Modified Immunoenriched <sup>32</sup>P-HPLC Assay for the Detection of <i>O</i><sup>4</sup>-Ethylthymidine in Human Biomonitoring Studies
作者:Roger Godschalk、Jagadeesan Nair、Hans-Christian Kliem、Manfred Wiessler、Guy Bouvier、Helmut Bartsch
DOI:10.1021/tx015582s
日期:2002.3.1
Increased excretion of ethylated DNA bases has been reported in the urine of cigarette smokers. To study DNA ethylation in the target organs of smokers, an immunoenriched P-32-postlabeling assay for O-4-ethylthymidine (O-4-etT) was developed. O-4-etT-3'-monophosphate (O-4-etT-3'P) was synthesized, purified, and characterized by LC-MS, ESI-MS, and NMR. DNA was enzymatically digested to 2'-deoxynucleoside-3'-monophosphate followed by immunoprecipitation of O-4-etT-3'P using specific monoclonal antibodies. The immunoconjugate was washed by filtration, and O-4-etT-3'P was recovered by ethanol treatment. The enriched O-4-etT-3'P was labeled with [gamma-32P]ATP in the presence of T4-polynucteotide kinase at pH 6.8 to yield its 5'-labeled monophosphate and was subsequently resolved on RP-HPLC and detected with online detection of radioactivity. Adduct recovery was > 80%, and the detection limit was approximately 500 amol. To further validate the method, O-4-etT levels were determined in calf thymus DNA treated with N-etliyl-N-nitrosourea, and a dose-dependent formation of O-4-etT was observed. Furthermore, O-4-etT was found to be present in the cells obtained from the lower respiratory tract by sputum induction of two out of four smokers but not in three nonsmokers. O-4-etT is a poorly repaired promutagenic DNA lesion; thus, it could be of potential use for biomonitoring smoking-related DNA damage. Our improved assay was found to be sufficiently sensitive and specific to detect O-4-etT in surrogate cells from cigarette smoke exposed humans.