Preparation, analysis and toxicity characterisation of the redox metabolites of the azo food dye tartrazine.

Tartrazine (E102, FD&C Yellow 5) is a vibrant yellow azo dye added to many processed foods. The safety of this ubiquitous chemical has not been fully elucidated, and it has been linked to allergic reactions and ADHD in some individuals. In our study, bacterial species isolated from human stool decolourised tartrazine and, upon exposure to air, a purple compound formed.

Metabolism of azo food dyes by bacterial members of the human gut microbiome.

Objectives: We set out to survey the capacities of bacterial isolates from the human gut microbiome to reduce common azo food dyes in vitro.

Methods: A total of 206 strains representative of 124 bacterial species and 6 phyla were screened in vitro using a simple azo dye decolorization assay. Strains which showed azoreductive activity were characterized by studies of azoreduction kinetics and bacterial growth.

Reductive metabolism of azo dyes and drugs: Toxicological implications.

Azo compounds are widely distributed synthetic chemicals in the modern world. Their most important applications are as dyes, but, in addition, several azo compounds are used as pharmaceuticals. Ingested azo compounds can be reduced by the action of bacteria in the gut, where the oxygen tension is low, and the development of microbiome science has allowed more precise delineation of the roles of specific bacteria in these processes.

Structure of an Unusual Tetracyclic Deoxyguanosine Adduct: Implications for Frameshift Mutagenicity of -Cyano Nitroanilines.

Nitroaromatic compounds represent a major class of industrial chemicals that are also found in nature. Polycyclic derivatives are regarded as potent mutagens and carcinogens following bioactivation to produce nitrenium electrophiles that covalently modify DNA to afford N-linked C8-2'-deoxyguanosine (C8-dG) lesions that can induce frameshift mutations, especially in CpG repeat sequences. In contrast, their monocyclic counterparts typically exhibit weak mutagenicity or a lack thereof, despite also undergoing bioactivation to afford N-linked C8-dG adducts.

Structure-activity investigation of the potentiating effect of cyano substitution on nitroaniline mutagenicity in the ames test.

2,6-Dicyano-4-nitroaniline and 2-cyano-4-nitroaniline (CNNA; 2-amino-5-nitrobenzonitrile) are potent mutagens in the Ames test, even though unsubstituted nitroanilines (NAs) are no more than weak mutagens. These compounds are putative reduction products of many commercial azo dyes, including Disperse Blue 165, Disperse Blue 337, Disperse Red 73, Disperse Red 82, Disperse Violet 33, and Disperse Violet 63. We have examined the mutagenicity in strains TA98 and YG1024 of a series of commercially-available isomers of CNNA, and some related compounds, to probe the relationship between structure and genotoxic activity in this class of compounds.

Acetylation of aromatic cysteine conjugates by recombinant human N-acetyltransferase 8.

1. The mercapturic acid (MA) pathway is a metabolic route for the processing of glutathione conjugates to MA (N-acetylcysteine conjugates). An N-acetyltransferase enzyme, NAT8, catalyzes the transfer of an acetyl group from acetyl-CoA to the cysteine amino group, producing a MA, which is excreted in the urine.

Potent mutagenicity in the Ames test of 2-cyano-4-nitroaniline and 2,6-dicyano-4-nitroaniline, components of disperse dyes.

Genotoxicity data on commercial azo dyes and their components remain sparse, despite their widespread use. We have tested the mutagenicity of 2-cyano-4-nitroaniline (CNNA) and 2,6-dicyano-4-nitroaniline (CNCNNA), components of azo dyes such as Disperse Blue 165 and Disperse Red 73, in Ames test strains. Both compounds are extraordinarily potent frameshift mutagens, with much greater activity than structurally similar dihalonitroanilines and halodinitroanilines.

Inhibition of human glutathione transferases by dinitronaphthalene derivatives.

Glutathione transferase (GST) enzymes catalyze the conjugation of glutathione with reactive functional groups of endogenous compounds and xenobiotics, including halonitroaromatics. 1-Chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB) is one of the most commonly used substrates for GST activity assays. We have studied the interactions of dinitronaphthalene analogues of CDNB with recombinant human GST enzymes (Alpha, Mu, and Pi classes) expressed in Escherichia coli.

Donor substrate specificity of bovine kidney gamma-glutamyltransferase.

The enzyme γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT) catalyzes the hydrolysis of the γ-glutamyl isopeptide bond of glutathione conjugates (donor substrates), releasing glutamic acid, or the transfer of the donor's γ-glutamyl group to an acceptor substrate, such as a dipeptide. The specificity of GGT for xenobiotic donor substrates has not been fully characterized. The transpeptidation activity of bovine kidney GGT was measured with glycylglycine as the acceptor substrate and several glutathione conjugate donor substrates, representative of detoxication products of polycyclic aromatic xenobiotics.

Reactive electrophilic metabolites of aromatic amine and amide carcinogens.

Aromatic and heterocyclic amines are a major class of chemical mutagens and carcinogens. The toxicity of these compounds is a consequence of their metabolic activation. The best-characterized enzymatic pathways for aromatic amine activation lead to the formation of reactive esters such as N-acetoxyarylamines, which are believed to be precursors of short-lived nitrenium ions.

Hydrolysis of S-aryl-cysteinylglycine conjugates catalyzed by porcine kidney cortex membrane dipeptidase.

Following conjugation with glutathione, xenobiotics are converted into cysteinylglycine conjugates, cysteine conjugates, and finally, mercapturic acids. The structural factors determining the activities of dipeptidases for the metabolism of toxicologically-relevant cysteinylglycine conjugates are not well understood. We purified porcine kidney cortex membrane dipeptidase (MDP) to homogeneity, via phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C-mediated cleavage of the protein's membrane anchor and cilastatin affinity chromatography.

Functional studies of single-nucleotide polymorphic variants of human glutathione transferase T1-1 involving residues in the dimer interface.

Glutathione transferase T1-1 catalyses detoxication and bioactivation processes in which glutathione conjugates are formed from endogenous and xenobiotic substrates, including alkylating agents and halogenated alkanes. Although the common null polymorphism of the human GSTT1 gene has been studied extensively, little is known about the consequences of GSTT1 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Here, we have examined the effects of two SNPs that alter amino acid residues in the dimer interface of the GST T1-1 protein and one that causes a conservative substitution in the core of the subunit.

Genetic variations in human glutathione transferase enzymes: significance for pharmacology and toxicology.

Glutathione transferase enzymes (GSTs) catalyze reactions in which electrophiles are conjugated to the tripeptide thiol glutathione. While many GST-catalyzed transformations result in the detoxication of xenobiotics, a few substrates, such as dihaloalkanes, undergo bioactivation to reactive intermediates. Many molecular epidemiological studies have tested associations between polymorphisms (especially, deletions) of human GST genes and disease susceptibility or response to therapy.

Evaluation of self-reported progression and correlation of imatinib dose to survival in patients with metastatic gastrointestinal stromal tumors: an open cohort study.

Objectives: Self-reported progression was evaluated as a predictor of survival in patients with metastatic gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST).

Methods: This is a follow-up of an open cohort study of Life Raft Group (LRG) members with a diagnosis of KIT-positive metastatic GIST receiving imatinib from May 2000-December 2007 reporting their subjective response to therapy by completion of an internet-based questionnaire. Subjects received >or= 1 year of imatinib and reported an initial positive response.

Single-nucleotide polymorphic variants of human glutathione transferase T1-1 differ in stability and functional properties.

We have previously expressed hexa-histidine-tagged human glutathione transferase GST T1-1 at very high levels in an Escherichia colilacZ mutagenicity assay strain. Ethylene dibromide (EDB), which is activated by GST T1-1, produces a potent response in the mutation assay. We have now constructed and expressed two SNP variants of wild-type GST T1-1:D141N and E173K.

Activation of aminoimidazole carcinogens by nitrosation: mutagenicity and nucleotide adducts.

2-Amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (IQ) and 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline(MeIQx) are heterocyclic amines (HCAs) derived from high temperature cooking of meat and thought to cause colon cancer in humans. Reactive nitrogen oxygen species, which are mediators of the inflammatory response, can convert these amines to the corresponding N-nitrosamines, N-NO-IQ and N-NO-MeIQx. This study was designed to evaluate whether these N-nitrosamines are genotoxic and could be responsible, in part, for the high incidence of colon cancer in individuals with colitis.

Ames test evaluation of two commercially available zero-valent nickel compounds.

Zero-valent nickel compounds are organometallic chemicals that are used in synthetic applications and may also occur as intermediates in nickel-catalyzed hydrogenation reactions used in food processing. Few studies have been performed on their possible genotoxic actions. We have tested two commercially available examples of this class of compounds.

Hplc/electrospray ionization mass spectrometric analysis of the heterocyclic aromatic amine carcinogen 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine in human milk.

A new procedure has been developed for the extraction of 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenyl-imidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP) and other heterocyclic aromatic amines from human breast milk samples. Extracts were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization/tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC/ESI-MS/MS) with selective reaction monitoring detection. Tandem ESI-MS/MS detection provides much improved sensitivity and specificity, compared with those of a previous method that used selected ion monitoring.

Screening and characterization of variant Theta-class glutathione transferases catalyzing the activation of ethylene dibromide to a mutagen.

Ethylene dibromide (EDB) is a widespread environmental pollutant and mutagen/carcinogen. Certain Theta-class glutathione transferases (GSTs), enzymes that catalyze the reaction of reduced glutathione (GSH) with electrophiles, activate EDB to a mutagen. Previous studies have shown that human GST T1-1, but not rat GST T2-2, activates EDB.

Screening and characterizing human NAT2 variants.

Acetyl CoA:arylamine N-acetyltransferase (NAT; E.C. 2.

Microenvironmental influences on mutagenesis in mammary epithelial cells.

Tumor progression may be viewed as an evolutionary process at the cellular level. Because blood supply to solid tumors is inadequate, the cancer cells face a hostile microenvironment characterized by hypoxia or anoxia, acidic extracellular pH and nutrient deficiencies. It has been proposed that these factors result in increased levels of spontaneous mutagenesis and thereby contribute to tumor progression.