Mitochondrial dysfunction from malathion and chlorpyrifos exposure is associated with degeneration of GABAergic neurons in Caenorhabditis elegans

Toxicity resulting from off-target effects, beyond acetylcholine esterase inhibition, for the commonly used organophosphate (OP) insecticides chlorpyrifos (CPS) and malathion (MA) was investigated using Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Caenorhabditis elegans model systems. Mitochondrial damage and dysfunction were observed in yeast following exposure to CPS and MA, suggesting this organelle is a major target. In the C. elegans model, the mitochondrial unfolded protein response pathway showed the most robust induction from CPS and MA treatment among stress responses examined. GABAergic neurodegeneration was observed with CPS and MA exposure. Impaired movement observed in C. elegans exposed to CPS and MA may be the result of motor neuron damage. Our analysis suggests that stress from CPS and MA results in mitochondrial dysfunction, with GABAergic neurons sensitized to these effects. These findings may aid in the understanding of toxicity from CPS and MA from high concentration exposure leading to insecticide poisoning.     

肠缺血后处理对兔缺血再灌注损伤小肠上皮细胞线粒体形态和功能的影响

目的观察缺血后处理对小肠缺血再灌注损伤的保护作用。方法30只大白兔随机分为3组，每组8只：A组，假手术组；B组，肠缺血再灌注损伤模型组；C组，肠缺血再灌注损伤模型肠缺血后处理组，实验结束后取小肠标本进行小肠上皮细胞形态和呼吸功能指标测定。结果A、C两组线粒体的数目、周长均大于B组，A、C两组问比较，A组较大（P〈0．05）。A、C两组线粒体的面积、最大直径、最小直径、等效直径均小于B组（P〈0．05），A、C两组间比较差异无统计学意义（P〉0．05）。B组线粒体的体积密度小于A组，面积密度、比表面和粒子数密度均小于其余两组（P〈0．05）。A、C两组间三维平面形态计量学各参数比较差异无统计学意义（P〉0．05）；B、C组线粒体呼吸控制比率（RCR）低于A组差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05），与C组比较，B组下降更为明显（P〈0．05）。结论小肠缺血后处理对缺血再灌注损伤肠上皮细胞线粒体形态和功能均有保护作用。     

Distribution of glutathione and glutathione-related enzyme systems in mitochondria and cytosol of cultured cerebellar astrocytes and granule cells

The cellular and regional distribution of glutathione (GSH) and GSH-related enzyme systems involved in cellular defense against reactive oxygen species and electrophilic xenobiotics in the nervous system has been extensively studied. However, little is known about the subcellular distribution of GSH systems in brain tissue and cultured neural cells. The present study investigates the distribution of mitochondrial and cytosolic GSH and GSH-related enzymes in cultured cerebellar astrocytes and granule cells, and compares them with levels in the adult rat cerebellum. Cytosolic GSH levels and cytosolic activities of glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) in astrocytes were 57, 153, 245, and 92% higher than those found in granule cells, respectively. In contrast, granule cells contained significantly higher mitochondrial GSH levels than astrocytes. Granule cells also demonstrated comparable mitochondria/cytosolic concentrations of GSH and GR, GPX and GST activities to those observed in the cerebellar tissue, whereas ratios in astrocytes were markedly lower. Although in vitro treatments with 100 μM ethacrynic acid depleted both cytosolic and mitochondrial GSH in cultured astrocytes and granule cells in a time-dependent fashion, cellular GSH in granule cells was more resistant to the GSH-depleting agent than astrocytes. These results suggest that although GSH and GSH-related enzymes are abundant in cytosolic compartments of astrocytes, mitochondrial pools are relatively small. Since brain mitochondria are sites of significant hydrogen peroxide generation, the mitochondrial localization of GSH and its associated enzymes in neural cells provide important defenses against toxic oxygen species in the nervous system. Differences in subcellular distribution of GSH systems in individual neural cell types may provide a basis for selective cellular and/or subcellular expression of neurotoxicity.     

Ethyl-EPA in Huntington disease—Potentially relevant mechanism of action

The pathomechanisms involved in the neuronal dysfunction in Huntington disease (HD) are still unresolved and may be heterogeneous. One potential mechanism might be related to the induction of mitochondrial dysfunction in the CNS. This might lead firstly to neuronal dysfunction and finally to the activation of apoptotic pathways. Several compounds, which should alleviate mitochondrial dysfunction, have been tested in preclinical models as well as in clinical trials of different scale. Recently we reported the efficacy of Ethyl-eicosapentaenoic acid (Ethyl-EPA) in patients with HD. Ethyl-EPA is a polyunsaturated fatty acid from the n − 3 group, which is in clinical development for HD and melancholic depression. In our trial with Ethyl-EPA in HD responding patients could be characterized by either a lower CAG repeat number or a chorea-predominant clinical expression of the disease. Here we would like to describe some evidence on the potential mechanism of action of Ethyl-EPA in HD. We specifically focus on pathways, which are known to be influenced in HD and are modified by Ethyl-EPA and which points to an involvement of mitochondrial function as a common target. Some attention is given to the NF-kappa B pathway and the c-Jun amino-terminal kinases (JNK) pathway, which both may lead to an activation of the antiproliferative factor p53 and consequently mitochondrial dysfunction. Further the effects of EPA or Ethyl-EPA in preclinical models of HD are described. The evidence from these studies led to the design of phase III clinical trials, which are ongoing.     

人钠/二羧酸协同转运蛋白3基因调控肾小管上皮细胞线粒体膜电位的研究

目的 观察人钠／二羧酸协同转运蛋白3(hNaDC3，)对人肾脏近曲小管上皮细胞(HKC)线粒体膜电位的变化及其对细胞能量代谢的影响。方法 应用亚克隆技术构建正义pcDNA3-hNaDC3和反义pcDNA3-AhNaDC3两个真核表达载体，通过脂质体LipofectAMINE将pcDNA3-hNaDC3及pcDNA3-AhNaDC3转染至HKC细胞。克隆筛选后，用RT—PCR、Northern印迹及Western印迹鉴定外源基因的整合和表达。荧光探针JC-1观察各细胞系线粒体膜电位的变化。结果 外源hNaDC3基因稳定整合到HKC细胞基因组中，并获得高、低表达。转染正义hNaDC3cDNA的HKC细胞线粒体膜电位降低，JC-1在线粒体内形成单体，发出绿色荧光；而转染反义hNaDC3cDNA的HKC细胞线粒体膜电位略微升高，JC-1形成聚合体，发出红色荧光。结论 hNaDC3过表达引起线粒体膜电位降低，反义hNaDC3则使线粒体膜电位略微升高。提示NaDC3可能通过使线粒体膜电位下降，参与了细胞能量代谢。     

Cytotoxicity of propyl gallate and related compounds in rat hepatocytes

 The cytotoxic effects of propyl gallate (PG), its related gallates and gallic acid have been studied in freshly isolated rat hepatocytes. Addition of PG (0.5–2.0 mM) to hepatocyte suspension elicited concentration-dependent cell death accompanied by losses of intracellular ATP, adenine nucleotide pools, glutathione (GSH) and protein thiols. The rapid loss of intracellular ATP preceded the onset of cell death caused by PG. In the comparative toxic effects of PG and related gallates at concentration of 1 mM, octyl gallate (OG), dodecyl gallate (DG) and butyl gallate (BG) elicited an abrupt depletion of ATP, followed by an acute cell death. These gallates were more toxic than PG; the toxic effects of PG were similar to those of methyl gallate (MG) and ethyl gallate (EG). In mitochondria isolated from rat liver, PG caused a concentration-dependent increase in the rate of state 4 oxygen consumption, indicating an uncoupling effect. The rate of state 3 oxygen consumption was inhibited by OG and DG. According to the respiratory control index, the order of impairment potency to mitochondria was OG>BG, DG>PG>EG, MG>gallic acid. These results indicate that PG and related gallates are toxic to hepatocytes and that the acute cytotoxicity may be due to mitochondrial dysfunction. Received: 16 May 1994 / Accepted: 15 August 1994     

病毒性心肌炎心肌线粒体结构功能变化及大剂量维生素C干预作用

目的：探讨病毒性心肌炎（ＶＭＣ）小鼠心肌线粒体结构和功能，并用大剂量维生素Ｃ进行干预。方法：雄性Ｂａｌｂ／ｃ小鼠随机分为柯萨奇Ｂ３病毒（ＣＶＢ３）感染组（ＩＧ）、ＣＶＢ３感染加大剂量维生素Ｃ治疗组（ＩＶＧ）和对照组（ＣＧ）。采用电镜和形态计量学方法观察心肌线粒体形态、数量和膜磷脂定位，用酶细胞化学法分析心肌线粒体细胞色素氧化酶（ＣＣＯ）和琥珀酸脱氢酶（ＳＤＨ）活性。结果：ＩＧ小鼠心肌线粒体大量破坏，ＣＣＯ和ＳＤＨ活性降低，膜磷脂严重缺失、定位改变（Ｐ　＜０．０５～　０．０１）。不同时相点ＩＶＧ上述各项指标均较ＩＧ显著改善（Ｐ　＜０．０５～０．０１）。结论：ＶＭＣ心肌线粒体结构严重破坏、功能明显下降，大剂量维生素Ｃ能有效保护心肌线粒体结构和功能。     

间断和持续肝缺血再灌注后线粒体功能的改变

本实验观察间断性和持续性肝缺血再灌注后大鼠肝线粒体功能的改变，并将其予以比较，结果表明，持续性肝缺血再灌注后大鼠肝粒体呼吸控制比率、磷氧比值和氧化磷酸化效率均显著降低，间断性缺血再灌注后上述参数无明显异常改变，提示间断性肝缺血有利于防护线粒体合格的功能。     

Formation of pyridinium species of haloperidol in human liver and brain

Recent interest in the neurotoxicity of haloperidol is based on its oxidation in rodents to the pyridinium derivative, HPP⁺, a structural analog of the neurotoxin, 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP⁺). Recently, we reported that HPP⁺ and a newly identified reduced pyridinium, RHPP⁺, were present in blood and urine of haloperidol-treated schizophrenics and that the concentrations of RHPP⁺ exceeded those of HPP⁺. In this study, we examined pathways for formation of RHPP⁺ in subcellular fractions of human liver (n=5) and brain (basal ganglia;n=5). The major pathway was reduction of HPP⁺ (20 µM) to RHPP⁺ in cytosol (0.17–0.39 and 0.03–0.07 µM RHPP⁺/g cytosolic protein per h in liver and brain, respectively). The reactions were inhibited significantly by menadione and in brain also by daunorubicin. The inhibition profile, cytosolic location and strict NADPH dependence suggest that the enzymes involved are ketone reductases. A second pathway was oxidation of reduced haloperidol (50 µM), a major metabolite of haloperidol in blood and brain, to RHPP⁺. In liver microsomes, 0.17–0.63 µmol RHPP⁺ was formed /g microsomal protein per h. A potent inhibitor of the pathway was ketoconazole (IC₅₀, 0.8 µM), which suggests that P-450 3A isozymes could be involved. In brain mitochondria but not microsomes, reduced haloperidol (120 µM) was oxidised to RHPP⁺ at a small but significant rate (0.005–0.020 µmol RHPP⁺/g mitochondrial protein per h) which was not attenuated by SKF 525A, quinidine, ketoconazole, or monoamine oxidase inhibitors. Further studies are warranted to establish the biological importance of these metabolites in vivo.