Structure, tumorigenicity, microsomal metabolism, and DNA binding of 7-nitrodibenz[a,h]anthracene

It has been previously proposed that a nitropolycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (nitro-PAH) with its nitro functional group perpendicular or nearly perpendicular to the aromatic moiety exhibits lower tumorigenicity than the corresponding parent aromatic hydrocarbon. We also hypothesized that reduction of the nitro group is not involved, or contributed less significantly in the metabolic activation of this class of nitro-PAHs. To verify this hypothesis, we selected 7-nitrodibenz[a,h]anthracene (7-NDB[a,h]A) for study. The X-ray crystallographic structure of 7-NDB[a,h]A was determined and indicated that the dihedral angle between the nitro functional group and the aromatic dibenz[a,h]anthracenyl moiety was 80.6 degrees, indicating the nitro group preferentially adopts a nearly perpendicular orientation. The tumorigenicity of 7-NDB[a,h]A and dibenz[a,h]anthracene (DB[a,h]A) was determined in the male B6C3F(1) neonatal mouse. Mice were administered ip injections of 1/7, 2/7, and 4/7 of the total dose of 7-NDB[a,h]A (400 nmol in 35 mu L of DMSO per mouse) within 24 h of birth and at 8 and 15 days of age, respectively, and sacrificed at 12 months of age. DB[a,h]A induced 78 and 96% hepatocellular adenomas and carcinomas, respectively. However, 7-NDB[a,h]A induced only 50 and 8% hepatocellular adenomas and carcinomas compared with the 8 and 4% hepatocellular adenomas and carcinomas induced by the solvent vehicle, DMSO. Aerobic metabolism of 7-NDB[a,h]A by liver microsomes of 15-day old male B6C3F(1) neonatal mice resulted in trans-3,4-dihydroxy-3,4-dihydro-7-nitrodibenz[a,h]anthracene (7-NDB[a,h]A trans-3,4-dihydrodiol) and trans-10,11-dihydroxy-10,11-dihydro-7-nitrodibenz[a,h]anthracene (7-NDB[a,h]A trans-10,11-dihydrodiol) as predominant metabolites. Under anaerobic conditions, 7-NDB[a,h]A was not metabolized (nitroreduced). The DNA adduct levels in liver and lung tissues of male B6C3F1 mice treated with 7-NDB[a,h]A and sacrificed 24 h and 6 days after final dosing were determined by P-32-postlabeling/TLC. In all cases, the DNA adducts derived from 7-NDB[a,h]A trans-3,4-dihydrodiol and 7-NDB[a,h]A trans-10,11-dihydrodiol were formed. These results suggest that both of the metabolites, 7-NDB[a, h]A trans-3,4-dihydrodiol and 7-NDB[a,h]A trans-10,11-dihydrodiol, are involved in the metabolic activation of 7-NDB[a,h]A, leading to tumor induction in the neonatal mouse. Thus, our results described in this paper support our hypotheses that a nitro-PAH with a perpendicular nitro orientation exhibits lower tumorigenicity than the corresponding parent PAH and that nitroreduction contributes less significantly in the metabolic activation.