Mutant yields and mutational spectra of the heterocyclic amines MeIQ and PhIP at the S1 locus of human-hamster AL cells with activation by chick embryo liver (CELC) co-cultures

Categorizing the characteristics of human carcinogens: a need for specificity

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has recently proposed employing "ten key characteristics of human carcinogens" (TKCs) to determine the potential of agents for harmful effects. The TKCs seem likely to confuse the unsatisfactory correlation from testing regimes that have ignored the differences evident when cellular changes are compared in short and long-lived species, with their very different stem cell and somatic cell phylogenies. The proposed characteristics are so broad that their use will lead to an increase in the current unacceptably high rate of false positives. It could be an informative experiment to take well-established approved therapeutics with well-known human safety profiles and test them against this new TKC paradigm. Cancers are initiated and driven by heritable and transient changes in gene expression, expand clonally, and progress via additional associated acquired mutations and epigenetic alterations that provide cells with an evolutionary advantage. The genotoxicity testing protocols currently employed and required by regulation, emphasize testing for the mutational potential of the test agent. Two-year, chronic rodent cancer bioassays are intended to test for the entire spectrum of carcinogenic transformation. The use of cytotoxic doses causing increased, sustained cell proliferation that facilitates accumulated genetic damage leads to a high false-positive rate of tumor induction. Current cancer hazard assessment protocols and weight-of-the-evidence analysis of agent-specific cancer risk align poorly with the pathogenesis of human carcinoma and so need modernization and improvement in ways suggested here.

Hypoxia/reoxygenation-induced mutations in mammalian cells detected by the flow cytometry mutation assay and characterized by mutant spectrum

Under hypoxic conditions, cells are more resistant to cell killing by ionizing radiation by a factor of 2.5 to 3, potentially compromising the efficacy of radiotherapy. It has been shown recently that hypoxic conditions alone are sufficient to generate mutations in vitro and in vivo, likely due to the creation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and a decrease in mismatch and homologous recombination DNA repair activity. These factors are known precursors to the onset of genetic instability and poor prognosis. We have previously characterized the flow cytometry mutation assay and its sensitivity to detect significant mutant fractions induced by genotoxic agents that are not detected by other mammalian assays. Here we measure the mutant fraction induced by hypoxia. CHO A(L) cells cultured at <0.1% O(2) for 24 h generated a significant mutant fraction of 120 x 10(-5) and had growth kinetics and survival characteristics similar to those obtained with other mutagens. We investigated the role of ROS by treating cells with the radical scavenger DMSO, which significantly reduced hypoxia toxicity and mutagenesis. Single cells were sorted from the mutant population, and the resulting clonal populations were stained for five antigens encoded by genes found along chromosome 11 to generate mutant spectra. The mutations were primarily large deletions, similar to those in background mutants, but the frequency was higher. We have demonstrated that hypoxic conditions alone are sufficient to generate mutations in mammalian cells in culture and that the spectrum of mutations is similar to background mutations.

EMS mutant spectra generated by multi-parameter flow cytometry

The CHO A(L) cell line contains a single copy of human chromosome 11 that encodes several cell surface proteins including glycosyl phosphatidylinositol (GPI) linked CD59 and CD90, as well as CD98, CD44 and CD151 which are not GPI-linked. The flow cytometry mutation assay (FCMA) measures mutations of the CD59 gene by the absence of fluorescence when stained with antibodies against the CD59 cell surface protein. We have measured simultaneous mutations in CD59, CD44, CD90, CD98 and CD151 to generate a mutant spectrum for ionizing radiation. After treatment with ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) many cells have an intermediate level of CD59 staining. Single cells were sorted from CD59(-) regions with varying levels of fluorescence and the resulting clonal populations had a stable phenotype for CD59 expression. Mutant spectra were generated by flow cytometry using the isolated clones and nearly all clones were mutated in CD59 only. Interestingly, about 60% of the CD59 negative clones were actually GPI mutants determined by staining with the GPI specific fluorescently labeled bacterial toxin aerolysin (FLAER). The GPI negative cells are most likely caused by mutations in the X-linked pigA gene important in GPI biosynthesis. Small mutations of pigA and CD59 were expected for the alkylating agent EMS and the resulting spectra are significantly different than the large deletions found when analyzing radiation mutants. After analyzing the CD59(-) clonal populations we have adjusted the FCMA mutant regions from 1% to 10% of the mean of the CD59 positive peak to include the majority of CD59 mutants.

Mutant spectra of irradiated CHO AL cells determined with multiple markers analyzed by flow cytometry

We have previously developed a sensitive and rapid mammalian cell mutation assay which is based on a Chinese hamster ovary cell line that stably incorporates human chromosome 11 (CHO A(L)) and uses flow cytometry to measure mutations in CD59. We now show that multiparameter flow cytometry may be used to simultaneously analyze irradiated CHO A(L) cells for mutations in five CD genes along chromosome 11 (CD59, CD44, CD90, CD98, CD151) and also a GPI-anchor gene. Using this approach, 19 different mutant clones derived from individual sorted mutant cells were analyzed to determine the mutant spectrum induced by ionizing radiation. All clones analyzed were negative for CD59 expression and PCR confirmed that at least CD59 exon 4 was also absent. As expected, ionizing radiation frequently caused large deletions along chromosome 11. This technology can readily be used to rapidly analyze the mutant yield as well as the spectrum of mutations caused by a variety of genotoxic agents and provide greater insight into the mechanisms of mutagenesis.

A role for long-lived radicals (LLR) in radiation-induced mutation and persistent chromosomal instability: counteraction by ascorbate and RibCys but not DMSO

Miazaki, Watanabe, Kumagai and their colleagues reported that induction of HPRT(-) mutants by X-rays in cultured human cells was prevented by ascorbate added 30min after irradiation. They attributed extinction of induced mutation to neutralization by ascorbate of radiation-induced long-lived mutagenic radicals (LLR), found using spectroscopy to have half-lives of minutes or hours. We find that post-irradiation treatment with ascorbate reduces, but does not eliminate, induction of CD59(-) mutants in human-hamster hybrid A(L) cells exposed to high-LET carbon-ions (LET of 100KeV/microm). A(L) cells contain a standard set of Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) chromosomes and a single copy of human chromosome 11 containing the CD59 gene which encodes the CD59 cell surface antigen, a convenient marker for mutation. RibCys [2(R, S)-D-ribo-(1',2',3',4'-tetrahydroxybutyl)thiazolidine-4(R)-carboxylic acid] a 'prodrug' of l-cysteine which also scavenges LLR, had a similar but lesser effect on induced mutation. DMSO, which scavenges classical radicals like H* and OH* but not LLR, also reduced mutation, but only when it was present during irradiation. The lethality of carbon-ions was not altered by ascorbate, RibCys no matter when added. Post-radiation addition of ascorbate and RibCys also affected the quality of CD59(-) mutations induced by carbon-ions. The major change in mutant spectra was a reduction in the prevalence of small, intragenic mutations (mutations not detected by PCR) and in the prevalence of unstable, complicated mutants, which display high levels of persistent chromosomal instability. Thus, ascorbate and RibCys may suppress some kinds of mutations induced by ionizing radiation including those displaying aspects of radiation-induced genomic instability. Countering the effects of both classical radicals and LLR may be important in preventing genetic diseases.

An in vitro model system to predict the bioaccessibility of heterocyclic amines from a cooked meat matrix

To understand the impact of variation in digestion parameters on the release of heterocyclic amines naturally formed during cooking, we developed and characterized a model system to assess the effect of amylase, pepsin, and pancreatin on digestion of well-done chicken. The amounts of MeIQx, DiMeIQx, IFP, and PhIP in the liquid portion of the digestate were compared to levels in the undigested meat to determine the percentage released (accessible fraction). Incubating the meat with amylase and pepsin did not change the accessibility of HAs when compared to incubation with water alone. In contrast, increasing amounts of pancreatin increased the accessibility up to 6.4-fold. Comparing the amounts of the HAs in the liquid to the solid fraction showed that there was more MeIQx, DiMeIQx, and IFP in the liquid fraction. In contrast, PhIP was equally divided between the solid and liquid fractions. For all four compounds, increasing the doneness of the meat decreased the amount of the compound accessible from the meat matrix. Our data suggest that bioaccessability of HAs may vary according to the polarity of the individual HAs and also may depend upon the doneness of the meat. These results may have important ramifications for human feeding studies, which assume that the total amount of each HA in the meat matrix is equally bioavailable.

The “Pro-drug” RibCys Decreases the Mutagenicity of High-LET Radiation in Cultured Mammalian Cells

We are carrying out studies aimed at reducing the mutagenic effects of high-LET 56Fe ions and 12C ions (56Fe ions, 143 keV/microm; 12C ions, 100 keV/microm) with certain drugs, including RibCys [2-(R,S)-D-ribo-(1',2',3',4'-tetrahydroxybutyl)-thiazolidine-4(R)-carboxylic acid]. RibCys, formed by condensation of L-cysteine with D-ribose, is designed so that the sulfhydryl amino acid L-cysteine is released intracellularly through nonenzymatic ring opening and hydrolysis leading to increased levels of glutathione (GSH). RibCys (4 or 10 mM), which was present during irradiation and for a few hours after, significantly decreased the yield of CD59- mutants induced by radiation in AL human-hamster hybrid cells. RibCys did not affect the clonogenic survival of irradiated cells, nor was it mutagenic itself. These results, together with the minimal side effects reported in mice and pigs, indicate that RibCys may be useful, perhaps even when used prophylactically, in reducing the mutation load created by high-LET radiation in astronauts or other exposed individuals.

Ascorbate, added after irradiation, reduces the mutant yield and alters the spectrum of CD59- mutations in A(L) cells irradiated with high LET carbon ions

It has been reported that X-ray induced HPRT- mutation in cultured human cells is prevented by ascorbate added after irradiation. Mutation extinction is attributed to neutralization by ascorbate, of radiation-induced long-lived radicals (LLR) with half-lives of several hours. We here show that post-irradiation treatment with ascorbate (5 mM added 30 min after radiation) reduces, but does not eliminate, the induction of CD59- mutants in human-hamster hybrid A(L) cells exposed to high-LET carbon ions (LET of 100 KeV/microm). RibCys, [2(R,S)-D-ribo-1',2',3',4'-Tetrahydroxybutyl]-thiazolidene-4(R)-ca riboxylic acid] (4 mM) gave a similar but lesser effect. The lethality of the carbon ions was not altered by these chemicals. Preliminary data are presented that ascorbate also alters the spectrum of CD59- mutations induced by the carbon beam, mainly by reducing the incidence of small mutations and mutants displaying transmissible genomic instability (TGI), while large mutations are unaffected. Our results suggest that LLR are important in initiating TGI.

Gamma-ray mutagenesis studies in a new human-hamster hybrid, A(L)CD59(+/-), which has two human chromosomes 11 but is hemizygous for the CD59 gene

Kraemer, S. M., Vannais, D. B., Kronenberg, A., Ueno, A. and Waldren, C. A. Gamma-Ray Mutagenesis Studies in a New Human-Hamster Hybrid, A(L)CD59(+/-), which has Two Human Chromosomes 11 but is Hemizygous for the CD59 Gene. Radiat. Res. 156, 10-19 (2001). We have developed a human-CHO hybrid cell line, named A(L)CD59(+/-), which has two copies of human chromosome 11 but is hemizygous for the CD59 gene and the CD59 cell surface antigen that it encodes. Our previous studies used the A(L) and A(L)C hybrids that respectively contain one or two sets of CHO chromosomes plus a single copy of human chromosome 11. The CD59 gene at 11p13.5 and the CD59 antigen encoded by it are the principal markers used in our mutagenesis studies. The hybrid A(L)CD59(+/-) contains two copies of human chromosome 11, only one of which carries the CD59 gene. The incidence of CD59 (-) mutants (formerly called S1(-)) induced by (137)Cs gamma rays is about fivefold greater in A(L)CD59(+/-) cells than in A(L) cells. Evidence is presented that this increase in mutant yield is due to the increased induction of certain classes of large chromosomal mutations that are lethal to A(L) cells but are tolerated in the A(L)CD59(+/-) hybrid. In addition, significantly more of the CD59 (-) mutants induced by (137)Cs gamma rays in A(L)CD59(+/-) cells display chromosomal instability than in A(L) cells. On the other hand, the yield of gamma-ray-induced CD59 (-) mutants in A(L)CD59(+/-) cells is half that of the A(L)C hybrid, which also tolerates very large mutations but has only one copy of human chromosome 11. We interpret the difference in mutability as evidence that repair processes involving the homologous chromosomes 11 play a role in determining mutant yields. The A(L)CD59(+/-) hybrid provides a useful new tool for quantifying mutagenesis and shedding light on mechanisms of genetic instability and mutagenesis.

The role of glutathione in the toxicity of smoke condensates from cigarettes that burn or heat tobacco

Inhalation of cigarette smoke aerosol via active smoking is associated with the development of pulmonary inflammation. The cytotoxic potential of cigarette smoke has been hypothetically related to development of pulmonary inflammation since the release of intracellular contents from dead and dying cells has been reported to induce inflammatory foci. In this study, cigarette smoke condensates (CSCs) were prepared from Kentucky 1R4F reference cigarettes and cigarettes that primarily heat tobacco (Eclipse). The two CSCs were then compared for their ability to induce killing in human-hamster A(L) hybrid cells. CSCs prepared from Eclipse were much less cytotoxic than those prepared from reference cigarettes. At 60 microg CSC/ml culture medium, survival for CSC from Eclipse cigarettes was approximately 70% compared with 1% for CSC from burned K1R4F cigarettes. The observed reduction in CSC-Eclipse cytotoxicity toward these mammalian cells is consistent with the previously published observation of a 30% decline in pulmonary white cell count and 40% reduction in visual bronchitis index in human smokers who switched to Eclipse for 2 months. Results with N-acetylcysteine and buthionine-S-R-sulfoximine indicate that glutathione markedly reduces the cytoxicity of both CSCs.