Mutagenic effects of some water-soluble metal compounds in a somatic eye-color test system in Drosophila melanogaster

Nickel, cadmium, lead, arsenic, manganese and chromium salts as well as MeHgOH were screened for mutagenicity, using a sensitive somatic eye-color test system in Drosophila melanogaster. The test is based on the insertion of a mobile element which causes instability in the white locus that is somatically enhanced by mutagens. This white locus expression is combined with a mutation, zeste, in another gene, to produce a light yellow eye color. Larval feeding with mutagens causes somatic mutations in the eye imaginal disc cells that develop into easily detectable red spots in the yellow eyes of adult males. Survival tests showed large differences in the toxicity of different metals, but only hexavalent chromium increased the frequency of somatic mutations above the control level. When combined treatments were carried out with MMS and various metals, sodium arsenite caused a reduction of the MMS-induced mutation frequency while methylmercury increased the frequency of somatic spots.     

Role of the uvr gene in the SOS function inducing activity of two tryptophan pyrolysis products, Trp-P-1 and Trp-P-2, in Escherichia coli K12

Two tryptophan pyrolysis products, Trp-P-1 and Trp-P-2 were assayed in the SOS-chromotest using PQ 37 (uvr A) and PQ 35 (uvr+) E. coli K12 strains, in the presence of S9 fraction from Aroclor-induced rats. Both compounds were able to induce the expression of SOS functions in uvr A bacteria, in the following order: Trp-P-1 less than Trp-P-2 less than aflatoxin B1, at low concentrations (less than 125 ng/assay). In this range, the induction of SOS functions was significantly decreased in the uvr+ strain. This implies that the uvr gene product plays an important role in the repair of genotoxic damage induced by Trp-P-1 and Trp-P-2. At higher concentrations (125-500 ng/assay), Trp-P-1 became more efficient in inducing SOS functions than Trp-P-2 and excision repair was less efficient than at low concentration.     

Mutagenic activation of 3-amino-1,4-dimethyl-5H-pyrido(4,3-b)indole(Trp-P-1) and 3-amino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido(4,3-b)indole (Trp-P-2) by primary cultures of adult rat hepatocytes: effect of Aroclor induction in vitro

The mutagenic activation of tryptophan pyrolysis products, Trp-P-1 and Trp-P-2, was studied in a Salmonella TA98/hepatocyte mutagenesis assay. Adult rat hepatocytes in primary culture were either untreated or induced by the addition of Aroclor 1254 (2 micrograms/ml) 18-20 h before the mutagenesis test which was performed at day 1 and at day 2 after the isolation of hepatocytes. The mutagenic activation of Trp-P-1 and Trp-P-2 was studied as a function of the time of incubation and of the concentration of chemical. Trp-P-1 and Trp-P-2 incubated for 20 min in the presence of untreated hepatocytes and bacteria gave rise to a weak number of revertants which doubled the level of spontaneous mutants. Aroclor-induced hepatocytes became highly competent in mutagenic activation of tryptophan pyrolysis products and the induction ratio reached 4.9 and 7.1 for Trp-P-1 and Trp-P-2, respectively, after 60 min of incubation, on day 2 of the experiment. It should be noted that the induction ratio was higher on day 2 than on day 1. When conditions were standardized, i.e. Aroclor-induced hepatocytes on day 2, final concentration of cellular protein about 1 mg/ml, 20 min of incubation, the Salmonella/hepatocyte assay produced a linear concentration-dependent mutagenic response for Trp-P-1 and Trp-P-2. By comparing the results obtained with Aroclor-induced hepatocytes and Aroclor-induced liver S9 fraction in the Salmonella test, it could be estimated that hepatocytes were 3 times less active than the S9 fraction with regard to mutagenic activation of both Trp-P-1 and Trp-P-2.     

Hypersensitivity of xeroderma pigmentosum cells to dietary carcinogens

Xeroderma pigmentosum patients, in addition to ultraviolet-induced skin cancers, have an increased prevalence of neoplasms occurring in sites shielded from ultraviolet radiation. We postulated that these internal neoplasms might be related to ingestion of dietary carcinogens. As model dietary carcinogens, we studied the tryptophan pyrolysis products, 3-amino-1,4-dimethyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole (Trp-P-1) and 3-amino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole (Trp-P-2). These dietary compounds bind to DNA and are highly mutagenic and carcinogenic. Cytotoxicity of these compounds was examined in cultured lymphoblastoid cell lines from xeroderma pigmentosum patients in complementation groups A, B, C, D and E and the variant form and from normal donors. All xeroderma pigmentosum lymphoblastoid cell lines showed a greater reduction in viable cell concentration than the 2 normal lymphoblastoid cell lines following addition of Trp-P-1 or Trp-P-2 (5 micrograms/ml) to the culture medium. Possible differences in cellular activation of these compounds were overcome by treating the cells with rat-liver microsome-activated Trp-P-2. There was a greater reduction in viable cell concentration in the xeroderma pigmentosum group A and D cells than in the normal lymphoblastoid cell lines after treatment with activated Trp-P-2. These data suggest that the xeroderma pigmentosum DNA-repair system is defective in repairing Trp-P-1 and Trp-P-2 induced DNA damage in addition to being defective in repairing ultraviolet-induced DNA damage. Thus xeroderma pigmentosum patients may be at increased risk of toxicity from some dietary carcinogens.     

Comparative genotoxic effects of the cooked-food-related mutagens Trp-P-2 and IQ in bacteria and cultured mammalian cells

As part of a major study to evaluate the mutagenicity of chemicals produced during the cooking of foods, we examined the responses of bacteria and cultured Chinese hamster cells to the compounds Trp-P-2 (3-amino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole) and IQ (2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline), constituents identified in cooked beef and fish. In the Ames/Salmonella tester strain TA1538, both compounds were confirmed to be extremely potent mutagens that were active at levels below 1 ng/plate in the presence of hamster-liver S9 microsomal fraction. 50-fold higher doses of both compounds were required for mutagenicity in the uvr+ tester strain TA1978. Trp-P-2 also behaved as a strong mutagen in CHO cells using the standard exogenous activation with hamster-liver S9 fraction. At concentrations below 1 microgram/ml it produced dose-dependent increases in cell killing, mutations at the hprt and aprt loci, sister-chromatid exchanges, and chromosomal aberrations. An excision-repair-deficient strain was about 2-fold more sensitive than the normal CHO cells with respect to these genotoxic effects of Trp-P-2. IQ had unexpectedly weak activity for all genetic endpoints in the CHO cells, and it produced clear-cut responses only in the repair-deficient cells and only above a concentration of 10 micrograms/ml. The toxicity that was observed with IQ was not affected by the repair capacity of the cells and was not associated with chromosomal aberrations, indicating that damage to cellular structures other than nuclear DNA was likely the predominant pathway for cell killing. Because the culture conditions normally used for CHO cell exposure were shown to be competent in producing bacterial mutagenicity with IQ, it was concluded that the active metabolite of IQ was present in the medium but was somehow ineffective in reaching the DNA of CHO cells and/or reacting with it. These results suggest that the relative mutagenic potency of compounds in Salmonella may bear no direct relationship to relative mutagenicity in CHO cells, emphasizing precaution in attempting to extrapolate microbial data to mammalian somatic cells. This study illustrates the use and merits of a multi-endpoint assay for genetic damage in CHO cells, the utility of using CHO cells that are defective in excision repair of DNA, and the importance of comparative testing between bacterial and mammalian systems.     

Effects of plant-derived flavonoids and polyphenolic acids on the activity of mutagens from cooked food

The ability of 3 plant flavonoids (morin, myricetin and quercetin) and 4 polyphenolic acids (caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, ellagic acid and ferulic acid) to inhibit the genotoxic effects of a number of cooked-food mutagens (IQ, MeIQ, MeIQx, Trp-P-1 and Trp-P-2), was investigated in a bacterial mutation assay using Salmonella typhimurium TA98 as indicator and hepatic S9 mixes from either SWR mice or Syrian hamster as metabolic activating systems. Although the polyphenolic acids failed to have an effect, the flavonoids generally inhibited IQ, MeIQ, MeIQx and Trp-P-1 induced mutagenesis in a dose-dependent manner, irrespective of the source of S9. This was not the case with Trp-P-2 where the flavonoids were only observed to inhibit when SWR mouse S9 but not Syrian hamster S9 was used. Of the 3 compounds, myricetin and quercetin were superior to morin in their inhibitory capacity.     

Genetic effects of cosmic radiation in Drosophila melanogaster]

To examine possible effects of space radiation on living organism, we have analyzedtwo types of mutations, sex-linked recessive lethal mutations and somatic mutations, in fruit fly of the species Drosophila melanogaster. Drosophila strains used were wild type strains and a radiation-sensitive strain mei-41. Two different developmental stages of samples were sent into space; young adult males to analyze sex-linked recessive lethal mutations and about 30hr-old larvae to detect somatic mutations in wing epidermal cells. For wild type and mei-41 strains each, about 200 adult male flies and about 6,000 larvae were loaded on space shuttle Endeavour. The male flies returned from space were mated to virgin female flies of a tester strain, and the presence of the lethal mutations was analyzed at F2 generation. The frequencies of sex-linked recessive lethal mutations in flight groups were 2 and 3 times higher for wild type Canton-S and mei-4 1, respectively, than those in ground control groups. Most larvae sent to space emerged as adult flies within about 10 days after the landing. The presence of wing-hair somatic mutations, which give morphological change in hairs growing on the surface of wing epidermal cells, was analyzed under microscope. In wild type strain Muller-5, the frequency of wing hair mutant spots in flight group was about 1.5-fold higher than that in ground control, and in Canton-S-derived wild type strain the frequencies were similar between the two groups. By contrast, for mei-41 strain the mutation frequency was lower in flight group than in control group. The observed higher frequency of lethal mutations in the flight group might be due to a possibility that radiation effects on reproductive cells could be greatly enhanced under micro gravity. However, if this would be the case, we do not have appropriate explanation for the apparent absence of such synergistic effects on somatic wing-hair mutation system.     

Clonal analysis of the tissue specificity of recessive female-sterile mutations of Drosophila melanogaster using a dominant female-sterile mutation Fs(1)K1237

Using the newly isolated, germ line-dependent dominant female-sterile mutation Fs(1)K1237, we have characterized the germ line or somatic line dependence of 25 X-linked recessive female-sterile mutations. Since Fs(1)K1237/+ females fail to lay eggs, only germ line cells which lose Fs(1)K1237 as a result of X-ray-induced mitotic recombination are capable of producing eggs. Such recombination events will render genes on the homologous chromosome homozygous. If this chromosome carries a recessive female-sterile mutation, the fertility will be restored only if the altered function is not required in the germ line. Using this test, we have classified 25 recessive female-sterile mutations: 12 affect germ line function, 12 affect somatic line function, and one gave an ambiguous result for which an explanation is proposed. For a few of the somatic line-dependent mutants, we found that some eggs derived from germ line clones showed the same phenotype as eggs laid by females homozygous for the recessive female-sterile mutation. These results are discussed in terms of a coincident production of clones in the follicle cells.     

5-Fluoroindole Resistance Identifies Tryptophan Synthase Beta Subunit Mutants in Arabidopsis Thaliana

A study of the biochemical genetics of the Arabidopsis thaliana tryptophan synthase beta subunit was initiated by characterization of mutants resistant to the inhibitor 5-fluoroindole. Thirteen recessive mutations were recovered that are allelic to trp2-1, a mutation in the more highly expressed of duplicate tryptophan synthase beta subunit genes (TSB1). Ten of these mutations (trp2-2 through trp2-11) cause a tryptophan requirement (auxotrophs), whereas three (trp2-100 through trp2-102) remain tryptophan prototrophs. The mutations cause a variety of changes in tryptophan synthase beta expression. For example, two mutations (trp2-5 and trp2-8) cause dramatically reduced accumulation of TSB mRNA and immunologically detectable protein, whereas trp2-10 is associated with increased mRNA and protein. A correlation exists between the quantity of mutant beta and wild-type alpha subunit levels in the trp2 mutant plants, suggesting that the synthesis of these proteins is coordinated or that the quantity or structure of the beta subunit influences the stability of the alpha protein. The level of immunologically detectable anthranilate synthase alpha subunit protein is increased in the trp2 mutants, suggesting the possibility of regulation of anthranilate synthase levels in response to tryptophan limitation.     

Radiation-induced lethal mutations appearing in cells of somatic tissue in Drosophila

Exposure of 3-hour drosophila male embryos to gamma-radiation during the topographic segregation of the germ anlage nuclei caused recessive sex-linked lethals in somatic cells only. The selectivity of the screening was determined by the ratio of mutation frequencies induced in embryos and adult males. Analysis of lethal mutations shows that a minimal rate of the divergence between germinal and somatic patterns of the cell development is observed in the embryogenesis, the 3d instar larva and prepupa, and maximal in the 1st and 2nd larva and pupa.     

Somatic cell mutagenicity in Drosophila melanogaster in comparison with genetic damage in early germ-cell stages

With the intention of assessing the general performance, sensitivity and the underlying mechanisms of somatic cell mutagenicity assays in Drosophila, a study was undertaken to compare the effectiveness of 5 procarcinogens and 4 direct-acting agents in the white/white-coral eye mosaic assay (SMART) with their activity in early (premeiotic) male and female germ-cell stages, after exposure of Drosophila larvae. The outcome indicated a lack of agreement in the results from recessive lethal assays (SLRL) in comparison with the somatic mutation and recombination test (SMART). The procarcinogens 2-naphthylamine (NA), 3-methylcholanthrene (MC), 9,10-dimethylanthracene (DA) and 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA), and the direct-acting mutagens bleomycin (BM), methyl methanesulfonate (MMS) and ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS), were quite efficient in producing somatic recombination and mutations in white/white-coral larvae, as opposed to only weak effects in early germ-cell stages. 2-Acetylaminofluorene (2AAF) showed marginal effects in both germ cells and somatic tissue after exposure of female larvae, but was inactive in testis. The discrepancy in mutational response between somatic cells and premeiotic germ cells is most impressive for MMS and BM. There is sufficient evidence for attributing a good sized proportion of the encountered variation to efficient error-free DNA repair of premutational damage and to segregational elimination during meiosis of deleterious mutations: (1) The efficient point mutagen ENU was the but one agent producing high levels of viable genetic alterations in early germ cells and in somatic cells. A similar behaviour was previously described for diethylnitrosamine, which ethylates DNA in the same fashion as ENU. (2) In early germ-cell stages of mei-9L1 male larvae, MMS induced multiple mutations (putative clusters) at a low dose differing by a factor 20-40 from those needed to produce an equivalent response in repair-competent strains. This is consistent with the concept of an active excision repair in premeiotic cells. (3) In the case of EMS, next to DNA repair, germinal selection seems to restrict the realization of EMS-induced genetic damage in premeiotic cells. (4) Bleomycin-induced chromosome aberrations caused high mortality rates in males (hemizygous for an X-chromosome) but not in females. MMS and BM, agents known to show preference for chromosome aberration induction, produced 3-6-fold higher rates of somatic mutational events (SME) in female genotypes as compared with the other sex.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Use of alpha- and beta-tubulin mutants for the study of spontaneous and induced chromosomal mis-distribution in Aspergillus nidulans

The effect of two different mutations, one involving an alpha-tubulin (tubA) and the other a beta-tubulin (benA33) gene, on somatic segregation has been investigated in diploid strains of A. nidulans. Both mutations, particularly benA33, increase the level of spontaneous chromosomal mis-distribution (CMD) phenomena, without affecting the frequency of crossing-over. The employment of homozygous strains for each of the two mutations in sensitivity tests toward various chemicals, allowed the clear identification of those interfering with microtubule assembly-disassembly processes (i.e. chloral hydrate, diamide, aminocarb, N-ethyl-maleimide, p-chlormercuribenzoate). Such compounds turned out to be very efficient and specific inducers of CMD in a somatic segregation assay performed using the wild-type strain P1. The same assay, when carried out with some of these compounds but employing a tubA/tubA strain, revealed a marked proneness toward CMD to be associated with such mutation, which is known to confer microtubule hypostability.     

Inactivation of potent pyrolysate mutagens by chlorinated tap water

The potent mutagens 3-amino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole (Trp-P-2, 62450-07-1), 2-amino-6-methyldipyrido-[1,2-a:3', 2'-d]imidazole (Glu-P-1, 67730-11-4) and 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (IQ, 76180-96-6), isolated from pyrolysates of tryptophan and glutamic acid and from broiled sardines, respectively, were effectively degraded by chlorinated tap water with a concomitant loss of mutagenicity toward Salmonella typhimurium TA98 and TA100. The half-life of 10 microM IQ in the presence of 1.5 ppm of residual chlorine was less than 10 sec; those of Glu-P-1 and Trp-P-2 were 0.5-1 and 2-3 min, respectively. This means that a glass of chlorinated tap water (150 ml) containing 1.5 ppm of residual chlorine can break down about 200 micrograms of these pyrolysate mutagens within a couple of minutes.     

Analysis of human plasma as an exposure level monitor for carcinogenic tryptophan pyrolysis products

A high-performance liquid chromatography method for detecting 3-amino-1,4- dimethyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole (Trp-P-1) and 3-amino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole (Trp-P-2) in human plasma was developed. Plasma samples of 10 normal subjects were examined. Trp-P-1 and Trp-P-2, carcinogenic tryptophan pyrolysis products, were detected in all specimens, and the concentrations of Trp-P-1 and Trp-P-2 in plasma were 68.31 +/- 24.03 fmoles/ml (mean +/- S.D., n = 10) and 18.79 +/- 4.99 fmoles/ml, respectively. Our results suggest that plasma levels of carcinogenic tryptophan pyrolysis products may be useful indicators for estimating the exposure levels of the dietary carcinogens.     

Detection of Trp-P-1 and Trp-P-2, carcinogenic tryptophan pyrolysis products, in dialysis fluid of patients with uremia

In order to estimate the exposure levels of mutagenic and carcinogenic heterocyclic amines in humans, we developed a high-performance liquid chromatography method to detect 3-amino-1,4-dimethyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole (Trp-P-1) and 3-amino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole (Trp-P-2) in dialysis fluid of patients with uremia. Using this methods, dialysis fluid of 12 patients who had received hemodialysis treatment or continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis was examined. Trp-P-1 was detected in dialysate of all uremic patients (727 +/- 282 pmoles, n = 12). In patients who had been treated with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis, the average amount of Trp-P-1 found in whole dialysate (6 l) per day was 710 +/- 203 pmoles (mean +/- S.D., n = 8). Moreover, Trp-P-2 could be detected in 5 out of 12 patients (206 +/- 85 pmoles, n = 5). These results indicate that patients with uremia are actually exposed to carcinogenic tryptophan pyrolysis products. The average exposure level of Trp-P-1 in uremic patients apparently exceeded 710 pmoles (150 ng) per day.     

A mariner-like element with a 5' lesion in Drosophila simulans

The unstable white-S2 (wS2) allele of the white gene occurred spontaneously in the S2 strain of Drosophila simulans. This mutation was caused by insertion of the submariner element, a mariner-like element with an abnormal tandem duplication of the 5' inverted terminal repeat (ITR). Although it has an incomplete ITR, submariner excises efficiently. The rate of somatic reversion, estimated by the number of eye-color mosaic flies, was 79.9%, and the reversion frequency in the germline was 0.6%. The change to the 5' ITR contributes to make this transposon precise excision.     

3-amino-1,4-dimethyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole (trp-P-1) is incorporated into rat splenocytes,thymocytes, and hepatocytes through monoamine transporters and induces apoptosis

3-Amino-1,4-dimethyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole (Trp-P-1), which is a tryptophan pyrolysate formed during cooking, induces apoptosis in rat splenocytes, thymocytes, and hepatocytes. In this study, we investigated whether Trp-P-1 is transported into these cells and causes apoptosis. Trp-P-1 was immediately incorporated into rat splenocytes, thymocytes, and hepatocytes in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Dopamine and serotonin significantly competed with the uptake of Trp-P-1 into these cells, and nomifensine and indatraline, which are inhibitors of dopamine- and serotonin-transporters, respectively, markedly suppressed the uptake of Trp-P-1. On the other hand, amino acids including tryptophan did not compete with Trp-P-1. Inhibition of monoamine transporters using nomifensine and indatraline partially suppressed Trp-P-1-induced cell death in these cells. In hepatocytes, the inhibition of transporters prevented Trp-P-1-induced morphological changes and activation of caspase-3. These results demonstrated that Trp-P-1 is incorporated into the cells through monoamine transporters and induces apoptosis.     

Genotoxicity evaluation of five tricyclic antidepressants in the wing somatic mutation and recombination test in Drosophila melanogaster

Five tricyclic antidepressants were tested for genotoxicity using the somatic mutation and recombination test (SMART) in wing cells of Drosophila melanogaster. Three-day-old larvae trans-heterozygous for 2 linked recessive wing hair mutants (multiple wing hairs and flare) were fed the test compounds in water mixed with a standard dry food for 48 h. Wings of the emerging adult flies were scored for the presence of spots of mutant cells which can be the consequence of either somatic mutation or mitotic recombination. Desipramine and imipramine were clearly genotoxic at concentrations above 1 mM whereas amitriptyline, nortriptyline and protriptyline were not genotoxic at concentrations up to 100 mM. This seems to implicate the nitrogen atom at position 5 in the 7-membered ring of the tricyclic molecule as being responsible for the genotoxic property of the compounds in Drosophila.     

Coenzymatic Activity of Epinephrine for Vitamin B2-Aldehyde Forming Enzyme and Its Physiological Significance

The effects of artificial food dyes on the mutagenicity of carcinogenic mutagens were examined using the Salmonella/microsome system. Indigocarmine (IC), an indigoid dye widely used for coloring foods and for clinical tests, enhanced the mutagenic activity of Trp-P-1, a carcinogenic pyrolysate of tryptophan, depending on the dose of IC. His⁺ revertants of TA 98 induced by Trp-P-1 were two to four times greater in the presence of 10 to 50 μg/plate of IC than those in the absence of IC.

IC also enhanced the mutagenicity of Trp-P-2, another carcinogenic pyrolysate of tryptophan, while the activities of other mutagens such as MNNG, 4-NQO, AF-2, BP, Glu-P-1 were not affected.     

Carcinogenic tryptophan pyrolysis products in airborne particles and rain water

This is the first report that carcinogenic tryptophan pyrolysis products are present in airborne particles and rain water. The airborne particles were collected from August 1988 through October 1988 at 4 locations in Japan. The amounts of 3-amino-1,4-dimethyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole (Trp-P-1) and 3-amino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole (Trp-P-2) in the air were 0.23 +/- 0.17 pg/m3 air (mean +/- SD, n = 18) and 0.16 +/- 0.15 pg/m3 air (n = 18), respectively. Moreover, these carcinogens were detected in rain water. These results indicate that Trp-P-1 and Trp-P-2 are ubiquitous environmental components.