Black Raspberry Extract Enhances Glutathione Conjugation of the Fjord-Region Diol Epoxide Derived from the Tobacco Carcinogen Dibenzo[ def, p]chrysene in Human Oral Cells

Chem Res Toxicol. 2022 Nov 21;35(11):2152-2159. doi: 10.1021/acs.chemrestox.2c00246. Epub 2022 Oct 19.

Abstract

In a series of previous studies we reported that black raspberry (BRB) powder inhibits dibenzo[a,l]pyrene (DBP)-induced DNA damage, mutagenesis, and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) development in mice. In the present study, using human oral leukoplakia (MSK-Leuk1) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC1483) cells, we tested the hypothesis that BRB extract (BRBE) will enhance the synthesis of glutathione (GSH) and in turn increase GSH conjugation of the fjord-region DBP diol epoxide (DBPDE) derived from DBP leading to inhibition of DBP-induced DNA damage. The syntheses of DBPDE-GSH conjugate, DBPDE-dA adduct, and the corresponding isotope-labeled internal standards were performed; LC-MS/MS methods were used for their quantification. BRBE significantly (p < 0.05) increased cellular GSH by 31% and 13% at 6 and 24 h, respectively, in OSCC cells; in MSK-LeuK1 cells, the levels of GSH significantly (p < 0.05) increased by 55% and 22%, at 1 and 6 h. Since BRBE significantly enhanced the synthesis of GSH in both cell types, subsequent experiments were performed in MSK-Leuk1 cells. Western blot analysis was performed to determine the types of proteins involved in the synthesis of GSH. BRBE significantly (p < 0.05) increased the protein expression (2.5-fold) of the glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic subunit (GCLC) but had no effect on the glutamate-cysteine ligase modifier subunit (GCLM) and glutathione synthetase (GSS). LC-MS/MS analysis showed that pretreatment of cells with BRBE followed by DBPDE significantly (p < 0.05) increased the levels of DBPDE-GSH conjugate (2.5-fold) and decreased DNA damage by 74% measured by assessing levels of DBPDE-dA adduct formation. Collectively, the results of this in vitro study clearly support our hypothesis, and the LC-MS/MS methods developed in the present study will be highly useful in testing the same hypothesis initially in our mouse model and ultimately in smokers.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Benzopyrenes / metabolism
  • Carcinogens
  • Carcinoma, Squamous Cell*
  • Chromatography, Liquid
  • Chrysenes
  • DNA Adducts
  • Epoxy Compounds
  • Estuaries
  • Glutamate-Cysteine Ligase
  • Glutathione / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Mouth Neoplasms* / chemically induced
  • Nicotiana / metabolism
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology
  • Rubus*
  • Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Substances

  • Carcinogens
  • chrysene
  • Chrysenes
  • Benzopyrenes
  • Epoxy Compounds
  • Glutamate-Cysteine Ligase
  • DNA Adducts
  • Glutathione
  • Plant Extracts