Institut für Pharmakologie und Toxikologie
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Tbe benzodiazepines are a class of d.rugs that are widely used in the treatment of various psychiatric disorders. One member of um ~' oxazepam, is also a common metabolite of sevmd other benzod.iazepines. Since the evidence for the genetic toxicity and carcinogenic properties of these compounds is incol:lsb1ent, we investigated the oxazepam-induced fonnation of micronuclei in Syrian Hamster embryo fibroblast (SHE) cells, human amniotic fluid fibroblast-like (AFFL) cells and LS178Y mouse cells. A dose-dependent increase in micronucleus fractions was found in all tbree ceU llnes. The time course of micronucleus induction in L5178Y cells showed a maximum at 5 h after treatment, suggesting that the micronuclei were fonned in the first mitosis after treatment. Kinetochore staining (CREST -antiserum) revealed the presence of kinetochores in -SO% of the micronuclei in aU tbree ceU types. ThJs resu1t was further confinned by in situ bybridization in LS178Y cells and indicates tbe presence of wbole Chromosomes or centric fragments as weU as acentric fragments in the oxazepam-induced micronuclei. The LS178Y cells did not show a mutagenic response to oxazepam at any of the doses or expression times used.
This study was designed to investigate a previously unidentified potential mechanism for mutation induction as well as to clarify a biological comequence of micronucleus formation. We compared the induction of micronuclei with mutation inductioo as measured by trißuorothymidine (TFI') resistance in mouse L5178Y cells using four aneugens: colcemid, diethylstilbestrol, griseofulvin and vioblastine. AU four compounds induced micronuclei which appeared in the first cell cycle after treatment. More than 85% of the micronuclei induced by each compound stained positive for the presence of kinetochores implying that the micronuclei contained wbole cbromosomes. However, these same compounds were unable to induce TFf resistance under tbree different treatment regimes. We concluded that tbese compounds, under conditions where tbey induce primarily kinetochore positive micronuclel, were not able to induce mutations. Thus, the induction of micronuclei containing wbole chromosomes barborlog a select.able gene is not an early event leadlog to mutations in these cells.
The rate limiting step in 5-fluorouracil catabolism is catalyzed by the enzyme dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase. Since degradation of 5-fluorouracil decreases its efficacy in chemotherapy, the inhibition of its catabolism is a promising tool. We investigated the formation of micronuclei in vitro in mouse L5178Y cells. 5-fluorouracil induced an increase in micronucleus frequency, which could significantly be enhanced by the concurrent application of 2,6-dihydroxypyridine, an inhibitor of dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase. The 5-fluorouracil concentration necessary to reach maximal genotoxic effects could be reduced to half in the presence of inhibitor. 2,6-Dihydroxypyridine alone and the naturally occuring enzyme substrate uracil did not induce micronucleus formation. Combined application of the chemotherapeutic agent 5-fluorouracil and an inhibitor of its could reduce side-effects by lowering the effective dose of the active drug. With this study we provide further support for the usefulness of this concept.
Fumonisin B1 (FB1) is a mycotoxin produced by various Fusarium species and constitutes a major contaminant of maize worldwide. A 2-year carcinogenicity study of the National Toxicology Program (NTP) in Fischer N344 rats showed that male rats were most susceptible to FB1-induced tumor formation in the kidney. Histopathologically, a rare and highly malignant tumor type originating from the proximal tubules of rat kidney with increased potential for invasion and metastasis was identified. However, mechanisms underlying the FB1-induced carcinogenesis in kidneys of male rats are still not clear. Previous studies have shown that FB1-mediated disruption of sphingolipid metabolism via inhibition of ceramide synthase is a primary key event in FB1 toxicity. The disruption of sphingolipid metabolism may cause time- and dose-related changes in the relative balance of various bioactive intermediates. Furthermore, the ability of FB1 to induce renal cell death and subsequent compensatory cell proliferation is well known, but it does not completely explain the invasive growth characteristics and exceptionally high metastatic potential of FB1-induced tumors. Considering the complexity of sphingolipid metabolism and the fact that various sphingolipids (e.g. ceramide, sphingoid bases and their respective 1-phosphates) act on opposing signaling pathways, it is hypothesized that the balance between individual sphingolipids and thus the overall cellular response to FB1 may shift with time and by continuing FB1 exposure, resulting in the disruption of specific cell signaling pathways, which may promote tumor formation in kidney. To identify early FB1-induced gene expression patterns in the kidney, which may be associated with sphingolipid-mediated signaling pathways in cancer, a short-term i.p. study on FB1 in male Sprague Dawley rats was performed and changes in gene expression were analyzed using a qRT-PCR array that comprises 84 relevant genes of 6 pathways pivotally involved in the formation of cancer. Furthermore, apoptosis and cell proliferation as well as changes in specific sphingolipids were investigated in FB1-treated kidneys. As shown by classical histopathology (H&E) and (immuno)-histochemical staining (TUNEL and BrdU), FB1 caused a time- and dose-dependent increase in tubular apoptosis in the cortex and OSOM of the kidney, which was compensated by the induction of proliferation in the affected areas. HPLC-MS/MS analysis of bioactive sphingolipids demonstrated that FB1 induced a marked elevation of the pro-apoptotic sphingoid bases sphinganine and sphingosine, which paralleled the time- and dose-dependent increase in renal tubular apoptosis. With prolonged exposure to FB1, increased metabolic conversion of the accumulated sphinganine to the sphinganine-1-phosphate, a second messenger with anti-apoptotic and proliferative properties, was observed in kidney. This finding was compliant with the increased regenerative cell proliferation in the cortex and OSOM. In addition to effects on sphingoid bases and their 1-phosphate metabolites, this study, for the first time, demonstrated reduced levels of specific ceramides in rat kidney after FB1 exposure. In particular, C16-ceramide, which is a widespread constituent of membrane-bound complex sphingolipids involved in cell adhesion, was time- and dose-dependently decreased after treatment with FB1. Besides its role as component of the cell membrane, C16-ceramide functions as a signaling molecule for the initiation of apoptosis in response to various stress stimuli. Under conditions of chronic FB1 exposure, a significant reduction in pro-apoptotic C16-ceramide together with markedly increased levels of anti-apoptotic and proliferation-promoting sphingoid base 1-phosphates may thus favor resistance to stress-induced apoptosis and facilitate the survival of abnormal cells with potential to initiate tumor formation. Our study also revealed that early exposure to FB1 resulted in increased expression of a plethora of genes involved in tumor initiation as well as tumor progression. While single FB1 exposure was demonstrated to predominately induce gene expression of proto-oncogenic transcription factors (e.g. Fos, Jun, Myc) and apoptotis-related genes (e.g. members of the tumor-necrosis factor family), repeated exposure resulted in marked upregulation of genes mediating cell survival and cell proliferation (e.g. Bcl-XL, Bcl-2, Nfκb1 and Egfr). Moreover, continued exposure to FB1 initiated increased expression of genes critically involved in tumor migration, adhesion, invasion and metastasis. A close correlation was established between gene expression changes in response to FB1 and known signaling pathways mediated by extracellular or intracellular action of sphingoid base 1-phosphates - bioactive lipids that were markedly increased after FB1 treatment. In particular, genes encoding components of the plasminogen activator system were abundantly upregulated. These mediate invasion and metastasis in response to So1P, and may hence particularly promote the formation of highly aggressive and invasive tumors in kidney as observed after chronic exposure to FB1. Thus, it is conceivable that upregulation of a majority of genes in response to FB1 may be a direct or indirect consequence of increased So1P signaling. Another aim of this study was to identify differences in the organ-specific susceptibility for tumor formation by comparing FB1-mediated effects on apoptosis, cell proliferation, sphingolipids, and selected cancer-related genes in kidney and liver. Collectively, the present results revealed that kidney and liver showed marked differences in several endpoints of FB1 toxicity, which seemed to be primarily associated with their different susceptibility to FB1-mediated alterations in sphingolipid metabolism. The strong correlation between histopathological lesions and alterations in sphingolipid metabolism as well as sphingoid base 1-phosphate accumulation and concomitant S1P receptor expression suggested that tumor formation and progression to highly malignant carcinomas seems to be rather favored in kidney compared to liver. However, genes mostly deregulated by FB1 treatment in kidney (PAI-1, Thbs1 and Itga2) were also found to be induced in liver. To verify FB1-induced gene expression in kidney, normal rat tubular epithelial (NRK-52E) cells were analyzed for FB1-induced expression changes of the same cancer-related genes as in vivo. The results of qRT-PCR analysis revealed that gene expression changes in NRK-52E cells after FB1 treatment strongly correlated with those found in rat kidney and paralleled the marked alterations in sphingolipid metabolism. Furthermore, a good correlation between FB1-induced expression changes of cancer-related genes obtained in vivo and in vitro and those known to be mediated by bioactive sphingoid base 1-phosphates in cancer was established. Moreover, experiments modeling the invasive behavior of NRK-52E cells showed that FB1 may enhance cell invasion, which also correlated with both the increase in invasion- and metastasis-associated genes and bioactive sphingoid base 1-phophates. Importantly, NRK-52E cells basally expressed the S1P receptors S1P2 and S1P3, which are known to be involved in tumor migration and invasion. Since these receptors were also identified as most abundant S1PRs in kidneys of male Sprague Dawley rats, they may present important mediators of gene expression and invasion in response to FB1 in vivo. In summary, FB1-mediated disruption of sphingolipid metabolism and subsequent time- and dose-related increase in intermediates, such as bioactive sphingoid base 1-phosphates, correlate with early changes in genes and signaling pathways that may mediate loss of growth control, replication, evasion of apoptosis, cell motility and invasion, and thus favor renal tumor formation in response to FB1. However, to clarify whether the obtained gene expression changes in cancer-related genes in kidney are specific to the biological action of sphingoid base 1-phosphates and their respective receptors, further mechanistic studies are necessary.
Der Fluoreszenz-Resonanz-Energie-Transfer ist ein Phänomen, welches erstmals 1948 von Theodor Förster beschrieben wurde. Mit der Entwicklung von Fluoreszenzproteinen konnten in Kombination mit Mikroskopietechniken Einblicke in zellbiologische Vorgänge gewonnen werden, die durch biochemische oder physiologische Experimente nicht möglich sind. Dabei spielt die hohe zeitliche und räumliche Auflösung eine wichtige Rolle. Auf dem Forschungsgebiet der GPCR, welche die größte Gruppe von Membranproteinen bei den Säugetieren darstellen, wurden insbesondere Erkenntnisse über Konformationsänderungen der Rezeptoren, die Kinetik der Rezeptoraktivierung und die Interaktion mit intrazellulären Signalproteinen gewonnen. Der µ-Opioidrezeptor gehört zur Familie der GPCR und stellt aufgrund seiner analgetischen Wirkungen eine wichtige pharmakologische Zielstruktur dar. Das Ziel dieser Arbeit war sowohl den Rezeptor als auch seine Signalwege mittels FRET-Mikroskopie zu untersuchen. Zunächst sollte ein intramolekularer FRET-Sensor des µ-Opioidrezeptors entwickelt werden, dazu wurden basierend auf den Kenntnissen über die Tertiärstruktur und dem Aufbau bereits bekannter GPCR-Sensoren verschiedene Rezeptorkonstrukte kloniert. Bei den Konstrukten wurden entweder zwei Fluoreszenzproteine oder ein Fluoreszenzprotein und ein Fluorophor-bindendes Tetracysteinmotiv kombiniert. Auch die Positionen der eingefügten Sequenzen wurden in den intrazellulären Domänen variiert, da der Rezeptor auf die Modifikationen mit beeinträchtigter Membranlokalisation reagierte. Durch die Optimierung wurden Rezeptoren konstruiert, die an der Zellmembran lokalisiert waren. Jedoch zeigte keines der Rezeptorkonstrukte Funktionalität im Hinblick auf die Rezeptoraktivierung. Im zweiten Teil wurden die pharmakologischen Effekte der Metabolite von Morphin am humanen µ-Opioidrezeptor systematisch analysiert. Dazu wurde die Fähigkeit der Metabolite, Gi-Proteine zu aktivieren und β-Arrestin2 zu rekrutieren, mittels FRET-basierter Messungen an lebenden Zellen untersucht. Außerdem wurde die Affinität der Metabolite zum humanen µ Opioidrezeptor anhand der Verdrängung eines radioaktiven Liganden analysiert. Meine Experimente identifizierten eine Gruppe mit stark agonistischen und eine mit schwach agonistischen Eigenschaften. Die starken Partialagonisten aktivieren den Rezeptor bereits bei nanomolaren Konzentrationen, während die schwachen Metabolite den Rezeptor erst bei Konzentrationen im mikromolaren Bereich aktivieren. Die Metabolite Normorphin, Morphin-6-Glucuronid und 6-Acetylmorphin zeigen geringere Potenz als Morphin bei der Gi-Aktivierung aber überraschenderweise höhere Potenz und Effizienz für die β-Arrestin-Rekrutierung. Dies deutet auf eine bevorzugte Aktivierung von β-Arrestin2 hin. Die aus diesen Studien gewonnenen Ergebnisse liefern Hinweise darauf, welche Metabolite bei der Signalverarbeitung am µ Opioidrezeptor in vivo beteiligt sind.
Pneumolysin, a protein toxin, represents one of the major virulence factors of Streptococcus pneumoniae. This pathogen causes bacterial meningitis with especially high disease rates in young children, elderly people and immunosuppressed patients. The protein toxin belongs to the family of cholesterol-dependent cytolysins, which require membrane cholesterol in order to bind and to be activated. Upon activation, monomers assemble in a circle and undergo conformational change. This conformational change leads to the formation of a pore, which eventually leads to cell lysis. This knowledge was obtained by studies that used a higher concentration compared to the concentration of pneumolysin found in the cerebrospinal fluid of meningitis patients. Thus, a much lower concentration of pneumolysin was used in this work in order to investigate effects of this toxin on primary mouse astrocytes. Previously, a small GTPase activation, possibly leading to cytoskeletal changes, was found in a human neuroblastoma cell line. This led to the hypothesis that pneumolysin can lead to similar cytoskeletal changes in primary cells. The aim of this work was to investigate and characterise the effects of pneumolysin on primary mouse astrocytes in terms of a possible pore formation, cellular trafficking and immunological responses. Firstly, the importance of pore-formation on cytoskeletal changes was to be investigated. In order to tackle this question, wild-type pneumolysin and two mutant variants were used. One variant was generated by exchanging one amino acid in the cholesterol recognising region, the second variant was generated by deleting two amino acids in a protein domain that is essential for oligomerisation. These variants should be incapable of forming a pore and were compared to the wild-type in terms of lytic capacities, membrane binding, membrane depolarisation, pore-formation in artificial membranes (planar lipid bilayer) and effects on the cytoskeleton. These investigations resulted in the finding that the pore-formation is required for inducing cell lysis, membrane depolarisation and cytoskeletal changes in astrocytes. The variants were not able to form a pore in planar lipid bilayer and did not cause cell lysis and membrane depolarisation. However, they bound to the cell membrane to the same extent as the wild-type toxin. Thus, the pore-formation, but not the membrane binding was the cause for these changes. Secondly, the effect of pneumolysin on cellular trafficking was investigated. Here, the variants showed no effect, but the wild-type led to an increase in overall endocytotic events and was itself internalised into the cell. In order to characterise a possible mechanism for internalisation, a GFP-tagged version of pneumolysin was used. Several fluorescence-labelled markers for different endocytotic pathways were used in a co-staining approach with pneumolysin. Furthermore, inhibitors for two key-players in classical endocytotic pathways, dynamin and myosin II, were used in order to investigate classical endocytotic pathways and their possible involvement in toxin internalisation. The second finding of this work is that pneumolysin is taken up into the cell via dynamin- and caveolin-independent pinocytosis, which could transfer the toxin to caveosomes. From there, the fate of the toxin remains unknown. Additionally, pneumolysin leads to an overall increase in endocytotic events. This observation led to the third aim of this work. If the toxin increases the overall rate of endocytosis, the question arises whether toxin internalisation favours bacterial tissue penetration of the host or whether it serves as a defence mechanism of the cell in order to degrade the protein. Thus, several proinflammatory cytokines were investigated, as previous studies describe an effect of pneumolysin on cytokine production. Surprisingly, only interleukin 6-production was increased after toxin-treatment and no effect of endocytotic inhibitors on the interleukin 6-production was observed. The conclusion from this finding is that pneumolysin leads to an increase of interleukin 6, which would not depend on the endocytotic uptake of pneumolysin. The production of interleukin 6 would enhance the production of acute phase proteins, T-cell activation, growth and differentiation. On the one hand, this activation could serve pathogen clearance from infected tissue. On the other hand, the production of interleukin 6 could promote a further penetration of pathogen into host tissue. This question should be further investigated.
Streptococcus pneumoniae is one of the major causes of bacterial meningitis, which mainly affects young infants in the developing countries of Africa, Asia (esp. India) and South America, and which has case fatality rates up to 50% in those regions. Bacterial meningitis comprises an infection of the meninges and the sub-meningeal cortex tissue of the brain, whereat the presence of pneumolysin (PLY), a major virulence factor of the pneumococcus, is prerequisite for the development of a severe outcome of the infection and associated tissue damage (e. g. apoptosis, brain edema, and ischemia). Pneumolysin belongs to the family of pore forming, cholesterol-dependent cytolysins (CDCs), bacterial protein toxins, which basically use membrane-cholesterol as receptor and oligomerize to big aggregates, which induce cell lysis and cell death by disturbance of membrane integrity. Multiple recent studies, including this work, have revealed a new picture of pneumolysin, whose cell-related properties go far beyond membrane binding, pore formation and the induction of cell death and inflammatory responses. For a long time, it has been known that bacteria harm the tissues of their hosts in order to promote their own survival and proliferation. Many bacterial toxins aim to rather hijack cells than to kill them, by interacting with cellular components, such as the cytoskeleton or other endogenous proteins. This study was able to uncover a novel capacity of pneumolysin to interact with components of the actin machinery and to promote rapid, actin-dependent cell shape changes in primary astrocytes. The toxin was applied in disease-relevant concentrations, which were verified to be sub-lytic. These amounts of toxin induced a rapid actin cortex collapse in horizontal direction towards the cell core, whereat membrane integrity was preserved, indicating an actin severing function of pneumolysin, and being consistent with cell shrinkage, displacement, and blebbing observed in live cell imaging experiments. In contrast to neuroblastoma cells, in which pneumolysin led to cytoskeleton remodeling and simultaneously to activation of Rac1 and RhoA, in primary astrocytes the cell shape changes were seen to be primarily independent of small GTPases. The level of activated Rac1 and RhoA did not increase at the early time points after toxin application, when the initial shape changes have been observed, but at later time points when the actin-dependent displacement of cells was slower and less severe, probably presenting the cell’s attempt to re-establish proper cytoskeleton function. A GUV (giant unilamellar vesicle) approach provided insight into the effects of pneumolysin in a biomimetic system, an environment, which is strictly biochemical, but still comprises cellular components, limited to the factors of interest (actin, Arp2/3, ATP, and Mg2+ on one side, and PLY on the other side). This approach was able to show that the wildtype-toxin, but not the Δ6 mutant (mutated in the unfolding domain, and thus non-porous), had the capacity to exhibit its functions through a membrane bilayer, meaning it was able to aggregate actin, which was located on the other side of the membrane, either via direct interaction with actin or in an Arp2/3 activating manner. Taking a closer look at these two factors with the help of several different imaging and biochemical approaches, this work unveiled the capacity of pneumolysin to bind and interact both with actin and Arp2 of the Arp2/3 complex. Pneumolysin was capable to slightly stabilize actin in an actin-pyrene polymerization assay. The same experimental setup was applied to show that the toxin had the capacity to lead to actin polymerization through activation of the Arp2/3 complex. This effect was additionally confirmed with the help of fluorescent microscopy of rhodamine (TRITC)-tagged actin. Strongest Arp2/3 activation, and actin nucleation/polymerization is achieved by the VCA domain of the WASP family proteins. However, addition of PLY to the Arp2/3–VCA system led to an enhanced actin nucleation, suggesting a synergistic activation function of pneumolysin. Hence, two different effects of pneumolysin on the actin cytoskeleton were observed. On the one hand an actin severing property, and on the other hand an actin stabilization property, both of which do not necessarily exclude each other. Actin remodeling is a common feature of bacterial virulence strategies. This is the first time, however, that these properties were assigned to a toxin of the CDC family. Cytoskeletal dysfunction in astrocytes leads to dysfunction and unregulated movement of these cells, which, in context of bacterial meningitis, can favor bacterial penetration and spreading in the brain tissue, and thus comprises an additional role of pneumolysin as a virulence factor of Streptococcus pneumonia in the context of brain infection.
It is shown by means of IR. spectroscopic methodsthat nigericin and monensin bave a cyclic conformation similar to that of their silver salts. Camplex fonnation constants with sodium and potassium ions follow the selectivity order determined by EMF. measurements on liquid membranes: nigericin: K\(^+\) >Rb\(^+\)> Na\(^+\)> Cs\(^+\) >Li\(^+\); monensin: Na\(^+\)> K\(^+\) >Li\(^+\)> Rb\(^+\)> Cs\(^+\). Transport experiments show that nigericin and monensin facilitate the diffusion of potassium ions across model membranes, although in electrolytic transport experiments the permeability is not affected.
The structure of monensin, C36H620 11 , has been deterrnined by X-ray analysis of its crystalline monohydrate (orthorhombic, a = 15.15, b = 23.61, c = 10.65 A, Z = 4, space group P212121). Phases were assigned by direct methods, malring use of the 'tangent formula'. Although the conformation of the free acid resembles that of the silver salt in being cyclic, there are differences in the hydrogen bonding pattern. These featurcs are discussed in relation to the cornplexation of metal ions by m.onensin.
The thermodynainic parameters ΔH0, ΔG0 and ΔS0 - and thereby the equilibrium constants - for the complexation of the carrier antibiotics nigericin and monensin with sodium and potassium ions in methanol at 25°C have been determined by microcalorimetry. Tbc results are discussed in terms of the nature of the interaction between ligands and cations.
Aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) has been measured in male rat Jiver nucJei and microsomes after treatment of adult animals with various inducers for up to 14 days. After daily i.p. injections of 3-methylcholanthrene (MC, 20 mg/kg) the nuclear activity increased to a maximum of 600 per cent of the control activity after 4 days whereas the microsomal activity was 400 per cent of control at the same date. After 12 days, both activities equilibrated at 400 per cent. A similar time course was found after a single i.p. injection of 2,3,7,8-tetrachloro-dibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD, 0.01 mg/kg) with an induction to .500 and 300 per cent for nuclei and microsomes, respectiveJy. after 2 days, and to 400 per cent for both after 12 days. PhenobarbitaJ (PB) was given continuously in the drinking water (I g/1) and induced the microsomal activity to 200 per cent after 8 days and 170 per cent after 14 days. The nuclear activity was only slightly induced to a constant Ievei of 130 per cent between day 8 and 14. Dieldrin did not significantly increase the microsomal activity after daiJy i.p. injections (20 mg/kg), but the nuclear activity raised to 200 per cent after 3 days and levelled down tocontrol valuesafter 12 days. Other inducers tested were benz[a)anthracene (BA), hexachlorobenzene (HCB} and 1,1.1-trichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethane (DDT). The induction pattern with BA was similar tothat of MC, a modeJ compound for the group of cytochrome P448 inducers. The induction by HCB and DDT resembled that by PB. a typical cytochrome P450 inducer.
Wlth radioactive compound of high specific activity, the binding of carcinogene to DNA can be measured wlth doses that are ineffective ln long-term studies. The binding of tritiated benzo(a )pyrene to liver DNA of adult male rats has been determined 50 hr after a singie l.p. injection of doses between 40 1'9/kg and 4 mg/kg. The doseresponse relationship is linear up to 1 mg/kg, shows a step towards 2 mg/kg, and gives a shallow linear slope above that value. The observed binding ranges from 1.7 to 180 nmoles benzo(a)pyrene per mole DNA phosphate. The nonlinearity could be due to an induction of metabolizing enzymes. The microsomal aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase activity increases significantly 24 hr after a single dose of 4 mg/kg and 48 hr after doses of 2 and 4 mg/kg, but no induction Ia found with 1 mg/kg. The binding from an equimolar dose is 35 times lower than the one found on mouse skin DNA and 300 times lower than that of N,Ndlmethylnitrosamine in rat liver. A good correlatlon exiats to the respective tumor formation in long-term studles.
Thecovalent bindingof [6,7-\(^3\)H]ethinylestradiol (EE)and [6,7-\(^3\)H]estrone (E) to liver DNA of 200 g female ratswas measured 8 h after the administration of 80 \(\mu\)g (9.2 mCi) estrogen by gavage. The binding is 1.5 for EE and 1.1 for E, expressedas binding to DNA/dose, in units of \(\mu\)mol hormonefmol DNA phosphate/mmole honnone/kg body wt. It is in the same order of magnitude as for benzene and about 10 000 tim es below the binding of typical liver carcinogens, such as aflatoxin B\(_1\) or N,N-dimethylnitrosamine.
The lnfluence of mlcrosomal and nuclear aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) actlvlty on the covalent blndlng of [G·3H]benzo(a )pyrene to rat llver DNA was evaluated in viWJ. lnductlon of mlcrosomal AHH was obtalned alter phenobarbltal treatment (160% of control), whlch also lncreased DNA blndlng to 190%, but left the nuclear actlvlty unchanged. Nuclear AHH was lnduced wlth dleldrln (150%), and the blndlng was decreased to 75%, whereaa the mlcrosomal AHH was at control Ievei. The lncreaslng effect of mlcrosomal AHH lnductlon as weil as the decreaslng effect of nuclear AHH lnductlon on the blndlng was shown clearly when the data of the Individual rata were uaed to solve the equatlon Binding = e•(mlcroeomal AHH) + b•(nuclear AHH) + c Multiple linear regresslon analysls wlth the data from 10 anlmala reaulted ln positive valuea for a and c, a negative value for b, and a good multiple correlatlon coefflclent of r = 0.974. Pretreatment wlth 3-methylcholanthrene ln· duced mlcrosomal AHH to 380% of control and nuclear AHH to 590% and lncreased the blndlng' to 175,.-o. The blndlng was hlgher than predlcted by the formula found, probably because the lncreaslng lnfluence of lnduced mlcrosomal AHH overahadowed the decreaslng effect of the nuclear AHH. The study ahows clearly that the blndlng of a forelgn compound to DNA in viWJ Ia dependent not only on mlcrosomal enzyme actlvltles but also on nuclear actlvltles even lf the latter are conslderably lower than thoae of mlcrosomes.
The covalent binding of tritiated benzo(a)pyrene (BP) to DNA has been determined in rat liver in vivo, in rat liver perfused in situ, after incubation of BP with liver single cells, with liver homogenate, with liver microsomes and DNA, with fibroblasts from a rat granulorna pouch, and with · 2 cell lines. Li ver single cells were found to be a valuable compromise between the rnost sensitive system (microsomal incubation of BP with DNA) and the biologically most relevant system (in vivo ).
The covalent binding of chemical carcinogens to DNA of mammalian organs is expressed per unit dose, and a 'Covalent-Binding Index', CBI, is defined. CBI for various carcinogens span over 6 orders of magnitude. A similar range is observed for the carcinogenic potency in long-term bioassays on carcinogenicity. For the assessment of a risk from exposure to a carcinogen, the total DN A darnage can be estimated if the actual dose is also accounted for. A detailed description is given for planning and performing a DNA-binding assay. A complete literature survey on DNA binding in vivo (83 compounds) is given with a calculation of CBI, where possible, 153 compounds are listed where a covalent binding to any biological macromolecule has been shown in vivo or in vitro. Recent, so far unpublished findings with aflatoxin Mh macromolecule- bound aflatoxin Bh ·diethylstilbestrol, and 1,2-epithiobutyronitrile are included. A comparison of CBI for rat-liver DNA with hepatocarcinogenic potency reveals a surprisingly good quantitative correlation. Refinements for a DN A-binding assay are proposed. Possibilities and Iimitations in the use of D NA binding in chemical carcinogenesis are discussed extensively.
Groups of four adult male rats [ZUR:SIV -Z] were pretreated with corn oil (control; 2 ml/kg/day i. p. for 3 days), trans-stilbene-oxide (SO; 200 mg/kg/day i. p. for 2 days), 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD; 10 \(\mu\)g/kg i. p. once, 4 days before killing), phenobarbital (PB; 1 gjliter in the drinking water for 8 days), and dieldrin (20 mg/kg/day i. p. for 3 or 9 days). They received an injection of [G-\(^3\)H]benzo(a)pyrene (BaP, 31 \(\mu\)g/kg, 7.4. 10\(^9\) dpm/kg; i. v.) 16 h before killing. In the liver of each rat, five enzymatic activities and the covalent binding of BaP to DNA have been determined. The rnicrosomal aryl hydrocarbon monooxygenase activity (AHM) ranged frorn 75% of control (SO) to 356% (TCDD), the nuclear AHM from 63% (SO) to 333% (TCDD). Microsomal epoxide hydrolase activity (EH) was induced up to 238% (PB), nuclear EH ranged from 86% (TCDD) to 218% (PB). A different extent of induction was observed in the two compartments. Highest induction of glutathione S-epoxide transferase activity (GST) was found with PB (202%). The DNA binding of BaP was modulated within 79% (dieldrin, 9 days) and 238% of control (TCDD). An enzyme digest of control DNA was analysed by Sephadex LH-20 chromatography. Multiple linear regression analysis with all data expressedas o/o of control yielded the following equation: DNA Binding = 1.49 · Microsomal AHM- 1.07 · Nuclear AHM+ 0.33 · Microsomal EH- 0.52 · N uclear EH+ 0.11 · Cytoplasmic GST + 58.2. From this analysis it is concluded that (1) AHM located in the endoplasmic reticulum is most important in the formation of DNA-binding metabolites, (2) EH in the same compar.tment is not determinative in thls respect nor has it a protective effect, (3) both membrane-bound enzyme activities located in the nucleus may inactivate potential ultimate carcinogens, and ( 4) cytoplasmic GST probably cannot reduce DNA binding due to its subcellular localization.
In vivo covalent binding of aflatoxin metabolites isolated from animal tissue to rat-liver DNA
(1980)
Ring-labelled [\(^{14}\)C)aflatoxin B\(_1\) (AFB\(_1\)), prepared by biosynthesis. or generally labelled [\(^3\)H]AFB\(_1\) was administered by oral gavage to young adult male rats. After 6 hr. the liver was removed and two fractions were isolated, namely macromolecules, which contamed about 3 % of the initial dose of AFB\(_1\) radioactivity. and water-soluble, low-molecular aftatoxin conjugates containing about0·2% of the administered radioactivity. These two fractions were administered orally to other rats in order to determine the potential of radioactive aftatoxin residues for covalent binding to DNA. Such binding can be used as an indicator for carcinogenic potency. Liver DNA was isolated 9-12 hr after admmistration of the aflatoxin derivatives and in no case was any radioactivity detected on the DNA. It can be deduced on the basis of the limit of detection of radioactivity on the DNA, that macromolecule bound AFB\(_1\) derivatives are at least 4000 times less active than AFB\(_1\) with respect to covalent binding to rat-liver DNA. and that the water-soluble conjugates are at least 100 times less potent than AFB, itself. It is concluded that the carcinogenic risk for humans who consume liver or meat. containing such aflatoxin residues is negligible when compared with the risk from intake of aftatoxins in other food items.
[\(^{14}\)C] Aflatoxin B\(_1\) (AFB\(_1\)) was isolated from cultures of Aspergillus parasiticus grown on [1-\(^{114}\)C] sodium acetate. Covalent binding of AFB1 to liver DNA of rat and mouse was determined 6-8 h afteroral administration. The effectiveness of covalent binding, expressedas DNA binding per dose in the units of a 'Covalent Binding Index' (CBI), (\(\mu\)mol aflatoxin/mol DNA nucleotides)/(mmol aflatoxin/kg animal), was found to be 10 400 for rats and 240 for mice. These CBI partly explain the different susceptibility of the two species for the incidence of hepatic tumors. The corresponding values for pig liver DN A, 24 and 48 h after oral administration, were found to be as high as 19 100 and 13 300. DNA-binding has not so far been reported for this species although it could represent an appropriate animal model for studies where a human-like gastrointestinal tract physiology is desirable. Aflatoxin M \(_1\) ( AFM\(_1\)) is a metabolite found in the milk of cows that have been fed AFB\(_1\)-contaminated diet. [\(^{14}\)C] AFM\(_1\) was also found to be produced by cultures of A. parasiticus giving a yield of about 0.3% of the total aflatoxins. A test for covalent binding to rat liver DN A revealed a CBI of 2100 shoWing that AFM\(_1\) must also be regarded as a strong hepatocarcinogen. It is concluded that AFB\(_1\) contaminations should be avoided in dairy feed.
Lack of covalent binding to rat liver DNA of the hypolipidemic drugs clofibrate and fenofibrate
(1981)
\(^{14}\)C-Labelled clofibric acid and fenofibric acid were administered p.o. to 200 g male and female rats. After 10 h, liver nuclear DNA and protein were isolated and the radioactivity was determined. Binding to protein was clearly measurable whereas no binding to DNA could be detected from any drug. A comparison of the Iimit of detection of such DNA binding with well-known chemical carcinogens revealed that the known hepatocarcinogenicity of clofibrate cannot be based upon an initiating, DNA damaging, mode of action but must be due to other, nongenotoxic, mechanisms such as peroxisome proliferation, hepatomegaly, or cytotoxicity due to protein binding. The risk assessment in man and the interpretation of the carcinogenicity data for rodents are discussed.
The aim of this study was to determine whether o-chlorobenzylidene malononitrile ( CS) exhibits any genotoxic activity towards Salmonella or mammalian DNA in vivo. CS was synthesized with a [\(^{14}\)C]-label at the benzylic carbon atom. It was administered i. p. at a dose level of 13 mg/kg (1 mCi/kg) to young adult male rats. Liverand kidney DNA was isolated after 8, 25, and 75 h. The radioactivity was at (liver, 8 and 75 h) or below (all other samples) the limit of detection of 3 dpm. Therefore, a possible binding of CS to DNA is at least 10\(^5\) times lower than that of the strong hepatocarcinogen aflatoxin B1, and 4,000 times lower than that of vinyl chloride. In contrast to this lack of DNA binding, but in agreement with the chemical reactivity of CS, a binding to nuclear proteins could be detected with specific activities ranging between 50 and 121 dpm/mg for liver and between 3 and 41 dpm/mg for kidney. Protein binding could well be responsible for its pronounced cytotoxic effects. Cs was also tested in the Ames Salmonella/microsome assay. Strains TA 1535, TA 1537, TA 1538, TA 98, and TA 100 were used with or without pre-incubation. Only with strain TA 100 and only without pre-incubation, a doubling of the number of revertants was detectable at the highest dose Ievels used, 1,000 and 2,000 !lg CS per plate. With pre-incubation of TA 100 with CS, a slight increase of the number of revertants was seen at 100 and 500 !lg per plate, and a subsequent fall below control values at 1,000 J.tg. A check for the number of surviving bacteria revealed a strong bacteriotoxicity of the higher doses of es so that the calculated mutation frequencies, i.e., the oumber of revertants per number of surviving bacteria, increased with doses up to 500 !J.g. This toxicity could be counteracted in part by the addition of increasing amounts of rat liver microsomes. In the view of these results, and taking into account the rare and low exposure of man, it is concluded that CS will not create a risk for the induction of point mutations or of carcinogenic processes mediated by DNA binding.
The extent of formation of N-nitrosodimethylaminc {NDMA) in the stomachs of rats and mice after sirnultancous oral administration of [\(^{14}\)C]dimethylamine and potassium nitrite was determined by measuring the methylation of liver DNA. With doses of around 1 mg dimethylamine hydrochloride/ kg body weight and 50 mg potassium nitrite/kg body weight. 0,8 % of the amine was nitrosated on average. The individual fluctuations ranged from 0.2 to 1.30% in the rat and from 0.2 to 1.9% in the mouse. Simultaneous administration of 50 mg sodium ascorbate (vitamin Cl/kg body weight inhibited the nitrosation by ahout 80% while 50 mg \(\alpha\)-tocopherol acetate [Vitamin E)/kg body weight reduced the nitrosation by about a half. Assuming similar kinctics and conditions of nitrosation in rats and man. a comparison of the formation of NDMA in vivo from dietary dimethylamine and nitrite with the estimated human uptake of preformed N DMA revealed that in vitro formation in the stomach of man is probably negligible.
The trypsin fragments of rat liver microsomal cytochron1e b\(_5\) (Tb\(_5\)) lack both methionine (met) and cysteine (cys), i.e., the sulphur-containing antino acids. Tb\(_5\) should therefore contain no 358-radioactivity after isolation from animals treated wHh [\(^{35}\)S]met or [\(^{36}\)S]cys. If, however, the nucleic acids coding for this polypeptide have been damaged by a genotoxic carcinogen, a miscoding could result in an incorporation of met or cys into the polypeptide so that Tb\(_8\) could now be \(^{36}\)S-radiolabelled. Two experiments are descrihed. the first one where a toxic regimen of N -nitrosomorpholine (NNM) to rats resulted in a significant increase of \(^{35}\)S-radioactivity in the Tbs of liver microsomes, and a second experiment with a non-toxic regimen of N,N diethylnitrosamine (DENA), where no increase was observable.
[\(^3\)H]Hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) was synthesized by chlorination of [\(^3\)H]benzene prepared by catalytic tritiation of benzene with tritiated water. The isomers of HCH were separated by adsorption chromatography on silica gel. In order to determine the covalent binding to DNA, [\(^3\)H]HCH was administered to male mice by oral gavage, and liver DNA was isolated via cbromatin. The specific radioactivity of the DNA was nonnalized by the dose administered and expressed in the molar units of the Covalent binding index, CBI = DNA damage/dose = (\(\mu\)mol bound HCH/mol DNA nucleotide)/(mmol HCH administered/kg body weight). CBI values of - 0.2 were found 10 h after the administration of alpha- and gamma-HCH. Enzymatic digestion of the DNA to the nucleosides and h.p.l.c. analysis revealed that - 40% of the radioactivity co-migrated with the natural nucleosides. At elution volumes known to contain the more lipophilic carcinogen-nucleoside adducts, - 10% of the radioactivity could be detected. The remaining 50% of th,e radioactivity eluted with the front, representing a mixture of oligonucleotide- HCH adducts and/or hydrophilic degradation products which were strongly bot not covalently associated with intact DNA. Therefore, a true CBI of 0.02-0.1 must be expected both for alpha- and gamma-HCH. This CBI is by a factor of 10\(^5\) -10\(^6\) below the value found with the strongest DNAbinding carcinogens like aflatoxin B1 or dimethylnitrosamine and is unlikely to be decisive for the liver tumor induction in mice because of the foUowing additional findings: (i) both isomers gave rise to similar Ievels of DNA darnage although the alpha-isomer is a much morepotent tumor inducer. This similarity was seen not only at the time of mäximum binding but up to 10 days after oral administration; (ii) three mouse strains with apparently different susceptibility to tumor induction by gamma-HCH could not be distinguished with respect to DNA binding; (iii) the level of DNA binding of alpha-HCH (CBI = 0.02-0.1) is more than three orders of magnitude lower than would be expected if the mechanism of tumor induction was by genotoxicity mediated by DNAbinding. For a preliminary investigation on a potential stimulatory effect on liver DN A replication and ceU division, [\(^{14}\)]thymidine was admlnistered i.p. 3.5 h before sacrifice of the [\(^3\)H]HCH-treated mice. The alpha-isomer was found to be more potent than the gamma-isomer in this respect. Taken together, our data allow the conclusion that the non- mutational processes must be more important for the carcinogenicity of HCH.
~n order to investigate the role of the stimu~ation of ceU division for the initiation (and possi:bly promotion) of live·r tumors by chemical carcinogens, the incorporation of radiolabeUed thymidine into liver DNA was dete:rmined in male rats. Single doses of various level!s of af.latoxin 81, benzidine and carbon tetrachloride (aU known to be genotoxic via DNA binding} did not affect cell division, whereas several hepatoca:rcinogens known not to bind to DNA (alphaHCH, dofibrate, and 2,3;7,8-t!etrachlorodiibenzo~p~dioxin) gave rise to a dosedependent stimulation of Ii ver DNA synthesis within 24 h. An equation combining the infl.uences of mitotic stimu:lation, expressed as dose required to double the contro~ Ievei of DNA synthesis, and DNA binding potency, exp:ressed as t.he Covalent Binding Index, correliated weil with the cardnogenk potency for both dasses of hepatocardnogens.
DNA was incubated in septum-closed reaction vials with [\(^{14}\)C]methylamine and nitrite. The DNA was purified, hydrolysed with hydrochloric acid, and the purines were analysed by h.p.l.c. 7-Methylguanine was detectable as a result of DN A methylation in experiments perfonned in 100 mM acetate at pH 4. Using different concentrations of amine and nitrite a first order reaction for total amine and a second order for total nilrite could be shown. A study on the pH dependence using 100 mM malonate buffer, pH 2.0-6.0, revealed a maximum rate at pH 3.5, with steep slopes above and below this pH value, in agreement with a mathematical analysis of the reaction equations. The data show that the alkylating agent fonned spontaneously by nitrosation and deamination of a primary amine has a long enough lifetime to react with DNA in vitro. Using the reactioil orders established here, an extrapolation to lower concentrations found in the stomach can now be perfonned. Future in vivo experiments on the methylation of gastro-intestinal DNA then would show to what extent DNA in a cell is protected from alkylation.
Investigation of the Potential for Binding of Di(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate (DEHP) and Di(2- ethylhexyl) Adipate (DEHA) to Liver DNA in Vivo. VON DÄNIKEN, A., LUTZ, W. K., JÄCKH, R., AND ScHLATTER, C. (1984). Toxico/. App/. Pharmaco/. 73, 373-387. It was the aim oftbis investigation to determine whether covalent binding of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) to rat liver DNA and of di(2-ethylhexyl) adipate (DEHA) to mouse liver DNA could be a mechanism of action contributing to the observed induction of liver tumors after lifetime feeding of the respective rodent species with high doses of DEHP and DEHA. For this purpose, DEHP and DEHA radiolabeled in different parts of the molecule were administered orally to female rats and mice, respectively, with or witbout pretreatment for 4 weeks with 1% unlabeled compound in the diet. Liver DNA was isolated after 16 hr and analyzed for radioactivity. The data were converted to a covalent binding index, CBI = (micromoles of substance bound per mole of DNA nucleotides)/(millimoles of substance applied per kilogram body weight), in order to allow a quantitative comparison also with other carcinogens and noncarcinogens. Administration of [\(^{14}\)H]carboxylate-labeled DEHP to rats resulted in no measurable DNA radioactivity. The Iimit of detection, CBI < 0.02 was about 100 times below the CBI of compounds where an observable tumor-inducing potential could be due to genotoxicity. With [\(^{14}\)C]- and [\(^{3}\)H]DEHP labeled in the alcohol moiety, radioactivity was clearly measurable in rat liver DNA. HPLC analysis of enzyme-degraded or acid-hydrolyzed DNA revealed that the natural nucleosides or purine bases were radiolabeled whereas no radioactivity was detectable in those fractions where tbe carcinogenmodified nucleoside or base adducts are expected. The respective Iimits of detection were at 0.07 and 0.04 CBI units for the \(^{14}\)C and \(^{3}\)H Iabels, respectively. The experiments with [\(^{14}\)C]- and [\(^{3}\)H]DEHA, labeled in the alcobol moiety and administered to mice, revealed aminute radioactivity of <50 dpm/mg liver DNA, too little to allow a nucleoside analysis to determine that fraction of the radioactivity which bad been incorporated via biosynthesis. Expressed in the CBI units, values of 0.05 to 0.15 for \(^{14}\)C and 0.01 to 0.12 for \(^{3}\)H resulted. Determination of the level· of \(^{14}\)C02 expiration revealed a linear correlation with the speciftc activity of DNA. Experiments with 2-ethyl[ 1-\(^{14}\)C]hexanol perfonned with both rats and mice allowed the conclusion tbat most if not all DEHA radioactivity in mouse liver DNA was due to biosynthetic incorporation. A maximum possible true DNA binding by DEHA must be below CBI 0.01. Pretreatment of the animals witb unlabeled compound bad no effect on the DNA radioactivities in either species. The present negative data, in conjunction witb other negative short-term tests for mutagenicity, strongly indicate that covalent interaction with DNA is highly unlikely to be the mode of tumorigenic action of DEHP and DEHA in rodents.
(6,7-\(^3\)H] Estrone (E) and [6,7-\(^3\)H]estradiol-17ß (E\(_2\)) have been synthesized by reduction of 6-dehydroestrone and 6-dehydroestradiol with tritium gas. Tritiated E and E\(_2\) were administered by oral gavage to female rats and to male and female hamsters on a dose level of about 300 \(\mu\)g/kg (54 mCi/kg). After 8 h, the liver was excised from the rats; liver and kidneys were taken from the hamsters. DNA was purified either directly from an organ homogenate or via chromatin. The radioactivity in the DNA was expressed in the units of the Covalent Binding Index, CBI = (\(\mu\)mol chemical bound per mol Similar considerations can be made for the liver where any true covalent DNA binding must be below a Ievel of 0.01. It is concluded that an observable tumor induction by estrone or estradiol is unlikely to be due to DNA binding. DNA-P)/(mmol chemical administered per kg b.w.). Rat liver DNA isolated via chromatin exhibited the very low values of 0.08 and 0.09 for E and E\(_2\) respectively. The respective figures in hamster liver were 0.08 and 0.11 in females and 0.21 and 0.18 in the males. DNA isolated from the kidney revealed a detectable radioactivity only in the female, with values of 0.03 and 0.05 for E and E\(_2\) respectively. The values for male hamster kidney were < 0.01 for both hormones. The minute radioactivity detectable in the DNA samples does not represent covalent binding to DNA, however, as indicated by' two sets of control experiments. (A) Analysis by HPLC of the nucleosides prepared by enzyme digest of liver DNA isolated directly or via chromatin did not reveal any consistent peak which could have been attributed to a nucleoside-steroid adduct. (B) All DNA radioactivity could be due to protein contaminations, because the specific activity of chromatin protein was determined to be more than 3 ,000 tim es high er than of DNA. The high affinity of the hormone to protein was also demonstrated by in vitro incubations, where it could be shown that the specific activity of DNA and protein was essentially proportional to the concentration of radiolabelled hormone in the organ homogenate, regardless of whether the animal was treated or whether the hormone was added in vitro to the homogenate. Carcinogens acting by covalent DNA binding can be classified according to potency on the basis of the Covalent Binding Index. Values of 10\(^3\)-10\(^4\) have been found for potent, 10\(^2\) for moderate, and 1-10 for weak carcinogens. Since estrone is moderately carcinogenic for the kidney of the male hamster, a CBI of about 100 would be expected. The actually measured Iimit of detection of 0.01 places covalent DNA binding among the highly unlikely mechanisms of action.
Young adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were given 30 \(\mu\)mol/kg body weight [\(^{14}\)C]methylamine hydrochloride and 700 \(\mu\)mol/ kg body weight sodium nilrite by oral gavage. DNA isolated from the stomach and from the first 15 cm of the smaß intestine was methylated, containing 7-methylguanine (7mG) at a level of one 7mG molecule per 5x10\8^6\) and lx10\(^7\) nucleotides, respectively. No 7mG was found fn the liver at a limit of detection of one 7mG molecule per 2xl0\(^8\) nucleotides. ln a second experiment, the excised stomachs were incubated with deoxyribonuclease before the isolation of the DNA in order to degrade DNA in the Iumen and in the uppermost lining cells. This treatment resulted in a 30% decrease in the yield of DNA and a 90% reduction in the level of 7mG formation. The results show that nitrosation of a primary alkylamine yields a precursor of an alkylating agent which has a long enough lifetime to diffuse towards and react with intracellular DNA. A correlation of DNA methylation in the stomach with the corresponding tumor formation by the methylating carcinogen N-methyi-N'-nitro-N-nitroso-guanidine was used to estimate the roJe of DNA damage resulting from endogenous nitrosation of dietary methylamine in man. It was concluded that the risk resulting from this single amine must be negligible bot that a similar evaluation of other primary amines is required before the over-aU role of primary amine nitrosation in the etiology of human gastric cancer can be assessed.
Formaldehydeis an electrophilic molecule able to crosslink DNA and protein. It has been found to induce tumors in the nasal epithelium in rodents. The safety margin between the maximum tolerated FA concentration in the work place and the concentration found to be tumorigenic in animal studies is very small. Because FA is produced endogenously as a result of a variety of oxidative demethylations, the assessment of the tumor risk from exogenaus FA exposure has tobe related quantitatively to the level of DNA-protein crosslinks induced by endogenaus FA generation. It is reported here that the high level of endogenaus FA formed in the liver after a large dose of methanol or of aminopyrine did not lead to any observable increase in DNA-protein crosslinks. Using positive and negative control data from in vitro incubations of liver homogenate with FA or methanol it is estimated that the endogenous level of DNA damage in the liver must be more than three orders of magnitude below the damage observed at tumorigenic concentrations for the rat nose. The fact that FA is formed endogenously cannot, therefore, be used to claim that exogenous FA merely leads to a negligible increase in DNA damage.
Investigation of covalent DNA binding in vivo provided evidence for whether a test substance can be activated to metabolites able to reach and react with DNA in an intact organism. Fora comparison of DNA binding potencies of various compounds tested under different conditions, a normalization of the DNA lesion with respect to the dose is useful. A covalent binding index, CBI = (\(\mu\)mol chemical bound per mol DNA nucleotide )/(mmol chemical administered per kg body weight) can be determined for each compound. Whether covalent DNA binding results in tumor formation is dependent upon additional factors specific to the cell type. Thus far, all compounds which bind covalently to liver DNA in vivo have also proven tobe carcinogenic in a long-term study, although the liver was not necessarily the target organ for tumor growth. With appropriate techniques, DNA binding can be determined in a dose range which may be many orders of magnitude below the dose Ievels required for significant tumor induction in a long-term bioassay. Rat liver DNA bindingwas proportional to the dose of aflatoxin B1 afteroral administration of a dose between 100 \(\mu\)g/kg and 1 ng/kg. The lowest dose was in the range of generat human daily exposures. Demonstration of a lack of liver DNA binding (CBI<0.1) in vivo for a carcinogenic, nonmutagenic compound is a strong indication for an indirect mechanism of carcinogenic action. Carcinogens of this class do not directly produce a change in gene structure or function but disturb a critical biochemical control mechanism, such as protection from oxygen radicals, control of cell division, etc. Ultimately, genetic changes are produced indirectly or accumulate from endogenaus genotoxic agents. The question of why compounds which act via indirect mechanisms are more likely to exhibitanonlinear rangein the dose-response curve as opposed to the directly genotoxic agents or processes is discussed.
It was the aim of this investigation to determine whether or not covalent binding of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) to rat liver DNA could be a mechanism of action contributing to the observed induction of liver tumors after lifetime feeding of rodents with high doses of DEHP. DEHP radiolabeled in different positionswas administered orally to female F344 rats with or without pretreatment for 4 weeks with 1% unlabeled DEHP in the diet. Livu DNA was isolated after 16 hr and analyzed for radioattivity. Administration of [\(^{14}\)C]carboxylate unabeled DEHP resulted in no measurable DNA radioactivity. With DEHP [\(^{14}\)C]· and [\(^{3}\)H]. labeled in the alcohol moiety as well as with 2-ethyl[1-\(^{14}\)C]hexanol, radioactivity was clearly measurable in the DNA. HPLC analysis of enzyme-degraded DNA relvealed that the normal nucleosides had incorporated radiolabel whereas no radioactivity was detectable in those fractions where the carcinogen-modified nucleoside adducts are expected. A quantitative evaluation of the negative data in terms of a Iimit of detection for a covalent binding Index (CBJ) indicates that covalent interaction with DNA is highly unlikely to be the mode of tumorigenic action of DEHP in rodents.
Metallothionein (MT) is a protein which contains 20 cysteine residues but no aromatic amino acids. It was tested whether treatment of male rats with the hepatocarcinogen diethylnitrosamine (DENA) could ethylate nucleic acids in such a way that protein variants containing measurable amounts of aromatic amino acid residues could be isolated from the livers of treated animals. To give a low Iimit of detection, the "wrong" amino acid precursors were administered in radiolabelled form at high Ievels of activity (7 mCi/kg each of [\(^3\)H]tyrosine and [\(^3\)H]phenylalanine). 11 \(\mu\)Ci/kg [\(^{14}\)C]cysteine was given as an intemal marker for MT biosynthesis. 6 h after amino acid administration, metallothionein (MT) was isolated from the liver and extensively purified. Afteracid hydrolysis and collection of Cys, Tyr, and Phe from an HPLC analysis of the amino acids, the \(^3\)H/\(^{14}\)C ratio was determined. The carcinogen-treated rats exhibited a significantly higher ratio than the vehicle-treated animals. This type of in vivo assay might find interesting applications in the investigation of nucleic acid alkylations as promutagenic lesions.
To date, all risk assessment studies on benzene have been based almost exclusively on epiderniological data. Wehave attempted a more integrated and quantitative evaluation of carcinogenic risk for hurnans, trying to utilize, in addition to the epidemiological data, all data available, specifically data on metabolism, genotoxicity, and carcinogenicity in small rodents. An integrated evaluation of the globality of the available data seems to suggest a progressive saturation of metabolic capacity both for man and rodents between 10 and 100 ppm. The most susceptible target cells seem tobe different in humans (predominant induction of myelogenous leukemia) and small rodents (induction of a wide variety of tumors). Nevertheless, both epidemiological and experimental carcinogenicity data tend to indicate a flattening ofthe response for the highest dosages, again suggesting a general Saturation of mechanisms of metabolic activation, extended to different target tissues. From a quantitative point of view, the data suggest a carcinogenic potency at 10 ppm two to three times higher than that computable by a linear extrapolation from data in the 100 ppm range. These observations are in accord with the recent proposal of the European Economic Community of reducing benzene time-weighted average occupationallevels from 10 to 5 ppm.
A literature review has shown that the daily intakes of various N -nitroso-precursor classes in a typical European diet span five orders of magnitude. Amides in the form of protein, and guanidines in the form of creatine and creatinine, are the nitrosatable groups found most abundantly in the diet, approaching Ievels of 100 g/day and 1 gjday, respectively. Approximately 100 mg of primary amines and amino acids are consumed daily, whereas aryl amines, secondary amines and ureas appear to lie in the 1-10 mg range. The ease of nitrosation of each precursor was estimated, the reactivities being found to span seven orders of magnitude, with ureas at the top and amines at the bottom of the scale. From this infonnation and an assessment of the carcinogenicity of the resulting N-nitroso derivatives, the potential health risk due to gastric in vivo nitrosation was calculated. The combined effects of these risk variables were analysed using a simple mathematical model: Risk = [daily intake of precursor] x [gastric concentration of nitrite]\(^n\) x [nitrosatability rate constant} x [carcinogenicity of derivative]. The risk estimates for the various dietary components spanned nine orders of magnitude. Dietary ureas and aromatic amines combined with a high nitrite burden could pose as great a risk as the intake of preformed dimethylnitrosamine in the diet. In contrast, the risk posed by the in vivo nitrosation of primary and secondary amines is probably negligib1y small. The risk contribution by amides (including protein), guanidines and primary amino acids is intermediate between these two extremes. Thus three priorities for future work are a comprehensive study of the sources and Ievels of arylamines and ureas in the diet, determination of the carcinogenic potencies of key nitrosated products to replace the necessarily vague categories used so far, and the development of short-term in situ tests for studying the alkylating power or genotoxicity of N-nitroso compounds too unstable for inclusion in long-term studies.
Emodin (1,6,8-trihydroxy-3-methylanthraquinone), an important aglycone found in natural anthraquinone glycosides frequently used in Iaxative drugs, was mutagenic in the Salmonellajmammalian microsome assay (Ames test) with a specificity for strain TA1537. The mutagenic activity was activationdependent with an optimal amount of S9 from Aroclor 1254-treated male Sprague-Dawley rats of 20% in the S9 mix (v jv) for 10 p.g emodin per plate. Heat inactivation of the S9 for 30 min at 60 ° C prevented mutagenicity. The addition of the cytochrome P-448 inhibitor 7,8-benzoflavone (18.5 nmoles per plate) reduced the mutagenic activity of 5.0 p.g emodin per plate to about one third, whereas the P-450 inhibitor metyrapone (up to 1850 nmoles per plate) was without effect. To test whether a metabolite" binds covalently to Salmonella DNA, [10-\(^{14}\)C]emodin was radiosynthesized, large batches of bacteria were incubated with [10-\(^{14}\)C]emodin and DNA was isolated. [G- \(^{3}\)H]Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) was used as a positive control mutagen known to act via DNA binding. DNA obtained after aflatoxin treatment could be purified to constant specific activity. With emodin, the specific activity of DNA did not remain constant after repeated precipitations so that it is unlikely that the mutagenicity of emodin is due to covalent interaction of a metabolite with DNA. The antioxidants vitamin C and E or glutathione did not reduce the mutagenicity. Emodin was also negative with strain TA102. Thus, oxygen radicals are probably not involved. When emodin was incubated with S9 alone for up to 50 h before heat-inactivation of the enzymes and addition of bacteria, the mutagenic activity did not decrease. It is concluded that the mutagenicity of emodin is due to a chemically stable, oxidized metabolite forming physico-chemical associations with DNA, possibly of the intercalative type. In order to check whether an intact mammalian organism might be able to activate emodin to a DNA-binding metabolite, radiolabelled emodin was administered by oral gavage to male SD rats and liver DNA was isolated after 72 h. Very little radioactivity was associated with the DNA. Considering that DNA radioactivity could also be due to sources other than covalent interactions, an upper limit for the · covalent binding index, CBI = (p.moles chemical bound per moles DNA nucleotides)/(mmoles chemical administered per kg body weight) of 0.5 is deduced. This is 104 times below the CBI of AFB1. The demonstration of a lack of covalent interaction with DNA bothin Salmonellaandin rat liver is discussed in terms of a reduced hazard posed by emodin as a mutagenic drug in use in humans.
In order to investigate whether the Stimulation of liver DNA synthesis might be used to detect one class of hepatic tumor promoters, the incorporation of orally administered radiolabelled thymidine into liver DNA was detennined in rats and mice 24 h after a single oral gavage of test compounds at various dose Ievels. Three DNA-binding hepatocarcinogens, aflatoxin B1; benzidine and carbon tetrachloride, did not stimulate but rather inhibited DNA synthesis (not for CCla). Four hepatic tumor promoters, clofibrate, DDT, phenobarbital and thioacetamide, gave rise to a Stimulation in a dosedependent manner. Single oral doses between 0.02 and 0.3 mmol/kg were required to double the level of thymidine incorporation into liver DNA (= doubling dose, DD). Differentes between species or sex as obsprved in long-term carcinogenicity studies were reflected by a different stimulation of liver DNA synthesis. In agreement with the bioassay data, aldrin was positive only in male mice (DD = 0.007 mmol/kg) but not in male rats or female mice. 2,3, 7,8-TCDD was positive in male mice (DD = 10\(^{-6}\) mmol/kg) andin female rats (DD = 2 x 10\(^{-6}\) mmol/kg) but not in male rats. The assay was also able to distinguish between structural isomers with different carcinogenicities. [alpha]Hexachlorocyclohexane stimulated Iiver DNA synthesis with a doubling dose of about 0.2 mmol/kg in male rats whereas the [gamma]isomer was ineffective even at l mmol/kg. So far, only one result was inconsistent with carcinogenicity bioassay data. The different carcinogenicity of di(2-ethylhexyl)adipate (negative in rats) and di(2-ethylhe.xyl)phthalate (positive) was not detectable. 8oth plasticizers were positive in.this short-term system with DD's of 0. 7 mmol/kg for DEHA and 0.5 mmol/kg for DEHP. The proposed assay is discussed as an attempt to devise short-term assays for carcinogens not detected by the routine genotoxicity test systems.
DNA binding in vivo: (6,7-\(^3\)H]ß-trenbolone (ß-TBOH) was administered p.o. and i.p. to rats. After 8 or 16 h, DNA was isolated from the livers and purified to constant specific radioactivity. Enzymatic digestion to deoxyribonucleotides and separation by HPLC revealed about 90% ofthe DNA radioactivity eluting in the form of possible TBOH-nucleotide adducts. The extent of this genotoxicity, expressed in units of the Covalent Binding Index, CBI = (~mol TBOH bound per mol nucleotide)/(mmol TBOH administered per kg body weight) spanned from 8 t~ 17, i. e. was in the range found with weak genotoxic carcmogens. Ames test: low doses of ß-TBOH increased the number of revertants in Salmonella strain TAl 00 reproducibly and m a dose-dependent manner. The mutagenic potency was 0.2 revertants per nmol after preincubation of the bacteria (20 min at 37° C) with doses between 30 and 60 \(\mu\)g per plate (47 and 94 \(\mu\)g/ml preincubation mixture). Above this dose, the number of revertants decreased to control values, accompanied by a reduction in survival. The addition of rat liver S9 inhibited the mutagenicity. DNA binding in vitro: calf thymus DNA was incubated with tritiated ß-TBOH with and without rat liver S9 Highest DNA radioactivities were determined in the absence of the "activation" system. Addition of inactive S9 (without cofactors) reduced the DNA binding by a factor of up to 20. Intermediate results were found with active S9. DNA binding in Salmonella: ß-TBOH was irreversibly bound to DNA isolated from S. typhimurium TA100 after incubation of bacteria with [\(^3\)H]ß-TBOH. Conclusions: Covalent DNA binding appears to be the mechanism of an activation-independent ("direct") mutagenicity of TBOH which is not easily detected because of the bactericidal activity. The genotoxicity risk arising from exposure of humans to trenbolone residues in meat was estimated using the in vivo data and compared to that from the exposure to unavoidable genotoxins aflatoxin B1 and dimethylnitrosamine. It ts concluded that trenbolone residues represent only a low genotoxic risk.
Chemieals that induce cancer in an intact organism are called carcinogens. This term does not differentiale between their various modes of action. In this review, Werner Lutz and Peter Maier make a mechanistic distinction between carcinogens that alter the genetic information and carcinogens that interfere with epigenetic processes. They considercardnogenesis tobe an ongoing, part1y unavoidable process which is based on a succession of mutations, most likely in stem cells, leading to autonomaus cellular growth regulation. Chemical carcinogens either induce such changes through mutations (genotoxic carcinogens) or they aceeierate the accumulation of critica1 spontaneaus mut11tions (epigenetic carcinogens). Examples are given for both classes of carcinogens, and for the processes that act at genoto:tic/nuclear 11nd epigenetic/mitotic Ievels.
DNA Methylation in Rat Li ver by Daminozide, 1, 1-Dimethylhydrazine, and Dimethylnitrosamine. SAGELSDORFF, P., LUTZ, W. K., AND ScHLAITER C. (1988). Fundam. Appl. Toxico/. 11, 723-730. [methyP4C]Daminozide (succinic acid 2',2'-dimethylhydrazide; 37 mgjkg), l,l( 14C]dimethylhydrazine (UDMH; 19 mgtkg), and (14C]dimethylnitrosamine (DMNA; 0.1 mg/ kg) were administered by oral gavage to male Sprague-Dawley rats. After 24 hr, the animals were killed and DNA was purified from the livers to constant specific radioactivity. After enzymatic degradation of the DNA to the 3'-deoxynucleotides the Ievel of DNA methylation was determined by HPLC analysis. Radiolabeled 7-methylguanine (7mG) was identified by cochromatography with unlabeled 7mG added as standard after acidic depurination of DNA and HPLC analysis ofpurines and apurinic acid. All three compounds were found to methylate DNA. The relative potencies were 1:47:4900 for daminozide:UDMH:DMNA. With [methyPH]UDMH, the formation of7mG was investigated as a function of dose administered, at 20, 2, and 0.2 mgj kg. The methylation ofDNA was strictly proportional to the dose. The data were used to compare the Ievel of DNA alkylation derived from residues of daminozide and UDMH in treated apple with the genotoxicity of the intake of N-nitroso compounds in Germany and Japan. It is estimated that these residues could Iead to a DNA methylation in the Ii ver of about 6% of an average exposure to DMNA
This study should contribute to the important field of pharmacogenetics by: firstly, establishing an easy and safe phenotyping method that combines the activity determination of all three previously mentioned CYPs (CYP2D6, CYP2C9, and CYP2C19) into one phenotyping cocktail and secondly, improving the knowledge about the predictive power of the genotype for the measured phenotype. It was indeed possible to develop a save, easy-to-use, fast and simultaneous phenotyping procedure for the important genetic polymorphic enzymes CYP2D6 and CYP2C9. To accomplish that, interaction studies with the chosen probe drugs dextromethorphan (DEX, CYP2D6), flurbiprofen (FLB, CYP2C9) and omeprazole (OME, CYP2C19) were conducted. It could be proven that DEX and FLB can be administered in combination, whereas OME alters the phenotyping results of CYP2C9. This is a new finding as in 2004 a phenotyping cocktail was published that used FLB and OME in combination. However, to our knowledge, no interaction tests were carried in that study. The new phenotyping procedure is not only verified by prior probe drug interaction studies, it also has other advantages over phenotyping cocktails found in literature. Firstly, save probe drugs are used in very small doses. This is possible due to the new sensitive LC-MS/MS methods that were evaluated. Secondly, the new phenotyping procedure is very fast and on-invasive. Urine has to be collected only for 2 h and the results also suggest that the time consuming glucuronide cleavage of the CYP2D6 dependent metabolite dextrorphan, usually carried out before CYP2D6 phenotyping, may be unnecessary. Most importantly, however, new insights into the phenotype prediction from genotype for CYP2C9 and CYP2D6 could be gained within this study. Nearly 300 phenotyped Caucasian subjects were also genotyped for the most important known variant alleles for CYP2D6, CYP2C9 and CYP2C19 using several established and newly developed genoptyping methods. Therefore, a direct correlation between phenotype and genotype could be conducted for CYP2D6 and CYP2C9. Employing linear modeling, it was possible to assign activity coefficients to each of the detected CYP2D6 and CYP2C9 alleles, thereby estimating their contribution to the resulting enzyme activity. This might facilitate the prediction of the CYP2D6 and CYP2C9 metabolic status of a subject knowing only its respective genotypes. Especially the new CYP2D6 genotype phenotype correlation model might allow for more precise phenotype prediction for the included variant alleles than was possible until now. Taken together, this study substantially contributes to the important research field of pharmacogenetics by (i) developing a save and easy-to-use phenotyping combination for CYP2D6 and CYP2C9, and (ii) by establishing activity coefficients for each of the detected CYP2D6 and CYP2C9 alleles, thereby allowing for a more precise prediction of the phenotype from genotype.
Various substituted aniline derivatives were tested for genotoxicity in several short-term tests in order to examine the hypothesis that a Substitution at both ortho positions (2,6-disubstitution) could prevent genotoxicity due to steric hindrance of an enzymatic activation to electrophilic intermediates. In the Salmonellajmicrosome assay, 2,6-dialkylsubstituted anilines and 2,4,6-trimethylaniline (2,4,6-TMA) were weakly mutagenic in strain TA100 when 20% S9 mixwas used, although effects were small compared to those of 2,4-dimethylaniline and 2,4,5-trimethylaniline (2,4,5-TMA). In Drosophila me/anogaster, however, 2,4,6-TMA and 2,4,6-trichloroaniline (TCA) were mutagenic in the wing spottestat 2-3 times lower doses than 2,4,5-TMA. In the 6-thioguanine resistance test in cultured fibroblasts, 2,4,6-TMA was again mutagenic at lower doses than 2,4,5-TMA. Two methylene-bis-aniline derivatives were also tested with the above methods: 4,4'-methylene-bis-(2-chloroaniline) (MOCA) was moderately genotoxic in al1 3 test systems whereas 4,4'-methylene-bis-(2-ethyl-6-methylaniline) (MMEA) showed no genotoxicity at all. DNA binding sturlies in rats, however, revealed that both MOCA and MMEA produced DNA adducts in the liver at Ievels typically found for moderately strong genotoxic carcinogens. These results indicate that the predictive value of the in vitro test systems and particularly the Salmonellajmicrosome assay is inadequate to detect genotoxicity in aromatic amines. Genotoxicity seems to be a general property of aniline derivatives and does not seem to be greatly influenced by substitution at both ortho positions.
Considering the very large industrial usage of benzene, studies in risk assessment aimed at the evaluation of carcinogenic risk at low Ievels of exposure are important. Animal data can offer indications about what could happen in humans and provide more diverse information than epidemiological data with respect to doseresponse consideration. We have considered experiments investigating metabolism, short·term genotoxicity tests, DNA adduct formation, and carcinogenicity long-term tests. According to the different experiments, a Saturation of benzene metabolism and benzene effects in terms of genotoxicity seems evident above 30 to 100 ppm. Below 30 to 60 ppm the initiating effect ofbenzene seems tobe linear fora large intervaJ ofdosages, at least judging from DNA adduct formation. Potentiallack of a promoting effect of benzene (below 10 ppm) could generate a sublinear response at nontox.ic levels of ex.posure. This possibility was suggested by epidemiological data in humans and is not confirmed or excluded by our observations with animals.
Fernale BALB/c mice were administered intragastrically with equimolar amounts of either [2-\(^{14}\)C]2-amino-3,8-dimethyi[ 4,5-J]qulnoxaline (MeiQx) or 2-acetylamino[9-\(^{14}\)C]fluorene (2AAF). DNA was isolated from tissues of mice killed either 6 or 24 h after administration. Analysis of liver DNA nucleotide digests by HPLC analysis revealed that all of the radioactivity was attributable to adduct formation. Tbe specific activities of DNA samples were converted to covalent bindlog indices (CBI, J.LIDOI adduct per mol DNA nucleotides/mmol chemical app6ed per kg animal body weight). CBI values of 25 and 9 were detennined for 2AAF and MeiQx in tbe llvers of mice killed 6 h after dosing. The values were in general agreement with the moderate carcinogenic potency of these compounds. The specific activities of DNA preparations obtained from the lddneys, spleens, stomachs, small intestines and large intestlnes of mice treated witb MeiQx and killed 6 h after doslng were S- to 35-times less tban those obtained witb the llver. DNA isolated from tbe lungs (a target organ for MeiQx tumorigenicity) of MeiQx-treated mice was not radiolabeUed at tbe limit of detection (CBI <0.3). With tbe exception of tbe gastrolntestinal tract, the specific activities of DNA samples isolated from mice killed 6 h after administration were higher than those from mice killed after 24 h.
Ethyl carbamate is found in fermented foods: bread contains 3-15 ng/g, stone-fruit brandies 200-20,000 ngfg, and about one-third of table-wine samples analysed contained more than 10 ng/g. In animals, ethyl carbamate is degraded to C02, H20 and NH3, with intermediate formation ofethanol. This degradation has been shown tobe inhibited (postponed) in the mouse by ethanol concentrations in the blood of about 0.15% and higher. A quantitatively minor pathway involves a two-step oxidation of the ethyl group to vinyl carbamate and epoxyethyl carbamate, the postulated electrophilic moiety that reacts with DNA. This reaction is probably the mode of the mutagenic action observed in many cellular and animal systems. The fact that only vinyl carbamate, but not ethyl carbamate, is mutagenic in a standard Ames test is probably because there is insufficient production of the intermediate oxidation product in the standard test. Consistent with this metabolism is the carcinogenic activity of ethyl carbamate in various animal species and in different organs; this activity can be seen even after a single high dose in early life. Quantitative analysis of the total tumour incidences after chronic exposure of rats and mice to 0.1-12.5 mg ethyl carbamate/kg body weightjday in the drinking-water showed a dose-related increase. The main target organs were the mammary gland (female rats and mice having similar susceptibilities) and the Jung (mice only). On the basis of sex- and organ-specific tumour data and with a linear extrapolation to a negligible increase of the lifetime tumour incidence by 0.0001% ( one additional tumour in one milüon individuals exposed for life), a "virtually safe dose .. of 20 to 80 ng/kg body weight/day was estimated. The daily burden reached under normal dietary habits without alcoholic beverages is in the range of about 20 ng/kg body weightfday. Regular table-wine consumption would increase the risk by a factor of up to five. Regular drinking of 20 to 40 ml stone-fruit brandy per day could raise the calculated lifetime tumour risk to near 0.01%.
A list ofendogenaus DNA·damaging agents and processes is given. Endogenaus e/ectrophiles are found with the cosubstrates of physiological transfer reactions (S-adenosylrnethionine for methylation, A TP for phosphorylation, NAD\(^+\) for ADP-ribosylation, acetyl CoA for acetylation). Aldehyde groups (glyceraldehyde- 3-phosphate, formaldehyde, open forms of reducing sugars, degradation products of peroxidation) or alkylating degradation products derived from endogenaus nitrose compounds represent additional possibilities. Radical-forming reactions include leakage of the superoxide anion radical from terminal cytochromes and redox cycles, hydroxyl radical formation by the Fenton reaction from endogenaus hydrogen peroxide, and the formation of lipid peroxides. Genetic instability by spontaneaus deaminations and depurinations as well as replicative instability by tautomer errors andin the presence of mutagenic metal ions represent a third important dass of endogenaus genotoxic processes. The postulated endogenaus genotoxicity could form the mechanistic basis for what is called 'spontaneous' tumor incidence and explain the possibility of an increased tumor incidence after treatment of animals with non-genotoxic compounds exhibiting tumor-promoting activity only. Individual differences are expected to be seen also with endogenaus DNA damage. The presence of endogenaus DNA darnage implies that exogenaus DNAcarcinogen adducts give rise to an incremental darnage which is expected to be proportional to the carcinogen dose at lowest Ievels. An increased tumor risk due to exposure to exogenaus genotoxic carcinogens could therefore be assessed in terms of the background DNA damage~ for instance in multiples of the mean Ievel or of the interindividual variability in a population.
In a colorimetric assay using 4-( p-nitrobenzyl)pyridine (NBP) as a nucleophilic scavenger of alkylating agents, the nitrosation and alkylation reactions were investigated for a number of amino acids and derivatives. The alkylating activity increased with the square of the nitrite concentration. The nitrosation rate constants for aspartic acid, aspartame, and glycine ethylester ( = precursors C) were 0.08, 1.4 and ~ 0.2, respectively, expressed in terms of the pH-dependent \(k_2\) rate constant of the equation dNOCjdt = \(k_2\) • (C]· [nitrite]\(^2\) • The rates correlated inversely with the basicity of the amino group. The stability of the alkylating activity was astonishingly high, both in acid and at neutral pH. Half-lives of 500, 200, and 30 min were determined for aspartic acid (pH 3.5), aspartame (pH 2.5), and glycine ethylester (pH 2.5). Values of 60, 15, and 2 min; respectively, were found at pH 7. It is concluded that rearrangement of the primary N-nitroso product to the ultimate alkylating agent could be rate-limiting. The potential of nitrosated a-amino acids to bind to DN A in vivo was investigated by oral gavage of radiolabelled glycine ethylester to rats, followed irnmediately by sodium nitrite. DNA was isolated from stomach and liver and analysed for radioactivity and modified nucleotides. No indication of DNA adduct formation was obtained. Based on an estimation of the dose fraction converted from glycine ethylester to the nitroso product under the given experimental conditions, the maximum possible DNA-binding potency of nitroso glycine ethylester is about one order of magnitude below the methylating potency of N-nitrosomethylurea in rat stomach. The apparent discrepancy to the in vitro data could be due to efficient detoxification processes in mammalian cells.
Male rats were treated for 2 months with 1000 ppm nafenopin in the diet or for 4 or 7 days with a choline-devoid low-methionine diet. DNA was isolated from the livers and analyzed for the presence of cis-thymidine glycol-3'-phosphate (cis-dTGp) by 32P-postlabeling and for the Ievel of 8-hydroxy-deoxyguanosine (8-0H-dG) by electrochemical detection (ECD). In no DNA sample was the Ievel of cis-dTGp above the Iimit of detection of 1 modified thymidine per 106 nucleotides. With 8-0H-dG, a background Ievel of this modification of 20 8-0H-dG per 106 nucleosides was found in liver DNA of control rats, which was not affected by either treatment. It is postulated for thymidine glycol that a potential increase was below the Iimit of detection or was rapidly repaired in vivo and that the steady-state Ievel of endogenous 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine appears not tobe influenced by the treatments chosen.
Dose-response relationship and low dose extrapolation in chemical carcinogenesis [commentary]
(1990)
Data supporting various dose-respome relationships in chemical carcinogenesis are summarized. General principles are derived to explain the relationships between exposure dose, JI>NA adduct Ievel, induction of genetic changes, and tumor incidence. Some mechanistic aspects of epigenetic carcinogens (stimulation of ceU division and maldlfl'erentlation) are analyzed in a similar way. In a bomogeneous pnpulation, non-linearities are frequent. They are due to pbenomena of induction or saturation of enzymatic activities and to the multi-step nature of carcinog~: if a carcinogen acce1erates more than one step, the SUperposition of the dose- response curves for the indJvidual steps can result in an exponential relationship. A fourth power of the dose was the maximum seen in animals (fonnaldehyde). At the lowest dose Ievels, a proportionality between dose and tumor induction is postulated independent of the mechanism of action if the carcinogen aceeierotes the endogenous proass responsible for spootaneous tumor formation. Low-dose thresholds are expected only for situations where the carcinogen acts in a way that has no endogenous counterpart. Epidemiologfcal studies in humans show linear dose- response curves in all but two investigations. The difference from the strongly nonlinear slopes ·seen in animal studies could be due to the heterogeneity of the human population: if the individual sensitivity to a carcinogen is governed by a large number of genetic and Iife-style factors, the non-linea.rities will tend to cancel each other out and the dose- response curve becomes 'quasi-linear'.
Linear dose-response relationship for DNA adducts in rat liver from chronic exposure to aflatoxin B1
(1990)
Male F-344 rats were given eH]aßatoxin B1 (AFB1) in the drinking water at three exposure Ievels (0.02, 0.6, 20 J,Lgll, resulting in average dose Ievels of 2.2, 73, 2110 nglkg per day). After 4, 6 and 8 weeks, DNA was ~ted frorn the livers and analyzed for aßatoxin-DNA adducts. Tbe Ievel of DNA adducts did not increase significantly after 4 weeks, indicating that a steady-state for adduct formation and removal had nearly been reached. At 8 weeks, the adduct Ievels were 0.91, 32 and 850 nucleotide-aßatoxin adducts per to' nucleotides, i.e. clearly proportional to the dose. At the high dose Ievel, a near SO% tumor incidence would be expected in a 2-year bioassay with F -344 rats while the low dose used is within the range of estlmated human dietary exposures to aßatoxin in W estem countries. The proportionality seen between exposure and steady-state DNA adduct Ievel is discussed with respect to a linear extrapolation of the tumor risk to low dose.
The formation of \(O^6\)-methyldeoxyguanosine (\(O^6\)-MedGuo) was determined by an immuno-slot-blot assay in DNA of various tissues of F344 rats exposed to N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU) in the drinking waterat 400 ppm for 2 weeks. Although the pyloric region of the glandular stomach is a target organ under these experimental conditions, the extent of DNA methylation was highest in the forestomach (185 \(\mu\)mol \(O^6\)-MedGuojmol guanine). Fundus (91 J.!moljmol guanine) and pylorus (105 J.!moljmol guanine) of the glandular stomach, oesophagus (124 \(\mu\)mol/mol guanine) and duodenum (109 )lmoljmol guanine) showed lower Ievels of \(O^6\) - MedGuo but differed little between each other. Thus, no correlation was observed between target organ specificity and the extent of DNA methylation. This is in contrast to the gastric carcinogen, N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG), which preferentially alkylates DNA of the pylorus, the main site of induction of gastric carcinomas by this chemical. In contrast to MNU, the nonenzymic decomposition of MNNG is accelerated by thiol compounds (reduced glutathione, L-cysteine), which are present at much higher concentrations in the glandular stomach than in the forestomach and oesophagus. During chronic exposure to MNNG (80 ppm), mucosal cells immunoreactive to 0 6-MedGuo are limited to the luminal surface [Kobori et al. (1988) Carcinogenesis 9:2271-2274]. Although MNU (400 ppm) produced similar Ievels of \(O^6\)-MedGuo in the pylorus, no cells containing methylpurines were detectable by immunohistochemistry, suggesting a more uniform methylation of mucosal cells by MNU than by MNNG. After a single oral dose of MNU (90 mg/kg) cells containing methylpurines were unequivocally identified using antibodies to \(O^6\)-MedGuo and the imidazole-ring-opened product of 7-methyldeoxyguanosine. In the gastric fundus, their distribution was similar to those methylated by exposure to MNNG, whereas the pyloric region contained immunoreactive cells also in the deeper mucosallayers. After a 2-week MNU treatment, the rate of cell proliferation, as determined by bromodeoxyuridine immunoreactivity, was only slightly enhanced in the oesophagus andin the fundus, but markedly in the forestomach and the pyloric region of the glandular stomach. lt is concluded that the overall extent of DNA methylation, the distribution of alkylated cells within the mucosa and the proliferative response all contribute to the organ-specific carcinogenicity of MNU.
Effect of inhalation exposure regimen on DNA binding potency of 1,2-dichloroethane in the rat
(1991)
1 ,2-Dichloroethane (DCE) was reported to be carcinogenic in rats in a long-tenn bioassay using gavage in com oil (24 and 48 mg/kg/day), but not by inhalation (up to 150-250 ppm, 7 h/day, 5 days/week). The daily dose metabolized was similar in the two experiments. In order to address this discrepancy, the genotoxicity of DCE was investigated in vivo under different exposure conditions. Fernale F-344 rats (183-188 g) were exposed to [1,2-14C]DCE in a closed inhalation chamber to either a low, constant concentration (0.3 mg/l = 80 ppm for 4 h) or to a peak concentration (up to 18 mg/1 = 4400 ppm) for a few minutes. After 12 h in the chamber, the dose metabolized under the two conditions was 34 mg/kg and 140 mg/k:g. DNA was isolated from liver and lung and was purified to constant specific radioactivity. DNA was enzymaticaBy hydrolyzed to the 3' -nucleotides which were separated by reverse phase HPLC. Most radioactivity eluted without detectable or with little optical density' indicating that the major part of the DNA radioactivity was due to covalent binding of the test compound. The Ievel of DNA adducts was expressed in the dose-nonnalized units ofthe Covalent Binding Index, CBI = f.Lmol adduct per mol DNA nucleotide/ mmol DCE per kg body wt. In liver DNA, the different exposure regimens resulted in markedly different CBI values of 1.8 and 69, for "constant-low" and ''peak" DCE exposure Ievels. In the Jung, the respective values were 0.9 and 31. It is concluded that the DNA darnage by DCE depends upon the concentration-time profile and that the carcinogenic potency determined in the gavage study should not be used for low-Ievel inhalation exposure.
Styrene-7,8-oxide (SO), the main intennediate metabolite of styrene, induces hyperkeratosis and tumors in the forestomach of rats and mice upon chronic administration by gavage. The aim of this study was to investigate wbether DNA binding could be responsible for the carcinogenic effect observed. [7-\(^3\)H]SO was administered by oral gavage in com oll to male CD rats at two dose levels (1.65 or 240 mg/kg). After 4 or 24 h, forestomach, glandular stomach and Uver were exclsed, DNA was isolated and its radioactivity detennined. At the 4 h time polnt, the DNA radioactivity was below the Iimit of detection in the torestornach and the liver. Expressed in the units of the covalent bindlng Index, CBI = (pmol adduct/mol DNA nucleotide)/(mmol cbemical administeredlkg body wt), the DNA-binding potency was below 2.6 and 2.0 respectively. In the glandular stomach at 4 b, and in most 24 b samples, DNA was slightly radiolabeled. Enzymatic degradation of the DNA and separation by HPLC ofthe normal nucleotides sbowed that the DNA rad.ioactivity represented biosynthetic incorporation of radlolabel into newly synthesized DNA. The Iimit of detection of DNA adducts in the glandular stomach was 1.0. In a second experlment, [7-\(^3\)H]SO was administered by i.p. injection to male 86C3Fl rnice. Liver DNA was analyzed after 2 h. No radloactivity was detectable at a Iimit of detection of CBI < 0.6. In agreement with the relatively long half-life of SO in animals, the cbemical reactivity of SO appears to be too low to result in a detectable production of DNA adducts in an in vivo situation. Upon comparison with the DNA-binding of other carcinogens, a purely genotoxic mechanism of tumorigenJc action of SO is unlikely. The observed tumorigenic potency in the forestomach could be the result of strong tumor promotion by high-dose cytotoxicity foUowed by regenerative hyperplasia.
The intake of known dietary carclnogens was compiled and the cancer risk was estlmated on the basis of carcinogenic potencies in animals as derived from the Carcinogenic Potency Database by Gold and co-workers. The total cancer risk was compared with the number of cancer cases attributed by epidemiologists to dietary factors (one-third of all cancer cases, i.e. -80 000 per one million Jives). Except for alcohol, the known dietary carcinogens could not account for more than a few bundred cancer cases. Tbis was seen both with tbe DNA-reactive carcinogens (beterocyclic aromatic amines, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, N-nitroso compounds, estragole, aflatoxin B., ethyl carbamate, to name the most important factors) as wen as with those carclnogens wbich have not been shown to react with DNA (e.g. caffelc acid and the carcinogeruc metals arsenic and cadmium). Residues and contaminants turned out to be negligible. Among the various pmsibilities to explain the discrepancy we investigated the roJe of ovemutritlon. Dietary restriction in animals is weil known for its strong reducing effect on spontaneous tumor formation. These data can be used to derive a carcinogenic potency for excess macronutrients: tbe tumor incidence seen with the restrlcted animals is taken as a control value and the increased tumor incidence in the animals fed ad libitum is attributed to the additional feed iotake. For excess standard diet in rats, a carcinogenic potency TD50 of 16 glkg/day was deduced from a recent study. Ovemutrition in Switzerland, estimated to be 5.5 kcallkg/day, was converted to excess food (1.9 g/kg/day) and tbe cancer incidence was calculated. The result, 60 000 cancer cases per one million Jives, is provocatively close to the number of cases not explained by the known dietary chemical carcinogens. Mechanistic studies will be required to test our hypothesis and investigate the role of different types of macronutrients in ovemutrition.
Protein phosphatases can be classified into at least three major families based on amino acid sequences at their active sites. A newly emerging phosphatase family contains the active site sequence DXDX(T/V), and belongs to the haloacid dehalogenase (HAD) superfamily of hydrolases, a ubiquitous and evolutionarily conserved enzyme family. Although the existence of 58 human HAD enzymes has been predicted by database analysis, our understanding of their biological functions remains rudimentary.By database mining amd phylogenetic analysis of human HAD phosphatases, we have found a marked increase in cell area of spreading cells, as well as accelerated cell spreading onfibronectin. Taken together, we have identified and characterized AUM as a novel member of the emerging family of aspartate-dependent protein tyrosine phosphatases. Our findings implicate AUM as an important regulator of Src-dependent cytoskeletal dynamics during cell adhesion and migration. a previously unidentified enzyme with homology to Chronophin, a cytoskeletal regulatory HAD phosphatase. We have cloned and characterized this novel enzyme and named it AUM,for actin remodeling, ubiquitously expressed, magnesium-dependent HAD phosphatase. By Northern blot, real-time PCR and Western blot analysis, we show that AUM is broadly expressed in all major human and mouse tissues with highest levels found in testis. Using immunohistochemistry, we can show that AUM is specifically expressed in maturing germ cells and that its expression peaks during spermiogenesis. To characterize the substrate preference of AUM, we have conducted an in vitro phosphatase substrate screen with 720 phosphopeptides derived from human phosphorylation sites. AUM exclusively dephosphorylates phosphotyrosine (pTyr)-containing peptides. Furthermore, only 17 pTyr peptides (~2% of all pTyr peptides investigated) acted as AUM substrates, indicating a high degree of substrate specificity. Putative AUM substrates include proteins involved in cytoskeletal dynamics and tyrosine kinase signaling.In accordance with the phosphopeptide screen, phosphatase overlay assays employing whole-cell extracts of pervanadate-treated HeLa cells show that AUM dephosphorylates only a limited number of tyrosyl-phosphorylated proteins.The role of AUM for cellular signaling was investigated in response to epidermal growth factor (EGF) stimulation in a spermatogonial cell line (GC-1 spg). The overexpression of AUM reduces, whereas the RNAi-mediated depletion of endogenous AUM increases EGF inducedtyrosine phosphorylation, including changes in the phosphorylation of the EGF receptor itself. Interestingly, in vitro kinase/phosphatase assays with purified Src and AUM indicate that AUM can activate Src, which in turn phosphorylates and inactivates AUM. Although it is at present unclear how Src and AUM regulate each other, our initial findings suggests that AUM enhances Src kinase activity independently of its phosphatase activity, whereas Src diminishes AUM phosphatase activity in a kinase dependent manner. On a cellular level, AUM-depleted cells are characterized by altered actin cytoskeletal dynamics and adhesion, as indicated by stabilized actin filaments, enlarged focal adhesions,a marked increase in cell area of spreading cells, as well as accelerated cell spreading on fibronectin. Taken together, we have identified and characterized AUM as a novel member of the emerging family of aspartate-dependent protein tyrosine phosphatases. Our findings implicate AUM as an important regulator of Src-dependent cytoskeletal dynamics during cell adhesion and migration.
2-Acetylaminofluorene (2-AAF) was administered at Ievels of 0, 300 and 600 ppm in the diet for 28 days to female transgenic micc bearing the lacl genein a Iambda vector (Big Blue® mice). The Iambda vector was excised from liver DNA and packaged in vitro into bacteriophage particles which were allowed to infect E. coli bacteria, forming plaques on agar plates. Approximately 10\(^5\) plaques wcre screened per animal for the appearance of a bluc colour, indicative of mutations in the lac/ gcnc which had resulted in an inactive gene product. Background mutation rate was 2.7 x 10\(^{-5}\) (pooled results of two animals, 8 mutant plaques/289 530 plaques). At 300 ppm in the diet, the rate of 3.5 X 10\(^{-5}\)(8/236 300) was not significantly increased over background. At 600 ppm in the dict, the rate increased approximately 3 fold to 7.7 x 10\(^{-5}\) (17 /221240). In comparison to the usual single or 5-day carcinogen exposure regimes, the 4-week exposure protocol allowed the use of much lower dose Ievels 00-1000 fold lower). Overt toxicity could thus be avoided. The daily doses used were somewhat higher than those required in 2-year carcinogenicity studies with 2·AAF.
'lbe mouse skin tumor model was used to investigate whether the Ievel of DNA 8dducts and/or the rate of cell division in the epidermis are indicators of the risk of cancer formation for an individual in an outbred animal popul8tion. A high risk was considered to be reftected by 8 short latency period for the 8ppearance of 8 papilloma. Fernale NMRI mice were treated twice weekly with 2.5 nmol 7 ,12-dimethylbenz[a]antbracene (DMBA) and 3 nmoi12-0-tetradecanoylphorbol-13- 8cetate (TPA) and the appearance of papillomas was registered. The first papilloma 8ppeared after 7.5 weeks. After 17 weeks, when 12 of 14 mice bad 8t least one papilloma, an osmotic minipump deliverlog 5-bromo-2'deoxyuridine (BrdU) was implanted into eacb mouse for 24 h. The mice were killed after 24 h ~d the epidermis was analyzed for D:MBA-nucleotide 8dducts by 32p.postlabeling, for the cell number per unit skin length, and for the labeling index for DNA synthesls. Unexpectedly, D:MBA-nucleotide 8dduct Ievels were highest in those anima1s wbich showed the Iongest latency periods. Adduct Ievels were negatively correlated with the 18beling index, indicating that dilution of adducts by cell division was a predominant factor in determining average adduct concentrations. Individual tumor-latency time was not corTelated with either cell ntunber or labeling index. This could be due to the fact that the measurements only provided 8veraged data and gave no infonnation on the specific situation in clones of premalignant cells. Under the conditions of tbis assay, therefore, neither DNA adduct Ievels nor information on the average kinetics of cell division bad a predidive value for the individual amcer risk withln a group of outbred animals receiving the same treatment
The question addressed was whether Stimulation of cell proliferation could be responsible for tumor induction in the torestornach by styrene 7,8-oxide (SO). Male F344 rats were treated for 4 weeks with 0, 137,275, and 550 mglkg SO by p.o. gavage 3 times/week. Positive controls received 0, 0.5, I, and 2% butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) in the diet for 4 weeks. Twenty-four h before termination of the experlment, the rats were implanted s.c. with an osmotic minipump deliverlog S-bromo-2'-deoxyuri· dine (BrdU). Cell proliferation in the forestomach was assessed by immunohistochemistry for BrdU incorporated into DNA. Cell number/mm section length and fraction of replicating cells (labeling Index) were determined in 3 domains of the forestomach, the saccus caecus, the midregion, and the prefundic region. With the exception of the prefundic reglon of the low-dose SO group, a significant increase of the labeling index was found in all regions both with SO and BHA. Rats treated with BHA showed, in addition, a dose-dependent increase in number and size of hyperplastic lesions. This was most pronounced in the prefundic region where carcinomas were reported to be localized. In this region, the number of dividing cells/mm section length was increased up to 17-fold. With SO, only marginal morphological changes were occasionally observed, despite the fact that the respective long-term treatment bad been reported to result in a higher carcinoma incidence than treatment with BHA. It ls concluded that the rate of replicating cells alone, numerically expressed by the labeling Index, is an lnsufficient tool for interpretlog the role of cell division in carcinogenesis. It is postulated that SO and BHA induce forestomach tumors via different mechanisms. While hyperplasia in the prefundic region most likely dominates the carcinogenicity of BHA, a mechanism combining marginal genotoxicity with strong promotion by increased cell proliferation appears to be involved in the tumorigenic action of SO.
The detection Iimit of the lacl transgenic mouse mutagenicity assay lies, in practice, at approximately a 50-100% increase in mutant frequency in treated animals over controls. The sensitivity of this assay in detecting genotoxins can be markedly improved by subchronic rather than acute application of the test compound. The lac/ transgenic mouse mutagenicity assay was compared quantitatively to rodent carcinogenicity tests and to presently used in vivo mutagenicity assays. With the genotoxic carcinogens tested thus far, a rough correlation between mutagenic potency and carcinogenic potency was observed: on average, to obtain a doubling in lacl mutant frequency the mice bad to be treated with a total dose equal to 50 times the TD50 daily dose Ievel. This total dose could be administered eilher at a high dose rate within a few days or, preferably, at a low dose rate over several weeks. This analysis also indicated that a lacl experiment using a 250-day exposure period would give a detection Iimit approximately equal to that of a long-term carcinogenicity study. In comparison to the micronucleus test or the chromosome aberration assay, acute sturlies with the presently available lacl system offered no increase in sensitivity. However, subchronic lacl sturlies (3-4-month exposure) resulted in an increase in sensitivity over the established tests by 1-2 orders of magnitude (shown with 2-acetylaminofluorene, N-nitrosomethylamine, N-nitrosomethylurea and urethane). 1t is concluded that a positive result in the lacl test can be highly predictive of carcinogenicity butthat a negative result does not provide a large margin of safety.
Desensitization of N-fonnyl peptide chemoattractant receptors (FPR) in human neutrophils is thought to be achieved by lateral segregation of receptors and G proteins within the plane of the plasma membrane resulting in an interruption of the signalling cascade. Direct coupling of FPR to membrane skeletal actin appears to be the basis of this process~ however, the molecular mechanism is unknown. In this study we investigated the effect of energy depletion on formation of FPR-membrane skeleton complexes. In addition the effect of the protein kinase C inhibitor stauroporine and the phosphatase inhibitor okadaic acid on coupling of FPR to the membrane skeletonwas studied. Human neutrophils were desensitized using the photoreactive agonist N-formy1-met-leu-phe-1ys-N'[\(^{125}\)I]2(p-azidosalicylamido)ethyl-1,3'-dithiopropionate (fMLFK-[\(^{125}\)I]ASD) after ATP depletion with NaF or after incubation with the respective inhibitors. The interaction of FPR with the membrane skeleton was studied by Sedimentation of the membrane skeleton-associated receptors in sucrose density gradients. Energy depletion of the cells markedly inhibited the formation of FPR-membrane skeleton complexes. This does not appear tobe related to inhibition of protein phosphorylation due to ATP depletion because inhibition of protein kinases and phosphatases bad no significant effect on coupling of FPR to the membrane skeleton. We conclude, therefore, that coupling of FPR to the membrane skeleton is an energy,dependent process which does not appear to require modification of the receptor protein by phosphorylation.
Desensitization of N-formyl peptide chemoattractant receptors (FPR) in human neutrophils results in association of these receptors to the membrane skeleton. This is thought to be the critical event in the lateral segregation of receptors and guanyl nucleotide-binding proteins (G proteins) within the plane of the plasma membrane resulting in an interruption of the signaling cascade. In this study we probed the interaction of FPR with G protein in human neutrophils that were desensitized to various degrees. Human neutrophils were desensitized using the photoreactive agonist N-formyl-met-leu-phelys- N\(^\epsilon\)-[\(^{125}\)I]2(p-azidosalicylamido )ethyl-1 ,3 '-dithiopropionate (/MLFK-[\(^{125}\)I]ASD). The interaction if FPR with G protein was studied via a reconstitution assay and subsequent analysis of FPR-G protein complexes in sucrose density gradients. FPR-G protein complexes were reconstituted with solubilized FPR from partially and fully desensitized neutrophils with increasing concentrations of Gi purified from bovine brain. The respective EC\(_{50}\) values for reconstitution were similar to that determined for FPR from unstimulated neutrophils (Bommakanti RK et al., J Bio[ Chem 267: 757~7581, 1992). We conclude, therefore, that the affinity of the interaction of FPR with G protein is not affected by desensitization, consistent with the model of lateral segregation of FPR and G protein as a mechanism of desensitization.
Signal transduction via receptors for N-formylmethionyl peptide chemoattractants (FPR) on human neutrophils is a highly regulated process which involves participation of cytoskeletal elements. Evidence exists suggesting that the cytoskeleton and/or the membrane skeleton controls the distributJon of FPR in the plane of the plasma membrane, thus controlling the accessibility of FPR to different proteins in functionally distinct domains. In desensitized cells, FPR are restricted todomains which are depleted of G proteins but enriched in cytoskeletal proteins such as actin and fodrin. Thus, the G protein signal transduction partners of FPR become inaccessible to the agonist-occupied receptor, preventing cell activation. The mechanism of interaction of FPR with the membrane skeleton is poorly understood but evidence is accumulating that suggests a direct binding of FPR (and other receptors) to cytoskeletal proteins such as actin.
The cytoskeleton and/or membrane skeleton has been implicated in the regulation of N-formyl peptide receptors. The coupling of these chemotactic receptors to the membrane skeleton was investigated in plasma membranes from unstimulated and desensitized human neutrophils using the photoreactive agonist N-formyl-met-leu-phelys-N\(^6\)-[\(^{125}\)I]2(p-azidosalicylamido)ethyl-1,3'-dithiopropionate (fMLFK-[\(^{125}\)I]ASD). When membranes of unstimulated cells were solubilized in Triton-X 100, a detergent that does not disrupt actin filaments, only 50% of the photoaffinity-labeled receptors were solubilized sedimenting in sucrose density gradients at a rate consistent with previous reports. The remainder were found in the pellet fraction along with the membrane skeletal actin. Solubilization of the membranes in the presence of p-chloromercuriphenylsulfonic acid, elevated concentrations of KCI, or deoxyribonuclease I released receptors in parallel with actin. When membranes from neutrophils, desensitized by incubation with fMLFK-e 251]ASD at 15°C, were solubilized, nearly all receptors were recovered in the pellet fraction. lncubation of cells with the Iigand at 4°C inhibited desensitization partially and prevented the conversion of a significant fraction of receptors to the form associated with the membrane skeletal pellet. ln these separations the photoaffinity-labeled receptors not sedimenting to the pellet cosedimented with actin. Approximately 25% of these receptors could be immunosedimented with antiactin antibodies suggesting that N-formyl peptide receptors may interact directly with actin. These results are consistent with a regulatory role for the interaction of chemotactic N-formyl peptide receptors with actin of the membrane skeleton.
When human neutrophils become desensitized to formyl peptide chemoattractants, the receptors (FPR) for these peptides are converted to a high affinity, GTP-insensitive form that is associated with the Triton X-1 00- insoluble membrane skeleton from surface membrane domains. These domains are actin and fodrin-rich, but G protein-depfeted suggesting that FPR shuttling between G protein-enriched and depleted domains may control signal transduction. Todetermine the molecular basis for FPR interaction with the membrane skeleton, neutrophil subcellular fractions were screened for molecules that could bind photoaffinity-radioiodinated FPR solubilized in Triton X-1 00. These receptors showed a propensity to bind to a 41- to43-kDa proteinband on nitrocelluloseoverlays of SOS-PAGE-separated cytosol and plasma membrane fractions of neutrophils. This binding, as weil as FPR binding to purified neutrophil actin, was inhibited 50% by 0.6 \(\mu\)M free neutrophil cytosolic actin. Addition of greater than 1 \(\mu\)M G-actin to crude or lectin-purified Triton X-1 00 extracts of FPR from neutrophil membranes increased the sedimentationrate of a significant fraction of FPR two to three fold as measured by velocity sedimentation in Triton X-1 00-containing linear sucrose density gradients. Addition of anti-actin antibodies to FPR extracts caused a concentration-dependent immunoprecipitation of at least 65% of the FPR. More than 40% of the immunoprecipitated FPR was specifically retained on protein A affinity matrices. Membrane actin was stabilized to alkaline washing when membranes were photoaffinity labeled. Conversely, when purified neutrophil cytosolic actinwas added to membranes or their digitonin extracts, after prior depletion of actin by an alkaline membrane wash, photoaffinity labeling of FPR was increased two- to fourfold with an EC\(_{50}\) of approximately 0.1 \(\mu\)M actin. We conclude that FPR from human neutrophils may interact with actin in membranes to form Triton X-1 00-stable physical complexes. These complexes can accept additional G-actin monomers to form higher order molecular complexes. Formation of FPR-actin complexes in the neutrophil may play a role in the regulation of chemoattractantinduced activation or actin polymerization.
A\(_1\) adenosine receptors in coated vesicles have been characterized by radioligand binding and photoaflinity labelling. Saturation experiments with the antagonist 8-cyclopentyl-1 ,3-[\(^3\)H]dipropyl-xanthine ([\(^3\)H]DPCPX) gave a Kdvalue of 0.7 nM and a Bmax value of 82± 13 fmol/mg protein. For the highly A\(_1\)-selective agonist 2-chloro-N\(^6\)-[\(^3\)H]cyclopentyladenosine ([\(^3\)H]CCPA) a Kd value of 1.7 nM and a Bmax value of 72 ± 29 fmol/mg protein was estimated. Competition of agonists for [\(^3\)H]DPCPX binding gave a pharmacological profile with R-N\(^6\)-phenylisopropyladenosine (R-PIA) > CCPA > S-PIA > 5'-N-ethylcarboxamidoadenosine (NECA), which is identical to brain membranes. The competition curves were best fitted according to a two-site model, suggesting the existence of two affinity states. GTP shifted the competition curve for CCP A to the right and only one affinity state similar to the low affinity state in the absence of GTP was detected. The photoreactive agonist 2-azido-N\(^6\)- \(^{125}\)I-p-hydroxyphenylisopropyladenosine ([\(^{125}\)I]AHPIA) specifically labelled a single protein with an apparent molecular weight of 35,000 in coated vesicles, which is identical to A\(_1\) receptors labelled in brain membranes. Therefore, coated vesicles contain A\(_1\) adenosine receptors with similar binding characteristics as membrane-bound receptors, including GTP-sensitive high-affinity agonist binding. Photoaffinity labelling data suggest that A\(_1\) receptors in these vesicles are not a processed receptor fonn. These results confirm that A\(_1\) receptors in coated vesicles are coupled to a G-protein, and it appears that the A\(_1\) receptor systems in coated vesicles andin plasma membranes are identical.
Reduction of postischemic leukocyte-endothelium interaction by adenosine via A\(_2\) receptor
(1992)
The adhesion of leukocytes to the endothelium of postcapillary venules hallmarks a key event in ischemia-reperfusion injury. Adenosine has been shown to protect from postischemic reperfusion injury, presumably through inhibition of postischemic leukocyte-endothelial interaction. This study was performed to investigate in vivo by which receptors the effect of adenosine on postischemic leukocyte-endothelium interaction is mediated. The hamster dorsal skinfold model and fluorescence microscopy were used for intravital investigation of red cell velocity, vessel diameter, and leukocyte-endothelium interaction in postcapillary venules of a thin striated skin muscle. leukocytes were stained in vivo with acridine orange (0.5 mg kg\(^{-1}\) min\(^{-1}\) i.v. ). Parameters were assessed prior to induction of 4 h ischemia to the muscle tissue and 0.5 h, 2 h, and 24 h after reperfusion. ·Adenosine, the adenosine A1-selective agonist 2-chloro-N\(^6\) -cyclopentyladenosine (CCPA), the Arselective agonist CGS 21,680, the non-selective adenosine receptor antagonist xanthine amine congener {XAC), and the adenosine uptake blocker S-(p-nitrobenzyl)-6-thioinosine (NBTI) were infused viajugular vein starting 15 min priortorelease of ischemia until 0.5 h after reperfusion. Adenosine and CGS 21,680 significantly reduced postischemic leukocyte-endothelium interaction 0.5 h after reperfusion (p< 0.01), while no inhibitory effect was observed with CCPA. Coadministration of XAC blocked the inhibitory effects of adenosine. Infusion of NBTI alone effectively decreased postischemic leukocyte-endothelium interaction. These findings indicate that adenosine reduces postischemic leukocyte-endothelium interaction via A\(_2\) receptor and suggest a protective role of endogenous adenosine during ischemia-reperfusion.
In the search for more selective A2-receptor agonists and on the basis that appropriate substitution at C2 is known to impart selectivity for A\(_2\) receptors, 2-alkynyladenosines 2a-d were resynthesized and evaluated in radioligand binding, adenylate cycla.se, and platelet aggregation studies. Binding of [\(^3\)H]NECA to A\(_2\) receptors of rat striatal membranes was inhibited by compounds 2a-d with K\(_i\) values ranging from 2.8 to 16.4 nM. 2-Alkynyladenosines also exhibited high-affmity binding at solubilized A\(_2\) receptors from human platelet membranes. Competition of 2-alkynyladenosines 2a-d for the antagonist radioligand [\(^3\)H]DPCPX and for the agonist [\(^3\)H]CCPA gave K\(_i\) values in the nanomolar range, and the compounds showed moderate A\(_2\) selectivity. In order to improve this selectivity, the correaponding 2-alkynyl derivatives of adenosine-5'-N-ethyluronamide 8a-d were synthesized and tested. A\(_1\) expected, the 5'-N-ethyluronamide derivatives retained the A\(_2\) affinity whereas the A\(_1\) affinity was attenuated, resulting in an up to 10-fold increase in A\(_2\) selectivity. A similar patternwas observed in adenylate cyclase assays andin platelet aggregation studies. A 30- to 45-fold selectivity for platelet A\(_2\) receptors compared to A\(_1\) receptors was found for compounds 8a-c in adenylate cyclase studies.
Photoaffinity-labeled N-formyl chemotactic peptide receptors from human neutrophils solubilized in octyl glucoside exhibit two forms upon sucrose density gradient sedimentation, with apparent Sedimentation coefficients of approximately 4 and 7 S. Tbe 7 S form can be converted to the 4 S form by guanosine 5' -0- (3-thiotriphosphate) (GTP-yS) with an EC&o of -20 nM, suggesting that the 7 S form may represent a physical complex of the receptor with endogenous G protein (Jesaitis, A. J., Tolley, J. 0., Bokoch, G. M., and Allen, R. A. (1989) J. Cell Biol. 109, 2783-2790). To probe the nature of the 7 S form, we reconstituted the 7 S form from the 4 S form by adding purified G protein. The 4 S form, obtained by solubilizing GTP-yS-treated neutrophil plasma membranes, was incubated with purified (>95%) G. protein from bovine brain (containing both G\(_{ia1}\) and G\(_{ia2}\)) or with neutrophil G protein (G\(_a\)), and formation of the 7 S complex was analyzed on sucrose density gradients. The EC\(_{50}\) of 7 S complex formation induced by the two G proteins was 70 \(\pm\) 25 and 170 \(\pm\) 40 DM for G\(_a\) and G\(_1\), respectively. No complexation was measurable when bovine transducin (G\(_t\)) was used up to 30 times the EC\(_{50\) for G\(_a\). The EC\(_{50}\) for G\(_t\) was the same for receptors, obtained from formyl peptide-stimulated or unstimulated cells. The addition of 10 \(\mu\)M GTP-yS to the reconstituted 7 S complex caused a complete reversion of the receptor to the 4 S form, and anti-G\(_1\) peptide antisera immunosedimented the 7 S form. ADP-ribosylation of Gt prevented formation of the 7 S form even at 20 times the concentration of unribosylated G. normally used to attain 50% conversion to the 7 S form. These observations suggest that the 7 S species is a pbysical complex containing N-formyl chemotactic peptide receptor and G protein.
The mechanism of the therapeutic and prophylactic effects of carbamazepine (CBZ) in affective psychoses is unknown but may in part be related to the potent competitive interaction of CBZ with adenosine-binding sites in the brain. The antioonvulsant and sedative properties of CBZ are reminiscent of the effects evoked by adenosine-agonists and contrast sharply with the opposite aclions of adenosine-antagonists like caffeine. However. indirect evidence suggests an antagonist- rather than an agonist-like activity of CBZ at adenosi11e-receptors. We have used various model systems, in which adenosine receptor subtypes mediate different second messenger-responses, to investigate this apparent paradox. CBZ was found to antagonize the A\(_1\) receptor-mediated inhibition of cydic AMP accumulation in cultured astroblasts and in GH3-cells. Furthermore, CBZ also inhibits the adenosine-induced increase in the level of cyclic AMP in cultured astroblasts, which is mediated by low-affinity A\(_{2b}\)-receptors. ln contrast, CBZ does not block the inhibition elicited by adenosine-agonists of the agonist-induced increased formation of inositolphosphates in human neutrophils, which is mediated by high-affinity A\(_{2a}\)-receptors. The specific antagonism by CBZ of A\(_1\)- but not of high-affinity A\(_{2a}\)-receptors was further supported by binding experiments using rat brain membranes. These results suggest tbat the paradox of CBZ's antagonistic effects at adenosine-receptors might be at least partially reconciled by a selective antagonistic action of CBZ at A\(_1\)recertors but not at high-affinity A\(_{2a}\)-receptors.
Radioligand binding to A\(_1\) adenosine receptors at brain membranes from seven species was investigated. The antagonist 8-cyclopentyl-1 ,3-[\(^3\)H]dipropylxanthine ([\(^3\)H]DPCPX) bound with affinities between 0.17 nM in sheep brain and 2.1 nM in guinea pig brain. Competition of several antagonists for [\(^3\)H]DPCPX binding showed that the most potent compounds were DPCPX with K\(_i\) values of 0.05 nM in bovine brain and 1.1 nM in guinea pig brain and xanthine amine congener (XAC) with K\(_i\) values of 0.03 nM in bovine brain and 5.5 nM in guinea pig brain. The differences in affinity of the agonist radio Iigand 2-chloro-N\(^6\) -[\(^3\)H]cyclopen tyladenosine ([\(^3\)H]CCP A) were less pronounced, rauging from a K\(_D\) value of 0.12 nM (hamster brain) to 0.42 nM (guinea pig brain). Agonist competition for [\(^3\)H]DPCPX binding of photoaffinity labelling, however, exhibited marked species differences. N-Ethylcarboxamidoadenosine (NECA) and S-N\(^6\)-phenylisopropyladenosine (S-PIA) showed 20 to 25-fold different K\(_D\) values in different species. NECA had a particularly high affinity in guinea pig brain and was only two-fold less potent than R-PIA. Thus, the difference from the "classical" A\(_1\) receptor profile (R-PIA > -NECA > S-PIA) is not sufficient to speculate that A\(_1\) receptor subtypes may exist that are coupled to different effector systems. Our data show that these difference can easily be explained by species differences.
Active neuropeptide Y receptors were solubilized from rabbit kidney membranes using the zwitterionic detergent 3-[ (3-cholamidopropy l)dimethylammonio ]- 1-propanesulfonic acid (CHAPS). In membrane fragmentsandsoluble extracts neuropeptide Y bindingwas time dependent, saturable, reversible, and of high affinity. Scatchard analysis of equilibrium binding data indicated a single class of binding sites with respective Kn and Bmax values of 0.09 nM and 530 fmol/mg of protein for the membrane-bound receptors and 0.10 nM and 1585 fmol/mg of protein for the soluble receptors. Neuropeptide Y bindingwas specifically inhibited by the nonhydrolyzable GTP analog guanosine 5' -0- (3-thiotripbosphate) in a concentration-dependent manner, with IC\(_{50}\) values of 28 and 0.14 \(\mu\)M for membrane- bound and soluble receptors, respectively, suggesting that neuropeptide Y receptors are functionally coupled to GTP-binding regulatory proteins. CrossHoking studies were performed with the heterobifunctional N-hydroxysuccinimidyl-4-azidobenzoate and the monofunctional neuropeptide Y derivative, azidobenzoyl and led to the identification of a 100 kDa peptide that should represent the covalently labeled neuropeptide Y receptor.
The effects of guanine nucleotides on binding of 8-cyclopentyl-1,3-[\(^3\)H]dipropylxanthine [\(^3\)H]DPCPX), a highly selective A\(_1\) adenosine receptor antagonist, have been investigated in rat brain membranes and solubilized A\(_1\) receptors. GTP, which induces uncoupling of receptors from guanine nucleotide binding proteins, increased binding of [\(^3\)H]DPCPX in a concentration-dependent manner. The rank order of potency for different guanine nucleotides for increasing [\(^3\)H]DPCPX bindingwas the same as for guanine nuc1eotide-induced inhibition of agonist binding. Therefore, a role for a guanine nucleotide binding protein, e.g., G\(_i\), in the regulation of antagonist binding is suggested. This was confirmed by inactivation ofGi by N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) treatment of membranes, which resulted in an increase in [\(^3\)H]DPCPX binding similar to that seen with addition of GTP. Kinetic and equilibrium binding studies showed that the GTP- or NEM-induced increase in antagonist binding was not caused by an affinity change of A\(-1\) receptors for [\(^3\)H]DPCPX but by an increased Bmu value. Guanine nucleotides had similar effects on membrane-bound and solubilized receptors, with the effects in the solubilized system being more pronounced. In the absence of GTP, when rnost receptors are in a high-affinity state for agonists, only a few receptors are labeled by [\(^3\)H]DPCPX. It is suggested that [\(^3\)H]DPCPX binding is inhibited when receptors are coupled to G\(_i\). Therefore, uncoupling of A\(_1\) receptors from G\(_i\) by guanine nucleotides or by inactivation of G\(_i\) with NEM results in an increased antagonist binding.
Key Words: Adenosine receptors-8 -Cyclopentyl-1,3-eH]dipropylxanthine-Antagenist binding-Guanine nucleotide effects. Klotz K.-N. et al. Guanine nucleotide etfects on 8-cyclopentyl-1 ,3-eH]dipropylxanthine binding to membrane-bound and solubilized A1 adenosine receptors of rat brain. J. Neurochem. 54, 1988-1994 (1990).
1 Adenosine and its metabolically stable analogue N.etbyl-carboxamidoadenosine (NECA) enhance histamine release from rat peritoneal mast cells when tbese are stimulated by calciummobilizing agents. NECA and adenosine shift the concentration-response curve of tbe calcium ionophore A23187 to lower concentrations. 2 The potencies of NECA or adenosinein enhancing A23187-induced histamine release are dependent on the Ievel of stimulated release in tbe absence of adenosine analogues. At high Ievels of release their potencies are up to 20 times higher than at low Ievels. Consequently, averaged concentration-response curves of adenosine and NECA for enhancing bistamine release are shallow. 3 The adenosine transport blocker S-(p-nitrobenzyl)-6-thioinosine (NBTI) has no effect by itself at low Ievels of stimulated histamine release, but abolishes the enhancing effect of adenosine. At high Ievels of release, however, NBTI alone enhances the release of histamine. 4 lt is concluded that adenosine and calcium reciprocally enhance the sensitivity of the secretory processes to the effects of the other agent. The Ievels of intracellular adenosine obtained by trapping adenosine inside stimulated mast cells are sufficient to enhance histamine release substantially, suggesting that this effect may play a physiological and pathophysiological role.
In the present work we studied the pharmacological profile of adenosine receptors in guinea pig atria by investigating the effect of different adenosine analogues on 86Rb + -efflux from isolated left atria and on binding of the antagonist radioligand 8-cyclopentyl-1 ,3-[\(^3\)H]dipropylxanthine ([\(^3\)H]DPCPX) to atrial membrane preparations. The rate of \8^{86}\)Rb\(^+\) -effiux was increased twofold by the maximally effective concentrations of adenosine receptor agonists. The EC50-values for 2-chloro-N\(^6\)-cyclopentyladenosine (CCPA), R-N\(^6\)-phenylisopropyladenosine (R-PIA), 5'-Nethylcarboxamidoadenosine (NECA), and S-N\(^6\)-phenylisopropyladenosine (S-PIA) were 0.10, 0.14, 0.24 and 12.9 \(\mu\)M, respectively. DPCPX shifted the R-PIA concentration-response curve to the right in a concentration-dependent manner with a K\(_B\)-value of 8.1 nM, indicating competitive antagonism. [\(^3\)H]DPCPX showed a saturable binding to atrial membranes with a Bmax·value of 227 fmol/mg protein and a K\(_D\)-value of 1.3 nM. Competition experiments showed a similar potency for the three agonists CCPA, R-PIA and NECA. S-PIA is 200 times less potent than R-PIA. Our results suggest that the K\(^+\) channel-coupled adenosine receptor in guinea pig atria is of an A\(_1\) subtype.
The tritiated analogue of 2-chloro-N6-cyclopentyladenosine (CCPA), an adenosine derivative with subnanomolar affinity and a 10000-fold selectivity for A1 adenosine receptors, has been examined as a new agonist radioligand. [3H]CCP A was prepared with a specifi.c radioactivity of 1.58 TBqjmmol ( 43 Ci/mmol) and bound in a reversible manner to A1 receptors from rat brain membranes with a high affinity K0 -value of 0.2 nmol/1. In the presence of GTP a K0 -value of 13 nmol/1 was determined for the low affinity state for agonist binding. Competition of several adenosine receptor agonists and antagonists for [3H]CCPA binding to rat brain membranes confrrmed binding to an A1 receptor. Solubilized A1 receptors bound [3H]CCPA with similar affinity for the high affinity state. At solubilized receptors a reduced association rate was observed in the presence of MgC12, as has been shown for the agonist [ 3H]N6-phenylisopropyladenosine ([3H]PIA). [3H]CCPA was also used for detection of A1 receptors in rat cardio myocyte membranes, a tissue with a very low receptor density. A K0 -value of 0.4 nmol/1 and a Bmax-value of 16 fmol/ mg protein was determined in these membranes. In human platelet membranes no specific binding of [3H]CCPA was measured at concentrations up to 400 nmoljl, indicating that A2 receptors did not bind [3H]CCPA. Based on the subnanomolar affinity and the high selectivity for A1 receptors [ 3H]CCPA proved to be a useful agonist radioligand for characterization of A 1 adenosine receptors also in tissues with very low receptor density.
Radiation inactivation analysis of the binding of the A1 adenosine receptor antagonist, 8-cyclopentyl-1,3-dipropylxanthine to rat brain membranes yielded a radiation inactivation size of 58 kDa. In the presence of GTPyS this was reduced to 33 kDa, in good agreement with the size of the ligand-binding subunit detected after photoaffinity labelling. The data indicate that the structural association of A\(_1\) adenosine receptors with G-protein components is altered in situ in the presence of guanine nucleotides.
Chemical modification of amino acid residues was used to probe the ligand recognition site of A\(_1\) adenosine receptors from rat brain membranes. The effect of treatment with group·specific reagents on agonist and antagonist radioligand binding was investigated. The histidine-specific reagent diethylpyrocarbonate (DEP) induced a loss of binding of the agonist R-N\(^6\)-[\(^3\)H]phenylisopropyladenosine ([\(^3\)H]PIA), which could be prevented in part by agonists, but not by antagonists. DEP treatment induced also a loss of binding of the antagonist [\(^3\)H]8- cyclopentyl-1 ,3-dipropylxanthine ([\(^3\)H]DPCPX). Antagonists protected A\(_1\) receptors from this inactivation while agonists did not. This result provided evidence for the existence of at least 2 different histidine residues involved in ligand binding. Consistent with a modification of the binding site, DEP did not alter the affinity of [\(^3\)H]DPCPX, but reduced receptor number. From the selective protection of [\(^3\)H] PIA and [\(^3\)H]DPCPX binding from inactivation, it is concluded that agonists and antagonists oocupy different domains at the binding site. Sulfhydryl modifying reagents did not influence antagonist binding, but inhibited agonist binding. This effect is explained by modification of tbe inhibitory guanine nucleotide binding protein. Pyridoxal 5-phosphate inactivated both [\(^3\)H]PIA and [\(^3\)H]DPCPX binding, but the receptors could not be protected from inactivation by ligands. Therefore, no amino group seems to be located at the Iigand binding site. In addition, it was shown that no further amino acids witb polar side chains are present. The absence of bydrophilic amino acids frout the recognition site of the receptor apart from histidine suggests an explanation for the lack of hydrophilic ligands with high affinity for A\(_1\) receptors.
Tbe 2',3'-dideoxy analogue of the potent A\(_1\) receptor agonist, N\(^6\)-cyclohexyladenosine (CHA), was synthesized as a potential antagonist for the A\(_1\) adenosine receptor. In sturlies on adenylate cyclase 2',3'-dideoxy-N\(^6\)-cyclohexyladenosine (ddCHA) did not show agonist properties at A\(_1\) or at A\(_2\) receptors. However, it antagonized the inhibition by R-PIA of adenylate cyclase activity of fat cell membranes via A\(_1\) receptors with a K\(_i\) value of 13 \(\mu\)M. ddCHA competed for the binding of the selective A1 receptor antagonist, [\(^3\) HJ8-cyclopentyl-1,3-dipropylxantbine ([\(^3\)H]DPCPX), to rat brain membranes with a K\(_i\) value of 4.8 \(\mu\)M; GTP did not affect the competition curve. In contrast to the marked stereoselectivity of the A\(_1\) receptor for the cx- and the natural ß-anomer of adenosine, the cx-anomer of ddCHA showed a comparable affinity for the A\(_1\) receptor (K\(_i\) value 13.9 \8\mu\)M). These data indicate that the 2'- and 3'-hydroxy groups of adenosine and its derivatives are required foragonist activity at and high affinity binding to A\(_1\) adenosine receptors and for the distinction between the cx- and ß-forms.
2-Chloro-N\(^6\)-cyclopentyladenosine: a highly selective agonist at A\(_1\) adenosine receptors
(1988)
2-Chloro-N\(^6\)-cyclopentyladenosine (CCPA) was synthesized as a potential high affinity ligand for At adenosine receptors. Binding of [\(^3\)H]PIA to A1 receptors of rat brain membranes was inhibited by CCP A with a Ki-value of 0.4 nM, compared to a Ki-value of 0.8 nM for the parent compound N\(^6\)-cyclopentyladenosine (CPA). Binding of [\(^3\)H]NECA to A\(_2\) receptors of rat striatal membranes was inhibited with a Ki-value of 3900 nM, demonstrating an almost 10,000-fold A\(_1\)-selectivity of CCPA. CCP A inhibited the activity of rat fat cell membrane adenylate cyclase, a model for the A\(_1\) receptor, with an IC\(_{50}\)-value of 33 nM, and it stimulated the adenylate cyclase activity of human platelet membranes with an EC\(_{50}\)-value of 3500 nM. The more than 100-fold A\(_1\)-selectivity compares favourably with a 38-fold selectivity of CPA. Thus, CCPA is an agonist at A\(_1\) adenosine receptors with a 4-fold higher selectivity and 2-fold higher affinity than CPA, and a considerably higher selectivity than the standard At receptor agonist R-N\(^6\) -phenylisopropyladenosine (R-PIA). CCP A represents the agonist with the highest selectivity for A\(_1\) receptors reported so far.
Adenosine receptor agonists: Synthesis and biological evaluation of 1-deaza analogues of adenosine
(1988)
In a search for more selective A\(_1\) adenosine receptor agonists, N\(^6\)-[(R)-(-)-1-methyl-2-phenethyl]-1-deazaadenosine (1-deaza-R-PIA, 3a), N\(^6\)-cyclopentyl-1-deazaadenosine (1-deazaCPA, 3b), N\(^6\)-cyclohexyl-l-deazaadenosine (1-deazaCHA, Sc), and the corresponding 2-chloro derivatives 2a-c were synthesized from 5,7-dichloro-3-ß-D-ribofuranosyl-3Himidazo[ 4,5-b]pyridine (1). On the other band, N-ethyl-1'-deoxy-1'-(1-deaza-6-amino-9H-purin-9-yl)-ß-D-ribofuranuronamide (1-deazaNECA, 10) was prepared from 7-nitro-3-ß-D-ribofuranosyl-3H-imidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (4), in an attempt to find a more selective A\(_2\) agonist. The activity of all deaza analogues at adenosine receptors has been determined in adenylate cyclase andin radioligand binding studies. 1-DeazaNECA (10) proved tobe a nonselective agonist at both subtypes of the adenosine receptor. It is about 10-fold less active than NECA but clearly more active than the parent compound 1-deazaadenosine as an inhibitor of platelet aggregation and as a stimulator of cyclic AMP accumulation. The N\(^6\)-substituted 1-deazaadenosines largely retain the A\(_1\) agonist activity of their parent compounds, but lose some of their A\(_2\) agonist activity. This results in A\(_1\)-selective compounds, of which N\(^6\)cyclopentyl- 2-chloro-1-deazaadenosine (1-deaza-2-Cl-CPA, 2b) was identified as the most selective agonist at A\(_1\) adenosine receptors so far known. The activity of all 1-deaza analogues confirms that the presence of the nitrogen atom at position 1 of the purine ring is not critical for A\(_1\) receptor mediated adenosine actions.
Human platelet membranes were solubilized with the zwitterionic detergent CHAPS (3-[3-(cholamidopropyl)dimethylammonio]- 1-propanesulfonate) and the solubilized extract subjected to gel ftltration. Binding of the adenosine receptor agonist [\(^3\)H]NECA (5'-N-ethylcarboxamidoadenosine) was measured to the eluted fractions. Two [\(^3\)H]NECA binding peaks were eluted, the first of them with the void volume. This first peak represented between 10% and 25% of the [\(^3\)H]NECA binding activity eluted from the column. It bound [\(^3\)H]NECA in a reversible, saturable and GTPdependent manner with an affinity of 46 nmol/1 and a binding capacity of 510 fmol/mg protein. Various adenosine receptor ligands competed for the binding of [\(^3\)H]NECA to the frrst peak with a pharmacological proftle characteristic for the A\(_2\) adenosine receptor as determined from adenylate cyclase experiments. In contrast, most adenosine receptor ligands did not compete for [\(^3\)H]NECA binding to the second, major peak. These results suggest that a solubilized A\(_2\) receptor-Gs protein complex of human platelets can be separated from other [\(^3\)H]NECA binding sites by gel filtration. This allows reliable radioligand binding studies of the A2 adenosine receptor of human plate1ets.
The effects of barbiturates on the GABA·receptor complex and the A\(_1\) adenosine receptor were studied. At the GABA-receptor complex the barbiturates inhibited the binding of [\(^{35}\)S]t-butylbicyclophosphorothionate [\(^{35}\)S]TBPT) and enhanced the binding of [\(^3\)H]diazepam. Kinetic and saturation experiments showed that both effects were allosteric. Whereas all barbiturates caused complete inhibition of [\(^{35}\)S]TBPT binding, they showed varying degrees of maximal enhancement of [\(^3\)H]diazepam binding; (±)methohexital was idenafied as the most efficacious compound for this enhancement. At the A\(_1\) adenosine receptor all barbiturates inhibited the binding of [\(^3\)H]N\(^6\)-phenylisopropyladenosine (\(^3\)H]PIA) in a competitive manner. The comparison of the effects on [\(^3\)H]diazepam and [\(^3\)H]PIA binding showed that excitatory barbiturates interact preferentially with the A\(_1\) adenosine receptor, and sedative/anaesthetic barbiturates with the GABA-receptor complex. It is speculated that the interaction with these two receptors might be the basis of the excitatory versus sedative/ anaesthetic properties of barbiturates.
The properties of 8-cyclopentyl-1,3-dipropylxanthine (DPCPX) as an antagonist ligand for A\(_1\) adenosirre receptors were examined and conipared with other radioligands for this receptor. DPCPX competitively antagonized both the inhibition of adenylate cyclase activity via A\(_1\) adenosirre receptors and the stimulationvia A\(_2\) adenosirre receptors. The K\(_i\)-values of this antagonism were 0.45 nM at the A\(_1\) receptor of rat fat cells, and 330 nM at the A\(_2\) receptor of human platelets, giving a more than 700-fold A\(_1\)-selectivity. A similar A\(_1\)-selectivity was determined in radioligand binding studies. Even at high concentrations, DPCPX did not significantly inhibit the soluble cAMPphosphodiesterase activity of human platelets. [\(^3\)H]DPCPX (105 Ci/mmol) bound in a saturable manner with high affinity to A\(_1\) receptors in membranes of bovine brain and heart, and rat brain and fat cells (K\(_D\) -values 50-190 pM). Its nonspecific binding was about 1% of total at K\(_D\) , except in bovine myocardial membranes (about 10%). Binding studies with bovine myocardial membranes allowed the analysis of both the high and low agonist affinity states of this receptor in a tissue with low receptor density. The binding properties of [\(^3\)H]DPCPX appear superior to those of other agonist and antagonist radioligands for the A\(_1\) receptor.
A\(_1\) adenosine receptors from different tissues and species we~e photoaffinity labelled and then the carbohydrate content was examined by both enzymatic and chemical treatment. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the labelled membrane receptors shows that neuraminidase treatment alters the electrophoretic mobility of the receptor band indica ting the presence of terminal neurandnie acids. Neuraminidase digestion does not influence the binding characteristics of the receptor. The totally deglycosylated receptor protein obtained by chemical treatment has an apparent molecular weight Of 32,000.
A\(_1\) adenosine receptors from rat brain membranes were solubilized with the zwitterionic detergent 3-[3-( cholamidopropyl)dimethylammonio]-1-propanesulfonate. The solubilized receptors retained all the characteristics of membrane-bound A\(_1\) adenosine receptors. A high and a low agonist affinity state for the radiolabelled agonist (R)-\(N^6\)-[\(^3\)H]phenylisopropyladenosine([\(^3\)H]PJA) with K\(_D\) values of 0.3 and 12 nM, respectively, were detected. High-affinity agonist binding was regulated by guanine nucleotides. In addition agonist binding was still modulated by divalent cations. The solubilized A\(_1\) adenosine receptors could be labelled not only with the agonist [\(^3\)H]PIA but also with the antagonist I ,3-diethyi-8-[\(^3\)H]phenylxanthine. Guanine nucleotides did not affect antagonist binding as reported for membrane-bound receptors. These results suggest that the solubilized receptors are still coupled to the guanine nucleotide binding protein N; and that all regulatory functions are retained on solubilization. Key Words: A1 adenosine receptors - Solubilization- Rat brain membranes. Klotz K.-N. et al. Characterization of the solubilized A1 adenosine receptor from rat brain membranes. J. Neurochem. 46, 1528-1534 (1986).
Insulin receptors were solubilized from rat liver microsomes by the nonionic detergent Triton X-100. After gel filtration of the extract on Sepharose CL-6B, two insulin-binding species (peak I and peak li) were obtained. The structure and binding properties of both peaks were characterized. Gel filtration yielded Stokes radii of 9.2 nm (peak I) and 8.0 nm (peak Il). Both peaks were glycoproteins. At 4°C peak 1 showed optimal insulin binding at pH 8.0 and high ionic strength. In contrast, peak li bad its binding optimum at pH 7.0 and low ionic strength, where peak I bindingwas minimal. For peak I the change in insulin binding under different conditions of pH and ionic strength was due to a change in receptor affinity only. For peak 11 an additional change in receptor number was found. Both peaks yielded non-linear Scatchard plots under most of the buffer conditions examined. At their binding optima at 4 oc the high affinity dissociation constants were 0.50 nM (peak I) and 0.55 nM (peak II). Sodium dodecyl sulfatejpolyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of peak I revealed five receptor bands with Mr 400000, 365000, 320000, 290000, and 245000 under non-reducing conditions. For peak II two major receptor bands with M\(_r\) 210000 and 115000 were found. The peak II receptor bands were also obtained aftermild reduction of peak I. After complete reduction both peaks showed one major receptor band with M\(_r\) 130000. The reductive generation of the peak II receptor together with molecular mass estimations suggest that the peak I receptor is the disulfide-linked dimer of the peak II receptor. Thus, Triton extracts from rat liver microsomes contain two receptor species, which are related, but differ considerably in their size and insulin-binding properties.
Adenosine receptors in guinea pig lung were characterized by measurement of cyclic AMP formation and radioligand binding. 5'-N-Ethylcarboxamidoadenosine (NECA) increased cyclic AMP Ievels in lung slices about 4-fold over basal values with an EC\(_{50}\) of 0.32 \(\mu\)mol/l. N\(^6\) - R-(- )-Phenylisopropyladenosine (R-PIA) was 5-fold less potent than NECA. 5'-N-Methylcarboxamidoadenosine (MECA) and 2-chloroadenosine had EC\(_{50}\)-values of 0.29 and 2.6 \(\mu\)mol/l, whereas adenosine and inosine had no effect. The adenosine receptors in guinea pig Iung can therefore be classified as A\(_2\) receptors. Several xanthine derivatives antagonized the NECA-induced increase in cyclic AMP levels. 1,3-Diethyl-8-phenylxanthine (DPX; K\(_i\) 0.14 \(\mu\)mol/l) was the most potent analogue, followed by 8-phenyltheophylline (K\(_i\) 0.55 \(\mu\)mol/l), 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX; K\(_i\) 2.9 \(\mu\)mol/l) and theophylline (K\(_i\) 8.1 \(\mu\)mol/l). In contrast, enprofylline (1 mmol/1) enhanced basal and NECA-stimulated cyclic AMP formation. In addition, we attempted to characterize these receptors in binding studies with [\(^3\)H]NECA. The K\(_D\) for [\(^3\)H] NECA was 0.25 \(\mu\)mol/l and the maximal number of binding sites was 12 pmol/mg protein. In competition experiments MECA (K\(_i\) 0.14 \(\mu\)mol/l) was the most potent inhibitor of [\(^3\)H] NECA binding, followed by NECA (K\(_i\) 0.19 \(\mu\)mol/l) and 2-chloroadenosine (K\(_i\) 1.4 \(\mu\)mol/l). These results correlate well with the EC\(_{50}\)- values for cyclic AMP formation in lung slices. However, the K\(_i\)-values of R-PIA and theophylline were 240 and 270 \(\mu\)mol/l, and DPX and 8-phenyltheophylline did not compete for [\(^3\)H]NECA binding sites. Therefore, a complete characterization of A\(_2\) adenosine receptors by [\(^3\)H] NECA binding was not achieved. In conclusion, our results show the presence of adenylate cyclase-coupled A\(_2\) adenosiile receptors in lung tissue which are antagonized by several xanthines.