Non-enzymic damage to nuclear proteins has potentially severe consequences
for the maintenance of genomic integrity. Introduction of carbonyl groups i
nto histones in vivo and in vitro was assessed by Western blot immunoassay
and reductive incorporation of tritium from radiolabelled NaBH4 (sodium bor
ohydride). Histone H1 extracted from bovine thymus, liver and spleen was fo
und to contain significantly elevated amounts of protein-bound carbonyl gro
ups as compared with core histones. The carbonyl content of nuclear protein
s of rat pheochromocytoma cells (PC12 cells) was not greatly increased foll
owing oxidative stress induced by H2O2, but was significantly increased fol
lowing alkylating stress induced by N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine or
by combined oxidative and alkylating stress. Free ADP-ribose, a reducing s
ugar generated in the nucleus in proportion to DNA strand breaks, was shown
to be a potent histone H1 carbonylating agent in isolated PC12 cell nuclei
. Studies of the mechanism of histone H1 modification by ADP-ribose indicat
e that carbonylation involves formation of a stable acyclic ketoamine, Our
results demonstrate preferential histone H1 carbonylation in vivo, with pot
entially important consequences for chromatin structure and function.