Allylisothiocyanate (AITC) is a dietary component with possible anti-cancer effects, though much information about AITC and cancer has been obtained from cell studies. To investigate the effect of AITC on DNA integrity in vivo, a crossover study was conducted. Adults (n=46) consumed AITC, AITC-rich vegetables (mustard and cabbage), or a control treatment with a controlled diet for 10 days each. On day 11, volunteers provided blood and urine before and after consuming treatments. Volunteers were characterized for genotype for GSTM1 and GSTT1 (glutathione S-transferases) and XPD (DNA repair). DNA integrity in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was assessed by single cell gel electrophoresis. Urine was analyzed for 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2’-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG) and creatinine. Ten day intake of neither AITC nor mustard/cabbage(M/C) resulted in statistically significant differences in DNA strand breaks (LS mean % DNA in tail ± SEM: 4.8 ± 0.6 for control, 5.7 ± 0.7 for AITC, 5.3 ± 0.6 for M/C) or urinary 8-oxodG (LS mean µg 8-oxodG/g creatinine ± SEM: 2.95 ± 0.09 for control, 2.88 ± 0.09 for AITC, 3.06 ± 0.09 for M/C). Both AITC and M/C increased DNA strand breaks 3h post-consumption (LS mean % DNA in tail ± SEM: 3.2 ± 0.7 for control, 8.3 ± 1.7 for AITC, 8.0 ± 1.7 for M/C), and this difference disappeared at 6h (4.2 ± 0.9 for control, 5.7 ± 1.2 for AITC, 5.5 ± 1.2 for M/C). Genotypes for GSTM1, GSTT1, and XPD were not associated with treatment effects. In summary, DNA damage appeared to be induced in the short term by AITC and AITC-rich products, but that damage disappeared quickly, and neither AITC nor AITC-rich products affected DNA base excision repair.

Allyl isothiocyanate (AITC) is a possible anticancer agent derived from foods including brown mustard and green cabbage. In a crossover study, 12 men and 34 women participated in 3 treatment phases, which consisted of an 11‐day basal diet supplemented as follows: 1) 11.4 mg AITC, 2) 100 g pureed cabbage + 30 g brown mustard (CM), 3) unsupplemented control. Subjects were selected by genotype for glutathione S‐transferase (GST) M1 and DNA repair enzyme gene XPD. Blood samples were collected on day 1 (baseline) and day 11, and outcome measures included COMET, 8‐oxo‐dG, F2‐isoprostanes, IL6, VEGF, GST activity, and GST‐α concentration. The mustard AITC content unexpectedly decreased over time. The response of log GST‐α concentration to treatment was proportional to baseline values, but the magnitude of the response was higher for subjects on the AITC treatment. Consumption of the CM treatment resulted in increased log GST‐α concentration independent of baseline value. Evaluation of other outcome measures and the effect of genotype on treatment response is underway. Funded by USDA/ARS and NIH/NCI.