Conversion of the common food constituent 5-hydroxymethylfurfural into a mutagenic and carcinogenic sulfuric acid ester in the mouse in vivo.

5-Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), formed by acid-catalyzed dehydration and in the Maillard reaction from reducing sugars, is found at high levels in numerous foods. It was shown to initiate colon aberrant crypt foci in rats and skin papillomas and hepatocellular adenomas in mice. HMF is inactive in in vitro genotoxicity tests using standard activating systems but is activated to a mutagen by sulfotransferases. The product, 5-sulfoxymethylfurfural (SMF), is a stronger carcinogen than HMF. SMF has not been detected in the biotransfomation experiments conducted on HMF in humans and animals in vivo up to date. Here, we report pharmacokinetic properties of HMF and SMF in FVB/N mice. Sensitive assays for the quantification of HMF and SMF by LC-MS/MS multiple reaction monitoring were devised. SMF, intravenously injected (4.4 μmol/kg body mass), showed first-order elimination kinetics in blood plasma (t1/2 = 7.9 min). HMF, injected intravenously (793 μmol/kg body mass), demonstrated biphasic kinetics in plasma (t1/2...