Coordinate mutation and transformation of mouse fibroblasts: induction by nitroquinoline oxide and modulation by caffeine

Mutation and malignant transformation were followed in the same cells. Mouse fibroblasts (C3H 10T 1/2) were mutated and transformed by 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide with similar, approximately linear dose-responses. The presence of caffeine immediately after exposure to 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide potently inhibited mutation and transformation at high but not at low doses of 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide. Whilst the coordinate induction of mutation and transformation could be explained by both a common target (DNA) or a common reactive species hitting several targets, the identical modulation by a DNA repair inhibitor of both end points suggests fundamental similarities in the nature of the lesions lead…

Relationship between mutagenicity and DNA adduct formation in mammalian cells for fjord- and bay-region diol-epoxides of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

Abstract Chinese hamster V79 cells were treated with the anti- and syn-diastereomers of the bay- or fjord-region diol-epoxides of four polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, namely benzo[a]pyrene (BP), benzo[c]chrysene (BcC), benzo[g]chrysene (BgC) and benzo[c]phenanthrene (BcPh). The frequency of induction of 6-thioguanine-resistant mutations was determined, and the extent of formation of DNA adducts was measured by 32P-postlabelling. When expressed as mutation frequency per nanomoles compound per millilitre incubation medium, this group of chemicals expressed a 160-fold range in potency. In agreement with previous experimental studies, the anti-diol-epoxide of BcC was highly mutagenic, inducin…

Metabolic activation to a mutagen of 3-hydroxy-trans-7,8-dihydroxy-7,8-dihydrobenzo[a]pyrene, a secondary metabolite of benzo[a]pyrene

3-Hydroxy-trans-7,8-dihydroxy-7,8-dihydrobenzo[a]pyrene (3-OH-BP-7,8-diol) was isolated from arylsulfatase/beta-glucuronidase-treated bile of rats to which 3-hydroxybenzo[a]pyrene (3-OH-BP) has been administered. This triol was investigated for mutagenicity in Salmonella typhimurium (reversion to histidine prototrophy of strains TA 97, TA 98, TA 100 and TA 1537) and in V79 Chinese hamster cells (acquisition of resistance to 6-thioguanine). When no exogenous metabolizing system was added the triol was inactive, while 3-OH-BP showed weak mutagenic effects with all four bacterial strains. In the presence of NADPH-fortified postmitochondrial supernatant fraction (S9 mix) of liver homogenate fro…

Studies on the importance of microsomal epoxide hydrolase in the detoxification of arene oxides using the heterologous expression of the enzyme in mammalian cells.

In order to investigate the role of the microsomal epoxide hydrolase (mEH) in the detoxification of arene oxides in the presence of a high endogenous glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity-a situation found in several organs--we expressed the rat mEH cDNA in BHK21 Syrian hamster cells. These cells have high GST activities but contain an extremely low endogenous mEH enzyme activity. We obtained several cell clones which expressed the mEH heterologously, as determined by immunoblotting. The cell clone BHK21-mEH/Mz1 had the highest level of mEH protein. Immunofluorescence showed that the level of expression was almost homogeneous throughout the cell population. Total protein isolated from th…

Metabolites of diethylstilboestrol induce sister chromatid exchange in human cultured fibroblasts

Diethylstilboesterol (DES) is one of the few substances for which a clear association with carcinogenicity has been established in man. Nevertheless, it is still widely used, mainly as a cheap oestrogen to increase the slaughter weight of beef, but in spite of this it is not known if residues in the meat or metabolites excreted by the cattle are hazardous to man. It is also unknown whether there is a threshold dose below which DES is harmless. A threshold might be expected if a hormonal mechanism of carcinogensis rather than metabolic activation to an electrophically reactive species operats. This possibility was supported by the observations that DES, in contrast to most other carcinogens,…

Toxicological implications of enzymatic control of reactive metabolites.

Many foreign compounds are transformed into reactive metabolites, which may produce genotoxic effects by chemically altering critical biomolecules. Reactive metabolites are under the control of activating, inactivating and precursor sequestering enzymes. Such enzymes are under the long-term control of induction and repression, as well as the short-term control of post-translational modification and low molecular weight activators or inhibitors. In addition, the efficiency of these enzyme systems in preventing reactive metabolite-mediated toxicity is directed by their subcellular compartmentalization and isoenzymic multiplicity. Extrapolation from toxicological test systems to the human req…

Stable expression of human cytochrome P450 1A1 cDNA in V79 Chinese hamster cells and metabolic activation of benzo[a]pyrene

A V79 Chinese hamster cell line stably expressing human cytochrome P450 1A1 (CYP1A1) was obtained by chromosomal integration of the human CYP1A1 cDNA under the control of the SV40 early promoter. Chromosomal integration was verified by Southern analysis, and effective transcription of the human CYP1A1 cDNA was demonstrated by Northern analysis. The CYP1A1 cDNA-encoded protein was characterized by Western analysis using anti-rat CYP1A1. Intracellular association of CYP1A1 with the endoplasmic reticulum could be visualized by in situ immunofluorescence. Crude cell lysates of the V79 derived cell line was able to catalyze 7-ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylation (EROD) with an activity of about 50 pmo…

Detoxification of optically active bay- and fjord-region polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon dihydrodiol epoxides by human glutathione transferase P1-1 expressed in Chinese hamster V79 cells

Dihydrodiol epoxides (DEs) are important carcinogenic metabolites of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The metabolic formation of four stereoisomeric DEs (a pair of optically active diastereomers termed as syn- and anti-form) is possible. Glutathione tranferases (GSTs) have been demonstrated to catalyze the detoxification of DEs. Purified GSTs display remarkable differences in catalytic efficiencies towards bay- and fjord-region DEs along with a high degree of regio- and stereoselectivity. Here we determined to which extent heterologously expressed human GSTP1-1, a major GST isoform in lung, affects the mutagenicity of stereoisomeric bay-region DEs of benzo[a]pyrene in Chinese hamste…

Fruits and vegetables protect against the genotoxicity of heterocyclic aromatic amines activated by human xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes expressed in immortal mammalian cells

Heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs) can be formed during the cooking of meat and fish at elevated temperatures and are associated with an increased risk for cancer. On the other hand, epidemiological findings suggest that foods rich in fruits and vegetables can protect against cancer. In the present study three teas, two wines, and the juices of 15 fruits and 11 vegetables were investigated for their protective effect against the genotoxic effects of 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (IQ) and 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP). To closely mimic the enzymatic activation of these HAAs in humans, genetically engineered V79 Chinese hamster fibroblasts were employed tha…

Large differences in metabolic activation and inactivation of chemically closely related compounds: effects of pure enzymes and enzyme induction on the mutagenicity of the twelve monomethylated benz[a]anthracenes, 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene and benz[a]anthracenes in the Ames test

Enzymic Control of Reactive Metabolites from Aromatic Carcinogens

Mutation and transformation in C3H 10T 1/2 mouse fibroblasts were coordinately induced by 4-nitroquinoline N-oxide and identically modulated by caffeine strongly suggesting mutation as one necessary step in the sequence of events ultimately leading to transformation. The enzymic control of reactive metabolites derived from aromatic carcinogens was then investigated using bacterial mutagenicity as an analytical tool. It was shown that the correlation of bacterial mutagenicity with carcinogenicity of BP and four major metabolites was substantially better when these compounds were activated by intact hepatocytes as compared to commonly used broken cell preparations which suggests that the rela…

INTERINDIVIDUAL VARIATIONS OF EPOXIDE HYDRATASE ACTIVITY IN HUMAN LIVER AND LUNG BIOPSIES, LYMPHOCYTES AND FIBROBLAST CULTURES

Publisher Summary Most pharmaceuticals, toxic compounds, mutagens, and carcinogens undergo metabolism in the human body. Differences in drug metabolizing enzymes cause differences in susceptibility towards effects or side effects of these compounds. This chapter presents a comparison of epoxide hydratase (EH) activity in human individuals. Activities were measured in biopsy samples of liver, which is the main site of drug metabolism, and of lung, which is an organ that is continually exposed to potential enzyme inducers and to carcinogenic compounds. EH was studied in native lymphocytes, cultured lymphocytes, and fibroblasts in which environmental influences can be controlled and the geneti…

Clavine alkaloids and derivatives as mutagens detected in the Ames test.

Eight cytostatic clavines were investigated for mutagenicity in Salmonella typhimurium (reversion of the his-strains TA98, TA100, TA102 and TA1537), directly and in the presence of a mammalian xenobiotic metabolizing system, S9 (NADPH-fortified postmitochondrial fraction of liver homogenate from Aroclor 1254-treated rats). Four compounds (festuclavine, 17-bromofestuclavine, 1-allylelymoclavine and 1-methyllysergol methyl ether) were direct mutagens, whose activity was enhanced in the presence of S9. The other compounds (1-cyclopentylfestuclavine, 13-bromo-1-cyclopropylmethylfestuclavine, 6-cyano-1-propyl-6-norfestuclavine and 6-allyl-1-propyl-6-norfestuclavine) showed mutagenic effects only…

Sulfotransferase-mediated activation of mutagens studied using heterologous expression systems

Abstract Sulfation is a common final step in the biotransformation of xenobiotics and is traditionally associated with inactivation. However, the sulfate group is electron-withdrawing and may be cleaved off heterolytically in some molecules leading to electrophilic cations which may form adducts with DNA and other important cellular structures. Since endogenous sulfotransferases do not appear to be expressed in indicator cells of standard mutagenicity tests, rat and human sulfotransferases have been stably expressed in his−Salmonella typhimurium strain TA1538 and Chinese hamster V79 cells. Using these recombinant indicator cells, sulfotransferase-dependent genotoxic activities were detected…

Biphenyl and fluorinated derivatives: liver enzyme-mediated mutagenicity detected in Salmonella typhimurium and Chinese hamster V79 cells.

Abstract Hepatocarcinogenic polychlorinated and polybrominated biphenyls usually show negative results in in vitro mutagenicity assays. Problems in their testing result from their low water solubility and their slow rate of metabolism. We therefore investigated better soluble model compounds, namely biphenyl and its 3 possible monofiuorinated derivatives. In the direct test, these compounds proved tobe nonmutagenic in Salmonella typhimurium TA98 and TA100 (reversion to histidine prototrophy) and in Chinese hamster V79 cells (acquisition of resistance to 6-thioguanine). However, when the exposure was carried out in the presence of NADPH-fortified postmitochondrial fraction of liver homogenat…

Epoxides metabolically produced from some known carcinogens and from some clinically used drugs. I. Differences in mutagenicity.

The epoxide metabolites of two clinically used drugs and an experimental psychotropic agent, carbamazepine 10,11-oxide, cyproheptadine 10,11-oxide and cyclobenzaprine 10,11-oxide, were fully devoid of any mutagenic activity under conditions where K-region-epoxide metabolites of some known carcinogens, such as benzo (a)pyrene, proved to be potent frameshift mutational agents for Salmonella typhimurium TA 1537 and TA 1538. All epoxides tested were non-mutagenic for TA 1535, designed to detect substitution mutations. The 10,11-epoxides of the three drugs, carbamazepine, cyproheptadine and cyclobenzaprine, were not cytotoxic to any of the bacterial tester strains used, precluding that mutagenic…

Activation of propane 2-nitronate to a genotoxicant in V79-derived cell lines engineered for the expression of rat hepatic sulfotransferases

2-Nitropropane (2-NP) is a genotoxic hepatocarcinogen in rats. The genotoxicity of the compound has been attributed to a sulfotransferase-mediated formation of DNA-reactive species from the anionic form of 2-NP, propane 2-nitronate (P2N). Several observations have suggested that sulfotransferases (SULTs) 1A1 and/or 1C1 may be important in the activation of P2N to a genotoxicant in rat liver, but a definite proof is lacking. In order to identify the sulfotransferase(s) of rat liver that are capable of activating P2N, we have investigated the genotoxicity of P2N in various V79-derived cell lines engineered for expression of individual forms of rat hepatic sulfotransferases. Genotoxicity was a…

Species differences in activating and inactivating enzymes related to the control of mutagenic metabolites

Microsomal monooxygenases catalyze the biosynthesis of epoxides from olefinic and aromatic compounds whilst microsomal epoxide hydratase and cytoplasmic glutathione S-transferases are responsible for their further biotransformation. Although catalytically very efficient the cytoplasmic glutathione S-transferases play, due to their subcellular localization, a minor role in the inactivation of epoxides derived from large lipophilic compounds and were, therefore, not included in this study. It was shown with such a lipophilic compound, benzo(a)pyrene, as a model substance and with liver enzyme mediated bacterial mutagenesis as biological endpoint that species and strain differences in epoxide …

Characterization of thyroid hormone sulfotransferases

Sulfation is an intriguing pathway of thyroid hormone metabolism since it facilitates the degradation of the hormone by the type I deiodinase (D1). This study reports the preliminary characterization of iodothyronine sulfotransferase activities of rat and human liver cytosol and recombinant rSULT1C1 and hSULT1A1 isoenzymes. All these enzyme preparations catalyzed the sulfation of--in decreasing order of efficiency--3,3'-diiodothyronine (3,3'-T2)3,3',5-triiodothyronine (T3) approximately 3,3',5'-triiodothyronine (rT3)thyroxine (T4). 3,3'-T2 sulfotransferase activity was found to be higher in male than in female rat liver, which has also been shown by others for the expression of rSULT1A1 and…

Metabolic epoxidation of trans-4-acetylaminostilbene: A protective mechanism against its activation to a mutagen

Abstract Trans -4-acetylaminostilbene is activated by liver preparations to mutagens for Salmonella typhimurium . Since this compound is metabolized to the trans -α,β-epoxide and since many epoxides are ultimate mutagens, this epoxide was tested for direct mutagenicity. It was, however, found to be non-mutagenic, and, in contrast to the parent compound, the epoxide was no longer activated by liver preparations to mutagens. The same was found for the β-ketone and for the threo -α,β-dihydrodiol, which are formed metabolically from trans -4-acetylaminostilbene and from its α,β-epoxide. 4-Acetylaminobibenzyl showed a very weak mutagenic activity in the presence of the liver preparation. Thus, i…

Sulfotransferase-mediated mutagenicity of 1-hydroxymethylpyrene and 4H-cyclopenta[def]chrysen-4-ol and its enhancement by chloride anions.

1-Hydroxymethylpyrene (HMP), a primary benzylic alcohol, and 4H-cyclopenta[def]chrysen-4-ol (OH-CPC), a secondary benzylic alcohol, were investigated for mutagenicity in Salmonella typhimurium (reversion of the his- strain TA98) in the presence of various xenobiotic-metabolizing systems. In the direct test, HMP was inactive and OH-CPC was very weakly active. In the presence of NADPH-fortified postmitochondrial fraction from rat liver (S9/NADPH), no activation of OH-CPC was observed, whereas strong mutagenic effects were elicited by HMP. In the presence of cytosol and 3'-phosphoadenosine-5'-phosphosulfate (PAPS), both alcohols were activated to potent mutagens. For equal mutagenic effects, a…

Human cytochrome P450 reductase can act as a source of endogenous oxidative DNA damage and genetic instability.

Studies with repair-deficient mice and other experiments suggest that oxidative DNA modifications are generated in all types of cells even under physiological conditions and that this type of endogenous DNA damage contributes to spontaneous cancer incidence. However, the cellular sources of reactive oxygen species that are relevant for nuclear oxidative DNA damage are largely unknown. Here, we report that expression of human NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase (hOR) in cultured V79 Chinese hamster cells gives rise to elevated basal levels of oxidative purine modifications after depletion of glutathione. Also, the basal levels of micronuclei are increased in the hOR-expressing cells, and again t…

Chiral Inversion of 1-Hydroxyethylpyrene Enantiomers Mediated by Enantioselective Sulfotransferases

The benzylic alcohol 1-hydroxyethylpyrene (1-HEP) is activated to a mutagen by sulfotransferases. The sulfuric acid ester formed is difficult to detect, as it is rapidly hydrolysed back to the alcohol. Incubation of the individual enantiomers of 1-HEP with human hydroxysteroid sulfotransferase (hHST) or estrogen sulfotransferase (hEST), expressed in bacteria, led to the formation of the other enantiomer. The rates of sulfation were determined from the initial rates of chiral inversion of the alcohol, knowing that hydrolysis follows an SN1 mechanism and therefore produces racemic alcohol. hEST showed high enantioselectivity for S-1-HEP, whereas hHST strongly preferred the R-enantiomer. The r…

Genetically engineered V79 Chinese hamster cells metabolically activate the cytostatic drugs cyclophosphamide and ifosfamide.

V79 cells, genetically engineered to express active cytochromes P450IIB1 and P450IA1, were used to study the cytotoxicity and mutagenicity of cyclophosphamide and ifosfamide. Cyclophosphamide, tested up to a concentration of 2 mM, was not cytotoxic in V79 nor in the P450IA1-expressing V79-derived cell line XEM2. Pronounced cytotoxicity was, however, observed in the P450IIB1-expressing V79-derived cell line SD1. Induction of gene mutations (acquisition of 6-thioguanine resistance) was observed in SD1 cells as well, but the effects were weak. Ifosfamide was inactive in V79 cells, but was cytotoxic in SD1 cells. Ifosfamide mustard, an active metabolite of ifosfamide, was equally cytotoxic and …

Role of Parenchymal Versus Non-Parenchymal Cells on the Control of Biologically Reactive Intermediates

The non-parenchymal cells (NPC) of the liver have the potential to significantly influence the formation of reactive intermediates in the liver because of their critical location along the sinusoids where they are the first cells to encounter blood borne xenobiotics. To study the possible role of the NPC in the metabolism of xenobiotics, populations of NPC and parenchymal cells (PC) were prepared from rats and various xenobiotic metabolizing enzyme activities investigated. The specific activity of every enzyme studied was 12 to 1000% higher in the PC than in the NPC populations and the pattern of activities between the 2 populations was remarkably different. The NPC also displayed a more dr…

Strong influence of the exposure medium on mutagenicity in the Ames test: 7-methylbenz[a]anthracene-5,6-oxide.

We have previously shown that the activity of the ionized mutagen, 1-hydroxmethylpyrene sulphate, is strongly enhanced in Salmonella typhimurium TA98, when KCl is present in the exposure medium (50-fold at a concentration of 125 mM KCl) and that the halogen ion is responsible for this effect. Here we show that KCl has the opposite effect on the activity of the lipophilic mutagen, 7-methylbenz[a]anthracene-5,6-oxide, (10-fold decrease at a concentration of 125 mM) and that K+ accounts for this influence. Many other solutes also decreased the mutagenicity of 7-methylbenz[a]anthracene-5,6-oxide, but to a smaller extent than the K+ salts. The stability of 7-methylbenz[a]anthracene-5,6-oxide did…

External Versus Internal Metabolic Activation of Polycyclic Aromatic Compounds in Mutagenicity Tests: A Comparison Using Heterologous Expression Systems

Abstract Benzo[a]pyrene-trans-7,8-dihydrodiol was virtually non-mutagenic to Chinese hamster V79p cells, but was strongly mutagenic to a V79-derived cell line expressing cytochrome P450 1A1, when the cells were exposed separately. In mixed cultures of these two cell types, it showed about 50 % of the mutagenic activity in V79p cells, compared to that observed in the enzyme-proficient cell line, indicating an efficient intercellular transfer of the active metabolite. The benzylic alcohols 1-hydroxymethylpyrene and 6-hydroxymethylbenzo[a]-pyrene were weakly mutagenic to Salmonella typhimurium TA1538 in the absence of a metabolic activation system, but were potent mutagens to a TA1538-derived …

cis- and trans-1,2-diphenylaziridines: induction of xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes in rat liver and mutagenicity in Salmonella typhimurium.

trans-Stilbene imine (trans-1,2-diphenylaziridine) is the nitrogen analog of trans-stilbene oxide, a potent inducer of several microsomal and cytosolic xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes. Although the acute toxicity of cis- and trans-stilbene imines prevents their application at the usual dose for trans-stilbene oxide (400 mg/kg/day), it is apparent that the imines nevertheless potently induce several xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes in rat liver. The IP administration of trans-stilbene imine resulted in statistically significant increases in the activities of aminopyrine N-demethylase, microsomal epoxide hydrolase, glutathione transferase (toward 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene, 1,2-dichloro-4-nit…

Molecular studies on the toxifying effects by genetically engineered cytochromes P450.

After almost two decades, it is now evident that methodology based on molecular biology and gene technology has dramatically changed the way basic and applied toxicology is being performed. It star...

Cytogenetic effects of promutagens in genetically engineered V79 Chinese hamster cells expressing cytochromes P450.

Abstract V79 Chinese hamster cell lines genetically engineered to express rat CYP2B1, CYP1A1, CYP1A2, and their parental cell lines V79-MZ, without acetyltransferase, and V79-NH, with acetyltransferase, were studied for chromosome aberrations and sister chromatid exchange induced by aflatoxin B 1 , cyclophosphamide, benzo[a]pyrene, 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene and dimethylnitrosamine. The parental V79 cell lines did not show clastogenic effects. Significant clastogenic effects were observed after an 18 h exposure to aflatoxin B 1 and cyclophosphamide in CYP2B1 expressing cells, to benzo[a]pyrene in CYP1A1 and CYP1A2 expressing cells, to 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene and dimethylnitrosami…

Expression of xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes in propagatable cell cultures and induction of micronuclei by 13 compounds

Activities of various xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes were determined in 18 cell lines. Activities of cytochrome P450 reductase, microsomal epoxide hydrolase and glutathione transferase were detectable in all lines. The highest values were similar to the activities found in freshly isolated rat hepatocytes. Catalase activity was also present in all 12 investigated cell lines. Activity of UDP-glucuronosyl transferase was high in some lines, but low or undetectable in others. Activity of cytosolic epoxide hydrolase was not measurable in most lines, and was low in the others. Metabolism of benzo[a]pyrene was observed in eight out of nine examined lines, no activity being found in V79 cells. V7…

Synthesis and mutagenicity of the diastereomeric fjord-region 11,12-dihydrodiol 13,14-epoxides of dibenzo[a,l]pyrene.

Extensive tumorigenicity studies in rodents revealed that dibenzo[a,l]pyrene (DB[a,l]P) is the most potent carcinogen among all polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) tested so far. The structure of the genotoxic metabolite(s) responsible for this exceptional carcinogenicity is unknown. The fjord-region syn- and anti-DB[a,l]P-11,12-dihydrodiol 13,14-epoxides (syn- and anti-DB[a,l]PDE) were synthesized to clarify their role as possible ultimate mutagenic and carcinogenic metabolites of DB[a,l]P.9-Formyl-11,12-dimethoxybenzo[g] chrysene was prepared from 9-phenanthrylacetic acid by a photochemical route. After reaction of the aldehyde with trimethylsulfonium iodide to generate an oxiranyl si…

Multiple activation pathways of benzene leading to products with varying genotoxic characteristics.

Abstract Benzene and 13 potential metabolites were investigated for genotoxicity in Salmonella typhimurium and V79 Chinese hamster cells. In the presence of NADPH-fortified hepatic postmitochondrial fraction (S9 mix), benzene reverted his- S. typhimurium strains. The effect was strongest in strain TA1535. Among the potential metabolites, only the trans-1,2-dihydrodiol, in the presence of S9 mix, and the diol epoxides, in the presence and absence of S9 mix, proved mutagenic in this strain. The anti-diol epoxide was more potent than the syn-diastereomer. Both enantiomers of the anti-diastereomer showed similar activities. S9 mix did not appreciably affect the mutagenicity of the anti-diol epo…

DNA strand break induction, mutagenicity, and cytotoxicity of the mycotoxins 11-β-hydroxy-7-deoxy-rosenonolactone, rosenonolactone, and trichothecin.

11-β-hydroxy-7-deoxy-rosenonolactone (TSS1), a mycotoxin of the rosenane class, was tested on cytotoxicity, induction of DNA single strand breaks and muta-genicity. Its effects were compared to those of rosenonolactone and trichothecin. TSS1 had stronger antibiotic activity againstEscherichia coli (EC 50: 10μg/mL) than rosenonolactone (EC 50: >200μg/mL) but weaker activity than trichothecin (EC 50: 3μg/mL). The same order of activity was found for the inhibition of yeast fermentation (EC 50 of TSS1: 45μg/mL; EC 50 of rosenonolactone: > 120μg/mL; EC 50 of trichothecin: 3.4μg/mL). In the trypan blue exclusion test using V79 Chinese hamster cells, TSS1 proved to be cytotoxic (EC50: 30μg/mL) at…

Development of hydroxysteroid sulfotransferase-deficient lesions during hepatocarcinogenesis in rats

Rat liver cytosolic hydroxysteroid sulfotransferases form highly reactive sulfuric acid esters from some benzylic alcohols, such as 1-hydroxymethylpyrene. In this study we examined the expression of hydroxysteroid sulfotransferase a (STa) in carcinogen-induced enzyme-altered, presumably preneoplastic, rat liver foci. Female Wistar rats were given a single i.p. injection of diethylnitrosamine (0.15 mumol/g body wt) 1 day after birth to induce the liver foci. After weaning, rats were given 1-hydroxymethylpyrene or phenobarbital continuously in their diet (250 or 500 p.p.m. respectively) for a total of 120 days. Carcinogen-induced liver foci were identified by a change in the marker enzyme ade…

Applications of stable V79-derived cell lines expressing rat cytochromes P4501A1, 1A2, and 2B1.

1. Chinese hamster V79-derived cell lines, stably expressing cytochromes P4501A1, 1A2, and 2B1 activities, were constructed by genetic engineering in continuation of our work to establish a battery of V79 derived cell lines designed to study the metabolism of xenobiotics. 2. Cell lines XEM1 and XEM2, expressing cytochrome P4501A1, were capable of the O-dealkylation of 7-ethoxycoumarin and the hydroxylation of benzo[a]pyrene. 3. Cell lines XEMd.MZ and XEMd.NH, expressing P4501A2, were shown to hydroxylate 17 beta-estradiol and 2-aminofluorene. 4. Cell line SD1, expressing cytochrome P4502B1, was able to hydroxylate testosterone stereo- and regio-specifically at the 16 alpha and 16 beta posit…

Mechanism-based predictions of interactions.

Abstract Exposure to more than one toxic compound is common in real life. The resulting toxic effects are often more than the simple sum of the effects of the individual compounds. It is unlikely that it will ever be possible to test all combinations. It is therefore highly desirable to improve or develop means for reasonably approximating predictions of interactions. In order to be valid and extrapolatable, these predictions are most promising if they are mechanism-based. Examples will be given for possibilities of mechanism-based predictions of interactions which exceed trivialities of simple increases by enzyme induction of enzymatic rates of a given biotransformation pathway leading to …

Role of the Well-Known Basic and Recently Discovered Acidic Glutathione S-Transferases in the Control of Genotoxic Metabolites

Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs; E.C. 2. 5. 1. 18) are a family of enzymes which have increasingly attracted the interest of toxicologists, pharmacologists, biochemists and clinicians since their discovery in 1961 (1). Initially, GSTs were believed to serve as intracellular transport proteins for endogenous compounds with limited solubility in water, thus acting as an intracellular equivalent to albumin in blood plasma. In this assumed capacity of reversible binding and transport of various ligands, the corresponding protein was named ligandin (2). Following the discovery of abundant GST occurrence in most forms of aerobic life including plants, and the GST-catalysed conjugation of a wide …

The cytotoxicity of mitomycin C and Adriamycin in genetically engineered V79 cell lines and freshly isolated rat hepatocytes

The objective of the present study was to investigate the cytotoxicity of Adriamycin (ADR) and mitomycin C (MMC) in tumor and non-tumor cells with respect to the role of cytochrome P450 (P450). Therefore, genetically engineered V79 Chinese hamster fibroblasts expressing only single enzymes of P450 were used. SD1 and XEM2 cells expressed rat P450IIB1 and P450IA1, respectively, whereas the V79 parental cells contained no detectable P450 levels. The cytotoxicity of ADR and MMC in the V79 cell system was compared with that in freshly isolated hepatocytes from phenobarbital (PB-hepatocytes)- and beta-naphthoflavone (beta NF-hepatocytes)-induced rats. Following 24 h of exposure to ADR equal cytot…

Species Differences in Enzymes Controlling Reactive Epoxides

Activities of enzymes involved in the metabolic formation and catabolism of epoxides were determined in liver subcellular preparations from 11 mammalian species and various strains of mice. The most conspicuous finding was that the activities of the microsomal epoxide hydrolase were clearly lower in the mouse than in the other species. This invited the working hypothesis that epoxides may be involved in mouse liver carcinogenesis. The carcinogens may be metabolised themselves to reactive epoxides or they may modify the metabolism of epoxides formed from endogenous or other foreign compounds. To examine the former point, phenobarbital, DDT (1,1-bis(p- chlorophenyl)-2,2,2-trichloroethane), li…

Characterization of an epithelial, nearly diploid liver cell strain, from Chinese hamster, able to activate promutagens

Epithelial liver cells of the Chinese hamster (CHEL cells) were propagated in culture for 35 passages. At favourable cell densities, the population doubling time in normal medium, was 20 h. L-Tyrosine amino transferase activity was retained at a measurable level, but its enhancement by dexamethasone was detected solely in cells of early passages. Pyruvate kinase was strongly activated by fructose-1,6-biphosphate at low substrate concentrations. These enzymatic properties suggest that the CHEL cells are derived from a sub-population of parenchymal hepatocytes or from cells closely related to parenchymal hepatocytes. With a lag period of a few hours, CHEL cultures metabolized benzo[a]pyrene. …

Importance of Individual Enzymes in the Control of Ultimate Carcinogens

The metabolic activation of most chemical mutagens and carcinogens is a prerequisite for their mutagenic and carcinogenic activity. Reactive metabolites are under the control of activating, inactivating and precursor sequestering enzymes. These enzymes are under the long-term control of induction and repression and under the short-term control of posttranslational modification. As far as carcinogen-metabolizing enzymes are concerned, posttranslational modification has received little attention. This short-term regulation may be especially important since it works fast and may affect the enzymatic activity as well as the degradation of the enzyme. The enzymatic activity is modified by activa…

Stable Expression of Heterologous Sulfotransferase in V79 Cells: Activation of Primary and Secondary Benzylic Alcohols

Abstract A sulfotransferase (ST) capable of activating 1-hydroxymethylpyrene (HMP) and 9-hydroxymethylanthracene (HMA) to mutagens was purified from rat liver. This enzyme appeared to be identical with hydroxysteroid STa, whose cDNA was cloned and stably expressed in Chinese hamster V79 cells. Several primary and secondary benzylic alcohols derived from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons induced gene mutations, sister chromatid exchanges (SCE) and/or cytotoxicity in these cells.

Stable expression of rat cytochrome P450IA2 cDNA and hydroxylation of 17β-estradiol and 2-aminofluorene in V79 Chinese hamster cells

In continuation of our work toward the establishment of a working cell bank for metabolic and toxicological studies, V79 Chinese hamster cells were genetically engineered for stable expression of rat cytochrome P450IA2. Full-length cDNA encoding rat P450IA2 was obtained by searching a cDNA library made from Aroclor 1254-induced rat liver mRNA and by joining a small 5'-end fragment to a fragment containing the rest of the cDNA. The sequence of the cDNA was confirmed by DNA sequencing and comparison to a previously published cDNA sequence. The reconstructed full-length cDNA was inserted into a simian virus 40 early promoter-containing eukaryotic expression vector and cotransferred with the ne…

Fjord-region diol-epoxides of benzo[c]chrysene are potent inducers of micronuclei in murine bone marrow

Abstract Vicinal diol-epoxides are the best established carcinogenic metabolites of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Numerous studies have demonstrated their high genotoxic activity in various in vitro test systems. However, in vivo mutagenicity data are not available. The fjor-region diol-epoxides of benzo[ c ]chrysene combine high mutagenic activity in vitro with hydrolytic stability. They were tested for the induction of micronuclei in the bone marrow following intraperitoneal administration to NMRI mice. The anti diasteromer of the diol-epixode enhanced the frequency of micronucleated polycrhomatic erythrocytes strongly (7–19-fold above the value in untreated controls) over a very wide…

Mutagenicity of glutathione and cysteine in the Ames test.

Postmitochondrial supernatant from rat liver and kidney homogenates transformed cysteine into a mutagen that reverted bacteria of the strain Salmonella typhimurium TA100 to histidine independence. Glutathione was also activated by kidney postmitochondrial supernatant but not by liver preparations. Hence, important endogenous compounds of mammals are positive in the most commonly used short-term test for carcinogenicity and mutagenicity. Glutathione is positive in the test even at concentrations found in mammalian tissues.

Stable Expression of Heterologous Microsomal Epoxide Hydrolase in BHK21 Cells: Influence on the Mutagenicity of Benzo[a]pyrene 4,5-Oxide

Most environmental mutagens and carcinogens require metabolic activation to electro- philic intermediates capable of reacting with cellular target structures, such as DNA. These electrophilic intermediates are in addition subject to metabolic detoxification. This metabolism is mainly controlled by enzymes whose expression is very variable. Among other things, various enzymes are inducible by environmental chemicals. Understanding the toxicology of chemicals (for example, species differences, idiosyncrasias, organotropisms) therefore requires knowledge of critical host factors. One approach towards this goal involves the use of purified enzymes in metabolism and toxicological studies (Glatt …

Dihydrodiol Dehydrogenase: An Important Enzyme in Dihydrodiol-Epoxide Pathway — Mediated Benzo(A)Pyrene Mutagenicity

Benzo(a)pyrene is metabolized to two major groups of mutagenically reactive metabolites: Monofunctional epoxides and dihydrodiol-epoxides. Various monooxygenase forms catalyze the various pathways at very different rates. In metabolic situations where the contribution by dihydrodiol-epoxides is small, epoxide hydratase represents a very efficient protective system. However, in situations where the mutagenic effect is predominately due to dihydrodiol-epoxide, the effect of epoxide hydratase is complicated and weak. We have now obtained evidence that a dihydrodiol dehydrogenase represents an efficient protective system in the latter situation. The enyzme was purified to homogeneity and the pu…

Propyldazine is mutagenic inSalmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli: Distinct specificity for strains TA1537 AND TA97

The antihypertensive drug propyldazine (Atensil) was demonstrated to be muta- genic with auxotrophic mutants of Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli. Addition of liver S9 mix (postmitochondrial supernatant fraction supplemented with an NADPH-generating system) had little, if any, effect on the mutagenicity. The mutagenicity showed an unusual pattern of strain specificity. Increased fre- quencies of reversion were observed with all strains whose auxotrophy was caused by frame-shift mutations: the number of revertant colonies per plate from S. typhimurium TA98, TA1538, TA97, and TA1537 was increased up to 5-, 9-, 43-, and 160-fold, respectively, above background. Among the strains that…

The presence of KCl in the exposure medium strongly influences the mutagenicity of metabolites of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Escherichia coli.

Abstract Previous studies demonstrated that the ion composition of the exposure medium may strongly influence the mutagenicity of many compounds in the liquid preincubation modification of the reversion assay with his − Salmonella typhimurium strains. Similar influences were now observed in the reversion assay with trp − Escherichia coli strain WP2 uvrA . The exposure medium was 8 mM sodium phosphate buffer (pH 7.4), containing no other ions or 125 mM KCl. Omission of KCl resulted in an about 10-fold enhancement of the mutagenic activity of 7-methylbenz[ a ]anthracene 5,6-oxide, but in a strong decrease in the mutagenicity of 1-hydroxymethylpyrene sulphate, close to the limit of detection. …

Use of Mechanistic Information for Adequate Metabolic Design of Genotoxicity Studies and Toxicological Interactions of Drugs and Environmental Chemicals

Microorganisms as well as mammalian cells used for mutagenicity investigations have little or no activities for metabolism of premutagens and precarcinogens, i.e. of compounds ultimately leading to mutations and cancer but first requiring metabolic activation. Therefore, to such cells an exogenous activating system is added, generally the postmitochondrial supernatant fraction of the liver homogenate and a NADPH-generating system (Ames et al. 1976). In this situation enzymes requiring cofactors other than NADP(H) are unlikely to be active. Thus, this metabolic system is rather artificial. Monooxygenases are active in this system. They, for example, convert polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons t…

Prevention of benzo(a)pyrene-induced mutagenicity by homogeneous epoxide hydratase

Benzo(a)pyrene and benz(a)anthrancene which, in contrast to the K-region epoxides benzo(a)pyrene 4,5-oxide and benz(a)anthracene 5,6-oxide, are not mutagenic to Salmonella typhimurium TA 1537 in the absence of mammalian enzyme preparations, were activated by liver microsomes from C3H mice, which had not received any pretreatment, to mutagens reverting this tester strain to histidine prototrophy. Addition of epoxide hydratase inhibitors greatly increased this mutagenicity and addition of pure epoxide hydratase reduced it by more than 95% down to the range of spontaneous mutations as observed in absence of any added mutagen. This demonstrates that the metabolic pathway responsible for the mut…

Stable expression of rat cytochrome P-450IIB1 cDNA in Chinese hamster cells (V79) and metabolic activation of aflatoxin B1.

V79 Chinese hamster fibroblasts are widely used for mutagenicity testing but have the serious limitation that they do not express cytochromes P-450, which are needed for the activation of many promutagens to mutagenic metabolites. A full-length cDNA clone encoding the monooxygenase cytochrome P-450IIB1 under control of the simian virus 40 early promoter was constructed and cointroduced with the selection marker neomycin phosphotransferase (conferring resistance to G418) into V79 Chinese hamster cells. G418-resistant cells were selected, established as cell lines, and tested for cytochrome P-450IIB1 expression and enzymatic activity. Two cell lines (SD1 and SD3) were found that stably produc…

Inactivation of electrophilic metabolites by glutathione S-transferases and limitation of the system due to subcellular localization

Benzo(a)pyrene was activated to metabolites mutagenic for Salmonella typhimurium TA 98 by liver microsomes from control and phenobarbital treated mice. Under these conditions benzo(a)pyrene 4,5-oxide accounts for most of the mutagenicity. We have therefore investigated (1) the conjugation of benzo(a)pyrene 4,5-oxide with glutathione and (2) the effect of glutathione on the mutagenicity of benzo(a)pyrene.

Epoxide Hydratase: Purification to Apparent Homogeneity as a Specific Probe for the Relative Importance of Epoxides among Other Reactive Metabolites

Aromatic and olefinic compounds can be metabolized by microsomal monooxygenases to epoxides which chemically represent electrophilic species (for reviews, see refs. 1–5). Spontaneous binding of such epoxides to DNA, RNA, and protein has been observed (6–10). Accordingly, such metabolites have been suggested and, in some instances, shown to disturb the normal functions of cells, leading to such effects as mutagenesis (11–14), malignant transformation (15–19), or cell necrosis (20). However, aromatic and olefinic compounds are biotransformed to a vast array of metabolites (cf. refs. 21–27), possibly including a considerable number of reactive metabolites other than epoxides. The relative impo…

Introduction of Cytochrome P-450 Genes into V79 Chinese Hamster Cells to Generate New Mutagenicity Test Systems

Usually, cultivated cells have poor capabilities to metabolize promutagens and procarcinogens. This is particularly true for cells that grow fast and have a high cloning efficiency, as is the case with V79 Chinese hamster cells. For this reason, these cells are being extensively used in mutagenicity tests. But, due to the fact that particularly these cells lack cytochrome P-450 activities, promutagens and procarcinogens have to be incubated with an exogenous metabolizing system, e.g. liver homogenate preparations, in order to generate reactive metabolites. These extracellularly generated metabolites are then given to V79 cells in order to check for their potency to mutate the chromosomal DN…

2,9-Dimethylpicene: Synthesis, Mutagenic Activity, and Identification in Natural Samples

Abstract 2,9-Dimethylpicene (2,9-DMPic) has been conveniently synthesized via a new route involving oxidative photocyclization of suitable substituted diarylethylenes and has been characterized by high-resolution 400-MHz 1H-NMR spectroscopy. Furthermore, 2,9-DMPic exhibits a typical line narrowed emission spectrum in n-decane matrix frozen at 15 K (Shpol'skii effect). Its unambiguous identification in a natural sample has been performed by this technique, providing strong evidence for the formation of this compound through aromatization of triterpenoid natural precursors. The mutagenicity of this naturally occurring methylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) has been examined in six h…

Mutagenicity of N-substituted phenanthrene 9,10-imines in Salmonella typhimurium and Chinese hamster V79 cells.

We previously showed that some (nonsubstituted) aziridines derived from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (arene imines) elicit various mutagenic and genotoxic effects in bacteria and mammalian cells and that these arene imines are active at much lower concentrations than the corresponding epoxide analogues. In the present study, N-substituted derivatives of phenanthrene 9,10-imine were investigated. All 10 derivatives studied showed direct mutagenicity in Salmonella typhimurium TA100. Some of the compounds additionally exhibited weak effects in the strains TA98 and TA1537. Most N-substituted derivatives were weaker mutagens than unsubstituted phenanthrene 9,10-imine but stronger mutagens th…

DRUG-DRUG INTERACTIONS VIA INHIBITION OF MICROSOMAL ENZYMES INVOLVED IN METABOLISM OF EPOXIDES PRODUCED BY MICROSOMAL MONOOXYGENASE

SUMMARY Benzo(a)pyrene was activated by liver microsomes to mutagens detected by the reversion of histidine dependent Salmonella typhimurium TA 1537. Using pure epoxide hydratase or epoxide hydratase inhibitors, comparing animal species with high and low epoxide hydratase activity, or inducing monooxygenase activity, it was shown that epoxide hydratase was a critical enzyme for the inactivation of these mutagens. Many clinically used drugs are metabolized to epoxides. Epoxides are not necessarily mutagenic, but since epoxide hydratase has a very low substrate specificity, such epoxides may competitively inhibit the hydration of mutagenic epoxides, as demonstrated in the present study for th…

Dual role of epoxide hydratase in both activation and inactivation of benzo(a)pyrene.

The effect of epoxide hydratase upon the mutagenicity of benzo(a)pyrene was investigated using two Salmonella typhimurium strains (TA 1537 and TA 98). These two bacterial strains were found to differ characteristically in their susceptibility to different mutagens biologically produced from benzo(a)pyrene providing a diagnostic tool to investigate which types of mutagenic metabolites were produced in various metabolic situations. The results showed that the pattern of mutagenic metabolites produced by microsomes from methylcholanthrene-treated mice was very different from that produced by microsomes from phenobarbital-treated or untreated mice. However in all cases at least two mutagenic me…

K-region oxides and imines derived from alkylated benz[α]anthracene congeners: synthesis, stability in aqueous media and mutagenicity

The K-region oxides and imines of benz[a]anthracene, 1-methylbenz[a]anthracene, 7-methylbenz[a]anthracene, 7-ethylbenz[a]anthracene and 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene were synthesized and characterized (melting point, 1H-NMR and electron impact mass spectra, elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy). All 10 compounds showed high mutagenic activity in Salmonella typhimurium (reversion of his- strains TA97, TA98, TA100 and TA104). The arene imines were more potent than the corresponding arene oxides. Alkyl substitutions strongly influenced the activities. Furthermore, all compounds were more active when exposure took place in the absence of inorganic ions than when KCl (125 mM) was present. The in…

The Friedreich's Ataxia protein frataxin modulates DNA base excision repair in prokaryotes and mammals

DNA-repair mechanisms enable cells to maintain their genetic information by protecting it from mutations that may cause malignant growth. Recent evidence suggests that specific DNA-repair enzymes contain ISCs (iron–sulfur clusters). The nuclearencoded protein frataxin is essential for the mitochondrial biosynthesis of ISCs. Frataxin deficiency causes a neurodegenerative disorder named Friedreich's ataxia in humans. Various types of cancer occurring at young age are associated with this disease, and hence with frataxin deficiency. Mice carrying a hepatocyte-specific disruption of the frataxin gene develop multiple liver tumours for unresolved reasons. In the present study, we show that frata…

Mutagenicity of Closely Related Carcinogenic and Noncarcinogenic Compounds Using Various Metabolizing Systems and Target Cells

A total of 49 heteropolycyclic compounds belonging to structurally homogenous series was investigated for bacterial mutagenicity in the Ames test. The same batches of compounds were tested for carcinogenicity by injection into subcutaneous tissue of mice? 22 test compounds were carcinogenic, some strongly, others weakly. With the exception of one weak carcinogen, all these compounds were mutagenic. However, 15 of 27 noncarcinogens (56%) were also mutagenic. Moreover, noncarcinogenic, weakly carcinogenic, and strongly carcinogenic mutagens showed very similar mutagenic potencies.

Reduction of benzo(a)pyrene mutagenicity by dihydrodiol dehydrogenase

THE enigma of how inert chemicals can exert potent mutagenic, carcinogenic, allergenic and cytotoxic effects has been much debated. It has been learned that such compounds are metabolically converted to chemically reactive species1. In the case of aromatic or olefinic compounds, monooxygenases located in the membranes of the cell can transform these compounds into epoxides2–5 which by virtue of electrophilic reactivity can bind chemically to cellular macromolecules such as DNA, RNA and proteins, thereby disturbing biochemical control mechanisms and leading to the above mentioned toxic effects. The same membranes in which such epoxides are produced possess an enzyme, epoxide hydratase, which…

Human fetal adrenal hydroxysteroid sulphotransferase: cDNA cloning, stable expression in V79 cells and functional characterisation of the expressed enzyme

Dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS) is a major adrenal secretory product, particularly in the fetus where it serves as a substrate for oestrogen biosynthesis by the placenta. The enzyme in the adrenal responsible for synthesising DHEAS, hydroxysteroid sulphotransferase (HST), is therefore essential for human development. We have isolated a full-length cDNA clone, encoding human fetal adrenal HST, and constructed a stable cell line expressing it by transfection into V79 Chinese hamster lung fibroblast cells. This cDNA was essentially identical to that isolated from adult human liver, where the role of HST is less well understood. This recombinant cell line allowed determination of the su…

Influence of the level of cytosolic epoxide hydrolase on the induction of sister chromatid exchanges by trans-beta-ethylstyrene 7,8-oxide in human lymphocytes.

Abstract trans -β-Ethylstyrene 7,8-oxide, a substrate of cytosolic epoxide hydrolase, and 4-fluorochalcone oxide, an inhibitor of this enzyme, were investigated on induction of sister chromatid exchanges (SCE) in human lymphocytes. Both epoxides enhanced the frequency of SCE. 4-Fluorochalcone oxide at low concentration (2.5μM) inhibited cytosolic epoxide hydrolase activity towards trans -β-ethylstyrene 7,8-oxide in lymphocytes by 74% and had no effect on glutathione transferase activity using this substrate. At this concentration it did not induce SCE itself, but it potentiated the effect of trans -β-ethylstyrene 7,8-oxide several fold. In lymphocytes from different subjects, the number of …

Xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes of rat liver nonparenchymal cells.

Abstract The nonparenchymal cells (NPC) of the liver are primarily located along the sinusoids and therefore are the first cells to encounter blood-borne xenobiotics. To study the possible role of the NPC in the metabolism of xenobiotics, populations of NPC and parenchymal cells (PC) were prepared from rats and various xenobiotic metabolizing enzyme activities investigated. The specific activity of every enzyme studied (ethoxyresorufin deethylase, benzphetamine demethylase, glutathione transferase, UDP glucuronosyltransferase, and microsomal epoxide hydrolase) was 12 to 1000% higher in the PC than in the NPC populations and the patterns of activities between the two populations were remarka…

Studies on pathways of ring opening of benzene in a Fenton system

Ring-opened products of benzene metabolism have been postulated to play a role in hematotoxicity and leukemogenesis. The reaction of benzene in the Fenton system was reexamined to determine the presence of compounds which might serve as intermediates in the formation of trans, trans-muconaldehyde (MUC), a microsomal hematotoxic metabolite of benzene. Benzene dihydrodiol (DHD) was found in this system based on coelution with authentic standard, ultraviolet (UV) absorption characteristics, and molecular weight. Incubation of DHD in the Fenton system resulted in the formation of phenol (PH), catechol (CAT), and products which reacted with thiobarbituric acid to form chromogens absorbing at 495…

Studies on the induction of gene mutations in bacterial and mammalian cells by the ring-opened benzene metabolites trans,trans-muconaldehyde and trans,trans-muconic acid.

t,t-Muconaldehyde and t,t-muconic acid have been investigated for the induction of gene mutations in Salmonella typhimurium (reversion of the his- strains TA97, TA98, TA100, TA102, TA104 and TA1535), Escherichia coli (reversion of the trp- strain WP2 uvrA) and Chinese hamster V79 cells (acquisition of resistance toward 6-thioguanine). t,t-Muconaldehyde proved weakly mutagenic in strain TA104 in the presence and absence of NADPH-fortified postmitochondrial fraction from rat liver homogenate (S9 mix). In strains TA97, TA100 and TA102, weak positive responses were observed only in the presence of S9 mix. In strains TA98, TA1535 and WP2 uvrA, the result was negative. In V79 cells, the mutation …

Direct optical resolution of trans-dihydrodiol enantiomers of fjord-region polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by high-performance liquid chromatography on a modified cellulose phase

Abstract Enantioselective separation of trans -dihydrodiol metabolites of a series of fjord-region polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), such as benzo[ c ]phenanthrene and dibenzo[ a , l ]pyrene, was evaluated by HPLC using commercially available cellulose-based CSPs as chiral columns. A baseline separation ( R s ≥1.6) with sharp, well-defined peaks of individual enantiomers was attained using cellulose-tris-( N -3,5-dimethylphenylcarbamate) and n -heptane-ethanol (9:1, v/v) as mobile phase. These chromatographic conditions permit a direct, simple and rapid (mostly within 30 min) enantiomeric resolution of PAH dihydrodiols. CD spectra were obtained for all optically pure enantiomers and …

Protection by beverages, fruits, vegetables, herbs, and flavonoids against genotoxicity of 2-acetylaminofluorene and 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP) in metabolically competent V79 cells.

Abstract Chinese hamster lung fibroblasts, genetically engineered for the expression of rat cytochrome P450 dependent monooxygenase 1A2 and rat sulfotransferase 1C1 (V79-rCYP1A2-rSULT1C1 cells), were utilized to check for possible protective effects of beverages of plant origin, fruits, vegetables, and spices against genotoxicity induced by 2-acetylaminofluorene (AAF) or 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP). Antigenotoxic activities of juices from spinach and red beets against AAF could be monitored with similar effectivity by the HPRT-mutagenicity test (IC50=0.64%; 2.57%) and alkaline single cell gel electrophoresis (comet assay; IC50=0.12%; 0.89%) which detects DNA stran…

Metabolic Activation of the (+)-S,S- and (−)-R,R-Enantiomers of trans-11,12-Dihydroxy-11,12-dihydrodibenzo[a,l]pyrene:  Stereoselectivity, DNA Adduct Formation, and Mutagenicity in Chinese Hamster V79 Cells

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons require metabolic activation in order to exert their biological activity initiated by DNA binding. The metabolic pathway leading to bay or fjord region dihydrodiol epoxides as ultimate mutagenic and/or carcinogenic metabolites is thought to play a dominant role. For dibenzo[a,l]pyrene, considered as the most potent carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, the formation of the fjord region syn- and/or anti-11,12-dihydrodiol 13,-14-epoxide (DB[a,l]PDE) diastereomers has been found to be the principal metabolic activation pathway in cell cultures leading to DNA adducts. In order to further elucidate the stereoselectivity involved in this activation pathway…

Determination of DNA single strand breaks and selective DNA amplification by N-nitrodimethylamine and analogs, and estimation of the indicator cells' metabolic capacities.

N-nitrodimethylamine is metabolized oxidatively to N-nitrohydroxymethylmethylamine, which decomposes to yield formaldehyde and N-nitromethylamine. All four compounds and N-nitromethylamine were tested for their ability to induce DNA single strand breaks in hepatocytes and in SV 40-transformed Chinese hamster embryo cell lines. Only the two monoalkylnitramines were positive. They induced single strand breaks in hepatocytes, but were not effective in the other cells. Formaldehyde and N-nitrohydroxymethylmethylamine were toxic to the cells. None of the compounds tested was able to induce selective DNA amplification in the two transformed cell lines. Enzymes involved in drug metabolism were ass…

Complex Metabolic Activation Pathways of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons: 3-Hydroxy-trans-7,8-Dihydroxy-7,8-Dihydrobenzo[a]Pyrene as a Proximate Mutagen of 3-Hydroxybenzo[a]Pyrene

3-Hydroxybenzo[a]pyrene (3-OH-BP) is a major metabolite of benzo[a]pyrene (BP) in various systems. Metabolites of 3-OH-BP, formed by liver enzymes, bind to DNA1,2 and are mutagenic3,4. However, the active species have not yet been identified. Administration of 3-OH-BP to rats results in the excretion of sulfate and glucuronic acid conjugates of 3-hydroxy-trans-7,8-dihydroxy-7,8-dihydrobenzo[a]pyrene (3-OH-BP-7,8-diol) (Fig. 1) as major metabolites in the bile5. The hydroxyl groups of this triol are structurally superimposable to those of 9-hydroxy-trans-1,2-dihydroxy-1,2-dihydrochrysene (9-hydroxychrysene-1,2-diol, Fig. 1), which is a metabolite of chrysene6,7 and a potent promutagen8,9. 9-…

Correlation of the Extent of Fjord-Region Oxidation with DNA Binding and Mutagenicity of the Enantiomeric 11,12-Dihydrodiols of Dibenzo[a,l]pyrene

Abstract In vitro studies on the hepatic biotransformation of the enantiomeric trans-11,12-dihydrodiols of dibenzo[a,l]pyrene (DB[a,l]P) using microsomal fractions of animals pretreated with Aroclor 1254 revealed that the formation of fjord-region dihydrodiol epoxides strongly depends on the absolute configuration of the substrate. Both the (-)-11R,12R- and the (+)-11S,12S-enantiomer are converted diastereoselectively to the (-)- and (+)-anti-dihydrodiol epoxide, respectively, by either rat or mouse liver microsomes. Fjord-region oxidation occurs to greatest extent on incubation of the (-)-11R,12R-dihydrodiol with preparations from rats. This finding is in line with the differences seen for…

Genotoxicity of 1,4-benzoquinone and 1,4-naphthoquinone in relation to effects on glutathione and NAD(P)H levels in V79 cells.

1,4-Benzoquinone is cytotoxic in V79 Chinese hamster cells and induces gene mutations and micronuclei. The cell-damaging effects of quinones are usually attributed to thiol depletion, oxidation of NAD(P)H, and redox-cycling involving the formation of semiquinone radicals and reactive oxygen species. To elucidate the role of these mechanisms in the genotoxicity of 1,4-benzoquinone, we measured various genotoxic effects, cytotoxicity, and the levels of glutathione, NADPH, NADH, and their oxidized forms all in the same experiment. 1,4-Naphthoquinone, which does not induce gene mutations in V79 cells, was investigated for comparative reasons. The quinones had a similar effect on the levels of c…

Sulfotransferase-mediated chlorination of 1-hydroxymethylpyrene to a mutagen capable of penetrating indicator cells.

Methylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are common in the human environment. Many of them are stronger carcinogens than their purely aromatic congeners. They may be metabolized to benzylic alcohols. We report here on biochemical and toxicological characteristics of 1-hydroxymethylpyrene (HMP), a typical representative of this class of compounds. Rat liver cytosol, fortified with 3'-phosphoadenosine-5'-phosphosulfate, converted HMP into its sulfate ester (HMPS), HMPS bound covalently to isolated DNA. In physiological buffer at 37 degrees C, HMPS had a half-life of 2 min, the major decomposition product being HMP. Thus, cyclic activation is possible. When Cl- anions were present at physio…

Expression of human estrogen sulfotransferase in Salmonella typhimurium: differences between hHST and hEST in the enantioselective activation of 1-hydroxyethylpyrene to a mutagen.

Various human sulfotransferases (hP-PST, hM-PST, hHST) and rat sulfotransferases (rPST-IV, rHSTa) have already been expressed in Ames' Salmonella strains (in particular in TA1538). Now a further strain, TA1538-hEST, which expresses the human estrogen sulfotransferase (hEST), has been constructed. This strain activated the primary benzylic alcohol 1-hydroxymethylpyrene (1-HMP) and the secondary benzylic alcohol 1-hydroxyethylpyrene (1-HEP) to mutagens. Human sulfotransferases hEST and hHST both activated 1-HEP, but they differed substantially in their enantioselectivity for this compound.

Genotoxicity characteristics of reverse diol-epoxides of chrysene.

Trans-3,4-dihydroxy-3,4-dihydrochrysene (chrysene-3,4-diol), a major metabolite of chrysene, is further metabolized by rat liver enzymes to products which effectively revert the his- Salmonella typhimurium strain TA98 to histidine prototrophy, but are only weakly mutagenic in strain TA100 and in Chinese hamster V79 cells (acquisition of resistance to 6-thioguanine). The liver enzyme mediated mutagenicity of chrysene-3,4-diol is substantially enhanced in the presence of 1,1,1-trichloropropene 2,3-oxide, an inhibitor of microsomal epoxide hydrolase. The predominant metabolites of chrysene-3,4-diol, namely the anti- and syn-isomers of its 1,2-oxide (termed reverse diol-epoxides), proved to be …

Mutagenicity spectra in Salmonella typhimurium strains of glutathione, L-cysteine and active oxygen species

Glutathione and L-cysteine, in the presence of rat kidney post-mitochondrial supernatant (S9) fraction, and various forms of active oxygen were investigated for mutagenicity in seven his- strains of Salmonella typhimurium. Glutathione and L-cysteine showed qualitatively and quantitatively virtually identical mutagenic activities. The number of mutants induced in strain TA97 was 3-4 times higher than in TA100, the strain in which the mutagenicity was originally detected. Mutagenic effects were also observed in strains TA92, TA102 and TA104, but not in TA1535 and TA1537. Hydrogen peroxide, superoxide and glucose/glucose oxidase in the presence and absence of kidney S9 fraction showed pronounc…