• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
• /
• v.23 no.3
• /
• pp.99-102
• /
• 2003

IARC classified areca quid as a human carcinogen. Areca quid chewed in Taiwan includes Piper betle inflorescence, which contains high concentrations of safrole (15 mg/fresh weight). Safrole is a documented rodent hepatocarcinogen, and chewing areca quid may contribute to human exposure (420 $\mu$m in saliva). The carcinogenicity of safrole is mediated through 1'-hydroxysafrole formation, followed by sulfonation to an unstable sulfate that reacts to form DNA adducts. Using human liver microsomes and Escherichia coli membranes expressing bicistronic human P450s, CYP2E1 and CYP2C9 were identified as the main P450s involved in the activation of safrole. We have demonstrated the presence of stable safrole-dGMP adducts in human oral tissues following areca quid chewing using $^{32}$ P-postlabeling and HPLC mass spectrometry methods. By studying 88 subjects with a known AQ chewing history and 161 matched controls, we have demonstrated that the presence of safrole-DNA adducts in peripheral blood cells was correlated to AQ chewing, and CYP2E1 seemed to play an important role in the modulation of safrole-DNA adduct formation. We have also shown that safrole can form stable safrole-DNA adducts as well as oxidative damages in rodent liver. However, the stable safrole-DNA adducts may represent a more significant initial lesion as compared to the rapidly repaired safrole-induced 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine. This oxidative DNA damage is mediated through the formation of hydoryxchavicol, the major safrole metabolite in human urine. Hydroxychavicol may have gone through two-electron oxidation to the o-quinone; then via one-electron reduction to semiquinone radicals to generate oxidative DNA damage. However, these reactive metabolites can be efficiently conjugated by GSH. These data suggest that safrole may contribute to the initiation of oral carcinogenesis through safrole-DNA adduct and not oxidative DNA damage. In addition, CYP2E1 may modulate this adduct formation.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
• /
• v.27 no.3
• /
• pp.63-70
• /
• 2001

To identify and evaluate the benzidine-DNA adducts in liver and bladder, we exposed the 80 ppm benzidine to 40 sprague-dawley rats by drinking water for 4 weeks(6.2 mg/kg body wt./day). Only one benzidine-DNA adduct was found at the same site of thin layer chromatogram of $^{32}$ P-postlabeling method in the liver and bladder of exposed rats. So we know the DNA adduct formed at liver and bladder were similar to each other, which was N-(deoxyguanosin-8-yl)-N'-acetylbenzidine. Relative adduct labeling(RAL) of DNA adduct was similar to each other for 1 and 2 weeks, but that in liver was significantly higher than in bladder for 3 and 4 weeks. RAL$\times$10$^{9}$ of DNA adduct were 84.45$\pm$11.31 and 152.8$\pm$5.53 in liver, and were 24.76$\pm$7.06 and 38.00$\pm$10.57 in bladder for 3 and 4 weeks, respectively. Regression equation between liver and bladder was Y=-3.801+2.507 X(r=0.6036, p<0.01). In conclusion, benzidine-DNA adduct formed in liver was significantly higher than that in bladder, with the similar compound structure in sparague-dewley rates treated benzidine in drinking water.

• Proceedings of the Korean Environmental Health Society Conference
• /
• 2005.06a
• /
• pp.337-340
• /
• 2005

Ethylene oxide is a genotoxic carcinogen with widespread uses as industrial chemical intermediate and gaseous sterilant. 2-hydroxyethylated N-terminal valine in Hb is a good biomarker for biological monitoring of ethylene oxide exposure, because of its stability. We studied the determination method of (N-2-hydroxy-ethyl)valine in hemoglobin adduct by using GC/MS. PFPITC and TBMS were used as appropriate derivatives. Ethylene oxide formed Hb adducts as (N-2-hydroxy-ethyl)valine(HEV) in mouse with ethylene oxide inhalation exposure. Standard HEV can be synthesized with 2-amino-ethanol and 2-bromo-3-methylbutyric acid. GC/MS can measured them after derivatization with pentafluorophenylisothiocianate(PFPITC) and N-(tertiary butyl dimethylsiiyl)-N-methyl-trifluoroacetamide(TBDMS-TFA) by using Edman procedure. Concentrations of Hb adduct were proportionally increased with exposure levels. They were 230${\pm}$35(nmol g$^{-1}$ globin) and 410${\pm}$72(nmol $g^{-1}$ globin) at 200ppm and 400ppm ethylene oxide inhalation exposure, respectively.

• Biomedical Science Letters
• /
• v.24 no.3
• /
• pp.143-149
• /
• 2018

Excessive exposure to estrogens is the most important risk factor for the development of hormone-sensitive cancers, especially breast cancer. Estrogen stimulates the expression of genes and proteins involved in cell proliferation by binding to estrogen receptor (ER). Another possible mechanism of ER-independent carcinogenicity of estrogens is based on the hydroxylation of estradiol resulting in the formation of catechol estrogens. Catechol estrogen 4-hydroxyestradiol ($4-OHE_2$) is further oxidized to catechol estrogen-3,4-quinones, the major carcinogenic metabolites of estrogens. Evidence increasingly supports the critical role of $4-OHE_2$ in hormonal carcinogenesis via DNA adduct formation or production of reactive oxygen species, which finally contribute to the transformation of normal mammary epithelial cells and the enhanced growth of breast cancer cells. It is also reported that the level of $4-OHE_2$ or its quinones is highly up-regulated in urine or tissues of breast cancer patients. Thus, we highlight the oncogenic roles of $4-OHE_2$ in catechol estrogen-induced breast carcinogenesis.

• Toxicological Research
• /
• v.34 no.4
• /
• pp.291-296
• /
• 2018

Chemical carcinogenesis is a multistep process. Genotoxic carcinogens, which are DNA-reactive, induce DNA adduct formation and genetic alterations in target cells, thereby generating mutated cells (initiation). Subsequently, preneoplastic lesions appear through clonal proliferation of the mutated cells and transform into tumors (promotion and progression). Many factors may influence these processes in a dose-dependent manner. Therefore, quantitative analysis plays an important role in studies on the carcinogenic threshold of genotoxic carcinogens. Herein, we present data on the relationship between key carcinogenic events and their deriving point of departure (PoD). Their PoDs were also compared to those of the carcinogenesis pathway. In an experiment, the liver of rats exposed to 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo-(4,5-f)quinoxaline (MeIQx) was examined to determine the formation of MeIQx-DNA adducts, generation of mutations at LacI transgene, and induction of preneoplastic glutathione S-transferase placental form (GST-P)-positive foci and tumors (benign and malignant). The PoDs of the above key events in the carcinogenicity of MeIQx were increased as the carcinogenesis advanced; however, these PoDs were lower than those of tumor induction. Thus, the order of key events during tumor induction in the liver was as follows: formation of DNA adducts ${\ll}$ Mutations ${\ll}$ GST-positive foci (preneoplasia) ${\ll}$ Tumor (adenoma and carcinoma). We also obtained similar data on the genotoxic and carcinogenic PoDs of other hepatocarcinogens, such as 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo(4,5-f)quinoline. These results contribute to elucidating the existence of a genotoxic and carcinogenic threshold.

• Proceedings of the Korea Environmental Mutagen Society Conference
• /
• 2002.05a
• /
• pp.36-42
• /
• 2002

Diesel exhaust (DE) has been recognized as a noxious mutagen and/or carcinogen, because its components can form DNA adducts. Mechanisms governing the susceptibility to DE and the efficiency of such DNA adduct formation require clarification. The transcription factor Nrf2 is essential for inducible and/or constitutive expression of a group of detoxification and antioxidant enzymes, and we hypothesized that the nrf2 gene knockout mouse might serve as an excellent model system for analyzing DE toxicity. To address this hypothesis, lungs from nrf2(-/-) and nrf2(+/-) mice were examined for the production of xenobiotic-DNA adducts after exposure to DE (3 $mg/m^{3}$ suspended particulate matter) for 4 weeks. Whereas the relative adduct levels (RAL) were significantly increased in the lungs of both nrf2(+/-) and nrf2(-/-) mice upon exposure to DE, the increase of RAL in the lungs from nrf2(-/-) mice exposed to DE were approximately 2.3-fold higher than that of nrf2(+/-) mite exposed to DE. In contrail, cytochrome P4501Al mRNA levels in the nrf2(-/-)mouse lungs were similar to those in the nrf2(+/-) mouse lungs even after exposure to DE, suggesting that suppressed activity of phase II drug-metabolizing enzymes is important in giving ise to the increased level of DNA adducts in the Nrf2-null mutant mouse subjected to DE. Importantly, severe hyperplasia and accumulation of the oxidative DNA adduct 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine were observed in the bronchial epidermis of nrf(-/-) mite following DE exposure. These results demonstrate the increased susceptibility of the nrf2 germ line mutant mouse to DE exposure and indicate the nrf2 gene knockout mouse nay represent a valuable model for the assessment of respiratory DE toxicity.

• Toxicological Research
• /
• v.16 no.1
• /
• pp.9-16
• /
• 2000

Ginseng (the root of Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer, Araliaceae) has been used for traditional medicine in China, Korea, Japan and other Asian countries. It is most often used as a general tonic, and it involves a wide range of pharmacological actions, such as antiaging, adaptogen-like effect to foreign deleterious infringement, immunoenhancement, antistress, antitumor, and antioxidant actions. Red ginseng showed anticarcinogenic activity against various chemical carcinogens in mouse and cancer-preventive effect of human being as on mice in experimental and epidemiological studies. In the present study, we have found the protective properties of red ginseng against vinyl carbamate (VC) which is the proximate carcinogen of ethyl carbamate and its ultimate carcinogenic epoxides. Red ginseng exhibited dose-dependent inhibition on the mutagenci activities of boty VC in the presence of S9 mix and vinyl carbamate epoxide (VCO) without metabolic activation in Salmonella typhimurium TA1535. Formation of DNA adducts from VCO was also attenuated in the presence of red ginseng. Oral administration of red ginseng prior to the topical application of each of the above carcinogens and TPA treatment resulted in significant reduction in both incidence and multiplicity of skin tumors in mice. These results indicate that red ginseng possesses a strong chemopreventive effect against mouse skin carcinogenesis induced by VC or VCO.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
• /
• v.33 no.6
• /
• pp.656-663
• /
• 2001

The most representative nitrosamine derived from nicotine, nitrosamine-4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone(NNK), has been reported to cause lung cancer in A/J mice. It has been also demonstrated that NNK-induced lung tumorigenesis involves $O^6-methylguanine(O^6MeG)$ formation, leading to $GC\;{\rightarrow}\;AT$ transitional mispairing during DNA replication. Our in vitro experiment, modified from the method of DBA assay, examined the ability of phyto-extract mixture to inhibit the metabolism of nicotine to nitrosamines. The production of nitromorpholine from morpholine was inhibited about 75% at the concentration of 20 mg/mL of phyto-extract mixture, which was lower than vitamine C and green tea powder. NNK, which is a pro-carcinogen in laboratory animals, is hydroxylated primarily in liver and lung by CYP 1A2, 2A6 and 3A4. A critical phase. of NNK activation is its change to an unstable metabolite methyl-diazohydroxide via CYP-mediated ${\alpha}-hydroxylation$; and then it provides a methyl group to the DNA to form DNA adducts which can easily induce mutations. $Aroclor^R$ 1254 was used to induce CYPs in the liver of a Sprague-Dawley rat. The ability of various test samples to inhibit CYPs that participate in NNK activation was evaluated, following the removal of the liver from the rat. Microsomal CYPlA2 catalyzing the conversion of NNK into strong carcinogenic chemicals was inhibited more efficiently by phyto-extract mixture than green tea powder. These results indicate that phyto-extract mixture can be used to reduce $O^6MeG$ DNA adducts for chemoprevention.

• Toxicological Research
• /
• v.23 no.2
• /
• pp.135-142
• /
• 2007

Formononetin is an isoflavonoid phytoestrogen found in certain foodstuffs such as soy and red clover. In this study, we examined the action of formononetin with the carcinogen activation pathway mediated through the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) in MCF-7 breast carcinoma cells. Treating the cells with formononetin alone caused the accumulation of CYP1A1 mRNA as well as elevation in CYP1A1-specific 7-ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD) activity in a dose dependent manner. However, a concomitant treatment with 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) and formononetin markedly reduced both the DMBA-inducible EROD activity and CYP1A1 mRNA level. Under the same conditions, formononetin inhibited the DMBA-induced AhR transactivation, as shown by reporter gene analysis using a xenobiotic responsive element (XRE). Additionally, formononetin inhibited both DMBA-inducible nuclear localization of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) and metabolic activation of DMBA, as measured by the formation of the DMBA-DNA adducts. Furthermore, formononetin competed with the prototypical AhR ligand, 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), for binding to the AhR in an isolated rat cytosol. These results suggest that formononetin might be considered as a natural ligand to bind on AhR and consequently produces a potent protective effect against DMBA-induced genotoxicity. Therefore, that's the potential to act as a chemopreventive agent that is related to its effect on AhR pathway as antagonist/agonist.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
• /
• v.22 no.5
• /
• pp.474-478
• /
• 1999

Modulation of unscheduled DNA synthesis by dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) after exposure to various chemical carcinogens was investigated in the primary rat hepatocytes. Unscheduled DNA synthesis was induced by treatment of such direct acting carcinogens as methly methanesulfonate (MMS) and ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) or procarcinogens including benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) and 7, 12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA). Unscheduled DNA synthesis was determined by measuring [methyl-3H]thymidine radioactivity incorporated into nuclear DNA of hepatocytes treated with carcinogens in the presence or absence of DHEA. Hydroxyurea $(5{\times}10^{-3} M)$was added to growth medium to selectively suppress normal replication. DHEA at concentrations ranging from $(1{\times}10^{-6} M)$ to$(5{\times}10^{-4} M)$ did not significantly inhibit unscheduled DNA synthesis induced by either MMS $(1{\times}10^{-4} M)$ or EMS $(1{\times}10^{-2} M)$. In contrast, DHEA-significantly inhibited unscheduled DNA synthesis induced by BaP $(6.5{\times}10^{-5} M)$ and DMBA.$(2{\times}10^{-5} M)$. DHEA-induced hepatotoxicity in rats was examined using lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release as an indicator of cytotoxicity. DHEA exhibit no significant increase in LDH release compared with the control at 18 h. These data suggest that nontoxic concentration of DHEA does not affect the DNA excision repair process, but it probably influence the enzymatic system responsible for the metabolic activation of procarcinogens and thereby decreases the amount of the effective DNA adducts formed by the ultimate reactive carcinogenic species.