Formation of C8-modified deoxyguanosine and C8-modified deoxyadenosine as major DNA adducts from 2-nitropyrene metabolism mediated by rat and mouse liver microsomes and cytosols.

2-Nitropyrene, the geometric isomer of the most studied nitropolycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (nitro-PAH), 1-nitropyrene, is an environmental contaminant detected in ambient air and a potent direct-acting mutagen. Its metabolic activation leading to the formation of DNA adducts was studied. The activated metabolite, N-hydroxy-2-aminopyrene, was prepared and reacted with calf thymus DNA. Upon enzymatic hydrolysis of the DNA, the resulting nucleosides were separated by HPLC, and the adducts were characterized by mass and proton NMR spectral analysis. Both N-(deoxyguanosin-8-yl)-2-aminopyrene and N-(deoxyadenosin-8-yl)-2-aminopyrene, in a 5:2 ratio, were identified. These adducts were then utilized as standards to identify the DNA adducts formed from reaction of [3H]2-nitropyrene with DNA mediated by liver microsomes and cytosols of mouse and rat. In all cases, both adducts were formed. The quantities of the two adducts formed in each system were: mouse liver microsomes (11.3 pmol [3H]2-nitropyrene/mg DNA), rat liver microsomes (23), mouse liver cytosol (11.4) and rat liver cytosol (5.1). Thus, these adducts were formed in highest yield from rat liver microsomes and the lowest from rat liver cytosol. The deoxyguanosine/deoxyadenosine adduct ratio was higher from rat and mouse liver microsomes (7.8:9.2) than from rat and mouse liver cytosols (2.5:3.1). Our results represent the first direct demonstration of a C8-deoxyadenosine adduct being formed as a major product from the reaction of a nitro-PAH metabolite with DNA.