The nitrosamine 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) is a known human carcinogen. It generates methyl and pyridyloxobutyl DNA adducts. The role of the methyl DNA adducts has been well-established in the tumorigenic properties of NNK. However, the role of the pyridyloxobutyl DNA adducts is unclear. Four pyridyloxobutyl DNA adducts have been characterized: 7-[4-3-(pyridyl)-4-oxobut-1-yl]guanine (7-pobG), O2-[4-3-(pyridyl)-4-oxobut-1-yl]-cytodine (O2-pobC), O2-[4-3-(pyridyl)-4-oxobut-1yl]thymidine (O2-pobdT), and O6-[4-3-(pyridyl)-4-oxobut-1-yl]-2'-deoxyguanosine (O6-pobdG). Mutagenic O6-pobdG is thought to contribute to the tumorigenic properties of the pyridyloxobutylation pathway. It is repaired by O6-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase (AGT). To explore the role of O6-pobdG formation and repair in the tumorigenic properties of NNK, A/J mice were given single or multiple doses of the model pyridyloxobutylating agent 4-(acetoxymethyl-nitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNKOAc) in the presence or absence of the AGT depletor, O6-benzylguanine. Levels of the four pyridyloxobutyl DNA adducts were measured in the lung at 8, 48 or 96 h following treatment and compared to the lung tumorigenic activity of these treatments. AGT depletion had only a modest effect on the levels of O6-pobdG and did not increase tumor formation. Three pyridyloxobutyl DNA adducts, 7-pobG, O2-pobdT, and O6-pobdG, persisted in lung DNA at significant levels for up to 96 h post-treatment, suggesting that all three adducts may contribute to the tumorigenic properties of NNK.

Abstract-Hydroxynitrosamine metabolites of nitrosamines decompose to a reactive diazohydroxide and an aldehyde. To test the hypothesis that the aldehydes contribute to the harmful effects of nitrosamines, the toxic and mutagenic activity of three model methylating agents were compared in Chinese hamster ovary cells expressing human O 6 -alkylguanine DNA alkyltransferase (AGT) or not. N-Nitrosomethylurethane (NMUr), acetoxymethylmethylnitrosamine (AMMN) and 4-(methylnitrosamino)-4-acetoxy-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK-4-OAc) are all activated by ester hydrolysis to methanediazohydroxide. NMUr does not form an aldehyde whereas AMMN generates formaldehyde and NNK-4-OAc produces 4-oxo-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (OPB). Since these compounds were likely to alkylate DNA to different extents, the toxic and mutagenic activity of these compounds was normalized to the levels of the most cytotoxic and mutagenic DNA adduct, O 6 -mG, to assess if the aldehydes contributed to the toxicological properties of these methylating agents. Levels of 7-mG indicated that the differences in cytotoxic and mutagenic effects of these compounds resulted from differences in their ability to methylate DNA. When normalized against the levels of O 6 -mG, there was no difference between these three compounds in cells that lacked AGT. However, AMMN and NNK-4-OAc were more toxic than NMUr in cells expressing AGT when normalized against O 6 -mG levels. In addition, AMMN was more mutagenic than NNK-4-OAc and MNUr in these cells. These findings demonstrate that the aldehyde decomposition products of nitrosamines can contribute to the cytotoxic and/or mutagenic activity of methylating nitrosamines. Table S1 displays the cytotoxicity and mutagenicity data obtained for NMUr, AMMN and NNK-4-OAc in CHO pcDNA3 and CHO AGT cells and Figure S1 displays the influence of AGT expression on the cytotoxic and mutagenic activity of the methylating agents relative to O 6 -mG levels. This material is available free of charge via the Internet at

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