Benzo[a]pyrene-globin adducts detected by synchronous fluorescence spectrophotometry: method development and relation to lung DNA adducts in mice.

A simple synchronous fluorescence spectrophotometry (SFS) to detect benzo[a]pyrene-7,8-diol-9,10-epoxide (BPDE)-globin adducts is described. SFS for BPDE-DNA, which measures detached benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P)-tetrols after acid hydrolysis of DNA, was applied for BPDE-globin adducts in B[a]P-treated C57BL/6 (B6) mice. Unlike DNA samples, globin is not measurable as such after acid hydrolysis because proteins give a background in SFS. Furthermore, proteinase incubation before acid hydrolysis of globin gave too much background even after purification to be useful in this assay. Of several purification procedures tried after acid hydrolysis (protein precipitation, elution through Sep-Pak C18, filtration, ether extraction of tetrols), the lowest background fluorescence was obtained with ether extractions of B[a] moieties. Ether phases were evaporated to dryness and the remainder dissolved in distilled water (1 ml), which was measured by SFS. Compared to DNA, somewhat milder hydrolysis conditions were optimal for globin samples (0.05 M HCl, 1.5 h, + 90 degrees C). Globin samples from B[a]P-treated mice gave a peak at the same wavelength (345 nm excitation) as the hydrolysis products of BPDE-DNA adducts, indicating B[a]P-tetrols and triols in the sample. Less than half of B[a]P measured in globin was from covalently bound BPDE. In mice injected i.p. with 1-160 mg/kg of B[a]P there was a dose-dependent increase in the amount of BPDE adducts in globin and a positive correlation with lung and liver DNA. Globin adducts were a more sensitive indicator of B[a]P exposure than DNA adducts because more globin can be used for the assay. Although both covalently and non-covalently bound BPDE in globin are detected by SFS, this method is the simplest described so far, reproducible and theoretically sensitive enough for human biomonitoring.