title: Stereoselective metabolic activation of alpha-hydroxy-N-desmethyltamoxifen: the R-isomer forms more DNA adducts in rat liver cells.
abstract: The antiestrogenic drug tamoxifen forms DNA adducts in rat liver through two genotoxic metabolites, alpha-hydroxytamoxifen and alpha-hydroxy-N-desmethyltamoxifen. These have now each been resolved into R- and S-enantiomers. The work with alpha-hydroxytamoxifen was published earlier [Osborne, et al. (2001) Chem. Res. Toxicol. 14, 888-893]. Here, we publish results with alpha-hydroxy-N-desmethyltamoxifen. We prepared the derivative N-ethoxycarbonyl-N-desmethyltamoxifen-alpha-S-camphanate, separated it into two diastereoisomers, and hydrolyzed them to give (+)- and (-)-alpha-hydroxy-N-desmethyltamoxifen. The configuration of the (-)-isomer was shown to be S- by degradation of the above ester to a derivative of (-)-2-hydroxy-1-phenyl-1-propanone, which has already been shown to have S-configuration. The two enantiomers have the same chemical properties and were equally reactive toward DNA in vitro at pH 6. However, on treatment of rat hepatocytes in culture, R-(+)-alpha-hydroxy-N-desmethyltamoxifen gave 10 times as many DNA adducts as the S-(-)-isomer. This suggests that the R-isomer more readily undergoes sulfate conjugation to generate a reactive carbocation that attacks DNA.
authors.affiliation: Section of Molecular Carcinogenesis, Brookes Lawley Building, Institute of Cancer Research, 15 Cotswold Road, Sutton, Surrey SM2 5NG, United Kingdom. martin.osborne@icr.ac.uk
authors.forename: Martin R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Osborne
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hewer
authors.forename: David H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Phillips
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018736:DNA Adducts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D006868:Hydrolysis; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D013237:Stereoisomerism; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D018736:DNA Adducts; C110902:alpha-hydroxytamoxifen; D013629:Tamoxifen