In vivo and in vitro binding of benzene to nucleic acids and proteins of various rat and mouse organs

Benzene binds to macromolecules of various organs in the rat and mouse in vivo. Labelling of RNA and proteins is higher (1 order of magnitude) than DNA labelling, which is low in many organs (liver, spleen, bone marrow and kidney), and negligible in lung; no difference between labelling of rat and mouse organs was found. The covalent binding index (CBI) value was about 10, i.e. typical of genotoxic carcinogens classified as weak initiators. In vitro binding of benzene to nucleic acids and proteins is mediated by hepatic microsomes, but not by microsomes from kidney, spleen and lung, or by cytosol from whatever organ. Nucleic acid binding can be induced by pretreatment with phenobarbitone (PB) and suppressed in the presence of SKF 525-A, of cytosol and/or GSH or of heat-inactivated microsomes. Labelling of exogenous DNA is low and is similar in the presence of rat or mouse microsomes in agreement with the low interaction with DNA measured in vivo.     

Genotoxicity of a variety of hydrazine derivatives in the hepatocyte primary culture/DNA repair test using rat and mouse hepatocytes

The genotoxicity of a variety of hydrazine derivatives was examined in the DNA-repair test on rat or mouse hepatocytes. Out of 32 hydrazine derivatives, 6 chemicals, i.e., N'-acetyl-4-(hydroxymethyl)phenylhydrazine, 1,2-dimethylhydrazine.2HCl, 1-hydrazinophthalazine.HCl, methylhydrazine.sulfate, p,p'-oxybisbenzene disulfonylhydrazide and phenylhydrazine.HCl, elicited positive DNA repair responses in the test on rat hepatocytes. In the test on mouse hepatocytes, 4 more hydrazine derivatives, i.e., 1,1-dimethylhydrazine, hydrazine hydrate, hydrazine sulfate and 2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid hydrazide.HCl also generated positive responses, in addition to the 6 positive compounds in the rat assay. These results suggest that mouse hepatocytes are more susceptible to the genotoxicity of hydrazine derivatives, and that the species differences in genotoxicity appear to be in agreement with the in vivo carcinogenicity of these agents.     

Genotoxicity of a Variety of Hydrazine Derivatives in the Hepatocyte Primary Culture/DNA Repair Test Using Rat and Mouse Hepatocytes

The genotoxicity of a variety of hydrazine derivatives was examined in the DNA-repair test on rat or mouse hepatocytes. Out of 32 hydrazine derivatives, 6 chemicals, i.e., N -acetyl-4-(hydroxymethyl)phenylhydrazine, 1,2-dimethylhydrazine - 2HCl, 1-hydrazinophthalazine - HCl, methylhydrazine-sulfate, p, p '-oxybisbenzene disulfonylhydrazide and phenylhydrazine-HCl, elicited positive DNA repair responses in the test on rat hepatocytes. In the test on mouse hepatocytes, 4 more hydrazine derivatives, i.e., 1,1-dimethylhydrazine, hydrazine hydrate, hydrazine sulfate and 2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid hydrazide-HCl also generated positive responses, in addition to the 6 positive compounds in the rat assay. These results suggest that mouse hepatocytes are more susceptible to the genotoxicity of hydrazine derivatives, and that the species differences in genotoxicity appear to he in agreement with the in vivo carcinogenicity of these agents.     

Covalent binding of 1,2-dihaloalkanes to DNA and stability of the major DNA adduct, S-[2-(N7-guanyl)ethyl]glutathione

The major DNA adduct formed from the carcinogen ethylene dibromide (1,2-dibromoethane, EDB) is S-[2-(N7-guanyl)ethyl]glutathione, resulting from the reaction of guanyl residues with the half-mustard S-(2-bromoethyl)glutathione, which is generated by glutathione S-transferase-catalyzed conjugation of EDB with glutathione. The half-life of the alkylating species [putative S-(2-bromoethyl)glutathione or the derived episulfonium ion] was estimated to be less than 10 s. However, the stability was enough for approximately half of the alkylating metabolites to leave isolated rat hepatocytes before reacting with nucleic acids. Treatment of isolated rat hepatocytes with diethylmaleate decreased covalent binding of EDB to DNA, but treatment with 1-phenylimidazole did not, consistent with the view that conjugative metabolism is of greater importance than oxidation with regard to DNA binding. When EDB was administered to rats in vivo, only one major adduct, S-[2-(N7-guanyl)ethyl]glutathione, was formed in liver or kidney. S-[2-(N7-Guanyl)ethyl]glutathione was found in liver and kidney DNA of rats treated with 1,2-dichloroethane, but other adducts were also present. The gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase inhibitor AT-125 [L-(alpha-(5S)-alpha-amino-S-chloro-4,5-dihydro-5-isoxazoleacetic acid] did not affect the level of EDB bound to DNA by glutathione-fortified rat kidney homogenates or bound to liver or kidney DNA in vivo. The in vitro half-life of S-[2-(N7-guanyl)ethyl]glutathione in calf thymus DNA was 150 h; the half-life of the adduct in rat liver, kidney, stomach, and lung was between 70 and 100 h. Isolated S-[2-(N7-guanyl)ethyl]glutathione did not react with DNA to form new adducts. These results provide a further basis for understanding the carcinogenic action of 1,2-dihaloethanes.     

Effect of rat liver cytosolic enzymes and cofactors on mutagenicity of 1-amino-8-nitropyrene

1-Amino-8-nitropyrene (1,8-ANP), a product of 1,8-dinitropyrene metabolism by either bacterial or mammalian enzymes, is weakly mutagenic to the 'classical nitroreductase'-deficient Salmonella tester strain TA98NR. The addition to the test system of rat liver cytosol without cofactors did not produce any effect on the 1,8-ANP mutagenic response toward TA98NR strain. Conversely, when both rat hepatic cytosol and NADPH (1 mM) were added to the mutagenicity assay, a 10-fold increase in 1,8-ANP mutagenic activity was observed. This suggests the involvement of rat hepatic cytosolic NADPH-dependent nitroreductase(s) in 1,8-ANP mutagenic activation. The addition to the mutagenesis assay of pentachlorophenol, an inhibitor of O-acetyltransferase and sulfotransferase, produced a dose-dependent decrease of 1,8-ANP mutagenic activation, whereas 2,6-dichloro-4-nitrophenol, a more specific inhibitor of sulfotransferase than O-acetyltransferase, did not affect the activation of 1,8-ANP to a mutagen at concentrations that selectively inhibit only bacterial sulfotransferase. This indicates that bacterial O-acetyltransferase but not sulfotransferase plays a role in the mutagenic activation of 1,8-ANP. Addition of acetyl co-enzyme A (AcCoA) and adenosine 3'-phosphate 5'-phosphosulfate (PAPS), cofactors for O-acetyl-transferase and sulfotransferase respectively, to the test system caused a dose-dependent inhibition of 1,8-ANP mutagenic activation by rat liver cytosol and NADPH, probably due to the formation of highly reactive O-acetoxy and N-sulfate ester derivatives of 1,8-ANP, which react with nucleophilic sites before reaching bacterial DNA. This hypothesis was confirmed by DNA covalent binding in in vitro experiments showing that both the cofactors AcCoA and PAPS enhanced the NADPH/rat liver cytosol-mediated covalent binding of 1,8-ANP to DNA from calf thymus 10- and 3-fold respectively. It seems likely that rat hepatic cytosolic nitroreductases activate 1,8-ANP to an N-hydroxyarylamine derivative which can be further metabolized to mutagenic species by either bacterial or mammalian O-acetyltransferase.     

Effects of the hepatocarcinogen nafenopin, a peroxisome proliferator, on the activities of rat liver glutathione-requiring enzymes and catalase in comparison to the action of phenobarbital

The biochemical effects in the livers of male rats of prolonged administration of the experimental hepatocarcinogen nafenopin, a hypolipidemic agent and peroxisome proliferator, were compared to those of another experimental liver carcinogen, phenobarbital, which acts as a neoplasm promoter. Feeding of nafenopin, 0.03 mmol/kg basal diet for up to 24 weeks increased the numbers of hepatic peroxisomes, increased catalase activity, markedly decreased cytosolic glutathione transferase activities toward two substrates, decreased cytosolic glutathione peroxidase activities toward H2O2 and two organic peroxides, and suppressed the age-related increase in gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase activity. In contrast the livers of rats fed an equimolar concentration of phenobarbital displayed increases in cytosolic glutathione transferase activities and enhancement of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase activity but no changes in glutathione peroxidase activities. There was also an enhancement of catalase activity without apparent increase in peroxisome number. Enzyme kinetic analyses revealed that the cytosolic glutathione transferase activities toward two halogenonitrobenzene substrates were inhibited in the rats fed nafenopin and displayed elevated Km and decreased Vmax. Kinetic studies of glutathione transferase activities in which nafenopin was mixed with normal rat liver cytosols in the assay system revealed competitive type inhibition toward 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene and a noncompetitive type of inhibition toward 3,4-dichloronitrobenzene. Likewise activities of glutathione peroxidases toward H2O2 and cumene hydroperoxide were suppressed by in vitro addition. Thus the effects of nafenopin and phenobarbital on liver biochemistry were very different. The inhibition of hepatic biotransformation and scavenger systems by nafenopin is suggested to be relevant to its hepatocarcinogenicity.     

Human,rat and mouse liver-mediated mutagenicity of vinyl chloride in S. typhimurium strains

Exposure of S. typhimurium strains TA 1530, TA 1535 and G-46 to vinyl chloride increased the number of His⁺ revertants/plate 16, 12 or 5 times over the spontaneous mutation rate. After 6 h of exposure to vinyl chloride, the mutagenic response for TA 1530 strain was enhanced 7-, 4- or 5-fold when fortified postmitochondrial liver fractions from humans, rats or mice were added. The enzyme-mediated vinyl chloride mutagenicity was dependent on an NADPH generating system and the enzyme activity was localized in a liver microsomal fraction; 9,000 × g liver supernatant was three times more active than microsomes, while liver cytosol or alcohol dehydrogenase did not affect the mutagenicity. Phenobarbitone pretreatment of rats and mice increased the mutagenic response by up to 15–40% as compared to untreated controls. The relative mutagenic activities of VCM, taking the value from mouse liver as 100, for TA 1530 strain mediated by 9,000 × g tissue fractions were: rat liver, 80; mouse and rat kidney, 20 and 16; mouse and rat lung, less than 7; human liver (from four biopsy specimens), 170, 64, 70 and 46. Chloroacetaldehyde and chloroacetic acid, a urinary metabolite of VCM, showed toxic effects, while chloroethanol was weakly mutagenic for TA 1530 strain.     

Effect of tamoxifen feeding on metabolic activation of tamoxifen by the liver of the Rhesus monkey: Does liver accumulation of inhibitory metabolities protect from tamoxifen-dependent genotoxicity and cancer?

Tamoxifen induces hepatocellular carcinomas in rats and is convertedby rat hepatic cytochrome P450 enzymes into reactive metabolitescapable of forming adducts with nucleic acids, proteins andchromosomal aberrations. In rats tamoxifen has also been shownto induce liver cytochrome P450 enzymes, to stimulate its ownmetabolism leading to greater covalent binding and to inducea higher degree of unscheduled DNA synthesis. This suggeststhat, at least in the rat, a sensitive species, tamoxifen maycontribute significantly to its genotoxic and carcinogenic potential,by assisting its own metabolic activation. We have now investigatedthe effect of feeding tamoxifen to male and female Rhesus monkeys.A marked induction of the hepatic cytochrome(s) P450 is foundin the monkey but, in spite of this, the in vitro metabolismof 7-ethoxy-resorufin by microsomes from treated animals ismarkedly inhibited and so is the dealkylation of two other 7-alkoxy-resorufinsubstrates. Evidence is presented for the accumulation in theliver of monkeys treated with tamoxifen of a powerful inhibitorof drug metabolism, and the inhibitor is identified as a metaboliteof tamoxifen, its N,N-didesmethyl derivative. The level of ³²P-postlabelledDNA adducts was considerably higher in rats given tamoxifenthan in similarly treated monkeys. Also, whereas rats respondedto tamoxifen treatment with a marked increase in covalent bindingto microsomal protein, in the monkeys, where accumulation ofthe inhibitory metabolite in the microsomal fraction was alsoseen, convalent binding was not greater with microsomes fromtreated animals than in the corresponding controls. N, N-Didesmethyl-tamoxifen,added in vitro to human and rat microsomes, reduced significantlythe extent of covalent binding, suggesting that the accumulationof the metabolite observed in the liver of primates may discouragethe cytochrome P450-dependent conversion of tamoxifen into reactivederivatives and in this way protect against the formation ofadducts. This mechanism may also contribute to protecting theprimate against liver cancer.     

Androgen-dependent renal microsomal cytochrome P-450 responsible for N-hydroxylation and mutagenic activation of 3-methoxy-4-aminoazobenzene in the BALB/c mouse

A murine renal microsomal enzyme responsible for the mutagenic activation of 3-methoxy-4-aminoazobenzene (3-MeO-AAB) was characterized by its catalytic activity for the mutagenic and metabolic conversion of 3-MeO-AAB. Incubation of 3-MeO-AAB with a renal or hepatic microsome fraction from male BALB/c mice in the presence of NADPH and NADH yielded N-hydroxy and 4'-hydroxy metabolites of 3-MeO-AAB as determined by two-dimensional thin layer chromatography, and the enzyme responsible for the N-hydroxylation was named 3-MeO-AAB N-hydroxylase. A mutagenicity test using Salmonella typhimurium TA98 bacteria as a tester strain has revealed that N-hydroxy-3-MeO-AAB is a potent direct mutagen but that 4'-hydroxy-3-MeO-AAB is not mutagenic. Although 3-MeO-AAB N-hydroxylase activity in liver microsomes showed no sex difference, the enzyme activity in the kidney was detected from male mice but not from females. However, administration of testosterone to female mice induced the enzyme in the kidney. Castration of male mice depressed the activity of 3-MeO-AAB N-hydroxylase in renal microsomes but it little affected the hepatic activity, and on administration of testosterone to the castrated mice the depressed renal microsomal activity recovered to a normal level. The activity of 3-MeO-AAB hydroxylase and the amount of cytochrome P-450 in renal microsomes showed a close correlation. Both renal and hepatic microsomes required NADPH as a main cofactor to mutagenize 3-MeO-AAB and to yield N-hydroxy-3-MeO-AAB from 3-MeO-AAB, and the enzyme activity was strongly inhibited by 7,8-benzoflavone. When the activities of renal and hepatic 3-MeO-AAB N-hydroxylase were compared on the basis of the amount of cytochrome P-450, the renal type enzyme showed about 8 times greater activity than hepatic type enzyme. These results indicate that the kidney contains an androgen-dependent microsomal 3-MeO-AAB hydroxylase which is different from an isozyme present in the liver and which is a new type of cytochrome P-450 isozyme.     

Activation of 2-amino-6-methyldipyrido[1, 2-a: 3', 2'-d]imidazole, a mutagenic pyrolysis product of glutamic acid, to bind to microsomal protein by NADPH-dependent and -independent enzyme systems

The conversion of 2-amino-6-methyldipyrido[l, 2-a: 3',2'-d]-imidazole(Glu-P-1), a highly mutagenic principle in a pyro-lysate ofglutamic acid, to protein-bound metabolites in vitro was examinedwith microsomes from various tissues of female F344 rats. Additionof NADPH to the incubation mixture containing microsomes and[¹⁴C]Glu-P-1 increased the binding of its metabolites to microsomalproteins linearly with time for up to 30 min, while on additionof arachidonic acid the binding increased linearly only forthe first 2-4 min of incubation and then levelled off. However,due to the initial rapid binding, addition of arachidonic addresulted in 6-fold greater binding of metabolites to small intestinalmicrosomes than addition of NADPH on incubation for 4 min, andwith microsomes from liver and colon, arachidonic acid was foundto be a better cofactor than NADPH for activation of Glu-P-1.Indomethadn significantly inhibited the increase in bindingby arachidonic acid. Additions of linoleic and linolenic addsalso increased the binding, but addition of oteic acid had noinfluence. With hepatic microsomes from 3-methykholanthrene-treatedrats, binding within 4 min after addition of arachidonic addwas greater than that after addition of NADPH and the reverseon further incubation. These findings suggest that prostaglandinsynthetase may serve as an alternative enzyme to cytochromeP-450 monooxygenases for conversion of Glu-P-1 to active intermediatesin all the rat tissues investigated.     

Effect of chronic phenobarbital administration on the gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase activity of hyperplastic liver lesions induced in rats by the Solt/Farber initiation: selection process of hepatocacinogenesis

A chronic 8 to 11 week administration of the hepatic tumor promoterphenobarbital (0.05% in drinking water) to rats previously subjectedto the initiation:selection process of Solt and Farber was foundto further increase the gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase activityof individual hyperplastic liver nodules of 4.0–10.0 mmin diameter over comparably sized nodules form control livers.Those rats which received 11 weeks of the chronic phenobarbitaltreatment also showed a significant increase in their liverwet weights. In addition, random tissue samples of non-nodularliver taken from the 11 week phenobarbital-treated rats exhibiteda gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase mean specific activity whichwas {small tilde}3 times higher than that of control non-nodularliver samples. In contrast, there was a 1.9-fold increase inthe mean % gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase-positive area (cm²),as determined histochemically, in cryostat sections made fromnon-nodular samples of the 11 week phenobarbital-treated ratswhen compared with that of control liver sections. Interruptionof the chronic phenobarbital administration at 8 weeks followedby 3 weeks of control treatment resulted in a reversal of thegammaglutamyl transpeptidase activity response shown by thehyperplastic liver nodules and non-nodular liver tissue samples.Thus, phenobarbital can quantitatively modulate gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase activity in carcinogeninduced hyperplastic liverlesions in the rat during the early stages of hepatocarcinogenesis.     

Bioactivation of aflatoxin B1 in the bovine olfactory mucosa: DNA binding, mutagenicity and induction of sister chromatid exchanges.

Nasal olfactory tumours occur in cattle in relatively high frequencies in several developing countries. Since affected animals sometimes show signs of severe aflatoxicosis, a role of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in tumorigenesis can be proposed. The results of the present study show that microsomal preparations of the bovine olfactory mucosa have a much higher ability than liver microsomes to induce covalent binding of AFB1 to calf thymus DNA and to microsomal proteins. The major DNA adduct formed was 8,9-dihydro-8-(N7-guanyl)-9-hydroxy-aflatoxin B1. Incubations of microsomal preparations of the bovine nasal olfactory mucosa with glutathione (GSH) and cytosolic fractions of the nasal mucosa resulted in decreased AFB1 DNA binding. A more pronounced decrease was observed when cytosolic fractions of mouse liver were added to the incubations. Mouse liver is known to contain a glutathione-S-transferase with a high ability to scavenge the reactive AFB1-epoxide via conjugation to GSH. Our results indicate that AFB1-GSH conjugation occurs less efficiently in the bovine nasal olfactory mucosa than in the mouse liver. Supernatant preparations (9000 g) of the bovine nasal olfactory mucosa incubated with AFB1 were shown to have the capacity to induce a strong genotoxic response both as regards induction of gene mutations in Salmonella typhimurium TA100 and the induction of sister chromatid exchanges in Chinese hamster ovary cells. Preparations of the bovine liver (9000 g) has a much lower ability to induce these effects. The results of the present study show that the bovine nasal olfactory mucosa has a high AFB1-bioactivating capacity, which can be related to the potent DNA damaging and mutagenic effects observed. It is considered that our results support the assumption that AFB1 plays a role in the aetiology of nasal tumours in cattle.     

Covalent binding of diethylstilbestrol to microsomal protein in vitro correlates with the organotropism of its carcinogenicity

Diethylstilbestrol (DES) was incubated in vitro with liver andkidney microsomes from male and female hamsters and rats, andthe extent of non-extractable binding of radioactivity to microsomalprotein was determined. Binding to microsomes from male hamsterkidney, which is a target organ for DES carcinogenicity in vivo,was found to be 5-10 times higher than binding to microsomesfrom non-target tissues. Pretreatment with phenobarbital ledto a marked increase in binding of DES to kidney microsomesbut not to liver microsomes from female hamsters and male andfemale rats. The correlation of in vitro covalent binding withorgan susceptibility implies a role for metabolic activationof DES in the mechanism of its carcinogenicity.     

1,1,2-Trichloroethane: evidence of genotoxicity from short-term tests

At 22 hr after ip injection into adult male Wistar rats, 1,1,2-trichloroethane was covalently bound to DNA, RNA and proteins of the liver, kidney, lung and stomach, as has been found with various weakly carcinogenic halo compounds. The extent of interaction of 1,1,2-trichloroethane with mouse liver DNA was much higher than that with rat liver DNA. This result provides evidence of a correlation between adducts formation and species susceptibility to hepatocarcinogenesis (only the mouse is sensitive to the oncogenic effect of this compound). Interaction with DNA mediated by murine liver microsomes occurred in vitro. No particular differences between the two species were found. In vitro binding was enhanced (approximately 5-fold) by pretreatment in vivo with phenobarbitone but was suppressed by addition of 2-diethylamino-ethyl-2,2-diphenylvalerate X HCl in vitro. Cytochrome P-450 was, therefore, involved in the interaction process. Glutathione suppressed the microsome-mediated interaction, acting as a "scavenger" of reactive intermediate(s). Murine lung microsomes were less effective bioactivators than liver microsomes for the interaction with DNA and microsomal RNA, but not microsomal protein. Kidney and stomach microsomes were ineffective, as were cytosolic fractions from all of the assayed organs of the two species. The extent of in vitro interaction of 1,1,2-trichloroethane with synthetic polyribonucleotides was of the same order of magnitude as that with DNA. The results represent further clear evidence for genotoxicity of 1,1,2-trichloroethane.     

Modulation of aflatoxin metabolism, aflatoxin-N7-guanine formation, and hepatic tumorigenesis in rats fed ethoxyquin: role of induction of glutathione S-transferases

The effects of dietary administration of ethoxyquin (EQ) on aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) metabolism, DNA adduct formation and removal, and hepatic tumorigenesis were examined in male Fischer rats. Rats were fed a semipurified diet containing 0.4% EQ for 1 wk, gavaged with 250 micrograms of AFB1 per kg 5 times a wk during the next 2 wk, and, finally, restored to the control diet 1 wk after cessation of dosing. At 4 mo, focal areas of hepatocellular alteration were identified and quantitated by staining sections of liver for gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase. Treatment with EQ reduced by greater than 95% both area and volume of liver occupied by gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase-positive foci. Utilizing the same multiple dosing protocol, patterns of covalent modifications of DNA by AFB1 were determined. EQ produced a dramatic reduction in the binding of AFB1 to hepatic DNA: 18-fold initially and 3-fold at the end of the dosing period. Although binding was detectable at 3 and 4 mo postdosing, no effect of EQ was observed, suggesting that these persistent adducts are not of primary relevance to AFB1 carcinogenesis. Analysis of nucleic acid bases by high-performance liquid chromatography revealed no qualitative differences in adduct species between treatment groups. The inhibitory effect of EQ on AFB1 binding to DNA and tumorigenesis appears related to induction of detoxication enzymes. Rats fed 0.4% EQ for 7 days showed a 5-fold increase in hepatic cytosolic glutathione S-transferase (GST)-specific activities. Multiple molecular forms of GST were induced, and concomitant elevations in messenger RNA levels coding for the synthesis of GST subunits were observed. Correspondingly, biliary elimination of AFB1-glutathione conjugate was increased 4.5-fold in animals on the EQ diet during the first 2 h following p.o. administration of 250 micrograms of AFB1 per kg. Thus, induction by EQ of enzymes important to AFB1 detoxication, such as GST, can lead to enhanced carcinogen elimination, as well as reductions of AFB1-DNA adduct formation and subsequent expression of preneoplastic lesions, and, ultimately, neoplasia.     

The different genotoxicity of p-dichlorobenzene in mouse and rat: measurement of the in vivo and in vitro covalent interaction with nucleic acids

Twenty-two hours after i.p. injection to male Wistar rats and BALB/c mice para-dichlorobenzene (p-DCB) is bound covalently to DNA from liver, kidney, lung and stomach of mice but not of rats. DNA adducts in mouse liver are repaired in seventy-two hours. The covalent binding index value, calculated on the labelling of mouse liver DNA, classifies p-DCB as a weak initiator with an oncogenic activity lower than that of chlorobenzene. The labelling of RNA and proteins from the different organs of both species is, however, low. In vitro interaction with calf thymus DNA mediated by mouse and rat microsomes from liver and lung did occur. Binding extent was strongly reduced by addition of 2-diethylaminoethyl-2,2-diphenylvalerate hydrochloride (SKF 525-A) to the microsomal standard incubation mixture, whereas it was enhanced by adding GSH. Cytosolic fractions from kidney and lung were able to induce binding of p-DCB to DNA to a lower extent with respect to microsome-mediated binding. These results indicate that microsomal mixed function oxidase system and microsomal GSH-transferases can be involved in overall activating metabolism whereas cytosolic GSH-transferases play a minor role. This study, which is a part of a structure-activity relationship approach on benzene and its haloderivatives, provides the first evidence of genotoxicity of p-DCB in mammalian cell. It allows to partly explain variations of susceptibility of different species to hepatocarcinogenesis and of hepatotoxicity of different isomers.     

Biological markers as an aid in the clinical management of patients with liver metastases

Liver metastases due to the more common neoplastic diseases such as colorectal, breast, or bronchogenic carcinoma are a frequent occurrence and are associated with an ominous prognosis. Earlier detection followed by appropriate therapeutic interventions might have a decided effect on the subsequent course of disease. Controversy exists over the selection of tests with the greatest sensitivity, specificity, and potential utility. Preliminary evidence suggest that gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase and 5'-nucleotidase may be of particular significance. Four enzymes--gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, 5'-nucleotidase, leucine aminopeptidase, and alkaline phosphatase plus carcinoembryonic antigen--were compared in the same blood samples from selected patients with breast and small cell carcinoma of the lung. Gamma-Glutamyl transpeptidase was the most sensitive test with 28/29 (97%) patients with hepatic metastases having elevated enzymatic activity in their sera. For patients with small cell carcinoma of the lung followed serially, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase activity was increased an average of 5 months before liver metastases were detected by clinical means. Two factors are important in the interpretation of the results of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase analysis: (1) Hepatic dysfunction due to diseases other than metastatic tumor involvement can cause a rise in enzyme levels as can (2) medications or ethanol which activate the hepatic microsomal drug metabolizing system. Of particular importance, however, is the fact that antitumor chemotherapy, even intensive and multiple agent, did not appear to effect the enzyme activity in the sera of patients with breast or small cell carcinoma of the lung. Gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase in combination with carcinoembryonic antigen may be of particular value in detecting liver metastases and in assessing subsequent response to therapy.     

Elevation of mouse kidney thiol content following administration of glutathione.

We have found that kidney glutathione and cysteine content in C3H mice can be increased by intraperitoneal administration of either glutathione (GSH) or glutathione disulfide (GSSG). Kidney thiol content is maximal 20-60 min after administration of 1000 mg/kg glutathione and returns to normal values by 2 h. The same time-course of thiol perturbation was observed when acivicin, an inhibitor of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, was administered 15 min prior to GSSG administration. The increase in kidney thiols after GSSG administration appears to saturate, with little additional increase as the administered dose is increased above 750 mg/kg. There was no significant change in liver GSH or cysteine after GSSG administration. We suggest that glutathione administration may provide a strategy for selective radioprotection or chemoprotection of specialized cells which can effectively utilize systemic GSH precursors.     

Molecular basis for the sex-related difference in renal N-nitrosodimethylamine demethylase in C3H/HeJ mice

Previous work with rat and rabbit liver enzymes has demonstrated that cytochrome P450IIE1 is responsible for the metabolism of N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), a widely occurring carcinogen. The present study demonstrated that a similar enzyme also exists in the mouse kidney and is regulated by testosterone. These results can account for the reported sex-related difference in the renal metabolism of NDMA in mouse strains such as C3H/HeJ. NDMA demethylase activities (expressed as pmol/min/mg protein) in kidney microsomes of female and male C3H/HeJ mice were 3.0 +/- 0.7 and 51.9 +/- 11.2, respectively. After testosterone treatment (500 mg/kg b.w. in olive oil, s.c.) for 2 days, the renal NDMA demethylase activity of the female mice was elevated 17-fold. The difference and change in NDMA demethylase activity were accompanied by corresponding differences and changes in P450IIE1 as quantified by immunoblot analysis (using antibodies prepared against rat P450IIE1) as well as in the mRNA level for P450IIE1 as determined by Northern and slot blot analyses (using a cDNA probe containing the coding sequence of rat P450IIE1 gene). Based on gel electrophoresis, the molecular weight of mouse renal P450IIE1 was 52,000 and the size of mouse renal P450IIE1 mRNA was approximately 1.8 kilobases; both were similar to those found in rat liver and kidney. Renal P450IIE1 mRNA levels in female, male, and testosterone-treated female mice were at a ratio of 1:22:20. On the other hand, this testosterone-related difference was not observed in hepatic P450IIE1. In liver microsomes, there were no significant differences in NDMA demethylase activity, P450IIE1 content, and P450IIE1 mRNA level between male and female mice or between untreated and testosterone-treated female mice. The apparent Km value of NDMA demethylase in mouse kidney microsomes (22 to 27 microM NDMA) were similar to that in rat liver microsomes. Renal NDMA demethylase activity was inhibited by a monoclonal antibody prepared against rat P450IIE1. These results suggest that mouse renal P450IIE1 is similar to rat P450IIE1 and is responsible for the low Km form of NDMA demethylase activity. Nevertheless, only the mouse renal enzyme is regulated by testosterone.