Reductive activation and thiol reactivity of benzazolo[3,2-a]quinolinium salts

Derivatives of benzazolo[3,2-a]quinolium salts (QSDs) are reductively activated by the enzymatic reducing agents hypoxanthine (or xanthine)/xanthine oxidase and NADH dehydrogenase as evidenced by the increase in rates of ferricytochrome c (Cyt(III)c) reduction and oxygen consumption, respectively. No correlation between Michaelis-Menten parameters and QSDs redox potentials was found regarding anaerobic or aerobic Cyt(III)c reduction, although maximum rates were observed for nitro-containing QSDs. However, oxygen consumption rates correlate with QSDs redox potentials when NADH dehydrogenase is used as reducing agent. QSDs bind covalently to bovine serum albumin (BSA) under anaerobic conditions, in the presence, and less in the absence, of HX/XO and only if the nitro group is present at the QSD. QSDs react with glutathione (GSH) in the presence of HX/XO but not in its absence, under anaerobic conditions. The amount of reacted GSH increases, and the relative amount of GSSG formed decreases, with an increase in the QSD reduction potential, thus indicating that GSH reacts with reduced nitro-containing QSDs mainly in a manner which does not involve the production of GSSG, presumably, through the formation of the nitroso-QSD-GSH conjugate. QSDs are, thus, novel nitro-containing heterocyclic compounds which could be bioreductively activated to react with oxygen and thiols.     

Xanthine oxidase-catalyzed reduction of estrogen quinones to semiquinones and hydroquinones.

Metabolic redox cycling between the stilbene estrogen diethylstilbestrol (DES) and diethylstilbestrol-4',4"-quinone (DES Q) has been demonstrated previously. The xanthine and xanthine oxidase-catalyzed reduction of estrogen quinone has been studied in this work to understand the role of metabolic redox cycling in estrogen metabolism. Xanthine and xanthine oxidase catalyzed the reduction of DES Q to 44% Z-DES and 9% E-DES. This reaction was inhibited by the addition of superoxide dismutase or by a lack of oxygen (under anaerobic conditions). DES Q was also reduced in a non-enzymatic reaction by superoxide radicals generated by potassium superoxide and crown ether. The reaction between the O2-. and DES Q was also investigated by an electron spin resonance spin-trapping technique. The superoxide anion generated in an oxygen-saturated xanthine and xanthine oxidase system was detected as 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline-1-oxide-superoxide adduct. The addition of DES Q or 2,3-estradiol quinone totally inhibited the formation of this adduct. The reduction of DES Q by superoxide radicals was taken as evidence that this reaction was one possible mechanism of xanthine and xanthine oxidase-mediated reduction. In addition, reduction of DES Q by direct electron transfer to quinone by the enzyme may also occur. The intermediate formation of semiquinone free radicals in the reduction is implied by the nature of the single electron transfer reactions and, in addition, has been demonstrated for the catechol estrogen by electron spin resonance measurements. It is concluded that the reduction of estrogen quinones to their hydroquinones by xanthine oxidase occurs by both one electron transfer to the quinone and by formation of superoxide which then reduces the quinone.     

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.     

Evidence for redox cycling of lawsone (2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone) in the presence of the hypoxanthine/xanthine oxidase system

This study reports that lawsone (2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone) undergoes redox cycling in the presence of the hypoxanthine/xanthine oxidase system. The rate of cytochrome c reduction obtained in the presence of 80 microM lawsone was almost three times the rate of cytochrome c reduction measured in its absence. This increase in the rate of cytochrome c reduction was partially inhibited by superoxide dismutase, suggesting the involvement of O(2)(.-) in this process. It is remarkable to note that, even though lawsone is considered to be a non-redox-cycling quinone in vitro, this quinone was shown to be more toxic in vivo in rats than menadione, causing haemolytic anemia of an oxidative nature and renal damage. The view that this quinone is a non-redox-cycling quinone was based on the inability of one-electron-transferring flavoenzymes such as NADPH-cytochrome c reductase to reduce this naphthoquinone. Our finding that lawsone, like menadione, undergoes redox cycling in the presence of the hypoxanthine/xanthine oxidase system could explain the observed oxidative damage of tissues inflicted by this quinone in rats in vivo. Such an observation therefore reconciles the in vivo toxicity results of this naphthoquinone with those of in vitro experiments.     

Sonochemistry of quinones in argon-saturated aqueous solutions: enhanced cytochrome c reduction.

Sonolysis of argon-saturated aqueous quinone solutions resulted in an enhancement in ferricytochrome c (Cyt c) reduction. Upon addition of superoxide dismutase, Cyt c reduction was partially inhibited, thus implying a role of superoxide ion in this reduction process. Neither quinone hydrophobicity nor reduction potential exclusively controls the Cyt c reduction enhancement, although a preference for hydrophobicity versus reduction potential is noted.     

Menadione enhances oxyradical formation in earthworm extracts: vulnerability of earthworms to quinone toxicity

NAD(P)H-cytochrome c reductase activities have been determined in the earthworms, L. rubellus and A. chlorotica, extracts. Menadione (0.35 mM, maximum concentration tested) was found to stimulate the rates of NADPH- and NADH-dependent cytochrome c reduction by three- and twofold, respectively. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) inhibited completely this menadione-mediated stimulation, suggesting that *O2- is involved in the redox cycling of menadione. However, SOD had no effect on the basal activity (activity in the absence of quinone) in the case of NADH-dependent cytochrome c reduction, whereas it partially inhibited the basal activity of NADPH-cytochrome c reduction. This indicates direct electron transfer in the former case and the formation of superoxide anion in the latter. DT-diaphorase, measured as the dicumarol-inhibitable part of menadione reductase activity, was not detectable in the earthworms' extracts. In contrast, it was found that DT-diaphorase represents about 70% of the menadione reductase activities in the freshwater mussel, Dreissena polymorpha. The results of this work suggest that earthworms, compared with mussels, could be more vulnerable to oxidative stress from quinones due to lack, or very low level of DT-diaphorase, an enzyme considered to play a significant role in the detoxification of quinones. On the contrary, mussels have efficient DT-diaphorase, which catalyzes two-electron reduction of menadione directly to hydroquinone, thus circumventing the formation of semiquinone.     

Nitrofurantoin-stimulated superoxide production by channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) hepatic microsomal and soluble fractions

Nitroaromatic compounds, which frequently contaminate the environment, are known to be reduced to corresponding aromatic amines by fish as well as mammals under anaerobic conditions. Although amine products are not generally formed aerobically, "nitroreductase"-mediated redox cycling of nitroaromatics may occur under these conditions, leading to enhanced production of a potentially toxic oxygen species, superoxide (O-2). In this study, we have investigated the ability of channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) hepatic microsomal and soluble fractions to stimulate O-2) production upon exposure to a model redox cycling nitroaromatic compound, nitrofurantoin (NF). Two assays for O-2 production, cytochrome c reduction and cyanide-insensitive oxygen consumption, were stimulated by NF exposure to both hepatic fractions. These reactions were partially inhibited by superoxide dismutase (SOD), and by SOD and catalase in the oxygen consumption assay, providing specific evidence for the involvement of O-2 in the stimulatory effect by NF. Furthermore, results of cofactor requirement and inhibition studies suggest that NF enhancement of O-2 production was mediated by NADPH-cytochrome P-450 (c) reductase in the microsomal fraction and xanthine oxidase in the soluble fraction. These findings comprehensively suggest that the in vitro stimulation of O-2 production by nitroaromatics as indicated in mammals may also occur in fish and, therefore, suggests a similar potential for oxyradical-mediated toxicities in these species.     

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.     

Aminopyrimidoisoquinolinequinone (APIQ) redox cycling is potentiated by ascorbate and induces oxidative stress leading to necrotic-like cancer cell death

Several phenylaminopyrimidoisoquinolinequinones (APIQs) were tested for their cytotoxicity against different cancer cell lines (K562, T24, HepG2) in the presence or absence of ascorbate. Ascorbate enhanced the toxic effects of quinones with first half-wave potential E(I) (1/2) values in the range of -480 to -660?mV. Phenylaminoquinones that were unsubstituted at position 6 exhibited greater cytotoxic activity than did their 6-methyl-substituted analogues. Two groups of compounds were further selected, namely 8-10 and 20-22, to study the cellular mechanisms involved in quinone cytotoxicity. Indeed, these compounds have the same range of redox potentials but differed considerably in their capacity to induce cell death. In the presence of ascorbate, the cell demise induced by compounds 8-10 was not caspase-3 dependent, as shown by the lack of activation of caspase-3 and the absence of cleaved PARP fragments. In addition, an index of ER stress (eIF2α phosphorylation) was activated by these compounds. Quinones 8-10 decreased the cellular capacity to reduce MTT dye and caused marked ATP depletion. Taken together, our results show that ascorbate enhances quinone redox-cycling and leads to ROS formation that inhibits cell proliferation and provokes caspase-independent cell death. Interestingly, we also observed that quinone 8 had a rather selective effect given that freshly isolated peripheral blood leukocytes from human healthy donors were more resistant than human leukemia K562 cells.     

Cooperative stimulation by sulfite and crocidolite asbestos fibres of enzyme catalyzed production of reactive oxygen species

Methylthioketobutyric acid has been used as an indicator for the production of reactive oxygen species during incubation with xanthine oxidase or NADH diaphorase in the presence of an autooxidizable quinone. The production of OH-radical-type oxidants is enhanced in the presence of crocidolite but not by the asbestos types chrysotile or amosite. This activity of crocidolite in the diaphorase system is further stimulated by bisulfite. Crocidolite-dependent ethylene formation from methylthioketobutyric acid is inhibited by both superoxide dismutase and catalase. In the presence of both crocidolite and bisulfite, however, the inhibition by superoxide dismutase is preserved, but the inhibition by catalase is lost. Since in some respect the NADH-diaphorase quinone system may reflect the situation in the activated macrophage, crocidolite activation may represent a biochemical model system describing potential asbestos toxicity.Abbreviations SOD Superoxide dismutase - KMB methylthioketobutyrate - XOD xanthine oxidase     

Superoxide radical production by allopurinol and xanthine oxidase

Oxypurinol, an inhibitor of xanthine oxidase (XO), is being studied to block XO-catalyzed superoxide radical formation and thereby treat and protect failing heart tissue. Allopurinol, a prodrug that is converted to oxypurinol by xanthine oxidase, is also being studied for similar purposes. Because allopurinol, itself, may be generating superoxide radicals, we currently studied the reaction of allopurinol with xanthine oxidase and confirmed that allopurinol does produce superoxide radicals during its conversion to oxypurinol. At pH 6.8 and 25 degrees C in the presence of 0.02 U/ml of XO, 10 and 20 microM allopurinol both produced 10 microM oxypurinol and 2.8 microM superoxide radical (determined by cytochrome C reduction). The 10 microM allopurinol was completely converted to oxypurinol, while the 20 microM allopurinol required a second addition of xanthine oxidase to complete the conversion. Fourteen percent of the reducing equivalents donated from allopurinol or xanthine reacted with oxygen to form superoxide radicals. Superoxide dismutase prevented the reduction of cytochrome C by these substrates. At higher xanthine oxidase concentrations, or at lower temperatures, more of the 20 microM allopurinol was converted to oxypurinol during the initial reaction. At lower xanthine oxidase concentrations, or higher temperatures, less conversion occurred. At pH 7.8, the amount of superoxide radicals produced from allopurinol and xanthine was nearly doubled. These results indicate that allopurinol is a conventional substrate that generates superoxide radicals during its oxidation by xanthine oxidase. Oxypurinol did not produce superoxide radicals.     

Redox cycling of bleomycin-Fe(III) and DNA degradation by isolated NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase: involvement of cytochrome b5

Isolated and purified microsomal NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase (EC 1.6.2.2) was incubated with bleomycin (BLM) and FeCl3 in the presence of NADH. Only when purified cytochrome b5 was added could an increased NADH consumption be observed indicating redox cycling of the BLM-Fe(III) complex. In the presence of DNA, BLM-Fe(III)-related NADH consumption was accompanied by malondialdehyde (MDA) formation, further evidence for BLM activation yielding oxidative DNA cleavage. BLM, FeCl3, cytochrome b5 and NADH were absolutely necessary to provide these effects. Addition of DNA changed the initial velocity (V0) and the shape of the NADH consumption curves, both probably due to an interaction between DNA and BLM-Fe(III). Furthermore, DNA effectively protected BLM-Fe(III) from autoxidative degradation during redox cycling. BLM-Fe(III)-related, reductase-catalyzed NADH consumption and MDA formation were also dependent on oxygen, showing the involvement of oxygen in the reduction process and in the action of the drug-metal complex in attacking DNA. However, superoxide dismutase (EC 1.15.1.1) and catalase (EC 1.11.1.6) did not affect NADH consumption. Also, superoxide dismutase and catalase were almost without influence on MDA formation, suggesting that no free (or freely accessible) reactive oxygen species occurred during the redox cycle and DNA damage. The results reveal that the BLM-Fe(III) complex undergoes redox cycling by the microsomal NADH-dependent cytochrome b5 reductase-cytochrome b5 system. The significance of this effect for the action of BLM and the involvement of cytochrome b5 is discussed with regard to the presence of these enzymes in the cell nucleus.     

Specificity of human aldo-keto reductases, NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase, and carbonyl reductases to redox-cycle polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon diones and 4-hydroxyequilenin-o-quinone

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are suspect human lung carcinogens and can be metabolically activated to remote quinones, for example, benzo[a]pyrene-1,6-dione (B[a]P-1,6-dione) and B[a]P-3,6-dione by the action of either P450 monooxygenase or peroxidases, and to non-K region o-quinones, for example B[a]P-7,8-dione, by the action of aldo keto reductases (AKRs). B[a]P-7,8-dione also structurally resembles 4-hydroxyequilenin o-quinone. These three classes of quinones can redox cycle, generate reactive oxygen species (ROS), and produce the mutagenic lesion 8-oxo-dGuo and may contribute to PAH- and estrogen-induced carcinogenesis. We compared the ability of a complete panel of human recombinant AKRs to catalyze the reduction of PAH o-quinones in the phenanthrene, chrysene, pyrene, and anthracene series. The specific activities for NADPH-dependent quinone reduction were often 100-1000 times greater than the ability of the same AKR isoform to oxidize the cognate PAH-trans-dihydrodiol. However, the AKR with the highest quinone reductase activity for a particular PAH o-quinone was not always identical to the AKR isoform with the highest dihydrodiol dehydrogenase activity for the respective PAH-trans-dihydrodiol. Discrete AKRs also catalyzed the reduction of B[a]P-1,6-dione, B[a]P-3,6-dione, and 4-hydroxyequilenin o-quinone. Concurrent measurements of oxygen consumption, superoxide anion, and hydrogen peroxide formation established that ROS were produced as a result of the redox cycling. When compared with human recombinant NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase (NQO1) and carbonyl reductases (CBR1 and CBR3), NQO1 was a superior catalyst of these reactions followed by AKRs and last CBR1 and CBR3. In A549 cells, two-electron reduction of PAH o-quinones causes intracellular ROS formation. ROS formation was unaffected by the addition of dicumarol, suggesting that NQO1 is not responsible for the two-electron reduction observed and does not offer protection against ROS formation from PAH o-quinones.     

云芝多糖对脑、肝组织的抗氧化作用研究

目的　探讨中药云芝多糖对脑、肝组织抗氧化作用的影响及机制。方法　以SD大鼠和昆明小鼠为动物模型 ,采用Fe H2 O2 诱导大脑皮层组织和肝组织匀浆的脂氢过氧化反应及黄嘌呤氧化酶体系释放自由基超氧阴离子 (O·2 ) ,以改良的邻苯三酚自氧化法、DNTB直接法测定脑组织抗氧化酶活性及原位杂交法检测脑组织硒谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶 (SeG Px)mRNA表达。结果　云芝多糖有提高脑组织超氧化物歧化酶 (SOD)、SeGPx和非硒谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶 (non SeGPx)抗氧化酶活性 ,增加SeGPxmRNA表达 ,降低脑、肝组织Fe H2 O2 引发的脂氢过氧化反应和黄嘌呤氧化酶体系产生的O·2 。结论　云芝多糖可提高鼠大脑皮层、肝组织的抗氧化作用 ,对开发应用多糖类药物防治神经系统疾病、延缓衰老提供实验依据     

DT diaphorase [NAD(P)H: (quinone acceptor) oxidoreductase] facilitates redox cycling of menadione in channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) cytosol.

Characteristics of DT diaphorase (NAD(P)H: (quinone acceptor) oxidoreductase, DTD) activity in Ictalurus punctatus and the effect of DTD activity on menadione (MND)-mediated reduction of acetylated cytochrome c (AcC) were examined. DTD activity in cytosols of four organs followed a distinct gradient in the order stomach greater than gill greater than liver greater than posterior kidney. A similar gradient was observed in organ-specific rates of in vitro AcC reduction in the presence of either NADH or NADPH as reducing equivalent. A greater proportion of the AcC reduction rate was sensitive to inhibition by dicoumarol (DC) in organs with relatively high DTD specific activity (e.g., stomach) than in organs with low DTD activity (e.g., kidney). No such trend was observed in the superoxide dismutase (SOD)-sensitive proportion of AcC reduction rates. DTD was observed to contribute to MND-mediated superoxide production to a greater extent in organs with high DTD activity than in organs with low DTD activity. DC-sensitive (i.e., DTD-mediated) AcC reduction was observed to increase with organ-specific DTD activity, and the majority of the AcC reduction rate was inhibitable by SOD. These findings demonstrate a direct contribution by DTD activity to MND-mediated superoxide production in this in vitro system. The role of I. punctatus DTD as a possible deleterious agent in quinone metabolism and implications regarding the traditional conception of DTD as a detoxifying enzyme are discussed.     

On-chip assay for determining the inhibitory effects and modes of action of drugs against xanthine oxidase

Xanthine oxidase (XO) is a key enzyme that can catalyze the conversion of xanthine to uric acid, causing various diseases in humans. We have developed a high-throughput chip-based assay that uses a photodiode array (PDA) microchip system to explore the inhibitory effects of drug analogs on XO. Inhibitory activities of cyclosporin A, aminoglutethimide, dithranol and naringenin against XO were assessed using this chip-based xanthine assay in the presence or absence of the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase (SOD). In addition, the mechanism of drug action was also disclosed by monitoring the combined effect of respective drug analogs and SOD on XO in the assay. The assessment was based on the red light absorption property of nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) formazan, formed by free radical-mediated NBT reduction. Compared to naringenin (50 and 100 μM; a known XO inhibitor), cyclosporin A (5 and 10 μM) exhibited similar XO inhibitory activity, whereas dithranol (1 and 3 μM) and aminoglutethimide (2.5 and 5 mM) showed minimum XO inhibition. Low standard deviation obtained during the assay demonstrates the preciseness and accuracy of the developed approach. Compared to the existing methods, the developed approach is advantageous due to its simplicity and compatibility with high-throughput screening procedures. Furthermore, this approach can be applied to the early phase of drug discovery screening to explore various drug analogs for their XO inhibitory activities.     

人参皂苷保护小鼠精原细胞氧化损伤的研究

目的观察人参皂苷对活性氧引起的小鼠睾丸生殖细胞氧化损伤的保护作用。方法利用体外培养的小鼠精原细胞建立氧化应激模型,通过检测生殖细胞活性、脂质过氧化产物丙二醛(MDA)生成、超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)活性和谷胱甘肽(GSH)水平评价人参皂苷对精原细胞氧化损伤的缓解作用。结果次黄嘌呤/黄嘌呤氧化酶(HX/XO)体系产生的活性氧可引起生殖细胞活性降低、MDA的生成量增加、SOD活性和GSH水平降低,而添加人参皂苷(10mg·L-1)能恢复HX/XO引起的生殖细胞活性、SOD活性和GSH水平的下降以及MDA生成的增加。结论人参皂苷可通过抗氧化作用保护活性氧引起的小鼠精原细胞氧化损伤。     

Evaluation of the effects of felodipine,verapamil and hydralazine on the survival rate of rats subjected to lethal effects of oxygen free radicals

Summary Intravenous administration of xanthine (X: 0.225 mg/kg, i.v.) plus xanthine oxidase (XO: 3.0 units/ kg, i.v.) to anesthetized rats resulted in a rapid fall in the arterial pressure and a mortality rate of over 80% during 120 min observation period. Pretreatment of the rats with superoxide dismutase (SOD) or SOD plus catalase significantly enhanced survival rate to 60% confirming that the toxicity after [X + XO] administration is due to the generation of oxygen free radicals. Pretreatment of the rats with either felodipine, a dihydropyridine calcium antagonist or verapamil, a structurally different Ca²⁺-channel blocker was most effective in promoting survival rate to 90%; in contrast, hydralazine, an arteriolar dilator but not a calcium antagonist, was ineffective in significantly enhancing survival.In the vehicle treated groups, mortality of the rats after [X + XO] administration was associated with significant increases in serum creatine phosphokinase (CPK) levels; both the calcium antagonists as well as hydralazine prevented any significant changes in CPK levels. Since only the calcium antagonists but not hydralazine were effective in providing significant protection against mortality, the data suggests that CPK may not be a reliable indicator to predict prevention of lethal toxicity induced by free radicals. Hence, the observation that calcium antagonists can promote survival would suggest that calcium overload may be the ultimate mediator of tissue toxicity. These observations can account for the remarkable efficacy of various calcium antagonists in preventing ischemia-reperfusion induced damage to organs, such as heart and kidneys, in which a role for free radicals has been postulated. Correspondence to B. S. Jandhyala, at the above address     

Superoxide scavenging and xanthine oxidase inhibiting activities of copper-β-citryl-L-glutamate complex

β-Citryl-L-glutamate (β-CG) is a unique compound initially isolated from developing brains, which also appears in high concentrations during the period characterized by growth and differentiation of neurons in developing animals, and then decreases with maturation. However, its functional roles remain unclear. The stability constant obtained in our previous pH titration studies showed that β-CG forms relatively strong complexes with copper. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO) have been suggested to act as mediators of the cell death that occurs in neurons during development of the nervous system. However, regulation of ROS and NO formation by Cu in the developing brain remains poorly understood. The activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), a key superoxide scavenging enzyme, is low in the developing brain. Furthermore, xanthine oxidase (XO) has been implicated in diverse pathological situations due to its capability of generating both ROS and NO. Therefore, we examined the effects of β-CG and its Cu-complex on SOD and XO activities. We found that the [Cu(II)(β-CG)] complex had SOD activity and a strong competitive inhibition of XO, while reduced glutathione caused concentration-dependent decreases of the XO inhibitory activities in the [Cu(II)(β-CG)] complex.     

Effects of Transfection with the Cu,Zn-Superoxide Dismutase Gene on Xanthine/Xanthine Oxidase-Induced Cytotoxicity in Fibroblasts from Rat Skin

Purpose. The effects of transfection with the human Cu, Zn-superoxide dismutase (hSOD)⁴ gene on active oxygen-induced cytotoxicity in rat skin fibroblasts (FR) were studied for the purpose of developing the novel delivery system of hSOD using hSOD gene. Methods. An expression plasmid for hSOD, pRc/RSV-SOD, was constructed and used to transfect FR cells. Xanthine (X)/xanthine oxidase (XO) system were used to generate active oxygen species. The effects of transfection with the hSOD gene on active oxygen-induced cytotoxicity were assessed by comparing the number of surviving cells and the level of lipid peroxidation in host and transformants after exposure to X/XO system. Results. The cellular SOD activity in RSV-SOD cells transfected with pRc/RSV-SOD was significantly increased in comparison with host or RSV cells transfected with the pRc/RSV plasmid containing no hSOD gene as a control. Furthermore, Western blot analysis using an anti-hSOD antibody indicated the production of hSOD in RSV-SOD cells. On the other hand, although the numbers of surviving cells in both host and RSV-SOD cultures after exposure to X/XO system decreased in a time-dependent manner, the decrease in number of surviving RSV-SOD cells was less than that in host cells. In the presence of catalase, the decreases in number of surviving cells in both host and RSV-SOD cultures after exposure to the X/XO system were also less than those in the absence of catalase. However, the decreases in cell survival in RSV-SOD cultures were significantly less than those in host cells in the presence of catalase. Furthermore, the levels of lipid peroxidation in RSV-SOD cells exposed to the X/XO system in the presence or absence of catalase were lower than those in host cells. These results indicated that the increase in cellular SOD activity by transfection with the hSOD gene protects cells from oxidative stress. Conclusions. Human SOD gene therapy may be useful for treatment of diseases in which oxidative tissue damage is produced.