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. 1994 Dec 20;91(26):13038–13041. doi: 10.1073/pnas.91.26.13038

Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry reveal a remarkable degree of structural damage in the DNA of wild fish exposed to toxic chemicals.

D C Malins 1, S J Gunselman 1
PMCID: PMC45576  PMID: 7809168

Abstract

The use of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with selected ion monitoring (GC-MS/SIM) and Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy revealed a remarkable degree of damage in the hepatic DNA of fish exposed to toxic environmental chemicals, compared with controls. The exposed fish, which were neoplasm-free, were part of a population with a high incidence of liver cancer. GC-MS/SIM showed markedly high concentrations of hydroxyl radical-induced ring-opening products (e.g., 2,6-diamino-4-hydroxy-5-formamidopyrimidine) and 8-hydroxy adducts of adenine and guanine (e.g., 8-hydroxyguanine) in the DNA. FT-IR spectroscopy revealed substantial changes in spectral areas, such as those assigned to NH vibrations of nucleotide bases and CO vibrations of deoxyribose. This diverse and extensive damage to DNA provides a perspective of premalignant changes resulting from xenobiotic exposure and a promising basis for predicting cancer risk in animals and humans.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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