Reactivation of mutant p53 by a dietary-related compound phenethyl isothiocyanate inhibits tumor growth.

Mutations in the p53 tumor-suppressor gene are prevalent in human cancers. The majority of p53 mutations are missense, which can be classified into contact mutations (that directly disrupts the DNA-binding activity of p53) and structural mutations (that disrupts the conformation of p53). Both of the mutations can disable the normal wild-type (WT) p53 activities. Nevertheless, it has been amply documented that small molecules can rescue activity from mutant p53 by restoring WT tumor-suppressive functions. These compounds hold promise for cancer therapy and have now entered clinical trials. In this study, we show that cruciferous-vegetable-derived phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC) can reactivate p53 mutant under in vitro and in vivo conditions, revealing a new mechanism of action for a dietary-related compound. PEITC exhibits growth-inhibitory activity in cells expressing p53 mutants with preferential activity toward p53(R175), one of the most frequent 'hotspot' mutations within the p53 sequence. Mechanistic studies revealed that PEITC induces apoptosis in a p53(R175) mutant-dependent manner by restoring p53 WT conformation and transactivation functions. Accordingly, in PEITC-treated cells the reactivated p53(R175) mutant induces apoptosis by activating canonical WT p53 targets, inducing a delay in S and G2/M phase, and by phosphorylating ATM/CHK2. Interestingly, the growth-inhibitory effects of PEITC depend on the redox state of the cell. Further, PEITC treatments render the p53(R175) mutant sensitive to degradation by the proteasome and autophagy in a concentration-dependent manner. PEITC-induced reactivation of p53(R175) and its subsequent sensitivity to the degradation pathways likely contribute to its anticancer activities. We further show that dietary supplementation of PEITC is able to reactivate WT activity in vivo as well, inhibiting tumor growth in xenograft mouse model. These findings provide the first example of mutant p53 reactivation by a dietary compound and have important implications for cancer prevention and therapy.

Sulforaphane and its metabolite mediate growth arrest and apoptosis in human prostate cancer cells.

The relation between the consumption of cruciferous vegetables and reduced prostate cancer occurrence has been documented, although the responsible phytochemicals are unknown. The effects of sulforaphane (SFN) which occurs as the precursor glucosinolate in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables, and its metabolite N-acetylcysteine conjugate (SFN-NAC) on prostate cancer cells were investigated. SFN and SFN-NAC were analyzed with the androgen-dependent human prostate cancer LNCaP cell line model. Cell growth and apoptosis were determined with the expression of androgen receptor and prostate specific antigen, DNA synthesis, cell cycle progression, DNA strand breaks and caspase activation to ascertain the effects and mechanism. SFN and SFN-NAC were demonstrated for the first time to mediate a dose-dependent apoptosis and growth arrest in the prostate cancer cells. Caspases were activated and DNA strand breaks were detected in apoptotic cells. The expression of phosphorylated and dephosphorylated androgen receptors, and the production of prostate specific antigen were attenuated. The expression of cyclin D1 and DNA synthesis were inhibited along with G1 cell cycle block, causing decreased cell density and growth. SFN and its metabolite SFN-NAC have similar activities to induce growth arrest and apoptosis, indicating that the effects of SFN are maintained through the metabolic processes. SFN as a dietary component of cruciferous vegetables active in the prevention of prostate cancer is discussed.

Decomposition rates of isothiocyanate conjugates determine their activity as inhibitors of cytochrome p450 enzymes.

Thiol conjugates of isothiocyanates (thiol-ITCs) are metabolites of ITCs formed in the mercapturic acid pathway in mammals. They are effective chemopreventive agents in mouse lung tumor bioassays and in other models. Thiol-ITCs are inhibitors of P450s, but it has not been determined if P450 inhibition is due to conjugates themselves or to parent ITCs released by deconjugation reactions. In studies of mechanism of chemopreventive action of thiol-ITCs, rates of deconjugation of Cys, GSH, and N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) conjugates of benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC), phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC), 6-phenylhexyl isothiocyanate (PHITC), and sulforaphane (SFN), expressed as the first-order rate constant k(1) and the half-life of decomposition Dt(1/2), were measured in aqueous solutions at pH 7.4 and 37 degrees. The Dt(1/2)s for the Cys conjugates were severalfold shorter than the Dt(1/2)s for respective GSH conjugates, while the Dt(1/2)s for the NAC conjugates were the longest. Cleavage of thiol conjugates was pH dependent, much slower under acidic conditions than at pH 7.4. Inhibition of P450 enzymes by thiol-ITCs was followed using PROD (pentoxyresorufin O-dealkylation) for P450 2B1 and EROD (ethoxyresorufin O-dealkylation) for P450 1A1. The inhibition of PROD and EROD by aqueous thiol-ITCs increased with preincubation time and was roughly parallel to the extent of decomposition of the conjugate that had occurred, indicating that both potency of the respective parent ITC and the rate of reductive cleavage of the conjugate influenced enzyme inhibition. In the presence of 250-1000 microM GSH, comparable to physiological levels, rates of deconjugation of thiol-ITCs were markedly reduced; inhibition of PROD was also proportionately reduced. Slow rates of decomposition of thiol-ITCs anticipated in plasma and tissues suggests that inhibition of P450 enzymes involved in carcinogen activation by ITCs released from thiol-ITCs may not be a principal mechanism for their tumor inhibitory activity; other mechanisms probably contribute to their chemopreventive activity.

High-performance liquid chromatography-based determination of total isothiocyanate levels in human plasma: application to studies with 2-phenethyl isothiocyanate.

Dietary and pharmacologic isothiocyanates (ITCs) may play a role in reducing the risk of certain cancers. The quantification of ITCs in humans is important both for epidemiological and pharmacokinetic studies. We describe a modification of an HPLC-based assay of urinary ITCs for use with human plasma. The assay utilizes the cyclocondensation reaction of 1,2-benzenedithiol with ITCs present in human plasma, followed by a two-step hexane extraction and analysis by HPLC using UV detection at 365 nm. The method shows linearity and reproducibility with human plasma over a range of 49-3003 nM phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC) (r(2) = 0.996 +/- 0.003). A similar degree of linearity was seen with two other biologically occurring conjugates of PEITC: PEITC--N-acetylcysteine (PEITC--NAC) and PEITC--glutathione (PEITC--GSH). The recovery of PEITC assessed on multiple days was 96.6 +/- 1.5% and was 100% for PEITC--GSH and PEITC--NAC. The reproducibility of the assay on multiday samplings showed a mean %CV of 6.5 +/- 0.3% for PEITC, 6.4 +/- 4.3 for PEITC--NAC and 12.3 +/- 3.9 for PEITC--GSH. In clinical studies, mean plasma ITC level of 413 +/- 193 nM PEITC equivalents was determined for a non-dietary-controlled group of 23 subjects. Multiday analysis data from pharmacokinetic plasma sets of 3 subjects taking a single dose of PEITC at 40 mg showed a good CV (range: 16-21%). The applicability of the methodology to pharmacokinetic studies of PEITC in humans is demonstrated.

Differential effects of naturally occurring isothiocyanates on the activities of cytochrome P450 2E1 and the mutant P450 2E1 T303A.

The effects of benzyl (BITC) and phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC) on the activity of a P450 2E1 mutant where the conserved threonine at position 303 was replaced with an alanine residue (P450 2E1 T303A) were examined. PEITC inactivated the mutant enzyme with a K(I) of 1.6 microM. PEITC also inactivated the wild-type P450 2E1 as efficiently with a K(I) of 2.7 microM. The inactivation was entirely dependent on NADPH and followed pseudo-first-order kinetics. Previously we reported the mechanism-based inactivation of wild-type P450 2E1 by BITC with a K(I) of 13 microM. In contrast to the wild-type enzyme, the P450 2E1 T303A mutant was not inactivated by BITC but it was inhibited in a competitive manner with a K(i) of 3 microM. The binding constants determined by spectral binding studies were similar for both enzymes. The binding of BITC produced characteristic Type I spectral changes in the wild-type and mutant enzyme. A radiolabeled BITC metabolite bound to P450 2E1 and to P450 2E1 T303A when both enzymes were incubated with [(14)C]BITC and NADPH. Whole protein electrospray ion trap mass spectrometry indicated that a mass consistent with one molecule of benzylisocyanate and oxygen was adducted to the wild-type enzyme. The mass adducted to the T303A mutant was consistent with the addition of one hydroxylated BITC or of one benzylisocyanate moiety and one sulfur molecule. Analysis of the metabolites of BITC indicated that each enzyme produced similar metabolites but that the mutant enzyme generated significantly higher amounts of benzaldehyde and benzoic acid when compared to the wild-type enzyme.

1,N(2)-propanodeoxyguanosine adduct formation in aortic DNA following inhalation of acrolein.

Recent reports indicate that many of the cytotoxic and health-threatening components of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) reside in the vapor phase of the smoke. We have reported previously that inhalation of 1,3-butadiene, a prominent vapor phase component of ETS, accelerates arteriosclerotic plaque development in cockerels. In this study we asked whether inhaled acrolein, a reactive aldehyde that is also a prominent vapor-phase component of ETS, damages artery-wall DNA and accelerates plaque development. Cockerels inhaled 0, 1, or 10 ppm acrolein mixed with HEPA-filtered air for 6 hr. Half were killed immediately (day 1 group) for detection of the stable, premutagenic 1,N(2)-propanodeoxyguanosine acrolein adduct (AdG3) in aortic DNA via a (32)P-postlabeling/HPLC method, and half were killed after 10 days (day 10 group) for indirect assessment of adduct repair. In the day 1 group, acrolein-DNA adducts were 5 times higher in the 1 and 10 ppm groups than in HEPA-filtered air controls. However, in the day 10 group, adduct levels in the 1 and 10 ppm acrolein groups were reduced to the control adduct level. For the plaque studies, cockerels inhaled 1 ppm acrolein (6 hr/day, 8 weeks), mixed with the same HEPA-filtered air inhaled by controls. Plaque development was measured blind by computerized morphometry. Unlike butadiene inhalation, acrolein inhalation did not accelerate plaque development. Thus, even though repeated exposure to acrolein alone has no effect on plaque size under the exposure conditions described here, a single, brief inhalation exposure to acrolein elicits repairable DNA damage to the artery wall. These results suggest that frequent exposure to ETS may lead to persistent artery-wall DNA damage and thus provide sites on which other ETS plaque accelerants can act.

Synthesis of (-)-[4-3H]epigallocatechin gallate and its metabolic fate in rats after intravenous administration.

Because a great deal of attention has been focused on the metabolism of (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg), quantitative analysis of this compound is required. For this purpose we developed a method of chemical synthesis of [4-(3)H]EGCg. Synthesized [4-(3)H]EGCg showed 99.5% radiochemical purity and a specific activity of 13 Ci/mmol. To clarify the excretion route of EGCg, the radioactivity levels of bile and urine were quantified after intravenous administration of [4-(3)H]EGCg to bile-duct-cannulated rats. Results showed that the radioactivity of the bile sample excreted within 48 h accounted for 77.0% of the dose, whereas only 2.0% of the dose was recovered in the urine. The excretion ratio of bile to urine was calculated to be about 97:3. These results clearly showed that bile was the major excretion route of EGCg. Time-course analysis of the radioactivity in blood was also performed to estimate the pharmacokinetic parameters following intravenous administration of [4-(3)H]EGCg. In addition, EGCg metabolites excreted in the bile within 4 h after the intravenous dose of [4-(3)H]EGCg were analyzed by HPLC. The results showed that 4',4"-di-O-methyl-EGCg was present in the conjugated form and made up about 14.7% of the administered radioactivity.

Isothiocyanates, glutathione S-transferase M1 and T1 polymorphisms, and lung-cancer risk: a prospective study of men in Shanghai, China.

BACKGROUND: Dietary isothiocyanates inhibit lung carcinogenesis in laboratory animals but human data are limited. Glutathione S-transferases M1 and T1 (GSTM1 and GSTT1) conjugate isothiocyanates leading to more rapid elimination. Common deletion polymorphisms of GSTM1 and GSTT1 abolish enzyme activity. We hypothesised that chemopreventive effects of isothiocyanates might be heightened when enzymes that enhance their elimination are lacking. METHODS: We examined the relation between total isothiocyanate concentrations in urine, collected before diagnosis, and the subsequent risk of lung cancer among 232 incident cases of lung cancer and 710 matched controls from a cohort of 18,244 men in Shanghai, China, followed from 1986 to 1997. Homozygous deletion of the GSTM1 and GSTT1 genes were determined by PCR. FINDINGS: Individuals with detectable isothiocyanates in the urine were at decreased risk of lung cancer (smoking-adjusted relative risk for lung cancer=0.65 [95% CI 0.43-0.97]). This protective effect of isothiocyanates was seen primarily among individuals with homozygous deletion of GSTM1 (0.36 [0.20-0.63]) and particularly with deletion of both GSTM1 and GSTT1 (0.28 [0.13-0.57]). INTERPRETATION: Isothiocyanates appeared to reduce lung-cancer risk in this cohort of Chinese men. Reduction in risk was strongest among persons genetically deficient in enzymes that rapidly eliminate these chemopreventive compounds.

Deoxyguanosine adducts of t-4-hydroxy-2-nonenal are endogenous DNA lesions in rodents and humans: detection and potential sources.

t-4-Hydroxy-2-nonenal (HNE) is a free radical-mediated oxidation product of polyunsaturated fatty acids. As an electrophile, HNE readily binds to proteins and yields diastereomeric cyclic 1,N2-propano adducts with deoxyguanosine (dG). Here, we report the detection and identification of the HNE-derived cyclic 1,N2-propano-dG adducts as endogenous DNA lesions in tissues of untreated rats and humans using a highly sensitive 32P-postlabeling method in conjunction with high-performance liquid chromatography. These adducts were first verified by their comigration with the synthetic UV standards of HNE-dG adducts. Subsequently, their identities were unequivocally established by two independent reactions. An approximately 37-fold increase in the levels of HNE-dG adducts was observed in the liver DNA of F344 rats after treatment with CCl4, suggesting that tissue lipid peroxidation is a likely source of their formation. Our studies in vitro further indicate that omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids are likely a unique class of fatty acids involved in HNE-dG adduct formation.

Chemoprevention of colonic aberrant crypt foci in Fischer rats by sulforaphane and phenethyl isothiocyanate.

Epidemiological studies have linked consumption of broccoli to a reduced risk of colon cancer in individuals with the glutathione S-transferase M1 (GSTM1) null genotype. GSTs are involved in excretion and elimination of isothiocyanates (ITCs), which are major constituents of broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables and have cancer chemopreventive potential, so it is speculated that ITCs may play a role in protection against human colon cancer. However, there is a lack of data from animal studies to support this. We carried out a bioassay to examine whether sulforaphane (SFN) and phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC), major ITCs in broccoli and watercress, respectively, and their corresponding N:-acetylcysteine (NAC) conjugates, show any chemopreventive activity towards azoxymethane (AOM)-induced colonic aberrant crypt foci (ACF) in F344 rats. Groups of six male F344 rats were treated with AOM subcutaneously (15 mg/kg body wt) once weekly for 2 weeks. SFN and PEITC and their NAC conjugates were administered by gavage either three times weekly for 8 weeks (5 and 20 micromol, respectively) after AOM dosing (post-initiation stage) or once daily for 3 days (20 and 50 micromol, respectively) before AOM treatment (initiation stage). The bioassay was terminated on week 10 after the second AOM dosing and ACF were quantified. SFN, SFN-NAC, PEITC and PEITC-NAC all significantly reduced the formation of total ACF from 153 to 100-116 (P < 0.01) and multicrypt foci from 52 to 27-38 (more than four crypts/focus; P < 0.05) during the post-initiation treatment. However, only SFN and PEITC were effective during the initiation phase, reducing the total ACF from 153 to 109-115 (P < 0.01) and multicrypt foci from 52 to 35 (more than four crypts/focus; P < 0.05). The NAC conjugates were inactive as anti-initiators against AOM-induced ACF. These findings provide important laboratory evidence for a potential role of SFN and PEITC in the protection against colon cancer.

Disposition of glucosinolates and sulforaphane in humans after ingestion of steamed and fresh broccoli.

The cancer-chemopreventive effects of broccoli may be attributed, in part, to isothiocyanates (ITCs), hydrolysis products of glucosinolates. Glucosinolates are hydrolyzed to their respective ITCs by the enzyme myrosinase, which is inactivated by heat. In this study, the metabolic fate of glucosinolates after ingestion of steamed and fresh broccoli was compared in 12 male subjects in a crossover design. During each 48-hour baseline period, no foods containing glucosinolates or ITCs were allowed. The subjects then consumed 200 g of fresh or steamed broccoli; all other dietary sources of ITCs were excluded. Blood and urine samples were collected during the 24-hour period after broccoli consumption. Total ITC equivalents in broccoli and total ITC equivalents in plasma and urine were assayed by high-performance liquid chromatography as the cyclocondensation product of 1,2-benzenedithiol. The content of ITCs in fresh and steamed broccoli after myrosinase treatment was found to be virtually identical (1.1 vs. 1.0 micromol/g wet wt). The average 24-hour urinary excretion of ITC equivalents amounted to 32.3 +/- 12.7% and 10.2 +/- 5.9% of the amounts ingested for fresh and steamed broccoli, respectively. Approximately 40% of total ITC equivalents in urine, 25.8 +/- 13.9 and 6.9 +/- 2.5 micromol for fresh and steamed broccoli, respectively, occurred as the N-acetyl-L-cysteine conjugate of sulforaphane (SFN-NAC). Total ITC metabolites in plasma peaked between 0 and 8 hours, whereas urinary excretion of total ITC equivalents and SFN-NAC occurred primarily between 2 and 12 hours. Results of this study indicate that the bioavailability of ITCs from fresh broccoli is approximately three times greater than that from cooked broccoli, in which myrosinase is inactivated. Considering the cancer-chemopreventive potential of ITCs, cooking broccoli may markedly reduce its beneficial effects on health.

Detection and quantification of 1,N(6)-ethenoadenine in human placental DNA by mass spectrometry.

Exocyclic DNA adducts have been reported to derive from various exogenous as well as endogenous sources, such as lipid peroxidation. Among them, 1,N(6)-ethenoadenine (epsilonAde) has previously been detected in tissue DNA of untreated rodents and humans by an immunoaffinity/(32)P-postlabeling method. This study reports detection and quantification of the endogenous epsilonAde adduct in the same human placental DNA by three independent assays, namely, GC/MS, LC/MS, and HPLC/fluorescence. Using a recently reported gas chromatography/negative ion chemical ionization/mass spectrometry (GC/NICI/MS) method [Chen, H.-J. C., et al. (1998) Chem. Res. Toxicol. 11, 1474], the level of epsilonAde in human placental DNA from a commercial source was found to be 2.3 adducts per 10(6) Ade bases. To confirm these findings, a liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC/ESI/MS/MS) method was developed for epsilondAdo. With this LC/MS assay, epsilondAdo was detected at the level of 2.5 adducts per 10(6) dAdo nucleosides in the same human placental DNA. The stable isotopes of epsilonAde and epsilondAdo were added as internal standards in both GC/MS and LC/ESI/MS/MS assays, respectively, and thus provided high specificity, reproducibility, and accurate quantification. The relatively high levels of epsilonAde in this human placental DNA detected by mass spectrometry were further verified by HPLC/fluorescence analysis. The GC/MS method was validated by the HPLC/fluorescence assay using calf thymus DNA treated with chloroacetaldehyde or by the LC/MS method with 2, 3-epoxy-4-hydroxynonanal-modified calf thymus DNA. The epsilonAde level in human placental DNA freshly isolated in the presence of an antioxidant was similar to that in DNA from the commercial source. Since epsilonAde is a potential mutagenic lesion, analysis of epsilonAde by the specific and sensitive GC/NICI/MS method may provide a useful biomarker in cancer risk assessment.

Conversion of glucosinolates to isothiocyanates in humans after ingestion of cooked watercress.

Isothiocyanates (ITCs), major constituents of cruciferous vegetables, can inhibit tumorigenesis in rodents by modulating the metabolism of carcinogens. ITCs that occur as glucosinolates are released by myrosinase-mediated hydrolysis when raw vegetables are chopped or chewed. However, because cruciferous vegetables are commonly consumed by humans after being cooked, it is important to examine whether dietary glucosinolates are converted to ITCs after cooked cruciferous vegetables in which myrosinase is deactivated have been consumed. This information is useful for evaluating the potential role of ITCs in cruciferous vegetables in the protection against human cancers. A urinary marker, based on a cyclocondensation product formed by the reaction of ITCs and their conjugates with 1,2-benzenedithiol, was used to quantify the uptake of dietary ITCs in humans. At breakfast and lunch, nine volunteers consumed a total of 350 g of cooked watercress in which the myrosinase activity was completely deactivated. On the basis of the analysis of ITCs in the cooked watercress upon adding exogenous myrosinase, the amount of glucosinolates ingested by each subject was estimated to be 475 micromol. The 24-h urine samples showed that the total urinary excretion of ITC conjugates in the subjects ranged from 5.6 to 34.8 micromol, corresponding to 1.2-7.3% of the total amount ingested. On the basis of our previous results that approximately 50% of dietary ITCs were excreted in the urine as conjugates, these values represent the minimal in vivo conversion of glucosinolates to ITCs. For purposes of comparison, we carried out a second experiment in which 150 g of uncooked watercress were consumed. The percentage of urinary ITC conjugates excreted in this study ranged from 17.2 to 77.7% of the total ingested ITCs. These results indicate that glucosinolates are converted to ITCs in humans after ingestion of cooked watercress, in which the myrosinase has been completely inactivated. The extent of conversion, however, is considerably less than that after ingesting uncooked vegetables. Furthermore, upon incubation of the cooked watercress juice with fresh human feces under anaerobic conditions, approximately 18% of glucosinolates was hydrolyzed to ITCs in 2 h. These results suggest that the microflora in the intestinal tract are a likely source for the hydrolysis of glucosinolates to ITCs in humans.

The prevention of lung cancer induced by a tobacco-specific carcinogen in rodents by green and black Tea.

A growing body of evidence from studies in laboratory animals indicates that green tea protects against cancer development at various organ sites. We have previously shown that green tea, administered as drinking water, inhibits lung tumor development in A/J mice treated with 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-l-butanone (NNK), a potent nicotine-derived lung carcinogen found in tobacco. The inhibitory effect of green tea has been attributed to its major polyphenolic compound, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), and, to a lesser extent, to caffeine. We have also demonstrated that while levels of O6-methylguanine, a critical lesion in NNK lung tumorigenesis, were not affected in lung DNA. However, the levels of 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OH-dG), a marker of oxidative DNA damage, were significantly suppressed in mice treated with green tea or EGCG. These studies underscore the importance of the antioxidant activity of green tea and EGCG for their inhibitory activity against lung tumorigenesis. Unlike green tea, the effect of black tea on carcinogenesis has been scarcely studied, even though the worldwide production and consumption of black tea far exceeds that of green tea. The oxidation products found in black tea, thearubigins and theaflavins, also possess antioxidant activity, suggesting that black tea may also inhibit NNK-induced lung tumorigenesis. Indeed, bioassays in A/J mice have shown that black tea given as drinking water retarded the development of lung cancer caused by NNK. However, data on the relationship of black tea consumption with the lung cancer risk in humans are limited and inconclusive. There is a need for additional tumor bioassays in animal models to better examine the protective role of black tea against lung cancer. The development of adenocarcinomas and adenosquamous carcinomas in F344 rats upon chronic administration of NNK provides an important and relevant model for lung carcinogenesis in smokers. Thus far, no information was previously available regarding the effects of tea on this model. We conducted a 2-year lifetime bioassay in F344 rats to determine whether black tea and caffeine are protective against lung tumorigenesis induced by NNK. Our studies in both mice and rats have generated important new data that support green and black tea and caffeine as potential preventive agents against lung cancer, suggesting that a closer examination of the roles of tea and caffeine on lung cancer in smokers may be warranted.

Endogenous formation and significance of 1,N2-propanodeoxyguanosine adducts.

The detection of 1,N2-propanodeoxyguanosine adducts in the DNA of rodent and human tissues as endogenous lesions has raised important questions regarding the source of their formation and their roles in carcinogenesis. Both in vitro and in vivo studies have generated substantial evidence which supports the involvement of short- and long-chain enals derived from oxidized polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in their formation. These studies show that: (1) the cyclic propano adducts are common products from reactions of enals with DNA bases; (2) they are formed specifically from linoleic acid (LA; omega-6) and docosahexaenoic acid (omega-3) under in vitro stimulated lipid peroxidation conditions; (3) the levels of propano adducts are dramatically increased in rat liver DNA upon depletion of glutathione; (4) the adduct levels are increased in the liver DNA of the CCl4-treated rats and the mutant strain of Long Evans rats which are genetically predisposed to increased lipid peroxidation; and (5) adduct levels are significantly higher in older rats than in newborn rats. These studies collectively demonstrate that tissue lipid peroxidation is a main endogenous pathway leading to propano adduction in DNA. The possible contribution from environmental sources, however, cannot be completely excluded. The mutagenicity of enals and the mutations observed in site-specific mutagenesis studies using a model 1,N2-propanodeoxyguanosine adduct suggest that these adducts are potential promutagenic lesions. The increased levels of the propano adducts in the tissue of carcinogen-treated animals also provide suggestive evidence for their roles in carcinogenesis. The involvement of these adducts in tumor promotion is speculated on the basis that oxidative condition in tissues is believed to be associated with this process.

Disposition and pharmacokinetics of phenethyl isothiocyanate and 6-phenylhexyl isothiocyanate in F344 rats.

Naturally occurring phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC) and its synthetic homolog 6-phenylhexyl isothiocyanate (PHITC) are both effective inhibitors of 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone-induced lung tumor development in A/J mice and F344 rats. To help explain why PHITC is considerably more efficacious than PEITC in chemopreventive potency, comparative disposition and pharmacokinetics data for male F344 rats were obtained after a single gavage dose of 50 micromol/kg (3.71 microCi/micromol) [14C]PEITC or 50 micromol/kg (6.59 microCi/micromol) [14C]PHITC in corn oil. After [14C]PEITC dosing, whole blood 14C peaked at 2.9 h, with an elimination half-life (T1/2e) of 21.7 h; blood 14C from [14C]PHITC-treated rats peaked at 8.9 h, with an T1/2e of 20.5 h. In lungs, the target organ, the T1/2e for [14C]PHITC and its labeled metabolites were more than twice that for [14C]PEITC and its labeled metabolites. The effective dose (area under the concentration-time curve) for 14C from PHITC was greater than 2.5 times the area under the concentration-time curve of 14C from PEITC in liver, lungs, and several other tissues. During 48 h, approximately 16.5% of the administered dose of [14C]PHITC was expired as [14C]CO2, more than 100 times the [14C]CO2 expired by rats treated with [14C]PEITC. In rats given [14C]PEITC, 88.7 +/- 2.2% and 9.9 +/- 1.9% of the dose appeared in the urine and feces, respectively, during 48 h; however, rats given [14C]PHITC excreted 7.2 +/- 0.8% of the dose of 14C in urine and 47.4 +/- 14.0% in the feces. Higher effective doses of PHITC in the lungs and other organs may be the basis, in part, for its greater potency as a chemopreventive agent.

Role of 1,N2-propanodeoxyguanosine adducts as endogenous DNA lesions in rodents and humans.

Results obtained in a number of studies in vitro and in vivo support the hypothesis that short- and long-chain enals and their epoxides derived from oxidized polyunsaturated fatty acids are potential endogenous sources of cyclic propano and etheno DNA adducts. We previously reviewed the evidence from some of these studies. Here, we describe the results of our more recent studies on the role of 1,N2-propanodeoxyguanosine adducts as endogenous DNA lesions. These studies include: the detection of distinct patterns of such adducts in various tissues of different species; the detection of long-chain trans-4-hydroxynonenal-derived deoxyguanosine adducts in vivo; the specificity of the formation of enal-derived propano adducts from omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids; and the detection of acrolein- and crotonaldehyde-derived adducts in human oral tissue DNA and their increased levels in smokers. Taken together, these studies further strengthen the hypothesis that enals produced by lipid peroxidation are the primary source for cyclic propano adducts in vivo, but these results cannot rule out the possible contribution of environmental and other sources. The mutagenicity of enals and their epoxides and the results of site-specific mutagenesis studies indicate that the cyclic adducts are potential promutagenic lesions; however, only circumstantial evidence is currently available for their role in carcinogenesis.

32P-postlabelling with high-performance liquid chromatography for analysis of abundant DNA adducts in human tissues.

Abundant complex DNA adducts can be detected in human tissues by a combined 32P-postlabelling and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method. The HPLC profiles reveal a panorama of nuclease P1-resistant human adducts, which are not among the known human DNA adducts and are suspected of being endogenous. Lipid peroxidation-induced DNA adducts and I-compounds are two possible candidates for these adducts. Therefore, we performed two experiments: one was to identify chromatographically the lipid peroxidation-induced adducts among other human adducts with two acrolein- and crotonaldehyde-derived propano adduct standards (Acr-dG3 and Cro-dG1&2) and a structurally unknown adduct (Cro-DNA) derived from crotonaldehyde-treated DNA; and the other was to analyse the adducts in breast tissue from patients with breast cancer and from controls and to compare their behaviour with that of I-compounds in cancerous tissues. In the first experiment, Acr-dG3 and Cro-dG1 were detected in three human lung tissues, at levels ranging from 3.4 to 8.9 (x 10(-8)) and from not detectable to 2.9 (x 10(-8)), respectively. Acr-dG3 and Cro-DNA were detected in three human colon tissues, at levels of 0.2-0.4 (x 10(-8)) and 1.2-3.4 (x 10(-8)), respectively. In the second experiment, adjacent and tumorous breast tissues from 15 patients with breast cancer (of an average age of 33.4 years) and normal breast tissue from 18 controls (of an average age of 57.3) were analysed for the abundant complex adducts. The total adduct levels in the adjacent and tumorous tissues were lower than in the normal tissues (with medians of 8.0, 11.8 and 13.3 (x 10(-7)), respectively). Significant differences in the adduct levels between adjacent or tumorous tissues and normal tissues were observed in three HPLC peaks, and age was significantly associated with three peaks. These results are consistent with our speculation that the abundant adducts are comprised of lipid peroxidation-induced adducts and human homologues of I-compounds.

DNA adducts of 2,3-epoxy-4-hydroxynonanal: detection of 7-(1', 2'-dihydroxyheptyl)-3H-imidazo[2,1-i]purine and 1,N6-ethenoadenine by gas chromatography/negative ion chemical ionization/mass spectrometry.

2,3-Epoxy-4-hydroxynonanal (EH) is a bifunctional aldehyde formed by epoxidation of trans-4-hydroxy-2-nonenal, a peroxidation product of omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids. EH is mutagenic and tumorigenic and capable of modifying DNA bases forming etheno adducts in vitro. Recent studies showed that etheno adducts are present in tissue DNA of humans and untreated rodents, suggesting a potential endogenous role of EH in their formation. A sensitive assay is needed so we can determine whether EH is involved in etheno adduct formation in vivo and study the biological significance of the etheno adducts in DNA. In this study, we developed a gas chromatography/negative ion chemical ionization/mass spectrometry assay for the analysis of 1, N6-ethenoadenine (epsilonAde) and 7-(1', 2'-dihydroxyheptyl)-3H-imidazo[2,1-i]purine (DHH-epsilonAde) in DNA; both are products from the reaction of adenine with EH. The assay entails the following sequence of steps: (1) addition of [15N5]epsilonAde and [15N5]DHH-epsilonAde to DNA as internal standards, (2) acid hydrolysis of DNA, (3) adduct enrichment by C18 solid phase extraction (SPE), (4) derivatization by pentafluorobenzylation (PFB), (5) separation of PFB-epsilonAde and PFB-DHH-epsilonAde on a Si SPE column, (6) acetonide (ACT) formation of PFB-DHH-epsilonAde, and (7) GC/MS analysis with selective ion monitoring (SIM). The limit of detection by on-column injection for PFB-epsilonAde monitoring of the (M - PFB)- ion at m/z 158 was 30 amol and for ACT-PFB-DHH-epsilonAde monitoring of the (M - PFB)- ion at m/z 328 was 0.4 fmol; the detection limits for the entire assay were 6.3 fmol for epsilonAde and 36 fmol for DHH-epsilonAde. In calf thymus DNA modified with EH at 37 degreesC for 50 h, both epsilonAde and DHH-epsilonAde were detected at high levels by this method, 4.5 +/- 0.7 and 90.8 +/- 8.7 adducts/10(3) adenine, respectively. These levels were also verified by HPLC fluorescence analysis, indicating that EH extensively reacts with adenine in DNA, forming etheno adducts. The high sensitivity of the assay suggests that it may be used in the analysis of ethenoadenine adducts in vivo.

Urinary total isothiocyanate (ITC) in a population-based sample of middle-aged and older Chinese in Singapore: relationship with dietary total ITC and glutathione S-transferase M1/T1/P1 genotypes.

Isothiocyanates (ITCs), degradation products of glucosinolates (which occur naturally in a variety of cruciferous vegetables), have been shown to exhibit chemopreventive activity. These compounds are metabolized in vivo to form the corresponding dithiocarbamates, which are the major urinary metabolites of ITCs, by a pathway involving the glutathione S-transferase (GST) class of enzymes. Using a newly developed assay that measures total ITC (primarily ITC conjugates) in urine, we examined the relationships between cruciferous vegetable intake (obtained from a food frequency/portion size questionnaire administered in person); dietary total ITC level; GSTM1, GSTT1, and GSTP1 genotypes; and levels of total ITC in spot urine samples collected from 246 Singapore Chinese (111 men and 135 women), ages 45-74 years, who are participants of the Singapore Cohort Study on diet and cancer. Consumption level of cruciferous vegetables was high in study subjects (mean consumption = 345 times per year, mean daily intake = 40.6 g), which was >3 times the comparable level of intake in the United States. Mean daily intake of total ITC among study subjects was 9.1 micromol, and there was a 2.5-fold difference between the 25th and 75th percentile values. Seventy-three % of study subjects tested positive for ITC in urine, and there was a 4-fold difference between the 25th and 75th percentile values among the positive subjects. There was a highly significant positive association between dietary intake and urinary excretion levels of total ITC (two-sided P = 0.0003) that was stronger than the association between overall cruciferous vegetable intake and urinary ITC level, which also was statistically significant (P = 0.0004). There was no difference in urinary ITC levels between GSTM1-null and GSTM1-positive study subjects (P = 0.61) or between subjects with differing GSTP1 genotypes (P = 0.77), but urinary excretion of ITC was significantly higher among GSTT1-positive subjects, relative to GSTT1-null subjects (P = 0.006). The strength of the association between GSTT1 genotype and urinary total ITC level was highly dependent on the level of cruciferous vegetable consumption (or dietary ITC level) in study subjects. Among subjects in the lowest tertile of cruciferous vegetable intake, there was little evidence of an association between GSTT1 genotype and urinary total ITC level (P = 0.67). In contrast, there was a strong and statistically significant association between GSTT1 genotype and urinary total ITC among subjects in the highest tertile of cruciferous vegetable intake (P = 0.02), whereas those in the middle tertile of cruciferous vegetable consumption exhibited an association of intermediate strength (P = 0.04). These results suggest the presence of GSTT1 inducers in cruciferous vegetables.