Stereoselective metabolism and tissue retention in rats of the individual enantiomers of 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol (NNAL), metabolites of the tobacco-specific nitrosamine, 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK).
4-(Methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) is reduced to its main metabolite, 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol (NNAL) in a reaction that is both stereoselective and reversible. (S)-NNAL has been shown to be equivalent to NNK in carcinogenic potency, and significantly more potent than (R)-NNAL. It was hypothesized that stereoselective differences in metabolism or tissue distribution contributed to the difference in carcinogenicity between the enantiomers. The individual NNAL enantiomers were therefore administered to bile duct-cannulated rats. Male Fisher F344 rats received i.v. doses of either (R)-NNAL (n = 10) or (S)-NNAL (n = 9) and bile, urine, blood and tissue samples were collected over 24 h. (R)/(S)-NNAL and metabolites were quantified by HPLC and radioflow detection. NNAL was also collected from the HPLC and silylated, and the two NNAL enantiomers were separated by chiral GC-TEA. (S)-NNAL had a much larger tissue distribution (Vss = 1792 +/- 570 ml) than did (R)-NNAL (Vss = 645 +/- 230 ml). Overall, (R)-NNAL tended to enter detoxification pathways, particularly glucuronidation, while reversible metabolism of (S)-NNAL to NNK was favored. For example, after (R)-NNAL administration, approximately 50% of the dose was excreted as (R)-NNAL-Gluc in bile and urine, and <5% was excreted as NNK or NNK metabolites. In contrast, only 10% of an (S)-NNAL dose was excreted as a glucuronide, while almost 20% of the (S)-NNAL dose was excreted as NNK or NNK metabolites. In tissues, particularly the lung, (S)-NNAL appeared to be stereoselectively retained. These findings suggest that the difference in carcinogenicity between the NNAL enantiomers may be attributed to stereoselective differences in tissue distribution and excretion.
Zimmerman
Cheryl L
CL
College of Pharmacy and Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA. zimme005@umn.edu
Wu
Zheng
Z
Upadhyaya
Pramod
P
Hecht
Stephen S
SS
D000818:Animals; D008297:Male; D009602:Nitrosamines / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000652:urine; D009928:Organ Specificity / Q000187:drug effects; D011725:Pyridines / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000652:urine; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D013997:Time Factors
D009602:Nitrosamines; D011725:Pyridines; C016583:4-(N-methyl-N-nitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone; C099565:4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butan-1-ol