Incorporation of carbon atoms from glucose into the food mutagens MeIQx and 4,8-DiMeIQx using 14C-labelled glucose in a model system.

Mixtures of creatinine, glucose and threonine with the addition of a small amount, 250 microCi, of [U-14C]glucose, [1-14C]glucose or [6-14C]glucose were heated at 180 degrees C for 30 min in an aqueous model system. The mixtures were purified and analysed using HPLC, scintillation and Ames tests. 2-Amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (MeIQx) and 2-amino-3,4,8-trimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (4,8-DiMeIQx) were detected as the main radioactive mutagens. The amount of MeIQx and 4,8-DiMeIQx produced from threonine was estimated at 18 and 60 nmol/mmol glucose respectively. Radioactive carbon atoms originating from glucose were also shown to be incorporated into 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (IQx). The specific activity was calculated to be 0.6, 0.3 and 0.1-0.3 mCi/mmol for MeIQx, 4,8-DiMeIQx and IQx respectively for all three labelled forms of glucose. By the incorporation of carbon atoms originating from glucose into the imidazoquinoxaline mutagens it was clearly demonstrated that glucose is a precursor in the formation of these food mutagens.