title: Influence of structural and functional modifications of selected genotoxic carcinogens on metabolism and mutagenicity - a review.
abstract: Alterations in molecular structure are responsible for the differential biological response(s) of a chemical inside a biosystem. Structural and functional parameters that govern a chemical's metabolic course and determine its ultimate outcome in terms of mutagenic/carcinogenic potential are extensively reviewed here. A large number of environmentally-significant organic chemicals are addressed under one or more broadly classified groups each representing one or more characteristic structural feature. Numerous examples are cited to illustrate the influence of key structural and functional parameters on the metabolism and DNA adduction properties of different chemicals. It is hoped that, in the event of limited experimental data on a chemical's bioactivity, such knowledge of the likely roles played by key molecular features should provide preliminary information regarding its bioactivation, detoxification and/or mutagenic potential and aid the process of screening and prioritising chemicals for further testing.
authors.affiliation: Chemistry Research Division, Safe Environments Programme, Health Canada, AL: 0800C, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0L2, Canada.
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Kulkarni
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Moir
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhu
mesh_terms: D002274:Carcinogens, Environmental / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity; D018736:DNA Adducts; D004249:DNA Damage; D004260:DNA Repair; D009153:Mutagens / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity; D011809:Quinones / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D015262:Xenobiotics / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002274:Carcinogens, Environmental; D018736:DNA Adducts; D009153:Mutagens; D011809:Quinones; D015262:Xenobiotics