Formation of a phosphoramide mustard-nucleotide adduct that is not by alkylation at the N7 position of guanine

The reaction of 2'-deoxyguanosine 3'-monophosphate with phosphoramide mustard resulted in the formation of several adducts. One of these adducts was formed by linking phosphoramide mustard to the phosphate group of 2'-deoxyguanosine 3'-monophosphate rather than by the generally accepted mechanism involving alkylation at the N7 position of guanine. This adduct served as an acceptor for the transfer of 32p from [gamma 32P]ATP by polynucleotide kinase and thus could be detected by the sensitive 32p-postlabeling assay.     

Induction of aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase and DNA adduct formation in parental and carcinogen transformed C3H/10T1/2 clone 8 cells by benzo[a]pyrene

C3H/10T1/2 clone 8 (10T1/2) cells possess aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) activity capable of metabolizing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons to ultimate carcinogenic forms. AHH activity in 10T1/2 cells was measured before and after culturing in the presence of benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P), and compared to the AHH activity found in carcinogen-transformed 10T1/2 cell lines treated similarly. The cell lines were also examined for B[a]P-DNA adduct formation, using the 32P-postlabelling technique. Treatment of parental 10T1/2 cells with B[a]P was found to significantly increase AHH activity and produce substantial numbers of DNA adducts. In addition to a major B[a]P-DNA adduct, 5-6 minor DNA adducts were also detected. Relative to parental 10T1/2 cells, an aflatoxin B1-transformed 10T1/2 cell line (7SA) was found to have significantly depressed AHH activity. In addition, after treatment with B[a]P, 7SA cells had only 8% of the B[a]P-DNA adduct levels found in 10T1/2 cells. This system may provide an in vitro model for investigating mechanisms responsible for the depression of cytochrome P-450 activities by chemical carcinogens.     

32P-postlabeling of acrolein-deoxyguanosine adducts in DNA after nuclease P1 digestion.

In order to study the relationship between the level of acrolein-DNA adducts and their biological effects, sensitive methods are needed to quantitate DNA adducts. 32P-postlabeling is one such method that has been widely used and we have adapted the technique to detect acrolein-deoxyguanosine adducts. Adducts formed by the reaction of acrolein and deoxyguanosine-3'-monophosphate were isolated by HPLC. Based on their UV spectra and cochromatography with standards after dephosphorylation with acid phosphatase, these adducts were identified as the nucleotide equivalents of cyclic 1,N2-propanodeoxyguanosine adducts formed by acrolein that have been described by Chung et al. [15]. As nucleotides, the adducts were good substrates for polynucleotide kinase-mediated transfer of phosphate from ATP and were able to be detected by 32P-postlabeling. These adducts were resistant to the activity of nuclease P1 and dinucleoside monophosphates in the form d(G*pN) where G* is the acrolein-guanine adduct also resisted digestion by nuclease P1. Digestion of DNA by nuclease P1 and acid phosphatase resulted in the conversion of normal nucleotides to nucleosides and selective enrichment of the adducts as dinucleoside monophosphates. Using nuclease P1/acid phosphatase digestion, followed by 32P-postlabeling and TLC separation, levels of the two adducts in acrolein-treated DNA were found to be about 6185 and 19,222 nmol/mol.     

Organ specificity of the sex dependent regulation of aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) in rat

Aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) activity was measured in liver, kidneys and lungs of control and gonadectomized Sprague-Dawley rats. There was a six-fold difference in hepatic AHH activity between male and female rat. Activity in male was highest, castration reduced this activity by about 50%, whereas ovariectomy had little effect on activity in female. No sex difference in lung AHH activity was discernable; on the other hand kidney AHH activity was higher in females than in males. These data suggest that, at least in the rat, sex dependent regulation of microsomal mixed function oxygenases is organ specific.     

Resolution by high-pressure liquid chromatography and partial characterization of multiple forms of cytochrome P-450 from hepatic microsomes of phenobarbital-treated rats

Seven cytochromes P-450 (A, B, C, D, E1, E2 and F) were isolated from hepatic microsomes of phenobarbital-induced rats by a modification of the procedure of Guengerich and Martin [Arch. Biochem. Biophys. (1980) 205, 365-379]. The modification consisted of replacing DEAE-cellulose column by two DEAE-Sepharose CL-6B columns connected in tandem, changing the elution scheme and monitoring the resulting fractions by high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). Cytochrome P-450 forms D, E1, E2 and F having molecular masses of 52.5 kDa, 52.5 kDa, 53.3 kDa and 53.2 kDa, respectively were resolved from the major form of cytochrome P-450 'peak B2' of Guengerich and Martin (above reference). These four cytochromes P-450 were immunologically identical by Ouchterlony double-diffusion analysis. Slight but significant differences were evident in the partial peptide digest maps of these four cytochromes P-450 and catalytic properties of these four forms, though qualitatively similar, demonstrated distinct quantitative differences. Furthermore, HPLC retention times of these four cytochrome P-450s were quite different. Cytochrome P-450 forms A, B and C were distinctly different from each other and from the forms D, E1, E2 and F in the following respects: partial peptide digest maps, catalytic activities, and HPLC retention times. The present results show that cytochromes P-450 considered homogeneous by sodium dodecyl sulfate/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis may be heterogeneous and contain multiple forms of cytochromes P-450 with different net charges but similar molecular-masses. These studies also demonstrate the capability of HPLC in providing a simple and effective tool for monitoring the separation of cytochromes P-450 showing charge heterogeneity.     

Protection by N-acetylcysteine of cyclophosphamide metabolism - related invivo depression of mixed function oxygenase activity and invitro denaturation of cytochrome P-450

Cyclophosphamide (CP) at high or repeated doses results in the depression of mixed function oxygenase activities of the liver. Recent studies have attributed this to the interaction between acrolein, a metabolite of CP, and sulfhydryl groups in cytochrome P-450. The present report demonstrates the protection afforded by N-acetylcysteine against acrolein-induced denaturation of cytochrome P-450 $\text{in}\text{vitro}$ and CP-related depression of mixed function oxygenase $\text{in}\text{vivo}$. Co-administration of CP and innocuous chemicals that provide free sulfhydryl groups should, in the future, be useful in enhancing the therapeutic index of CP by either reducing some of the toxicity and/or by allowing the use of repeated treatment with lower but effective doses of CP.     

Aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase in cultured lymphocytes of twins.

Measurement of aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) in cultured lymphocytes of 18 monozygotic and 30 dizygotic twin pairs showed that basal and induced AHH activity and AHH inducibility are heritable traits. The data are consistent with AHH inducibility being determined by a single or a very few polymorphic genes.     

Cytochrome P3-450 cDNA encodes aflatoxin B1-4-hydroxylase

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), a potent hepatocarcinogen and ubiquitous dietary contaminant in some countries, is detoxified to aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) via cytochrome P-450-mediated AFB1-4-hydroxylase. Genetic studies in mice have demonstrated that the expression of AFB1-4-hydroxylase is regulated by the aryl hydrocarbon locus and suggested that different cytochrome P-450 isozymes catalyze AFB1-4-hydroxylase and aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase activities. We have now examined lysates from mammalian cells infected with recombinant vaccinia viruses containing expressible cytochrome P1-450 or P3-450 cDNAs for their ability to metabolize AFB1 to AFM1. Our results show that cytochrome P3-450 cDNA specifies AFB1-4-hydroxylase. This is the first direct assignment of a specific cytochrome P-450 to an AFB1 detoxification pathway. This finding may have relevance to the dietary modulation of AFB1 hepatocarcinogenesis.     

Metabolic activation of aflatoxins related to their mutagenicity.

Rat hepatic microsome-mediated DNA-binding and mutagenesis to Salmonella typhimurium strain Ta-100 by various aflatoxins and some mixed function oxygenase-mediated metabolites of aflatoxin B₁ were studied. The data indicated a good correlation between the DNA-binding and mutagenesis; a requirement for the intact C₂–C₃ double bond in parent aflatoxins B₁ and G₁; and relative inactivity of aflatoxin B₁ metabolites with an otherwise intact C₂–C₃ double bond.     

Denaturation of cytochrome P-450 by cyclophosphamide metabolites

Cyclophosphamide (CP) metabolites, acrolein and 4-hydroxy-CP, were found to denature rat liver microsomal cytochrome P-450, whereas another metabolite, phosphoramide mustard, CP $\text{per}\text{se}$ or its analog Ifosfamide had no effect. The denaturation produced by CP metabolites could be blocked by cysteine, suggesting an interaction between CP metabolite(s) and sulfhydryl groups in cysteine and probably in cytochrome P-450. These studies might explain the biochemical basis of the specific depression of various microsomal mixed function oxygenase activities produced by high doses of CP.