Immunoperoxidase detection of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon-DNA adducts in breast tissue sections

Although the etiology of the majority of human breast cancers is unknown, e nvironmental carcinogens are suspected to play a role. In this study, we in vestigated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon-DNA adducts in 78 breast cancer patients and benign breast disease patients with lifetime environmental exp osure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) compounds. Adducts were dete cted in paraffin sections by immunoperoxidase method using polyclonal antis erum and were quantitated by the image-analyzing system. A significantly hi gher level of adducts was found in benign breast disease as compared to can cer patients (P <.001; Mann-Whitney U test). Neither smoking nor genetic po lymorphisms in glutathione S-transferase and cytochrome P450 influenced the level of adducts. This exploratory study demonstrates the usefulness of th e immunoperoxidase method to detect PAH-DNA adducts in stored breast tissue and suggests further research on a larger population, including patients f rom both high- and low-pollution environments.