Uptake of the Tobacco-Specific Lung Carcinogen 4-(Methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-Butanone by Moldovan Children

Abstract

The evidence of an association between childhood exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) and an increased risk of lung cancer is inconsistent. However, taking into account the existing association between lung cancer and adulthood ETS exposure, it is plausible that children exposed to ETS also would be at risk of developing lung cancer later in life. In this study, we investigated the uptake by Moldovan children of the tobacco-specific lung carcinogen 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) by measuring total 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol (NNAL), the sum of the NNK metabolites, NNAL, and its Oglucuronide and N-glucuronide (NNAL-Glucs) in urine. We also measured urinary cotinine and its glucuronide (total cotinine). Total NNAL was detected in 69 of 80 samples, including those that were low in cotinine (<5 ng/mL). The mean F SD level of total NNAL (0.09 F 0.077 pmol/mL) was comparable with those observed in previous studies of children and adults exposed to ETS. Total NNAL correlated with total cotinine (r = 0.8, P < 0.0001). The mean F SD levels of total NNAL and total cotinine were higher in children who were exposed to ETS (0.1 F 0.08 and 109 F 126 pmol/mL, respectively) than in those who were classified as unexposed to ETS based on questionnaire data (0.049 F 0.016 pmol/mL and 0.043 F 0.040 nmol/mL). The results of this study for the first time show widespread and considerable uptake of nicotine and the tobacco-specific lung carcinogen NNK in Moldovan children. These results should be useful in heightening the awareness of the dangers of smoking and ETS exposure in this eastern European country. (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2006;15(1):7 -11)

Children’s Exposure to Secondhand and Thirdhand Smoke Carcinogens and Toxicants in Homes of Hookah Smokers

“…Consistent with previous studies, we found a significant positive correlation between urinary cotinine and total NNAL (Hecht et al, 2001;Stepanov et al, 2006;Thomas et al, 2011). We also found significant positive correlations between the child urinary cotinine and total NNAL levels and indicators of tobacco smoke exposure, namely, number of hookah heads smoked and number of hours the child was exposed to hookah tobacco SHS per week.…”

“…Elementary school children with parental reported exposure to SHS (N = 38) in Minnesota had GM urinary levels of total cotinine and total NNAL of 12.6 ng/ml and 0.04 pmol/ml (8.4 pg/ml), respectively (Hecht et al, 2001). Children in Moldova 5-10 years old (N = 7) with reported exposure to SHS at home had GM urinary levels of total cotinine and total NNAL of 4.6 ng/ml and 0.061 pmol/ml (12.8 pg/ml) (Stepanov, Hecht, Duca, & Mardari, 2006). The majority of daily hookah smokers in our sample smoked outdoors (n = 2 indoor smokers, n = 6 outdoor smokers), a larger sample of indoor hookah smokers is warranted in future studies.…”

4-(Methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-Pyridyl)-1-Butanol and its Glucuronides in the Urine of Infants Exposed to Environmental Tobacco Smoke

“…To convert nmol cotinine to ng, multiply by 176; for nicotine, multiply by 162. The mean level of total NNAL in the urine of these infants, 0.083 F 0.200 pmol/mL, was higher than in most other field studies involving NNK uptake from ETS (8,9,12,14). Figure 2 summarizes data from previous studies.…”

“…Previous studies have determined levels of total NNAL in the urine of newborns, children, and adults exposed to ETS (7)(8)(9)(12)(13)(14). However, there are no data in the literature on levels of total NNAL in the urine of infants (children of age V12 months) nor could we identify studies of any other carcinogen biomarker in infants exposed to ETS.…”

Urine Concentrations of a Tobacco-Specific Nitrosamine Carcinogen in the U.S. Population from Secondhand Smoke Exposure

“…Several previous studies have reported a statistically significant association between urinary NNAL and urinary cotinine (14,25,26) using data from 20 to 80 persons. Serum cotinine is often an indicator of exposure to SHS and, by inference, to the many toxicants associated with it.…”