P-34 Preparation, isolation, and characterization of potentially carcinogenic heterocyclic amines derived from arginine

Buller Hallway

It is well established in scientific literature that cooked meat and fish produce heterocyclic amines (HCA), many of which are mutagens and/or carcinogens. The components that create HCAs are understood but the mechanism is not fully established. The formation reaction typically involves creatin(in)e from muscle tissue with any of the other available amino acids under anhydrous conditions. Sugars and glycols seem to improve the yield of HCA formation. However, our research and peer-reviewed literature suggests there are HCA compounds that are formed using arginine rather than creatin(in)e. Arginine is readily available in plants and animals and is found in high concentration in soy protein isolate, which is used in many meat substitute products. Therefore we have burned arginine in the presence of phenylalanine and performed a series of chemical separations to isolate compounds with similar properties as the creatin(in)e-based HCA. These purified compounds are being studied to determine their chemical structures and their relative mutagenic potential. We will report on our progress in ascertaining the structures and toxicity of our lead candidates.