N-OH-AABP Modifications in Human DNA May Lead to Auto-Antibodies in Bladder Cancer Subjects

Abstract

4-Aminobiphenyl (4-ABP) and other related arylamines have emerged to be responsible for human urinary bladder tumors and cancers. Hemoglobin-ABP adducts have been recognized in the blood of smokers, and it builds up in the circulatory system over the period of years that might lead to a bladder tumor. N-hydroxy-Acetyl 4-Aminobiphenyl (N-OH-AABP) is one of the reactive forms of 4-ABP which has a potential to initiate tumor growth and causes cancer rapidly. In the present study, commercially available human DNA was modified by N-OH-AABP, and its modifications were analyzed biophysically from fluorescence spectroscopy and thermal denaturation studies. Further, Sera and IgG from bladder cancer patients’ blood were assessed for affinity to native and N-OH-AABP modified human DNA using ELISA. The study showed N-OH-AABP caused damage in the structure of the DNA macromolecule and the perturbations resulting from damage leads to change in the Tm of the DNA molecule. Bladder cancer auto-antibodies, particularly in smoker group, showed preferential binding to N-OH-AABP modified human DNA. This study shows that N-OH-AABP modified DNA could be an antigenic stimulus for the generation of autoantibodies in the sera of bladder cancer patients.