Benzo[a]pyrene enhances lipid peroxidation induced DNA damage in aorta of apolipoprotein E knockout mice

R.W.L. Godschalk, D.M.J. Curfs, H. Bartsch, F.J. van Schooten, J. Nair*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

Benzo[a]pyrene enhances lipid peroxidation induced DNA damage in aorta of apolipoprotein E knockout mice.

Godschalk R, Curfs D, Bartsch H, Van Schooten FJ, Nair J.

German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Div. Toxicology and Cancer Risk Factors, Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.

The genotoxic compound benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) enhances atherosclerotic plaque progression, possibly by inducing oxidative stress and subsequent lipid peroxidation (LPO). Since LPO plays a key role in atherosclerosis, stable LPO derived DNA modifications such as 1,N6-ethenodeoxy-adenosine (epsilondA) and 3,N4-ethenodeoxy-cytidine (epsilondC) may be useful biomarkers for in vivo oxidative stress. In this study, benzo[a]pyrene-diol-epoxide (BPDE)-DNA, epsilondA and epsilondC were determined by 32P-postlabelling in apolipoprotein E knockout (ApoE-KO) mice treated with 5mg/kg B[a]P by gavage. After 4 days, BPDE-DNA adduct levels were higher in aorta (10.8 +/- 1.4 adducts/10(8) nucleotides) than in lung (3.3 +/- 0.7, P < 0.05), which is a known target organ for B[a]P. Levels of epsilondA were higher in aorta of B[a]P-exposed animals than in unexposed controls (8.1 +/- 4.4 vs 3.4 +/- 2.1 adducts per 10(8) parent nucleotides, P < 0.05). On the other hand, epsilondC levels were not affected by B[a]P exposure. Serum low density lipoprotein (LDL) levels were lower in B[a]P-exposed mice than in controls (9.3 +/- 3.7 and 13.3 +/- 4.0mmol/l, respectively), whereas high density lipoprotein (HDL) levels were higher (1.4 +/- 1.6 and 0.4 +/- 0.3mmol/l, respectively). Consequently, a three-fold difference in the LDL/HDL ratio was observed (P = 0.001). epsilondA levels were positively related with plasma HDL concentrations (R = 0.68, P = 0.02), suggesting that the HDL mediated protection of the vessel wall against reactive lipid peroxides was reduced in B[a]P-exposed apoE-KO mice. Our observations show that direct as well as lipid peroxidation induced DNA damage is formed by B[a]P in aorta of apoE-KO mice, which may be involved in atherosclerotic plaque progression. This study further indicates that etheno-DNA adducts are useful biomarkers for in vivo oxidative stress in atherosclerosis
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1299-1305
Number of pages6
JournalFree Radical Research
Volume37
Issue number12
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2003

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