Effects of activated aflatoxin B/sub 1/ and caffeine on DNA replicon initiation in HeLa cells

Journal Article · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1981 · Carcinogenesis (N.Y.); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1093/carcin/2.5.379· OSTI ID:6620719

Cramer, P; Painter, R B

Afatoxin B/sub 1/ (AFB/sub 1/) is activated by a rat microsomal extract (S-9) to form a product that inhibits DNA synthesis in HeLa cells. At 10/sup -7/ M, AFB/sub 1/ inhibited initiation of replicons, as shown in alkaline sucrose gradient profiles 30 min after incubation with the drug. Ninety minutes later, the profile of treated cells was similar to that of control, but 4 h later there was another effect on replicon initiation. At 10/sup -6/ M, the inhibition of initiation was greater than at 10/sup -7/ M and increased progressively. Four hours after removal of the drug, the gradient profile showed low amounts of radioactivity in all size classes of DNA. When cells were incubated in medium containing caffeine (2 mM) even as late as 60 min after incubation with AFB/sub 1/, the inhibition of replicon initiation was prevented. If caffeine was later removed from the medium, replicon initiation was then inhibited. At 10/sup -7/ M or 10/sup -6/ M, AFB/sub 1/ had little immediate effect on chain elongation, but at 10/sup -5/ M, the gradient profiles showed an accumulation of low molecular weight DNA molecules, with no radioactivity in the region of high molecular weight DNA, owing to a block to chain elongation; this was not affected by caffeine. These results suggest that AFB/sub 1/ induces damage that changes the fonformation of chromatin so that initiation of new replicons cannot occur; in the presence of caffeine this change does not occur and DNA replication is not inhibited.

• Research Organization: Univ. of California, San Francisco
• OSTI ID: 6620719
• Journal Information: Carcinogenesis (N.Y.); (United States), Journal Name: Carcinogenesis (N.Y.); (United States) Vol. 2:5; ISSN CRNGD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550301 -- Cytology-- Tracer Techniques
560301* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Cells-- (-1987)
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AFLATOXIN
ANALEPTICS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOSYNTHESIS
CAFFEINE
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM AGENTS
DNA
DNA REPLICATION
DRUGS
HELA CELLS
HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
INHIBITION
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
METABOLIC ACTIVATION
NUCLEIC ACID REPLICATION
NUCLEIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PURINES
SEDIMENTATION
SYNTHESIS
TRITIUM COMPOUNDS
XANTHINES