Abstract 4118: Hypoxia affects the metabolic activation and detoxification of the environmental mutagen benzo(a)pyrene

Abstract

Abstract Hypoxia is characteristic for a number of pathologies and promotes genetic instability, as exposure to low oxygen levels results in an elevated mutation frequency. We have previously shown that activation of the hypoxia responsive transcription factor HIF-1α, in the presence of sufficient oxygen, enhanced mutation frequencies induced by the environmental mutagen benzo[a]pyrene (BaP). Since proper carcinogen metabolism depends on oxygen we examined how varying oxygen levels influenced BaP metabolism by studying its activation and deactivation. The human lung carcinoma cell line A549 was treated with BaP under different oxygen concentrations (20%, 5%, and 0.2%) for 18 hours and alterations in BaP-metabolism were determined. First, we analyzed the BaP induced expression of key metabolic enzymes; expression levels of CYP1A1 and CYP1B1 was higher under hypoxia, while expression of the detoxifying enzymes UGT1A6 and UGT2B7 were significantly reduced by hypoxia. Then, several BaP metabolites in supernatants were determined by HPLC-fluorescence detection. In general, low oxygen levels lead to slower metabolism of BaP leaving more of the parent molecule intact. At the same time, BaP-7,8-dihydrodiol, the pre-cursor metabolite of the reactive metabolite BaP-7,8-dihydroxy-9,10-epoxide (BPDE), was formed in higher concentrations under hypoxia. Finally, under hypoxia DNA adducts accumulated over a period of 168 hours, whereas DNA adducts were efficiently removed under 20% oxygen, eventually leading to 1.6 times higher adduct levels under hypoxic conditions. These data indicate that the metabolism has shifted towards increased activation of BaP instead of detoxification under hypoxic conditions. These data support the idea that modulation of carcinogen metabolism may be an important additional mechanism for the observed HIF1 mediated genetic instability. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4118. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-4118