CAFFEINE-DERIVED N-NITROSO COMPOUNDS .3. MUTAGENICITY IN SALMONELLA-TYPHIMURIUM AND IN-VITRO INDUCTION OF DNA SINGLE-STRAND BREAKS IN RAT HEPATOCYTES BY MONONITROSOCAFFEIDINE AND DINITROSOCAFFEIDINE
L. Erdinger et al., CAFFEINE-DERIVED N-NITROSO COMPOUNDS .3. MUTAGENICITY IN SALMONELLA-TYPHIMURIUM AND IN-VITRO INDUCTION OF DNA SINGLE-STRAND BREAKS IN RAT HEPATOCYTES BY MONONITROSOCAFFEIDINE AND DINITROSOCAFFEIDINE, MUTATION RESEARCH, 292(1), 1993, pp. 41-49
Mutagenesis in S. typhimurium and in vitro induction of DNA single-str
and breaks in primary rat hepatocytes (DNA-SSB) have been investigated
for two new N-nitroso compounds, mononitrosocaffeidine (MNC) and dini
trosocaffeidine (DNC). Mononitrosamidocaffeidine (MNAC) and tert.-(but
yloxy)carbonyl-mononitrosamidocaffeidine (t-BOC-MNAC), both nitrosated
derivatives of caffeidine with nitrosation at methylcarboxamide-N onl
y, were also similarly studied. MNC, an asymmetric nitrosamine, failed
to show mutagenicity in any of the tester strains used, and also did
not induce DNA-SSB in rat hepatocytes. DNC, having both N-nitrosamide
and N-nitrosamine groups in the molecule, showed direct mutagenicity i
n TA100, TA1535 and TA102. The mutagenic potential of the compound was
found to increase on S9 activation. However, it was non-mutagenic in
TA98 and TA1537. DNC also exhibited a high potential for inducing alka
li-labile DNA-SSB in rat hepatocytes (70-78% C-T value) and was cytoto
xic at concentrations over 0.1 mumole/ml. Both MNC and DNC were found
to produce formaldehyde on S9 activation. MNAC was not mutagenic direc
tly but showed weak mutagenicity on metabolic activation, whereas t-BO
C-MNAC was mutagenic both with and without S9 activation in TA100, TA1
535 and TA102. t-BOC-MNAC was more cytotoxic to hepatocytes than MNAC,
though both caused DNA-SSB to the same extent (62% C-T value). On the
basis of the presented data it is inferred that while DNC is a direct
-acting mutagen in TA100, TA1535 and TA102 due to the presence of a re
active N-methylnitrosamido group, its mutagenic potential is greatly e
nhanced in the presence of S9 possibly due to the synergistic influenc
e of an activated N-methylnitrosamino group in the molecule. Additiona
lly, the study shows a qualitative consistency between Salmonella muta
genicity, genotoxicity in hepatocytes and the reactivity of the methyl
group at the nitrosamido-N in nitrosated caffeidine compounds.