Time And Concentration Dependence Of Fenton-Induced Oxidation Of dG

The influence of incubation time and Fenton reagent concentrations was investigated on the oxidation of 2′-deoxyguanosine. The compounds identified and quantified, through use of an LC-MS/MS system, were 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG) and 8,5′-cyclo-2′-deoxyguanosine (8,5′cyclodG) and the secondary oxidation products guanidinohydantoin and dehydro-guanidinohydantoin. 8-oxodG and 8,5′cyclodG formed very quickly, reaching a maximum rapidly, but with 8-oxodG a rapid decline occurred thereafter due to its further oxidation into the secondary products, which formed more slowly. Due to the better stability, 8,5′cyclodG correlated better with the general level of oxidation than 8-oxodG. The results emphasize the advantages of measuring other oxidation adducts than 8-oxodG alone.     

Hydantoin derivative formation from oxidation of 7,8-dihydro-8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG) and incorporation of 14C-labeled 8-oxodG into the DNA of human breast cancer cells

One-electron oxidation of 7,8-dihydro-8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG) yielded a guanidinohydantoin derivative (dGh) and a spiroiminodihydantoin derivative (dSp), both putatively mutagenic products that may be formed in vivo. The nucleoside dGh was the major product at room temperature, regardless of pH. The results are contrary to previously published model studies using 2',3',5'-triacetoxy-8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanosine (Luo, W.; Miller, J. G.; Rachlin, E. M.; Burrows, C. J. Org. Lett. 2000, 2, 613; Luo, W.; Miller, J.G.; Rachlin, E.M.; Burrows, C.J. Chem. Res. Toxicol. 2001, 14, 927), who observed a spiroiminodihydantoin derivative as the major product at neutral pH. Clearly, the functional groups attached to the ribose moiety of 8-oxodG influence the oxidation chemistry of the nucleobase derivative. To explore this chemistry in vivo, (14)C-labeled 8-oxodG was synthesized and incubated with growing MCF-7 human breast cancer cells, resulting in the incorporation of the compound into cellular DNA as measured by a novel accelerator mass spectrometry assay.     

Oxidation of 7,8-dihydro-8-oxoguanine affords lesions that are potent sources of replication errors in vivo.

Three single-stranded DNA genomes have been constructed that contain the 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG) oxidation products oxaluric acid, oxazalone, and cyanuric acid. Oligonucleotides containing each lesion were synthesized by treating an oligonucleotide containing a single 8-oxodG with peroxynitrite, and the desired products were isolated by HPLC. The modified oligonucleotides were ligated into M13mp7L2 bacteriophage DNA in such a way that the lesion was situated at a known site in the lacZ gene fragment of the viral genome. The circular genomes were transfected into wild-type AB1157 Escherichia coli. The relative efficiency of lesion bypass by DNA polymerase was determined by counting the number of initial independent infections produced by each genome relative to that of an unmodified DNA control. Viral progeny were analyzed for mutation frequency and type by PCR amplification of the insert region followed by a recently developed post-labeling assay. All three secondary lesions were readily bypassed, causing G --> T transversions at frequencies at least an order of magnitude higher than 8-oxodG. These data establish a model whereby the modestly mutagenic primary lesion 8-oxodG is oxidized in vivo to much more highly mutagenic secondary lesions.     

Free-radical-induced formation of an 8,5''-cyclo-2''-deoxyguanosine moiety in deoxyribonucleic acid.

Isolation and identification of a novel .OH-induced product, namely an 8,5'-cyclo-2'-deoxyguanosine moiety, in DNA and 2'-deoxyguanosine are described. .OH radicals were generated in dilute aqueous solutions by gamma-irradiation. Analyses of 2'-deoxyguanosine and enzymic hydrolysates of DNA by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (g.c.-m.s.) after trimethylsilylation showed the presence of 8,5-cyclo-2'-deoxyguanosine on the basis of its fragment ions. This product was isolated by h.p.l.c. Its u.v. and n.m.r. spectra taken were in agreement with the structure suggested by its mass spectrum. Exact masses of the typical ions from the mass spectrum of the trimethylsilyl derivative of this product were measured by high-resolution m.s. The values found were in excellent agreement with the theoretical mass derived from the suggested fragmentation patterns. Both (5'R)- and (5'S)-epimers of 8,5'-cyclo-2'-deoxyguanosine were observed. These two diastereomers were separated from each other by g.c. as well as by h.p.l.c. The assignment of the epimers was accomplished on the basis of the n.m.r. data. The formation of 8,5'-cyclo-2'-deoxyguanosine was suppressed by the presence of O2 in the solutions. The use of g.c.-m.s. with the selected-ion monitoring technique facilitated the detection of 8,5'-cyclo-2'-deoxyguanosine in DNA at radiation doses as low as 1 Gy. Its mechanism of formation probably involves hydrogen atom abstraction by .OH radicals from the C-5' of the 2'-deoxyguanosine moiety followed by intramolecular cyclization with the formation of a covalent bond between the C-5' and C-8 and subsequent oxidation of the resulting N-7-centred radical.     

Prevention of artifactual oxidation in determination of cellular 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine by isotope-dilution LC-MS/MS with automated solid-phase extraction

A highly sensitive quantitative method based on LC-MS/MS was developed to directly measure 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG) and 2'-deoxyguanosine (dG) in crude DNA hydrolysates. With the use of isotopic internal standards and online solid-phase extraction (SPE), this method has overcome the artifactual response often observed during electrospray ionization by optimizing the washing conditions of online SPE to remove excess dG and allows 8-oxodG and dG to be accurately and simultaneously monitored by mass spectrometry. The detection limit of this method was estimated as 1.8 fmol for 8-oxodG. With this method, we further investigated the artifactual oxidation that occurred during concentration and purification of the DNA hydrolysates, commonly used before sample analysis. Our results demonstrated that drying under vacuum or purification with C18 cartridges led to a significant increase in the measured 8-oxodG by 6.8-30 8-oxodG/10(6) dG. The artifactual formation of 8-oxodG can be reduced only by adding desferrioxamine (DFO) and not 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl (TEMPO). However, DFO still failed to offer complete protection against oxidation during DNA hydrolysate concentration and purification. Therefore, to effectively prevent the artifacts formed during workup, the simplest approach is to use a direct measurement method involving an online enrichment/purification technique as proposed in this study.     

Comparison of results from different laboratories in measuring 8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine in synthetic oligonucleotides

The European Standards Committee on Oxidative DNA Damage (ESCODD) was set up in 1997 to resolve methodological problems and to reach agreement on the basal level of 8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG) in biological samples. In the present ESCODD trial 6 samples of 8-oxodG-containing oligonucleotides with different ratios of 8-oxodG/2'-deoxyadenosine (dAdo) were sent to 25 laboratories throughout Europe. The methods used were HPLC with electrochemical detection (amperometric or coulometric), GC-MS or LC-MS-MS. The LC-MS-MS and the coulometric HPLC analyses gave 8-oxodG concentrations within 53 and 73% of expected values, respectively, whereas the amperometric HPLC and GC-MS consistently overestimated the 8-oxodG concentration by several fold. As the oligonucleotides contained no 2'-deoxyguanosine (dGuo), this was not due to artificial oxidation. On the contrary, in most cases the concentrations of dAdo and thymidine (dThd), used as estimates for non-oxidised DNA bases were underestimated, though a few laboratories overestimated the lowest concentration samples containing 8 and 20 μM, respectively. In one-third of the reported results, the ratio of 8-oxodG/10 5 dAdo was within 25% of the calculated value in the oligonucleotide samples and in half of the results the coefficient of variation in duplicate samples was less than 10%. The coefficients of variation were higher for the dAdo concentrations than for 8-oxodG. Our findings strongly indicate that careful quality control must be applied to the analytical procedures for 8-oxodG and very importantly also to the procedures for non-modified 2'-deoxyribonucleosides. We recommend the use of synthetic oligonucleotides for this purpose.     

Photosensitized DNA damage induced by NADH: site specificity and mechanism

Increasing evidence reveals the carcinogenicity of UVA radiation. We demonstrated that UVA-irradiated NADH induced damage to (32)P-labeled DNA fragments obtained from the p53 gene in the presence of Cu(II). Formamidopyrimidine glycosylase (Fpg)-sensitive lesions were formed at guanine residues, whereas piperidine-labile lesions occurred frequently at thymine residues. Formation of 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG), upon UVA exposure in the presence of Cu(II), increased depending on NADH concentration. Catalase and bathocuproine, a Cu(I)-specific chelator, inhibited the DNA damage, suggesting the involvement of reactive species derived from H(2)O(2) and Cu(I). UVA-irradiated riboflavin induced DNA cleavage through electron transfer at 5' guanine of the 5'-GG-3' sequence with both Fpg and piperidine treatments; Fpg induced less cleavage at the guanine residues than piperidine. These results imply that NADH may participate as an endogenous photosensitizer in UVA carcinogenesis via H(2)O(2) generation, producing metal-mediated mutagenic lesions such as 8-oxodG.     

Site-specific DNA damage at the GGG sequence by UVA involves acceleration of telomere shortening

Telomere shortening is associated with cellular senescence. We investigated whether UVA, which contributes to photoaging, accelerates telomere shortening in human cultured cells. The terminal restriction fragment (TRF) from WI-38 fibroblasts irradiated with UVA (365-nm light) decreased with increasing irradiation dose. Furthermore, UVA irradiation dose-dependently increased the formation of 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG) in both WI-38 fibroblasts and HL-60 cells. To clarify the mechanism of the acceleration of telomere shortening, we investigated site-specific DNA damage induced by UVA irradiation in the presence of endogenous photosensitizers using (32)P 5'-end-labeled DNA fragments containing the telomeric oligonucleotide (TTAGGG)(4). UVA irradiation with riboflavin induced 8-oxodG formation in the DNA fragments containing telomeric sequence, and Fpg protein treatment led to chain cleavages at the central guanine of 5'-GGG-3' in telomere sequence. The amount of 8-oxodG formation in DNA fragment containing telomere sequence [5'-CGC(TTAGGG)(7)CGC-3'] was approximately 5 times more than that in DNA fragment containing nontelomere sequence [5'-CGC(TGTGAG)(7)CGC-3']. Catalase did not inhibit this oxidative DNA damage, indicating no or little participation of H(2)O(2) in DNA damage. These results indicate that the photoexcited endogenous photosensitizer specifically oxidizes the central guanine of 5'-GGG-3' in telomere sequence to produce 8-oxodG probably through an electron-transfer reaction. It is concluded that the site-specific damage in telomere sequence induced by UVA irradiation may participate in the increase of telomere shortening rate.     

Analysis of urinary 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-purine-2'-deoxyribonucleosides by LC-MS/MS and improved ELISA

Non-invasive monitoring of oxidative stress is highly desirable. Urinary 7,8-8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG) is a biologically relevant and convenient analytical target. However, immunoassays can over-estimate levels of urinary 8-oxodG. Measurement of more than one DNA oxidation product in urine would be advantageous in terms of mechanistic information. Urines samples were analysed for 8-oxodG by solid-phase extraction/LC-MS/MS and ELISA. The solid-phase extraction/LC-MS/MS assay was also applied to the analysis of urinary 7,8-dihydro-8-oxo-2'-deoxyadenosine (8-oxodA). Concurring with previous reports, urinary 8-oxodG measured by ELISA was significantly higher than levels measured by LC-MS/MS. However, apparent improvement in the specificity of the commercially available Japanese Institute for the Control of Ageing (JaICA) ELISA brought mean LC-MS/MS and ELISA measurements of urinary 8-oxodG into agreement. Urinary 8-oxodA was undetectable in all urines, despite efficient recovery by solid phase extraction. Exploitation of the advantages of ELISA may be enhanced by a simple modification to the assay procedure, although chromatographic techniques still remain the 'gold standard' techniques for analysis of urinary 8-oxodG. Urinary 8-oxodA is either not present or below the limit of detection of the instrumentation.     

Oral exposure of dimethylarsinic acid, a main metabolite of inorganic arsenics, in mice leads to an increase in 8-Oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine level, specifically in the target organs for arsenic carcinogenesis

We have proposed that oral administration of dimethylarsinic acid (DMA), a metabolite of inorganic arsenics in mammals, rather than inorganic arsenics themselves, promotes lung and skin tumors by way of the metabolic production of free radicals such as dimethylarsenic peroxy radical [(CH(3))(2)AsOO*]. The purpose of the present study was to examine if dimethylarsenic has the ability to induce oxidative damage. 8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG) was used as a biomarker of DNA oxidation. The oral administration of DMA enhanced significantly the amounts of 8-oxodG specifically in the target organs (skin, lung, liver, and urinary bladder) of arsenic carcinogenesis and also in urine, whereas arsenite did not. The dimethylarsenics thus may play an important role in arsenic carcinogenesis through the induction of oxidative damage, particularly of base oxidation.     

Lymphoblasts of women with BRCA1 mutations are deficient in cellular repair of 8,5'-Cyclopurine-2'-deoxynucleosides and 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine

Mutations in breast and ovarian cancer susceptibility genes BRCA1 and BRCA2 predispose women to a high risk of these cancers. Here, we show that lymphoblasts of women with BRCA1 mutations who had been diagnosed with breast cancer are deficient in the repair of some products of oxidative DNA damage, namely, 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine and 8,5'-cyclopurine-2'-deoxynucleosides. Cultured lymphoblasts from 10 individuals with BRCA1 mutations and those from 5 control individuals were exposed to 5 Gy of ionizing radiation to induce oxidative DNA damage and then allowed to repair this damage. DNA samples isolated from these cells were analyzed by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry to measure 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine, (5'-S)-8,5'-cyclo-2'-deoxyadenosine, (5'-R)-8,5'-cyclo-2'-deoxyguanosine, and (5'-S)-8,5'-cyclo-2'-deoxyguanosine. After irradiation and a subsequent period of repair, no significant accumulation of these lesions was observed in the DNA from control cells. In contrast, cells with BRCA1 mutations accumulated statistically significant levels of these lesions in their DNA, providing evidence of a deficiency in DNA repair. In addition, a commonly used breast tumor cell line exhibited the same effect when compared to a relevant control cell line. The data suggest that BRCA1 plays a role in cellular repair of oxidatively induced DNA lesions. The failure of cells with BRCA1 mutations to repair 8,5'-cyclopurine-2'-deoxynucleosides indicates the involvement of BRCA1 in nucleotide-excision repair of oxidative DNA damage. This work suggest that accumulation of these lesions may lead to a high rate of mutations and to deleterious changes in gene expression, increasing breast cancer risk and contributing to breast carcinogenesis.     

DNA damage products (5'R)- and (5'S)-8,5'-cyclo-2'-deoxyadenosines as potential biomarkers in human urine for atherosclerosis

We hypothesized that DNA damage products (5'R)-8,5'-cyclo-2'-deoxyadenosine (R-cdA) and (5'S)-8,5'-cyclo-2'-deoxyadenosine (S-cdA) may be well-suited biomarkers of risk and diagnosis for atherosclerosis. We tested this hypothesis by measuring the levels of R-cdA and S-cdA and another product, 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OH-dG), in urine of atherosclerosis patients and healthy individuals using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry with isotope dilution. We showed the presence of these products at significantly greater concentrations in urine of atherosclerosis patients than in that of healthy individuals. Our data suggest that R-cdA and S-cdA can be accurately and reproducibly measured in human urine as potential biomarkers of risk and diagnosis for atherosclerosis.     

Site-specific DNA damage at GGG sequence by oxidative stress may accelerate telomere shortening.

Telomere shortening during human aging has been reported to be accelerated by oxidative stress. We investigated the mechanism of telomere shortening by oxidative stress. H2O2 plus Cu(II) caused predominant DNA damage at the 5' site of 5'-GGG-3' in the telomere sequence. Furthermore, H2O2 plus Cu(II) induced 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG) formation in telomere sequences more efficiently than that in non-telomere sequences. NO plus O2- efficiently caused base alteration at the 5' site of 5'-GGG-3' in the telomere sequence. It is concluded that the site-specific DNA damage at the GGG sequence by oxidative stress may play an important role in increasing the rate of telomere shortening with aging.     

Repair and replication of plasmids with site-specific 8-oxodG and 8-AAFdG residues in normal and repair-deficient human cells.

The in vivo mutagenicity of 7-hydro-8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG) and N-(guanin-8-yl)-N-acetyl-2-aminofluorene (8-AAFdG) in human cells was determined by transfecting various cell lines with plasmids that carried a single adduct at a defined site. 8-OxodG is one of the many DNA modifications formed by oxygen radicals, and was found to be highly miscoding during replication with purified DNA polymerases in vitro. Here we show that the frequency of mutations induced by 8-oxodG during replication in vivo is at most only 2% above background. The most predominant mutation found was a single G----T transversion. The frequency of this transversion was found to be 3 to 5-fold increased in excision repair deficient XP-A cells. Interestingly, also the replication of 8-oxodG containing plasmids was significantly impaired (approximately 4-fold) in the XP-A cells, but not in HeLa cells, normal fibroblasts or XP-A revertant cells. When 8-AAFdG containing plasmids were used, the mutation frequencies did not exceed background levels (less than 2%) with any of the cell lines tested. The presence of 8-AAFdG almost completely inhibited plasmid replication (more than 50-fold) in XP-A cells. Apparently, both 8-AAFdG and 8-oxodG are not or poorly repaired in these cells, causing a block of DNA replication. This suggests that both lesions are substrates for excision repair, although to a varying extent.     

Evidence for attenuated cellular 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine removal in cancer patients

Measurement of the products of oxidatively damaged DNA in urine is a frequently used means by which oxidative stress may be assessed non-invasively. We believe that urinary DNA lesions, in addition to being biomarkers of oxidative stress, can potentially provide more specific information, for example, a reflection of repair activity. We used high-performance liquid chromatography prepurification, with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-GC-MS) and ELISA to the analysis of a number of oxidative [e.g., 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG), 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-guanine, 5-(hydroxymethyl)uracil], non-oxidative (cyclobutane thymine dimers) and oligomeric DNA products in urine. We analysed spot urine samples from 20 healthy subjects, and 20 age- and sex-matched cancer patients. Mononuclear cell DNA 8-oxodG levels were assessed by LC-EC. The data support our proposal that urinary DNA lesion products are predominantly derived from DNA repair. Furthermore, analysis of DNA and urinary 8-oxodG in cancer patients and controls suggested reduced repair activity towards this lesion marker in these patients.     

Measurement of 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine in peripheral blood mononuclear cells: optimisation and application to samples from a case-control study on cancers of the oesophagus and cardia

8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG) is a widely used biomarker to evaluate the level of oxidative stress. This study describes in its first part the optimisation of our analytical procedure (HPLC/electrochemical detection). Particular care was exercised to avoid artefactual oxidation and in the precision of measurement, which was evaluated with blood bags from hemochromatosis patients. The best results were obtained with a DNA extraction step using the "chaotropic method" recommended by the European Standards Committee on Oxidative DNA Damage (ESCODD). Other approaches such as anion exchange columns gave ten times as much 8-oxodG as this method. Moreover, a complete DNA hydrolysis using five different enzymes allowed improved precision. The optimised protocol was applied to peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) sampled during a case-control study on cancers of the oesophagus and cardia. With 7.2 +/- 2.6 8-oxodG/10(6) 2'-deoxyguanosines (2'-dG) (mean +/- SD), patients (n = 17) showed higher levels of 8-oxodG than controls (4.9 +/- 1.9 8-oxodG/10(6) 2'-dG, n = 43, Student's t-test: p < 0.001). This difference remained significant after technical (storage, sampling period, 2'-dG levels) and individual (age, sex, smoking, alcohol) confounding factors were taken into account (p < 0.0001, Generalised Linear regression Model). To our knowledge, this is the first report to demonstrate an increase of 8-oxodG in PBMCs of patients suffering from a cancer of the upper digestive tract. This elevated level of DNA damage in patients can raise interesting issues: is oxidative stress the cause or the result of the pathology? Could this biomarker be used to evaluate chemoprevention trials concerning digestive tract cancers?     

Effect of green tea catechins on oxidative DNA damage of hamster pancreas and liver induced by N-Nitrosobis(2-oxopropyl)amine and/or oxidized soybean oil

It has been indicated that high fat diet is a risk factor of the pancreatic cancer by epidemiological studies. We examined whether the oxidized soybean oil (ox-oil) express the synergistic effect on the formation of 8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG) in nuclear DNA of hamster pancreas induced by N-Nitrosobis(2-oxopropyl)amine (BOP) and whether the green tea catechins (GTC) suppressed it. Ox-oil was prepared by air oxidation, and the content of lipid hydroperoxide was 6.22 mg/ml. Hamsters were administered 0.3 ml of ox-oil/day orally for 4 weeks before BOP treatment. GTC was given ad libitum as a 0.1% aqueous solution. Four hours after subcutaneous administration of BOP, hamsters were sacrificed, and the contents of 8-oxodG were measured in nuclear DNA of pancreas and liver. The 8-oxodG content in the pancreas was increased by BOP and/or ox-oil administration. However, it was not suppressed by an intake of GTC. In the liver, though the content of 8-oxodG was increased by ox-oil, it tended to suppress the rise of 8-oxodG by a GTC intake. These results suggested that the long term intake of ox-oil might have the possibility to induce carcinogenesis in hamster pancreas and liver, and an intake of GTC might have the beneficial effect on liver.     

DNA repair: insights from urinary lesion analysis

Due to various confounding factors, namely dietary contribution and cell death, measurement of urinary 8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG) has long been considered to be no more than a marker of generalised oxidative stress. Indeed, the action of no single enzyme has been reported to excise 8-oxodG from DNA. However, analysis of recent research has suggested that these confounders may be circumvented, which, combined from work from the authors' laboratory, indicates that urinary 8-oxodG has the potential to become a most important marker of oxidative damage to, and repair of, DNA.     

Metabolism of carcinogenic urethane to nitric oxide is involved in oxidative DNA damage

Carcinogenic urethane (ethyl carbamate) forms DNA adduct via epoxide, whereas carcinogenic methyl carbamate can not. To clarify a mechanism independent of DNA adduct formation, we examined DNA damage induced by N-hydroxyurethane, a urethane metabolite, using 32P-5'-end-labeled DNA fragments. N-hydroxyurethane induced Cu(II)-mediated DNA damage especially at thymine and cytosine residues. DNA damage was inhibited by both catalase and bathocuproine, suggesting a role for H(2)O(2) and Cu(I) in DNA damage. Free (*) OH scavengers did not inhibit the DNA damage, although methional did inhibit it. These results suggest that reactive species, such as the Cu(I)-hydroperoxo complex, cause DNA damage. Formation of 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG) was increased by N-hydroxyurethane in the presence of Cu(II). When treated with esterase, N-hydroxyurethane induced 8-oxodG formation to a similar extent as that induced by hydroxylamine. Enhancement of DNA cleavages by endonuclease IV suggests that hydroxylamine induced depurination. Furthermore, hydroxylamine induced a significant increase in 8-oxodG formation in HL-60 cells but not in its H(2)O(2)-resistant clone HP 100 cells. o-Phenanthroline significantly inhibited the 8-oxodG formation in HL-60 cells, confirming the involvement of metal ions in the 8-oxodG formation by hydroxylamine. Electron spin resonance spectroscopy, utilizing Fe[N-(dithiocarboxy)sarcosine](3), demonstrated that nitric oxide (NO) was generated from hydroxylamine and esterase-treated N-hydroxyurethane. It is concluded that urethane may induce carcinogenesis through oxidation and, to a lesser extent, depurination of DNA by its metabolites.