Effect of free iron on collagen synthesis,cell proliferation and MMP-2 expression in rat hepatic stellate cells

Various studies on hepatic fibrosis occurring in iron overload suggest that excess of tissue iron may be involved in the stimulation of collagen synthesis. Anyway, up to date, direct evidence on the role of iron in hepatic fibrosis is lacking. Moreover, it is not clear whether iron acts as direct initiator of fibrogenesis or as mediator of hepatocellular necrosis. In the present study, we investigated the effect of nontoxic doses of iron on collagen metabolism and proliferation, key features of liver fibrosis, by means of cultures of hepatic stellate cells, the liver cells responsible for collagen production. Iron treatment increased collagen synthesis without affecting noncollagen proteins. The maximum effect was observed at 5 microM iron (+132%). At this dose, no cell damage or proliferation was detected. Conversely, higher doses of iron (10 and 25 microM) induced cell proliferation and a lower increase in collagen synthesis, suggesting the prevalence of proliferative effect on the synthetic one. These effects occurred without the intervention of serum factors and were not mediated by lipid peroxidation. Our results strongly support the hypothesis that iron "per sé" may act as a profibrogenic agent. Finally, we provide evidence that iron plays a role also in matrix degradation, by stimulating some metalloprotease activities. Iron treatment increased metalloprotease-2 activity in hepatic stellate cells, while no changes were observed for interstitial collagenase activity suggesting that, in these conditions, a pathological accumulation of hepatic extracellular matrix may occur.     

Cellular energetics and glutathione status in NRK-52E cells: toxicological implications

Cellular energetics and redox status were evaluated in NRK-52E cells, a stable cell line derived from rat proximal tubules. To assess toxicological implications of these properties, susceptibility to apoptosis induced by S-(1,2-dichlorovinyl)-L-cysteine (DCVC), a well-known mitochondrial and renal cytotoxicant, was studied. Cells exhibited high activities of several glutathione (GSH)-dependent enzymes, including gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase, GSH peroxidase, glutathione disulfide reductase, and GSH S-transferase, but very low activities of gamma-glutamyltransferase and alkaline phosphatase, consistent with a low content of brush-border microvilli. Uptake and total cellular accumulation of [14C]alpha-methylglucose was significantly higher when cells were exposed at the basolateral as compared to the brush-border membrane. Similarly, uptake of GSH was nearly 2-fold higher across the basolateral than the brush-border membrane. High activities of (Na(+)+K(+))-ATPase and malic dehydrogenase, but low activities of other mitochondrial enzymes, respiration, and transport of GSH and dicarboxylates into mitochondria were observed. Examination of mitochondrial density by confocal microscopy, using a fluorescent marker (MitoTracker Orange), indicated that NRK-52E cells contain a much lower content of mitochondria than rat renal proximal tubules in vivo. Incubation of cells with DCVC caused time- and concentration-dependent ATP depletion that was largely dependent on transport and bioactivation, as observed in the rat, on induction of apoptosis, and on morphological damage. Comparison with primary cultures of rat and human proximal tubular cells suggests that the NRK-52E cells are modestly less sensitive to DCVC. In most respects, however, NRK-52E cells exhibited functions similar to those of the rat renal proximal tubule in vivo.     

A physiological threshold for protection against menadione toxicity by human NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase (NQO1) in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells

NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) has often been suggested to be involved in cancer prevention by means of detoxification of electrophilic quinones. In the present study, a series of Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell lines expressing various elevated levels of human NQO1 were generated by stable transfection. The level of NQO1 over-expression ranged from 14 to 29 times the NQO1 activity in the wild-type CHO cells. This panel of cell lines, allowed investigation of the protective role of NQO1 in quinone cytotoxicity. It could be demonstrated that menadione toxicity was significantly reduced in all NQO1-transfected CHO clones compared to the wild-type cells, but the clones did not show differences in their level of protection against menadione. This observation pointed at a critical threshold concentration of NQO1 above which a further increase does not provide further protection against quinone cytotoxicity. Additional studies in which the NQO1 activity was inhibited by dicoumarol showed that only dicoumarol concentrations of about five times the EC(50) for NQO1 inhibition were able to reduce NQO1 levels below the apparent threshold, making the cells more sensitive. The level of this threshold was estimated to be in the range of base line NQO1 activities observed in several tissues and species. Thus, the results of the present study indicate that beneficial effects of NQO1 induction by, for example, cruciferous vegetables might be absent or present depending on the NQO1 activity threshold for optimal protection and the basal level of NQO1 expression in the tissue and species of interest.     

Quantitative biochemical analysis of lactate dehydrogenase in human ovarian tissues: correlation with tumor grade

Abstract.   Šimaga Š, Osmak M, Babič D, Šprem M, Vukelič B, Abramič M. Quantitative biochemical analysis of lactate dehydrogenase in human ovarian tissues: correlation with tumor grade. Int J Gynecol Cancer 2005; 15: 438–444.
In an attempt to identify glycolytic capacity of normal and neoplastic human ovary, total lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity was measured in tissue cytosol originating from 69 patients (18 with benign ovarian tumor, 34 with ovarian carcinoma, six with nonepithelial ovarian malignant tumors, and 11 with tumor metastatic to ovary) and compared to the LDH activity of normal ovarian tissues ( n = 19). Median value of total LDH-specific activity expressed as U/mg protein was 0.546 in normal tissues, 0.584 in benign tumors, 1.071 in malignancies metastatic to ovaries, 0.872 in nonepithelial primary ovarian tumors, and 0.818 in primary carcinomas. A significant rise in LDH-specific activity was found in malignant primary and secondary tumors of epithelial and nonepithelial origin, but not in benign neoplasms, compared to the activity in normal tissue. Ovarian carcinomas of serous histologic type did not differ in LDH activity from mucinous tumors. However, poorly differentiated carcinomas (grade 3) showed significantly enhanced activity of this glycolytic enzyme when compared to its grade 1 counterpart. The subgroup of grade 1 tumors did not differ in LDH activity from normal and benign ovarian tissue. Obtained results suggest that direct correlation might exist between ovarian epithelial tumor grade and lactate dehydrogenase activity.     

乳酸依沙吖啶软膏的制备及含量测定

目的：制备乳酸依沙吖啶软膏并建立其质量控制方法。方法：以甘油、凡士林等为基质制备软膏;采用紫外分光光度法测定其中主药含量。结果：所得制剂性状、鉴别、检查等均符合2000年版《中国药典》相关规定;乳酸依沙吖啶线性范围为0.2～19.9μg/ml（r=0.9993）;平均回收率为101.1%（RSD=1.75%）。结论：本制剂制备工艺简单可行,质量稳定可控。     

乳酸左氧氟沙星对豚鼠心肌细胞延迟整流钾电流的影响

目的:观察氟喹诺酮类药物左氧氟沙星(levofloxacin,LVFX)对豚鼠心肌细胞延迟整流钾电流(IK)的影响。方法:采用酶消化的方法分离出单个豚鼠心室肌细胞,利用全细胞膜片钳技术记录不同浓度的LVFX对豚鼠心室肌细胞IK的影响。结果:①SPX和LVFX浓度依赖地抑制IK的脉冲电流和尾电流,但不影响其原有的电压和时间依赖性。②当LVFX作用浓度分别为0.1,1,10,100,1000μM时,在+50 mV去极化电压下,测得IK的脉冲电流较对照组依次减少了(11.81±1.71)%,(14.51±2.12)%,(22.78±3.58)%,(29.59±2.89)%,(38.13±2.44)%;尾电流依次减少了(6.05±251)%,(12.19±1.49)%,(17.75±2.74)%,(30.05±1.49)%,(48.18±3.71)%。结论:LVFX在不同的浓度下对豚鼠心肌细胞的IK有不同程度的抑制。     

甘草次酸钠对培养乳鼠心肌细胞损伤的保护作用

观察甘草次酸钠（ＳＧＡ）对培养乳鼠心肌细胞损伤的保护作用。结果：ＳＧＡ０．１０、０．２０和０．４０ｍｍｏｌ·Ｌ－１能减少缺糖缺氧６和９ｈ心肌细胞乳酸脱氢酶（ＬＤＨ）的释放；ＳＧＡ０．１０，０．２０和０．４０ｍｍｏｌ·－１对缺氧再给氧损伤６、９ｈ的心肌细胞有相似的保护作用；ＳＧＡ０．１０、０．２０和０·４０ｍｍｏｌ·Ｌ－１亦可减少氯丙嗪和黄嘌呤－黄嘌呤氧化酶损伤６，９ｈ及丝裂霉素Ｃ损伤２４ｈ心肌细胞ＬＤＨ的外漏。