methylnitronitrosoguanidine and 1-nitropyrene

The Escherichia coli mu operon was subcloned into a pKK233-2 vector containing rat glutathione S-transferase (GST) 5-5 cDNA and the plasmid thus obtained was introduced into Salmonella typhimurium TA1535. The newly developed strain S.typhimurium NM5004, was found to have 52-fold greater GST activity than the original umu strain S.typhimurium TA1535/pSK1002. We compared sensitivities of these two tester strains, NM5004 and TA1535/pSK1002, for induction of umuC gene expression with several dihaloalkanes which are activated or inactivated by GST 5-5 activity. The induction of umuC gene expression by these chemicals was monitored by measuring the cellular beta-galactosidase activity produced by umuC"lacZ fusion gene in these two tester strains. Ethylene dibromide, 1-bromo-2-chloroethane, 1,2-dichloroethane, and methylene dichloride induced umuC gene expression more strongly in the NM5004 strain than the original strain. 4-Nitroquinoline 1-oxide and N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine were found to induce umuC gene expression to similar extents in both strains. In the case of 1-nitropyrene and 2-nitrofluorene, however, NM5004 strain showed weaker umuC gene expression responses than the original TA1535/pSK1002 strain. 1,2-Epoxy-3-(4'-nitrophenoxy)propane, a known substrate for GST 5-5, was found to inhibit umuC induction caused by 1-bromo-2-chloroethane. These results indicate that this new tester NM5004 strain expressing a mammalian GST theta class enzyme may be useful for studies of environmental chemicals proposed to be activated or inactivated by GST activity.

Topics: 4-Nitroquinoline-1-oxide; Animals; Biotransformation; Ethane; Ethylene Dibromide; Ethylene Dichlorides; Fluorenes; Gene Expression; Genetic Vectors; Glutathione Transferase; Hydrocarbons, Halogenated; Methylene Chloride; Methylnitronitrosoguanidine; Mutagenicity Tests; Operon; Pyrenes; Rats; Salmonella typhimurium; Transfection; Transformation, Bacterial

The mutational specificities of various chemical mutagens were compared in isogenic E. coli strains with different DNA repair capabilities (wild-type, uvrA, umuC, and uvrA umuC) in a reversion assay employing a set of mutant lacZ genes that can detect two types of transitions, four types of transversions, and five kinds of specific frameshift events. A uvrA derivative was more sensitive than the wild-type strain to 3-chloro-4-(dichloromethyl)-5-hydroxy-2(5H)-furanone for +1G, -1G, -2(C-G), +1A and -1A frameshifts, G.C-->A.T transitions, and G.C-->T.A transversions. In a uvrA background, G.C-->T.A transversions and +1G, +1A, and -1A frameshifts appeared to be umuC-dependent, while G.C-->A.T transitions were not. N-Ethyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine was more mutagenic in a uvrA background for five kinds of frameshifts and G.C-->A.T transitions, but not for G.C-->T.A, A.T-->C.G, and A.T-->G.C base substitutions. A.T-->C.G transversions were totally dependent on umuC gene function. For the investigation of mutational specificities induced by frameshift mutagens, an rfa mutation was additionally introduced. The rfa strain responded to 2-nitrofluorene, which induced primarily -2(C-G) frameshift mutations. In an rfa uvrA background, benzo[a]pyrene induced +1G, -1G, +1A, and -1A frameshifts. 2-Aminoanthracene induced +1G, -1G, and +1A, but not -1A, frameshifts, with -1G frameshifts predominating. Ethidium bromide induced only two types of frameshifts, -1G and +1A. Frameshifts induced by ICR-170 were independent of umuC gene function, while those by induced 1-nitropyrene were partly umuC-dependent.

Topics: Adenosine Triphosphatases; Aminoacridines; Anthracenes; Bacterial Proteins; Benzo(a)pyrene; beta-Galactosidase; DNA Ligases; DNA Repair; DNA-Binding Proteins; DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase; Escherichia coli; Escherichia coli Proteins; Ethidium; Fluorenes; Frameshift Mutation; Furans; Genes, Bacterial; Glycosyltransferases; Lac Operon; Methotrexate; Methylnitronitrosoguanidine; Mutagenesis; Mutagenicity Tests; Mutagens; Nitrogen Mustard Compounds; Point Mutation; Pyrenes; Species Specificity; Suppression, Genetic

Four nitropolycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (NPAHs) were investigated for their cytotoxic effects on rat tracheal epithelial (RTE) cells. 6-Nitrochrysene (6-NC), 1,6-dinitropyrene (1,6-DNP), 1-nitropyrene (1-NP) and 4-nitropyrene (4-NP) induced dose-dependent decreases in the relative colony-forming efficiency (RCFE) of RTE cells. The compounds could be separated into two groups based on their cytotoxic potencies, a group that displayed high cytotoxic effects (6-NC and 1,6-DNP), and a group that displayed low cytotoxic effects (1-NP and 4-NP). The most cytotoxic compound was 6-NC, with an ED50 of 0.13 microM, followed by 1,6-DNP, 4-NP and 1-NP with ED50s of 1.25, 8.9 and 9.1 microM, respectively. The most cytotoxic compound (6-NC) and one of the components with low cytotoxicity (1-NP) were assayed for their ability to induce preneoplastic transformation of RTE cells using equally toxic doses of both compounds. The frequencies of transformation induced by 6-NC in cells isolated from control animals or from animals pretreated with 3-methylcholanthrene (3-MC) were 8.4 X 10(-3) and 21.4 X 10(-3), respectively. 1-NP did not induce cell transformation. Equally toxic doses of the direct acting carcinogen N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine, used as a positive control, induced transformation frequencies of 8.7 X 10(-3) and 6.4 X 10(-3) in cells isolated from control animals or from animals pretreated with 3-MC, respectively. These studies show that RTE cells have the metabolic capacity to activate NPAHs to toxic metabolites; thus, the RTE system should be very useful for evaluating the potential toxic effects of this ubiquitous class of airborne pollutants. In addition, the observed differences in cellular toxicity and transformation capabilities of 6-NC and 1-NP were consistent with the results of other studies that demonstrated the greater potency for induction of tumors in animals of 6-NC relative to 1-NP.

Topics: Animals; Carcinogens; Cell Survival; Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; Cells, Cultured; Chrysenes; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Epithelial Cells; Epithelium; Male; Methylnitronitrosoguanidine; Polycyclic Compounds; Pyrenes; Rats; Rats, Inbred F344; Trachea

The cell line HepG2 is derived from a well differentiated human hepatoblastoma, which retains many of the morphological characteristics of liver parenchymal cells. These cells at passages greater than 95 were found to metabolically activate carcinogens to genotoxic metabolites. The addition of 6.8 microM 1-methyl-3-nitro-1-nitrosoguanidine, 5.3 microM 4-nitroquinoline-N-oxide, and 4-20.3 microM 1-nitropyrene resulted in the induction of mutations at the HGPRT locus as determined by 6-thioguanine resistance. This is the first description of the induction of mutations in these cells. Additionally, unscheduled DNA synthesis in the presence of 4 mM hydroxyurea was increased by 9% with 5.3 microM 4-nitroquinoline-N-oxide, 57% with 13.6 microM 1-methyl-3-nitro-1-nitrosoguanidine, and 300% with 8.2 microM 1-nitropyrene. High performance liquid chromatographic analysis of metabolites formed following incubation of HepG2 with either [3H]-1-nitropyrene or [14C]benzo(a)pyrene demonstrate the occurrence of arene oxidation as well as nitroreduction.

Topics: 4-Nitroquinoline-1-oxide; Animals; Benzo(a)pyrene; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; DNA Replication; Humans; Hypoxanthine Phosphoribosyltransferase; Liver Neoplasms, Experimental; Methylnitronitrosoguanidine; Mutation; Pyrenes