Oncogenic base substitution mutations in circulating leukocytes of normal individuals.

The background frequency of mutations in human tissues is an important issue in cancer susceptibility and genotoxic exposure determinations. Here we report the detection of rare mutant leukocytes containing oncogenic base substitutions of the Harvey-ras, N-ras, and p53 genes by the Needle-in-a-Haystack mutation assay with a sensitivity of one cell in a million. Altogether, we detected and identified 17 independent mutations of 66 separate base site analyses of peripheral blood specimens obtained from 19 apparently normal individuals. Two individuals harbored a substantially increased frequency of mutant cells, representing 9 of the 17 independent mutations found. These results suggest that up to 1 in 10 normal individuals may harbor a significant frequency of oncogenic mutations in circulating leukocytes.

Temporal delineation of sequential HPRT mutations arising in vivo in a T-cell clone with a mutator phenotype.

Recurrent mutations in vivo in T-lymphocytes identify clonally restricted genomic instabilities in some individuals. Cell-based assays allow initial recognition of clones with mutator phenotypes, but genotypic selection is required to determine frequencies and temporal sequences of potentially independent mutational events isolated only as complex changes in the same allele. The present work illustrates how two single-base insertions in the HPRT gene recovered only as a double event in a cell-based assay were shown to arise as separate in vivo mutations, being individually present at frequencies of < or =10(-4) and < or =10(-5), respectively, in peripheral blood. Full characterizations of mutator clones will allow elucidation of the earliest events in the emergence of genomic instability in human somatic cells.

Needle-in-a-haystack detection and identification of base substitution mutations in human tissues.

Background and induced germline mutagenesis and other genotoxicity studies have been hampered by the lack of a sufficiently sensitive technique for detecting mutations in a small cluster of cells or a single cell in a tissue sample composed of millions of cells. The most frequent type of genetic alteration is intragenic. The vast majority of oncogenic mutations in human and mammalian cancer involves only single base substitutions. We have developed universally applicable techniques that not only provide the necessary sensitivity and specificity for site specific mutagenesis studies, but also identify the point mutation. The exponential amplification procedures of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and ligase chain reaction (LCR) have been combined with restriction endonuclease (RE) digestion to enable the selective enrichment and detection of single base substitution mutations in human oncogenic loci at a sensitivity of one mutant in more than 10(7) wild type alleles. These PCR/RE/LCR procedures have been successfully designed and used for codons 12 and 248 of the Ha-ras and p53 genes, respectively, both of which contain a natural MspI restriction endonuclease recognition sequence. These procedures have also been adapted for the detection and identification of mutations in oncogenic loci that do not contain a natural restriction endonuclease recognition sequence. Using PCR techniques, a HphI site was incorporated into the codons 12/13 region of the human N-ras gene, which was then used for the selective enrichment of mutants at this oncogenic locus. These PCR/RE/LCR procedures for base substitution mutations in codon 12 of the N-ras gene were found to have the sensitivity of detection of at least one mutant allele in the presence of the DNA equivalent of 10(6) wild type cells. Only one peripheral blood leukocyte DNA specimen out of nine normal individuals displayed an observable Ha-ras mutation that was present at frequency between 10(-5) and 10(-6). These PCR/RE/LCR techniques for detecting and identifying base substitution mutations are universally applicable to almost any locus or base site within the human or animal genome. With the added advantage of the adjustability of both the amount of DNA (number of genomes) to be tested and the sensitivity (10(-2) to 10(-7)) of the assay selection or enrichment procedures, these PCR/RE/LCR techniques will be useful in addressing a broad range of important questions in mutagenesis and carcinogenesis.

Targeting radiopharmaceuticals: comparative biodistribution studies of gallium and indium complexes of multidentate ligands.

New multidentate ligands with structures similar to N,N'-bis[2-hydroxybenzyl]ethylenediamine-N,N'-diacetic acid (HBED) and N,N'-bis(pyridoxyl)ethylenediamine-N,N'-diacetic acid (PLED) were synthesized. The in vitro lipophilicity, electrophoretic behavior, and the in vitro biodistribution were studied for the 111In- and 67, 68Ga-complexes of N,N'-bis(2-hydroxy-3,5-dimethylbenzyl)ethylenediamine-N,N'-diacetic acid (Me4HBED); N,N'-bis(5-t-butyl-2-hydroxy-3-methylbenzyl)ethylenediamine-N,N'-diac eti c acid (t-butyl HBED); N,N'-bis[2-hydroxy-5-sulfobenzyl)ethylenediamine-N,N'-diacetic acid (SHBED); N,N'-bis(2-hydroxy-3,5-dimethylbenzyl)ethylenediamine-N-(2-hydroxyethyl) -N'-acetic acid (HBMA); and N,N'-bis(5-deoxypyridoxyl)ethylenediamine-N,N'-diacetic acid (DPLED). The biodistribution of the radiometal complexes were carried out in rats and an imaging study was performed in a non-human primate. The rapid clearance of the lipophilic complexes from blood and through the hepatobiliary system was easily demonstrated; as well, the hydrophilic complexes were cleared rapidly through the urinary tract. Positron emission tomographic images were generated from a study in a primate after administration of 68Ga-t-butyl HBED. These images well demonstrate the efficient liver accumulation and rapid hepatobiliary clearance (less than 1 h) and well differentiate images of the liver and gall bladder.