Quantitative high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry analysis of the adenine-guanine cross-links of 1,2,3,4-diepoxybutane in tissues of butadiene-exposed B6C3F1 mice

1,3-Butadiene (BD) is an important industrial chemical used in the manufacture of rubber and plastics as well as an environmental pollutant present in automobile exhaust and cigarette smoke. It is classified as a known human carcinogen based on the epidemiological evidence in occupationally exposed workers and its ability to induce tumors in laboratory animals. BD is metabolically activated to several reactive species, including 1,2,3,4-diepoxybutane (DEB), which is hypothesized to be the ultimate carcinogenic species due to its bifunctional electrophilic nature and its ability to form DNA-DNA and DNA-protein cross-links. While 1,4- bis-(guan-7-yl)-2,3,-butanediol ( bis-N7G-BD) is the only type of DEB-specific DNA adduct previously quantified in vivo, four regioisomeric guanine-adenine (G-A) cross-links have been observed in vitro: 1-(guan-7-yl)-4-(aden-1-yl)-2,3-butanediol (N7G-N1A-BD), 1-(guan-7-yl)-4-(aden-3-yl)-2,3-butanediol (N7G-N3A-BD), 1-(guan-7-yl)-4-(aden-7-yl)-2,3-butanediol (N7G-N7A-BD), and 1-(guan-7-yl)-4-(aden-6-yl)-2,3-butanediol (N7G-N (6)A-BD) ( Park ( 2004) Chem. Res. Toxicol. 17, 1638- 1651 ). The goal of the present work was to develop an isotope dilution HPLC-positive mode electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI (+)-MS/MS) method for the quantitative analysis of G-A DEB cross-links in DNA extracted from BD-exposed laboratory animals. In our approach, G-A butanediol conjugates are released from the DNA backbone by thermal or mild acid hydrolysis. Following solid-phase extraction, samples are subjected to capillary HPLC-ESI (+)-MS/MS analysis with (15)N 3, (13)C 1-labeled internal standards. The detection limit of our current method is 0.6-1.5 adducts per 10 (8) normal nucleotides. The new method was validated by spiking G-A cross-link standards (10 fmol each) into control mouse DNA (0.1 mg), followed by sample processing and HPLC-ESI (+)-MS/MS analysis. The accuracy and precision were calculated as 105 +/- 17% for N7G-N3A-BD, 102 +/- 25% for N7G-N7A-BD, and 79 +/- 11% for N7G-N (6)A-BD. The regioisomeric G-A DEB adducts were formed in a concentration-dependent manner in DEB-treated calf thymus DNA, with N7G-N1A-BD found in the highest amounts. Under physiological conditions, N7G-N1A-BD underwent Dimroth rearrangement to N7G-N (6)A-BD ( t 1/2 = 114 h), while hydrolytic deamination of N7G-N1A-BD to the corresponding hypoxanthine lesion was insignificant. We found that for in vivo samples, a greater sensitivity could be achieved if N7G-N1A-BD adducts were converted to the corresponding N7G-N (6)A-BD lesions by forced Dimroth rearrangement. Liver DNA extracted from female B6C3F1 mice that underwent inhalation exposure to 625 ppm BD for 2 weeks contained 3.1 +/- 0.6 N7G-N1A-BD adducts per 10 (8) nucleotides ( n = 5) (quantified as N7G-N (6)A-BD following base-induced Dimroth rearrangement), while the amounts of N7G-N3A-BD and N7G-N7A-BD were below the detection limit of our method. None of the G-A cross-links was present in control animals. The formation of N7G-N1A-BD cross-links may contribute to the induction of AT base pair mutations following exposure to BD. Quantitative methods presented here may be used not only for studies of biological significance in animal models but potentially to predict risk associated with human exposure to BD.     

HPLC-ESI+-MS/MS analysis of N7-guanine-N7-guanine DNA cross-links in tissues of mice exposed to 1,3-butadiene

1,3-butadiene (BD) is a major industrial chemical used in rubber and plastics production and is recognized as an animal and human carcinogen. Although the exact mechanism of BD-induced carcinogenesis is unknown, chemical reactions of epoxide metabolites of BD with DNA to form nucleobase adducts are likely to contribute to multistage carcinogenesis. Among BD-derived epoxy metabolites, 1,2:3,4-diepoxybutane (DEB) appears to be the most genotoxic and carcinogenic, probably because of its bifunctional nature. Initial DNA alkylation by DEB produces N7-(2'-hydroxy-3',4'-epoxybut-1'-yl)guanine monoadducts, which can then be hydrolyzed to N7-(2',3',4'-trihydroxy-1'-yl)guanine or can react with another site in double-stranded DNA to form 1,4-bis(guan-7-yl)-2,3-butanediol (bis-N7G-BD) cross-links. While (2',3',4'-trihydroxy-1'-yl)guanine lesions have been previously quantified in vivo, they cannot be used as a biomarker of DEB because the same lesions are also formed by another, more prevalent BD metabolite, 1,2-epoxy-3,4-butanediol. In contrast, bis-N7G-BD can only be formed from DEB, potentially providing a specific biomarker of DEB formation. We have developed a quantitative HPLC-ESI+-MS/MS method for measuring racemic and meso forms of bis-N7G-BD in DNA extracted from tissues of BD-exposed laboratory animals. In our approach, bis-N7G-BD adducts are released from DNA as free bases by neutral thermal hydrolysis, purified by solid-phase extraction, and subjected to HPLC-ESI+-MS/MS analysis. Selected reaction monitoring is performed by following the loss of a guanine moiety from protonated molecules of bis-N7G-BD and the formation of protonated guanine under collision-induced dissociation. Quantitative analysis of racemic and meso forms of bis-N7G-BD is based on isotope dilution with the corresponding 15N-labeled internal standards. The lower limit of quantification of our current method is 10-20 fmol/0.1 mg of DNA. The accuracy and precision of the new method were determined by spiking control mouse liver DNA with racemic and meso forms of bis-N7G-BD (10 fmol each), followed by sample processing and HPLC-ESI+-MS/MS analysis. Calculated amounts of racemic and meso forms of bis-N7G-BD were within 20% of the theoretical value (9.7 +/- 2 and 9.2 +/- 1.9 fmol, respectively, N = 4). DNA extracted from liver and lung tissues of mice exposed to 625 ppm butadiene for 5 days contained 3.2 +/- 0.4 and 1.8 +/- 0.5 racemic adducts per 10(6) guanines, respectively, while the amounts of meso-bis-N7G-BD were below the detection limits of our method (1 per 10(7) guanines). Control animals did not contain either bis-N7G-BD lesion. Sensitive and specific quantitative methods for bis-N7G-BD analysis developed in this work provide a unique biomarker of DEB-induced DNA alkylation following exposure to BD.     

Guanine-adenine DNA cross-linking by 1,2,3,4-diepoxybutane: potential basis for biological activity

1,2,3,4-Diepoxybutane (DEB) is a prominent carcinogenic metabolite of 1,3-butadiene (1,3-BD), an important industrial chemical and an environmental pollutant found in cigarette smoke and automobile exhaust. DEB is capable of inducing a variety of genotoxic effects, including point mutations, large deletions, and chromosomal aberrations. The mutagenicity and carcinogenicity of DEB are thought to result from its ability to form bifunctional DNA-DNA adducts by sequentially alkylating two nucleobases within the DNA double helix. We recently reported that DEB-induced DNA-DNA cross-linking leads to the formation of 1,4-bis-(guan-7-yl)-2,3-butanediol (bis-N7G-BD) adducts [Park, S., and Tretyakova, N. (2004) Structural characterization of the major DNA-DNA cross-link of 1,2,3,4-diepoxybutane. Chem. Res. Toxicol. 17 (2), 129-136]. However, guanine-guanine cross-linking by DEB cannot explain the development of A:T base pair mutations following exposure to DEB and 1,3-BD. In the present work, four asymmetrical DNA-DNA cross-links involving both adenine and guanine nucleobases were identified in double-stranded DNA treated with racemic DEB. These novel lesions were assigned the structures of 1-(aden-1-yl)-4-(guan-7-yl)-2,3-butanediol (N1A-N7G-BD), 1-(aden-3-yl)-4-(guan-7-yl)-2,3-butanediol (N3A-N7G-BD), 1-(aden-7-yl)-4-(guan-7-yl)-2,3-butanediol (N7A-N7G-BD), and 1-(aden-N6-yl)-4-(guan-7-yl)-2,3-butanediol (N6A-N7G-BD), based on the comparison of their MS/MS spectra, HPLC retention times, and UV spectra with those of the corresponding authentic standards prepared independently. Although guanine-adenine lesions are approximately 10 times less abundant in DEB-treated double-stranded DNA than the corresponding bis-N7G cross-links, N1A-N7G-BD and N6A-N7G-BD are more hydrolytically stable and, if formed in vivo, may accumulate in target tissues. HPLC-ESI-MS/MS analysis of guanine-adenine DEB cross-links induced in synthetic DNA duplexes 5'-(GGT)5, 5'-(GT)7G, and 5'-(GAA)5 (+-strand) demonstrate that G-A cross-linking by DEB produces primarily 1,3-interstrand N1A-N7G lesions. The formation of bifunctional guanine-adenine adducts is likely to contribute to AT base pair substitutions and deletion mutations following DEB exposure.     

Structural characterization of the major DNA-DNA cross-link of 1,2,3,4-diepoxybutane

1,2,3,4-Diepoxybutane (DEB) is a bifunctional alkylating agent that exhibits both cytotoxic and promutagenic properties. DEB is the ultimate carcinogenic species of the major industrial chemical 1,3-butadiene (BD), as well as the active form of the antitumor prodrug treosulfan. DEB is tumorigenic in laboratory animals and is capable of inducing a variety of genotoxic outcomes, including point mutations, large deletions, and chromosomal aberrations. These potent biological effects are thought to result from the ability of DEB to form DNA-DNA cross-links by consecutive alkylation of two nucleobases within a DNA duplex. Earlier studies have provided evidence for the formation of interstrand DNA-DEB lesions involving guanine nucleobases, but the covalent structure of DEB-induced DNA cross-link has not been previously elucidated. In the present work, the major DNA-DNA cross-link of DEB has been identified as 1,4-bis-(guan-7-yl)-2,3-butanediol (bis-N7G-BD). The DNA-derived N7-N7 guanine DEB cross-link was characterized by comparing its mass spectra, UV spectra, and chromatographic properties to an authentic standard prepared by an independent synthesis. Calf thymus DNA treated with relatively low concentrations of DEB (5-50 microM) contained similar numbers of bis-N7G-BD and the corresponding monoadducts (N7-trihydroxybutyl-guanine), while higher DEB exposures produced predominantly monoalkylated lesions. Although both lesions spontaneously depurinate at physiological conditions giving rise to abasic sites in DNA, bis-N7G-BD lesions have a longer half-life in double-stranded DNA than the N7-guanine monoadducts. These studies provide the first rigorous characterization of the covalent structure and hydrolytic stability of the major DEB-induced DNA-DNA cross-link.     

Structural elucidation of a novel DNA-DNA cross-link of 1,2,3,4-diepoxybutane

DNA-DNA cross-linking by 1,2,3,4-diepoxybutane (DEB) is considered the molecular basis for its potent cytotoxic and genotoxic effects. DEB reactions with DNA initially lead to N7-(2'-hydroxy-3',4'-epoxybut-1'-yl)-guanine monoadducts, which can then alkylate neighboring DNA bases to form bifunctional lesions. We recently reported the structures of four regioisomeric guanine-adenine adducts of DEB involving the N7 position of guanine and the N1, N3, N6, and N7 positions of adenine (Park, S., et al. (2004) Chemical Research in Toxicology 17, 1638-1651). In the present work, a novel bifunctional DNA lesion of DEB was identified as 1-(hypoxanth-1-yl)-4-(guan-7-yl)-2,3-butanediol (N1HX-N7G-BD). An authentic standard of N1HX-N7G-BD was prepared and structurally characterized by proton NMR, UV, and mass spectrometry. HPLC-ESI-MS/MS analyses of acid hydrolysates of DEB-treated calf thymus DNA revealed a peak that had the same retention time, MS/MS fragmentation, and UV spectrum as the authentic standard of N1HX-N7G-BD. We propose that N1HX-N7G-BD is formed by the hydrolytic deamination of previously reported 1-(aden-1-yl)-4-(guan-7-yl)-2,3-butanediol. Although N1HX-N7G-BD adducts are less abundant in DEB-treated DNA than the corresponding guanine-guanine cross-links, they may play a role in the induction of both AT and GC base pair mutations.     

Mutagenesis of the supF gene by stereoisomers of 1,2,3,4-diepoxybutane

1,2,3,4-diepoxybutane (DEB) is a key metabolite of the important industrial chemical and environmental contaminant, 1,3-butadiene (BD). Although all three optical isomers of DEB, S,S-, R,R-, and meso-DEB, are produced by metabolic processing of BD, S,S-DEB exhibits the most potent genotoxicity and cytotoxicity, followed by R,R- and then meso-DEB. Our previous studies suggested that the observed differences between the biological effects of DEB optical isomers may be structural in their origin. Although S,S- and R,R-DEB produced mainly 1,3-interstrand 1,4-bis-(guan-7-yl)-2,3-butanediol (bis-N7G-BD) cross-links, meso-diepoxide induced equal numbers of intrastrand and interstrand bis-N7G-BD lesions. In the present study, the mutagenicity of the three DEB stereoisomers in the supF gene was investigated. We found that S,S-DEB was the most potent mutagen. Interestingly, mutation specificity and mutant spectra were strongly dependent on DEB stereochemistry. Although A:T to T:A transversions were the major form of mutation observed following treatment with each of the three stereoisomers (35-40%), S,S-DEB induced higher numbers of G:C to A:T transitions, whereas R,R-DEB treatment resulted in a greater frequency of G:C to T:A transversions. Our results are consistent with the stereospecific induction of promutagenic nucleobase adducts other than G-G cross-links by DEB stereoisomers.     

Characterization of 1,2,3,4-diepoxybutane-2'-deoxyguanosine cross-linking products formed at physiological and nonphysiological conditions

1,2,3,4-Diepoxybutane (DEB), an in vivo metabolite of 1,3-butadiene (BD), is a carcinogen and mutagen. The strong carcinogenicity/mutagenicity of DEB has been attributed to its high DNA reactivity and cross-linking ability. Recently, we have demonstrated that under in vitro physiological conditions (pH 7.4, 37 degrees C), the reaction of DEB with 2'-deoxyguanosine (dG) produced two diastereomeric pairs of the major nucleoside adducts resulting from alkylation at the N1- and N7-positions of dG, that is, 2'-deoxy-1-(2-hydroxy-2-oxiranylethyl)guanosine and 2'-deoxy-7-(2-hydroxy-2-oxiranylethyl)guanosine, respectively [Zhang, X.-Y., and Elfarra, A. A. (2005) Chem. Res. Toxicol. 18, 1316]. As each of these adducts contains an oxirane ring, the abilities of these adducts to form cross-linking products with dG under physiological conditions were investigated. Incubation of the N7 nucleoside adducts and their corresponding guanine product with dG led to formation of 7,7'-(2,3-dihydroxy-1,4-butanediyl)bis[2-amino-1,7-dihydro-6H-purin-6-one] (bis-N7G-BD), a known DEB cross-linking product. Incubation of the N1 nucleoside adducts with dG led to formation of a pair of diastereomers of 2'-deoxy-1-[4-(2-amino-1,7-dihydro-6H-purin-6-on-7-yl)-2,3-dihydroxybutyl]-guanosine (N7G-N1dG-BD), which are novel cross-linking products. Interestingly, the reaction of DEB with dG in glacial acetic acid at 60 degrees C yielded different cross-linking products, which were characterized as 2-amino-9-hydroxymethyl-4-{4-[2-amino-9- or 7-(4-acetyloxy-2,3-dihydroxybutyl)-1,7-dihydro-6H-purin-6-on-7- or 9-yl]-2,3-dihydroxybutyl}-8,9-dihydro-7H-[1,4]oxazepino[4,3,2-gh]purin-8-ol (PA2) and 9,9'-bis(4-acetyloxy-2,3-dihydroxybutyl)-7,7'-(2,3-dihydroxy-1,4-butanediyl)bis[2-amino-1,7-dihydro-6H-purin-6-one] (PA4). Collectively, these results increase our understanding of the chemical reactivity and cross-linking ability of DEB under both physiological and nonphysiological conditions.     

Conjugation of butadiene diepoxide with glutathione yields DNA adducts in vitro and in vivo

1,2,3,4-Diepoxybutane (DEB) is reported to be the most potent mutagenic metabolite of 1,3-butadiene, an important industrial chemical and environmental pollutant. DEB is capable of inducing the formation of monoalkylated DNA adducts and DNA-DNA and DNA-protein cross-links. We previously reported that DEB forms a conjugate with glutathione (GSH) and that the conjugate is considerably more mutagenic than several other butadiene-derived epoxides, including DEB, in the base pair tester strain Salmonella typhimurium TA1535 [Cho et al. (2010) Chem. Res. Toxicol. 23, 1544-1546]. In the present study, we determined steady-state kinetic parameters of the conjugation of the three DEB stereoisomers-R,R, S,S, and meso (all formed by butadiene oxidation)-with GSH by six GSH transferases. Only small differences (<3-fold) were found in the catalytic efficiency of conjugate formation (k(cat)/K(m)) with all three DEB stereoisomers and the six GSH transferases. The three stereochemical DEB-GSH conjugates had similar mutagenicity. Six DNA adducts (N(3)-adenyl, N(6)-adenyl, N(7)-guanyl, N(1)-guanyl, N(4)-cytidyl, and N(3)-thymidyl) were identified in the reactions of DEB-GSH conjugate with nucleosides and calf thymus DNA using LC-MS and UV and NMR spectroscopy. N(6)-Adenyl and N(7)-guanyl GSH adducts were identified and quantitated in vivo in the livers of mice and rats treated with DEB ip. These results indicate that such DNA adducts are formed from the DEB-GSH conjugate, are mutagenic regardless of sterochemistry, and are therefore expected to contribute to the carcinogenicity of DEB.     

7-Alkylguanine adduct levels in urine, lungs and liver of mice exposed to styrene by inhalation

This study describes urinary excretion of two nucleobase adducts derived from styrene 7,8-oxide (SO), i.e., 7-(2-hydroxy-1-phenylethyl)guanine (N7alphaG) and 7-(2-hydroxy-2-phenylethyl)guanine (N7betaG), as well as a formation of N7-SO-guanine adducts in lungs and liver of two month old male NMRI mice exposed to styrene by inhalation in a 3-week subacute study. Strikingly higher excretion of both isomeric nucleobase adducts in the first day of exposure was recorded, while the daily excretion of nucleobase adducts in following time intervals reached the steady-state level at 4.32+1.14 and 6.91+1.17 pmol/animal for lower and higher styrene exposure, respectively. beta-SO-guanine DNA adducts in lungs increased with exposure in a linear way (F=13.7 for linearity and 0.17 for non-linearity, respectively), reaching at the 21st day the level of 23.0 adducts/10(8) normal nucleotides, i.e., 0.74 fmol/microg DNA of 7-alkylguanine DNA adducts for the concentration of 1500 mg/m3, while no 7-SO-guanine DNA adducts were detected in the liver after 21 days of inhalation exposure to both of styrene concentrations. A comparison of 7-alkylguanines excreted in urine with 7-SO-guanines in lungs (after correction for depurination and for missing alpha-isomers) revealed that persisting 7-SO-guanine DNA adducts in lungs account for about 0.5% of the total alkylation at N7 of guanine. The total styrene-specific 7-guanine alkylation accounts for about 1.0x10(-5)% of the total styrene uptake, while N1-adenine alkylation contributes to this percentage only negligibly.     

Cross-linking of the human DNA repair protein O6-alkylguanine DNA alkyltransferase to DNA in the presence of 1,2,3,4-diepoxybutane

1,2,3,4-Diepoxybutane (DEB) is a key carcinogenic metabolite of the important industrial chemical 1,3-butadiene. DEB is a bifunctional alkylating agent capable of reacting with DNA and proteins. Initial DNA alkylation by DEB produces N7-(2'-hydroxy-3',4'-epoxybut-1'-yl)-guanine monoadducts, which can react with another nucleophilic site to form cross-linked adducts. A recent report revealed a strong correlation between cellular expression of the DNA repair protein O6-alkylguanine DNA alkyltransferase (AGT) and the cytotoxic and mutagenic activity of DEB, suggesting that DEB induces AGT-DNA cross-links (Valadez, J. G., et al. (2004) Activation of bis-electrophiles to mutagenic conjugates by human O6-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase. Chem. Res. Toxicol. 17, 972-982). The purpose of our study was to analyze the formation and structures of DEB-induced AGT-DNA conjugates and to identify specific amino acid residues within the protein involved in cross-linking. DNA-protein cross-link formation was detected by SDS-PAGE when 32P-labeled double-stranded oligodeoxynucleotides were exposed to DEB in the presence of either wild-type hAGT or a C145A hAGT mutant. Capillary HPLC-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) analysis of hAGT that had been treated with N7-(2'-hydroxy-3',4'-epoxybut-1'-yl)-deoxyguanosine (dG monoepoxide) revealed the ability of the protein to form either one or two butanediol-dG cross-links, corresponding to mass shifts of +353 and +706 Da, respectively. HPLC-ESI+ -MS/MS sequencing of the tryptic peptides obtained from dG monoepoxide-treated protein indicated that the two cross-linking sites were the alkyl acceptor site, Cys145, and a neighboring active site residue, Cys150. The same two amino acid residues of hAGT became covalently cross-linked to DNA following DEB treatment. Modification of Cys145 was further confirmed by HPLC-ESI+ -MS/MS analysis of dG monoepoxide-treated synthetic peptide GNPVPILIPCHR which represents the active site tryptic fragment of hAGT (C = Cys145). The replacement of the catalytic cysteine residue with alanine in the C145A hAGT mutant abolished DEB-induced cross-linking at this site, while the formation of conjugates via neighboring Cys150 was retained. The exact chemical structure of the cross-linked lesion was established as 1-(S-cysteinyl)-4-(guan-7-yl)-2,3-butanediol by HPLC-ESI+ -MS/MS analysis of the amino acids resulting from the total digestion of modified proteins analyzed in parallel with an authentic standard. AGT-DNA cross-linking is a likely mechanism of DEB-mediated cytotoxicity in cells expressing this important repair protein.     

Persistence of N7-(2,3,4-trihydroxybutyl)guanine adducts in the livers of mice and rats exposed to 1,3-butadiene

Liquid chromatography (LC) in combination with tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) and stable isotope methodology was employed for the analysis of the N7-guanine (Gua) adducts derived from 1,2:3, 4-diepoxybutane (BDO2) a reactive metabolite of 1,3-butadiene (BD). Two diastereomeric forms of N7-(2,3,4-trihydroxybutyl)guanine (THBG) were identified in the livers of both mice and rats. One of the diastereomers [(+/-)-THBG] was formed by reaction of DNA with (+/-)-BDO2, and the other diastereomer (meso-THBG) was formed by reaction of DNA with meso-BDO2. There was significantly more (+/-)-THBG and meso-THBG in the liver DNA of the mice when compared with those of the rats during the 10 days of exposure to BD and the 6 days of postexposure that were monitored. There was a 2-fold excess of (+/-)-THBG over meso-THBG in the rat liver at all the time points. In the mouse liver after 10 days of exposure to BD, the (+/-)-THBG (3.9 adducts/10(6) normal bases) was also present in an almost 2-fold excess over meso-THBG (2.2 adducts/10(6) normal bases). However, 6-days after exposure to BD, (+/-)-THBG (1.2 adducts/10(6) normal bases) and meso-THBG (1.0 adduct/10(6) normal bases) were present in almost equal amounts in the mouse liver. Furthermore, there was an almost 5-fold excess of the two THBG diastereomers in the mouse liver DNA 6 days after exposure to BD when compared with rat liver DNA. The half-lives of (+/-)-THBG and meso-THBG appeared to be slightly longer in mouse liver (4.1 and 5.5 days, respectively) than in rat liver (3.6 and 4.0 days, respectively). The apparent persistence of these adducts in the mouse may contribute to the increased susceptibility of this species to BD-induced carcinogenesis. It is possible that (+/-)-THBG and meso-THBG could have also been derived from the reaction of DNA with the hydrolysis product of BDO2, 1,2-dihydroxy-3,4-epoxybutane (DHEB). Surprisingly, a vast majority of the studies in which the mutagenic and carcinogenic potential of BDO2 have been examined have only employed the commercially available (+/-)-BDO2. In light of the present findings, additional studies will be required to determine the potency of meso-BDO2 and the DHEB that is the precursor to meso-THBG as mutagens and carcinogens.     

Mutation spectra of S-(2-hydroxy-3,4-epoxybutyl)glutathione: comparison with 1,3-butadiene and its metabolites in the Escherichia coli rpoB gene

S-(2-Hydroxy-3,4-epoxybutyl)glutathione (DEB-GSH conjugate) is formed from the reaction of 1,2:3,4-diepoxybutane (DEB) with glutathione (GSH), and the conjugate is considerably more mutagenic than several other butadiene-derived epoxides-including DEB-in Salmonella typhimurium TA1535 [Cho, S.-H., (2010) Chem. Res. Toxicol. 23, 1544-1546]. We previously identified six DNA adducts in the reaction of the DEB-GSH conjugate with nucleosides and calf thymus DNA and two DNA adducts in livers of mice and rats treated with DEB [Cho, S.-H. and Guengerich, F. P. (2012) Chem. Res. Toxicol. 25, 706-712]. To define the role of GSH conjugation in 1,3-butadiene (BD) metabolism and characterize the mechanism of GSH transferase (GST)-enhanced mutagenicity of DEB, mutation spectra of BD and its metabolites in the absence and presence of GST/GSH and mouse liver microsomes were compared in the rpoB gene of Escherichia coli TRG8. The presence of GST considerably enhanced mutations. The mutation spectra derived from the DEB-GSH conjugate, the DEB/GST/GSH system, and the BD/mouse liver microsomes/GST/GSH system matched each other and were different from those derived from the other systems devoid of GSH. The major adducts in E. coli TRG8 cells treated with the DEB/GST/GSH system, the BD/mouse liver microsomes/GST/GSH system, or the DEB-GSH conjugate were S-[4-(N(7)-guanyl)-2,3-dihydroxybutyl]GSH, S-[4-(N(3)-adenyl)-2,3-dihydroxybutyl]GSH, and S-[4-(N(6)-deoxyadenosinyl)-2,3-dihydroxybutyl]GSH, indicating the presence of the GSH-containing DNA adducts in the systems. These results, along with the strong enhancement of mutagenicity by GST in this system, indicate the relevance of these GSH-containing DNA adducts.     

Molecular dosimetry of N-7 guanine adduct formation in mice and rats exposed to 1,3-butadiene.

1,3-Butadiene (BD) is a high-volume chemical used in the production of rubber and plastic. BD is a potent carcinogen in mice and a much weaker carcinogen in rats, and has been classified as a probable human carcinogen. Upon metabolic activation in vivo, it forms DNA-reactive metabolites, 1,2-epoxy-3-butene (EB), 1,2:3, 4-diepoxybutane (DEB), and 3,4-epoxy-1,2-butanediol (EBD). The molecular dosimetry of N-7 guanine adduct formation by these metabolites of BD in liver, lung, and kidney of B6C3F1 mice and F344 rats exposed to 0, 20, 62.5, or 625 ppm BD was studied. The adducts, racemic and meso forms of N-7-(2,3,4-trihydroxybut-1-yl)guanine (THB-Gua), N-7-(2-hydroxy-3-buten-1-yl)guanine (EB-Gua I), and N-7-(1-hydroxy-3-buten-2-yl)guanine (EB-Gua II), were isolated from DNA by neutral thermal hydrolysis, desalted on solid-phase extraction cartridges, and quantitated by LC/ESI(+)/MS/MS. The number of adducts per 10(6) normal guanine bases for a given adduct was higher in mice than rats exposed to 625 ppm BD, but generally similar at lower levels of exposure. The THB-Gua adducts were the most abundant (6-27 times higher than EB-Gua) and exhibited a nonlinear exposure-response relationship. In rats, the exposure-response curves for the formation of THB-Gua adducts reached a plateau after 62.5 ppm, suggesting saturation of metabolic activation. The number of THB-Gua adducts continued to increase in mice between 62.5 and 625 ppm BD. In contrast, the less common EB-Gua adducts had a linear exposure-response relationship in both species. Combining the information from this study with previous data on BD metabolism, we were able to estimate the number of THB-Gua that resulted from DEB and EBD, and conclude that most of the THB-Gua is formed from EBD. We hypothesize that most of the EBD arises from the immediate conversion of DEB to EBD within the endoplasmic reticulum. This study highlights the need for measurements of the levels of EBD in tissues of rats and mice and for the development of a unique biomarker for DEB that is available for binding to DNA.     

Characterization of the reaction products of 2'-deoxyguanosine and 1,2,3,4-diepoxybutane after acid hydrolysis: formation of novel guanine and pyrimidine adducts

1,2,3,4-diepoxybutane (DEB), an important in vivo metabolite of 1,3-butadiene (BD), is a potent mutagen and a known carcinogen. Recently, DEB has been shown to react with 2'-deoxyguanosine (dG) at 37 degrees C and pH 7.4 to yield a series of nucleoside adducts, resulting from alkylation at the 7-, 1-, and N(2)-positions of dG. In addition, adducts with fused ring systems are formed. In the present study, new adducts are characterized after DEB was allowed to react with dG at pH 7.4 and the reaction mixture was then subjected to acid hydrolysis. These adducts are 7-hydroxy-6-hydroxymethyl-5,6,7,8-tetrahydropyrimido[1,2-a]purin-10(1H)one (H2), 2-amino-1-(4-chloro-2,3-dihydroxybutyl)-1,7-dihydro-6H-purin-6-one (H4), 2-amino-1-(2,3,4-trihydroxybutyl)-1,7-dihydro-6H-purin-6-one (H1'/H5'), 7,8-dihydroxy-1,5,6,7,8,9-hexahydro-1,3-diazepino[1,2-a]purin-11(11H)one (H2'), and 5-(3,4-dihydroxy-1-pyrrolidinyl)-2,6-diamino-4(3H)pyrimidinone (H3'). The previously characterized guanine adducts, 2-amino-7-(3-chloro-2,4-dihydroxybutyl)-1,7-dihydro-6H-purin-6-one (H3) and 2-amino-7-(2,3,4-trihydroxybutyl)-1,7-dihydro-6H-purin-6-one (H4'), were also detected. Acid hydrolysis of purified dG-DEB adducts confirmed that H2, H3/H4', H2', and H4/H1'/H5' are the hydrolysis products of N-(2-hydroxy-1-oxiranylethyl)-2'-deoxyguanosine (P4-1 and P4-2), 6-oxo-2-amino-9-(2-deoxy-beta-d-erythro-pentofuranosyl)-7-(2-hydroxy-2-oxiranylethyl)-6,9-dihydro-1H-purinium ion (P5 and P5'), 7,8-dihydroxy-3-(2-deoxy-beta-d-erythro-pentofuranosyl)-3,5,6,7,8,9-hexahydro-1,3-diazepino[1,2-a]purin-11(11H)one (P6), and 1-(2-hydroxy-2-oxiranylethyl)-2'-deoxyguanosine (P8 and P9), respectively. On the other hand, the novel pyrimidine adduct H3' is formed by the decomposition of P5 and P5' during the incubation and hydrolysis. These results may facilitate the development of useful biomarkers of exposure to DEB and its precursor BD.     

Reaction of 1,2,3,4-diepoxybutane with 2'-deoxyguanosine: initial products and their stabilities and decomposition patterns under physiological conditions

1,2,3,4-Diepoxybutane (DEB), an in vivo metabolite of 1,3-butadiene (BD), is a carcinogen and a potent mutagen. Previously, DEB was shown to react with 2'-deoxyguanosine (dG) under physiological conditions to produce seven major nucleoside adducts resulting from alkylation at the N1- (P8 and P9), N7- (P5 and P5'), and both the N1- and the N2-positions of dG to form six-membered (P4-1 and P4-2) and seven-membered fused ring systems (P6), respectively [Zhang, X.-Y., and Elfarra, A. A. (2003) Chem. Res. Toxicol. 16, 1606. Zhang, X.-Y., and Elfarra, A. A. (2004) Chem. Res. Toxicol. 17, 521]. In the present study, the stabilities and decomposition products of the seven adducts under in vitro physiological conditions (phosphate buffer containing KCl, pH 7.4, 37 degrees C) were investigated. The results showed that P4-1, P4-2, and P6 were stable, whereas P5, P5', P8, and P9 were labile with half-lives of 2.6, 2.7, 16, and 16 h, respectively. P5 and P5' decomposed initially by the loss of the deoxyribose moiety to yield the corresponding guanine adduct P5D, which exhibited a half-life of 33 h and decomposed through opening of the remaining oxirane ring by dihydrogen phosphate ion, water, or chloride ion. Decomposition of P8 yielded P4-1, P6, and nucleoside products resulting from opening of the oxirane ring by dihydrogen phosphate ion, water, or chloride ion. Similarly, decomposition of P9 led to the formation of P4-2, P6, and nucleoside products resulting from opening of the oxirane ring by dihydrogen phosphate ion, water, or chloride ion. These results indicate that the initial products of the reaction of DEB with dG are P5, P5', P8, and P9, whereas P4-1, P4-2, and P6 are secondary products. The results may also facilitate development of useful biomarkers of exposure to DEB.     

Identification of adducts derived from reactions of (1-chloroethenyl)oxirane with nucleosides and calf thymus DNA

(1-Chloroethenyl)oxirane is a major mutagenic metabolite of chloroprene, an important large-scale petrochemical used in the manufacture of synthetic rubbers. The reactions of (1-chloroethenyl)oxirane with 2'-deoxyguanosine, 2'-deoxyadenosine, 2'-deoxycytidine, thymidine, and calf thymus DNA have been studied in aqueous buffered solutions. The adducts from the nucleosides were isolated by reversed-phase HPLC, and characterized by their UV absorbance and (1)H and (13)C NMR spectroscopic and mass spectrometric features. The reaction with 2'-deoxyguanosine gave one major adduct, N7-(3-chloro-2-hydroxy-3-buten-1-yl)-guanine (dGI), and eight minor adducts which were identified as diastereoisomeric pairs of N1-(3-chloro-2-hydroxy-3-buten-1-yl)-2'-deoxyguanosine (dGII, dGIII), N3,N7-bis(3-chloro-2-hydroxy-3-buten-1-yl)-guanine (dGIV, dGV), N7,N9-bis(3-chloro-2-hydroxy-3-buten-1-yl)-guanine (dGVI, dGVII), and N1,N7-bis(3-chloro-2-hydroxy-3-buten-1-yl)-guanine (dGVIII, dGIX). The reaction of 2'-deoxyadenosine with (1-chloroethenyl)oxirane gave two adducts: N1-(3-chloro-2-hydroxy-3-buten-1-yl)-2'-deoxyadenosine (dAI) and N(6)-(3-chloro-2-hydroxy-3-buten-1-yl)-2'-deoxyadenosine (dAII). The adduct dAII was shown to arise via a Dimroth rearrangement of adduct dAI. The HPLC analyses of the reaction mixtures of (1-chloroethenyl)oxirane with 2'-deoxycytidine and thymidine showed the formation of one major product in each reaction. The adduct from 2'-deoxycytidine was identified as N3-(3-chloro-2-hydroxy-3-buten-1-yl)-2'-deoxyuridine (dCI) derived by alkylation at N-3 followed by deamination. The adduct from thymidine was identified as N3-(3-chloro-2-hydroxy-3-buten-1-yl)-thymidine (TI). Reaction of (1-chloroethenyl)oxirane with calf thymus DNA gave all of the adducts observed from the individual nucleosides except dGII and dGIII. However, there was selectivity for the formation of dGI and dCI. The adduct levels in DNA were 9,630 (dGI), 240 (dCI), 83 (dAI), 6 (dAII), and 28 (TI) pmol/mg DNA, respectively. The preferred formation of dCI may be relevant to chloroprene mutagenesis.     

Identification and characterization of a series of nucleoside adducts formed by the reaction of 2'-deoxyguanosine and 1,2,3,4-diepoxybutane under physiological conditions

The carcinogenicity of 1,3-butadiene (BD) has been attributed to its in vivo metabolites, 3,4-epoxy-1-butene (EB) and 1,2,3,4-diepoxybutane (DEB). In this study, DEB was demonstrated to react with 2'-deoxyguanosine (dG) under in vitro physiological conditions (pH 7.4, 37 degrees C) to yield several pairs of diastereomeric adducts, including N-(2-hydroxy-1-oxiranylethyl)-2'-deoxyguanosine (P4-1 and P4-2), 7,8-dihydroxy-3-(2-deoxy-beta-d-erythro-pentofuranosyl)-3,5,6,7,8,9-hexahydro-1,3-diazepino[1,2-a]purin-11(11H)one (P6), 1-(2-hydroxy-2-oxiranylethyl)-2'-deoxyguanosine (P8 and P9), 1-[3-chloro-2-hydroxy-1-(hydroxymethyl)propyl]-2'-deoxyguanosine (1AP9 and 2AP9), and 4,8-dihydroxy-1-(2-deoxy-beta-d-erythro-pentofuranosyl)-9-hydroxymethyl-6,7,8,9-tetrahydro-1H-pyrimido[2,1-b]purinium ion (1BP4 and 2BP4). The 7-alkylation dG adducts (P5 and P5') were not characterized directly by NMR spectrometry because of their instability. However, their formula weights were determined to be 354, and their acid hydrolysis products were characterized as 2-amino-7-(3-chloro-2,4-dihydroxybutyl)-1,7-dihydro-6H-purin-6-one (H3), consistent with the structures of P5 and P5' being diastereomers of 6-oxo-2-amino-9-(2-deoxy-beta-d-erythro-pentofuranosyl)-7-(2-hydroxy-2-oxiranylethyl)-6,9-dihydro-1H-purinium ion. Time-course experiments indicated that alkaline pH and/or high DEB:dG molar ratios made the reactions faster without changing the adduct profile. The adducts were detected in the following chronological order: 7- (P5 and P5'), 1- (P8 and P9), N(2)- (P4-1 and P4-2), and P6. Whereas P4-1, P4-2, and P6 appeared stable during the courses of the reactions, P5, P5', P8, and P9 were labile and completely decomposed by the time dG was fully consumed. These results may contribute to a better understanding of the chemical reactivity and strong mutagenicity and carcinogenicity of DEB.     

Site specific N6-(2-hydroxy-3,4-epoxybut-1-yl)adenine oligodeoxynucleotide adducts of 1,2,3,4-diepoxybutane: synthesis and stability at physiological pH

1,2,3,4-Diepoxybutane (DEB) is an important metabolite of 1,3-butadiene, a high volume industrial chemical classified as a human and animal carcinogen. DEB is a bifunctional alkylating agent that exhibits both mutagenic and cytotoxic activity, presumably a result of its ability to form bifunctional DNA adducts. Initial reactions of DEB with DNA produce 2-hydroxy-3,4-epoxybut-1-yl (HEB) lesions at guanine and adenine nucleobases. The epoxy group of the monoadduct is inherently reactive and can then undergo further reactions, for example, hydrolysis to the corresponding 2,3,4-trihydroxybutyl adducts and/or second alkylation to yield 2,3-butanediol cross-links. In the present work, synthetic DNA 16-mers containing structurally defined racemic N6-(2-hydroxy-3,4-epoxybut-1-yl)-2'-deoxyadenosine (N6-HEB-dA) adducts (5'-AATTATGTXACGGTAG-3', where X = N6-HEB-dA) were prepared by coupling 6-chloropurine-containing oligodeoxynucleotides with 1-amino-2-hydroxy-3,4-epoxybutane. The latter was generated in situ from the corresponding Fmoc-protected amino epoxide. The N6-HEB-dA-containing DNA oligomer was isolated by reverse-phase HPLC, and the presence of N6-HEB-dA in its structure was confirmed by molecular weight determination and by HPLC-UV-ESI+-MS/MS analyses of enzymatic digests. An independently prepared N6-HEB-dA nucleoside served as an authentic standard. The fate of N6-HEB-dA within DNA at physiological conditions in the presence of various nucleophiles (e.g., cysteine, dG, and the complementary DNA strand) was investigated. Under all conditions tested, N6-HEB-dA rapidly cyclized to produce previously unidentified exocyclic dA lesions (t1/2 < 2 h at physiological conditions). Only trace amounts of hydrolyzed and cross-linked products were detected, suggesting that the rate of cyclization was much greater than the rates of other reactions at the epoxide ring. These results indicate that DEB-induced alkylation of N6-adenine in DNA is unlikely to lead to DNA-DNA cross-linking but instead can result in the formation of exocyclic dA adducts.     

The 5'-GNC site for DNA interstrand cross-linking is conserved for diepoxybutane stereoisomers

The bifunctional alkylating agent 1,2,3,4-diepoxybutane forms interstrand DNA-DNA cross-links between the N7 positions of deoxyguanosine residues on opposite strands of the duplex. For racemic diepoxybutane, these cross-links predominate within 5'-GNC/3'CNG sequences, where N is any nucleotide. We used denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (dPAGE) to examine the role of stereochemistry in the cross-linking reaction, subjecting a restriction fragment to cross-linking with S,S-DEB, R,R-DEB, or meso-DEB. DNA cross-links generated by each isomer were isolated by dPAGE, and the sites of cross-linking were identified by sequencing gel analysis of DNA fragments generated by hot piperidine cleavage. We found that the 5'-GNC consensus sequence of racemic DEB is conserved, but the efficiencies of cross-linking vary, with S,S- > R,R- > meso-DEB. These results help explain the observed differences between the biological activities of DEB stereoisomers.