Increase of O6-methylguanine-DNA-methyltransferase and N3-methyladenine glycosylase RNA transcripts in rat hepatoma cells treated with DNA-damaging agents.

A variety of DNA-damaging agents increase the O6-methylguanine-DNA-methyltransferase (transferase) and the N3-methyladenine (3-meAde)-DNA-glycosylase activities in a rat hepatoma cell line (H4 cells). Using two cDNA expressing either the rat 3-meAde-DNA-glycosylase or the transferase, the level of mRNA transcripts was measured by hybridization in H4 cells treated with three different inducing agents, gamma-rays, cis-dichlorodiammine platinum II or N-methyl-9-hydroxy ellipticinium. The two mRNA increased 24 hours after the cell treatments but this enhanced transcription was a transient phenomenon, as it was no longer observed after 96 hours. No significant DNA amplification was detectable in the treated cells.