the month after 11 September, intermediate among those who worked but did not live within this area, and lowest in those who neither worked nor lived within 1 mi (reference group). Among newborns of mothers living within 1 mi of the WTC site during this period, levels of cord blood adducts were inversely correlated with linear distance from the WTC site (p = 0.02). To learn whether PAHs from the WTC disaster may have affected birth outcomes, we analyzed the relationship between these outcomes and DNA adducts in umbilical cord blood, excluding preterm births to reduce variability. There were no independent fetal growth effects of either PAH-DNA adducts or environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), but adducts in combination with in utero exposure to ETS were associated with decreased fetal growth. Specifically, a doubling of adducts among ETS-exposed subjects corresponded to an estimated average 276-g (8%) reduction in birth weight (p = 0.03) and a 1.3-cm (3%) reduction in head circumference (p = 0.04). The findings suggest that exposure to elevated levels of PAHs, indicated by PAH-DNA adducts in cord blood, may have contributed to reduced fetal growth in women exposed to the WTC event.

Biomarkers in maternal and newborn blood indicate heightened fetal susceptibility to procarcinogenic DNA damage

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) such as benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) are widespread air contaminants released by transportation vehicles, power generation, and other combustion sources. Experimental evidence indicates that the developing fetus is more susceptible than the adult to carcinogenic effects of PAHs, although laboratory studies in rodents suggest that the dose to fetal tissues is an order of magnitude lower than that to maternal tissues. To assess fetal versus adult susceptibility to PAHs and environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), we compared carcinogen-DNA adducts (a biomarker associated with increased cancer risk) and cotinine (a biomarker of tobacco smoke exposure) in paired blood samples collected from mothers and newborns in New York City. We enrolled 265 nonsmoker African-American and Latina mother-newborn pairs in New York City between 1997 and 2001 (estimated average ambient air BaP concentrations < 0.5 ng/m3). Despite the estimated 10-fold lower fetal dose, mean levels of BaP-DNA adducts as determined by high-performance liquid chromatography-fluorescence were comparable in paired New York City newborn and maternal samples (0.24 adducts per 10(8) nucleotides, 45% of newborns with detectable adducts vs. 0.22 per 10(8) nucleotides, 41% of mothers with detectable adducts). However, by the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, the levels in newborns were higher (p = 0.02). Mean cotinine was higher in newborns than in mothers (1.7 ng/mL, 47% detectable vs. 1.28 ng/mL, 44% detectable). Consistent with our prior study in a Caucasian Polish population, these results indicate increased susceptibility of the fetus to DNA damage and reduced ability to clear ETS constituents. The findings have implications for risk assessment, given the need to protect children as a sensitive subset of the population.

DNA adducts, detected by 32P postlabelling, in human cholangiocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

Reported mortality from intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (CCa) has risen steeply in the UK and other industrialised countries over the past 30 years, the cause of which has not been explained. DNA adduct formation is promutagenic and demonstrates exposure to a DNA damaging agent. It is a key step in chemically induced carcinogenesis. We hypothesise that the increase in CCa mortality is caused by a rise in a genotoxic environmental agent(s), causing cholangiocyte DNA damage.

AIMS

To investigate and compare tumour and tumour adjacent CCa tissue, and non-cancer control bile duct tissue, for DNA adducts as a biomarker of genotoxin exposure.

METHODS

DNA from 32 intrahepatic CCa patients (and in 28 cases DNA from adjacent non-tumour tissue) and from biliary ducts of seven non-cancer patients were investigated for the presence of DNA adducts using the nuclease P1 method of (32)P postlabelling. DNA adduct levels (number of adducts/10(8) nucleotides) were quantified.

RESULTS

There was no significant difference in relative adduct labellings (RALs) between tumour adjacent DNA (median 8.6, range 1.2-51.6) and CCa DNA (7.2, 1.8-48.4). However, RALs were significantly higher in DNA from cancer patients (tumour adjacent and CCa DNA) compared with non-cancer patient DNA (2.9, 0.6-11.5; p=0.032, two tailed Mann-Whitney U test). Different adduct patterns were also seen in CCa compared with non-cancer patients.

CONCLUSION

Quantitative and qualitative differences in adducts between cancer and non-cancer patients support the hypothesis that genotoxins may play a role in the development of intrahepatic CCa.

Antitumour 2-(4-aminophenyl)benzothiazoles generate DNA adducts in sensitive tumour cells in vitro and in vivo

2-(4-Aminophenyl)benzothiazoles represent a potent and highly selective class of antitumour agent. In vitro, sensitive carcinoma cells deplete 2-(4-aminophenyl)benzothiazoles from nutrient media; cytochrome P450 1A1 activity, critical for execution of antitumour activity, and protein expression are powerfully induced. 2-(4-Amino-3-methylphenyl)benzothiazole-derived covalent binding to cytochrome P450 1A1 is reduced by glutathione, suggesting 1A1-dependent production of a reactive electrophilic species. In vitro, 2-(4-aminophenyl)benzothiazole-generated DNA adducts form in sensitive tumour cells only. At concentrations >100 nM, adducts were detected in DNA of MCF-7 cells treated with 2-(4-amino-3-methylphenyl)-5-fluorobenzothiazole (5F 203). 5F 203 (1 microM) led to the formation of one major and a number of minor adducts. However, treatment of cells with 10 microM 5F 203 resulted in the emergence of a new dominant adduct. Adducts accumulated steadily within DNA of MCF-7 cells exposed to 1 microM 5F 203 between 2 and 24 h. Concentrations of the lysylamide prodrug of 5F 203 (Phortress) > or = 100 nM generated adducts in the DNA of sensitive MCF-7 and IGROV-1 ovarian cells. At 1 microM, one major Phortress-derived DNA adduct was detected in these two sensitive phenotypes; 10 microM Phortress led to the emergence of an additional major adduct detected in the DNA of MCF-7 cells. Inherently resistant MDA-MB-435 breast carcinoma cells incurred no DNA damage upon exposure to Phortress (< or = 10 microM, 24 h). In vivo, DNA adducts accumulated within sensitive ovarian IGROV-1 and breast MCF-7 xenografts 24 h after treatment of mice with Phortress (20 mg kg(-1)). Moreover, Phortress-derived DNA adduct generation distinguished sensitive MCF-7 tumours from inherently resistant MDA-MB-435 xenografts implanted in opposite flanks of the same mouse.

Immunohistochemical detection of carcinogen-DNA adducts in normal human prostate tissues transplanted into the subcutis of athymic nude mice: results with 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP) and 3,2'-dimethyl-4-aminobiphenyl (DMAB) and relation to cytochrome P450s and N-acetyltransferase activity

Human prostate tissue transplanted into nude mice was examined immunohistochemically for DNA adducts formed after administration of 3,2'-dimethyl-4-aminobiphenyl (DMAB) or 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP). Positive staining for DMAB- or PhIP-DNA adducts was evident in 70-95% of both epithelial and stromal cells in human prostate xenografts. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis revealed a normal human prostate epithelial cell line (PrEC) to express both cytochrome P450 1A2 (CYP1A2) and N-acetyltransferase 2 (NAT2) mRNA, while a normal human prostate fibroblast cell line (NHPF) expressed NAT2, but not CYP1A2 mRNA. In addition, NAT2 and to a lesser extent CYP1A2 mRNAs were also found in four cases of normal human prostate tissues. The results suggest that initial activation of chemicals by liver CYP1A2 and subsequent metabolism by prostate NAT2 is a major pathway of DNA adduct formation in human prostate cells. Thus, the data suggest that human prostate has the potential to be targeted by environmental carcinogens.