Metabolism and mutagenicity of 4-nitroquinoline N-oxide by microsomes and cytosol of digestive gland of the mussel Mytilus edulis L.

The modulation of the mutagenicity of 4-nitroquinoline N-oxide (4-NQO) by M. edulis digestive gland cytosolic and microsomal fractions was studied by monitoring the induction of the umu operon by 4-NQO in Salmonella typhimurium 1535/pSK1002. The mutagenicity of 4-NQO was increased by M. edulis cytosol and microsomes in dose-dependent manner with respect to protein and toxicant concentration. The mutagenic enhancement reflected increased NAD(P)H-dependent oxygen consumption by microsomes in the presence of 4-NQO and enhanced nitroreductase activity in cytosol. The former was stimulated by azide, indicating 4-NQO-enhanced oxyradical production by microsomes, and the latter was inhibitable by dicoumarol, indicating involvement of DT-diaphorase in nitroreduction by M. edulis cytosol. Neither dicoumarol nor allopurinol (inhibitors of DT-diaphorase and xanthine oxidase, respectively) affected the enhanced mutagenic expression of 4-NQO by cytosol. The results support the possibility of oxidative stress as a pollution-mediated mechanism of toxicity.