Objective: To explore the effects of DNA polymerase β expression level on the genotoxicity and genetic instability induced by benzo(a)pyrene (BaP),and provide experimental the basis for further study on the carcinogenic molecular mechanism of BaP.
Methods: Three kinds of cell lines with the identical genetic background, polβ wild-type cells (polβ+/+), polβ null cells (polβ-/-) and polβ overexpression cells (polβ oe) were applied as cellular models. The oxidative damage, genotoxicity and genetic instability induced by BaP were analyzed by using different methods respectively.
Results: Cell viability and colony forming ability of 3 kinds of cell lines exposed to BaP decreased with BaP. After treated with 5 and 20 µmol/L concentration of BaP, fluorescence intensity of polβ-/- cell line was significantly higher than that of other two cell lines (P < 0.05). When treated with 5.00 µmol/L and 20.00 µmol/L concentration of BaP, the SOD activities (76.56 ± 2.84 and 62.78 ± 4.28 U/mg pro) of polβ-/- cell line were significantly lower than that (84.85 ± 3.59) of control group and those (85.21 ± 3.20 and 76.90 ± 3.38 U/mg pro) of polβ+/+ cell line. In 20.00 µmol/L BaP group. SOD activity (82.59 ± 4.64 U/mg pro) of polβ oe cell line was lower than that (88.58 ± 6.77 U/mg pro) of control but higher than that of polβ+/+ cell line (P < 0.05). In 1.25, 5.00 and 20.00 µmol/L concentration BaP groups, the micronucleus rates of polβ-/- cell line were much higher than those of polβ+/+ cell line (P < 0.05). In 5.00 and 20.00 µmol/L concentration BaP groups, the micronucleus rates of polβ oe cell line were significantly lower than those of polβ+/+ line (P < 0.05). In 5.00 and 20.00 µmol/L concentration BaP groups, HPRT gene mutation frequencies (26.16 × 10(-6) and 37.51 × 10(-6); 27.68 × 10(-6) and 38.63 × 10(-6)) in polβ-/- cells and polβ oe cells were significantly higher than those (19.76 × 10(-6) and 24.78 × 10(-6)) of polβ+/+ cells (P < 0.05).
Conclusion: Polβ could play a role in protecting the cells from the genotoxicity and genetic instability induced by BaP, and the normal expression level of polβ was indispensable for maintaining genome stability.