The application of immunoassays and fluorometry to the detection of polycyclic hydrocarbon-macromolecular adducts and anti-adduct antibodies in humans.

The metabolic activation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) to chemical species that form covalent adducts with cellular macromolecules (DNA and protein) is central to theories of carcinogenesis. Assays are currently being developed that will accurately reflect human macromolecular exposure to these carcinogens. Immunoassays are capable of detecting low levels of PAH-DNA adducts and antibodies directed against these adducts in humans and HPLC/spectrophotofluorimetry allows the detection of carcinogen-DNA or carcinogen-protein adducts in human peripheral blood. Both types of method have inherent advantages and disadvantages, and the use of more than one type of corroborative assay is a feature in our work. Simplified but highly specific synchronous fluorescence spectra have been obtained for BP-tetrols after mild acid hydrolysis and HPLC of sample materials. When using a wavelength difference of 34 nm to drive the excitation and emission monochromators simultaneously, the pyrene fluorophore, when present, has a signature peak at 345 nm (excitation). The results of immunoassays demonstrate human exposure to PAH as a class of carcinogen, since serological cross-reactivity of antibodies does not limit detection in this system to a single chemical compound. In addition the formation in humans of anti-PAH-DNA antibodies has been shown, presumably in response to both past and present exposure to the parent compounds. In summary the results of each assay can indicate human exposure to PAH and have the potential for molecular dosimetry of this exposure.