O6-Methylguanine repair of methylated DNA in vitro: cell cycle-dependence of rat liver methyltransferase activity.

O6-Methylguanine DNA transferase activity was investigated in liver proteins obtained at various intervals after partial hepatectomy and/or after hydroxyurea-induced synchronization of the liver cell cycle. Liver proteins were incubated with 3H-methylated calf thymus DNA as previously described by Pegg et al. (1981). The loss of O6-methylguanine was measured by radiochromatography of DNA hydrolysates. The extent of O6-methylguanine repair differed during the cell cycle: the activity increased in late G1, reached a maximum in early S phase and declined in late S phase and G2M. These results indicate that hepatocytes are endowed with an increased DNA repair capacity for this promutagenic lesion during the period of highest transformation sensitivity in the cell cycle. Though increased, however, this repair potential does not, because of its exhaustibility, appear to be sufficient to prevent initiation of transformation after high doses of alkylating carcinogens.