32P-Postlabeling of N-(deoxyguanosin-8-yl)arylamine adducts: a comparative study of labeling efficiencies

32P-Postlabeling Analysis of DNA Adducts

³²P-Postlabeling analysis is an ultra-sensitive method for the detection of DNA adducts, such as those formed directly by the covalent binding of carcinogens and mutagens to bases in DNA, and other DNA lesions resulting from modification of bases by endogenous or exogenous agents (e.g., oxidative damage). The procedure involves four main steps: enzymatic digestion of DNA sample; enrichment of the adducts; radiolabeling of the adducts by T4 kinase-catalyzed transference of ³²P-orthophosphate from [γ-³²P]ATP; chromatographic separation of labeled adducts, and detection and quantification by means of their radioactive decay. Using 10 μg of DNA or less, it is capable of detecting adduct levels as low as 1 adduct in 10⁹-10¹⁰ normal nucleotides. It is applicable to a wide range of investigations, including monitoring human exposure to environmental or occupational carcinogens, determining whether a chemical has genotoxic properties, analysis of the genotoxicity of complex mixtures, elucidation of the pathways of activation of carcinogens, and monitoring DNA repair.

Formation of Covalent DNA Adducts by Enzymatically Activated Carcinogens and Drugs In Vitro and Their Determination by 32P-postlabeling

Covalent DNA adducts formed by chemicals or drugs with carcinogenic potency are judged as one of the most important factors in the initiation phase of carcinogenic processes. This covalent binding, which is considered the cause of tumorigenesis, is now evaluated as a central dogma of chemical carcinogenesis. Here, methods are described employing the reactions catalyzed by cytochrome P450 and additional biotransformation enzymes to investigate the potency of chemicals or drugs for their activation to metabolites forming these DNA adducts. Procedures are presented describing the isolation of cellular fractions possessing biotransformation enzymes (microsomal and cytosolic samples with cytochromes P450 or other biotransformation enzymes, i.e., peroxidases, NADPH:cytochrome P450 oxidoreductase, NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase, or xanthine oxidase). Furthermore, methods are described that can be used for the metabolic activation of analyzed chemicals by these enzymes as well as those for isolation of DNA. Further, the appropriate methods capable of detecting and quantifying chemical/drug-derived DNA adducts, i.e., different modifications of the ³²P-postlabeling technique and employment of radioactive-labeled analyzed chemicals, are shown in detail.

³²P-postlabeling analysis of DNA adducts

(32)P-Postlabeling analysis is an ultra-sensitive method for the detection of DNA adducts, such as those formed directly by the covalent binding of carcinogens and mutagens to bases in DNA and other DNA lesions resulting from modification of bases by endogenous or exogenous agents (e.g., oxidative damage). The procedure involves four main steps: enzymatic digestion of the DNA sample; enrichment of the adducts; radiolabeling of the adducts by T4 kinase-catalyzed transference of (32)P-orthophosphate from [γ-(32)P]ATP; chromatographic separation of labeled adducts; and detection and quantification by means of their radioactive decay. Using 10 μg of DNA or less, it is capable of detecting adduct levels as low as 1 adduct in 10(9)-10(10) normal nucleotides. It is applicable to a wide range of investigations, including monitoring human exposure to environmental or occupational carcinogens, determining whether a chemical has genotoxic properties, analysis of the genotoxicity of complex mixtures, elucidation of the pathways of activation of carcinogens, and monitoring DNA repair.

DNA adducts of ortho-toluidine in human bladder

BACKGROUND

4-Aminobiphenyl (4-ABP) and o-toluidine are known human bladder carcinogens, but only 4-ABP-releasing DNA adducts are known.

METHODS

Determination of 4-ABP and o-toluidine-releasing DNA adducts in epithelial and submucosal bladder tissues of sudden death victims (SDV: n=46), and bladder tumours (n=12) by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.

RESULTS

Above background, 4 and 11 of 12 tumour samples contained adducts of 4-ABP (0.057 ± 0.125 fmol/µg DNA) and o-toluidine (8.72 ± 4.49 fmol/µg DNA), respectively. Lower adduct levels were present in both epithelial and submucosal bladder tissues of SDV (4-ABP: 0.011 ± 0.022 and 0.019 ± 0.047 fmol/µg DNA; o-toluidine: 0.24 ± 0.63 and 0.27 ± 0.70 fmol/µg DNA).

CONCLUSION

Detection of o-toluidine-releasing DNA adducts support the carcinogenicity of o-toluidine in the human bladder.

Identification of a genotoxic mechanism for the carcinogenicity of the environmental pollutant and suspected human carcinogen o-anisidine

2-methoxyaniline (o-anisidine) is an industrial and environmental pollutant and a bladder carcinogen for rodents. The mechanism of its carcinogenicity was investigated with 2 independent methods, 32P-postlabeling and 14C-labeled o-anisidine, to show that o-anisidine binds covalently to DNA in vitro after its activation by human hepatic microsomes. We also investigated the capacity of o-anisidine to form DNA adducts in vivo. Rats were treated i.p. with o-anisidine (0.15 mg/kg daily for 5 days) and DNA from several organs was analyzed by 32P-postlabeling. Two o-anisidine-DNA adducts, identical to those found in DNA incubated with o-anisidine and human microsomes in vitro, were detected in urinary bladder (4.1 adducts per 10(7) nucleotides), the target organ, and, to a lesser extent, in liver, kidney and spleen. These DNA adducts were identified as deoxyguanosine adducts derived from a metabolite of o-anisidine, N-(2-methoxyphenyl)hydroxylamine. This metabolite was identified in incubations with human microsomes. With 9 human hepatic microsomal preparations, we identified the specific CYP catalyzing the formation of the o-anisidine metabolites by correlation studies and by examining the effects of CYP inhibitors. On the basis of these analyses, oxidation of o-anisidine was attributed mainly to CYP2E1. Using recombinant human CYP (in Supersomes) and purified CYPs, the participation of CYP2E1 in o-anisidine oxidation was confirmed. In Supersomes, CYP1A2 was even more efficient in oxidizing o-anisidine than CYP2E1, followed by CYP2B6, 1A1, 2A6, 2D6 and 3A4. The results, the first report on the potential of the human microsomal CYP enzymes to activate o-anisidine, strongly suggest a carcinogenic potential of this rodent carcinogen for humans.

Monitoring of DNA Adducts in Humans and 32P-Postlabelling Methods. A Review

DNA adduct formation in humans is a promising biomarker for elucidating the molecular epidemiology of cancer. For detection of DNA adducts, the most widely used methods include mass spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, immunoassays and 32P-postlabelling. Among them, the 32P-postlabelling method appears to meet best the criteria of sensitivity and amount of DNA needed, and, therefore, is one of the most appropriate methods for biomonitoring of human DNA adducts. Most classes of carcinogens have been subjected to 32P-postlabelling analysis, ranging from bulky and/or aromatic compounds to small and/or aliphatic compounds; it has also been used, with modifications, to detect apurinic sites in DNA, oxidative damage to DNA, UV-induced photodimers and, to a lesser extent, DNA damage caused by cytotoxic drugs. It has been used in human biomonitoring studies to detect DNA damage from occupational exposure to carcinogens, and also from environmental (i.e. non-occupational) exposures. It has also led to the discovery of the presence of numerous modifications in DNA arising from endogenous processes. The principle of the method is the enzymatic digestion of DNA to nucleotides, 5'-labelling of these nucleotides with an isotopically labelled phosphate group, and the resolution, detection and quantitation of the labelled products. Since the development of the original procedure in the early 1980s, many methods have been developed to increase the sensitivity by enrichment of modified nucleotides prior to labelling. The review presents the individual 32P-postlabelling techniques (standard procedure, enrichment methods) and a critical evaluation of these assays, besides reviewing the applications of the method to different DNA modifications, and its utilization in human biomonitoring studies. A review with 179 references.

Biomonitoring of arylamines and nitroarenes

Arylamines and nitroarenes are very important intermediates in the industrial manufacture of dyes, pesticides and plastics, and are significant environmental pollutants. The metabolic steps of N-oxidation and nitroreduction to yield N-hydroxyarylamines are crucial for the toxic properties of arylamines and nitroarenes. Nitroarenes are reduced by microorganisms in the gut or by nitroreductases and aldehyde dehydrogenase in hepatocytes to nitrosoarenes and N-hydroxyarylamines. N-Hydroxyarylamines can be further metabolized to N-sulphonyloxyarylamines, N-acetoxyarylamines or N-hydroxyarylamine N-glucuronide. These highly reactive intermediates are responsible for the genotoxic and cytotoxic effects of this class of compounds. N-Hydroxyarylamines can form adducts with DNA, tissue proteins, and the blood proteins albumin and haemoglobin in a dose-dependent manner. DNA and protein adducts have been used to biomonitor humans exposed to such compounds. All these steps are dependent on enzymes, which are present in polymorphic forms. This article reviews the metabolism of arylamines and nitroarenes and the biomonitoring studies performed in animals and humans exposed to these substances.

Methods for testing compounds for DNA adduct formation

This article, based on a presentation on DNA adduct detection given at a Genetic Toxicology Association workshop, is an overview of methods used for testing compounds for DNA adduct formation. A DNA adduct study may be initiated on a case by case basis when there are conflicting results within the standard battery of genetic toxicology tests or when tumors are detected in the animal bioassay for nongenotoxic compounds. Methods for adduct detection include the 32P-postlabeling assay, the use of radioactive test chemicals, physicochemical methods, and immunoassays. Of these, the 32P-postlabeling assay and the use of radiochemicals are discussed in greater detail, since only these two methods are readily applicable to test a compound for the formation of uncharacterized DNA adducts. The other methods are applicable to those adducts that have been chemically characterized or that contain a fluorophore or electrochemically active groups. Evaluation of mutagenic and carcinogenic risk from DNA adducts would require the understanding of various parameters, including the chemical nature, quantity and stability of adducts, proliferation rates for target cells to fix adducts into mutations, mutagenic and repair efficiencies of adducts, and the extent of modifications in critical genes. Since such data cannot be readily obtainable, the toxicological risk from uncharacterized adducts is difficult to assess.

Methods of DNA adduct determination and their application to testing compounds for genotoxicity

At the International Workshop on Genotoxicity Test Procedures (IWGTP) held in Washington, DC (March 25-26, 1999), a working group considered the uses of DNA adduct determination methods for testing compounds for genotoxicity. When a drug or chemical displays an unusual or inconsistent combination of positive and negative results in in vitro and in vivo genotoxicity assays and/or in carcinogenicity experiments, investigations into whether or not DNA adducts are formed may be helpful in assessing whether or not the test compound is a genotoxin. DNA adduct determinations can be carried out using radiolabeled compounds and measuring radioactive decay (scintillation counting) or isotope ratios (accelerator mass spectrometry) in the isolated DNA. With unlabeled compounds adducts may be measured by (32)P-postlabeling analysis of the DNA, or by physicochemical methods including mass spectrometry, fluorescence spectroscopy, or electrochemical detection, or by immunochemical methods. Each of these approaches has different strengths and limitations, influenced by sensitivity, cost, time, and interpretation of results. The design of DNA binding studies needs to be on a case-by-case basis, depending on the compound's profile of activity. DNA purity becomes increasingly important the more sensitive, and less chemically specific, the assay. While there may be adduct levels at which there is no observable biological effect, there are at present insufficient data on which to set a threshold level for biological significance.