Abstract
3-Amino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido [4, 3-b] indole (Trp-P-2) is a mutagen/carcinogen isolated from a pyrolysate of L-tryptophan. The active metabolite of Trp-P-2, 3-hydroxyamino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido [4, 3-b] indole (N-OH-Trp-P-2), was synthesized and the chemical reactions of N-OH-Trp-P-2 with deoxyribonucleic acid were investigated. The structure of the nucleic acid base covalently bound with Trp-P-2 was elucidated as 3-(C8-guanyl) amino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido [4, 3-b] indole (Gua-Trp-P-2) by comparison with a synthetic sample. The initial chemical events in carcinogenesis caused by Trp-P-2 were established.
