Quantification of three DNA Lesions by Mass Spectrometry and Assessment of Their Levels in Tissues of Mice Exposed to Ambient Fine Particulate Matter

Summary

We describe here methods for sensitive and accurate quantification of the lesions 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodGuo), 1,N⁶-etheno-2'-deoxyadenosine (1,N⁶-dAdo) and 1,N²-etheno-2'-deoxyguanosine (1,N₂-dGuo) in DNA. The methods were applied to the assessment of the effects of ambient fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) in tissues (lung, liver and kidney) of exposed A/J mice.

Abstract

DNA adducts and oxidized DNA bases are examples of DNA lesions that are useful biomarkers for the toxicity assessment of substances that are electrophilic, generate reactive electrophiles upon biotransformation, or induce oxidative stress. Among the oxidized nucleobases, the most studied one is 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine (8-oxoGua) or 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodGuo), a biomarker of oxidatively induced base damage in DNA. Aldehydes and epoxyaldehydes resulting from the lipid peroxidation process are electrophilic molecules able to form mutagenic exocyclic DNA adducts, such as the etheno adducts 1,N²-etheno-2'-deoxyguanosine (1,N²-εdGuo) and 1,N⁶-etheno-2'-deoxyadenosine (1,N⁶-εdAdo), which have been suggested as potential biomarkers in the pathophysiology of inflammation. Selective and sensitive methods for their quantification in DNA are necessary for the development of preventive strategies to slow down cell mutation rates and chronic disease development (e.g., cancer, neurodegenerative diseases). Among the sensitive methods available for their detection (high performance liquid chromatography coupled to electrochemical or tandem mass spectrometry detectors, comet assay, immunoassays, ³²P-postlabeling), the most selective are those based on high performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS/MS). Selectivity is an essential advantage when analyzing complex biological samples and HPLC-ESI-MS/MS evolved as the gold standard for quantification of modified nucleosides in biological matrices, such as DNA, urine, plasma and saliva. The use of isotopically labeled internal standards adds the advantage of corrections for molecule losses during the DNA hydrolysis and analyte enrichment steps, as well as for differences of the analyte ionization between samples. It also aids in the identification of the correct chromatographic peak when more than one peak is present.

We present here validated sensitive, accurate and precise HPLC-ESI-MS/MS methods that were successfully applied for the quantification of 8-oxodGuo, 1,N⁶-dAdo and 1,N²-dGuo in lung, liver and kidney DNA of A/J mice for the assessment of the effects of ambient PM_2.5 exposure.

Introduction

Some reactive oxygen species (ROS) are able to oxidize carbon double bonds of DNA bases and some carbons in the deoxyribose moiety, generating oxidized bases and DNA strand breaks¹. As a negatively charged molecule rich in nitrogen and oxygen atoms, DNA is also a target for electrophilic groups that covalently react with the nucleophilic sites (nitrogen and oxygen), giving products that are called DNA adducts². So, DNA adducts and oxidized DNA bases are examples of DNA lesions that are useful biomarkers for the toxicity assessment of substances that are electrophilic, generate reactive electrophiles upon biotransfor....

Protocol

Four week old male A/J mice, specific pathogen free, were obtained from the Breeding Center of Laboratory Animals of Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and were treated accordingly to the Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo (protocol n^o 1310/09).

1. Collection of mice tissues

1. Anesthetize the animal with xylazine and ketamine. For a mouse with 30 g of body weight, inject a solution (no more than 2 mL) c.......

Discussion

A major problem found in the 8-oxodGuo analyses by HPLC methods is the possible induction of its formation during the workup procedures of DNA extraction, DNA hydrolysis, and concentration of DNA hydrolysates^22,38. In order to minimize the problem of 8-oxodGuo artifactual formation, it is recommended the addition of deferoxamine to all DNA extraction, storage and hydrolysis solutions, the use of the sodium iodide chaotropic method and avoidance of phenol in .......

Materials

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
[15N5]-2’-deoxyadenosine	Cambridge Isotope Laboratories	NLM-3895-25
[15N5]-2’-deoxyguanosine	Cambridge Isotope Laboratories	NLM-3899-CA-10
acetonitrile	Carlo Erba Reagents	412413000
alkaline phosphatase from bovine intestinal mucosa	Sigma	P5521
ammonium acetate	Merck	101116
calf thymus DNA	Sigma	D1501
cell lysis solution	QIAGEN	158908
chloroform	Carlo Erba Reagents	412653
deferoxamine	Sigma	D9533
deoxyribonuclease I (DNase I)	Bio Basic Inc	DD0649
ethanol	Carlo Erba Reagents	414542
formic acid	Sigma-Aldrich	F0507
HPLC-ESI-MS/MS system	HPLC: Agilent 1200 series            ESI-MS/MS: Applied Biosystems/MDS Sciex Instruments	HPLC: binary pump (G1312B), isocratic pump (G1310A), column oven with a column switching valve (G1316B), diode array detector (G1315C), auto sampler (G1367C).                                                            ESI-MS/MS: Linear Quadrupole Ion Trap mass spectrometer, Model 4000 QTRAP.
HPLC/DAD system	Shimadzu	Two pumps (LC-20AT), photo diode array detector (DAD-20AV), auto-injector (Proeminence SIL-20AC), column oven (CTO-10AS/VP)
HPLC column (50 x 2.0 mm i.d., 2.5 µm, C18)	Phenomenex	00B-4446-B0
HPLC column (150 x 2.0 mm i.d., 3.0 µm, C18)	Phenomenex	00F-4251-B0
HPLC column (250 x 4.6 mm i.d., 5.0 µm, C18)	Phenomenex	00G-4252-E0
HPLC C18 security guard cartridge (4.0 x 3.0 mm i.d.)	Phenomenex	AJO-4287
isoamyl alcohol	Sigma-Aldrich	M32658
isopropyl alcohol (isopropanol)	Carlo Erba Reagents	A412790010
ketamine	Ceva	Commercial name: Dopalen
magnesium chloride	Carlo Erba Reagents	349377
magnesium chloride	Sigma	M2393
methanol	Carlo Erba Reagents	L022909K7
phosphodiesterase I from Crotalus atrox	Sigma	P4506
protein precipitation solution	QIAGEN	158912
proteinase K	Sigma-Aldrich	P2308
ribonuclease A	Sigma	R5000
sodium chloride	Sigma-Aldrich	S9625
SPE-C18 (Strata-X)	Phenomenex	8B-S100-TAK
tris(hydroxymethyl)-aminomethane	Carlo Erba Reagents	489983
xylazine	Syntec do Brasil	Commercial name: Xilazin