Carcinogens preferentially bind at methylated CpG in the p53 mutational hot spots

• Published in: Cancer research (Chicago, Ill.) Vol. 58; no. 10; pp. 2070 - 2075
• Main Authors: CHEN, J. X, YI ZHENG, WEST, M, TANG, M.-S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Philadelphia, PA American Association for Cancer Research 15.05.1998
• Subjects: Acetoxyacetylaminofluorene - metabolism; Aflatoxin B1 - analogs & derivatives; Aflatoxin B1 - metabolism; Binding Sites; Biological and medical sciences; Carcinogenesis, carcinogens and anticarcinogens; Carcinogens - metabolism; Chemical agents; CpG Islands; Cytosine - metabolism; DNA Methylation; Genes, p53; Humans; Medical sciences; Mutation - genetics; Neoplasms - genetics; Tumors; Toxicity; Polycyclic aromatic compound; Carcinogen; Biological fixation; TP53 Gene; GC rich sequence; DNA; Epoxide; Aflatoxin B1; Chrysene derivatives; Cytosine; Mutation; Mechanism of action; Methylation; Tumor suppressor gene
• ISSN: 0008-5472; 1538-7445

The major mutational hot spots in human cancers occur at CpG sequences in the p53 gene. It is generally presumed that the majority of mutations at these sites result from the endogenous deamination of methylated cytosine. Using a UvrABC incision method, we have found that cytosine methylation greatly enhances guanine alkylation at all CpG sites in the p53 gene by a variety of carcinogens, including benzo(a)pyrene diol epoxide, benzo(g)chrysene diol epoxide, aflatoxin B1 8,9-epoxide, and N-acetoxy-2-acetylaminofluorene. These findings suggest that mutational hot spots at methylated CpG sequences in the p53 gene may be a consequence of preferential carcinogen binding at these sites.