Chemopreventive effect of chlorophyllin on mutagenicity and cytotoxicity of 6-sulfooxymethylbenzo[a]pyrene.

The chemopreventive activity of chlorophyllin (CHL) was monitored by using 6-sulfooxymethylbenzo[a]pyrene (SMBP) which is an ultimate metabolite of benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P). CHL was quite effective in reducing both cytotoxicity and mutagenicity for SMBP in dose dependent manner up to 12.5 mM CHL in Chinese hamster V79 cells. The inhibitory patterns of CHL for SMBP were also confirmed in Salmonella typhimurium strains TA98 and TA100. Mutation frequency caused by SMBP was diminished almost to a control level at a 50 nmol CHL. A similar but less effective prevention of CHL was indicated in the mammalian and the bacterial mutagenicity assays with 6-hydroxymethylbenzo[a]pyrene (HMBP). The inhibitory effect of CHL against assault of SMBP on V79 cells was found to be related to the reduced cellular uptake of SMBP and further the remarkably lowered DNA adducts.