Prostaglandin H synthase-dependent genotoxicity of 2,4-diaminotoluene.

2,4-Diaminotoluene (2,4-DAT), a high volume synthetic compound, is moderately carcinogenic to rodents. We report here that 2,4-DAT is a substrate for the peroxidase activity of prostaglandin H synthase (PHS). In contrast to many aromatic amines which are activated as mutagens by PHS, we find that 2,4-DAT is not mutagenic to six S. typhimurium strains with this activation system. The strains tested include YG1006, YG1024, and YG1029, which are far more sensitive to the mutagenicity of aromatic amines and nitroarenes than are the standard tester strains. Although not mutagenic itself, 2,4-DAT does enhance the mutagenicity of 2-aminofluorene (2-AF) in the PHS-catalyzed system in strains TA98, YG1006, and YG1024, with maximal enhancement of 140%, 1831%, and 1216%, respectively. Half-maximal enhancement of 2-AF mutagenicity is observed at 15-20 microM 2,4-DAT for strains YG1006 and YG1024, and about 80 microM for TA98. Studies with compounds structurally related to 2,4-DAT revealed enhancement of 2-AF mutagenicity with 2,5-DAT and o-phenylenediamine (o-PD) but not for other DAT isomers, toluidines, and phenylenediamines. Maximal enhancement of 2-AF mutagenicity observed in TA98 with PHS-catalyzed activation was 110% for o-PD and 60% for 2,5-DAT. This comutagenic effect of 2,4-DAT appears quite specific for 2-AF, as it fails to enhance either the PHS-dependent mutagenicity of the aromatic amines benzidine and 2-naphtylamine, or the direct mutagenicity of N-acetoxy-acetylaminofluorene,2-nitrofluorene,4- nitroquinoline-N-oxide and 1,1,1-trichloropropene-2,3-oxide. Enhancement of 2-AF mutagenicity by 2,4-DAT is also observed with cytochrome P-450-dependent activation, however the half-maximal 2,4-DAT concentration was 400 microM, and the maximal enhancement was only 50%. The ability of 2,4-DAT, under conditions where it is not itself mutagenic, to enhance the genotoxicity of the potent carcinogen 2-AF comprises an intriguing toxicological interaction, and underscores the inherent difficulties in assessing the genotoxic risks posed by mixtures of compounds.