Binding of benzo[a]pyrene to different chromatin domains following activation at the nuclear membrane

Preferential DNA damage in the p53 gene by benzo[a]pyrene metabolites in cytochrome P4501A1-expressing xeroderma pigmentosum group A cells

Gene-specific DNA damage levels were determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (QPCR) after treating cytochrome P450 (CYP) 1A1-expressing xeroderma pigmentosum fibroblasts with [3H]benzo[a]pyrene-trans-7,8-dihydrodiol ([3H]BPD) or [3H]benzo[a]pyrene-trans-7,8-dihydrodiol-9,10-epoxide ([3H]BPDE). DNA damage in the p53 gene (which is transcriptionally active) and the beta-globin gene (which is transcriptionally inactive) was measured in cells treated with [3H](+/-)-anti-BPDE, [3H](+/-)-BPD, and [3H](-)-BPD. DNA adduct formation in the genome overall was determined by measuring the incorporation of 3H into DNA. DNA damage in a p53 gene fragment (exons 8-9, 445 bp) was readily detected by QPCR. DNA damage was either not detected or much reduced in a similarly sized target in the beta-globin gene (exons 1-2, 551 bp). At equivalent levels of genomic DNA adducts, BPD treatment induced more damage in the p53 gene than BPDE treatment did. The lesion frequencies in the p53 and beta-globin genes in purified DNA treated with BPDE in vitro were the same, indicating that there was no sequence-specific basis for preferential lesion formation in the p53 gene in treated cells. DNA damage in both the p53 and beta-globin genes showed a dose response to [3H](-)-BPD. The frequency of BPD-induced lesions in the p53 gene was sixfold to sevenfold greater than in the beta-globin gene and 200- to 300-fold greater than in bulk DNA. The BPD-induced lesion frequency in the beta-globin gene was 30- to 50-fold greater than in bulk DNA. The data indicate that the distribution of BPDE-induced DNA lesions is dramatically nonrandom and suggest that the nonrandomness is governed by DNA sequence composition, chromatin structure, and dose rate.

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

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

Binding of polycyclic and nitropolycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons to specific fractions of rat lung chromatin

Carcinogen-induced damage to nuclear matrix DNA, the site of DNA replication and transcription, could have profound effects on gene regulation and mutation. 1,6-Dinitropyrene (1,6-DNP), 1-nitropyrene (1-NP), 6-nitrobenzo[a]pyrene (6-NBP), benzo[a]pyrene (BP) and benzo[a]pyrene diolepoxide (BPDE) were investigated for their abilities to bind to selected regions of DNA in rat lung cell nuclei. Following in vitro exposure to carcinogen, nuclei were fractionated into active chromatin (AC), nuclear matrix (NM) and bulk (low and high salt) chromatin fractions. At an equivalent molar concentration, the highest binding to unfractionated (total) DNA was obtained with BPDE, followed in order by BP, 1,6-DNP, 6-NBP and 1-NP. BPDE, a direct alkylating compound, was bound approximately 18 times higher than the other compounds. All compounds were bound to AC (mononucleosomal DNA approximately 185 bp) and to NM in greater amounts than to bulk DNA. The binding ratios (AC + NM)/(LS + HS) varied from 2 to 21, depending upon the compound. The selective binding to specific DNA regions did not appear to be significantly related to the structures of the parent compounds or to their inferred metabolites. Thus, it appears that selective binding to specific regions is a general phenomenon that is related to the open state of the chromatin structure.