Genotoxicity of 1,4-benzoquinone and 1,4-naphthoquinone in relation to effects on glutathione and NAD(P)H levels in V79 cells

Journal Article · Sat Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1989 · Environmental Health Perspectives; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.8982223· OSTI ID:6967846

Ludewig, G; Dogra, S; Glatt, H ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Mainz (West Germany)

1,4-Benzoquinone is cytotoxic in V79 Chinese hamster cells and induces gene mutations and micronuclei. The cell-damaging effects of quinones are usually attributed to thiol depletion, oxidation of NAD(P)H, and redox-cycling involving the formation of semiquinone radicals and reactive oxygen species. To elucidate the role of these mechanisms in the genotoxicity of 1,4-benzoquinone, the authors measured various genotoxic effects, cytotoxicity, and the levels of glutathione, NADPH, NADH, and their oxidized forms all in the same experiment. 1,4-Naphthoquinone, which does not induce gene mutations in V79 cells, was investigated for comparative reasons. The quinones had a similar effect on the levels of cofactors. Total glutathione was depleted, but levels of oxidized glutathione were slightly increased. The levels of NADPH and NADH were reduced at high concentrations of the quinones with a simultaneous increase in the levels of NADP{sup +} and NAD{sup +}. Both compounds induced micronuclei, but neither increased the frequency of sister chromatid exchange. Only 1,4-benzoquinone induced gene mutations. They conclude that (a) induction of micronuclei and glutathione depletion by the two quinones are not linked casually, (b) 1,4-benzoquinone induces gene mutations by a mechanism different from oxidative stress and glutathione depletion, and (c) glutathione does not fully protect the cells against the genotoxicity of quinones.

• OSTI ID: 6967846
• Journal Information: Environmental Health Perspectives; (USA), Vol. 82; ISSN 0091-6765
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
BENZENE
METABOLITES
GLUTATHIONE
BIOCHEMISTRY
NADP
QUINONES
TOXICITY
FIBROBLASTS
GENE MUTATIONS
HAMSTERS
RADICALS
SISTER CHROMATID EXCHANGES
ANIMAL CELLS
ANIMALS
AROMATICS
CHEMISTRY
CHROMOSOMAL ABERRATIONS
COENZYMES
CONNECTIVE TISSUE CELLS
DRUGS
HYDROCARBONS
MAMMALS
MUTATIONS
NUCLEOTIDES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PEPTIDES
POLYPEPTIDES
PROTEINS
RADIOPROTECTIVE SUBSTANCES
RODENTS
SOMATIC CELLS
VERTEBRATES
560300* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology