Cytosol is required for the modulation by dietary casein of the hepatic microsomal activation of aflatoxin B1 to mutagenic metabolites detectable in Salmonella.

We have shown previously that dietary protein (casein) levels can affect the ability of rat liver S9 to metabolize aflatoxin B1 (AFB) as well as other promutagens detectable in Salmonella strain TA98 [Mutat. Res. (1997), 360, 115-126 and 127-143]. The mutagenic potency of AFB was greatest when metabolized by the Aroclor 1254-induced hepatic S9 prepared from F344 male rats that consumed an isocaloric, semisynthetic diet for 6 weeks that contained an adequate (12%) level of methionine-supplemented casein as the sole protein source, compared with S9s from rats fed diets that contained nominally deficient (8%) or high (22%) levels of casein. Here we have extended this observation by performing (i) mutagenicity studies with microsomes, cytosols and reconstituted S9s (recombinations of microsomes and cytosols across dietary groups), and (ii) in vitro incubations followed by analysis of metabolites by fluorescence high-pressure liquid chromatography. Microsomes, but not cytosols, activated AFB; however, activation to the level observed with S9 occurred only when microsomes from the rats fed 12% casein were combined with cytosols from any dietary group. Consistent with the mutagenicity results, the greatest metabolism of the AFB parent compound and the highest level of the glutathione conjugate of the presumptively identified AFB-exo-8,9-epoxide (the ultimate mutagenic form of AFB) were produced by S9s from the rats fed the 12% casein diet. The levels of these metabolites and the mutagenicity of AFB changed in parallel with changes in dietary casein levels. In summary, cytosolic elements, which are not affected by dietary casein levels, interact with microsomal enzymes, which are modulated by dietary casein levels, to influence the ability of hepatic S9 to activate AFB to a mutagen.

Effect of dietary casein levels on activation of promutagens in the spiral Salmonella mutagenicity assay. I. Studies with noninduced rat liver S9.

Xenobiotic metabolism can be influenced by various nutritional factors, including protein. In the present study, we have examined the effect of dietary protein (casein) levels on the ability of rat liver S9 to activate the promutagens aflatoxin B1 (AFB), 2-aminoanthracene (2AN) and benzo[a]pyrene (BAP) in strain TA98 using the spiral Salmonella mutagenicity assay. S9s were derived from individual male F344 rats fed for 6 weeks on semisynthetic diets containing 8%, 12% or 22% methionine-supplemented casein as the sole source of protein (diets were made isocaloric by adjusting the corn starch content). Rats were housed in large, raised-bed cages by groups of three per diet. S9 activation mixtures were prepared at 5 mg of S9 protein/ml of S9 mix. Slopes from the linear portions of the mutagenicity dose-response curves were analyzed by ANOVA comparisons. Assays used to elucidate the phase I activities of microsomal preparations were cytochrome P450 content, cytochrome-c reductase activity, flavin-containing monooxygenase activity, 7-ethoxyresorufin O-deethylation (EROD) activity, N-demethylation of benzphetamine and para-nitrophenol O-deethylation. Phase II activities in cytosolic preparations were assayed by estimation of glutathione (GSH) content and glutathione S-transferase activity through metabolism of 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB). Increased levels of dietary casein increased liver wet weights and decreased the ability of the S9 to activate 2AN. Dietary casein levels did not influence the S9-mediated activation of BAP; and consistent but nonsignificant increases in activation of AFB were produced by S9 from animals fed the 22% casein diet. The phase I and phase II activities measured here were not altered significantly by dietary casein levels; thus, other, more specific enzymatic activities may account for the mutagenesis data. These results illustrate the complex interaction between dietary levels of casein and promutagen activation mechanisms, which prevents drawing broad generalizations regarding the influence of dietary casein levels on the capacity of hepatic S9s to activate promutagens.

Effect of dietary casein levels on activation of promutagens in the spiral Salmonella mutagenicity assay. II. Studies with induced rat liver S9.

In the previous study (Mutation Res., this issue), we showed that increased levels of dietary casein as the sole protein source for male F344 rats decreased the ability of the uninduced liver S9s to activate 2-aminoanthracene (2AN) to a mutagen in strain TA98 using the spiral Salmonella mutagenicity assay. No effects of dietary casein levels were noted for the ability of uninduced liver S9s to activate the promutagens aflatoxin B1 (AFB) and benzo[a]pyrene (BAP). In the present study, we have extended this study to include liver S9s induced with either Aroclor 1254, phenobarbital or 3-methylcholanthrene (3MC). S9s were derived from individual male F344 rats fed for 6 weeks on semisynthetic diets containing 8%, 12% or 22% methionine-supplemented casein as the sole source of protein (diets were made isocaloric by adjusting the corn starch content). Rats were housed in large, raised-bed cages by groups of three/diet/inducing agent. S9 activation mixtures were prepared at 5 mg of S9 protein/ml of S9 mix. Slopes from the linear portions of the mutagenicity dose-response curves were analyzed by ANOVA comparisons. Assays used to elucidate the phase I activities of microsomal preparations were cytochrome P-450 content, cytochrome-c reductase activity, flavin-containing monooxygenase activity, 7-ethoxyresorufin O-deethylation (EROD) activity, N-demethylation of benzphetamine, and para-nitrophenol O-deethylation. Phase II activities were assayed by estimating glutathione (GSH) content and measuring the metabolism of 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB) by glutathione S-transferase in cytosolic preparations. None of the phase I or phase II endpoints were significantly affected by dietary casein levels. In general, increasing levels of dietary casein resulted in increased body and liver wet weight and amount of S9 protein. Aroclor-induced S9s from rats fed the 22% or 12% casein diet were most effective at activating AFB, depending on the lot of Aroclor used for induction; these divergent results were replicated with two groups of rats for each lot of Aroclor. The observed differences between Aroclor lots are assumed to arise from variation in the mix of PCB isomers. The Aroclor-induced S9s did not exhibit any casein-related effects for the activation of BAP or 2AN. For 3MC-induced S9s, the 12% casein diets produced S9s with the highest ability to activate AFB and BAP when standardized for protein content. Phenobarbital-induced S9s did not demonstrate any dietary casein-related effects on the activation of the three model promutagens. These results illustrate the complex interaction between dietary levels of casein, enzyme inducing agent and promutagen.