Mutagenicity of some hydroxylaminotoluene derivatives towards Salmonella typhimurium in esterification systems

The mutagenicity of 2-hydroxylamino-4-nitrotoluene (2HA4NT), 4-hydroxylamino-2-nitrotoluene (4HA2NT), 2-hydroxylamino-6-nitrotoluene (2HA6NT) or 4-acetylamino-2-hydroxylaminotoluene (4AA2HAT) towards Salmonella typhimurium strains TA98 and TA100 was investigated in the absence and presence of uridine-5'-diphosphoglucuronic acid (UDPGA), acetyl CoA or 3'-phosphoadenosine-5'-phosphosulfate (PAPS) systems, or S9 mix. None of the hydroxylaminonitrotoluenes (2HA4NT, 4HA2NT or 2HA6NT) were mutagenic in both strains while 4AA2HAT was a base-pair substitution mutagen in the UDPGA and PAPS systems. The indirect mutagenic activity was markedly decreased by omission of microsomal fraction (MCF) or UDPGA from the UDPGA system and by addition of beta-glucuronidase to the system. Similarly, the mutagenic activity was markedly decreased either when 105000 X g supernatant fluid (S105), adenosine triphosphate (ATP) or Na2SO4 was omitted from the PAPS system or when pentachlorophenol (PCP) or aryl sulphatase was added to the system. Moreover, the mutagenic activity in either system was markedly decreased by the addition of glutathione (GSH). These results suggested that two esterifications with glucuronic acid and sulfuric acid may play an important role in the appearance of mutagenic activity of 4AA2HAT.