Clear differences in levels of a formaldehyde-DNA adduct in leukocytes of smokers and nonsmokers.
Formaldehyde is considered carcinogenic to humans by the IARC, but there are no previous reports of formaldehyde-DNA adducts in humans. In this study, we used liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry to quantify the formaldehyde-DNA adduct N(6)-hydroxymethyldeoxyadenosine (N(6)-HOMe-dAdo) in leukocyte DNA samples from 32 smokers of >or=10 cigarettes per day and 30 nonsmokers. Clear peaks coeluting with the internal standard in two different systems were seen in samples from smokers but rarely in nonsmokers. N(6)-HOMe-dAdo was detected in 29 of 32 smoker samples (mean +/- SD, 179 +/- 205 fmol/micromol dAdo). In contrast, it was detected in only 7 of 30 nonsmoker samples (15.5 +/- 33.8 fmol/micromol dAdo; P < 0.001). The results of this study show remarkable differences between smokers and nonsmokers in levels of a leukocyte formaldehyde-DNA adduct, suggesting a potentially important and previously unrecognized role for formaldehyde as a cause of cancer induced by cigarette smoking.
Wang
Mingyao
M
Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, USA.
Cheng
Guang
G
Balbo
Silvia
S
Carmella
Steven G
SG
Villalta
Peter W
PW
Hecht
Stephen S
SS
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid / Q000379:methods; D004247:DNA / Q000097:blood; D018736:DNA Adducts / Q000097:blood*; D003839:Deoxyadenosines / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005557:Formaldehyde / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012907:Smoking / Q000097:blood*; D021241:Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization / Q000379:methods; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods; D055815:Young Adult
D018736:DNA Adducts; D003839:Deoxyadenosines; D005557:Formaldehyde; D004247:DNA