
| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
Short Communications |
University of Minnesota Cancer Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| Abstract |
|---|
|
|
|---|
| Introduction |
|---|
|
|
|---|
|
| Materials and Methods |
|---|
|
|
|---|
The gas chromatograph-thermal energy analyzer consisted of a HP 6890 gas chromatograph (Agilent Technologies) interfaced to a model 543 Thermal Energy Analyzer (Orion Research, Beverly, MA). The pyrolyzer and interface temperatures of the thermal energy analyzer were 500°C and 275°C, respectively. The separation was performed on a 15 m x 0.25 mm i.d., 0.25 µm film thickness, SPB-1701 (Aldrich) or a DB-1701 column (J & W Scientific, Folsom, CA) attached to a 2 m x 0.53 mm i.d. deactivated retention gap. The injection port temperature was 225°C. Pressure pulsed splitless injection was used (14 p.s.i. pressure pulse for 1 min). The injection liner was a 4 mm i.d. single goose-neck liner containing 1 cm of deactivated glass wool. A pressure program was used to keep the flow rate of helium through the column at a constant rate of 0.8 ml/min. The oven temperature was initially held at 80°C for 2 min and was then ramped to 180°C at 20°C/min, then to 210°C at 2°C/min. From 210°C, it was increased to 250°C at 20°C/min and held for 5 min.
GC-MS/MS analysis was carried out on a TSQ-7000 instrument (ThermoElectron, San Jose, CA) using the same GC column and conditions as described for GC-TEA. The MS was operated in the positive-ion chemical ionization mode. The transition m/z 282
m/z 162 was monitored using conditions essentially identical to those described previously, except that the resolution was set at 0.5 a.m.u. (12)
.
Chemicals and Enzymes.
NNAL, iso-NNAL, and NPPA were obtained from Toronto Research Chemicals (Toronto, ON, Canada). (R)-NNAL-O-Gluc was prepared by incubation of NNAL with rat liver microsomes and cofactors as described (13)
. BSTFA was purchased from Regis Technologies, Inc. (Morton Grove, IL). 2-Pyridylmethyl acetate, 3-acetylpyridine, and ß-glucuronidase type IX-A from Escherichia coli were purchased from Sigma-Aldrich. Chem-Elute columns (5 ml) were obtained from Varian, Inc. (Walnut Creek, CA).
Subjects.
Urine samples from smokers and snuff-dippers were obtained at baseline from subjects participating in studies that were designed to evaluate reduction of exposure to tobacco carcinogens. Urine samples from people exposed to ETS were obtained after a visit to a gambling casino.2
All studies were approved by the University of Minnesota Research Subjects Protection Programs Institutional Review Board Human Subjects Committee.
Analysis of Total NNAL in Urine.
Urine from smokers or snuff-dippers (4.5 ml) was added to a 15 ml conical glass centrifuge tube (Kimble-Kontes, Vineland, NJ). The pH was determined with pH paper and adjusted to 68 if necessary. Two nanograms of iso-NNAL and a freshly prepared solution of ß-glucuronidase (12,000 units) in 1 ml of H2O were added. The mixture was incubated with shaking at 37°C overnight. The pH of the urine was adjusted to 2 ± 0.5 with 1 N HCl, and it was partitioned twice with equal volumes of CH2Cl2. The CH2Cl2 extracts were discarded. The aqueous phase was adjusted to pH 7 ± 0.5 with 1 N NaOH and applied to a Chem-Elute cartridge (10 ml). The cartridge was eluted with three 8-ml aliquots of CH2Cl2, and the pooled eluants were collected in a 50-ml disposable glass centrifuge tube (Kimble-Kontes). The CH2Cl2 was removed with the Speedvac. The residue was transferred with 50 µl of methanol, 200 µl of 0.1 M potassium phosphate buffer (pH 7), and 250 of µl H2O into a filter unit autosampler vial (Whatman, Inc., Clifton, NJ). Five microliters of an aqueous solution of the collection markers consisting of 50 µg of 2-pyridylmethyl acetate and 50 µg of 3-acetylpyridine were added to each vial. The sample was injected on the HPLC system, monitored at 254 nm, and the fraction between the apices of the two marker compounds (1116 min) was collected. This fraction containing NNAL and iso-NNAL was collected in a 15-ml glass centrifuge tube and was concentrated to dryness on the SpeedVac. The residue was transferred with two 75-µl portions of methanol to a 300-µl, 12 x 32 mm polypropylene microvial (Waters), and the methanol was removed on the Speedvac. Five microliters of BSTFA and 2 ng of NPPA were added. The vial was capped, heated at 50°C for 60 min, and mixed intermittently. Two microliters were injected on the GC column from a cooled autosampler tray (Leap Technologies, Carboro, NC). GC data were collected on a PeakSimple data system (Alltech Associates, Inc., Deerfield, IL).
For analysis of urine of nonsmokers exposed to ETS, 20 ml of urine were analyzed, and 50,000 units of ß-glucuronidase were added. The samples were purified using two 10-ml Chem Elute cartridges.
Two positive control samples of either urine from a nonsmoker supplemented with NNAL and (R)-NNAL-O-Gluc or urine from a smoker were included in each set of samples to monitor assay variation. Negative control samples (water or urine from a nonsmoker) were included with the ETS samples.
Analysis of NNAL and NNAL-Gluc in Urine.
The traditional assay was carried out as described (14)
, except that the normal-phase HPLC-collection step was omitted.
| Results |
|---|
|
|
|---|
|
|
The assay was applied to urine samples from smokers, snuff-dippers, and nonsmokers exposed to ETS in a public venue. The results are illustrated in Fig. 4,A and B
.
|
m/z 162. A typical chromatogram is illustrated in Fig. 5
|
| Discussion |
|---|
|
|
|---|
The results of the assays presented here can be compared with those obtained using the traditional method in previous studies of smokers, snuff-dippers, and nonsmokers exposed to ETS; these studies were carried out with different cohorts. The mean level of total NNAL in the urine of 27 smokers was 2.69 ± 1.31 pmol/mg creatinine (17)
compared to 2.60 ± 1.30 pmol/mg creatinine obtained here. The mean amount of total NNAL in the urine of 11 snuff-dippers was 3.78 ± 3.19 pmol/mg creatinine (18)
compared to 3.25 ± 1.77 pmol/mg creatinine urine measured here. Previous field studies of total NNAL in the urine of nonsmokers exposed to ETS have typically shown levels of
0.05 pmol/ml urine (14)
, a finding that is also consistent with the amounts found here.
In our hands, GC-TEA is a robust and reproducible method for the measurement of NNAL in urine. An alternate method of detection is MS/MS. MS/MS equipment is widely available, although it is more expensive than thermal energy analyzer instruments. Although we did not pursue the development of a GC-MS/MS method for total NNAL, the chromatogram illustrated in Fig. 5
indicates that this is feasible using the same sample preparation as outlined in Fig. 2
. Moreover, the detection limit of GC-MS/MS is 4-fold better than that of GC-TEA. We have previously used GC-MS/MS for confirmation of the identity of NNAL in urine and have used liquid chromatography-MS/MS to evaluate the stereochemistry of NNAL in urine (12
, 14
, 19)
. Recently, a liquid chromatography-MS/MS method for the quantitation of NNAL and NNAL-Gluc in urine has also been described (20)
.
In addition to measurement of urinary total NNAL as described here, or NNAL and NNAL-Gluc separately, there are three other approaches for assessing NNK metabolism in humans. Methods are available for quantitation of NNAL-N-oxide in urine (21)
, HPB-releasing hemoglobin adducts (22)
, and HPB-releasing DNA adducts (23)
. NNAL-N-oxide is only a minor urinary metabolite and may have limited significance as a detoxification product of NNK in humans (22)
. Levels of HPB-releasing adducts indicate the extent of NNK metabolic activation by
-methyl hydroxylation, which leads to pyridyloxobutylation of hemoglobin and DNA (1)
. The adduct methods are not completely specific to NNK, because the same products are formed by 2'-hydroxylation of N'-nitrosonornicotine. These methods are also not as practical as measurements of urinary NNK metabolites, because adduct levels are frequently quite low or undetectable. Urinary metabolites of NNK resulting from
-hydroxylation are also formed from nicotine and are, therefore, not useful for investigating NNK metabolism in people exposed to tobacco products (24)
. Quantitation of total NNAL, or NNAL and NNAL-Gluc, in urine is presently the most practical means to investigate human NNK metabolism.
In summary, we have developed a new assay for total NNAL in human urine. This assay should markedly facilitate studies on the uptake of the tobacco-specific carcinogen NNK in humans.
| Acknowledgments |
|---|
| Footnotes |
|---|
Grant support: Grants CA-81301 and DA-13333 from NIH and a grant from the Flight Attendant Medical Research Institute.
Requests for reprints: Stephen S. Hecht, University of Minnesota Cancer Center, Mayo Mail Code 806, 420 Delaware Street SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455. Phone: (612) 624-7604; Fax: (612) 626-5135; E-mail: hecht002{at}umn.edu
1 The abbreviations used are: NNK, 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone; ETS, environmental tobacco smoke; NNAL, 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol; HPLC, high-performance liquid chromatography; i.d., inner diameter; GC, gas chromatography; MS/MS, tandem mass spectrometry; GC-TEA, gas chromatography-thermal energy analysis; iso-NNAL, 4-(methylnitrosamino)-4-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol; BSTFA, bis-trimethylsilyltrifluoroacetamide containing 1% trimethylchlorosilane; NPPA, N-nitrosopentyl-3-picolylamine; TMS, trimethylsilyl; HPB, 4-hydroxy-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone. ![]()
2 K. E. Anderson, J. Kliris, L. Murphy, S. G. Carmella, S. Han, C. Link, R. L. Bliss, S. E. Murphy, and S. S. Hecht. Metabolites of a tobacco-specific lung carcinogen in nonsmoking casino patrons, submitted for publication. ![]()
Received 5/23/03; revised 7/31/03; accepted 8/ 1/03.
| References |
|---|
|
|
|---|
This article has been cited by other articles:
![]() |
S S Hecht, S G Carmella, A Edmonds, S E Murphy, I Stepanov, X Luo, and D K Hatsukami Exposure to nicotine and a tobacco-specific carcinogen increase with duration of use of smokeless tobacco Tob. Control, April 1, 2008; 17(2): 128 - 131. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
S. S. Hecht, S. G. Carmella, I. Stepanov, J. Jensen, A. Anderson, and D. K. Hatsukami Metabolism of the Tobacco-Specific Carcinogen 4-(Methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-Pyridyl)-1-Butanone to Its Biomarker Total NNAL in Smokeless Tobacco Users Cancer Epidemiol. Biomarkers Prev., March 1, 2008; 17(3): 732 - 735. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
S. S. Hecht, S. G. Carmella, S. E. Murphy, W. T. Riley, C. Le, X. Luo, M. Mooney, and D. K. Hatsukami Similar Exposure to a Tobacco-Specific Carcinogen in Smokeless Tobacco Users and Cigarette Smokers Cancer Epidemiol. Biomarkers Prev., August 1, 2007; 16(8): 1567 - 1572. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
M. J. Stark, K. Rohde, J. E. Maher, B. A. Pizacani, C. W. Dent, R. Bard, S. G. Carmella, A. R. Benoit, N. M. Thomson, and S. S. Hecht The Impact of Clean Indoor Air Exemptions and Preemption Policies on the Prevalence of a Tobacco-Specific Lung Carcinogen Among Nonsmoking Bar and Restaurant Workers Am J Public Health, August 1, 2007; 97(8): 1457 - 1463. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
S. S. Hecht, S. G. Carmella, K.-A. Le, S. E. Murphy, A. J. Boettcher, C. Le, J. Koopmeiners, L. An, and D. J. Hennrikus 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol and its glucuronides in the urine of infants exposed to environmental tobacco smoke. Cancer Epidemiol. Biomarkers Prev., May 1, 2006; 15(5): 988 - 992. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
O. E. Tulunay, S. S. Hecht, S. G. Carmella, Y. Zhang, C. Lemmonds, S. Murphy, and D. K. Hatsukami Urinary Metabolites of a Tobacco-Specific Lung Carcinogen in Nonsmoking Hospitality Workers Cancer Epidemiol. Biomarkers Prev., May 1, 2005; 14(5): 1283 - 1286. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
I. Stepanov and S. S. Hecht Tobacco-Specific Nitrosamines and Their Pyridine-N-glucuronides in the Urine of Smokers and Smokeless Tobacco Users Cancer Epidemiol. Biomarkers Prev., April 1, 2005; 14(4): 885 - 891. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
D. K. Hatsukami, C. Lemmonds, Y. Zhang, S. E. Murphy, C. Le, S. G. Carmella, and S. S. Hecht Evaluation of Carcinogen Exposure in People Who Used "Reduced Exposure" Tobacco Products J Natl Cancer Inst, June 2, 2004; 96(11): 844 - 852. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
| Cancer Research | Clinical Cancer Research |
| Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention | Molecular Cancer Therapeutics |
| Molecular Cancer Research | Cancer Prevention Research |
| Cancer Prevention Journals Portal | Cancer Reviews Online |
| Annual Meeting Education Book | Meeting Abstracts Online |