New Aminobiphenylcysteine Derivatives in Globin and Urine of Rats Dosed with 4-Aminobiphenyl, a Tobacco Smoke Carcinogen.

The 4-biphenylnitrenium ion (BPN), a reactive metabolic intermediate of the tobacco smoke carcinogen 4-aminobiphenyl (4-ABP), can react with nucleophilic sulfanyl groups in glutathione (GSH) as well as in proteins. The main site of attack of these S-nucleophiles was predicted using simple orientational rules of aromatic nucleophilic substitution. Thereafter, a series of presumptive 4-ABP metabolites and adducts with cysteine were synthesized, namely, S-(4-amino-3-biphenyl)cysteine (ABPC), N-acetyl-S-(4-amino-3-biphenyl)cysteine (4-amino-3-biphenylmercapturic acid, ABPMA), S-(4-acetamido-3-biphenyl)cysteine (AcABPC), and N-acetyl-S-(4-acetamido-3-biphenyl)cysteine (4-acetamido-3-biphenylmercapturic acid, AcABPMA). Then, globin and urine of rats dosed with a single ip dose of 4-ABP (27 mg/kg b.w.) was analyzed by HPLC-ESI-MS2. ABPC was identified in acid-hydrolyzed globin at levels of 3.52 ± 0.50, 2.74 ± 0.51, and 1.25 ± 0.12 nmol/g globin (mean ± S.D.; n = 6) on days 1, 3, and 8 after dosing, respectively. In the urine collected on day 1 (0-24 h) after dosing, excretion of ABPMA, AcABPMA, and AcABPC amounted to 1.97 ± 0.88, 3.09 ± 0.75, and 3.69 ± 1.49 nmol/kg b.w. (mean ± S.D.; n = 6), respectively. On day 2, excretion of the metabolites decreased by one order of magnitude followed by a slower decrease on day 8. Regarding the possible formation of AcABPC from ABPC, N-acetylation of the amino group at the biphenyl moiety prior to that at cysteine appears to be very unlikely. Thus, the structure of AcABPC indicates the involvement of N-acetyl-4-biphenylnitrenium ion (AcBPN) and/or its reactive ester precursors in in vivo reactions with GSH and protein-bound cysteine. ABPC in globin might become an alternative biomarker of the dose of toxicologically relevant metabolic intermediates of 4-ABP.

Novel aminoarylcysteine adducts in globin of rats dosed with naphthylamine and nitronaphthalene isomers.

Novel aminonaphthylcysteine (ANC) adducts, formed via naphthylnitrenium ions and/or their metabolic precursors in the biotransformation of naphthylamines (NA) and nitronaphthalenes (NN), were identified and quantified in globin of rats dosed intraperitoneally with 0.16 mmol/kg b.w. of 1-NA, 1-NN, 2-NA and 2-NN. Using HPLC-ESI-MS2 analysis of the globin hydrolysates, S-(1-amino-2-naphthyl)cysteine (1A2NC) together with S-(4-amino-1-naphthyl)cysteine (4A1NC) were found in rats given 1-NA or 1-NN, and S-(2-amino-1-naphthyl)cysteine (2A1NC) in those given 2-NA or 2-NN. The highest level of ANC was produced by the most mutagenic and carcinogenic isomer 2-NA (35.8 ± 5.4 nmol/g globin). The ratio of ANC adduct levels for 1-NA, 1-NN, 2-NA and 2-NN was 1:2:100:3, respectively. Notably, the ratio of 1A2NC:4A1NC in globin of rats dosed with 1-NA and 1-NN differed significantly (2:98 versus 16:84 respectively), indicating differences in mechanism of the adduct formation. Moreover, aminonaphthylmercapturic acids, formed via conjugation of naphthylnitrenium ions and/or their metabolic precursors with glutathione, were identified in the rat urine. Their amounts excreted after dosing rats with 1-NA, 1-NN, 2-NA and 2-NN were in the ratio 1:100:40:2, respectively. For all four compounds tested, haemoglobin binding index for ANC was several-fold higher than that for the sulphinamide adducts, generated via nitrosoarene metabolites. Due to involvement of electrophilic intermediates in their formation, ANC adducts in globin may become toxicologically more relevant biomarkers of cumulative exposure to carcinogenic or non-carcinogenic arylamines and nitroarenes than the currently used sulphinamide adducts.

N-(2-Hydroxyethyl)-l-valyl-l-leucine: a novel urinary biomarker of ethylene oxide exposure in humans.

Ethylene oxide (EO), a carcinogenic chemical used as an industrial intermediate and sterilant, forms covalent adducts with DNA and proteins. The adduct with N-terminal valine [N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-l-valine, HEV] in blood protein globin has been employed as a principal biomarker of cumulative exposures to EO. However, as sampling of blood is inconvenient in routine occupational health practice, a non-invasive alternative to globin analysis has been investigated. Following identification of N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-l-valyl-l-leucine (HEVL) as ultimate cleavage product of EO-adducted globin excreted in the rat urine, here we report for the first time on the presence of HEVL in the urine of humans. In 18 sterilization workers, urinary HEVL ranged from 0.67 to 11.98 µg/g creatinine (mean ± SD: 5.04 ± 3.14 µg/g creat) and correlated with HEV: HEVL (µg/g creat) = 0.833 HEV (nmol/g globin) + 1.19 (R2 = 0.45). As unexpectedly high levels of urinary HEVL were found also in controls (mean ± SD: 0.97 ± 0.37 µg/g creat, n = 32), HEVL is not proposed for the accurate assessment of sub-ppm exposures to EO. On the other hand, non-invasive sampling and facile work-up procedure predetermine HEVL for screening purposes to identify subjects approaching to or exceeding occupational exposure limit for EO (1.8 mg/m3) to be re-examined by the more sensitive reference analysis for HEV.

N-(2-Hydroxyethyl)-L-valyl-L-leucine in rat urine as a hydrolytic cleavage product of ethylene oxide adduct with globin.

Ethylene oxide (EO), a genotoxic industrial chemical and sterilant, forms covalent adducts with DNA and also with nucleophilic amino acids in proteins. The adduct with N-terminal valine in globin [N-(2-hydroxyethyl)valine (HEV)] has been used in biomonitoring of cumulative exposures to EO. Here we studied in rats the fate of EO-adducted N-termini of globin after life termination of the erythrocytes. Rat erythrocytes were incubated with EO to produce the HEV levels in globin at 0.4-13.2 µmol/g as determined after acidic hydrolysis. Alternative hydrolysis of the isolated globin with enzyme pronase afforded N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-L-valyl-L-leucine (HEVL) and N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-L-valyl-L-histidine (HEVH), the EO-adducted N-terminal dipeptides of rat globin α- and ß-chains, respectively. The ratio of HEVL/HEVH (1:3) reflected higher reactivity of EO with the ß-chain. The EO-modified erythrocytes were then given intravenously to the recipient rats. HEVL and HEVH were found to be the ultimate cleavage products excreted in the rat urine. Finally, rats were dosed intraperitoneally with EO, 50 mg/kg. Herein, the initial level of globin-bound HEVL (11.7 ± 1.3 nmol/g) decreased almost linearly over 60 days corresponding to the life span of rat erythrocytes. Daily urinary excretion of HEVL was almost constant for 30-40 days, decreasing faster in the subsequent phase of elimination. Recoveries of the total urinary HEVL from its globin-bound form were 84 ± 6% and 101 ± 17% after administrations of EO and the EO-modified erythrocytes, respectively. In conclusion, urinary HEVL appears to be a promising novel non-invasive biomarker of human exposures to EO.

Determination of N-(2-hydroxyethyl)valine in globin of ethylene oxide-exposed workers using total acidic hydrolysis and HPLC-ESI-MS2.

Ethylene oxide (EO), an industrial intermediate and gaseous sterilant for medical devices, is carcinogenic to humans, which warrants minimization of exposure in the workplaces. The principal analytical strategy currently used in biomonitoring of exposure to EO consists in the conversion of N-(2-hydroxyethyl) adduct at the N-terminal valine (HEV) in globin to a specific thiohydantoin derivative accessible to GC-MS analysis (modified Edman degradation, MED). Though highly sensitive, the method is laborious and, at least in our hands, not sufficiently robust. Here we developed an alternative strategy of HEV determination based on acidic hydrolysis (AH) of globin followed directly by HPLC-ESI-MS2 analysis. Limit of quantitation is ca. 25 pmol HEV/g globin. Comparative analyses of globin samples from EO-exposed workers by both the AH-based and MED-based methods provided results that correlated well with each other (R2 > 0.95) but those obtained with AH were significantly more accurate (according to external quality control programme G-EQUAS) and repeatible (5% and 6% for intra-day and between-day analyses, respectively). In conclusion, the new AH-based method surpassed MED being similarly sensitive, much less laborious and more reliable, thus applicable as an effective tool for biomonitoring of EO in exposure control and risk assessment.

S-(3-Aminobenzanthron-2-yl)cysteine in the globin of rats as a novel type of adduct and possible biomarker of exposure to 3-nitrobenzanthrone, a potent environmental carcinogen.

3-Nitrobenzanthrone (3-NBA), a potent environmental mutagen and carcinogen, is known to be activated in vivo to 3-benzanthronylnitrenium ion which forms both NH and C2-bound adducts with DNA and also reacts with glutathione giving rise to urinary 3-aminobenzanthron-2-ylmercapturic acid. In this study, acid hydrolysate of globin from rats dosed intraperitoneally with 3-NBA was analysed by HPLC/MS to identify a novel type of cysteine adduct, 3-aminobenzanthron-2-ylcysteine (3-ABA-Cys), confirmed using a synthesised standard. The 3-ABA-Cys levels in globin peaked after single 3-NBA doses of 1 and 2 mg/kg on day 2 to attain 0.25 and 0.49 nmol/g globin, respectively, thereafter declining slowly to 70-80% of their maximum values during 15 days. After dosing rats for three consecutive days with 1 mg 3-NBA/kg a significant cumulation of 3-ABA-Cys in globin was observed. 3-ABA-Cys was also found in the plasma hydrolysate. Herein, after dosing with 1 and 2 mg 3-NBA/kg the adduct levels peaked on day 1 at 0.15 and 0.51 nmol/ml plasma, respectively, thereafter declining rapidly to undetectable levels on day 15. In addition, sulphinamide adducts were also found in the exposed rats, measured indirectly as 3-aminobenzanthrone (3-ABA) split off from globin by mild acid hydrolysis. Levels of both types of adducts in the globin samples parallelled very well with 3-ABA/3-ABA-Cys ratio being around 1:8. In conclusion, 3-ABA-Cys is the first example of arylnitrenium-cysteine adduct in globin representing a new promising class of biomarkers to assess cumulative exposures to aromatic amines, nitroaromatics and heteroaromatic amines.

Hydrolytic Cleavage Products of Globin Adducts in Urine as Possible Biomarkers of Cumulative Dose: Proof of Concept Using Styrene Oxide as a Model Adduct-Forming Compound.

A new experimental model was designed to study the fate of globin adducts with styrene 7,8-oxide (SO), a metabolic intermediate of styrene and a model electrophilic compound. Rat erythrocytes were incubated with SO at 7 or 22 °C. Levels of specific amino acid adducts in globin were determined by LC/MS analysis of the globin hydrolysate, and erythrocytes with known adduct content were administered intravenously to recipient rats. The course of adduct elimination from the rat blood was measured over the following 50 days. In the erythrocytes incubated at 22 °C, a rapid decline in the adduct levels on the first day post-transfusion followed by a slow phase of elimination was observed. In contrast, the adduct elimination in erythrocytes incubated at 7 °C was nearly linear, copying elimination of intact erythrocytes. In the urine of recipient rats, regioisomeric SO adducts at cysteine, valine, lysine, and histidine in the form of amino acid adducts and/or their acetylated metabolites as well as SO-dipeptide adducts were identified by LC/MS supported by synthesized reference standards. S-(2-Hydroxy-1-phenylethyl)cysteine and S-(2-hydroxy-2-phenylethyl)cysteine, the most abundant globin adducts, were excreted predominantly in the form of the corresponding urinary mercapturic acids (HPEMAs). Massive elimination of HPEMAs via urine occurred within the first day from the erythrocytes incubated at both 7 and 22 °C. However, erythrocytes incubated at 7 °C also showed a slow second phase of elimination such that HPEMAs were detected in urine up to 50 days post-transfusion. These results indicate for the first time that globin adducts can be cleaved in vivo to modified amino acids and dipeptides. The cleavage products and/or their predictable metabolites are excreted in urine over the whole life span of erythrocytes. Some of the urinary adducts may represent a new type of noninvasive biomarker for exposure to adduct-forming chemicals.

Carcinogenic 3-nitrobenzanthrone but not 2-nitrobenzanthrone is metabolised to an unusual mercapturic acid in rats.

3-Nitrobenzanthrone (3-NBA) is an extremely potent mutagen and suspect human carcinogen found in diesel exhaust. Its isomer 2-nitrobenzanthrone (2-NBA) has also been found in ambient air. These isomers differ in mutagenicity in Salmonella by 2-3 orders of magnitude. To identify their urinary metabolites and also to assess the assumed differences in their excretion, rats were dosed orally with 2mg/kg b.w. of either 2-NBA or 3-NBA. Their urine was collected for two consecutive days after dosage. Both LC-ESI-MS and GC-MS confirmed formation of the corresponding aminobenzanthrones (ABA). Excretion of these metabolites within the first day after dosing with 2- and 3-ABA amounted to 0.32±0.06 and 0.83±0.40% of the doses, respectively, while the excretion within the second day was by one order of magnitude lower. A novel mercapturic acid metabolite of 3-NBA was identified in urine by LC-ESI-MS as N-acetyl-S-(3-aminobenzanthron-2-yl)cysteine (3-ABA-MA) by comparison with the authentic standard. Its excretion amounted to 0.49±0.15 and 0.02±0.01% of dose within the first and second day after dosing, respectively. In contrast, no mercapturic acid was detected in the urine of rats dosed with 2-NBA. Observed difference in the mercapturic acid formation between 2- and 3-NBA is a new distinctive feature reflecting differences in the critical step of their metabolism, i.e., benzanthronylnitrenium ion formation that is intrinsically associated with biological activities of these two isomers. Moreover, 3-ABA-MA is a promising candidate biomarker of exposure to the carcinogenic 3-NBA.