Haemoglobin adducts from aromatic amines and tobacco specific nitrosamines in pregnant smoking and non smoking women

Abstract

In non-smokers, haemoglobin adducts from 3- and 4-aminobiphenyl have been reported to arise mainly from exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS). Therefore, the impact of self-reported smoking (n = 27) and exposure of non-smokers to ETS (n = 78) on haemoglobin adducts was studied in pregnant women from Homburg, Germany. In addition to 3- and 4-aminobiphenyl, adducts from seven monocyclic aromatic amines (aniline, o -, m -, and p -toluidine, 2,4-dimethylaniline, 2-ethylaniline and o -anisidine) and the adduct from tobacco-specific nitrosamines (4-hydroxy-1-(3-pyridyl)1-butanone) were determined. Five of 78 self-reported non-smoking women had plasma cotinine levels and urinary cotinine/creatinine ratios indicative of active smoking. In the remaining 73 non-smokers cotinine/creatinine ratios correlated significantly with self reported exposure to ETS. However, none of the haemoglobin adducts increased with increasing exposure to ETS or increasing cotinine/creatinine ratios. Although significantly elevated in smoking compared with non-smoking women, the mean haemoglobin adduct levels formed by tobacco-specific nitrosamines (54 7 8 9 vs 26 7 4 1 fmol g-1, p < 0 001), 3-aminobiphenyl (3 0 0 5 vs 1 4 0 1 pg g-1, p < 0 001), 4-aminobiphenyl (27 9 3 4 vs 10 2 0 7 pg g-1, p < 0 001), o -toluidine (289 25 vs 237 65 pg g-1, p < 0 001), p -toluidine (315 32 vs 197 13 pg g-1; p < 0 001), 2,4-dimethylaniline (25 5 2 9 vs 18 6 1 6 pg g-1, p < 0 05), had considerable overlappings ranges indicating lack of specificity as biomarkers to tobacco smoke exposure. Exposure to other as yet unknown environmental sources appearsto be more significant than previously thought.

Haemoglobin adducts from aromatic amines in children in relation to area of residence and exposure to environmental tobacco smoke

“…The lack of a signi®cant eect of ETS exposure on 4-ABP Hb adduct levels is in accordance with our previous study in pregnant women (Branner et al 1998). More recently, Grimmer et al (2000) did not ®nd a dierence between urinary 4-ABP levels in smokers, nonsmokers and passive smokers.…”

“…More recently, Grimmer et al (2000) did not ®nd a dierence between urinary 4-ABP levels in smokers, nonsmokers and passive smokers. In the present study, an ETS-related reduction, rather than an increase, in toluidine Hb adduct levels has been observed, con®rming the results of Branner et al (1998). We still have no explanation for this paradoxical result.…”

“…The presence of o-anisidine Hb adducts in children is not surprising. Adducts from this amine have been detected previously in adults from Germany (Branner et al 1998, Falter et al 1994. The origin of this adduct is unknown.…”

“…However, in a more recent study we were not able to con®rm this ®nding. Hb adducts from neither 4-ABP nor from other aromatic amines or from tobacco-speci®c nitrosamines showed a relationship to ETS exposure in pregnant women (Branner et al 1998). Therefore, in our view the major source of these adducts in nonsmokers is still unknown.…”

Investigation of the Reaction of Myosmine with Sodium Nitrite in Vitro and in Rats

“…The released HPB can be derivatized with pentafluorobenzoyl chloride (9) yielding HPB-pentafluorobenzoate (10), which can be quantified with high sensitivity and specificity by GC-NICI-MS (9)(10)(11). Several studies have used this method to measure POB adducts in DNA or Hb of people who used tobacco products or were exposed to secondhand tobacco smoke (9,10,(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17). The results of these studies have not been as definitive as expected.…”