Robert G. Croy

Benzo(a)pyrene metabolites: efficient and rapid separation by high-pressure liquid chromatography.

High-pressure liquid chromatography can separate eight metabolites of benzo[a] pyrene formed by rat liver microsomes. This method offers major advantages over previous techniques used for the separation of oxygenated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

Molecular recognition using corona phase complexes made of synthetic polymers adsorbed on carbon nanotubes

Nanomaterials are often functionalized with biological ligands to enable their use as sensors of biological activity. However, the intricacies of nano-bio interactions are poorly understood, which hampers our ability to design nanomaterial-based sensors. Current experimental tools have been unable to visualize interactions occurring on the nano-bio interface with the spatial and temporal resolution needed to quantify biological interactions at their fundamental length and time scales. To fill the need for concurrent visualization of nanoparticles and biomolecules, we have combined two common microscopy techniques, one being for the study of biomolecules and the other for the study of nanoparticles, into a single instrument that has the capacity to study both nanoparticles and biological molecules simultaneously with spatial and temporal resolution that is appropriate for nanoscale interactions. This novel instrument has been used for the characterization of high-sensitivity sensors by designing synthetic biological polymers to selectively encapsulate single-wall carbon nanotubes. The design of synthetic sensing tools based on nanoparticle-biomolecule hybrids is promising for areas in need of high-specificity sensors, such as label-free detection of molecules within a cell, nanoparticle-based diagnostic tools, and nanoscale therapeutics. We introduce three examples of high-sensitivity and high-selectivity synthetic sensors that have the ability to detect a variety of molecules on a single-molecule scale: riboflavin, L-thyroxine, and oestradiol. These sensors have been used to detect and quantify riboflavin levels within a live murine macrophage cell in real-time. The findings provided herein will enable the development of early-onset diagnostic tools at the level of a single cell.

Aflatoxin B1-DNA Adduct Formation and Mutagenicity in Livers of Neonatal Male and Female B6C3F1 Mice

Exposure to genotoxic chemicals at a young age increases cancer incidence later in life. Aflatoxin B(1) (AFB(1)) is a potent genotoxin that induces hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in many animal species and in humans. Whereas adult mice are insensitive to aflatoxin-induced carcinogenesis, mice treated with AFB(1) shortly after birth develop a high incidence of HCC in adulthood. Furthermore, the incidence of HCC in adult male mice treated as infants is much greater than in females, reasons for which are unclear. In this study, treatment with AFB(1) produced similar levels of DNA damage and mutations in the liver of newborn male and female gpt delta B6C3F1 mice. Twenty-four hours after dosing with AFB(1) (6 mg/kg), the highly mutagenic AFB(1)-FAPY adduct was present at twice the level of AFB(1)-N(7)-guanine in liver DNA of males and females. A multiple dose regimen (3 × 2 mg/kg), while delivering the same total dose, resulted in lower AFB(1) adduct levels. Mutation frequencies in the gpt transgene in liver were increased by 20- to 30-fold. The most prominent mutations in AFB(1)-treated mice were G:C to T:A transversions and G:C to A:T transitions. At this 21-day time point, no significant differences were found in mutation frequency or types of mutations between males and females. These results show that infant male and female B6C3F1 mice experience similar amounts of DNA damage and mutation from AFB(1) that may initiate the neoplastic process. The gender difference in the subsequent development of HCC highlights the importance of elucidating additional factors that modulate HCC development.

A bifunctional platinum(II) antitumor agent that forms DNA adducts with affinity for the estrogen receptor

A strategy is described for the re-design of DNA damaging platinum(II) complexes to afford elevated toxicity towards cancer cells expressing the estrogen receptor (ER). Two platinum-based toxicants are described in which a DNA damaging warhead, [Pt(en)Cl(2)] (en, ethylenediamine), is tethered to either of two functional groups. The first agent, [6-(2-amino-ethylamino)-hexyl]-carbamic acid 2-[6-(7alpha-estra-1,3,5,(10)-triene)-hexylamino]-ethyl ester platinum(II) dichloride ((Est-en)PtCl(2)), terminates in a ligand for the ER. The second agent is a control compound lacking the steroid; this compound, N-[6-(2-amino-ethylamino)-hexyl]-benzamide platinum(II) dichloride ((Bz-en)PtCl(2))), terminates in a benzamide moiety, which lacks affinity for the ER. Using a competitive binding assay, Est-en had 28% relative binding affinity (RBA) for the ER as compared to 17beta-estradiol. After covalent binding to a synthetic DNA duplex 16-mer, the compound retained its affinity for the ER; specificity of the binding event was demonstrated by the ability of free 17beta-estradiol as a competitor to disrupt the DNA adduct-ER complex. The (Est-en)PtCl(2) compound showed higher toxicity against the ER positive ovarian cancer cell line CAOV3 than did the control compound. (Est-en)PtCl(2) was also more toxic to the ER positive breast cancer line, MCF-7, than to an ER negative line, MDA-MB231.

DNA adducts formed by a novel antitumor agent 11β-dichloro in vitro and in vivo

The multifunctional molecule 11β-dichloro consists of a ligand for the androgen receptor linked to a bifunctional alkylating group, permitting it to create DNA adducts that bind the androgen receptor. We propose that binding of the androgen receptor to 11β-DNA adducts acts to both shield damaged sites from repair and disrupt the expression of genes essential for growth and survival. We investigated the formation 11β-DNA adducts in tumor xenograft and nontumor tissues in mice. Using [14C]-11β-dichloro, we show that the molecule remains intact in blood and is widely distributed in mouse tissues after i.p. injection. Covalent 11β-guanine adducts identified in DNA that had been allowed to react with 11β-dichloro in vitro were also found in DNA isolated from cells in culture treated with 11β-dichloro as well as in DNA isolated from liver and tumor tissues of mice treated with the compound. We used accelerator mass spectrometry to determine the levels of [14C]-11β-DNA adducts in LNCaP cells treated in culture as well as in liver tissue and LNCaP xenograft tumors in treated mice. The level of DNA adducts in tumor tissue was found to be similar to that found in LNCaP cells in culture treated with 2.5 μmol/L 11β-dichloro. Our results indicate that 11β-dichloro has sufficient stability to enter the circulation, penetrate tissues, and form DNA adducts that are capable of binding the androgen receptor in target tissues in vivo. These data suggest the involvement of our novel mechanisms in the antitumor effects of 11β-dichloro. [Mol Cancer Ther 2006;5(4):977–84]

Mutational spectra of aflatoxin B1 in vivo establish biomarkers of exposure for human hepatocellular carcinoma

Significance Several decades elapse between liver cancer initiation and the appearance of tumors, and there are rarely overt clues that presage the appearance of disease. There is an acute need for biomarkers of incipient carcinogenesis when the disease is clinically addressable. This work used high-fidelity DNA sequencing and a mouse model to reveal high-resolution mutational spectra of the liver carcinogen aflatoxin B1 in histopathologically normal liver as early as 10 wk after exposure. The spectrum, which is mirrored in human liver tumors, persisted through carcinoma development more than a year later. Identification of tumor mutational spectra in a manipulable animal model affords opportunities for the efficient testing of strategies relevant to early detection, prevention, and management of human cancer. Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and/or hepatitis B and C viruses are risk factors for human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Available evidence supports the interpretation that formation of AFB1-DNA adducts in hepatocytes seeds a population of mutations, mainly G:C→T:A, and viral processes synergize to accelerate tumorigenesis, perhaps via inflammation. Responding to a need for early-onset evidence predicting disease development, highly accurate duplex sequencing was used to monitor acquisition of high-resolution mutational spectra (HRMS) during the process of hepatocarcinogenesis. Four-day-old male mice were treated with AFB1 using a regimen that induced HCC within 72 wk. For analysis, livers were separated into tumor and adjacent cellular fractions. HRMS of cells surrounding the tumors revealed predominantly G:C→T:A mutations characteristic of AFB1 exposure. Importantly, 25% of all mutations were G→T in one trinucleotide context (CGC; the underlined G is the position of the mutation), which is also a hotspot mutation in human liver tumors whose incidence correlates with AFB1 exposure. The technology proved sufficiently sensitive that the same distinctive spectrum was detected as early as 10 wk after dosing, well before evidence of neoplasia. Additionally, analysis of tumor tissue revealed a more complex pattern than observed in surrounding hepatocytes; tumor HRMS were a composite of the 10-wk spectrum and a more heterogeneous set of mutations that emerged during tumor outgrowth. We propose that the 10-wk HRMS reflects a short-term mutational response to AFB1, and, as such, is an early detection metric for AFB1-induced liver cancer in this mouse model that will be a useful tool to reconstruct the molecular etiology of human hepatocarcinogenesis.

Sulforaphane-Mediated Reduction of Aflatoxin B1-N7-Guanine in Rat Liver DNA: Impacts of Strain and Sex

Aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁) is a DNA-binding toxin that contributes to the burden of liver cancer in tropical areas. AFB₁-DNA adducts are powerful biomarkers that discern individual and population risk from exposure to this carcinogen. The discovery of concordance between the metabolic pathways of the male Fischer rat and humans allowed data from rats to guide the development of chemoprevention strategies employed in clinical trials in high-risk regions. In this study, the variables of strain and sex are studied in the rat model, as a step toward understanding how ethnic differences and sex influence DNA adduct formation and the induction of enzymes by chemoprotective agents. Sulforaphane (SF), which induces phase II enzymes including glutathione S-transferases (GSTs), was evaluated for its ability to induce GST activity and reduce the AFB₁-DNA adducts in livers of both sexes of two rat strains that differ in susceptibility to AFB₁ hepatocarcinogenesis. A dose-dependent relationship was found for SF for both induction of GST and reduction in of AFB₁-N⁷-guanine in both Fischer (sensitive to AFB₁) and Sprague-Dawley rats (relatively resistant). Sprague-Dawley rats exhibited the greatest increase in GST levels and the largest reduction in AFB₁-N⁷-guanine in liver DNA. Males and females of each strain were also compared to determine if the ability of SF to induce GST and reduce AFB₁-N⁷-guanine correlated with gender differences in sensitivity to AFB₁ carcinogenesis. No gender-specific responses to SF were observed. These results support the view that SF induction of liver GST activity may play a role in its chemoprotective activity.

Sulforaphane, a cancer chemopreventive agent, induces pathways associated with membrane biosynthesis in response to tissue damage by aflatoxin B1.

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is one of the major risk factors for liver cancer globally. A recent study showed that sulforaphane (SF), a potent inducer of phase II enzymes that occurs naturally in widely consumed vegetables, effectively induces hepatic glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) and reduces levels of hepatic AFB1-DNA adducts in AFB1-exposed Sprague Dawley rats. The present study characterized the effects of SF pre-treatment on global gene expression in the livers of similarly treated male rats. Combined treatment with AFB1 and SF caused reprogramming of a network of genes involved in signal transduction and transcription. Changes in gene regulation were observable 4h after AFB1 administration in SF-pretreated animals and may reflect regeneration of cells in the wake of AFB1-induced hepatotoxicity. At 24h after AFB1 administration, significant induction of genes that play roles in cellular lipid metabolism and acetyl-CoA biosynthesis was detected in SF-pretreated AFB1-dosed rats. Induction of this group of genes may indicate a metabolic shift toward glycolysis and fatty acid synthesis to generate and maintain pools of intermediate molecules required for tissue repair, cell growth and compensatory hepatic cell proliferation. Collectively, gene expression data from this study provide insights into molecular mechanisms underlying the protective effects of SF against AFB1 hepatotoxicity and hepatocarcinogenicity, in addition to the chemopreventive activity of this compound as a GST inducer.

Chemical Genetics Analysis of an Aniline Mustard Anticancer Agent Reveals Complex I of the Electron Transport Chain as a Target

The antitumor agent 11β (CAS 865070-37-7), consisting of a DNA-damaging aniline mustard linked to an androgen receptor (AR) ligand, is known to form covalent DNA adducts and to induce apoptosis potently in AR-positive prostate cancer cells in vitro; it also strongly prevents growth of LNCaP xenografts in mice. The present study describes the unexpectedly strong activity of 11β against the AR-negative HeLa cells, both in cell culture and tumor xenografts, and uncovers a new mechanism of action that likely explains this activity. Cellular fractionation experiments indicated that mitochondria are the major intracellular sink for 11β; flow cytometry studies showed that 11β exposure rapidly induced oxidative stress, mitochondria being an important source of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Additionally, 11β inhibited oxygen consumption both in intact HeLa cells and in isolated mitochondria. Specifically, 11β blocked uncoupled oxygen consumption when mitochondria were incubated with complex I substrates, but it had no effect on oxygen consumption driven by substrates acting downstream of complex I in the mitochondrial electron transport chain. Moreover, 11β enhanced ROS generation in isolated mitochondria, suggesting that complex I inhibition is responsible for ROS production. At the cellular level, the presence of antioxidants (N-acetylcysteine or vitamin E) significantly reduced the toxicity of 11β, implicating ROS production as an important contributor to cytotoxicity. Collectively, our findings establish complex I inhibition and ROS generation as a new mechanism of action for 11β, which supplements conventional DNA adduct formation to promote cancer cell death.

Prenatal exposure of mice to the human liver carcinogen aflatoxin B1 reveals a critical window of susceptibility to genetic change

It has become axiomatic that critical windows of susceptibility to genotoxins exist and that genetic damage in utero may be a trigger for later life cancers. Data supporting this critical window hypothesis are remarkably few. This study provides a quantitative bridge between DNA damage by the liver carcinogen aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) during prenatal development and the risk of later life genetic disease. AFB1 was given to pregnant C57BL/6J mice, carrying F1 gestation day 14 (GD14) embryos of the B6C3F1 genotype. Ultra‐high performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry (UPLC‐MS) using aflatoxin‐15N5‐guanine adduct standards afforded measurement of the AFB1‐N7‐Gua and AFB1‐FAPY adducts 6‐hr post dosing in liver DNA of mothers and embryos. A parallel cohort gave birth and the livers of the F1 were analyzed for mutations in the gpt gene at 3 and 10 weeks of age. The data revealed mutational spectra dominated by G:C to T:A mutations in both the mother and offspring that are characteristic of AFB1 and distinct from background. It was shown that adducts in GD14 embryos were 20‐fold more potent inducers of mutagenesis than adducts in parallel‐dosed adults. This sensitivity enhancement correlated with Ki67 staining of the liver, reflecting the proliferative potential of the tissue. Taken together, these data provide insight into the relative genetic risks of prenatal and adult exposures to AFB1. Early life exposure, especially during the embryonic period, is strikingly more mutagenic than treatment later in life. Moreover the data provide a baseline against which risk prevention strategies can be evaluated.