32P-postlabeling assay for carcinogen-DNA adducts and other dna modifications

32P-postlabeling analysis is a recently developed, highly sensitive method for the detection and measurement of covalent DNA adducts. Since the method does not require radioactive carcinogens, it is suitable for DNA of humans exposed to environmental or occupational genotoxicants. The basic procedure entails the enzymatic incorporation of 32P-label into enzymatic digestion products of DNA, the chromatographic separation and autoradiographic detection of the 32P-labeled digestion products and their quantitation by scintillation counting. Since only microgram amounts of DNA are required, the assay is well suited for the analysis of DNA lesions whenever only limited amounts of cells or tissue may be available. Various versions of the assay have been described affording different sensitivities of adduct detection. Under optimal conditions, one aromatic or bulky/hydrophobic adduct in 10(8) - 10(10) nucleotides can be detected and measured (this corresponds to 0.0003 - 0.03 fmol adduct/microgram DNA or 0.1 - 10 nmol adduct/mol DNA-P). The assay has been successfully applied to a variety of mutagenic (genotoxic) as well as non-mutagenic carcinogens. Among the latter are estrogens and 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD). In addition, the assay detects age-dependent DNA modifications (I-compounds) in animals that have not been knowingly exposed to mutagens/carcinogens. In humans, the 32P-postlabeling assay has been applied to cigarette smokers, iron foundry workers and coke oven workers. Estimation of total aromatic adduct levels in exposed individuals gave values of 1 adduct in 10(6) - 10(8) DNA nucleotides. These values are similar to the total levels of persistent adducts in tissues of animals after exposure to initiating or carcinogenic doses of authentic aromatic geno-toxicants.