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A new method has been developed to accurately measure apurinic and apyrimidinic (AP) DNA damage sites, which are lesions in DNA formed by loss of a nucleobase from oxidative stress or carcinogen adducts. If AP sites are left unrepaired (or if improperly repaired), these sites can lead to DNA mutations that may ultimately result in the formation of cancer. Hence, detection of AP sites may provide a useful indicator of exposure and susceptibility to chemical carcinogens and oxidative stress. AP detection is currently accomplished by immunodetection methods using an aldehyde reactive probe [Nakamura, J., Walker, V. E., Upton, P. B., Chiang, S.-Y., Kow, Y. W., and Swenberg, J. A. (1998) Cancer Res. 58, 222-225; Atamna, H., Cheung, I., and Ames, B. N. (2000) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 97, 686-691]; however, these approaches lack the specificity required for unequivocal identification of the AP site. Therefore, we have developed an accurate method based on mass spectrometry detection of AP sites from AP DNA that have been prelabeled with O-4-nitrobenzylhydroxylamine (NBHA). Once labeled and once the excess labeling agent has been removed, enzymatic digestion of DNA to monomeric subunits can be accomplished, followed by isolation and detection with high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS/MS). Optimization and validation of the experimental procedures and detection limits have been established using a model DNA oligomer (11-mer) containing uracil. Enzymatic removal of uracil with uracil glycosylase generates well-defined AP sites in both single- and double-stranded DNA. The addition of NBHA labels the AP site in the oligomer, creating a labeled 11-mer. HPLC-ESI-MS/MS in the negative ionization mode was used to monitor and confirm binding of NBHA to the AP oligomer. The NBHA-tagged oligomer underwent endo- and exonuclease digestion to the 5'-deoxyribose monophosphate (5'-dRp) level, thereby releasing free 5'-dRp-NBHA. The 5'-dRp-NBHA product was partially purified by solid phase extraction and quantified by LC-MS/MS using several transitions of the deprotonated molecule ([M - H]- at m/z 363) and isotopically labeled 5'-dRp-NBHA as an internal standard. Further experiments with 5',3'-bisphosphate-deoxyribose and heat/acid-treated calf thymus DNA showed similar labeling, digestion, and detection results. Initial results show a quantification limit with 100 mug of DNA to be 100 fmol (three abasic sites per 10(7) bases).

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) are metabolized to electrophiles that can bind to DNA bases and destabilize the N-glycosyl bond, causing rapid depurination of the adducted bases. Recent studies support depurination of DNA as a mechanism central to the genesis of H-ras mutations in PAH-treated mouse skin. Depurinating adducts account for 71% of all DNA adducts formed in mouse skin treated with benzo[a]pyrene (BP). This study analyzed urine of cigarette smokers, coal smoke-exposed women, and nonexposed controls for the presence and quantities of the depurinated BP-adducted DNA bases, 7-(benzo[a]pyren-6-yl)guanine (BP-6-N7Gua) and 7-(benzo[a]pyren-6-yl)adenine (BP-6-N7Ade). Since these adducted bases originate from reaction of the BP radical cation with double-stranded DNA and not with RNA or denatured DNA, their presence in urine is indicative of DNA damage. Urine samples were fractionated by a combination of SepPak extraction and reverse-phase HPLC, and then analyzed by tandem mass spectrometry and capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence. BP-adducted bases were detected in the urine from three of seven cigarette smokers and three of seven women exposed to coal smoke, but were not detected in urine from the 13 control subjects. Concentrations were estimated to be 60-340 and 0.1-0.6 fmol/mg of creatinine equivalent of urine for coal smoke-exposed women (maximum possible BP intake of ca. 23 000 ng/day) and cigarette smokers (BP intake of ca. 800 ng/day), respectively, exhibiting a sensitive response to BP exposures. BP-6-N7Gua was present at ca. 20-300 times the concentration of BP-6-N7Ade in the urine of coal smoke-exposed women, but was not detected in the urine of cigarette smokers. This difference may be due to the remarkably different BP exposures experienced by the two groups of PAH-exposed individuals. These results justify more extensive studies of depurinated BP-adducted DNA bases as potential biomarkers of PAH-associated cancer risk.

Low-temperature fluorescence spectra and results of conformational studies with trans-syn-, cis-syn-, trans-anti-, and cis-anti-dibenzo[a,l]pyrene diol epoxide (DB[a,l]PDE)-derived deoxyadenosine (dA) adducts are presented and compared with those previously obtained for the stereoisomeric DB[a,l]P tetrols [Jankowiak, R., et al. (1997) Chem. Res. Toxicol. 10, 677-686]. In contrast to DB[a,l]P tetrols, for which only trans isomers exhibited two conformers, all stereoisomeric dA adducts adopt two different conformations with either half-chair or half-boat structures for the cyclohexenyl ring, and an "open"- or "folded"-type configuration between dA and the DB[a,l]P moiety. The major conformations observed for trans-syn-, cis-syn-, and cis-anti-DB[a,l]PDE-14-N(6)dA could be assigned on the basis of the previous calculations for the DB[a,l]P tetrols. The major conformers of the trans-syn- and cis-syn-DB[a, l]PDE-14-N(6)dA adducts exist in conformations I and II, with their fluorescence origin bands at approximately 382 and approximately 389 nm, respectively. In conformation I, the cyclohexenyl ring adopts a half-boat structure with dA in a pseudoaxial position (an open configuration), whereas the cyclohexenyl ring in conformation II adopts a half-chair structure with dA in pseudoequatorial position (a folded configuration). The major conformation of cis-anti-DB[a, l]PDE-14-N(6)dA, with its origin band at approximately 389 nm, was also assigned as a folded-type configuration with a half-chair structure in the cyclohexenyl ring. Molecular mechanics and dynamical simulations were performed for interpretation of the low-temperature fluorescence spectra and (1)H NMR coupling constants observed for the trans-anti-DB[a,l]PDE-14-N(6)dA adduct. The major conformer of this adduct has a half-chair structure in the cyclohexenyl ring, but a deviation from planarity in the fjord region different from that of conformer II of cis-anti-DB[a, l]PDE-N(6)dA. This new structure is labeled as conformer II'. Its (0, 0) fluorescence band is at 388.1 and 388.3 nm in ethanol and glycerol/water glasses, respectively, consistent with the folded-type configuration revealed by the calculations. The fluorescence line-narrowed spectra reveal that the trans-syn-, cis-syn-, trans-anti-, and cis-anti-DB[a,l]PDE-14-N(6)dA adducts can be distinguished. Thus, their spectra should prove useful for identification of DB[a,l]P-DNA adducts formed at low levels in biological samples.