title: Clear differences in levels of a formaldehyde-DNA adduct in leukocytes of smokers and nonsmokers.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, USA.
authors.forename: Mingyao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Guang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Balbo
authors.forename: Steven G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Carmella
authors.forename: Peter W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Villalta
authors.forename: Stephen S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Hecht
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D018736:DNA Adducts; D003839:Deoxyadenosines; D005557:Formaldehyde; D004247:DNA