Characterization and genotoxicity of DNA adducts caused by 2-naphthyl isocyanate

Calf thymus DNA and M13mp9 RF DNA were modified with [ring-3H]2-naphthyl isocyanate (NIC) and analyzed by reverse-phase HPLC following enzymatic hydrolysis. In each case, essentially, a single radioactive component, which co-chromatographed with authentic N4-2-naphthyl-carbamoyl-2'-deoxycytidine (NCdC), was detected. In order to explore the biological potential of this adduct, mp9 RF DNA modified with NIC was introduced into Escherichia coli strains using a calcium chloride technique. The plaque-forming efficiencies of DNA decreased with increasing adduct level, and the decreases were more pronounced in Uvr endonuclease-deficient strains (i.e. AB1886, uvrA; AB1885, uvrB; AB1884, uvrC) as compared to JM103 (Uvr endonuclease proficient) and JM101 RH03 (recA). These results suggest that these lesions, NCdC adducts, can be removed by the Uvr endonuclease repair system. Mutations were detected as the loss of ability of the bacteriophage to complement the defective beta-galactosidase of the host cells. Induction of SOS functions in the host cells enhanced the mutation frequency to 0.089%, i.e. greater than or equal to 4-fold greater than in non-SOS-induced cells, in transfections with RF DNA that contained 100 adducts/molecule. The mutagenic potency of this cytidine lesion is lower than that of the guanine-C8 adducts of 2-aminofluorene and 2-acetylaminofluorene as reported previously for this mutagenesis system.