32P-postlabeling analysis of binding of the cyclophosphamide metabolite, acrolein, to DNA.

The cyclophosphamide metabolite, acrolein, was reacted with 2'-deoxyguanosine-3'-monophosphate, and two adducts were detected by high performance liquid chromatography and 32P-postlabeling assay. These adducts were resistant to dephosphorylation by nuclease P1 and could be isolated and detected from calf thymus DNA that had been reacted in vitro with acrolein. A combination of HPLC purification and enzymatic digestion of normal nucleotides by nuclease P1 allowed for the detection of these adducts in hepatic DNA from mice treated with cyclophosphamide. The level of the two adducts in the hepatic DNA, as determined by 32P-postlabeling, was one adduct per 2.7-4.1 x 10(7) normal nucleotides.