Furan is an environmental chemical that induces liver toxicity
and tumor formation inrodents, leading to its classification as a probable human carcinogen.
cis-2-Butene-1,4-dial,the metabolite considered responsible for furan's toxicological effects, is mutagenic in the Amesassay
and reacts with 2'-deoxycytidine (dCyd), 2'-deoxyadenosine (dAdo),
and 2'-deoxyguanosine(dGuo) to form previously characterized diastereomeric adducts. The initially formed dCydadducts are stable to rearrangement, while the dAdo
and dGuo adducts are unstable
andrearrange to form secondary products. On the basis of UV absorbance, fluorescence,
1H NMR,
and mass spectral data, the rearrangement product of the dAdo adduct was identified as thesubstituted etheno-dAdo adduct, 1' '-[3-(2'-deoxy-
![](/images/gifchars/beta2.gif)
-
D-erythropentafuranosyl)-3H-imidazo[2,1-i]purin-8-yl]ethane-2' '-al. The NMR characterization of the
O-methyloxime derivative of thesecondary dGuo adduct, along with mass spectral
and UV data on the underivatized adduct,allowed for its structural assignment as the substituted etheno-dGuo compound, 3-(2'-deoxy-
![](/images/gifchars/beta2.gif)
-
D-erythropentafuranosyl)imidazo-7-(ethane-2' '-al)[1,2-
![](/images/gifchars/alpha.gif)
]purine-9-one. The characterizationof the primary
and secondary products formed in the reaction of
cis-2-butene-1,4-dial withnucleosides is important for underst
anding the mechanism of furan-induced carcinogenesis.These secondary adducts retain a reactive aldehyde with the potential to form cross-links
andare likely to contribute significantly to furan's toxic
and carcinogenic effects.