N-oxidative metabolism of 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (MeIQx) in humans: excretion of the N2-glucuronide conjugate of 2-hydroxyamino-MeIQx in urine.

2-Amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (MeIQx), a major heterocyclic aromatic amine (HAA) formed in cooked meats, is metabolically transformed to mutagenic/carcinogenic intermediates. Cytochrome P4501A2 (CYP1A2)-mediated N-hydroxylation followed by phase II O-esterification by N-acetyltransferase (NAT2) are generally regarded as activation processes in which MeIQx and other HAAs are converted to genotoxic species. In this study, we determined the relationship between the activities of these two enzymes and the urinary excretion level of the N2-glucuronide conjugate of 2-hydroxyamino-MeIQx--N2-(beta-1-glucosiduronyl)-2-hydroxyam ino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (N-OH-MeIQx-N2-glucuronide)--among healthy subjects fed a uniform diet containing high-temperature cooked meat. The individuals (n = 66) in the study ate meat containing known amounts of MeIQx, and urine was collected from 0 to 12 h after the meal. After addition of the deuterium-labeled internal standard to urine, N-OH-MeIQx-N2-glucuronide was isolated using solid-phase extraction and immunoaffinity separation. The isolated conjugate was converted to the deaminated product 2-hydroxy-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (2-OH-MeIQx) by heating with acetic acid. 2-OH-MeIQx and its deuterated analogue were derivatized to form the corresponding 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzyl ether derivatives and analyzed by capillary gas chromatography-negative ion chemical ionization mass spectrometry using selected ion monitoring procedures. The subjects in the study excreted an average of 9.4 +/- 3.0% (+/-SD) of an ingested dose of MeIQx as N-OH-MeIQx-N2-glucuronide in urine; the range varied from 2.2 to 17.1%. A significant correlation was found between the level of N-OH-MeIQx-N2-glucuronide in urine and the amount of MeIQx ingested (r(s) = 0.44; P = 0.0002). The excretion level of N-OH-MeIQx-N2-glucuronide in urine was not associated with the enzyme activities of NAT2 or CYP1A2. This is expected with the latter enzyme because the metabolism of MeIQx is first order and very rapid at the amounts ingested. The amount of N-OH-MeIQx-N2-glucuronide in urine was not correlated with the age or sex of the individuals. Our results indicate that biotransformation of MeIQx via CYP1A2 oxidation to form the N-hydroxylamine followed by N2-glucuronidation is a general pathway of MeIQx metabolism in humans; the variability in the excreted levels of N-OH-MeIQx-N2-glucuronide is probably due to interindividual differences in UDP-glucuronosyltransferase activity and/or excretion pathways.     

Breast cancer, heterocyclic aromatic amines from meat and N-acetyltransferase 2 genotype

Breast cancer risk has been hypothesized to increase with exposure to heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs) formed from cooking meat at high temperature. HAAs require enzymatic activation to bind to DNA and initiate carcinogenesis. N-acetyltransferase 2 (NAT2) enzyme activity may play a role, its rate determined by a polymorphic gene. We examined the effect of NAT2 genetic polymorphisms on breast cancer risk from exposure to meat by cooking method, doneness and estimated HAA [2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazole[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP), 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (MeIQx) and 2-amino-3,4,8-trimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (DiMeIQx)] intake. Women were recruited with suspicious breast masses and questionnaire data were collected prior to biopsy to blind subjects and interviewers to diagnoses. For 114 cases with breast cancer and 280 controls with benign breast disease, NAT2 genotype was determined using allele-specific PCR amplification to detect slow acetylator mutations. HAAs were estimated from interview data on meat type, cooking method and doneness, combined with a quantitative HAA database. Logistic regression models controlled for known risk factors, first including all controls, then 108 with no or low risk (normal breast or no hyperplasia) and finally 149 with high risk (hyperplasia, atypical hyperplasia, complex fibroadenomas). Meat effects were examined within NAT2 strata to assess interactions. We found no association between NAT2 and breast cancer. These Californian women ate more white than red meat (control median 46 versus 8 g/day). There were no significant associations of breast cancer with red meat for any doneness. White meat was significantly protective (>67 versus <26 g/day, OR 0.46, 95% CI 0.23-0.94, P for trend = 0.02), as was chicken, including well done, pan fried and barbecued chicken. MeIQx and DiMeIQx were not associated with breast cancer. A protective effect of PhIP was confounded after controlling for well done chicken. Results were unchanged using low or high risk controls or dropping 30 in situ cases. There was no interaction between NAT2 and HAAs. These findings do not support a role for HAAs from meat or NAT2 in the etiology of breast cancer. Further research is needed to explain the white meat association.     

Combined effects of well-done red meat, smoking, and rapid N-acetyltransferase 2 and CYP1A2 phenotypes in increasing colorectal cancer risk.

Heterocyclic amines (HAAs) are suspected carcinogens that are formed in meat when it is cooked at high temperature for long durations. These compounds require metabolic activation by CYP1A2 and N-acetyltransferase (NAT) 2 or NAT1 before they can bind to DNA. It has been hypothesized that well-done meat increases the risk of colorectal cancer (CRC), especially in individuals with the rapid phenotype for CYP1A2 and NAT2. This association may be particularly strong in smokers because smoking is known to induce CYP1A2. We conducted a population-based case-control study on Oahu, Hawaii to specifically test this hypothesis. An in-person interview assessed the diet and preference for well-done red meat of 349 patients with CRC and 467 population controls. A urine collection after caffeine challenge and a blood collection were used to assess phenotype for CYP1A2 and NAT2 and genotype for NAT2 and NAT1, respectively. No statistically significant main effect association with CRC was found for red meat intake, preference for well-done red meat, the NAT2 rapid genotype, the CYP1A2 rapid phenotype or the NAT1*10 allele. However, in ever-smokers, preference for well-done red meat was associated with an 8.8-fold increased risk of CRC (95% confidence interval, 1.7-44.9) among subjects with the NAT2 and CYP1A2 rapid phenotypes, compared with smokers with low NAT2 and CYP1A2 activities who preferred their red meat rare or medium. No similar association was found in never-smokers, and there was no increased risk for well-done meat among smokers with a rapid phenotype for only one of these enzymes or for smokers with both rapid phenotypes who did not prefer their red meat well-done. These data provide additional support to the hypothesis that exposure to carcinogens (presumably HAAs) through consumption of well-done meat increases the risk of CRC, particularly in individuals who are genetically susceptible (as determined by a rapid phenotype for both NAT2 and CYP1A2) and suggest that smoking, by inducing CYP1A2, facilitates this effect.     

Measurement of MeIQx and DiMeIQx in fried beef by capillary column gas chromatography electron capture negative ion chemical ionisation mass spectrometry

A gas chromatographic—mass spectrometric assay has beendeveloped for the simultaneous measurement of 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline(MeIQx) and 2-amino-3,4,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline(DiMeIQx) in fried beef. The method employs capillary columngas chromatography, electron capture negative ion chemical ionisationmass spectrometry and a stable isotope labelled analogue ofMeIQx (the synthesis of which is described) as common internalstandard. Two patties of lean minced beef which had been cookedseparately were analysed and found to contain both compounds(patty 1–2.4 ng MeIQx/g meat, 1.2 ng DiMeIQx/g meat; patty2–1.3 ng MeIQx/g meat, 0.5 ng DiMeIQx/g meat). Neithercompound was present in the meat prior to cooking.     

Metabolic activation of heterocyclic aromatic amines catalyzed by human arylamine N-acetyltransferase isozymes (NAT1 and NAT2) expressed in Salmonella typhimurium

Heterocyclic aromatic amines formed during the cooking of meatand meat-derived products can be activated to reactive metaboliteswhich bind to DNA, induce mutations and cause tumors in animals.A principal route of metabolic activation is N-oxidation tohydroxylamines, and their subsequent activation by acetyltransferase-catalyzedO-acetylation. We have used mutagenicity assays to study O-acetylationof heterocyclic arylhydroxylamines by the two isozymes of humanN-acetyltransferase, NAT1 and NAT2, expressed in Salmonellatyphimurium. N-Acetylation was also examined, using an HPLCmethod. In addition, Salmonella strains with endogenous acetyltransferaseand lacking this activating activity were used. Hydroxylaminesof nine heterocyclic aromatic amines, IQ, isoIQ, MeIQ, MeIQx,NI, PhIP, Glu-P-1, Glu-P-2, and Trp-P-2 were generated in situby rat liver S9 mix. The strains expressing human NAT1 and lackingacetyltransferase activity showing little or no ability to activatethese substrates. The strains expressing human NAT2 and Salmonellaacetyltransferase supported to different extents the activationof all the compounds except PhIP and Trp-P-2. N-Acetylationof IQ, MeIQx and PhIP was slow or not detectable. In conclusion,human NAT2 but not NAT1 can O-acetylate heterocyclic hydroxylamines.NAT2 probably plays a key role in the genotoxic effects of theabove heterocyclic amines except for PhIP and Trp-P-2, whichhave NAT2-independent mutagenic activity.     

2-Amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo-[4,5-f]quinoxaline-induced DNA adduct formation and mutagenesis in DNA repair-deficient Chinese hamster ovary cells expressing human cytochrome P4501A1 and rapid or slow acetylator N-acetyltransferase 2.

2-Amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo-[4,5-f]quinoxaline (MeIQx) is one of the most potent and abundant mutagens in the western diet. Bioactivation includes N-hydroxylation catalyzed by cytochrome P450s followed by O-acetylation catalyzed by N-acetyltransferase 2 (NAT2). In humans, NAT2*4 allele is associated with rapid acetylator phenotype, whereas NAT2*5B allele is associated with slow acetylator phenotype. We hypothesized that rapid acetylator phenotype predisposes humans to DNA damage and mutagenesis from MeIQx. Nucleotide excision repair-deficient Chinese hamster ovary cells were constructed by stable transfection of human cytochrome P4501A1 (CYP1A1) and a single copy of either NAT2*4 (rapid acetylator) or NAT2*5B (slow acetylator) alleles. CYP1A1 and NAT2 catalytic activities were undetectable in untransfected Chinese hamster ovary cell lines. CYP1A1 activity did not differ significantly (P > 0.05) among the CYP1A1-transfected cell lines. Cells transfected with NAT2*4 had 20-fold significantly higher levels of sulfamethazine N-acetyltransferase (P = 0.0001) and 6-fold higher levels of N-hydroxy-MeIQx O-acetyltransferase (P = 0.0093) catalytic activity than cells transfected with NAT2*5B. Only cells transfected with both CYP1A1 and NAT2*4 showed concentration-dependent cytotoxicity and hypoxanthine phosphoribosyl transferase mutagenesis following MeIQx treatment. Deoxyguanosine-C8-MeIQx was the primary DNA adduct formed and levels were dose dependent in each cell line and in the following order: untransfected < transfected with CYP1A1 < transfected with CYP1A1 and NAT2*5B < transfected with CYP1A1 and NAT2*4. MeIQx DNA adduct levels were significantly higher (P < 0.001) in CYP1A1/NAT2*4 than CYP1A1/NAT2*5B cells at all concentrations of MeIQx tested. MeIQx-induced DNA adduct levels correlated very highly (r2 = 0.88) with MeIQx-induced mutants. These results strongly support extrahepatic activation of MeIQx by CYP1A1 and a robust effect of human NAT2 genetic polymorphism on MeIQx-induced DNA adducts and mutagenesis. The results provide laboratory-based support for epidemiologic studies reporting higher frequency of heterocyclic amine-related cancers in rapid NAT2 acetylators.     

Detection and measurement of MeIQx in human urine after ingestion of a cooked meat meal

A gas chromatographic - mass spectrometric assay has been developedfor the measurement of 2-ainino-3,8-dimethylimidazo [4,5-fquinoxaline(MeIQx)in urine. The method employs capillary column gas chromatography,electron capture negative-ion chemical ionization mass spectrometry,a stable isotope-labelled analogue of MeIQx as internal standardand has a limit of detection of 5 pg MeIQx/ml urine. Six subjectsconsumed a fried beef meal and urine was collected before andafter this event. While no MeIQx could be detected in urinecollections made prior to meat consumption, the 12-h urine collectionsof all six subjects made after the meal contained the amine.When the amounts of MeIQx measured in the urine collectionswere compared to the quantities of amine ingested in the friedbeef, it was found that 1.8–4.9% of the oral dose wasexcreted unchanged in urine. Metabolic studies in animals leadus to believe that MeIQx in the diet is efficiently absorbedand extensively biotransformed.     

Developmental changes in hepatic activation of 2-amino-3, 8-dimethylimidazo[4, 5-f]quinoxaline in rabbit

MeIQx, a potent bacterial mutagen formed when meat is cooked,requires metabolic activation to exert its genotoxicity, a reactioncatalysed primarily by CYP1A2 in adult mammals. Little is knownabout mammalian developmental changes in the mutagenic activationof compounds such as MeIQx. In rabbits we have shown previouslythat expression of CYP1A2 increases with age and is inducibleby 3-methylcholanthrene (MC) from as early as 4 days pre-parturition.We have therefore investigated the effect of age on rabbit liveractivation of MeIQx (assessed in an Ames test using Salmonellatyphimurium TA98) before and after treatment of the animalswith MC. MeIQx activation could not be detected using hepaticmicrosomal fractions from rabbits of <17 days of age. Thereafteractivation increased with age to peak in weanling animals. FollowingMC treatment MeIQx activation was increased, being detectablein samples from rabbits as young as 9–11 days. The inducibilityof MeIQx activation increased with age, reaching a plateau between17 and 35 days. These rates of activation were broadly parallelto the changes in CYP1A2 specific content. These results indicatethat the ability of rabbit liver to activate MeIQx is dependenton CYP1A2 activity, the expression of which is developmentallyregulated. Although it has been established that human activationof MeIQx is also CYP1A2 dependent, whether a similar situationexists in infant humans has yet to be determined, although thereis evidence that CYP1A2-dependent activity reaches a peak inlate childhood.     

Major routes of metabolism of the food-borne carcinogen 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline in the rat

The metabolic fate of 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f] quinoxaline(MeIQx), a carcinogen formed in cooked meat and fish, has beeninvestigated in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Five metabolites wererecovered from bile of animals given an intragastric dose of{2-¹⁴C]MeIQx. These accounted for nearly all of the radioactivityin bile. The chemical structures of these metabolites were elucidatedby proton NMR, UV and mass spectroscopy. Three structures maybe assigned unambiguously: two sulfamates, N-(3,8.dimethylimidazo[4,5f]quinoxalin-2-yl)sulfamic acid and N-(8-hydroxymethyl-3-methylimidazo[4,5f]quinoxalin-2-yl)sulfamic acid, and N-(8-one glucuronide, N²(ß-1-glucosiduronyl)-2-amino-3,8-dimelhyliinidazo[4,5f]quinoxaline In addition, an acetyl and a glucosiduronylconjugate of 5-hydroxy-MeIQx were observed. The spectral evidencedid not allow an unambiguous assignment of the site of conjugation.The two glucuronides were excreted in urine and the sulfamateof MeIQx was found in feces as well as urine. All five metaboliteswere found to be non-mutagenic to Salmonella typhimurium TA98with or without metabolic activation. The glucuronide conjugateswere found also to be non-mutagenic when ß- glucuronidasewas incorporated with S-9 mixture in the mutation assay, andthus all appear to be detoxification products. The previouslyreported metabolite, 2-amino-8-hydroxymethyl-3-methylimidazo[4,5f]quinoxalinewhich is mutagenic to Salmonella typhimurium TA98 with metabolicactivation, was identified as a minor component in both urineand feces.     

Genetic variation in the bioactivation pathway for polycyclic hydrocarbons and heterocyclic amines in relation to risk of colorectal neoplasia

Animal work implicates chemical carcinogens, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs) as contributing to the development of colorectal cancer (CRC). The epidemiologic evidence, however, remains inconsistent possibly due to intra-individual variation in bioactivation of these compounds. We conducted a case-control study of colorectal adenoma (914 cases, 1185 controls) and CRC (496 cases, 607 controls) among Japanese Americans, European Americans and Native Hawaiians to investigate the association of genetic variation in the PAH and HAA bioactivation pathway (CYP1A1, CYP1A2, CYP1B1, AHR and ARNT) identified through sequencing with risk of colorectal neoplasia, as well as their interactions with smoking and intakes of red meat and HAAs. The A allele for ARNT rs12410394 was significantly inversely associated with CRC [odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for GG, AG and AA genotypes: 1.00, 0.66 (0.48-0.89), 0.54 (0.37-0.78), P(trend) = 0.0008] after multiple comparison adjustment. CYP1A2 rs11072508 was marginally significantly associated with CRC, where each copy of the T allele was associated with reduced risk (OR: 0.72, 95% CI: 0.58-0.88, P(trend) = 0.0017). No heterogeneity of genetic effects across racial/ethnic groups was detected. In addition, no significant interaction was observed after adjusting for multiple testing between genetic variants and pack-years of smoking, intake of red meat or HAAs (PhIP, MeIQx, Di-MeIQx or total HAAs) or NAT2 genotype (Rapid versus Slow or Intermediate). This study suggests that the genomic region around ARNT rs12410394 may harbor variants associated with CRC.     

Contribution of CYP1A1 and CYP1A2 to the activation of heterocyclic amines in monkeys and human

The activation of heterocyclic amines to mutagenic productsby hepatic microsomal fractions from cynomolgus monkey, marmosetmonkey and man was compared with the respective levels of cytochromeP450 enzymes CYP1A1 and CYP1A2. The rate of activation of 2-amino-3,8-dimethylidazo[4,5-fquinoxaline (MeIQx), 2-amino-3-methylidazo[4,5-fquino-line (IQ)and 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP) tomutagens by hepatic microsomal fraction from cynomolgus monkeywas very low. This was associated with a lack of constitutiveexpression of CYP1A1 and CYP1A2. In contrast, human hepaticmicrosomal fraction readily activates these heterocyclic aminesand this is associated with constitutive expression of CYP1A2.Treatment of cynomolgus monkey with 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin(TCDD) causes a very modest induction of CYP1A2, and a smallincrease in the activation of MeIQx and IQ. However, there wasmarked induction of CYP1A1 which was accompanied by > 10-foldincreases in PhIP activation and 7-ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase(EROD), 7-methoxyresorufin O-demethyiase (MROD) and aryl hydrocarbonhydroxylase activities. Following treatment of cynomolgus monkeywith 3-methylcholanthrene, induction of CYP1A1, but not CYP1A2,was evident. In untreated marmoset monkey the activations ofMeIQx and PhIP, as well as pbenacetin O-deethylase, EROD, MRODand aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase activities, are similar tothose in man, although the activations of IQ and coumarin 7-hydroxylaseactivity are lower than in man. The presence of constitutiveCYP1A2, and the absence of CYP1A1, in the liver of this speciescorrespond to the situation in man. Treatment of marmoset monkeywith TCDD results in increased CYP1A2 levels (4-fold), accompaniedby proportional increases in the activation of MeIQx and IQand phenacetui O-deethylase, EROD and MROD activities. The activationof PhIP is increased disproportionately, by 8-fold, most likelydue to the activity of CYP1A1 which is also induced by TCDDin this species. Overall, the hepatic metabolism of heterocyclicamines by CYP1A enzymes in the untreated marmoset monkey resemblesthat in human more closely than that in the cynomolgus monkey.Therefore, marmoset monkey may be a more suitable model thanthe cynomolgus monkey for carcinogenicity studies involvingMeIQx and PhIP, but not IQ     

GSTMI and NAT2 genotypes and urinary mutagens in coke oven workers

The influence of the metabolic genotypes GSTMI and NAT2 on theurinary excretion of mutagens in 46 coke oven workers (27 ofthem smokers) was studied. Exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAH) was estimated from urinary 1-pyrenol levels, which variedfrom 0.23 to 5.59 µmol/mol creatinine. Fourteen urinesamples (30.4%), all but one belonging to smokers, were positivefor mutagenic activity (i.e. at least one of the assayed doseswas able to double the number of spontaneous revertants). Nineof the urine-positive subjects were both GSTMI-null and NAT2-ss(64.3%), while the same combination of genotypes was found innine out of 31 urine-negative subjects (29.0%) (P < 0.05).Significantly more smoking workers with the genotype combinationGSTM1-null/NAT2-ss showed positive urine mutagenicity than theother subjects (75.0 versus 28.6%, P< 0.05). Smokers withthe slow acetylator genotype showed a significantly higher frequencyof positive urine samples than smoking fast acetylators (64.7versus 22.2%, P < 0.05). Our results suggest that smokingcoke oven workers with genotypes unfavourable for detoxificationof aromatic amines (NAT2-ss) and PAH (GSTM1-null) may have anincreased risk of developing bladder cancer.     

Intra- and interindividual variability in systemic exposure in humans to 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline and 2-amino-1-methyl- 6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine, carcinogens present in cooked beef.

During the cooking of beef, the genotoxic heterocyclic aromatic amines 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (MeIQx), 2-amino-3,4,8-trimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (DiMeIQx), and 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP) are formed. Little is known about the fate of these compounds in humans or the factors affecting it. We have developed assays based on capillary column gas chromatography-negative ion mass spectrometry capable of the simultaneous measurement of MeIQx, DiMeIQx, and PhIP in cooked meat and in human urine using stable isotope labeled analogues. Ten normal, healthy male volunteers were invited to consume a standard cooked meat meal (400-450 g lean beef, cooked as patties on a griddle hotplate) on four separate occasions over a period of 14 months. Following consumption of the test meals, urine was collected from 0 to 8 h, during which time all free amines were excreted and analyzed for MeIQx, DiMeIQx, and PhIP. Subjects ingested 240 +/- 9 (SEM) g cooked meat, which contained 2.2 +/- 0.2 ng MeIQx/g meat, 0.7 +/- 0.1 ng DiMeIQx/g meat, and 16.4 +/- 2.1 ng PhIP/g meat. The variability in relative systemic bioavailability was assessed from the percentage of ingested amine excreted unchanged in the urine. Subjects excreted 2.1 +/- 1.1% of MeIQx and 1.1 +/- 0.5% of PhIP ingested as unchanged amine in the urine. Levels of DiMeIQx in urine, if present, were below the sensitivity of our assay (20 pg/ml) and could not be detected in any of the samples analyzed. Irrespective of dose, urinary excretion of unchanged MeIQx or PhIP (expressed as a percentage of the ingested dose) remained constant for each individual subject. The intraindividual coefficients of variation for MeIQx (28.4%) and PhIP (23.7%) were low and the pooled interday (intrasubject) coefficients of variation for both compounds were only 19 and 3.4%, respectively. In contrast, inter-subject (intraday) variation was greater, with pooled coefficients of variation of 145% for MeIQx and 71% for PhIP. Based on these studies, it should be possible to use the percentage excretion of MeIQx and PhIP to assess the relative bioavailability of these compounds in humans.     

Effect of cooking temperature on the formation of heterocyclic amines in fried meat products and pan residues

Frequent consumers of meat have an increased risk of colorectalcancer and possibly also of breast, stomach, pancreas and urinarybladder cancer. Bacon, ‘Falusausage’, ground beef,meatballs, pork belly, pork chops and sliced beef account formore than one-third of the intake of fried meat of the populationof Stockholm of age 50–75. These dishes were fried atfour temperatures (150, 175, 200 and 225 °C) representingnormal household cooking practices in Stockholm. Heterocyclicamines in these dishes were analysed using solid-phase extractionand HPLC. The heterocyclic amines 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline(IQ), 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (MeIQx),2-amino-3,4,8-trimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (DiMeIQx) and2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]-pyridine (PhIP) wererecovered. The formation of IQ was favoured by moderate cookingtemperatures; IQ was detected in one meat sample cooked at 150°Cand in some pan residues. The yield of MeIQx, DiMeIQx and PhIPincreased with the temperature. For several of the meat dishes,the content of heterocyclic amines in the pan residue was aslarge or larger than for corresponding piece of meat. The highestlevels of MeIQx were 23.7 ng/g in the meat and 233 ng/g in thepan residue. Corresponding data for DiMeIQx were 2.7 and 4.1ng/g and for PhIP 12.7 and 82.4 ng/g. The study leaves littledoubt that mutagenic heterocyclic amines are ingested by thepopulation of Stockholm, and added to previous epidemiologicalstudies from the same area, the combined data are consistentwith human carcinogenicity of heterocyclic amines. However,analytical epidemiological studies are needed before any statementon causality can be made.     

Effect of cruciferous vegetable consumption on heterocyclic aromatic amine metabolism in man

The consumption of cooked meat appears to predispose individuals to colonic cancer and heterocyclic aromatic amines (HA), formed during the cooking of meat, have been suggested as aetiological agents. Consumption of cruciferous vegetables is thought to protect against cancer. To study the effect of cruciferous vegetables on heterocyclic aromatic amine metabolism in man, a three-period, dietary intervention study has been carried out with 20 non-smoking Caucasian male subjects consuming cooked meat meals containing known amounts of these carcinogens. A high cruciferous vegetable diet (250 g each of Brussels sprouts and broccoli per day) was maintained during period 2 but such vegetables were excluded from periods 1 and 3. At the end of each period, subjects consumed a cooked meat meal and urinary excretion of the HA 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo(4,5-f)quinoxaline (MeIQx) and 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo(4,5-b)pyridine (PhIP) was measured. Following a 12 day period of cruciferous vegetable consumption (period 2), induction of hepatic CYP1A2 activity was apparent from changes in the kinetics of caffeine metabolism. Excretion of MeIQx and PhIP in urine at the end of this period of the study was reduced by 23 and 21%, respectively, compared with period 1. This reduction in excretion is probably due to an increase in amine metabolism that might be expected given the observed increase in CYP1A2 activity, since this enzyme has been shown to be primarily responsible for the oxidative activation of MeIQx and PhIP in man. In period 2, urinary mutagenicity was increased relative to period 1 by 52 and 64% in the absence and presence, respectively, of a human liver microsomal activation system, yet no evidence was found of PhIP adduction to lymphocyte DNA, a potential biomarker of the activation process. After another 12 days without cruciferous vegetables (period 3 of the study), the kinetics of caffeine metabolism had returned to original values but excretion of MeIQx and PhIP was still reduced by 17 and 30%, respectively, and urinary mutagenicity (with metabolic activation) was still elevated compared with period 1. This prolonged response of amine metabolism to the cruciferous vegetable diet, shown especially with PhIP, suggests that enzyme systems other than CYP1A2 are involved and affected by a cruciferous vegetable diet.     

Meat intake and bladder cancer in a prospective study: a role for heterocyclic aromatic amines?

BACKGROUND: The suspect carcinogens, heterocyclic amines (HAAs), found in well-done meat require host-mediated metabolic activation before inducing DNA mutations. The role of SULT1A1 and of NAT2 on the activation of HAAs suggests that NAT2 rapid acetylator genotype and SULT1A1 allele variants can have an effect on HAA carcinogenicity. METHODS: Data were collected as part of a case-control study nested within the EPIC cohort, the Gen Air investigation. EPIC is a prospective study designed to investigate the relationship between nutrition and cancer. Information was collected through a non-dietary questionnaire on lifestyle variables and through a dietary questionnaire. The subjects were restricted to non-smokers. We calculated the matched odds ratio for bladder cancer risk using logistic regression, controlling for potential confounders. RESULTS: There were 227 bladder cases and 612 controls matched 1:3. Meat intake and NAT2 genotype were not independently associated with bladder cancer risk. A significant relationship was observed between bladder cancer risk and consumption of meat only among subjects with the rapid NAT2 genotype (odds ratios [OR] 2.9, 95% CI 1.0-7.9 for the 2nd quartile of meat intake; 3.6, 95% CI 1.3-9.7 for the 3rd quartile; and 3.5, 95% CI 1.2-9.7 for the 4th quartile), and was not present among subjects with the slow genotype. An interaction between NAT2 and meat intake was found in logistic regression (P = 0.034). No association was observed for SULT1A *1/2 genotype (1.0; 95% CI 0.7-1.5) and for SULT1A1 *2/2 genotype (0.9; 95% CI 0.5-1.7). CONCLUSIONS: These results are suggestive of a role of meat intake and NAT2 on bladder cancer risk. They support the hypothesis that among subjects with the rapid NAT2 acetylation genotype higher levels of HAAs exposure are a bladder cancer risk factor. We did not observe an effect of SULT1A1 allele variants on this cancer. The present study adds new information on the possible long-term adverse effects of diets with high meat intake.     

Recombinant rat and hamster N-acetyltransferases-1 and -2: relative rates of N-acetylation of arylamines and N,O-acyltransfer with arylhydroxamic acids

Genes for the 290 amino acid, 33–34 kDa cytosolic acetyltransferases(NAT1^* and NAT2^*) from rat and hamster were cloned and expressedin Escherichia coli. Active clones were selected by a simplevisual test for their ability to decolorize 4-aminoazobenzenein bacterial medium by acetylation. These recombinant acetyltransferaseswere analyzed for: (i) N-acetyltransferase, which was assayedby the rate of acetyl coenzyme A-dependent N-acetylation of2-aminofluorene (2-AF) or 4-aminoazobenzene (AAB); (ii) arylhydroxamicacid acyltransferase, assayed by N, O-acyltransfer with N-hydroxy-N-acetyl-2-aminofluorene.Both NAT2s showed first order increases in N-acetylation rateswith increasing 2-AF or AAB concentrations between 5 and 100µM, with apparent K_m values of 22–32 and 62–138µM respectively. Although under the same conditions theN-acetylation rates for the two NAT1s declined by >50%, below5 µM 2-AF or AAB, the NAT rate data fit Michaelis-MentenKinetics, and the apparent K_m values were 0.2–0.9 µM.For N, O-acetyltransferase, the apparent K_m values of the NAT1swere 6 µM, while the K_m values of the NAT2s were 20- to70-fold higher. SDS-PAGE/Western blot analysis of the recombinantacetyltransferases gave apparent relative molecular weights(MW_r) of 31 kDa for both NAT1s and rat NAT2 and 29 kDa for hamsterNAT2. Comparable MW_r values were observed for native hamsterliver NAT1 and NAT2 and for rat NAT1 under the same conditions.Although we did not detect NAT2-like activity in rat liver cytosolpreviously, the present data show that the rat NAT2^* gene doescode for a functional acetyltransferase, with properties similarto those of hamster liver NAT2. The data also indicate thatat low substrate concentrations, NAT1 would apparently playthe predominant role in vivo in N-acetylation and N, O-acyltransferof aromatic amine derivatives, including their metabolic activationto DNA-reactive agents.     

Excretion of the N(2)-glucuronide conjugate of 2-hydroxyamino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine in urine and its relationship to CYP1A2 and NAT2 activity levels in humans

2-Amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP) is a mutagenic and carcinogenic heterocyclic aromatic amine formed in meat products during cooking. The genotoxity of PhIP requires an initial cytochrome P450-mediated N-oxidation followed by N-O-esterification catalyzed generally by N-acetyltransferases and sulfotransferases. This study examined the urinary excretion of N(2)-(beta-1-glucos-iduronyl)-2-hydroxyamino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine-the major human urinary N-oxidation metabolite of PhIP-and determined its relationship to individual activity levels of cytochrome P4501A2 (CYP1A2) and N-acetyltransferase (NAT2). The subjects (33 males and 33 females) in the dietary study were phenotyped for their CYP1A2 and NAT2 activity prior to consumption of meat-based diet, and urine collections were obtained 0-12 and 12-24 h after ingestion of the meal. Acidic hydrolysis of N(2)-(beta-1-glucosiduronyl)-2-hydroxyamino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine and its d(3)-analog to form their respective deaminated products 2-hydroxy-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (2-OH-PhIP) was used in the assay. The products after derivatization were analyzed by capillary gas chromatography-negative ion chemical ionization mass spectrometry with selective ion monitoring. The amount of N(2)-(beta-1-glucosiduronyl)-2-hydroxyamino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine measured as the acid hydrolysis product 2-OH-PhIP in the 0-12 h urine was 20.2 +/- 8.0% (mean +/- SD) of the ingested dose; the median was 18.8% and the range varied from 5.4 to 39.6% within the group. In a subset (n = 18) of samples from individual urine collected from the 12-24 h period, an average value of 4.4 +/- 2.5% (+/- SD) of the dose was recovered. The excretion of N(2)-(beta-1-glucosiduronyl)-2-hydroxyamino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine in the 0-12 h urine was significantly related to the quantity of PhIP ingested for all subjects (r = 0.52, P <0.0001). Linear regression analysis of the relationship between the excretion level of N(2)-(beta-1-glucosiduronyl)-2-hydroxyamino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine, adjusted for meat intake and CYP1A2 activity in the combined group of males and females showed a low association (r = 0.25, P = 0.05). There was no association between the amount of N(2)-(beta-1-glucosiduronyl)-2-hydroxyamino-1-methyl-6-phenylimid-azo[4,5-b]pyridine in urine and NAT2 activity levels of the subjects nor with the age of the subjects. N(2)-(beta-1-glucosi-duronyl)-2-hydroxyamino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine comprised a significant proportion of the ingested dose in some individuals; however, considerable variation was found within the group. The results indicate that interindividual differences in the rates of N-oxidation of 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine, as well as phase II glucuronidation reactions regulate the formation of this metabolite in humans.     

ACCELERATED PAPER: Lack of association between the polyadenylation polymorphism in the NATl (acetyltransferase 1) gene and colorectal adenomas

Smoking and a high intake of red meat are risk factors for colorectaltumors. These effects could be due to aromatic amine carcinogens.Individual susceptibility to aromatic amines has been relatedto acetylation phenotype, which plays a role in the bioactivationof arylamines. Polymorphisms in both N-acetyltransferase genes,NAT1 and NAT2, have been associated with an increased risk ofcolorectal tumors. We studied the NATl*10 fast acetylator allele(1088 T     

An efficient and convenient method for the purification of mutagenic heterocyclic amines in heated meat products

A simple and efficient method for the purification of mutagenicheterocyclic amines from heated meat products has been developed.In only two steps, namely extraction of raw material on Kieselgurfollowed by medium pressure liquid chromatography on SephasorbHP, very clean fractions with high recovery rates of mutageniccompounds were obtained, thus allowing isolation and quantitationby high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with UV detection.The method was validated on both food grade and bacterial beefextracts as well as fried beef. In 1–5 gsamples of beefextracts, levels up to 70 p.p.b. (ng/g) of 2-amino-3-methyl-imidazo[4,5-f]quinoline(IQ), 8–90 p.p.b. of 2-amino-3, 8-di-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (MeIQx) and up to 8 p.p.b. of 2-amino-3, 4,8-trimethylimidazo[4, 5-f]quinoxaline (4, 8-DiMeIQx) were determined.In fried beef, 1p.p.b. of 2-amino-1-methyl-6phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine(PhIP) and 1 p.p.b. of MeIQx were measured. Thequantitative results of beef samples were in agreement withresults from determinations using immunoaffinity chromatography/HPLCor liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. MeIQxcould be quantified in fried beef down to 1ng/g of fresh beefmaterial. According to assays performed with reference standardsof tryptophan and glutamic acid pyrolysis products, the methodcould also be extented to quantitate other heterocyclic amines.