Misincorporation of alkylated amino acids into hemoglobin--a possible source of background alkylations.

Abstract

Misincorporation of 2-hydroxyethylated amino acids into hemoglobin during de novo synthesis was studied by injecting mice with radiolabelled N-(2-hydroxyethyl)valine, S-(2-hydroxyethyl)cystine or N tau-(2-hydroxyethyl)histidine. The results showed that S-(2-hydroxyethyl)cysteine and N tau-(2-hydroxyethyl)histidine were misincorporated, whereas N-(2-hydroxyethyl)valine was not. Monitoring of in vivo doses of hydroxyethylating agents by determination of N-(2-hydroxyethyl)valine was free of the disturbing influence of such misincorporation.