Exposure to endogenous and exogenous chemicals can lead
to the
formation of structurally modified DNA bases (DNA adducts). If not
repaired, these nucleobase lesions can cause polymerase errors during
DNA replication, leading to heritable mutations and potentially contributing
to the development of cancer. Because of their critical role in cancer
initiation, DNA adducts represent mechanism-based biomarkers of carcinogen
exposure, and their quantitation is particularly useful for cancer
risk assessment. DNA adducts are also valuable in mechanistic studies
linking tumorigenic effects of environmental and industrial carcinogens
to specific electrophilic species generated from their metabolism.
While multiple experimental methodologies have been developed for
DNA adduct analysis in biological samples, including immunoassay,
HPLC, and 32P-postlabeling, isotope dilution high performance
liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization–tandem
mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS/MS) generally has superior selectivity,
sensitivity, accuracy, and reproducibility. As typical DNA adduct
concentrations in biological samples are between 0.01–10 adducts
per 108 normal nucleotides, ultrasensitive HPLC-ESI-MS/MS
methodologies are required for their analysis. Recent developments
in analytical separations and biological mass spectrometry, especially
nanoflow HPLC, nanospray ionization MS, chip-MS, and high resolution
MS, have pushed the limits of analytical HPLC-ESI-MS/MS methodologies
for DNA adducts, allowing researchers to accurately measure their
concentrations in biological samples from patients treated with DNA
alkylating drugs and in populations exposed to carcinogens from urban
air, drinking water, cooked food, alcohol, and cigarette smoke.