Serum albumin adducts, DNA adducts and micronuclei frequency measured in benzo[a]pyrene-exposed mice for estimation of genotoxic potency.

The environmental and food contaminant, benzo[a]pyrene {B[a]P, a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)}, is classified as a human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. The carcinogenicity of B[a]P is linked to the formation of electrophilic metabolites, namely B[a]P-diol epoxides (BPDEs) occurring as stereoisomers. In this work, we quantified the metabolic formation of BPDE isomers and the genotoxic effect in B[a]P-exposed mice, with an aim to estimate the genotoxic potency of B[a]P per in vivo dose of its most potent metabolite [i.e. (+)-anti-BPDE]. The increase in frequency of micronuclei (fMN) in erythrocytes was measured as a biomarker for genotoxic effect. Covalent adducts to serum albumin (SA) and those to DNA from the BPDEs were analysed using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), as adducts to histidine (BPDE-His-Pro) and deoxyguanosine (BPDE-dG), respectively. For the first time in animal experiments it was possible to resolve adducts to SA from (+)-anti-, (-)-anti- and (±)-syn-BPDE isomers by LC-MS/MS. The adduct levels in the protein were about 16 fmol/mg SA, which was orders of magnitude lower than that in the nucleic acid, 28 pmol/mg DNA, in mice exposed to 100 mg B[a]P per kg body weight (bw). Using SA adduct levels, the in vivo dose of (+)-anti-BPDE was calculated to be approximately 50 nM·h per mg B[a]P per kg bw. This allowed to make a preliminary estimate of the genotoxic potency as 2‰ fMN per µM·h of (+)-anti-BPDE. This estimate was compared to that from another food toxicant, glycidol, studied with similar methods, which indicated that the BPDE has several orders of magnitude higher genotoxic potency. The demonstrated approach on integrating biomarkers of internal dose of a causative agent and that of genotoxic effect for assessing genotoxic potency, using B[a]P as a model, has a potential for improving cancer risk assessment procedures for PAHs.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and fluorine mass balance in cosmetic products from the Swedish market: implications for environmental emissions and human exposure.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are a diverse class of >4700 chemicals used in commercial products and industrial processes. Concerns surrounding PFASs are principally due to their widespread occurrence in humans and the environment and links to adverse health effects. One of the lesser known uses for PFASs is in cosmetic products (CPs) which come into contact with the skin (e.g. hair products, powders, sunblocks, etc.). In the present work, thirty-one CPs from five product categories (cream, foundation, pencil, powder and shaving foam) were analyzed for 39 PFASs by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, as well as extractable organic fluorine (EOF) and total fluorine (TF) by combustion ion chromatography (CIC). This multi-platform approach enabled determination of the fraction of fluorine accounted for by known PFASs (i.e. fluorine mass balance). Foundations and powders contained 25 different PFASs with the most frequently detected being perfluorinated carboxylic acids (perfluoroheptanoic acid and perfluorohexanoic acid) and polyfluoroalkyl phosphate esters (PAPs). Σ14PAP concentrations up to 470 µg g-1 were measured in products listing mixtures of PAPs as an ingredient. For all samples, Σ39PFAS concentrations only explained a small fraction of the EOF and TF, pointing to the presence of unknown organic and/or inorganic fluorinated substances, including polymers. While creams, pencil and shaving foams did not contain measurable concentrations of any of the 39 PFASs targeted here, CIC revealed high to moderate TF content. Overall, these data highlight the need for further investigations into the occurrence of PFASs in CPs and their importance with regards to human and environmental exposure.

Interaction of benzo[a]pyrene diol epoxide isomers with human serum albumin: Site specific characterisation of adducts and associated kinetics.

Carcinogenicity of benzo[a]pyrene {B[a]P, a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)} involves DNA-modification by B[a]P diol epoxide (BPDE) metabolites. Adducts to serum albumin (SA) are not repaired, unlike DNA adducts, and therefore considered advantageous in assessment of in vivo dose of BPDEs. In the present work, kinetic experiments were performed in relation to the dose (i.e. concentration over time) of different BPDE isomers, where human SA (hSA) was incubated with respective BPDEs under physiological conditions. A liquid chromatography (LC) tandem mass spectrometry methodology was employed for characterising respective BPDE-adducts at histidine and lysine. This strategy allowed to structurally distinguish between the adducts from racemic anti- and syn-BPDE and between (+)- and (-)-anti-BPDE, which has not been attained earlier. The adduct levels quantified by LC-UV and the estimated rate of disappearance of BPDEs in presence of hSA gave an insight into the reactivity of the diol epoxides towards the N-sites on SA. The structure specific method and dosimetry described in this work could be used for accurate estimation of in vivo dose of the BPDEs following exposure to B[a]P, primarily in dose response studies of genotoxicity, e.g. in mice, to aid in quantitative risk assessment of PAHs.

Adduct levels from benzo[a]pyrenediol epoxide: Relative formation to histidine in serum albumin and to deoxyguanosine in DNA in vitro and in vivo in mice measured by LC/MS-MS methods.

Stable and specific biomacromolecular adducts can be used to measure in vivo doses of reactive compounds. An LC/MS-MS method to measure adducts from the benzo[a]pyrene (BP) metabolite (±)-anti-BP-7,8-diol-9,10-epoxide ((±)-anti-BPDE) to His(146) in serum albumin (SA), earlier evaluated on in vitro alkylated human SA, was tested for its applicability to mouse. It was shown that (+)-anti-BPDE form BPDE-His adducts to mouse SA. The method was applied to samples from BP-exposed mice (100mg/kg of body weight for 1, 3, 7 and 28 days). BPDE-His in SA was close to the limit of quantification and showed the highest level (13fmol/mg) 3 days after exposure. The level was 400 times lower (calculated per gram macromolecule) than earlier measured level of BPDE-adduct to deoxyguanosine (dG) in DNA in the livers. The relative rate of formation of adducts from BPDE with His in SA and with dG in DNA was investigated. Quantification by LC/MS-MS of the adducts in human blood alkylated in vitro with (±)-anti-BPDE showed a 1850 times higher level of BPDE-dG compared to BPDE-His. The specific and stable BPDE-adducts to His in SA are potential biomarkers of in vivo dose of BPDE, though this requires a considerable improved analytical sensitivity of the LC/MS-MS method.

Conditions for sample preparation and quantitative HPLC/MS-MS analysis of bulky adducts to serum albumin with diolepoxides of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons as models.

Stable adducts to serum albumin (SA) from electrophilic and genotoxic compounds/metabolites can be used as biomarkers for quantification of the corresponding in vivo dose. In the present study, conditions for specific analysis of stable adducts to SA formed from carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) were evaluated in order to achieve a sensitive and reproducible quantitative method. Bulky adducts from diolepoxides (DE) of PAH, primarily DE of benzo[a]pyrene (BPDE) and also DE of dibenzo[a,l]pyrene (DBPDE) and dibenzo[a,h]anthracene (DBADE), were used as model compounds. The alkylated peptides obtained after enzymatic hydrolysis of human SA modified with the different PAHDE were principally PAHDE-His-Pro, PAHDE-His-Pro-Tyr and PAHDE-Lys. Alkaline hydrolysis under optimised conditions gave the BPDE-His as the single analyte of alkylated His, but also indicated degradation of this adduct. It was not possible to obtain the BPDE-His as one analyte from BPDE-alkylated SA through modifications of the enzymatic hydrolysis. The BPDE-His adduct was shown to be stable during the weak acidic conditions used in the isolation of SA. Enrichment by HPLC or SPE, but not butanol extraction, gave good recovery, using Protein LoBind tubes. A simple internal standard (IS) approach using SA modified with other PAHDE as IS was shown to be applicable. A robust analytical procedure based on digestion with pronase, enrichment by HPLC or SPE, and analysis with HPLC/MS-MS electrospray ionisation was achieved. A good reproducibility (coefficient of variation (CV) 11 %) was obtained, and the achieved limit of detection for the studied PAHDE, using standard instrumentation, was approximately 1 fmol adduct/mg SA analysing extract from 5 mg SA.

Evaluation of retinol binding protein 4 and carbamoylated haemoglobin as potential renal toxicity biomarkers in adult mice treated with (177)Lu-octreotate.

BACKGROUND: The kidneys are regarded as one of the main dose-limiting organs in the treatment of neuroendocrine tumours with (177)Lu-[DOTA(0), Tyr(3)]-octreotate ((177)Lu-octreotate), despite the successful use of kidney uptake blocking agents such as lysine and arginine. To avoid renal toxicity but still give each patient as high amount of (177)Lu-octreotate as possible, there is a need for methods/biomarkers that indicate renal injury in an early stage of the treatment. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential of using urinary retinol binding protein 4 (RBP4) and carbamoylated haemoglobin (Hb) in blood as biomarkers of nephrotoxic effects on adult mice after (177)Lu-octreotate treatment. METHODS: Adult BALB/c nude mice were injected with 60 MBq or 120 MBq of (177)Lu-octreotate or with saline (control). Urine was collected before injection and concentrations of urinary RBP4 and creatinine were determined 14 to 90 days after injection Blood samples were collected after 90 days, and carbamoylated N-terminal valine in Hb, formed from urea, was measured as valine hydantoin (VH) after detachment from Hb. RESULTS: The RBP4 values increased with administered activity and time. For the 60 and 120 MBq groups, statistically significantly higher RBP4 levels (p <0.05) were found at day 60 and 90 compared to baseline, also at day 30 for 120 MBq group. For VH, the mean values were similar for the 60 MBq and control groups, while a small increase was observed for the 120 MBq group; but there were no statistically significant differences between any of the groups (p >0.05). No morphological changes in the kidney tissue were found. CONCLUSIONS: Urinary RBP4 is a promising new biomarker for radiation-induced renal toxicity. For the conditions used in this experiment, carbamoylated Hb (from urea) measured as VH may not be a sufficiently sensitive biomarker to be used for renal toxicity. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ID 326-2008.

A new general pathway for synthesis of reference compounds of N-terminal valine-isocyanate adducts.

Adducts to Hb could be used as biomarkers to monitor exposure to isocyanates. Particularly useful is the measurement of carbamoylation of N-terminal valines in Hb, after detachment as hydantoins. The synthesis of references from the reactive isocyanates, especially diisocyanates, has been problematic due to side reactions and polymerization of the isocyanate starting material. A simpler, safer, and more general method for the synthesis of valine adducts of isocyanates has been developed using N-[(4-nitrophenyl)carbamate]valine methylamide (NPCVMA) as the key precursor to adducts of various mono- and diisocyanates of interest. By reacting NPCVMA with a range of isocyanate-related amines, carbamoylated valines are formed without the use of the reactive isocyanates. The carbamoylated products synthesized here were cyclized with good yields of the formed hydantoins. The carbamoylated derivative from phenyl isocyanate also showed quantitative yield in a test with cyclization under the conditions used in blood. This new pathway for the preparation of N-carbamoylated model compounds overcomes the above-mentioned problems in the synthesis and is a general and simplified approach, which could make such reference compounds of adducts to N-terminal valine from isocyanates accessible for biomonitoring purposes. The synthesized hydantoins corresponding to adducts from isocyanic acid, methyl isocyanate, phenyl isocyanate, and 2,6-toluene diisocyanate were characterized by LC-MS analysis. The background level of the hydantoin from isocyanic acid in human blood was analyzed with the LC-MS conditions developed.