Alkylation of RNA by vinyl bromide metabolites in vitro and in vivo.

[1,2-14C]Vinyl bromide was incubated with rat liver microsomes, NADPH, and polyadenylic acid, polycytidylic acid, or RNA, respectively. Part of the adenosine moieties in RNA or in polyadenylic acid were alkylated and labelled 1,N6-ethenoadenosine structures were formed. Part of the cytidine moieties were converted into 3,N4-ethenocytidine. In addition, a further unidentified cytidine alkylation product was observed which was not seen in experiments using [1,2-14C]vinyl chloride. When rats were exposed to [1,2-14C]vinyl bromide, radioactive ethenoadenosine and ethenocytidine were present in hydrolysates of liver RNA. A further alkylation product was observed in the RNA hydrolysates which did not occur in experiments using [14C]vinyl chloride. The data show that vinyl bromide metabolites alkylate nucleic acids; although in general in this respect vinyl bromide and vinyl chloride behave similarly, some differences are observed in the alkylation behaviour of both compounds.