Inhibition of LDL oxidation in vitro but not ex vivo by troglitazone.
(57/13910)
Diabetic subjects are at increased risk for developing coronary artery disease, in part because of increased oxidation of LDL, which promotes atherogenesis. Troglitazone, a new antidiabetic drug of the thiazolidinedione class, acts as an insulin sensitizer and improves hyperglycemia. Structurally, it contains a tocopherol moiety similar to vitamin E and has been shown to have antioxidant properties in vitro. Therefore, we evaluated whether troglitazone inhibited LDL oxidation both in vitro and in type 2 diabetic subjects ex vivo. Troglitazone inhibited oxidation of LDL induced by Cu2+ or 2'2'-azobis-2-amidinopropane hydrochloride (AAPH) with 50% inhibition at 1 micromol/l and 100% inhibition at 5-10 micromol/l troglitazone. The inhibition of LDL oxidation by troglitazone also was time dependent. In addition, troglitazone inhibited oxidation of 125I-labeled LDL and its subsequent uptake and degradation by macrophages. To determine whether troglitazone was incorporated into LDL particles or acted in the aqueous milieu, troglitazone was incubated overnight at 37 degrees C with LDL or plasma before LDL re-isolation. After re-isolation, LDL that was incubated with troglitazone was no longer protected from oxidation, compared with probucol-treated LDL, which remained protected. Further, [14C]troglitazone did not get incorporated into LDL. This suggests that troglitazone exerts its antioxidant effect in the aqueous milieu of LDL. Consistent with this was the observation that the lag phases of copper-induced conjugated diene formation, a measure of the susceptibility in vivo, was similar for subjects taking troglitazone (76 +/- 5 min, n = 9) to subjects not taking the drug (77 +/- 3 min, n = 11; NS). Thus, troglitazone may be of value as an aqueous-phase antioxidant in addition to its effect on glucose homeostasis. (+info)
Polaprezinc protects gastric mucosal cells from noxious agents through antioxidant properties in vitro.
(58/13910)
BACKGROUND: Polaprezinc has been shown to exert an anti-oxidant property in a tube experiment, protect gastric mucosa from experimental ulcerations in vivo, and accelerate the healing of gastric ulcer in humans. AIM: To examine a possible protective effect of polaprezinc on oxidant-mediated injury in primary monolayer cultures of rat gastric fundic mucosa. METHODS: Cytotoxicity was quantified by measuring 51Cr release. Whether or not polaprezinc exerts an antioxidant property was investigated by determining the effect of this agent on hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced injury. The effects of polaprezinc on superoxide (O2-. ) generation as well as on ethanol (EtOH)-induced injury were also examined. Generation of O2-. was assessed by the reduction in cytochrome c. RESULTS: H2O2 caused a time- and dose-dependent increase in 51Cr release. The dose-response curve of 51Cr release by H2O2 shifted to the right in the presence of polaprezinc. Polaprezinc, at submillimolar concentrations, prevented H2O2-induced 51Cr release. EtOH also caused a dose-dependent increase in 51Cr release, which was prevented by the addition of polaprezinc. The incubation of cells with EtOH caused an increase in cytochrome c reduction, as the concentrations of EtOH increased. Polaprezinc inhibited EtOH-induced cytochrome c reduction. Protection by polaprezinc was microscopically associated with the prevention of monolayer disruption. CONCLUSIONS: Polaprezinc is antioxidative and directly protects gastric mucosal cells from noxious agents through its antioxidant properties in vitro. This finding may provide the theoretical basis for the usage of an antiulcer drug with antioxidant properties for the treatment of gastric inflammation, such as that induced by ethanol. (+info)
Antioxidant effects of aminosalicylates and potential new drugs for inflammatory bowel disease: assessment in cell-free systems and inflamed human colorectal biopsies.
(59/13910)
BACKGROUND: The therapeutic efficacy of 5-aminosalicylic acid in inflammatory bowel disease may be related to its antioxidant properties. AIM: To compare in vitro the antioxidant effects of conventional drugs (5-aminosalicylic acid, corticosteroids, metronidazole), with new aminosalicylates (4-aminosalicylic acid, balsalazide) and other potential therapies (ascorbate, N-acetylcysteine, glutathione, verapamil). METHODS: Compounds were assessed for efficacy in reducing the in vitro production of reactive oxygen species by cell-free systems (using xanthine/xanthine oxidase, with or without myeloperoxidase) and by colorectal biopsies from patients with ulcerative colitis using luminol-amplified chemiluminescence. RESULTS: 5-aminosalicylic acid and balsalazide were more potent antioxidants than 4-aminosalicylic acid or N-acetyl-5-aminosalicylic acid in cell-free systems. 5-aminosalicylic acid (20 mM) and balsalazide (20 mM) inhibited rectal biopsy chemiluminescence by 93% and 100%, respectively, compared with only 59% inhibition by 4-aminosalicylic acid (20 mM). Hydrocortisone, metronidazole and verapamil had no significant effect on chemiluminescence in any system. Ascorbate (20 mM) inhibited chemiluminescence by 100% in cell-free systems and by 60% in rectal biopsies. N-acetyl cysteine (10 mM), and both oxidized and reduced glutathione (10 mM), completely inhibited chemiluminescence in cell-free systems, but not with rectal biopsies. CONCLUSIONS: The antioxidant effects of compounds varies between cell-free systems and inflamed colorectal biopsies. The effect of drugs on the chemiluminescence produced by these two assay systems is useful for screening potentially new antioxidant treatments for inflammatory bowel disease. Ascorbate seems worth further study as a novel therapy. (+info)
Potentiation of isoniazid activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis by melatonin.
(60/13910)
The limited number of effective antituberculosis drugs available necessitates optimizing current treatments. We show that melatonin, which is synthesized in the pineal gland, can cause at least a threefold increase in the efficacy of isoniazid. This suggests that tuberculosis chemotherapy can be improved by innate molecules such as melatonin. (+info)
Paraquat toxicity: proposed mechanism of action involving lipid peroxidation.
(61/13910)
The purpose of this study was to investigate the hypothesis that paraquat pulmonary toxicity results from cyclic reduction-oxidation of paraquat with sequential generation of superoxide radicals and singlet oxygen and initiation of lipid peroxidation. In vitro mouse lung microsomes catalyzed an NADPH-dependent, single-electron reduction of paraquat. Incubation of paraquat with NADPH, NADPH-cytochrome c reductase, and purified microsomal lipid increased malondialdehyde production is a concentration dependent manner. Addition of either superoxide dismutase or a single oxygen trapping agent 1,3-dipheylisobenzo furan inhibited paraquat stimulated lipid peroxidation. In vivo, pretreatment of mice with phenobarbital decreased paraquat toxicity, possibly by competing for electrons which might otherwise reduce paraquat. In contrast, paraquat toxicity in mice was increased by exposure to 100% oxygen and by deficiencies of the antioxidants selenium, vitamin E, or reduced glutahione (GSH). Paraquat, given IP to mice, at 30 mg/kg, decreased concentrations of the water-soluble antioxidant GSH in liver and lipid soluble antioxidants in lung. Oxygen-tolerant rats, which hae increased activities of pulmonary enzymes which combat lipid peroxidation, were also tolerant to lethal doses of paraquat as indicated by an increased paraquat LT50. Furthermore, rats chronically exposed to 100 ppm paraquat in the water had elevated pulmonary activities of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and GSH reductase. These results were consistent with the hypothesis that lipid peroxidation is involved in the toxicity of paraquat. (+info)
Randomized double-blind trial of beta-carotene and vitamin C in women with minor cervical abnormalities.
(62/13910)
A double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized, factorial study using a daily oral administration of 30 mg beta-carotene and/or 500 mg vitamin C was conducted in 141 women with colposcopically and histologically confirmed minor squamous atypia or cervical intra-epithelial neoplasia (CIN) I. Over approximately 2 years of follow-up, 43 lesions regressed to normal and 13 progressed to CIN II. The regression rate was slightly higher, but not significantly so, in those randomized to beta-carotene compared to no beta-carotene (hazard ratio = 1.58, 95% CI: 0.86-2.93, P = 0.14) and slightly lower, but not statistically significant, for those randomized to vitamin C compared to no vitamin C (hazard ratio = 0.65, 95% CI: 0.35-1.21, P = 0.17). In a model with no interaction, the progression rate was slightly higher in those randomized to beta-carotene (hazard ratio = 1.75, 95% CI: 0.57-5.36, P = 0.32) and also in those randomized to vitamin C (hazard ratio = 2.40, 95% CI: 0.74-7.80, P = 0.13). Neither of these were statistically significant. However, there was some evidence of an interaction effect of the two compounds on the progression rate (P = 0.052), with seven of the progressed lesions occurring in those randomized to both vitamins compared to a total of six in the three other groups. The currently available evidence from this and other trials suggests that high doses of these compounds are unlikely to increase the regression or decrease the progression of minor atypia and CIN I. (+info)
Reactive oxygen species participate in mdr1b mRNA and P-glycoprotein overexpression in primary rat hepatocyte cultures.
(63/13910)
P-glycoproteins encoded by multidrug resistance type 1 (mdr1) genes mediate ATP-dependent efflux of numerous lipophilic xenobiotics, including several anticancer drugs, from cells. Overexpression of mdr1-type transporters in tumour cells contributes to a multidrug resistance phenotype. Several factors shown to induce mdr1 overexpression (UV irradiation, epidermal growth factor, tumour necrosis factor alpha, doxorubicin) have been associated with the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In the present study, primary rat hepatocyte cultures that exhibit time-dependent overexpression of the mdr1b gene were used as a model system to investigate whether ROS might participate in the regulation of intrinsic mdr1b overexpression. Addition of H2O2 to the culture medium resulted in a significant increase in mdrlb mRNA and P-glycoprotein after 3 days of culture, with maximal (approximately 2-fold) induction being observed with 0.5-1 mM H2O2. Furthermore, H2O2 led to activation of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase, a nuclear enzyme activated by DNA strand breaks, indicating that ROS reached the nuclear compartment. Thus, extracellularly applied H2O2 elicited intracellular effects. Treatment of rat hepatocytes with the catalase inhibitor 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole (2-4 mM for 72 h or 10 mM for 1 h following the hepatocyte attachment period) also led to an up-regulation of mdrlb mRNA and P-glycoprotein expression. Conversely, antioxidants (1 mM ascorbate, 10 mM mannitol, 2% dimethyl sulphoxide, 10 mM N-acetylcysteine) markedly suppressed intrinsic mdr1b mRNA and P-glycoprotein overexpression. Intracellular steady-state levels of the mdrl substrate rhodamine 123, determined as parameter of mdr1-type transport activity, indicated that mdr1-dependent efflux was increased in hepatocytes pretreated with H2O2 or aminotriazole and decreased in antioxidant-treated cells. The induction of mdr1b mRNA and of functionally active mdr1-type P-glycoproteins by elevation in intracellular ROS levels and the repression of intrinsic mdrlb mRNA and P-glycoprotein overexpression by antioxidant compounds support the conclusion that the expression of the mdr1b P-glycoprotein is regulated in a redox-sensitive manner. (+info)
Tumor promotion by hydrogen peroxide in rat liver epithelial cells.
(64/13910)
Reactive oxygen species, including H2O2, play an important role in the tumor promotion process. Using an in vitro model of tumor promotion involving the rat liver epithelial oval cell line T51B, the tumor promoting activity of H2O2 in N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine-initiated cells was studied. In this assay system, the promoting effect of H2O2 is evidenced by the formation of colonies in soft agar, appearance of foci in monolayer culture, disruption of gap junction communication (GJC) in foci areas and growth at higher saturation densities. H2O2 preferentially induced the expression of c-fos, c-jun, c-myc and egr-1, while JunB and JunD levels remained almost unchanged. H2O2 also induced hyperphosphorylation of Cx43 and disruption of GJC. The effects of H2O2 on tumor promotion, induction of immediate early (IE) genes and disruption of GJC are blocked by antioxidants. These results suggest that H2O2 acts as a tumor promoter in rat liver non-neoplastic epithelial cells and that the induction of IE genes and disruption of GJC are two possible targets of H2O2 during the tumor promotion process. (+info)