Reactive oxygen species generated by PAH o-quinones cause change-in-function mutations in p53

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in tobacco smoke may cause human lung cancer via metabolic activation to ultimate carcinogens. p53 is one of the most commonly mutated tumor suppressor genes in this disease. An analysis of the p53 mutational database shows that G to T transversions are a signature mutation of lung cancer. Aldo-keto reductases (AKRs) activate PAH trans-dihydrodiol proximate carcinogens to yield their corresponding reactive and redox-active o-quinones, e.g., benzo[a]pyrene-7,8-dione (BP-7,8-dione). We employed a yeast reporter system to determine whether PAH o-quinones or the ROS they generate cause change-in-function mutations in p53. N-Methyl-N-nitroso-N‘-nitro-guanidine, a standard alkylating mutagen was used as a positive control. MNNG caused a dose-dependent increase in mutant yeast colonies and at the highest concentrations 8−14% of the yeast colonies were mutated and were characterized by G:C to A:T transitions in the p53 DNA binding domain. Treatment of p53 cDNA with micromol...