Comparative metabolism and excretion of benzo(a)pyrene in 2 species of ictalurid catfish.
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Differential susceptibility of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-mediated liver cancer exists in two related species of Ictalurid catfish. Two hypotheses are addressed in this study to explain this difference. Specifically, the relatively insensitive channel catfish 1) do not produce mutagenic PAH metabolites, and/or 2) they more quickly eliminate PAHs due to greater Phase II enzyme activities than the more sensitive brown bullhead. Livers and bile were collected from each species 6, 24, 72, and 168 h after a single 10 mg/kg i.p. benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) exposure. BaP treatment had no significant effect on cytosolic 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene or ethacrynic acid (EA)-glutathione-S:- transferase (GST) and cis-stilbene oxide-microsomal epoxide hydrolase (EH) activities of either species. Channel catfish EH and GST activities were 1.2-fold higher than brown bullhead activities (p = 0.058 and p < 0.002, respectively). HPLC-APCI-MS of extracted bile and bile enzymatically digested to detect glucuronyl transferase (GT), GST, and sulfotransferase (ST) conjugated metabolites indicated no species differences in elimination or profiles of total biliary metabolites. GT conjugates predominated; ST and GST conjugates were minimal. BaP-diones accounted for the majority of metabolites in both species. Overall, these results indicated that brown bullhead preferentially formed BaP-7,8-dihydrodiol, a precursor to the DNA-reactive BaP-7, 8-dihydrodiol-9,10-epoxide (BPDE), which may be linked to the increased PAH susceptibility in this species. (+info)
Modulation of cisplatin cytotoxicity and cisplatin-induced DNA cross-links in HepG2 cells by regulation of glutathione-related mechanisms.
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Glutathione (GSH), glutathione S-transferase (GST), and glutathione conjugate export pump (GS-X pump) have been shown to participate collectively in the detoxification of many anticancer drugs, including cisplatin. Identification and regulation of the rate-limiting step in the overall system for cisplatin detoxification is of crucial importance for sensitization of human tumor cells to cisplatin. In this study, the GSH content, GST activity, and GS-X pump activity were regulated separately to examine effects of the regulation on cisplatin cytotoxicity and cisplatin-induced DNA interstrand cross-links (ICL) in HepG2 cells. Seventy-percent depletion of GSH by buthionine sulfoximine (BSO) and 50% increase of GSH by monoethyl GSH ester (GSHe) potentiated and decreased cisplatin cytotoxicity, respectively. This was reflected by a significant decrease and increase of their respective IC(50) values by 62 and 107%. Cisplatin-induced ICL was also potentiated by depletion of GSH by BSO and decreased by enrichment of GSH by GSHe, as shown by a 125% increase and a 34% decrease of cross-linked DNA compared with control samples exposed to cisplatin alone (p = 0.008 and 0.03, respectively). On the other hand, inhibition of GST and GS-X pump by ethacrynic acid, quercetin, tannic acid, and indomethacin at concentrations that inhibited activities of GST and GS-X pump by more than 50% had no significant effects on cisplatin cytotoxicity and cisplatin-induced DNA ICL in these cells. The results showed that of the parameters measured, intracellular GSH seems to be the rate-limiting factor, and its regulation would provide a more promising strategy for sensitization of human liver tumor cells to cisplatin. (+info)
Cyclo-oxygenase and lipoxygenase pathways in mast cell dependent-neurogenic inflammation induced by electrical stimulation of the rat saphenous nerve.
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1. We investigated the role of arachidonic acid metabolism and assessed the participation of mast cells and leukocytes in neurogenic inflammation in rat paw skin. We compared the effect of lipoxygenase (LOX) and cyclo-oxygenase (COX) inhibitors on oedema induced by saphenous nerve stimulation, substance P (SP), and compound 48/80. 2. Intravenous (i.v.) pre-treatment with a dual COX/LOX inhibitor (RWJ 63556), a dual LOX inhibitor/cysteinyl-leukotriene (CysLt) receptor antagonist (Rev 5901), a LOX inhibitor (AA 861), a five-lipoxygenase activating factor (FLAP) inhibitor (MK 886), or a glutathione S-transferase inhibitor (ethacrynic acid) significantly inhibited (40 to 60%) the development of neurogenic oedema, but did not affect cutaneous blood flow. Intradermal (i.d.) injection of LOX inhibitors reduced SP-induced oedema (up to 50% for RWJ 63556 and MK 886), whereas ethacrynic acid had a potentiating effect. 3. Indomethacin and rofecoxib, a highly selective COX-2 inhibitor, did not affect neurogenic and SP-induced oedema. Surprisingly, the structurally related COX-2 inhibitors, NS 398 and nimesulide, significantly reduced both neurogenic and SP-induced oedema (70% and 42% for neurogenic oedema, respectively; 49% and 46% for SP-induced oedema, respectively). 4. COX-2 mRNA was undetectable in saphenous nerves and paw skin biopsy samples, before and after saphenous nerve stimulation. 5. A mast cell stabilizer, cromolyn, and a H(1) receptor antagonist, mepyramine, significantly inhibited neurogenic (51% and 43%, respectively) and SP-induced oedema (67% and 63%, respectively). 6. The co-injection of LOX inhibitors and compound 48/80 did not alter the effects of compound 48/80. Conversely, ethacrynic acid had a significant potentiating effect. The pharmacological profile of the effect of COX inhibitors on compound 48/80-induced oedema was similar to that of neurogenic and SP-induced oedema. 7. The polysaccharide, fucoidan (an inhibitor of leukocyte rolling) did not affect neurogenic or SP-induced oedema. 8. Thus, (i) SP-induced leukotriene synthesis is involved in the development of neurogenic oedema in rat paw skin; (ii) this leukotriene-mediated plasma extravasation might be independent of mast cell activation and/or of the adhesion of leukocytes to the endothelium; (iii) COX did not appear to play a significant role in this process. (+info)
Detection of drug-induced apoptosis and necrosis in human cervical carcinoma cells using 1H NMR spectroscopy.
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Apoptosis and necrosis need to be differentiated in order to distinguish drug-induced cell death from spontaneous cell death due to hypoxia. The ability to differentiate between these two modes of cell death, especially at an early stage in the process, could have a significant impact on accessing the outcome of anticancer drug therapy in the clinic. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy was used to distinguish apoptosis from necrosis in human cervical carcinoma (HeLa) cells. Apoptosis was induced by treatment with the topoisomerase II inhibitor etoposide, whereas necrosis was induced by the use of ethacrynic acid or cytochalasin B. We found that the intensity of the methylene resonance increases significantly as early as 6 h after the onset of apoptosis, but that no such changes occur during necrosis. The spectral intensity ratio of the methylene to methyl resonances also shows a high correlation with the percentage of apoptotic cells in the sample (r2=0.965, P<0.003). (+info)
Astrocytes as a predominant cellular site of (99m)Tc-HMPAO retention.
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Technetium-99m-d,l-hexamethylpropylene amine oxime ((99m)Tc-HMPAO) retention in the brain monitored by single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) is currently used as a marker of cerebral blood flow. The purported mechanism by which (99m)Tc-HMPAO accumulates in the brain is through its intracellular conversion from a lipophilic form to more hydrophilic derivatives within the brain parenchyma. The issue of the contribution of different cell types on (99m)Tc-HMPAO retention was investigated in vitro by studying the accumulation of (99m)Tc-HMPAO in primary cultures of mouse cortical astrocytes and neurons. Results show that (99m)Tc-HMPAO retention predominates in astrocytes over neurons by a factor of approximately 2.5 (0.26 +/- 0.05 vs. 0.095 +/- 0.042 fmol/mg protein after 120 minutes, respectively). Diethyl maleate (60 micromol/L), ethacrynic acid (1 mmol/L) and buthionine sulfoximine (1 mmol/L), 3 agents which significantly reduced glutathione levels also decreased (99m)Tc-HMPAO retention in both astrocytes (29%, 3%, and 46% of control, respectively) and neurons (69%, 11% and 63% of control). Decrease did not always correlate with glutathione levels, however, which suggests that other factors could be involved. The possibility that cell energy status determines (99m)Tc-HMPAO retention was also assessed. Agents that activate (glutamate, azide) or inhibit (cytochalasin B) glucose utilization in astrocytes, as measured by the (3)H-2-deoxyglucose method, were without effect on (99m)Tc-HMPAO retention. In conclusion, the data presented indicate that astrocytes may constitute a prominent site of (99m)Tc-HMPAO retention and most likely contribute significantly to the SPECT signal. In addition, the data also suggest that specific alterations in glial cell metabolism could explain flow-independent changes in (99m)Tc-HMPAO retention in the brain as observed by SPECT in some pathologies. (+info)
Induction of glutathione S-transferase activity and protein expression in brown bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus) liver by ethoxyquin.
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The inducibility of hepatic cytosolic glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) was examined in brown bullheads, a freshwater fish that is highly susceptible to hepatic neoplasia following exposure to carcinogen-contaminated sediments. Juvenile bullheads were fed a semi-purified antioxidant-free diet supplemented with ethoxyquin (0.5% w/w dissolved in 3% corn oil), a prototypical rodent GST-inducing agent, twice daily for 14 days. Control bullheads received the antioxidant-free diet supplemented with corn oil (3% w/w). A significant increase (1.6-fold, p < or = 0.01) in hepatic cytosolic GST activity toward 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB) was observed in the ethoxyquin-treated bullheads relative to control fish. A trend toward increased GST-NBC activity was observed in the ethoxyquin-treated fish (1.2-fold, p = 0.06), whereas no treatment-related effects were observed on GST activities toward ethacrynic acid (ECA). In contrast, GST activity toward (+/-)-anti-benzo[a]pyrene-trans-7,8-dihydrodiol-9,10-epoxide (BPDE) was repressed in affinity-purified cytosolic fractions prepared from ethoxyquin-treated bullheads relative to control bullheads. Silver staining and densitometric analysis of isoelectric-focused, affinity-purified GST proteins revealed increased expression of two basic GST-like isoforms in ethoxyquin-treated fish. In summary, exposure to ethoxyquin increases brown bullhead GST-CDNB catalytic activity and hepatic cationic GST protein expression. However, the increase in overall GST-CDNB activity by ethoxyquin is associated with repression of GST-BPDE activity, suggesting differential effects on hepatic bullhead GST isoforms by ethoxyquin. The potential repression of bullhead GST isoforms that conjugate the carcinogenic metabolites of PAH metabolism under conditions of environmental chemical exposure could be a contributing factor in the sensitivity of bullheads to pollutant-associated neoplasia. (+info)
AIM: The effect of ethacrynic acid on pancreatic exocrine secretion function and potential mechanisms of interference with the secretory process in pancreatic acinar cells were investigated. METHODS: After incubation with ethacrynic acid for 30 min, caerulein-stimulated amylase release and cholecystokinin (CCK) receptor binding characteristics were assessed in isolated rat pancreatic acini. The level of thiol groups (glutathione and protein thiols) and cytosolic free calcium were measured in pancreatic acinar cells. RESULTS: Ethacrynic acid decreased caerulein (0.1 nmol/L)-stimulated amylase release and the level of pancreatic acinar glutathione in a concentration-dependent fashion without a marked increase in cell damage. Ethacrynic acid also inhibited the caerulein (1 nmol/L)-induced Ca2+ mobilization in pancreatic acinar cells. But neither protein thiol nor CCK-receptor binding characteristics was altered by ethacrynic acid. CONCLUSION: Ethacrynic acid inhibit pancreatic exocrine secretion by depletion of glutathione and down-regulation of caerulein-induced Ca2+ mobilization. Glutathione might play a potential role in the secretory process in pancreatic acinar cells and in the secretory blockade observed in acute pancreatitis. (+info)
Cell electrical potentials during enhanced sodium extrusion in guinea-pig kidney cortex slices.
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1. Experiments were performed on outermost slices of the guinea-pig kidney which are mainly made up of proximal tubular cells. 2. Kidney cells loaded with Na+ by chilling at 0.6 degrees C for 2.5 hr, when subsequently rewarmed to 25 degrees C in a medium containing 16 mM-K+ extrude Na+ at enhanced speed for about 10 min. This Na+ movement is accompanied by efflux of Cl and influx of K+. 3. Measurements of cell potential during enhanced Na+ extrusion show that cells hyperpolarize to values about 30 mV more negative than the K+ equilibrium potential. 4. This hyperpolarization is only partly inhibited by 1 mM ouabain or by 2 mM ethacrynic acid but both agents added together suppress it completely. 5. With 16 mM-Rb instead of 16 mM-K the hyperpolarization is smaller. 6. A diminished extracellular K+ concentration outside of the cells, within the slice, can account for only a small part of the hyperpolarization. 7. The hyperpolarization is proportional to the rate of Na+ pumping. 8. Cl- seems to shunt the hyperpolarization to a greater extent than K+. 9. It is concluded that Na+ extrusion is capable of transferring electric charge across the membrane. (+info)