The role of ethyl and fluorine substitution in the 4'-position for N,N-diethyl-4-aminoazobenzene mutagenicity and azo reduction

Azoreductase activity by purified rabbit liver aldehyde oxidase

Our laboratory has investigated the azoreduction of dimethylaminoazobenzene (DAB) and its analogs by hepatic microsomal cytochrome P450. We have extended these studies to the cytosolic fraction of the mammalian liver using the molybdoflavoenzyme, aldehyde oxidase. Purified rabbit liver aldehyde oxidase readily reduced azo dyes which are mainly water soluble and contain charged groups. Lipophilic azo dyes, although readily reduced by microsomal cytochrome P450, were either poor substrates or not reduced at all. Kinetic measurements revealed no relationship between Vmax and Km for all dyes. More extensive studies were conducted on four azo dyes, o-methyl, red, 2'-pyridyl-DAB, sulfonazo III and Orange II, with characteristic functional groups. With each of these substrates, azoreductase activity was greatest when 2-hydropyrimidine (2-OHP) was the electron donor compared to N1-methylnicotinamide (N-MN), propionaldehyde and butyraldehyde. With 2-OHP as the electron donor, o-methyl red and 2'-pyridyl DAB exhibited maximal activity at pH 5.0 while sulfonazo III and Orange II showed maximal activity at pH 9.5 and 7.0, respectively. Km values for o-methyl red and 2'-pyridyl DAB were lower at their pH optima whereas that for sulfonazo III was higher at its pH optimum. There was also no correlation between maximal activity and Km; apparently Km is not a primary determinant for activity. The degree of ionization of function groups depends on pH. Since highest activity is seen at that pH in which maximal ionization of the substrate occurs, it can be concluded that rate of reduction is at least partially dependent on the charged state of the substrate. Azoreduction was inhibited by menadione and SKF 525-A. Sensitivity to inhibition by menadione was greatest at the pH where 2-OHP exhibited considerably higher activity than N-MN, but no differential was seen at the pH where activities with the two-electron donors were similar. On the other hand, sensitivity of azoreductase activity to inhibition by SKF 525-A was the same irrespective of electron donor, indicating that the mechanisms for these two inhibitors were different.

Metabolism of azo dyes: implication for detoxication and activation

Azo dyes are consumed and otherwise utilized in varying quantities in many parts of the world. Such widely used chemicals are of great concern with regard to their potential toxicity and carcinogenic properties. Their metabolism has been studied extensively and is significant for detoxication and metabolic activation. Both oxidative and reductive pathways are involved in these processes. The majority of azo dyes undergo reduction catalyzed by enzymes of the intestinal microorganisms and/or hepatic enzymes including microsomal and soluble enzymes. The selectivity of substrate and enzyme may to a large extent be determined by the oxygen sensitivity of reduction since a normal liver is mainly aerobic in all areas, whereas the microorganisms of the lower bowel exist in an anaerobic environment. However, it should be pointed out that the pO2 of centrilobular cells within the liver is only a fraction that of air, where pO2 = 150 torr. Therefore, an azo dye reduction experiment performed aerobically may not be an accurate predictor of reductive metabolism in all areas of the liver. Many of the azo dyes in common use today have highly charged substituents such as sulfonate. These resist enzymic attack and for the most part are poorly absorbed from the intestinal tract, providing poor access to the liver, the major site of the mixed-function oxidase system. Lipophilic dyes, such as DAB, which are often carcinogenic, readily access oxidative enzymes and are activated by both mixed-function oxidase and conjugating systems. Reduction of the carcinogenic dyes usually leads to loss of carcinogenic activity. By contrast, most of the highly charged water-soluble dyes become mutagenic only after reduction. Even then, most of the fully reduced amines required oxidative metabolic activation. An outstanding example is the potent human bladder carcinogen benzidine, which derives from the reduction of several azo dyes. Many problems regarding mutagenic and carcinogenic activation remain to be solved. At the present time, it is apparent that both oxidative and reductive pathways yield toxic products. Toxicologic assessment of azo dyes must consider all pathways and particularly the oxygen sensitivity of azoreduction. This is critical in the treatment of waste from chemical plants where there is a great need for soil bacteria which catalyze reduction aerobically. Consideration of secondary pathways are also of great concern. For example, azoreduction of carcinogenic dyes such as DAB removes carcinogenic activity although oxidative metabolism of the primary amines yield mutagenic products. Such apparent dilemmas must be dealt with when considering metabolism/toxicity relationships for azo dyes.

Studies on the mechanism of reduction of azo dye carcinogens by rat liver microsomal cytochrome P-450

This laboratory has described the azoreduction of p-dimethylaminoazobenzene (1c) by rat liver microsomal cytochrome P-450. To elucidate the mechanisms involved, the reduction of structurally related azobenzenes by hepatic microsomes was investigated. High substrate reactivity was observed for 1c, its corresponding secondary (1a) and primary (1b) amines and p-hydroxyazobenzene (1d). In contrast, only negligible rates were obtained for unsubstituted azobenzene (1g), hydrazobenzene (2g), p-isopropylazobenzene (1e) and 1f, the benzoylamide derivative of 1b. These results clearly indicate that electron-donating groups, such as hydroxyl or primary, secondary and tertiary amines, are essential for binding of azo dye carcinogens to liver microsomal cytochrome P-450 and, by implication, their enzymic reduction. No inhibition of azoreduction of 1c or 1d was obtained by addition of 1e, 1g, or 2g to the reaction mixture. In the presence of hepatic microsomes, a type I binding spectrum was obtained for 1d and type II binding spectra for 1a, 1b and 1c, the reactive azo dyes. In contrast, very weak binding was observed for the unreactive compounds 1e, 1f, 1g and 2g. Thus, there is good correlation between binding and substrate reactivity. The apparent lack of binding may explain the inability of the non-reactive compounds to inhibit azoreduction. The difference in the reduction rate observed for 1g vs. 1d suggested that hydroxylation would facilitate the reduction of an otherwise non-reactive azo dye. Support for such a mechanism was obtained in two experiments. In the first, marked facilitation of azoreduction of both the inactive compounds, 2g and 2f, was seen when they were incubated with microsomes under aerobic conditions where preliminary hydroxylation can occur. In the second, azobenzene was initially incubated aerobically with microsomes from phenobarbital- or beta-naphthoflavone-induced rats. The hydroxyazobenzene formed was then readily reduced anaerobically by microsomes from untreated rats.

Effects of metyrapone on microsomal-dependent Salmonella mutagenesis. Studies with chloroallyl ethers and model compounds

Metyrapone (2-methyl-1,2-di-3-pyridyl-1-propanone, MTP) is used as an inhibitor of cytochrome P-450 enzymes, particularly those induced by phenobarbital (PB). We examined the effects of MTP on the microsomal dependent mutagenesis of a newly isolated promutagen, 3-(2-chloroethoxy)-1,2-dichloropropene (CP), three S-chloroallyl thiocarbamate herbicides, and four model promutagens aflatoxin B1 (AFB), 2-acetylaminofluorene (2AAF), 2-aminoanthracene (2AA) and benzo[a]pyrene (BP). Salmonella tester strains TA98, TA100 and TA1535 and liver microsomal preparations (S9) from rats induced with PB or Aroclor 1254 (PCB) were employed. For statistical analysis, mutagenesis data were transformed and subjected to two-way analysis of variance. Metyrapone alone was not mutagenic in the absence or presence of S9. In a dose-dependent manner, MTP inhibited mutagenesis of AFB for strains TA98 and TA100 and enhanced mutagenesis of 2AAF, 2AA and BP for these strains. 3-(2-Chloroethoxy)-1, 2-dichloropropene and the herbicides diallate, triallate and sulfallate are all chloroallyl ethers. They are similar in their mutagenesis for Salmonella with respect to strain specificity, mutagenic potency, and requirement for activation by specifically-induced microsomes. Metyrapone inhibited the mutagenesis of CP, triallate and sulfallate for strain TA100 in the presence of either PB- or PCB-induced S9, and had no apparent effect on diallate mutagenesis; the same results were obtained for TA1535 with PCB-induced S9. On this basis, the mutagenic activation of diallate appears to be different from that of the other chloroallyl ethers tested. Our results indicate that MTP can inhibit as well as enhance microsomal dependent mutagenesis for Salmonella. We conclude that MTP may be a useful tool in characterizing pathways for promutagen activation.