Exposure to 4-aminobiphenyl (4-ABP), an environmental and tobacco smoke carcinogen that targets the bladder urothelium, leads to DNA adduct formation and cancer development [1]. Two major analytical challenges in DNA adduct analysis of human samples have been limited sample availability and the need to reach detection limits approaching the part-per-billion threshold. By operating at nano-flow rates and incorporating a capillary analytical column in addition to an online sample enrichment step, we have developed a sensitive and quantitative HPLC-MS/MS method appropriate for the analysis of such samples. This assay for the deoxyguanosine adduct of 4-ABP (dG-C8-4-ABP) gave mass detection limits of 20amol in 1.25microg of DNA (5 adducts in 10(9) nucleosides) with a linear range of 70amol to 70fmol. 4-ABP-exposed human bladder cells and rat bladder tissue were analyzed in triplicate, and higher dose concentrations led to increased numbers of detected adducts. It was subsequently established that sample requirements could be further reduced to 1microg digestions and the equivalent of 250ng DNA per injection for the detection of low levels of dG-C8-4-ABP in a matrix of exfoliated human urothelial cell DNA. This method is appropriate for the characterization and quantification of DNA adducts in human samples and can lead to a greater understanding of their role in carcinogenesis and also facilitate evaluation of chemopreventive agents.
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