Mutations and homologous recombination induced in mammalian cells by metabolites of benzo[a]pyrene and 1-nitropyrene

Metabolites of two structurally related chemical carcinogens, benzo[a]pyrene and 1-nitropyrene, were compared for their ability to cause cytotoxicity and induce mutations in normally repairing or nucleotide excision repair-deficient diploid human fibroblasts; for their ability to induce mutations in a defined gene sequence, supF, when a plasmid containing adducts formed by these carcinogens replicates in human 293 cells; and for their ability to induce homologous recombination between duplicated genes in mouse L cells. Both of the metabolites tested, i.e., (+/-)-7 beta,8 alpha-dihydroxy-9 alpha,10 alpha, epoxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[a]pyrene (BPDE) and 1-nitrosopyrene (1-NOP), form adducts on guanine. BPDE binds principally at the N2 position of guanine; 1-NOP binds to guanine at the C8 position. Results of the studies in diploid human cells indicated that when compared on the basis of equal numbers of DNA adducts, BPDE is more effective than 1-NOP in inducing mutations in DNA repair-proficient cells, but when compared in repair-deficient xeroderma pigmentosum human cells that do not remove such adducts from their DNA, the frequency of mutants induced per adduct is equal. These results suggest that during the time available for repair of potentially mutagenic lesions, repair-proficient human cells excise 1-NOP adducts more rapidly than they excise BPDE adducts. Molecular analysis of the specific kinds of mutations induced when a plasmid containing BPDE residues was allowed to replicate in human cells showed that BPDE induces mainly base substitution mutations, predominantly G:C to T:A transversions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Sequential and differing nitroreductive pathways for mutagenic nitropyrenes in Salmonella typhimurium

The nitro group of nitropyrenes is required for mutagenicity in Salmonella typhimurium. 1-Nitropyrene and 1,3-dinitropyrene are reduced by the 'classical' nitroreductase, which involves a single electron transfer, while the reduction of the first nitro group of 1,6- and 1,8-dinitropyrene proceeds by a two-electron transfer mechanism and involves a different enzyme. However, reduction of the second nitro group, which is not necessary for the mutagenicity of nitropyrenes but is required for the mutagenicity of aminonitropyrenes, is catalyzed by the 'classical' nitroreductase.

Induction of rat hepatic cytochromes P-450 by environmental nitropolycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

Nitrated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are environmental contaminants that result from various incomplete combustion processes. We have examined the activity of hepatic microsomal enzymes in rats pretreated with a series of environmentally occurring nitrated PAHs including: 1- and 4-nitropyrene, 1,3-, 1,6- and 1,8-dinitropyrene, 6-nitrochrysene, 7-nitrobenz[a]anthracene, 3-nitrofluoranthene, and 1-, 3-, and 6-nitrobenzo[a]pyrene. None of the compounds increased the cytochrome P-450 content more than 2-fold. 1,8-Dinitropyrene, 6-nitrochrysene, and 1- and 3-nitrobenzo[a]pyrene significantly increased arylhydrocarbon hydroxylase activity 2- to 8-fold higher than solvent-treated controls. The induction of 7-ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase activity paralleled that found with arylhydrocarbon hydroxylase. The maximum induction of aminopyrine N-demethylase was only 1.5-fold, and none of the nitrated PAHs caused significant increases in epoxide hydrase or NADPH-cytochrome c reductase. 1-Nitropyrene reductase activity was induced by each of the compounds with the exception of 6-nitrobenzo[a]pyrene. The greatest increase was caused by 1-nitrobenzo[a]pyrene followed by 1,3-dinitropyrene, 3-nitrobenzo[a]pyrene and 6-nitrochrysene. These data suggest that nitrated PAHs may potentiate the effects of subsequent exposures to various chemical carcinogens.

The nature of the mutagenicity and carcinogenicity of nitrated, aromatic compounds in the environment

Gaseous substances such as nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) stimulate the process of nitration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and the transformation products display a broad spectrum of mutagenicity, genotoxicity, and carcinogenicity. Bacterial mutation by nitroarenes is specific. Tetracyclic nitroarenes are thought to be the most mutagenic compounds in the Salmonella test system, and some are carcinogenic in rats and mice. Furthermore, it was found that the mutational nitroarenes produced mostly DNA damage, which is subject to recombination repair in the rec assay system using Bacillus subtilis. Nitroarenes in the environment seem to be ubiquitous; the majority of the compounds are emitted directly from diesel emissions, kerosene heaters, and gas and liquefied-gas burners or heaters. In nitroarenes induced during incomplete combustion, nitropyrene and nitrofluoranthene derivatives are the most important mutagens/carcinogens for determining the chronic toxicity of nitroarenes overall.

Influence of template strandedness on in vitro replication of mutagen-damaged DNA

We analyzed the ability of DNA polymerases to bypass damage on single- and double-stranded templates. In vitro DNA synthesis was studied on UV-irradiated and polyaromatic hydrocarbon reacted (benzo[a]pyrenediol epoxide and oxiranylpyrene) double-stranded templates by a protocol involving initiation on a uniquely nicked circular double-stranded template. The template was prepared by treating single-stranded (+)M13mp2 circular strands with mutagen and then hybridizing with restricted M13 RFmp2, followed by isolation of the nicked RFII forms. The protocol permits either (+), (-), or both strands to carry lesions. We found that the rules for termination and bypass of lesions previously observed with single-stranded DNA templates also hold for double-stranded templates. Termination of synthesis occurs primarily one nucleotide 3' to the lesion in the template strand. Bypass of UV-induced lesions can be followed in a series of three partial reactions in the presence of Mn2+ and dGMP, which relax the specificity of nucleotide insertion and 3'----5' exonuclease activity, respectively. There is no evidence for greater permissivity of bypass in double-as opposed to single-stranded templates. As with single-stranded templates, purines and preferentially deoxyadenosine (dA) are inserted opposite lesions. Lesions in the nontemplate strand elicit neither termination nor pausing. The addition of Rec A protein resulted in a measurable increase of bypass in this system.

Effect of liver enzyme inducers on metabolite excretion in rats treated with 1-nitropyrene

Non-induced and phenobarbital (PB) or methylcholanthrene (MC) pretreated rats were injected with 1-nitropyrene (1-NP). Mutagenic activity of urine and feces samples were compared by the Salmonella/microsome assay. The highest, indirect-acting mutagenicity was associated with urines from MC-induced rats; HPLC analysis of organic extracts of urine samples showed that the differences in mutagenic response can be ascribed to different amounts of hydroxy derivatives of N-acetylaminopyrene excreted. Monohydroxy derivatives of 1-NP, being detected in the HPLC profiles of urine from PB-induced rats only, could be responsible of the higher direct-acting mutagenic activity of these samples as compared to urine from non-induced or MC-induced rats. The excretion rate of aminopyrene, the main metabolite of 1-NP identified in rat feces samples, was not affected by inducer pretreatment.

Nitropyrenes are inducers of polyoma viral DNA synthesis

The biological activity of a series of nitropyrenes was assayed by measuring their ability to induce the asynchronous replication of viral DNA in rat fibroblasts transformed by a ts-a mutant of polyoma virus. Concentrations of 10-30 micrograms/ml of 1-nitropyrene (1-NP) induced viral replication, and this effect was enhanced by addition of rat-liver S9 microsomal fraction (300 micrograms/ml) to the culture medium. The response was less than that obtained with 0.1 micrograms/ml of the activated metabolite of benzo[a]pyrene (BP), BP trans-7,8-dihydrodiol-9,10 epoxide (anti) (BPDE). A series of di-, tri-, and tetra-nitropyrenes were also found to induce polyoma DNA replication, in the absence of exogenous microsomal activation, displaying strongly positive effects at 0.5-2.0 microgram/ml. Dose-response curves with 1,6-dinitropyrene (1,6-DNP) from 0.01 to 0.5 microgram/ml indicated that this compound was approximately equipotent with BPDE for induction of polyoma DNA synthesis. Studies of drug metabolism, DNA binding and DNA adduct formation indicate that 1,6-DNP is metabolized in this cell line, binds to DNA, and forms stable adducts. The level of DNA modification seen with 1,6-DNP is higher than that observed under comparable conditions with an equivalent dose of BPDE. These findings provide additional evidence that the nitropyrene class of compounds can exert biological effects in mammalian cells, and that the dinitropyrenes are more potent than 1-NP.

DNA adducts of nitropyrene detected by specific antibodies

Rabbit antisera containing polyclonal antibodies specific for the 1-nitropyrene derivatives, (1-acetylaminopyrene, 1-acetylamino-6-nitropyrene, 1-acetylamino-8-nitropyrene) and the major nitropyrene-DNA adduct, C-8-aminopyrene-deoxyguanosine, were obtained from New Zealand White male rabbits that were immunized with 1-nitrosopyrene-modified keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH). The affinity constants of the rabbit antisera for these derivatives ranged from 1 to 3 x 10(8) liters/mole. The ability of the antisera to detect 1-nitrosopyrene and the parent 1-nitropyrene was 25- to 30-fold less than the sensitivity to other metabolites. Female BALB/c and AJ mice were also immunized with 1-nitrosopyrene-modified KLH and 4 out of 18 surviving animals produced a low titer response when measured by an [3H] acetylaminopyrene-based radioimmunoassay. Mice that were immunized with a diazotized derived 1-aminopyrene bovine gamma globulin, 1-nitrosopyrene adducted bovine gamma globulin, and 1-nitrosopyrene-bound bovine serum albumin, produced very low immune responses. Spleen cells from selected mice were fused with myeloma cells but failed to produce stable clones that secreted nitropyrene-specific monoclonal antibodies. Therefore, the use of a 1-nitrosopyrene modified keyhole limpet hemocyanin to elicit an immune response specific for the nitropyrene moiety in one animal species (rabbit) was successful in producing a specific antisera. The immune response produced in mice and rabbits was much lower when compared to that produced by other chemically derived antigens we have used, such as the aflatoxins and 4-aminobiphenyl. The rabbit data encourages a continued attempt to produce monoclonal antibodies specific for nitropyrene. Such antibodies can be used in the development of preparative and analytical techniques to isolate and quantify nitropyrenes in biological samples from exposed human populations.

Nitropyrene-induced DNA repair in Clara cells and alveolar type-II cells isolated from rabbit lung

DNA excision repair, as measured by unscheduled DNA synthesis (UDS), was examined in different cell types of rabbit lung exposed to nitropolycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (NO-PAH) in vitro. Dose-related increases in UDS were observed. 1,6-Dinitropyrene (1,6-DNP) and 1,8-dinitropyrene (1,8-DNP) induced UDS more effectively in alveolar type-II cells compared with Clara cells. On the other hand, 1-nitropyrene (1-NP) caused a weak UDS response in Clara cells but no DNA repair in alveolar type-II cells.

Aerobic and anaerobic reduction of nitrated pyrenes in vitro

Nitrated pyrenes are mutagenic and tumorigenic environmental pollutants that are activated to DNA-binding derivatives via nitroreduction. We have investigated the enzymatic nitroreduction of 1-nitropyrene, 1,3-, 1,6- and 1,8-dinitropyrene to determine if differences in the extent of nitroreduction may help explain differences in their biological potencies. Each nitrated pyrene was incubated aerobically and anaerobically with 105,000 X g supernatant (S105) from Salmonella typhimurium TA98 and the nitroreductase-deficient strain, TA98NR, and with cytosol and microsomes from rat and human liver. Under anaerobic conditions, 1-nitropyrene and 1,3-dinitropyrene were reduced by TA98 S105 to a lesser extent than 1,6- and 1,8-dinitropyrene. The extent of 1,6- and 1,8-dinitropyrene metabolism was not altered relative to TA98 when using TA98NR S105, but the nitroreduction of 1-nitropyrene and 1,3-dinitropyrene was decreased. Both rat and human liver cytosol and microsomes reduced 1,6- and 1,8-dinitropyrene to greater extents than 1-nitropyrene and 1,3-dinitropyrene. Under aerobic conditions rat and human liver cytosols were similar to TA98 S105 in that aminopyrene decreased while nitrosopyrene formation increased. By comparison, oxygen decreased the microsomal formation of both nitrosopyrenes and aminopyrenes. The reduction of succinoylated cytochrome c was measured during the hepatic metabolism of nitro- and nitrosopyrenes under aerobic conditions. The data indicated that reduced nitro- and nitrosopyrene intermediates were directly reducing succinoylated cytochrome c and that the assay could be used as a measure of aerobic nitroreduction. These studies demonstrate that 1,6- and 1,8-dinitropyrene are reduced to a greater extent than 1-nitropyrene and 1,3-dinitropyrene, which corresponds to their relative biological potencies as mutagens and carcinogens. Furthermore, although more extensive nitroreduction is detected under anaerobic conditions, the nitroreduction that occurs aerobically may be important for the mutagenic and tumorigenic properties of these compounds.

Purification of a benzo[a]pyrene binding protein by affinity chromatography and photoaffinity labeling

Binding proteins for the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon carcinogen benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) have been purified from C57B1/6J mouse liver. Following affinity chromatography on aminopyrene-Sepharose, a single polypeptide of 29,000 daltons was isolated. The photolabile compound 1-azidopyrene was developed as a photoaffinity labeling agent to identify the protein during its purification. 1-Azidopyrene was found to be a competitive inhibitor of [3H]B[a]P binding. Affinity labeling studies with [3H]-1-azidopyrene in unfractionated cytosol, and in purified preparations, yielded a single covalently labeled protein of 29,000 daltons. The formation of this labeled species was blocked by preincubation with excess unlabeled B[a]P. A native molecular weight of 30,000 was estimated by gel filtration chromatography of [3H]B[a]P- and [3H]-1-azidopyrene-labeled cytosol proteins. An equilibrium dissociation constant of 2.69 +/- 0.66 nM and a maximum number of binding sites of 2.07 +/- 0.10 nmol of [3H]B[a]P bound/mg of protein were estimated for the pure protein. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis further resolved the purified 29,000-dalton protein into three major isoelectric variants, each of which was specifically labeled by [3H]-1-azidopyrene.

Results of the rec-assay of nitropyrenes in the Bacillus subtilis test system

The rec-assay of the nitropyrenes in Bacillus subtilis was performed. All nitropyrene derivatives were positive in this system. Especially, 3 isomers of 1,3-, 1,6- and 1,8-dinitropyrene and 4-nitropyrene were found to possess strong DNA-damaging capacities at extremely low concentrations.

Relationships between the DNA adducts and the mutations and sister-chromatid exchanges produced in Chinese hamster ovary cells by N-hydroxy-2-aminofluorene, N-hydroxy-N'-acetylbenzidine and 1-nitrosopyrene

Chinese hamster ovary cells were exposed to N-hydroxy-2-aminofluorene, N-hydroxy-N'-acetylbenzidine and 1-nitrosopyrene, and the resulting DNA adducts, sister-chromatid exchanges (SCEs) and mutations at the hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyl transferase locus were quantified. Each agent produced a major DNA adduct substituted through the C8 of deoxyguanosine. When the data from all three agents were combined, both mutation and SCE induction correlated strongly with the concentration of DNA adducts. However, significant differences were found in the relationships between adduct formation and the biological responses produced by the individual agents. While N-hydroxy-N'-acetylbenzidine induced the most mutations per adduct, N-hydroxy-2-aminofluorene caused the greatest number of SCEs per adduct. The data support the involvement of C8-deoxyguanosine adducts in mutation and SCE induction, and indicate that the structure of the group adducted to DNA may be an important factor in determining the magnitude of these biological responses. These findings also suggest that SCE and mutation induction are independent expressions of DNA damage.

Structure of the c-Ki-ras gene in a rat fibrosarcoma induced by 1,8-dinitropyrene

Restriction enzyme maps were made of the region around exons 1 and 2 of activated c-Ki-ras of a fibrosarcoma (1,8-DNP2) induced in a rat by 1,8-dinitropyrene. Nucleotide sequence analysis revealed that activated c-Ki-ras shows a G----T transversion in codon 12 and consequently encodes cysteine instead of glycine in normal rat c-Ki-ras.

Pyrene acts as a cocarcinogen with the carcinogens benzo[a]pyrene, beta-propiolactone and radiation in the induction of malignant transformation in cultured mouse fibroblasts; soybean extract containing the Bowman-Birk inhibitor acts as an anticarcinogen

Pyrene was found to act as a cocarcinogen in the induction of transformation of cultured Balb/c3T3 cells by three different types of carcinogens: a direct acting chemical carcinogen, beta-propiolactone, a chemical carcinogen requiring metabolic activation, benzo[a]pyrene, and a physical carcinogen (60Co) gamma radiation. Since pyrene enhanced transformation in vitro by approximately the same amount for all the carcinogens tested, these results suggest that the carcinogenic action of pyrene is not related to carcinogen metabolism or uptake in vitro. An extract of soybeans containing the Bowman-Birk protease inhibitor was shown to reduce transformation induced by beta-propiolactone, benzo[a]pyrene and gamma-rays, both with and without the cocarcinogenic effect of pyrene, to background levels; the magnitude of the reduction in transformation by the protease inhibitor preparation was unrelated to the concentration of carcinogen. Neither the mechanism for the cocarcinogenic action of pyrene not the anticarcinogenic effect of the soybean extract is known, but several hypotheses are discussed.

Synthesis and mutagenicity of 1-nitro-6-nitrosopyrene and 1-nitro-8-nitrosopyrene, potential intermediates in the metabolic activation of 1,6- and 1,8-dinitropyrene

1,6-Dinitropyrene and 1,8-dinitropyrene are environmental contaminants which are mutagenic in bacteria and cultured mammalian cells. Since nitroreduction, and possibly O-acetylation, have been implicated in the metabolic activation of these compounds, the reduced intermediates, 1-nitro-6-nitrosopyrene and 1-nitro-8-nitrosopyrene, were synthesized and their mutagenicity examined in Salmonella typhimurium and Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. Nitration of 1-acetylaminopyrene yielded a mixture of 1-acetylamino-6-nitropyrene and 1-acetylamino-8-nitropyrene, which was separated by flash chromatography. Following deacetylation, the amino-nitropyrenes were oxidized to the desired nitronitrosopyrenes with m-chloroperoxybenzoic acid. Both nitronitrosopyrenes showed similar levels of mutagenicity in S. typhimurium strain TA98 and a nitroreductase-deficient analogue, TA98NR, but much lower activity in the esterificase-deficient strain, TA98/1,8-DNP6, which suggested that reduced metabolites require further activation by O-acetylation. In contrast, the analogous compound, 1-nitrosopyrene, was equally mutagenic in all three strains while its parent compound, 1-nitropyrene, demonstrated a much reduced mutagenicity in strain TA98NR. In CHO cells, 1-nitropyrene was not mutagenic and the dinitropyrenes were only weakly active, while all three nitrosopyrene derivatives were highly mutagenic. These data support the hypothesis that nitrated pyrenes are metabolized to mutagens through nitroreduction. In Salmonella the limiting step in the metabolic activation of 1-nitropyrene appears to be the initial reduction to 1-nitrosopyrene, while with the dinitropyrenes subsequent esterification of the reduced intermediates seems critical. With CHO cells, the initial reduction to nitroso derivatives is the limiting step for all nitropyrenes, and esterification does not appear to occur in the activation sequence.

Induction of 6-thioguanine resistance, chromosome aberrations and SCE by dinitropyrenes in Chinese hamster ovary cells in vitro

The ability of Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells to convert dinitropyrenes (DNPs) to mutagenic species has been investigated by examining the effects of 1,6-DNP and 1,8-DNP on three distinct end-points in this cell line. At concentrations ranging from 0.05 to 5 micrograms/ml both analogues induced increases in the frequency of 6-thioguanine-resistant mutants in CHO cells when exposure was limited to 3 h. This treatment time was also sufficient to permit the induction of sister-chromatid exchange and chromosome aberrations in CHO cells. The results obtained suggest that CHO cells, unlike mouse lymphoma L5178Y cells, possess an endogenous metabolic activity which is capable of bringing about the conversion of DNPs to their mutagenic form without a requirement for prolonged exposure periods and as such may be a more suitable cell line for the study of this class of compounds.

Cocarcinogenesis in vitro using Balb/3T3 cells and aromatic hydrocarbon cocarcinogens

The mouse skin cocarcinogens fluoranthene, pyrene, and undecane were used with the indirect-acting carcinogen, benzo(a)pyrene (BP), and the direct-acting alkylating carcinogen, beta-propiolactone (BPL), in an in vitro transformation assay. Dose response, cytotoxicity, and transformation studies with these compounds were performed with a subclone (A31-1-1) of the Balb/3T3 cell line. Transformation frequencies were found to increase with increasing concentrations of BP used up to 1.0 micrograms/ml or when BPL was used up to 4.0 micrograms/ml. A significant increase (P less than 0.05) in the transformation frequency over that seen with carcinogen alone was observed when cells were exposed to a combination of fluoranthene (4.0 micrograms/ml) and BP (0.063 micrograms/ml) or pyrene (5.0 micrograms/ml) and BP (0.063 micrograms/ml). Thus, the transformation frequency obtained with BP + fluoranthene was 3.8 x 10(-4) compared to 1.2 x 10(-4) when BP was tested alone. Similarly, the transformation frequency using BP + pyrene was 2.8 x 10(-4) vs. 1.2 x 10(-4) when BP was tested alone. Undecane did not exert any cocarcinogenic effect with BP in the dose range tested. In this in vitro assay, no cocarcinogenic effect was observed when BPL was used with any of the above mouse skin cocarcinogens. All cells isolated from transformed foci showed characteristics of transformed cells including anchorage-independent growth.

DNA adduct formation and mutation induction by nitropyrenes in Salmonella and Chinese hamster ovary cells: relationships with nitroreduction and acetylation

Nitrated pyrenes are environmental pollutants and potent mutagens in the Salmonella reversion assay. In this study reversion induction by 1-nitropyrene and 1,8-dinitropyrene in Salmonella typhimurium TA1538 and mutation induction by 1-nitropyrene in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells were related to the extent of metabolism and DNA adduct formation. In suspension cultures of Salmonella typhimurium TA1538, 1,8-dinitropyrene was up to 40-fold more mutagenic than 1-nitropyrene, although both compounds were metabolized at similar rates with nitroreduction being the major pathway. The major metabolite formed from 1-nitropyrene after 2 hr of incubation was 1-nitrosopyrene, while 1-amino-8-nitropyrene was the major metabolite formed from 1,8-dinitropyrene. 1-Nitrosopyrene and 1-nitro-8-nitrosopyrene elicited mutation values consistent with their being intermediates in the activation pathways. However, subsequent to nitroreduction, 1,8-dinitropyrene appeared to be further activated by acetylation, while 1-nitropyrene was not. Each nitrated pyrene produced a major DNA adduct substituted at the C8-position of deoxyguanosine. Although 1,8-dinitropyrene was more mutagenic than 1-nitropyrene, both compounds induced a similar number of revertants per adduct. Incubation of 1-nitrosopyrene with CHO cells produced a rapid concentration- and time-dependent induction of mutations and the conversion of 1-nitrosopyrene to 1-aminopyrene. In contrast, 1-nitropyrene did not induce mutations and was not converted to 1-aminopyrene. Both compounds produced the same major adduct, but adduct formation by 1-nitropyrene was much lower than by 1-nitrosopyrene.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Fungal metabolism and detoxification of the nitropolycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon 1-nitropyrene

Nitropolycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are ubiquitous environmental pollutants, many of which are potent mutagens in bacterial and mammalian cells and carcinogenic to rodents. In this study, we investigated the fungal metabolism of 1-nitropyrene and determined the mutagenic activity of the metabolites toward Salmonella typhimurium TA98, TA98NR, and TA100. Cunninghamella elegans metabolized 1-nitropyrene to form glucoside conjugates of 6-hydroxy-1-nitropyrene and 8-hydroxy-1-nitropyrene. The metabolites were isolated by reversed-phase high-pressure liquid chromatography and characterized by application of UV absorption, 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance, and mass spectroscopy. Mutagenicity assays performed on samples extracted from incubations of C. elegans with 1-nitropyrene indicated that mutagenic activity decreased with time. Consistent with the loss in mutagenic activity, the glucoside conjugates of 6- and 8-hydroxy-1-nitropyrene were nonmutagenic in the Salmonella reversion assay. The results indicate that the fungus C. elegans metabolizes 1-nitropyrene to detoxified products.