Metabolites of a Tobacco-Specific Lung Carcinogen in Nonsmoking Casino Patrons
- Kristin E. Anderson12,
- Jen Kliris1,
- Lois Murphy1,
- Steven G. Carmella2,
- Shaomei Han2,
- Carrie Link2,
- Robin L. Bliss2,
- Susan Puumala2,
- Sharon E. Murphy2 and
- Stephen S. Hecht2
- 1Division of Epidemiology,
- 2Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Abstract
Epidemiologic data have shown increased risks of lung cancer in nonsmokers exposed to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS). We measured biomarkers in urine samples from nonsmokers before and after a 4-h visit to a casino where smoking is allowed. The tobacco-specific lung carcinogen, NNK [4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone] is a constituent of ETS. Urinary metabolites of NNK, 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol (NNAL) and its glucuronides (NNAL-Gluc), are excellent biomarkers of human uptake of NNK and NNAL. NNAL, as with NNK, is a potent pulmonary carcinogen. Subjects collected a spot urine sample before the casino visit and all urine samples for the 24-h period starting after the visit. We analyzed samples for creatinine, total cotinine (cotinine and cotinine-glucuronide), and total NNAL (NNAL plus NNAL-Gluc). Paired samples showed statistically significant mean increases in total cotinine (0.044 nmol/mg creatinine, P < 0.0001) and total NNAL (0.018 pmol/mg creatinine, P < 0.001). These findings demonstrate that exposure of nonsmokers to ETS in a commercial setting results in uptake of a tobacco-specific lung carcinogen.
Footnotes
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Grant support: NIH Grants CA-81301 and DA-13333 and National Cancer Center Support Grant CA-77598. Dr. Kliris is a recipient of the Margaret Mitchell Research Scholarship from the American Cancer Society. Dr. Hecht is an American Cancer Society Research Professor, supported by American Cancer Society Grant RP-00-138-01.
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The costs of publication of this article were defrayed in part by the payment of page charges. This article must therefore be hereby marked advertisement in accordance with 18 U.S.C. Section 1734 solely to indicate this fact.
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Requests for reprints: Kristin E. Anderson, Division of Epidemiology, University of Minnesota, 1300 South Second Street #300, Minneapolis, MN 55454. Phone: (612) 626-8568; Fax: (612) 624-0315; E-mail: anderson_k{at}epi.umn.edu
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↵3 These figures appear as supplementary data at http://cebp.aacrjournals.org/.
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- Accepted August 12, 1903.
- Received June 26, 1903.
- Revision received June 26, 1903.
