Role of quinones in toxicology

Quinones represent a class of toxicological intermediates which can create a variety of hazardous effects in vivo, including acute cytotoxicity, immunotoxicity, and carcinogenesis. The mechanisms by which quinones cause these effects can be quite complex. Quinones are Michael acceptors, and cellular damage can occur through alkylation of crucial cellular proteins and/or DNA. Alternatively, quinones are highly redox active molecules which can redox cycle with their semiquinone radicals, leading to formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), including superoxide, hydrogen peroxide, and ultimately the hydroxyl radical. Production of ROS can cause severe oxidative stress within cells through the formation of oxidized cellular macromolecules, including lipids, proteins, and DNA. Formation of oxidatively damaged bases such as 8-oxodeoxyguanosine has been associated with aging and carcinogenesis. Furthermore, ROS can activate a number of signaling pathways, including protein kinase C and RAS. This review explores the varied cytotoxic effects of quinones using specific examples, including quinones produced from benzene, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, estrogens, and catecholamines. The evidence strongly suggests that the numerous mechanisms of quinone toxicity (i.e., alkylation vs oxidative stress) can be correlated with the known pathology of the parent compound(s).     

Anti-cancer activities of 1,4-naphthoquinones: a QSAR study

Quinone moieties are present in many drugs such as anthracyclines, daunorubicin, doxorubicin, mitomycin, mitoxantrones and saintopin, which are used clinically in the therapy of solid cancers. The cytotoxic effects of these quinones are mainly due to the following two factors: (i) inhibition of DNA topoisomerase-II and, (ii) formation of semiquinone radical that can transfer an electron to oxygen to produce super oxide, which is catalyzed by flavoenzymes such as NADPH-cytochrome-P-450 reductase. Both semiquinone and super oxide of quinones can generate the hydroxyl radical, which is the cause of DNA strand breaks. 1,4-naphthoquinone contains two quinone groups that have the ability to accept one or two electrons to form the corresponding radical anion or di-anion species. It is probably dependent on the quinone redox cycling that yields "reactive oxygen species" (ROS) as well as arylation reactions, which is common to quinones for biological relevance. In the present review, an attempt has been made to collect the cytotoxicity data on different series of 1,4-naphthoquinones against four different cancer cell lines that are L1210, A549, SNU-1, and K562, which were acquired by using identical method, and has been discussed in terms of QSAR (quantitative structure-activity relationships) to understand the chemical-biological interactions. QSAR results have shown that the cytotoxic activities of 1,4-naphthoquinones depend largely on their hydrophobicity.     

Sulfhydryl binding and topoisomerase inhibition by PCB metabolites

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are highly persistent contaminants in our environment. Their persistence is due to a general resistance to metabolic attack. Lower halogenated PCBs, however, are metabolized to mono- and dihydroxy compounds, and the latter may be further oxidized to quinones with the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). We have shown that PCB metabolism generates ROS in vitro and in cells in culture and this leads to oxidative DNA damage, like DNA strand breaks and 8-oxo-dG formation. In the present study, we have evaluated the reactivity of PCB metabolites with other nucleophiles, like glutathione (GSH), by assessing (1) quantitative GSH binding in vitro, (2) GSH and thiol (sulfhydryl) depletion in HL-60 cells, (3) the associated cytotoxicity, and (4) the inhibition of topoisomerase II activity in vitro. PCB quinones were found to bind GSH in vitro at a ratio of 1:1.5 and to deplete GSH in HL-60 cells as measured by both spectrophotometric and spectrofluorometric methods. By flow cytometry analysis, we confirmed that there was intracellular GSH depletion in HL-60 cells by PCB quinones and this is associated with cytotoxicity. On the other hand, the PCB hydroquinone metabolites did not bind GSH or other thiols within 1 h of exposure. However, by spectral analyses we found that the PCB hydroquinones could be oxidized enzymatically to the quinones, which could then bind GSH. The resulting hydroquinone-glutathione addition product(s) could undergo a second and third cycle of oxidation and GSH addition with the formation of di- and tri-GSH-PCB adducts. The effect of the PCB metabolites was also tested on a sulfhydryl-containing enzyme, topoisomerase II. PCB quinones inhibited topoisomerase II activity while the PCB hydroquinone metabolites did not. Hence, the oxidation of PCB hydroquinone metabolites to quinones in cells followed by the binding of quinones to GSH and to protein sulfhydryl groups and the resulting oxidative stress may be important aspects of the toxicity of these compounds.     

An examination of quinone toxicity using the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae model system

The toxicity of quinones is generally thought to occur by two mechanisms: the formation of covalent bonds with biological molecules by Michael addition chemistry and the catalytic reduction of oxygen to superoxide and other reactive oxygen species (ROS) (redox cycling). In an effort to distinguish between these general mechanisms of toxicity, we have examined the toxicity of five quinones to yeast cells as measured by their ability to reduce growth rate. Yeast cells can grow in the presence and absence of oxygen and this feature was used to evaluate the role of redox cycling in the toxicity of each quinone. Furthermore, yeast mutants deficient in superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity were used to assess the role of this antioxidant enzyme in protecting cells against quinone-induced reactive oxygen toxicity. The effects of different quinones under different conditions of exposure were compared using IC50 values (the concentration of quinone required to inhibit growth rate by 50%). For the most part, the results are consistent with the chemical properties of each quinone with the exception of 9,10-phenanthrenequinone (9,10-PQ). This quinone, which is not an electrophile, exhibited an unexpected toxicity under anaerobic conditions. Further examination revealed a potent induction of cell viability loss which poorly correlated with decreases in the GSH/2GSSG ratio but highly correlated (r2 > 0.7) with inhibition of the enzyme glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), suggesting disruption of glycolysis by this quinone. Together, these observations suggest an unexpected oxygen-independent mechanism in the toxicity of 9,10-phenanthrenequinone.     

Cytotoxic effects of polychlorinated biphenyl hydroquinone metabolites in rat hepatocytes

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are persistent organic pollutants that exhibit various toxic effects in animals and exposed human populations. The molecular mechanisms of PCB toxicity have been attributed to the toxicological properties of its metabolites, such as hydroquinones, formed by cytochrome‐P‐450 oxidation. The effects of PCB hydroquinone metabolites towards freshly isolated rat hepatocytes were investigated. Hydroquinones can be oxidized to semiquinones and/or quinone metabolites. These metabolites can conjugate glutathione or can oxidize glutathione as a result of redox cycling. This depletes hepatocyte glutathione, which can inhibit cellular defence mechanisms, causing cell death and an increased susceptibility to oxidative stress. However in the following, glutathione‐depleted hepatocytes became more resistant to the hydroquinone metabolites of PCBs. This suggested that their glutathione conjugates were toxic and that there was a third type of quinone toxicity mechanism which involved a hydrogen peroxide‐accelerated autoxidation of the hydroquinones to form toxic electrophilic quinone and semiquinone–glutathione conjugates. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The toxicity of menadione and mitozantrone in human liver-derived Hep G2 hepatoma cells

The cytotoxic properties of quinone drugs such as menadione and adriamycin are thought to be mediated through one-electron reduction to semiquinone free radicals. Redox cycling of the semiquinones results in the generation of reactive oxygen species and in oxidative damage. In this study the toxicity of mitozantrone, a novel quinone anticancer drug, was compared with that of menadione in human Hep G2 hepatoma cells. Mitozantrone toxicity in these cells was not mediated by the one-electron reduction pathway. In support of this, inhibition of the enzymes glutathione reductase and catalase, responsible for protecting the cells from oxidative damage, did not affect the response of the Hep G2 cells to mitozantrone, whereas it exacerbated menadione toxicity. In addition, the toxicity of menadione was preceded by depletion of reduced glutathione which was probably due to oxidation of the glutathione. Mitozantrone did not cause glutathione depletion prior to cell death. DT-diaphorase activity and intracellular glutathione were found to protect the cells from the toxicity of both quinones. Inhibition of epoxide hydrolase potentiated mitozantrone toxicity but did not affect that of menadione. Our experiments indicate that mitozantrone toxicity may involve activation to an epoxide intermediate. Both quinone drugs inhibited cytochrome P-450-dependent mixed-function oxidase activity, although menadione was more potent in this respect.     

NQO1-directed antitumour quinones

NAD(P)H:(quinone acceptor) oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) is a cytosolic flavoenzyme that catalyses the obligatory two-electron reduction of several quinones to their corresponding hydroquinones by using both NADH and NADPH. NQO1 has relevance in chemotherapy because bioreductive drugs require enzymatic activation prior to conversion into cytotoxic compounds. Because levels of NQO1 are elevated in some tumours, the enzyme provides an opportunity to develop improved new chemotherapeutic drugs that are bioactivated by this enzyme. The classical NQO1-directed drugs are quinone-containing alkylating agents, such as the prototypical bioreductive agent mitomycin C, and different azirinidylbenzoquinones, such as 2,5 bis-[1-aziridyl]-1,4 benzoquinone, that target DNA crosslinks and strand breaks after reduction. New analogues of those quinones, such as EO9 and RH1, have been developed to overcome the poor substrate specificity and poor solubility in aqueous solution in order to improve its therapeutic utilisation. Also, NQO1 is implied in the activation of new drugs that act as inhibitors of different proteins. β-Lapachone is not a DNA damaging agent and preclinical studies have shown very promising results. The benzoquinone ansamycins, 17-allylamino,17-demethoxygeldanamycin and 17-(dimethylaminoethylamino)-17-demethoxygeldanamycin, which exhibit anticancer activity by binding to heat-shock protein 90 (Hsp90), are also in clinical trials. NQO1 activity needs a threshold value to induce cytotoxicity. As a polymorphism in NQO1, known as NQO1*2, results in dramatically decreased NQO1 enzyme activity, NQO1 polymorphism should be carefully monitored in the patients before the use of NQO1-directed drugs.     

Application of quantitative structure-toxicity relationships for the comparison of the cytotoxicity of 14 p-benzoquinone congeners in primary cultured rat hepatocytes versus PC12 cells.

Quinones are believed to induce their toxicity by two main mechanisms: oxygen activation by redox cycling and alkylation of essential macromolecules. The physicochemical parameters that underlie this activity have not been elucidated, although redox potential is believed to play a significant role. In this study, we have evaluated the cytotoxicity, formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and the glutathione (GSH) depleting ability of 14 p-benzoquinone congeners in primary rat hepatocyte and PC12 cell cultures. All experiments were performed under identical conditions (37 degrees C, 5% CO2/air) in 96-well plates. The most cytotoxic quinone was found to be tetrachloro-p-benzoquinone (chloranil), and the least toxic was duroquinone or 2,6-di-tert-butyl-p-benzoquinone. The cytotoxic order varied between the cell types, and in particular, the di-substituted methoxy or methyl p-benzoquinones were particularly more cytotoxic towards PC12 cells. We have derived one- and two-parameter quantitative structure-toxicity relationships (QSTRs) which revealed that the most cytotoxic quinones had the highest electron affinity and the smallest volume. Cytotoxicity did not correlate with the lipophilicity of the quinone. Furthermore, we found that p-benzoquinone cytotoxicity correlated well with hepatocyte ROS formation and GSH depletion, whereas in PC12 cells, cytotoxicity did not correlate with ROS formation and somewhat correlated with GSH depletion. Hepatocytes had far greater hydrogen peroxide detoxifying capacity than PC12 cells, but PC12 cells contained more GSH/mg protein. Thus, p-benzoquinone-induced ROS formation was greater towards PC12 cells than with hepatocytes. To our knowledge, this is the first QSTR derived for p-benzoquinone cytotoxicity in these cell types and could form the basis for distinguishing certain cell-specific cytotoxic mechanisms.     

Toxic effects of apomorphine on rat cultured neurons and glial C6 cells, and protection with antioxidants

Many catechol derivatives are currently used as drugs, even if they produce reactive oxygen species that may cause tissue damage. Among them, apomorphine, a potent dopamine agonist, displays efficient anti-parkinsonian properties, but the consequences of its oxidant and toxic properties have been poorly investigated on in vitro models. In the present work, we investigated apomorphine cytotoxicity by incubating cultures of rat glioma C6 cells and primary cultures of neurons with different concentrations of the drug. Apomorphine-promoted cell death was proportional to its concentration and was time-dependent. The ED(50) of apomorphine on C6 cell death after 48 hr was about 200 microM. The cytotoxic effects induced by apomorphine were correlated to its autoxidation, which leads to the formation of reactive oxygen species, semiquinones, quinones, and a melanin-like pigment. C6 cells that underwent treatment with 400 microM apomorphine for 6 hr displayed features of necrosis, including loss of membrane integrity, degeneration of mitochondria, and DNA fragmentation. Thiols, such as cysteine, N-acetyl-L-cysteine, and glutathione, significantly protected cultured neurons and C6 cells against apomorphine-induced cytotoxicity. Thiols also inhibited apomorphine autoxidation. These data strongly suggest that apomorphine cytotoxicity towards neurons and C6 cells results from an intracellular oxidative stress.     

Carbonyl reductase provides the enzymatic basis of quinone detoxication in man

Enzymes catalyzing the two-electron reduction of quinones to hydroquinones are thought to protect the cell against quinone-induced oxidative stress. Using menadione as a substrate, carbonyl reductase, a cytosolic, monomeric oxidoreductase of broad specificity for carbonyl compounds, was found to be the main NADPH-dependent quinone reductase in human liver, whereas DT-diaphorase, the principal two-electron transferring quinone reductase in rat liver, contributed a very minor part to the quinone reductase activity of human liver. Carbonyl reductase from liver was indistinguishable from carbonyl reductase previously isolated from brain (B. Wermuth, J. biol. Chem. 256, 1206 (1981] on the basis of molecular weight, isoelectric point, immunogenicity, substrate specificity and inhibitor sensitivity. The purified enzyme from liver catalyzed the reduction of a great variety of quinones. The best substrates were benzo- and naphthoquinones with short substituents, and the K-region orthoquinones of phenanthrene, benz(a)anthracene, pyrene and benzo(a)pyrene. A long hydrophobic side chain in the 3-position of the benzo- and naphthoquinones and the vicinity of a bay area or aliphatic substituent (pseudo bay area) to the oxo groups of the polycyclic compounds decreased or abolished the ability of the quinone to serve as a substrate. Non-k-region orthoquinones of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were more slowly reduced than the corresponding K-region derivatives. The broad specificity of carbonyl reductase for quinones is in keeping with a role of the enzyme as a general quinone reductase in the catabolism of these compounds.     

Production of DNA strand breaks in vitro and reactive oxygen species in vitro and in HL-60 cells by PCB metabolites.

PCBs are industrial chemicals that continue to contaminate our environment. They cause various toxic effects in animals and in exposed human populations. The mechanisms of toxicity, however, are not completely understood. PCBs are metabolized by cytochromes P450 to mono- and dihydroxylated compounds. Dihydroxy-PCBs can potentially be oxidized to the corresponding quinones. We hypothesized that reactive oxygen species (ROS) are produced by redox reactions of PCB metabolites. We tested several synthetic dihydroxy- and quinoid-PCBs with 1-3 chlorines for their potential to produce ROS in vitro and in HL-60 human leukemia cells, and DNA strand breaks in vitro. All dihydroxy-PCBs tested produced superoxide. The quinones generated superoxide only in the presence of GSH, probably during the autoxidation of the glutathione conjugates. We observed increased superoxide production with decreasing halogenation. Incubation of dihydroxy-PCBs or PCB quinones + GSH with plasmid DNA resulted in DNA strand break induction in the presence of Cu(II). Tests with various ROS scavengers indicated that hydroxyl radicals and singlet oxygen are likely involved in this strand break induction. Finally, dihydroxy- and quinoid PCBs also produced ROS in HL-60 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. We conclude that dihydroxylated PCBs, and PCB quinones after reaction with GSH, produce superoxide and other ROS both in vitro and in HL-60 cells, and oxidative DNA damage in the form of DNA strand breaks in vitro. The reactions seen in vitro and in cells may well be a predictor of the toxicity of PCBs in animals.     

Interaction of benzo- and naphthoquinones with soluble glutathione S-transferases from rat liver

The in vitro interaction of 1,4-benzoquinone, 1,2- and 1,4-naphthoquinone, and 2-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone with rat liver glutathione S-transferases (GST) was studied, using reduced glutathione and 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB) as substrates. The inhibition of the GST activity by quinones in crude extracts was dose dependent. While most of the dihydroxynaphtalenes investigated also inhibited the GST activity, dihydroxybenzenes and catecholamines did not. The quinones inhibited all the GST isoenzymes, albeit at different degrees. Kinetic studies revealed mixed type function inhibition towards glutathione and competitive inhibition towards CDNB, implicating that quinones are GST substrates. This was further confirmed by titration of remaining glutathione in appropriate incubation mixtures. These results indicate that GST could have a protective function against quinones, and that catecholamines are conjugated with glutathione via a reactive quinone intermediate.     

Induction of cell damage by menadione and benzo(a)pyrene-3,6-quinone in cultures of adult rat hepatocytes and human fibroblasts

The cytotoxicity of menadione (2-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone) and benzo(a)pyrene-3,6-quinone (BP-3,6-Q) was tested in cultures of adult rat hepatocytes and human fibroblasts. Menadione induced DNA strand breaks, cell membrane damage and depletion of reduced glutathione (GSH) in both hepatocytes and fibroblasts. In fibroblasts, effects on both DNA and membrane integrity were potentiated by the presence of dicoumarol, a specific inhibitor of the 2-electron reduction of quinones by DT-diaphorase, whereas in hepatocytes only the cell membrane damage was sensitive to dicoumarol. Results indicate that menadione toxicity is mediated via 1-electron reduction, although in hepatocytes different reactive species may be responsible for damage to DNA and to the membrane. BP-3,6-Q induced DNA strand breaks in fibroblasts at concentrations as low as 1 microM. The extent of DNA damage was insensitive to dicoumarol. Even after GSH depletion and inhibition of glucuronidation and sulphate conjugation, BP-3,6-Q caused no DNA damage in hepatocytes. In contrast to menadione, BP-3,6-Q did not induce cell membrane leakage or decrease in GSH levels in either hepatocytes or fibroblasts. These studies show the complexity of the metabolic pathways involved, in terms of activation and detoxification processes, in the toxicity of quinones.     

Problematic detoxification of estrogen quinones by NAD(P)H-dependent quinone oxidoreductase and glutathione-S-transferase

Estrogen exposure through early menarche, late menopause, and hormone replacement therapy increases the risk factor for hormone-dependent cancers. Although the molecular mechanisms are not completely established, DNA damage by quinone electrophilic reactive intermediates, derived from estrogen oxidative metabolism, is strongly implicated. A current hypothesis has 4-hydroxyestrone-o-quinone (4-OQE) acting as the proximal estrogen carcinogen, forming depurinating DNA adducts via Michael addition. One aspect of this hypothesis posits a key role for NAD(P)H-dependent quinone oxidoreductase (NQO1) in the reduction of 4-OQE and protection against estrogen carcinogenesis, despite two reports that 4-OQE is not a substrate for NQO1. 4-OQE is rapidly and efficiently trapped by GSH, allowing measurement of NADPH-dependent reduction of 4-OQE in the presence and absence of NQO1. 4-OQE was observed to be a substrate for NQO1, but the acceleration of NADPH-dependent reduction by NQO1 over the nonenzymic reaction is less than 10-fold and at more relevant nanomolar concentrations of substrate is less than 2-fold. An alternative detoxifying enzyme, glutathione-S-transferase, was observed to be a target for 4-OQE, rapidly undergoing covalent modification. These results indicate that a key role for NQO1 and GST in direct detoxification of 4-hydroxy-estrogen quinones is problematic.     

Association of quinone-induced platelet anti-aggregation with cytotoxicity.

Various anti-platelet drugs, including quinones, are being investigated as potential treatments for cardiovascular disease because of their ability to prevent excessive platelet aggregation. In the present investigation 3 naphthoquinones (2,3-dimethoxy-1,4-naphthoquinone [DMNQ], menadione, and 1,4-naphthoquinone [4-NQ]) were compared for their abilities to inhibit platelet aggregation, deplete glutathione (GSH) and protein thiols, and cause cytotoxicity. Platelet-rich plasma, isolated from Sprague-Dawley rats, was used for all experiments. The relative potency of the 3 quinones to inhibit platelet aggregation, deplete intracellular GSH and protein thiols, and cause cytotoxicity was 1,4-NQ > menadione > DMNQ. Experiments using 2 thiol-modifying agents, dithiothreitol (DTT) and 1-chloro-2,4-dintrobenzene (CDNB), confirmed the key roles for GSH in quinone-induced platelet anti-aggregation and for protein thiols in quinone-induced cytotoxicity. Furthermore, the anti-aggregative effects of a group of 12 additional quinone derivatives were positively correlated with their ability to cause platelet cytotoxicity. Quinones that had a weak anti-aggregative effect did not induce cytotoxicity (measured as LDH leakage), whereas quinones that had a potent anti-aggregative effect resulted in significant LDH leakage (84-96%). In one instance, however, p-chloranil demonstrated a potent anti-aggregative effect, but did not induce significant LDH leakage. This can be explained by the inability of p-chloranil to deplete protein thiols, even though intracellular GSH levels decreased rapidly. These results suggest that quinones that deplete GSH in platelets demonstrate a marked anti-aggregative effect. If this anti-aggregative effect is subsequently followed by depletion of protein thiols, cytotoxicity results.     

Semiquinone radicals from oxygenated polychlorinated biphenyls: electron paramagnetic resonance studies

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) can be oxygenated to form very reactive hydroquinone and quinone products. A guiding hypothesis in the PCB research community is that some of the detrimental health effects of some PCBs are a consequence of these oxygenated forms undergoing one-electron oxidation or reduction, generating semiquinone radicals (SQ (*-)). These radicals can enter into a futile redox cycle resulting in the formation of reactive oxygen species, that is, superoxide and hydrogen peroxide. Here, we examine some of the properties and chemistry of these semiquinone free radicals. Using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) to detect SQ (*-) formation, we observed that (i) xanthine oxidase can reduce quinone PCBs to the corresponding SQ (*-); (ii) the heme-containing peroxidases (horseradish and lactoperoxidase) can oxidize hydroquinone PCBs to the corresponding SQ (*-); (iii) tyrosinase acting on PCB ortho-hydroquinones leads to the formation of SQ (*-); (iv) mixtures of PCB quinone and hydroquinone form SQ (*-) via a comproportionation reaction; (v) SQ (*-) are formed when hydroquinone-PCBs undergo autoxidation in high pH buffer (approximately >pH 8); and, surprisingly, (vi) quinone-PCBs in high pH buffer can also form SQ (*-); (vii) these observations along with EPR suggest that hydroxide anion can add to the quinone ring; (viii) H 2 O 2 in basic solution reacts rapidly with PCB-quinones; and (ix) at near-neutral pH SOD can catalyze the oxidization of PCB-hydroquinone to quinone, yielding H 2 O 2. However, using 5,5-dimethylpyrroline-1-oxide (DMPO) as a spin-trapping agent, we did not trap superoxide, indicating that generation of superoxide from SQ (*-) is not kinetically favorable. These observations demonstrate multiple routes for the formation of SQ (*-) from PCB-quinones and hydroquinones. Our data also point to futile redox cycling as being one mechanism by which oxygenated PCBs can lead to the formation of reactive oxygen species, but this is most efficient in the presence of SOD.     

Cytotoxicity and apoptosis of benzoquinones: redox cycling,cytochrome c release,and BAD protein expression

The metabolic activation of a variety of quinone-based anticancer agents occurs, in part, as a result of the bioreductive activation by the flavoprotein NAD(P)H:quinone-acceptor oxidoreductase (NQO1) (EC 1.6.99.2). Using the COMPARE algorithm (http://dtp.nci.nih.gov), a significant statistical correlation has been found in the NCI in vitro anticancer drug screen between high endogenous expression of the pro-apoptotic protein BAD, NQO1 enzymatic activity, and the cytotoxicity of certain antitumor quinones. Two statistically correlated groups of quinones can be discerned: positive-correlated compounds, which are more active in cell lines expressing high baseline levels of BAD protein and NQO1 activity (e.g. the MCF-7 breast carcinoma), and negative-correlated compounds, which are more active in cell lines with undetectable levels of BAD and NQO1 activity (e.g. the HL-60 myeloid leukemia). In the present study, the relationship between quinone structure, redox cycling, and cytotoxicity in the MCF-7 and HL-60 cell lines was investigated. A good biological correlation exists between cytotoxicity and NQO1 activity, BAD protein levels and apoptosis, but not always between cytotoxicity and intracellular reactive oxygen species levels. The overall markedly increased cytotoxicity of the aziridinylbenzoquinone compounds used in this study is accompanied by apoptosis, which occurs mostly through a cytochrome c-independent pathway.     

Reductive activation of terpenylnaphthoquinones

Four terpenylnaphthoquinones were found to enhance the rate of superoxide production in the presence of ascorbate as detected from the superoxide dismutase (SOD)-inhibitable initial oxygen consumption rates. Initial rates of oxygen consumption in the presence of ascorbate plus quinone increase with an increase in the half-wave reduction potentials of the quinones. These quinones also enhance the rate of Cyt(III)c reduction by xanthine/xanthine oxidase (X/XO) in both air- and nitrogen-saturated aqueous solutions at pH 7.4. Maximum rates of Cyt(III)c reduction in nitrogen and oxygen-saturated solutions (V(max)), in the presence of X/XO, increase with an increase in the half-wave reduction potentials of the quinones. SOD inhibits Cyt(III)c reduction rates in the presence of these quinones and X/XO in a manner which is also dependent on the quinone half-wave redox potential. The relative antineoplastic activity of two of these quinones follows the order in rates of oxygen consumption or Cyt(III)c reduction. This is consistent with an antineoplastic action of these quinones through the mechanism of redox cycling or possible interference or inhibition of mitochondrial respiration.     

2-Bromohydroquinone-induced toxicity to rabbit renal proximal tubules: evidence against oxidative stress

2-Bromohydroquinone (BHQ) plays an important role in bromobenzene-induced nephrotoxicity and is a model toxic hydroquinone. Since BHQ has a quinone nucleus and various quinones have been shown to produce cytotoxicity via oxidative stress, the goal of this study was to determine whether BHQ produced cytotoxicity in a suspension of rabbit renal proximal tubules via oxidative stress. t-Butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP), an agent known to produce cytotoxicity via oxidative stress in this preparation, was used as a positive control. BHQ decreased tubular glutathione disulfide content whether glutathione reductase was inhibited or not. Inhibition of glutathione reductase did not result in the potentiation of BHQ-induced mitochondrial dysfunction or cell death. In contrast, TBHP increased tubular glutathione disulfide content. TBHP-induced increases in glutathione disulfide content, mitochondrial dysfunction, and cell death were potentiated when glutathione reductase was inhibited. Unlike TBHP, BHQ did not initiate lipid peroxidation nor was the antioxidant butylated hydroxytoluene protective. However, BHQ and TBHP both increased sodium cyanide-insensitive oxygen consumption. These results suggest that BHQ may undergo "redox cycling," but BHQ-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and cell death are not due to oxidative stress.     

Oxidation of proximal protein sulfhydryls by phenanthraquinone, a component of diesel exhaust particles

Diesel exhaust particles (DEP) contain quinones that are capable of catalyzing the generation of reactive oxygen species in biological systems, resulting in induction of oxidative stress. In the present study, we explored sulfhydryl oxidation by phenanthraquinone, a component of DEP, using thiol compounds and protein preparations. Phenanthraquinone reacted readily with dithiol compounds such as dithiothreitol (DTT), 2,3-dimercapto-1-propanol (BAL), and 2,3-dimercapto-1-propanesulfonic acid (DMPS), resulting in modification of the thiol groups, whereas minimal reactivities of this quinone with monothiol compounds such as GSH, 2-mercaptoethanol, and N-acetyl-L-cysteine were seen. The modification of DTT dithiol caused by phenanthraquinone proceeded under anaerobic conditions but was accelerated by molecular oxygen. Phenanthraquinone was also capable of modifying thiol groups in pulmonary microsomes from rats and total membrane preparation isolated from bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAEC), but not bovine serum albumin (BSA), which has a Cys34 as a reactive monothiol group. A comparison of the thiol alkylating agent N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) with that of phenanthraquinone indicates that the two mechanisms of thiol modification are distinct. Studies revealed that thiyl radical intermediates and reactive oxygen species were generated during interaction of phenanthraquinone with DTT. From these findings, it is suggested that phenanthraquinone-mediated destruction of protein sulfhydryls appears to involve the oxidation of presumably proximal thiols and the reduction of molecular oxygen.