3-Amino-1,4-dimethyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole (Trp-P-1) inhibits the removal of both cyclobutane dimers and (6-4) photoproducts from the DNA of ultraviolet-irradiated E. coli

Ethidium bromide and SYBR Green I enhance the genotoxicity of UV-irradiation and chemical mutagens in E. coli

Ethidium bromide (EtBr) and SYBR Green I are nucleic acid gel stains and used commonly in combination with UV-illumination. EtBr preferentially induces frameshift mutations but only in the presence of an exogenous metabolic activation system, while SYBR Green I is a very weak mutagen that induces frameshift mutations. We found that EtBr and SYBR Green I, without an added metabolic activation system, strongly potentiated the base-substitution mutations induced by UV-irradiation in E. coli B/r WP2 cells. Each DNA stain alone showed no mutagenicity to the strain. Base-substitutions induced by 3-chloro-4-(dichloromethyl)-5-hydroxy-2(5H)-furanone (MX) and 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide were similarly potentiated by EtBr and SYBR Green I. SYBR Green I had a much greater effect. No enhancing effects were observed on mutations induced by mitomycin C, cisplatin, transplatin, cumene hydroperoxide, base analogs, and alkylating agents. Another DNA stain, acridine orange, showed similar enhancing effects on UV- and MX-mutagenicity, but no effect was observed for 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI). UV- and MX-induced mutations in E. coli WP2s (uvrA), which is defective in nucleotide excision repair activity, were not potentiated by the addition of EtBr, SYBR Green I, or acridine orange. Those nucleic acid stains might inhibit the nucleotide excision repair of DNA damaged by UV and MX treatment.

Food-derived heterocyclic amines potentiate the mutagenicity of a drinking water mutagen 3-chloro-4-(dichloromethyl)-5-hydroxy-2(5H)-furanone (MX)

We investigated the enhancing effect of heterocyclic amines on base-substitution mutations with 3-amino-1,4-dimethyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole (Trp-P-1) and 2-amino-3,4-dimethyl-imidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (MeIQ). We compared the mutagenicity of 3-chloro-4-(dichloromethyl)-5-hydroxy-2(5H)-furanone (MX) in the presence and absence of the heterocyclic amines in E. coli WP2 (trpE) and in excision repair-deficient strains WP2s (uvrA, trpE) and ZA500 (uvrA, rfa, trpE). Since the assay was performed without microsomal metabolic activation, Trp-P-1 and MeIQ alone were not mutagenic. In WP2, trp+ reversions induced by MX were greatly potentiated by Trp-P-1 and slightly potentiated by MeIQ. Mutation enhancement was not observed in strains WP2s and ZA500, suggesting that a functional DNA excision repair system is necessary for the combined action of MX and heterocyclic amines. Our finding implies that the combined effect of mutagens as well as the effect of individual mutagens, should be considered in risk evaluation.

Recruitment of damaged DNA to the nuclear matrix in hamster cells following ultraviolet irradiation

We examined the relationship between the nuclear matrix and DNA in the dihydrofolate reductase domain following irradiation of Chinese hamster cells with UV light. The fraction of matrix-bound DNA increased in transcribed and non-transcribed regions during a 3 h period after irradiation. However, no increase was observed with excision repair-deficient cells mutant for the ERCC1 gene. The major UV-induced lesion, the cyclobutane pyrimidine dimer, increased in frequency in the matrix-bound DNA 1 h after irradiation, in both transcribed and non-transcribed regions, but decreased subsequently. This phenomenon was also lacking in excision repair-deficient cells. These data demonstrate that recruitment of lesion-containing DNA to the nuclear matrix occurs following UV irradiation and suggest that this recruitment is dependent upon nucleotide excision repair. This is consistent with the concept of a 'repair factory' residing on the nuclear matrix at which excision repair occurs.

Kinetics of pyrimidine(6-4)pyrimidone photoproduct repair in Escherichia coli

We compared the removal of pyrimidine(6-4)pyrimidone photoproducts [(6-4) photoproducts] and cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPDs) from the genome of repair-proficient Escherichia coli, using monoclonal antibodies specific for each type of lesion. We found that (6-4) photoproducts were removed at a higher rate than CPDs in the first 30 min following a moderate UV dose (40 J/m2). The difference in rates was less than that typically reported for cultured mammalian cells, in which the removal of (6-4) photoproducts is far more rapid than that of CPDs.

Effects of beta- and gamma-carboline derivatives of DNA topoisomerase activities

beta-Carbolines, harman (1-methyl-9H-pyrido[3,4-b]indole) and norharman (9H-pyrido[3,4-b]indole) and gamma-carbolines, 3-amino-1,4-dimethyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole (Trp-P-1) and 3-amino-4-methyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole (Trp-P-2), are present in cooked foods and cigarette smoke. We studied the effects of these heterocyclic amines on the activity of DNA topoisomerases. Trp-P-1 and Trp-P-2 inhibited topoisomerase I (topo I) activity with ED50 values of 1.48 and 1.55 micrograms/ml, respectively, in a relaxation assay. Harman and norharman inhibited topo I activity but with much higher ED50 values, 23.8 and 34.4 micrograms/ml, respectively. Trp-P-1 and Trp-P-2 also inhibited topoisomerase II (topo II) activity at about 50 micrograms/ml, in a decatenation assay. Harman and norharman showed a much lower inhibitory effect on topo II activity. None of these compounds stabilized the cleavable complex mediated by topo II. Trp-P-1 and Trp-P-2 intercalated into DNA at concentrations inhibitory to topoisomerases. We considered that the intercalation with DNA and the inhibition of DNA topoisomerases by heterocyclic amines might be partly related to their inhibition of DNA excision repair and their enhancing effect on UV- or chemically induced mutagenic activity.