Aldehyde-mediated protein degradation is responsible for the inhibition of nucleotide excision repair by cigarette sidestream smoke

What are the DNA lesions underlying formaldehyde toxicity?

Formaldehyde is a highly reactive organic compound. Humans can be exposed to exogenous sources of formaldehyde, but formaldehyde is also produced endogenously as a byproduct of cellular metabolism. Because formaldehyde can react with DNA, it is considered a major endogenous source of DNA damage. However, the nature of the lesions underlying formaldehyde toxicity in cells remains vastly unknown. Here, we review the current knowledge of the different types of nucleic acid lesions that are induced by formaldehyde and describe the repair pathways known to counteract formaldehyde toxicity. Taking this knowledge together, we discuss and speculate on the predominant lesions generated by formaldehyde, which underly its natural toxicity.

Protective role of electrophile-reactive glutathione for DNA damage repair inhibitory effect of dibromoacetonitrile

Dibromoacetonitrile (DBAN) is a disinfection byproduct (DBP) and linked with cancer in rodents, but the mechanism of its carcinogenicity has not been fully elucidated. We recently reported that DBAN induced inhibition of nucleotide excision repair (NER). In this study, we investigated if glutathione (GSH) is involved in the DBAN-induced inhibition of NER. Human keratinocytes HaCaT were pretreated with L-buthionine-(S,R)-sulfoximine (BSO) to deplete intracellular GSH. BSO treatment markedly potentiated the DBAN-induced NER inhibition as well as intracellular oxidation. The recruitment of NER proteins (transcription factor IIH, and xeroderma pigmentosum complementation group G) to DNA damage sites was inhibited by DBAN, which was further exacerbated by BSO treatment. Our results suggest that intracellular GSH protects cells from DBAN-induced genotoxicity including inhibition of DNA damage repair.

Inhibition of nucleotide excision repair and damage response signaling by dibromoacetonitrile: A novel genotoxicity mechanism of a water disinfection byproduct

Dibromoacetonitrile (DBAN) is a carcinogenic disinfection byproduct (DBP) but how it precipitates cancer is unknown. Nucleotide excision repair (NER) is a versatile repair mechanism for removing bulky DNA lesions to maintain genome stability, and impairment of this process is associated with cancer development. In this study, we found that DBAN inhibited NER and investigated its mechanism with other DNA damage responses. Human keratinocytes HaCaT were treated with DBAN followed by ultraviolet (UV) as a model inducer of DNA damage, pyrimidine dimers, which require NER for the removal. DBAN pretreatment exacerbated UV-cytotoxicity, and inhibited the repair of pyrimidine dimers. DBAN treatment delayed the recruitment of NER proteins, transcription factor IIH (TFIIH) and xeroderma pigmentosum complementation group G (XPG), to DNA damaged sites, and subsequent gap filling process. Moreover, DBAN suppressed the UV-induced double strand breaks (DSBs) formation, as well as phosphorylated histone H2AX (γ-H2AX), a widely used DNA damage marker. Altogether, DBAN could negatively impact the NER process and phosphorylation pathway responding to DNA damage. This study was the first to identify the inhibition of NER and damage response signaling as a genotoxicity mechanism of a class of DBPs and it may serve as a foundation for DBP carcinogenesis.

Cell line-dependent difference in glutathione levels affects the cigarette sidestream smoke-induced inhibition of nucleotide excision repair

We recently reported that cigarette sidestream smoke (CSS) induced inhibition of nucleotide excision repair (NER) and the cause was NER molecule degradation by aldehydes contained in CSS [Carcinogenesis39, 56-65, 2018; Mutat. Res.834, 42-50, 2018]. In this study, we examined the relationship between intracellular glutathione (GSH) levels and CSS-induced NER inhibition. CSS treatment decreased the intracellular GSH level in human keratinocytes HaCaT, in which the repair of pyrimidine (6-4) pyrimidone photoproducts (6-4PPs) after UVB irradiation was suppressed. We used l-buthionine-(S,R)-sulfoximine (BSO) to artificially deplete intracellular GSH level. BSO treatment remarkably accelerated the CSS-induced NER inhibition. The NER inhibition by CSS was attributed to the delay of accumulation of NER molecules (TFIIH and XPG) to DNA damaged sites, which was further enhanced by BSO treatment. CSS degraded TFIIH, and BSO promoted it as expected. Formaldehyde (FA), a major constituent of CSS, showed similar intracellular GSH reduction and NER inhibition, and BSO promoted its inhibitory effect. Five cultured cell lines showed considerable variability in intrinsic GSH levels, and CSS-induced NER inhibitory effect was significantly correlated with the GSH levels. Chemicals like aldehydes are known to react not only with proteins but also with DNA, causing DNA lesions targeted by NER. Our results suggest that the tissues and cells with low intrinsic GSH levels are susceptible to treatment with CSS and electrophilic compounds like aldehydes through NER inhibition, thus leading to higher genotoxicity and carcinogenicity.

Investigating DNA adduct formation by flavor chemicals and tobacco byproducts in electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS) using in silico approaches

The presence of flavors is one of the commonly cited reasons for use of e-cigarettes by youth; however, the potential harms from inhaling these chemicals and byproducts have not been extensively studied. One mechanism of interest is DNA adduct formation, which may lead to carcinogenesis. We identified two chemical classes of flavors found in tobacco products and byproducts, alkenylbenzenes and aldehydes, documented to form DNA adducts. Using in silico toxicology approaches, we identified structural analogs to these chemicals without DNA adduct information. We conducted a structural similarity analysis and also generated in silico model predictions of these chemicals for genotoxicity, mutagenicity, carcinogenicity, and skin sensitization. The empirical and in silico data were compared, and we identified strengths and limitations of these models. Good concordance (80-100%) was observed between DNA adduct formation and models predicting mammalian mutagenicity (mouse lymphoma sassy L5178Y) and skin sensitization for both chemical classes. On the other hand, different prediction profiles were observed for the two chemical classes for the modeled endpoints, unscheduled DNA synthesis and bacterial mutagenicity. These results are likely due to the different mode of action between the two chemical classes, as aldehydes are direct acting agents, while alkenylbenzenes require bioactivation to form electrophilic intermediates, which form DNA adducts. The results of this study suggest that an in silico prediction for the mouse lymphoma assay L5178Y, may serve as a surrogate endpoint to help predict DNA adduct formation for chemicals found in tobacco products such as flavors and byproducts.

Formaldehyde inhibits UV-induced phosphorylation of histone H2AX

Formaldehyde (FA) is widely known to cause DNA damage. Recently, our study showed that FA can also inhibit a repair process of DNA damage, nucleotide excision repair (NER). DNA damage response (DDR) involving activation of phosphorylation pathways is important for the accuracy of the repair process, and the inhibition of the accurate repair would raise mutation rate, leading to cancer. We herein investigated whether FA influences phosphorylation of histone H2AX (γ-H2AX), an intermediate player of DDR signaling pathways. Human keratinocytes HaCaT were treated with FA and then exposed to UV known to generate clear γ-H2AX signal. UV-induced γ-H2AX was inhibited by FA in a dose-dependent manner. The repair of pyrimidine dimers was inhibited by FA, while the recruitments of γ-H2AX-related proteins, Mre11 and 53BP1, to damaged sites were also delayed. Mre11, Nbs-1, H2AX and ATM were not degraded after treatment with FA as opposed to NER-related protein, TFIIH. On the other hand, FA inhibited phosphorylation of ATM which acts upstream of γ-H2AX. These results suggest that FA can affect the repair of DNA damage via inhibition of the phosphorylation pathways of H2AX.