Extent of DNA 2-hydroxyethylation by N-nitrosomethylethylamine and N-nitrosodiethylamine in vivo

At low doses, N-nitrosomethylethylamine (NMEA) selectively produces liver tumors in rats, whereas β-trideuterated NMEA also includes esophageal carcinomas under these conditions. Since deuteration is capable of retarding enzymic hydroxylation, these studies suggest that β-hydroxylation plays a significant role in the organ specificity of NMEA. To test the hypothesis that this metabolic pathway occurs in vivo to yield a hydroxyethylating intermediate, we have determined the extent of hydroxyethylation of hepatic DNA in male Fischer 344 rats following a single i.p. injection of [1-ethyl-14C]NMEA (6.3 mg/kg, 4 h survival). After hydrolysis in 0.1 M HCI, DNA purines were analysed by cation exchange chromatography. Of the major alkylpurines identified, 7-ethylguanine (7-etG) (6.7 μmol/mol guanine) and O6-ethylguanine (4.1 μmol/mol guanine) comprised 13 and 8% of the eluted radioactivity, respectively. 7-(2-HydroxyethyI)guanine (7-heG) was the only hydroxyethyl adduct detectable, and comprised less than 2% of the amount of 7-etG. 3-Ethylguanine and 3- and 7-ethyladenine were also identified as products of NMEA metabolism. Similar analyses were carried out on hepatic DNA from rats treated with N-nitrosodi[1-14C]ethylamine (6.9 mg/kg, 4 h survival). Only trace amounts of 7-heG could be detected. The very low concentrations of β-hydroxyethylated DNA bases observed suggest that this route of metabolism does not contribute significantly to the carcinogenicity of these compound

DNA methylation in rat tissues by a series of homologous aliphatic nitrosamines ranging from N-nitrosodimethylamine to N-nitrosomethyldodecylamine

Aliphatic N-nitrosomethylalkylamines exhibit a remarkable organ specificity in rats, the principal targets for tumour induction being liver, oesophagus, urinary bladder and lung. We have determined the extent of DNA methylation in these tissues following a single oral dose (0.1 mmol/kg; 6 h survival) of each of 12 homologues, ranging from N-nitrosodimethylamine (C1) to N-nitrosomethyldodecylamine (C12). Methylpurines (7-and O6-methylguanine) were determined by cation exchange HPLC with fluorescence detection. Highest levels of hepatic DNA methylation were found with N-nitrosodimethylamine (C1) and N-nitrosomethylethylamine (C2), the most potent hepatocarcinogens in this series. Concentrations of methylpurines in liver DNA decreased with increasing chain length for C1-C5. Administration of the higher homologues (C6-C12) caused levels of DNA methylation which by themselves were considered too low to account for their hepatocarcinogenicity. In rat oesophagus, DNA methylation closely paralleled carcinogenicity, the butyl and pentyl derivatives (C4, C5) being most effective. In rat lung, the extent of DNA methylation was generally lower and there was no apparent correlation with carcinogenicity. Methylation of kidney DNA also decreased with increasing chain length and was only detectable for C1-C5. In urinary bladder DNA, methylpurines were below or close to the limit of detection. It is concluded that the initiation of malignant transformation by DNA methylation alone (through hydroxylation at the methylene α-carbon) could be operative for Cl in kidney and lung, for Cl and C2 in liver, and C3-C5 in oesophagus. For the higher homologues, the extent of DNA methylation seems insufficient to explain the complex pattern of tissue specificity, suggesting that DNA modification other than, or in addition to, methylation may be responsibl

β-Deuteration of N-nitrosoethylmethylamine causes a shift in DNA methylation from rat liver to esophagus

While N-nitrosoethylmethylamine (NEMA) is carcinogenic primarily for the liver, its β-trideuterated derivative, N-nitroso([2-D3]ethyl)methylamine (NEMA-d3), also produces a high incidence of tumors in the esophagus. To determine whether this shift in organ specificity is associated with an altered pattern of DNA alkylation, [methyl-14C]- and [1-ethyl-14C]-labeled NEMA-d3 were administered to adult male Fischer 344 rats as a single i.p. dose (0.05 mmol/kg; 4 h survival). Levels of methylated and ethylated purines in the DNA of various organs were determined by radiochromatography on Sephasorb-HP columns. When compared to previous data using undeuterated NEMA, 7-niethylguanine levelswerefoundtobereducedby ∽30%inliverandkldney, but were 160% greater in esophagus. This resulted in a decrease in the 7-methylguanine ratio for liver/esophagus from 109 to 29. O6-Methlguanine was diminished in liver and kidney, but levels in lung and esophagus were too low for quantitative detection. Similarly, deuteration led to an 18% decrease of 7-ethylguanine In hepatic DNA. The observed increase in esophageal DNA methylation correlates with the increased carcinogenicity of NEMA-d3 relative to undeuterated NEMA in that organ. Since pharmacokinetic studies have shown that β-trideuteration of NEMA does not alter its bioavailability, the data suggest that the observed shift in target organ results from isotopically-induced changes in the balance among competing metabolic pathways in different rat tissue

Extent of DNA 2-hydroxyethylation by N-nitrosomethylethylamine and N-nitrosodiethylamine in vivo

At low doses, N-nitrosomethylethylamine (NMEA) selectively produces liver tumors in rats, whereas β-trideuterated NMEA also includes esophageal carcinomas under these conditions. Since deuteration is capable of retarding enzymic hydroxylation, these studies suggest that β-hydroxylation plays a significant role in the organ specificity of NMEA. To test the hypothesis that this metabolic pathway occurs in vivo to yield a hydroxyethylating intermediate, we have determined the extent of hydroxyethylation of hepatic DNA in male Fischer 344 rats following a single i.p. injection of [1-ethyl-14C]NMEA (6.3 mg/kg, 4 h survival). After hydrolysis in 0.1 M HCI, DNA purines were analysed by cation exchange chromatography. Of the major alkylpurines identified, 7-ethylguanine (7-etG) (6.7 μmol/mol guanine) and O6-ethylguanine (4.1 μmol/mol guanine) comprised 13 and 8% of the eluted radioactivity, respectively. 7-(2-HydroxyethyI)guanine (7-heG) was the only hydroxyethyl adduct detectable, and comprised less than 2% of the amount of 7-etG. 3-Ethylguanine and 3- and 7-ethyladenine were also identified as products of NMEA metabolism. Similar analyses were carried out on hepatic DNA from rats treated with N-nitrosodi[1-14C]ethylamine (6.9 mg/kg, 4 h survival). Only trace amounts of 7-heG could be detected. The very low concentrations of β-hydroxyethylated DNA bases observed suggest that this route of metabolism does not contribute significantly to the carcinogenicity of these compound

DNA methylation in rat tissues by a series of homologous aliphatic nitrosamines ranging from N-nitrosodimethylamine to N-nitrosomethyldodecylamine

Aliphatic N-nitrosomethylalkylamines exhibit a remarkable organ specificity in rats, the principal targets for tumour induction being liver, oesophagus, urinary bladder and lung. We have determined the extent of DNA methylation in these tissues following a single oral dose (0.1 mmol/kg; 6 h survival) of each of 12 homologues, ranging from N-nitrosodimethylamine (C1) to N-nitrosomethyldodecylamine (C12). Methylpurines (7-and O6-methylguanine) were determined by cation exchange HPLC with fluorescence detection. Highest levels of hepatic DNA methylation were found with N-nitrosodimethylamine (C1) and N-nitrosomethylethylamine (C2), the most potent hepatocarcinogens in this series. Concentrations of methylpurines in liver DNA decreased with increasing chain length for C1-C5. Administration of the higher homologues (C6-C12) caused levels of DNA methylation which by themselves were considered too low to account for their hepatocarcinogenicity. In rat oesophagus, DNA methylation closely paralleled carcinogenicity, the butyl and pentyl derivatives (C4, C5) being most effective. In rat lung, the extent of DNA methylation was generally lower and there was no apparent correlation with carcinogenicity. Methylation of kidney DNA also decreased with increasing chain length and was only detectable for C1-C5. In urinary bladder DNA, methylpurines were below or close to the limit of detection. It is concluded that the initiation of malignant transformation by DNA methylation alone (through hydroxylation at the methylene α-carbon) could be operative for Cl in kidney and lung, for Cl and C2 in liver, and C3-C5 in oesophagus. For the higher homologues, the extent of DNA methylation seems insufficient to explain the complex pattern of tissue specificity, suggesting that DNA modification other than, or in addition to, methylation may be responsibl

β-Deuteration of N-nitrosoethylmethylamine causes a shift in DNA methylation from rat liver to esophagus

While N-nitrosoethylmethylamine (NEMA) is carcinogenic primarily for the liver, its β-trideuterated derivative, N-nitroso([2-D3]ethyl)methylamine (NEMA-d3), also produces a high incidence of tumors in the esophagus. To determine whether this shift in organ specificity is associated with an altered pattern of DNA alkylation, [methyl-14C]- and [1-ethyl-14C]-labeled NEMA-d3 were administered to adult male Fischer 344 rats as a single i.p. dose (0.05 mmol/kg; 4 h survival). Levels of methylated and ethylated purines in the DNA of various organs were determined by radiochromatography on Sephasorb-HP columns. When compared to previous data using undeuterated NEMA, 7-niethylguanine levelswerefoundtobereducedby ∽30%inliverandkldney, but were 160% greater in esophagus. This resulted in a decrease in the 7-methylguanine ratio for liver/esophagus from 109 to 29. O6-Methlguanine was diminished in liver and kidney, but levels in lung and esophagus were too low for quantitative detection. Similarly, deuteration led to an 18% decrease of 7-ethylguanine In hepatic DNA. The observed increase in esophageal DNA methylation correlates with the increased carcinogenicity of NEMA-d3 relative to undeuterated NEMA in that organ. Since pharmacokinetic studies have shown that β-trideuteration of NEMA does not alter its bioavailability, the data suggest that the observed shift in target organ results from isotopically-induced changes in the balance among competing metabolic pathways in different rat tissue