ABSTRACT
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are widespread genotoxic environmental pollutants and potentially pose a health risk to humans. Although the biological and toxicological activities, including metabolism, mutagenicity, and carcinogenicity, of PAHs have been thoroughly studied, their phototoxicity and photo-induced biological activity have not been well examined. We have long been interested in phototoxicity of PAHs and their derivatives induced by irradiation with UV light. In this paper we report the photoirradiation of a series of oxygenated benz[a]anthracene (BA) and 3-methylcholanthene (3-MC) by UVA light in the presence of a lipid, methyl linoleate. The studied PAHs include 2-hydroxy-BA (2-OH-BA), 3-hydroxy-BA (3-OH-BA), 5-hydroxymethyl-BA (5- CH2OH-BA), 7-hydroxymethyl-BA (7-CH2OH-BA), 12-hydroxymethyl-BA (12-CH2OH-BA), 7-hydroxymethyl-12- methyl-BA (7-CH2OH-12-MBA), 5-formyl-BA (5-CHO-BA), BA 5,6-cis-dihydrodiol (BA 5,6-cis-diol), 1-hydroxy-3- methylcholanthene (1-OH-3-MC), 1-keto-3-methylcholanthene (1-keto-3-MC), and 3-MC 1,2-diol. The results indicate that upon photoirradiation by UVA at 7 and 21 J/cm2, respectively all these compounds induced lipid peroxidation and exhibited a relationship between the dose of the light and the level of lipid peroxidation induced. To determine whether or not photoirradiation of these compounds by UVA light produces ROS, an ESR spin-trap technique was employed to provide direct evidence. Photoirradiation of 3-keto-3-MC by UVA (at 389 nm) in the presence of 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine (TEMP), a specific probe for singlet oxygen, resulted in the formation of TEMPO, indicating that singlet oxygen was generated. These overall results suggest that UVA photoirradiation of oxygenated BA and 3-methylcholanthrene generates singlet oxygen, one of the reactive oxygen species (ROS), which induce lipid peroxidation.
Subject(s)
Benz(a)Anthracenes/chemistry , Lipid Peroxidation/radiation effects , Methylcholanthrene/analogs & derivatives , Methylcholanthrene/chemistry , Oxygen/chemistry , Ultraviolet Rays , Benz(a)Anthracenes/radiation effects , Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy , Linoleic Acids/chemistry , Linoleic Acids/radiation effects , Methylcholanthrene/radiation effects , Molecular Structure , Singlet Oxygen/chemistryABSTRACT
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are widespread genotoxic environmental pollutants and potentially pose a health risk to humans. Although the biological and toxicological activities, including metabolism, mutagenicity and carcinogenicity of PAHs have been thoroughly studied, their phototoxicity and photo-induced biological activities have not been well examined. In this research, we studied the photoirradiation of isomeric methylbenzo[a]pyrene (MBaP) and methylbenzo[e]pyrene (MBeP) by UVA light in the presence of a lipid, methyl linoleate, and evaluated the potential of these compounds to induce lipid peroxidation. The compounds chosen for study included BaP, 3-MBaP, 4-MBaP, 6-MBaP, 7-MBaP, 10-MBaP, BeP, 4-MBeP, and 9-MBeP. The results indicate that upon photoirradiation by UVA at 7 and 21 J/cm2, these compounds induced lipid peroxidation. The levels of the induced lipid peroxidation were similar among BaP and the isomeric MBaPs, and among the BeP and MBePs, with the BaP group higher than the BeP group. There was also a co-relation between the UV A light dose and the level of lipid peroxidation induced. Lipid peroxide formation was inhibited by NaN3 (singlet oxygen and free radical scavenger) and was enhanced by the presence of deuterium oxide (D2O) (extends singlet oxygen lifetime). These results suggest that photoirradiation of MBaPs and MBePs by UVA light generates reactive oxygen species (ROS), which induce lipid peroxidation.
