Activation of 3-nitrobenzanthrone and its metabolites to DNA-damaging species in human B lymphoblastoid MCL-5 cells.
3-Nitrobenzanthrone (3-NBA) is one of the most potent mutagens in the Ames Salmonella typhimurium assay and a suspected human carcinogen recently identified in diesel exhaust and in airborne particulate matter. 3-Aminobenzanthrone (3-ABA), 3-acetylaminobenzanthrone (3-Ac-ABA) and N-acetyl-N-hydroxy-3-aminobenzanthrone (N-Ac-N-OH-ABA) have been identified as 3-NBA metabolites. In the present study we investigated the genotoxic effects of 3-NBA and its metabolites in the human B lymphoblastoid cell line MCL-5. DNA strand breaks were measured using the Comet assay, chromosomal damage was assessed using the micronucleus assay and DNA adduct formation was determined by 32P-post-labelling analysis. DNA strand-breaking activity was observed with each compound in a concentration-dependent manner (1-50 microM, 2 h incubation time). At 50 microM median comet tail lengths (CTLs) were 25.0 microm for 3-NBA, 48.0 microm for 3-ABA, 54.5 microm for 3-Ac-ABA and 65.0 microm for N-Ac-N-OH-ABA. Median CTLs in control incubations were in the range 7.7-13.1 micro m. Moreover, the strand-breaking activity of 3-NBA was more pronounced in the presence of a DNA repair inhibitor, hydroxyurea. Depending on the concentration used (1-20 microM, 24 h incubation time), 3-NBA and its metabolites also showed clastogenic activity in the micronucleus assay. 3-NBA and N-Ac-N-OH-ABA were the most active at low concentrations; at 1 microM the total number of micronuclei per 500 binucleate cells was 4.7 +/- 0.6 in both cases, compared with 1.7-3.0 for controls (P < 0.05). Furthermore, multiple DNA adducts were detected with each compound (1 microM, 24 h incubation time), essentially similar to those found recently in vivo in rats treated with 3-NBA or its metabolites. DNA adduct levels ranged from 1.3 to 42.8 and from 2.0 to 39.8 adducts/10(8) nt using the nuclease P1 and butanol enrichment procedures, respectively. DNA binding was highest for N-Ac-N-OH-ABA, followed by 3-NBA, and much lower for 3-ABA and 3-Ac-ABA. All major 3-NBA-derived DNA adducts produced in MCL-5 cells were found to be formed from reductive metabolites bound to purine bases and lacked an N-acetyl group. These results demonstrate that 3-NBA and its metabolites are effectively activated to DNA-damaging species in human MCL-5 cells, which may reflect the genotoxic potential of 3-NBA in humans. Environmental exposure to 3-NBA may be a health hazard for large sections of the population and the risks associated with such exposure require further assessment.
Section of Molecular Carcinogenesis, Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, Surrey SM2 5NG, UK. volker.arlt@icr.ac.uk
Volker M
VM
Arlt
Kathleen J
KJ
Cole
David H
DH
Phillips
D001551:Benz(a)Anthracenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020552:Comet Assay; D018736:DNA Adducts / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D048629:Micronuclei, Chromosome-Defective / Q000187:drug effects; D009153:Mutagens / Q000494:pharmacology*
D001551:Benz(a)Anthracenes; D018736:DNA Adducts; D009153:Mutagens; C117220:3-nitrobenzanthrone