DNA adduct profiling of in vitro colonic meat digests to map red vs. white meat genotoxicity

The consumption of red meat has been linked to an increased colorectal cancer (CRC) risk. One of the major hypotheses states that heme iron (present in red meat) stimulates the formation of genotoxic N-nitroso compounds (NOCs) and lipid peroxidation products (LPOs). By means of DNA adductomics, chemically induced DNA adduct formation can be mapped in relation to e.g. dietary exposures. In this study, this state-of-the-art methodology was used to investigate alkylation and (lipid per)oxidation induced DNA adduct formation in in vitro red vs. white meat digests. In doing so, 90 alkylation and (lipid per)oxidation induced DNA adduct types could be (tentatively) identified. Overall, 12 NOC- and/or LPO-related DNA adduct types, i.e. dimethyl-T (or ethyl-T), hydroxymethyl-T, tetramethyl-T, methylguanine (MeG), guanidinohydantoin, hydroxybutyl-C, hydroxymethylhydantoin, malondialdehyde-x3-C, O6-carboxymethylguanine, hydroxyethyl-T, carboxyethyl-T and 3,N4-etheno-C were singled out as potential heme-rich meat digestion markers. The retrieval of these DNA adduct markers is in support of the heme, NOC and LPO hypotheses, suggesting that DNA adduct formation may indeed contribute to red meat related CRC risk. [Display omitted] •Beef and chicken meat underwent separate in vitro gastro-intestinal digestion.•Genotoxic effects were assessed by means of UHPLC-HRMS DNA adductomics.•The individual gut microbiome steers the gastro-intestinal formation of DNA adducts.•12 DNA adduct types were singled out as potential heme-rich meat digestion markers.