Oxidative DNA damage induced by benz[a]anthracene dihydrodiols in the presence of dihydrodiol dehydrogenase

Tobacco smoke and polluted air are risk factors for lung cancer and contain many kinds of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) including benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) and benz[a]anthracene (BA). BA, as well as B[a]P, is assessed as probably carcinogenic to humans (IARC group 2A). BA is metabolized to several dihydrodiols. Dihydrodiol dehydrogenase (DD), a member of the aldo-keto reductase superfamily, catalyzes NAD(P)+-linked oxidation of dihydrodiols of aromatic hydrocarbons to corresponding catechols. To clarify the role of DD on PAH carcinogenesis, we examined oxidative DNA damage induced by trans-dihydrodiols of BA and B[a]P treated with DD using 32P-5'-end-labeled DNA fragments obtained from the human p53 tumor suppressor gene. In addition, we investigated the formation of 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG), an indicator of oxidative DNA damage, in calf thymus DNA by using HPLC with an electrochemical detector. DD-catalyzed BA-1,2-dihydrodiol caused Cu(II)-mediated DNA damage including 8-oxodG formation in the presence of NAD+. BA-1,2-dihydrodiol induced a Fpg sensitive and piperidine labile G lesion at the 5'-ACG-3' sequence complementary to codon 273 of the human p53 tumor suppressor gene, which is known as a hotspot. DNA damage was inhibited by catalase and bathocuproine, suggesting the involvement of H2O2 and Cu(I). The observation of NADH production by UV-visible spectroscopy suggested that DD catalyzed BA-1,2-dihydrodiol most efficiently to the corresponding catechol among the PAH-dihydrodiols tested. A time-of-flight mass spectroscopic study showed that the catechol form of BA-1,2-dihydrodiol formed after DD treatment. In conclusion, BA-1,2-dihydrodiol can induce DNA damage more efficiently than B[a]P-7,8-dihydrodiol and other BA-dihydrodiols in the presence of DD. The reaction mechanism on oxidative DNA damage may be explained by theoretical calculations with an enthalpy change of dihydrodiols and oxidation potential of their catechol forms. DD may play an important role in BA carcinogenesis via oxidative DNA damage.