Paeonol promotion of DNA adduct formation and arylamines N-acetyltransferase activity in human colon tumour cells

Paeonol was used to determine any effects on the N-acetyltransferase (NAT) activity in human colon tumour cells as measured by HPLC exhibited for the amounts of N-acetyl-2-aminofluorene (AAF) and N-acetyl-p-aminobenzoic acid (N-Ac-PABA) and remaining 2-aminofluorene (AF) and p-aminobenzoic acid (PABA). The NAT activity in the human colon tumour intact cells and cytosols was promoted by paeonol in a dose-dependent manner, that is, the higher the concentrations of paeonol, the higher the promotion of NAT activity. The apparent Vmax values from NAT of human colon tumour cells were also promoted by paeonol in cytosols and in intact cells. The data also demonstrated that co-treatment with paeonol in the media an increase in AF–DNA adduct formation was seen in the human colon tumour cells. This report is the first demonstration to show paeonol did promote human colon tumour cell NAT activity and AF–DNA adduct formation.