Biomedical subjects

K Frenkel

Publications and source records attributed to K Frenkel.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1992

Tamoxifen suppresses tumor promoter-induced hydrogen peroxide formation by human neutrophils.

Trans-tamoxifen (TAM) has been used successfully in therapy for estrogen-dependent human breast tumors and prevention of their recurrence. The mechanism of this prevention was thought to be due to the interference of TAM with estrogen promotion. TAM has a wider anticarcinogenic action that is similar to other chemopreventive agents in that it suppresses tumor promotion in 2-stage carcinogenesis by interfering with the action of protein kinase C. We report that TAM (5 microM) totally inhibits hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) formation by 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-treated human neutrophils. Interestingly, beta-estradiol (10 microM) also slightly inhibits the oxidative burst of neutrophils. Pretreatment of neutrophils with varying amounts of TAM and beta-estradiol caused additive inhibition of H2O2 formation by the 2 agents. 4-Hydroxy-tamoxifen, a metabolite with the highest affinity for the estrogen receptor, was only as inhibitory as beta-estradiol. Other derivatives (cis-, N-desmethyl-, and N-desdimethyl-tamoxifen) with low biological activities had a smaller effect on H2O2 formation. TPA-treated neutrophils were shown to contain 5-hydroxymethyl uracil (HMU). TAM prevented the TPA-induced formation of HMU in other cells. Like TPA, dietary fat, which is a risk factor for breast cancer, induces formation of HMU in the DNA of human white blood cells. TAM may suppress the dietary fat-induced HMU in the same manner at it does in TPA-induced neutrophils.

Estradiol↗

PubMed1992

Suppression of tumor promoter-induced oxidative events and DNA damage in vivo by sarcophytol A: a possible mechanism of antipromotion.

Sarcophytol A (Sarp A), a nontoxic compound isolated from marine soft coral, inhibits the in vivo effects of tumor promoters. However, the mechanism of its action is unknown. Our studies show that Sarp A suppresses oxidant formation and DNA oxidation in the epidermis of SENCAR mice exposed to 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA). In the short-term experiments, mice were topically pretreated with different doses of Sarp A before 6.5 nmol TPA, and the same treatment was repeated 20 h later. Sarp A significantly decreased the TPA-induced infiltration of neutrophils, the levels of myeloperoxidase in the dermis, and the formation of H2O2, cis-thymidine glycol, 8-hydroxyl-2'-deoxyguanosine, and 5-hydroxymethyl-2'-deoxyuridine in the epidermis. In the long-term studies, repeated TPA applications (3.2 nmol twice a week for 16 weeks) increased cis-thymidine glycol 2.7-fold, 5-hydroxymethyl-2'-deoxyuridine 3.4-fold, and 8-hydroxyl-2'-deoxyguanosine 3.3-fold in epidermal DNA over the basal levels. Application of 350 nmol Sarp A before each TPA treatment significantly decreased the formation of oxidized DNA bases even below those present in the control mouse skin. Histological examination showed that Sarp A also alleviated the TPA-induced inflammatory response and infiltration of phagocytes. Thus, it is possible that suppression of tumor promotion by Sarp A is due (at least in part) to its inhibitory effects on tumor promoter-mediated migration and activation of phagocytes, oxidant formation, and DNA base oxidation.

Animals↗

PubMed1992

Carcinogen-mediated oxidant formation and oxidative DNA damage.

This article reviews the experimental data that points to formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and oxidative DNA base damage as being important contributors to cancer development. Particular emphasis is placed on the role they play in genetic changes occurring during tumor promotion. A number of structurally different anticarcinogenic agents inhibit ROS production and oxidative DNA damage as they inhibit inflammation and tumor promotion. This underlines the importance of ROS and oxidative genetic damage to the carcinogenic process. It also points to the possibility that some types of cancer may be preventable if the cycles of tumor promotion can be interrupted.

Animals↗

PubMed1992

Mechanism of mutagenicity by 5-hydroperoxymethyl-2'-deoxyuridine, an intermediate product of ionizing radiation, in bacteria. HPMdU bacterial mutagenicity and oxidation of DNA bases.

The specific objective was to find what processes are responsible for the mutagenicity of 5-hydroperoxymethyl-2'-deoxyuridine (HPMdU), which is a product of ionizing radiation, and what role transition metal ions play in those processes. We found that HPMdU is a more potent mutagen than its decomposition products 5-hydroxymethyl-2'-deoxyuridine (HMdU) and 5-formyl-2'-deoxyuridine (FdU) in the Salmonella typhimurium strains tested, with the TA100 strain being the most sensitive. HMdU exerted intermediate mutagenicity and FdU was the weakest of the three compounds. At 50 nmoles/plate, HPMdU increased the number of revertants by 4-fold, whereas 1000 nmoles HMdU was required to enhance the number of revertants by 5-fold. Pretreatment of TA100 with o-phenanthroline, a membrane-permeable Fe and Cu chelator, caused an increase in mutagenicity of the low HPMdU doses but inhibited that of the 50 nmoles HPMdU/plate, while desferal, a membrane-impermeable Fe chelator, had virtually no effect. Azide (a catalase inhibitor) enhanced HPMdU mutagenicity, whereas 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole (a catalase and peroxidase inhibitor) and ammonium formate (a hydroxyl radical scavenger) were protective. Preincubation of TA100 cells with 20 and 40 nM HPMdU caused dose-dependent formation of the oxidized DNA base derivatives HMdU, thymidine glycol and 8-hydroxyl-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), known hydroxyl radical-mediated oxidation products. Cumulatively, these results suggest that the genetic effects of HPMdU are due to its hydroperoxide moiety, which upon reacting with Fe generates hydroxyl radicals that in turn oxidize neighboring bases in cellular DNA. This also may be a mechanism by which ionizing radiation exerts its long-term effects.

DNA Damage↗

PubMed1992

Enhanced antibody titers to an oxidized DNA base in inflammatory and neoplastic diseases.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced by phagocytic cells induce oxidative stress during chronic inflammation. ROS play a role in the pathogenesis of a broad range of diseases including autoimmune, cardiac and neoplastic abnormalities. We found that sera of patients with a variety of inflammatory dermatoses contain elevated levels of antibodies (Ab) binding to an oxidized DNA base derivative, 5-hydroxymethyl-2'deoxyuridine (HMdU) coupled to bovine serum albumin, as determined by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Patients with immune complex diseases and a history of neoplasm elaborated the highest titers of anti-HMdU Ab. Titers from sera of psoriatic subjects were lower than from the aforementioned groups but were still significantly elevated (p < 0.001) above those of healthy controls. Treatment of inflammatory dermatoses with systemic antiinflammatory and cytotoxic drugs significantly lowered the titers [p < 0.005 (immune complex) or p < 0.001 (psoriasis and neoplastic) diseases], suggesting that this assay may be of value in monitoring the response to therapy in these diseases.

Adult↗

PubMed1992

Lens opacification and H2O2 elevation induced by a tumor promoter.

Incubation of whole bovine lens with 10(-7) M 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) led to the lens opacity within 24 h. The hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) concentration in the whole lens was elevated 4 fold after treatment with either 10(-7) M TPA or 2.5 mM glucose/20 microM glucose oxidase. The lens opacification and H2O2 elevation were TPA dose-dependent. Preincubation of the lens with anti-tumor promoting agents EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate) or Sarp A (sarcophytol A) stopped the TPA-mediated opacification process and suppressed H2O2 elevation.

Animals↗

PubMed1991

In vivo formation of oxidized DNA bases in tumor promoter-treated mouse skin.

There has been a paucity of evidence showing that 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA), a potent tumor promoter, causes DNA damage in vivo. We show that oxidized DNA bases are formed in the epidermis of TPA-treated SENCAR mice in a dose- and time-dependent manner. As measured by high-performance liquid chromatography and acetylation of nucleosides with [3H]acetic anhydride, these oxidized DNA derivatives include cis-thymidine glycol, 5-hydroxymethyl-2'-deoxyuridine, and 8-hydroxyl-2'-deoxyguanosine. Their maximal formation induced by a single TPA dose occurred within 6-8 h (a 2-5-fold increase). The level of 8-hydroxyl-2'-deoxyguanosine was the lowest (3.2/10(5) bases) and remained almost unchanged for 18 h; thymidine glycol (29.1/10(4) bases) and 5-hydroxymethyl-2'-deoxyuridine (17.3/10(4) bases) declined gradually but were still above controls at 24 h. Reapplication of TPA 20 h after the first dose (time of the maximal polymorphonuclear leukocyte infiltration) enhanced the net formation of 8-hydroxyl-2'-deoxyguanosine by 3.8-fold (P less than 0.05), of cis-thymidine glycol by 1.9-fold (P less than 0.001), and of 5-hydroxymethyl-2'-deoxyuridine by 2.0-fold (P less than 0.01), as compared to those maximally produced by a single TPA dose. Thus, the infiltration of polymorphonuclear leukocytes into TPA-treated mouse skin, which was corroborated by histological examination and the presence of polymorphonuclear leukocyte-specific myeloperoxidase, might play an important role in TPA-induced DNA oxidation in vivo. Our findings provide proof that tumor promoters can induce genetic modification in vivo that is oxidative in nature. Hence, formation of oxidized DNA bases may be responsible for the genetic effects of tumor promoters in carcinogenesis.

Animals↗

PubMed1991

Quantitative high-performance liquid chromatography analysis of DNA oxidized in vitro and in vivo.

Oxidative modification of genetic material has been implicated as a factor in carcinogenesis, particularly during promotion and progression, and therefore there is a need for sensitive detection of oxidized DNA bases. We developed a method that can be applied to DNA isolated from any source and used to simultaneously quantify oxidized nucleosides without a need to prelabel the DNA or use destructive hydrolytic procedures. This method is based on: (a) enzymatic DNA digestion; (b) HPLC separation of the resultant nucleosides; (c) acetylation of the oxidized nucleosides with [3H]Ac2O (acetic anhydride); (d) removal of the radioactive debris; and (e) quantitative analysis of tritiated nucleoside acetates by HPLC. Enzymatic DNA digestion was optimized using DNase I in the presence of Mg2+ (pH 7), followed by nuclease P1 in the presence of Zn2+ (pH 5.1) and alkaline phosphatase (pH 7.5). Analysis of DNA oxidized with H2O2 in the presence of Fe2+/EDTA for 30 min showed that the levels of 8-OHdG (8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine) were increased 2.7-fold, HMdU (5-hydroxymethyl-2'-deoxyuridine) 3.15-fold, and FdU (5-formyl-2'-deoxyuridine) 2.5-fold. Although the (-)-isomer of cis-dTG (cis-thymidine glycol) was enhanced 2.3 times, the (+)-isomer remained virtually unchanged. Analysis of DNA isolated from epidermal cells of mice treated in vivo with the tumor promoter TPA (12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate) showed 4.8-, 2.7-, and 8.7-fold increases in the levels of total cis-dTG, 8-OHdG, and HMdU, respectively, and of some unknown DNA oxidation products. These results prove applicability of the 3H-postlabeling method to the analysis of DNA (and potentially RNA) isolated from many sources, including animals and humans.

Animals↗

PubMed1991

Development of fish peritoneal macrophages as a model for higher vertebrates in immunotoxicological studies. I. Characterization of trout macrophage morphological, functional, and biochemical properties.

The immune defense mechanisms of fish are not as well characterized as those of mammals but seem to be related and similarly competent. Because of this, there is an increased interest in the immune responses of fish as models for higher vertebrates in immunotoxicological studies. Prior to such studies, baseline criteria for specific components of the immune response needed to be established. For this study, we have examined trout macrophage morphology using light and scanning electron microscopy, phagocytic activity, random and stimulus-directed migration, and superoxide anion radical (O2-) production for resident and lipopolysacharide (LPS) or Aeromonas salmonicidae-elicited rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) peritoneal macrophages (M phi). Following peritoneal lavage, greater than 89% of the cells were M phi as determined by differential counts and nonspecific esterase staining. Immunization with LPS and A. salmonicidae increased M phi number approximately 5 and 13-fold, respectively, and overall size. Trout M phi were phagocytically active engulfing serum opsonized latex particles and were mobile, migrating both randomly and in a directed fashion towards formyl-methionine-L-leucine-L-phenylalanine (FMLP) and trout serum-derived complement fragment C5a. Concentrations of FMLP (100 nM) and C5a (0.01-1%) effective for attracting trout M phi are the same as those used to attract rabbit M phi. Resident trout M phi produced negligable quantities of .O2- following stimulation with 1 micrograms/ml phorbol myristate acetate; Aeromonas-elicited M phi produced .O2- in a time-dependent manner which peaked after 60 min at 2.9 nmol per 2 x 10(5) cells and then declined. The results of this study provide a data base for future toxicological studies with trout peritoneal M phi and indicate the usefulness of this system for immunotoxicological studies.

Aeromonas↗

PubMed1991

Hydrogen peroxide formation by cells treated with a tumor promoter.

To determine whether oxidants capable of DNA modification are produced by cells treated with tumor promoters, we adapted a fluorometric method to our needs. HeLa cells were preincubated with 2',7'-dichlorofluorescin diacetate (DCFdAc), treated with various agents, sonicated, centrifuged and fluorescence of the oxidized product (DCF) was determined in supernatants. When cells were exposed to H2O2 in the presence of azide (catalase inhibitor) or o-phenanthroline (a lipophilic Fe chelator), an increase in fluorescence was observed. These results show that some Fe ions were interacting with the H2O2 which entered the cells, thus decreasing its levels available for oxidation of the substrate and potentially increasing formation of .OH, known DNA-damaging species. Glutathione (GSH), which is present in cells in substantial amounts, was found to reduce DCF whereas azide counteracted GSH-mediated reduction. Treatment of HeLa cells with 12-0-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA) in the presence of DCFdAc and azide resulted in dose- and time-dependent formation of DCF. Even when cells were sonicated prior to incubation with TPA, DCF was formed at levels proportional to the number of cells as well as dose of TPA. Flow cytometry of TPA-treated cells confirmed these findings. These results demonstrate that tumor promoters can cause oxidative activation of HeLa cells, which produce active oxygen species, most likely H2O2, that ultimately contribute to the formation of oxidized bases such as 5-hydroxymethyl uracil in cellular DNA. They also show that this fluorometric method can be utilized for determination of cellular H2O2 formation at nM concentrations.

Azides↗

PubMed1990

Carcinogenic sulfide salts of nickel and cadmium induce H2O2 formation by human polymorphonuclear leukocytes.

Some derivatives of nickel, cadmium, and cobalt are carcinogenic in humans and/or animals but their mechanisms of action are not known. We show that they are capable of stimulating human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs), as measured by H2O2 formation, a known tumor promoter. Most effective were the carcinogens nickel subsulfide, which caused a 550% net increase in H2O2 over that formed by resting PMNs, followed by cadmium sulfide, 400%, and nickel disulfide, 200%. Nickel sulfide and cobalt sulfide caused statistically nonsignificant increases of 45 and 20%, respectively. Noncarcinogenic barium and manganese sulfides, and sulfates of nickel, cadmium, and cobalt were inactive. The enhancement of H2O2 formation by CdS and Ni3S2 (1 mumol/2.5 x 10(5) PMNs) was comparable to that mediated by the potent tumor promoter 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate, used at 0.5 and 1 nM, respectively. Concurrent treatment of 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate-stimulated PMNs with Ni3S2 or NiS caused a decrease in H2O2 accumulation from that expected if the effects were additive. Including catalase in the reaction mixture proved that the oxidant formed by stimulated PMNs was H2O2, whereas adding superoxide dismutase showed that superoxide was also present in PMN samples treated with NiS but not with Ni3S2. Since nickel- and cadmium-containing particulates are deposited in the lungs and cause infiltration of PMNs, the ability to activate those cells and induce H2O2 formation may contribute to their carcinogenicity.

Barium↗

PubMed1990

Suppression of tumor promotion by inhibitors of poly(ADP)ribose formation.

Tumor promoters, such as phorbol esters or hormones, cause many biological effects which may contribute to the expression of cancer. The mechanism of cancer expression may have a common theme. One method of learning about this common mechanism is the identification of chemicals that interfere with tumor development. That there is actually a common theme between very different substances, such as inflammatory skin tumor promoters and estradiol causing breast cancer, was shown by the fact that both skin and breast cancers are suppressed by the same agents, e.g., protease inhibitors and retinoids. In addition to skin and breast, protease inhibitors suppress colon, bladder, and liver cancers. The substances that crossed over in suppressing many varieties of cancer were found to inhibit oxygen radical formation by tumor promoter-activated neutrophils and ras oncogene expression in NIH 3T3 cells. Poly(ADP)ribose polymerase (PADPR polymerase) may serve as the connecting link between oxygen radicals that cause its activation and oncogene expression. PADPR polymerase is inhibited by retinoids, antioxidants, and some protease inhibitors. Benzamide, an inhibitor of PADPR polymerase, is also a chymotrypsin inhibitor which suppresses oxygen radical formation by tumor promoter-activated neutrophils. The inhibition of PADPR polymerase causes the expulsion of some oncogenes from NIH 3T3 cells at definite times after oncogene transfection. Further work is required to find what are the contributions of PADPR polymerase to tumor promotion and of its inhibitors to suppression of oncogene expression.

Animals↗

PubMed1989

Effect of metals on nucleoside hydroperoxide, a product of ionizing radiation in DNA.

Ionizing radiation causes formation of thymine hydroperoxides in DNA. Their decomposition generates more stable products and active oxygen species which may oxidize other DNA bases. We have determined the effects of free and chelated metal ions on the degradation of 5-hydroperoxymethyl-2'-deoxyuridine (HPMdU). Two products were formed as analyzed by HPLC: 5-hydroxymethyl-2'-deoxyuridine (HMdU) and 5-formyl-2'-deoxyuridine (FdU). Sn(II) and Fe(II) caused instantaneous HPMdU degradation; Sn(II) generated only HMdU, whereas Fe(II) formed about equal amounts of both. Sn(IV) and Fe(III) were inactive. Cu(I), Cu(II), and Co(II) caused a time-dependent formation of both products, with FdU predominating. In the presence of Cu(I), Cu(II), and Fe(II), formate inhibited formation of HMdU but enhanced that of FdU. EDTA abolished Cu(I)-induced decomposition of HPMdU but only decreased that which was mediated by Cu(II). In contrast, EDTA enhanced the activity of Fe(III) with a time-dependent formation of FdU. EDTA and diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) caused an instantaneous Fe(II)-mediated decomposition of HPMdU to FdU. Only desferal partially inhibited the activity of Fe(II), whereas the activities of Cu(I), Cu(II), and Fe(III) were blocked by desferal and DTPA. Possible mechanisms of HPMdU degradation by metal ions in the absence or presence of formate or chelators as well as formation of the .OH are discussed.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid↗

PubMed1989

Oxidation of DNA bases by tumor promoter-activated processes.

Evidence has accumulated showing that active oxygen species participate in at least one stage of tumor promotion. Tumor promoters can induce various types of cells to undergo processes that result in formation of active oxygen species. They stimulate polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) to undergo an oxidative burst that is characterized by rapid formation of .O2- and H2O2. We find that in vitro formation of H2O2 by tumor promoter-activated PMNs correlates with their in vivo first-stage promoting activity. Moreover, two thymidine derivatives are formed in DNA coincubated with tumor promoter-stimulated PMNs: 5-hydroxymethyl-2'-deoxyuridine (HMdU) and thymidine glycol (dTG). The amounts of HMdU and dTG formed correlate with the first-stage tumor-promoting potencies of the agents used for PMN stimulation and with the amount of H2O2 generated. We find that HMdU is also formed in the DNA of HeLa cells coincubated with 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-activated PMNs, with the amount of HMdU being proportional to that of TPA used. Even in the absence of PMNs, HMdU is increasingly formed in cellular DNA with increased TPA concentration, although at much lower levels than in the presence of PMNs. When rat liver microsomes are incubated with benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), a complete carcinogen, H2O2 is also generated. Production of H2O2 increases linearly with increasing concentrations of BaP. Furthermore, HMdU is formed in DNA exposed to BaP-treated microsomes, and its formation is inhibited by catalase. These results suggest that carcinogen-induced processes generating H2O2 are associated with the first-stage promoting activity of complete carcinogens.

Animals↗

PubMed1987

Definitive characterization of human thymine glycol N-glycosylase activity.

An N-glycosylase activity that released cis-[3H]-5,6-dihydroxy-5,6-dihydrothymine (thymine glycol, TG) from chemically oxidized poly(dA-[3H]dT) was unambiguously characterized both in extracts of HeLa cells and in purified Escherichia coli endonuclease III. This was accomplished by use of microderivatization procedure that quantitatively converted cis-TG to 5-hydroxy-5-methylhydantoin (HMH). The reaction products were analyzed by high-pressure liquid chromatography before and after derivatization by using cis-[14C]TG and [14C]HMH, which had been independently synthesized, as reference compounds. This technique facilitated construction of a v/[E]t plot for the enzyme activity in HeLa cells, permitting estimation of its specific activity. The results obtained prove the existence of both human and bacterial N-glycosylase activities that effect removal of TG from DNA.

Carbon Radioisotopes↗

PubMed1987

Genetic effects of 5-hydroxymethyl-2'-deoxyuridine, a product of ionizing radiation.

Ionizing radiation causes formation of heterogeneous types of damage to DNA. Among those, 5-hydroxymethyl-2'-deoxyuridine (HMdU) was identified as a major thymidine derivative in gamma-irradiated HeLa cells [G.W. Teebor, K. Frenkel and M.S. Goldstein (1984) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. (U.S.A.), 81, 318-321]. We report here that HMdU is a strong inducer of lambda prophage in Escherichia coli WP2s(lambda) and is highy mutagenic in Salmonella typhimurium. HMdU causes his+ revertants in strains TA100, which reverts predominantly by base-pair substitution at G-C sites, and TA97, which reverts mainly by frameshift mutation at G-C sites. It does not cause reversion in TA98, another frameshift-sensitive strain, nor in strains TA1535 and TA1537. Of those tested, only the last two strains do not contain pkM101, a plasmid which enhances mutagenic effects of ionizing radiation. HMdU also causes reversion in strains TA102 and TA104, which detect oxidative damage and can revert by base-pair substitution at A-T base pairs at the hisG428 site. We show that HMdU can be incorporated into DNA of TA100 and that, in addition to causing point mutations, it causes suppressor mutations as well. The ability of HMdU to induce lambda prophage and its strong mutagenicity in Salmonella typhimurium provide evidence that the presence of HMdU in DNA is biologically significant and may play a major role in the genetic consequences of ionizing radiation and other types of oxidative damage.

Bacteriophage lambda↗

PubMed1987

Anticarcinogenic action of protease inhibitors.

Protease inhibitors are synthesized in biological systems and play a critical role in controlling a number of diverse physiological functions. They participate in blood clotting and lysis of clots, in growth processes by modulation of proteolytic digestion of proteins and thus availability of amino acids, and in the induction of selective DNA amplification. When incorporated into the diet, protease inhibitors appear to suppress many types of cancer. In vitro, they suppress neoplastic transformation caused by chemical carcinogens, ionizing radiation, and oncogenes. These observations offer the hope that judiciously applied protease inhibitors in small concentrations may prevent a wide range of human cancers. This hope is further supported by epidemiological studies which show that populations consuming relatively large amounts of protease inhibitors have a lower occurrence of cancer. The tasks remaining are to determine the kind and the level of protease inhibitors that are most effective in preventing cancer without also having toxic side effects and to incorporate them into our diet. Perhaps the most encouraging investigations are those using small nontoxic protease inhibitors available in pure form (epsilon-aminocaproic acid, a trypsin plasminogen activator inhibitor, and nicotinamide, a chymotrypsin inhibitor and known vitamin). Both agents have been shown to be preventive agents of cancer in animals and in vitro models. Further studies with natural protease inhibitors may yield even more effective agents which when incorporated into our diet will prevent the development of many types of cancer.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

PubMed1987

Hydrogen peroxide formation and DNA base modification by tumor promoter-activated polymorphonuclear leukocytes.

This report shows that generation of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) by human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) activated with tumor promoters of varying potency as first and second stage promoters correlates well with activities of these promoters in vivo. Those tested were 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA), a complete promoter, 12-O-retinoylphorbol-13-acetate (RPA), a synthetic TPA derivative almost devoid of first stage activity in some strains of mice, and mezerein (Mez), a potent second stage and much weaker first stage promoter. Mez-stimulated PMNs produced up to four times less H2O2, whereas RPA-stimulated PMNs produced up to 10 times less H2O2 than TPA-activated cells when used at concentrations between 0.5 and 15 nM to activate 7.5-8.5 X 10(4) PMNs/ml. Phorbol, a non-promoter, was totally inactive in this assay. Furthermore, the tumor promoter-activated PMNs caused formation of 5-hydroxymethyl-2'-deoxyuridine (HMdU) and thymidine glycol (dTG) in DNA co-incubated with those cells. The amounts of modified thymidines formed, particularly of HMdU, correlated well with first stage tumor promoting efficacy and with the amount of H2O2 that was generated by promoter activated PMNs. In comparison with TPA, Mez- or RPA-stimulated PMNs induced formation of 25 or 70% less H2O2 and 30 or 75% less HMdU, respectively, under conditions favoring HMdU formation. Thus, formation of either H2O2 by tumor promoter-stimulated phagocytes or HMdU in DNA exposed to those activated cells may serve as a measure of potency as a first stage tumor promoter. Formation of modified bases such as HMdU in DNA might constitute the genetic change imparted by the first stage tumor promoters.

DNA↗