Identification of benzo[a]pyrene 7,8-diol 9,10-epoxide N2-deoxyguanosine in human lung adenocarcicoma cells exposed to cooking oil fumes from frying fish under domestic conditions

Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer death among women in Taiwan. Epidemiological studies of lung cancer in Chinese women indicate that factors other than cigarette smoking are related to lung cancer risk. One such factor may be exposure to carcinogens formed during the cooking of food. The carcinogenic compounds in oil smoke particulates from Chinese cooking practice have not yet been characterized. To reveal the relationship between the high mortality rate of lung cancer in Chinese women and exposure to cooking oil fumes (COF), DNA adduct formation, induced by COF collected from frying fish under domestic conditions, was assessed in human lung adenocarcinoma CL-3 cell lines using the ³²P-postlabeling assay. DNA adduct levels were induced by COF in CL-3 cells in a dose-dependent manner. DNA adducts with a diagonal radioactive zone (DRZ) were observed when CL-3 cells were treated with COF. Surprisingly, only one spot of the DNA adduct profile was in the DRZ. The DNA adduct was analyzed by HPLC coupled with an on-line radioactive detector. The retention time of the major DNA adduct corresponded to that of authentic benzo-[a]pyrene 7,8-diol 9,10-epoxide N2-deoxyguanonsine (BPDE-N2-dG). Moreover, the mass spectrum of the major DNA adduct in CL-3 cells was confirmed to be BPDE-N2-dG by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. In conclusion, BPDE-N2-dG adduct formation in human lung cells supports epidemiological findings of an association between cooking fume exposure and lung cancer in Chinese women.