Preparation of microgram quantities of BaP-DNA adducts using isolated rat hepatocytes in vitro

The analysis of carcinogen-DNA adducts generally requires the preparation (by chemical or biological means) of DNA adduct standards, in amounts sufficient for chemical characterization. We have established conditions for the in vitro biological preparation of microgram quantities of DNA adducts derived from benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), fluoranthene and 7,12-dimethylbenzanthracene, using isolated rat hepatocytes. The metabolic activation of 180 microM BaP by isolated rat hepatocytes in a calf-thymus-DNA (CT-DNA)-supplemented medium resulted in the formation of 2.9 micrograms of BaP adducted to 56.7 mg of DNA. The average level of binding in this experiment was 148 +/- 8 pmol BaP bound/1 mg DNA, which compares favorably to the 10-30 pmol BAP/1 mg DNA which is typical of mouse skin adducts in vivo. In another experiment, BaP-DNA adduct formation in calf-thymus DNA added to hepatocyte incubations was further increased to 327 +/- 27 pmol/mg DNA, by physical shearing of the DNA prior to the incubation. The HPLC profile of the BaP adducts produced using hepatocytes plus CT-DNA is virtually indistinguishable from that produced by tumor-initiating doses of BaP applied to mouse skin in vivo, and the major DNA adduct formed by the hepatocytes co-elutes with the (+)-anti-diol-epoxide adduct of deoxyguanosine. Similar experiments using fluoranthene and 7,12-dimethylbenzanthracene also resulted in substantial DNA adduct formation; however, incubations using dibenz[a,h]anthracene did not. These results indicate that isolated rat hepatocytes in vitro can be useful for the preparation of DNA adducts of a number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, in quantities sufficient for chemical characterization.