32P-postlabeling and HPLC separation of DNA adducts formed by diesel exhaust extracts in vitro and in mouse skin and lung after topical treatment.

Diesel exhaust extracts contain many carcinogenic compounds which have been shown to form polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)- and nitrated PAH-DNA adducts in rodent skin and lung. The aim of this study was to characterize by 32P-postlabeling, TLC and HPLC the primary postlabeled PAH-DNA adduct(s) formed in vitro and in vivo by diesel extracts. The diesel particle extracts had known concentrations of benzo[a]pyrene, benzo[b,j,k]-fluoranthenes (B[b,j,k]F) and chrysene. DNA adducts were analyzed in calf thymus DNA incubated in vitro with PAHs activated by S9 mix and in skin and lung DNA from topically treated mice. The main diesel-derived DNA adduct formed in vitro and in vivo did not co-migrate on HPLC and large TLC plates with (+/-)-r-7,t-8-dihydroxy-t-9,10-epoxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[a]pyrene (anti BPDE)-, B[b]F-,B[j]F-,B[k]F-or chrysene-DNA adduct standards. By co-chromatography DNA adducts formed by chrysene from both in vitro and in vivo samples were identified. Nissan diesel extract containing higher PAH concentrations than Volkswagen automobile extract formed skin DNA adducts that co-migrated with chrysene- and anti BPDE- DNA-derived adducts. We conclude that the use of a highly sensitive 32P-postlabeling method combined with HPLC improves the identification of PAH adducts formed by complex mixtures such as diesel exhaust extracts.