32P-postlabelling analysis of DNA-adducts formed by 4-(N-carbethoxy-N-nitrosamino)-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone and 4-oxo-4-(3-pyridyl)- butanal.

The tobacco-specific nitrosamine, 4-(N-nitrosomethylamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)- 1-butanone (NNK) can be activated to DNA-binding species by two pathways: methylene hydroxylation leads to an equimolar formation of methyldiazohydroxide and 4-oxo-4-(3-pyridyl)-butanal followed by DNA methylation, while methyl hydroxylation leads to DNA pyridyloxobutylation via the 4-(3-pyridyl)-4-oxobutyldiazohydroxide (Hecht et al., 1988; Spratt et al., 1989). We report here that the ketoaldehyde, 4-oxo-4-(3-pyridyl)-butanal, as well as 4-(N-carbethoxy-N-nitrosamino)-1-(3- pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNC), a model compound for pyridyloxobutylation, form DNA adducts in vitro, as detected by 32P-postlabelling assays. The two major adduct spots of both compounds were chromatographically indistinguishable, suggesting structurally similar DNA adducts.