JBC, Vol. 250, Issue 17, 6769-6778, Sep, 1975
Mutagenesis of certain activated carcinogens in vitro associated with genetically mediated increases in monooxygenase activity and cytochrome P 1-450
J. S. Felton and D. W. Nebert
A bacterial mutagenesis assay and genetic differences in microsomal
CO-binding cytochromes were combined in vitro to evaluate the metabolic
activation of several known carcinogens to frameshift mutagens. With the
use of liver fractions from C57BL/6N and DBA/2N control mice and mice
treated in vivo with 3-methylcholanthrene, beta-naphthoglavone,
phenobarbital, or 2,3,7,,-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin, the in vitro
mutagenicity of 3-methylcholanthrene, 6-aminochrysene, and
2-acetylaminofluorene --but not benzo[a]pyrene==is closely associated with
the genetically mediated difference in both aromatic hydrocarbon-inducible
aryl hydrocarbon (benzo[a]pyrene) hydroxylase activity and new cytochrome
P1-450 formation; such an association between
7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene or benz[a]anthracene activation to mutagens
in vitro and these genetic differences between C57BL/6N and DBA/2N mouse
strains in uncertain. The Salmonella typhimurium histidine mutant TA1538 is
more effective than tester strains TA1537 and TA1535 in the determination
of 3-methylcholanthrene mutagenesis in vitro. The relationships between the
histidine revertant rate as a function of both liver protein concentration
per plate and mutagen concentration per plate are illustrated for
3-methylcholanthrene, benzo[a]pyrene, 6-aminochrysene, and
2-acetylaminofluorene. With the use of offspring from the appropriate
genetic crosses, the aromatic hydrocarbon-inducible hydroxylase activity
appears to be expressed as an autosomal dominant trait, whereas the
mutagenesis of 3-methylcholanthrene in vitro appears to be expressed
additively; this apparent discrepancy probably reflects different
proportional amounts of phenolic benzo[a]pyrene, compared with mutagenic
3-methylcholanthrene metabolites, formed by the monooxygenase(s).
3-Methylcholanthrene, 6-aminochrysene, and 2-acetylaminofluorene--but not
benzo[a]pyrene--are each more mutagenic in vitro per molecule of cytochrome
P1-450 than per molecule of CO-binding cytochrome other than P1450.
Diethylmaleate, a compound which depletes flutathione content in liver, and
1,1,1-trichloropropene-2,3-epoxide, an inhibitor of epoxide hydrase (EC
4.2.1.63), were also studied in vitro. Diethylmaleate, and especially
1,1,1-trichloropropene-2,3-epoxide, increases the mutagenicity of
benzo[a]pyrene, whereas no increases occur with 3-methylcholanthrene,
6-aminochrysene, or 2-acetylaminofluorene activation to mutagens in vitro.
Both diethylmaleate and 1,1,1-trichloropropene-2,3-epoxide cause decreases
in 2-acetylaminofluorene mutagenesis in vitro when liver fractions from
phenobarbital-treated mice are used.