Targeting maladaptive glutathione responses in lung disease

The lung is unique being exposed directly to the atmospheric environment containing xenobiotics, pathogens, and other agents which are continuously inhaled on a daily basis. Additionally, the lung is exposed to higher ambient oxygen levels which can promote the formation of a complex number of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. Due to this constant barrage of potential damaging agents, the lung has developed a high degree of plasticity in dealing with ever changing conditions. In the present commentary, we will focus on glutathione (GSH) as a key antioxidant in the lung airways and discuss mechanisms by which the lung uses GSH to adapt to its rapidly changing environment. We will then examine the evidence on how defective and inadequate adaptive responses can lead to lung injury, inflammation and disease. Lastly, we will examine some of the recent attempts to alter lung GSH levels with therapies in a number of human lung diseases and discuss some of the limitations of such approaches.     

Endometrial stromal sarcoma: analysis of recurrence following adjuvant treatment

Objective

Endometrial stromal sarcoma (ESS) is a rare and indolent form of uterine cancer with ill-defined post-operative treatment guidelines. The goal of this study was to evaluate the rate of recurrence and the effect of various adjuvant treatment modalities.

Methods

Patients with ESS at 4 institutions were identified (1986-2007). Patient demographics, pathology, treatment, and follow-up information were collected. Chi-square statistical analysis was performed.

Results

Forty-three patients with ESS were identified. All patients initially underwent hysterectomy. Twenty-eight (66.7%) had early stage, 12 (28.6%) had advanced stage ESS, and 2 (4.8%) had no staging information. Eight patients received pelvic and or vaginal cuff radiation treatment, with or without chemotherapy. Sixteen of 43 patients experienced a recurrence at an average of 100.5 months. Thirty-three patients were treated with progestin therapy alone or followed expectantly. Complete outpatient records were available for 28 of these patients. Sixteen patients (57%) were followed expectantly while 12 (43%) received progestins. Patients receiving progestins vs. expectant management had a lower rate of recurrence in stage 1 (14.3% vs 38.5%, p = 0.26) and all stages (33% vs 50%, p = 0.38). Twenty-three of 28 (82.1%) patients underwent initial oophorectomy. Eight of 23 (34.8%) had a recurrence, compared to 4 of 5 (80%) in those who retained their ovaries (p = 0.06).

Conclusions

ESS is a rare cancer that is difficult to study. We found removal of the adnexa and post-operative treatment with progestin therapy decreased recurrence rates. These two treatment strategies should be considered in the treatment of patients with all stages of ESS.     

顺铂对大鼠肝细胞毒性及谷胱甘肽的保护作用

目的探讨顺铂对原代培养的大鼠肝细胞的毒性及谷胱甘肽对其影响.方法从大鼠的肝脏分离培养肝实质细胞接种于96孔培养板,培养3h后加入一系列浓度的顺铂,或在加入顺铂前16和4h,分别加入谷胱甘肽(glutathione,GSH)合成抑制剂DL-buthionine-(S,R)-sulfoximine(BSO)和GSH的前体物半胱氨酸,继续培养,分别在8,24和48 h 3个时间点用噻唑蓝(MTT)方法检测细胞存活率.结果顺铂对大鼠肝细胞有明显的毒性,在不同的时间点有各自的剂量-反应关系,顺铂对大鼠肝细胞在8,24和48 h 3个时间点半数抑制浓度(IC50)分别为1.13,0.21和0.15 mmol/L;BSO能使3组IC50均降低,分别为0.017,0.011和0.013 mmol/L,而半胱氨酸则可使3组IC50均升高,均大于5mmol/L.结论顺铂对大鼠肝细胞具有明显的毒性作用,且呈时间和剂量依赖关系;BSO可增强顺铂的肝细胞毒性,而半胱氨酸对顺铂引起的肝细胞毒性有保护作用,提示细胞内GSH对顺铂所致肝细胞毒性有保护作用.     

BSO逆转人肺腺癌细胞株多药耐药性的实验研究

目的研究谷胱甘肽(GSH)合成酶抑制剂——BSO对人肺腺癌多药耐药细胞株A549DDP细胞内GSH含量影响;探讨BSO逆转多药耐药(MDR)作用机制及逆转效果。方法GSH还原酶循环法测定BSO对细胞内GSH含量的影响。MTT比色法测定经BSO预处理后顺氯氨铂(DDP)、阿霉素(ADM)对细胞50%抑制浓度(IC50)的影响。流式细胞仪检测BSO对MDR细胞内柔红霉素(DNR)荧光强度的影响。结果耐药细胞A549DDP细胞内GSH含量较人肺腺癌A549细胞内GSH含量明显增高。BSO在一定浓度范围内(50～200μmol·L-1)对A549细胞和耐药细胞A549DDP无明显细胞毒性作用(抑制率均小于10%)。BSO呈剂量依赖性非线性抑制细胞内GSH的合成,其对MDR细胞内GSH合成影响较为显著,而对A549细胞内GSH合成影响较小。BSO在一定浓度范围内能降低DDP、ADM对A549DDP细胞的IC50,而对A549细胞的IC50无明显影响。A549DDP细胞内DNR荧光强度较A549细胞显著降低,能不同程度提高A549DDP细胞内柔红霉素荧光强度,均较未处理组显著提高;与未经BSO处理的A549细胞比较,细胞内荧光强度轻度增高,但统计学上无显著性差异。结论BSO能有效逆转A549DDP细胞的MDR,其机制与降低MDR细胞内GSH含量有关。     

Pure dysgerminoma of the ovary with elevated serum human chorionic gonadotropin: diagnostic and therapeutic considerations

Pure ovarian dysgerminomas with associated elevation of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) are rare, and their optimum management is unclear. We report here a 24-year-old woman with stage III dysgerminoma of the ovaries, with bulky intrapelvic disease, paraaortic adenopathy, and elevated pre- and postsurgical serum beta-hCG titers. Following administration of whole abdominal-pelvic and mediastinal irradiation therapy, the patient's adenopathy regressed, her serial beta-hCG titers returned to normal, and she has remained free of disease for the past 30 months. Histopathological studies revealed a pure dysgerminoma with scattered giant cells which were negative for hCG by immunoperoxidase staining. The literature is reviewed with reference to the significance of elevated hCG levels, the presence of giant cells in association with dysgerminoma of the ovary, and therapeutic implications. Serial determinations of beta-hCG titers may prove to be as valuable in the management of these patients as they are in patients with testicular tumors.     

Acute and severe hypobaric hypoxia-induced muscle oxidative stress in mice: the role of glutathione against oxidative damage

This study intended to analyze: (1) the effects of acute and severe hypoxia exposure on skeletal muscle oxidative stress and oxidative damage markers; (2) the protective role of the antioxidant glutathione against oxidative damage; and (3) the expression of heat shock protein 70 kDa (HSP70) induced by this hypoxic insult. Forty mice were divided into four groups: control + placebo (C+P), hypoxia + placebo (H+P), control + l-buthionine-[S,R]-sulfoximine (BSO, a GSH-depleting compound) (C+BSO) and hypoxia + BSO (H+BSO). Hypoxia groups were continuously exposed for 24 h to a hypobaric hypoxic environment equivalent to an altitude of 7000 m and sacrificed immediately after. Control groups were maintained at sea level during the experimental protocol. Analyzed biochemical parameters were: reduced (GSH) and oxidized (GSSG) glutathione, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), sulfhydryl protein groups (SH), N-acetyl--d-glucosaminidase (NAG) and HSP70 protein. Hypoxia (H+P) per se, compared to C+P, induced a significant increase in %GSSG (5.68 vs. 1.14%), TBARS (436.7 vs. 227.9 nM), NAG (4.49 vs. 3.35 U/mg) and HSP70 (178.7 vs. 100%). Compared with H+P, H+BSO showed a significant decrease in total glutathione (19.30 vs. 6.13 nmol/mg) and an additional increase in %GSSG (5.68 vs. 11.33%) and in HSP70 expression (178.7 vs. 202.2%). However, no further oxidative damage was observed in H+BSO. These data suggest that acute hypoxia per se might enhance oxidative stress; however, the glutathione system seems to have a modest role in skeletal muscle protection against hypoxia-induced oxidative stress. Moreover, hypoxia and BSO treatment is a sufficient stimulus to promote HSP70 overexpression.     

Ebselen, a redox regulator containing a selenium atom, induces neurofilament M expression in cultured rat pheochromocytoma PC12 cells via activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase

We found that ebselen [2-phenyl-1,2-benzisoselenazol-3(2H)-one] caused phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), followed by expression of neurofilament-M, a neuron-specific protein, in cultured PC12 rat pheochromocytoma cells. The ebselen-induced MAPK activation was suppressed by U0126, an inhibitor of MAPK kinase (MEK1/2), but not by K252a, a selective inhibitor of Trk family tyrosine kinases; AG1478, an antagonist of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR); pertussis toxin, an inhibitor of Gi/o; or GP antagonist-2A, an inhibitor of Gq. Furthermore, we observed that N-acetyl-L-cysteine, an inhibitor of tyrosine kinases, suppressed ebselen-induced MAPK activation and buthionine sulfoximine, an activator of protein tyrosine phosphatases, enhanced the effect, indicating that ebselen activated MEK1/2 through one or more tyrosine kinases. Based on these results, we propose that ebselen stimulated intracellular tyrosine kinase activity, thus activating a MAPK cascade (tyrosine kinase-MEK1/2-ERK1/2) in PC12 cells and that this activation resulted in their neuronal differentiation.     

Melatonin restores neutrophil functions and prevents apoptosis amid dysfunctional glutathione redox system

Melatonin is a chronobiotic hormone, which can regulate human diseases like cancer, atherosclerosis, respiratory disorders, and microbial infections by regulating redox system. Melatonin exhibits innate immunomodulation by communicating with immune system and influencing neutrophils to fight infections and inflammation. However, sustaining redox homeostasis and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in neutrophils are critical during chemotaxis, oxidative burst, phagocytosis, and neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) formation. Therefore, endogenous antioxidant glutathione (GSH) redox cycle is highly vital in regulating neutrophil functions. Reduced intracellular GSH levels and glutathione reductase (GR) activity in the neutrophils during clinical conditions like autoimmune disorders, neurological disorders, diabetes, and microbial infections lead to dysfunctional neutrophils. Therefore, we hypothesized that redox modulators like melatonin can protect neutrophil health and functions under GSH and GR activity–deficient conditions. We demonstrate the dual role of melatonin, wherein it protects neutrophils from oxidative stress-induced apoptosis by reducing ROS generation; in contrast, it restores neutrophil functions like phagocytosis, degranulation, and NETosis in GSH and GR activity–deficient neutrophils by regulating ROS levels both in vitro and in vivo. Melatonin mitigates LPS-induced neutrophil dysfunctions by rejuvenating GSH redox system, specifically GR activity by acting as a parallel redox system. Our results indicate that melatonin could be a potential auxiliary therapy to treat immune dysfunction and microbial infections, including virus, under chronic disease conditions by restoring neutrophil functions. Further, melatonin could be a promising immune system booster to fight unprecedented pandemics like the current COVID-19. However, further studies are indispensable to address the clinical usage of melatonin.     

Aging of different avian cultured cells: Lack of ROS-induced damage and quality control mechanisms

Elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels have been observed in mammals during aging, implying an important role of ROS in the aging process. Most bird species are known to live longer and to contain lower ROS levels than mammals of the same body weight. The influence of ROS on the aging process of birds has been investigated using pigeon embryonic fibroblasts (PEF) and chicken embryonic fibroblasts (CEF). ROS levels in young avian cells were much lower than in human cells. When cultivated till replicative senescence, PEF proliferated about one-third longer compared to CEF. However, both senescent avian cell populations showed no increased ROS levels or accumulation of ROS-induced damage on the mtDNA or protein level. The investigation for quality control (QC) mechanisms revealed that the autophagosomal/lysosomal pathway was not downregulated in old avian cells and stable overexpression of the autophagy protein ATG5 improved mitochondrial fitness, enhanced the resistance against oxidative stress and prolonged the life span of CEF. Oxidative stress-mediated apoptosis induced a dose-dependent cell proliferation in CEF as well as in PEF. Taken together, our data indicate that autophagy and compensatory proliferation act as QC mechanisms, while ROS did not influence the aging process in avian cells.