Preventive effects of chlorophyllin fixed on chitosan towards DNA adduct formation of 3-amino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole in CDF₁ mice

Chlorophyllin, a water-soluble derivative of chlorophyll, is known to suppress the mutagenic and carcinogenic action of compounds having polycyclic structures, e.g., heterocyclic amines and aflatoxin B₁. Recently, we reported that chlorophyllin fixed on chitosan (chl-chitosan), which is insoluble in water, can efficiently and tightly trap these heterocyclic amines. We have studied whether this adsorption to chl-chitosan can result in an interference with DNA-adduct formation caused by 3-amino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole (Trp-P-2), a heterocyclic amine, in CDF₁ mice, in which Trp-P-2 had been shown to induce hepatocellular carcinomas. Mice were fed a diet containing Trp-P-2 with or without chl-chitosan. After 3 d of feeding, DNA-adduct formation in liver and lung was examined by ³²P-postlabeling analysis. Adducts formed from Trp-P-2 were significantly decreased by the chl-chitosan addition (p<0.05, t-test). These results suggest that the uptake of Trp-P-2 into the mouse was lowered by its adsorption to chl-chitosan, either within the digestive tract or within the food itself. This trapping agent, chl-chitosan, is thus worthy of study for cancer chemoprevention.