Characterization of activation and deactivation pathways of 4-(N-nitrosomethylamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) in rat hepatocytes.

We have characterized the metabolism of 4-(N-nitrosomethylamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) in cultured rat hepatocytes and have established the relationship between various metabolic pathways and single-strand breaks (SSB) in DNA. Metabolism of [5-3H]-NNK by carbonyl reduction, alpha-carbon hydroxylation and pyridine N-oxidation was linear from 0.5 to 6 h with 0.25-2 x 10(6) hepatocytes. Using an alkaline elution assay, we observed that NNK induces SSB in DNA in a dose- and time-dependent manner. SSB induced by NNK were rejoined partially within 2 h and totally by 12 h after exposure. NNK-N-oxide produced a smaller number of SSB than NNK, suggesting that pyridine N-oxidation of NNK is a deactivation pathway. Carbonyl reduction of NNK led to 4-(N-nitrosomethylamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butan-1-ol (NNAl). Reaction of NNK with methyl magnesium iodide gave 4-(N-nitrosomethylamino)-1-(methyl)-1-(3- pyridyl)butanol-1-ol (1-MeNNAl) 82% yield. NNAl, but not 1-MeNNA1, can be reoxidized to NNK. Doses of 5 mM NNAl and 1-MeNNAl both induced SSB, indicating that NNAl does not require reconversion to NNK to be activated to DNA damaging intermediates. alpha-Methylene hydroxylation resulted in the formation of 4-oxo-4-(3- pyridyl)butanal. At equimolar concentration (5 mM), the aldehyde was more damaging than NNK to hepatocyte DNA. The results of this study demonstrate that NNK is activated by rat hepatocytes and that metabolites formed by alpha-carbon hydroxylation induce SSB.