The effects of organochlorine pesticides as inducers of testosterone and benzo[a]pyrene hydroxylases

p,p'-DDE, phenobarbital, dieldrin heptachlor, chlordane and toxaphene induced rat liver microsomes exhibited increased formation of the 4,5-dihydrodiol, 3,6-quinone, 9- and 3-hydroxymetabolites of benzo[a]pyrene and the latter three compounds also induced an increase in the rate of formation of the 9,10-dihydrodiol metabolite. Lindane was inactive as an inducer of benzo[a]pyrene hydroxylase. With the exception of lindane, all the organochlorine pesticides and PB induced testosterone 16 alpha- and 16 beta-hydroxylases; in contrast lindane induced testosterone 6 alpha-, 7 alpha- and 6 beta-hydroxylases and PB also induced testosterone 15 beta-hydroxylase and androstenedione formation. Using a battery of monooxygenase enzyme assays it was evident that there were significant differences between PB and several organochlorine pesticides as inducers of rat hepatic cytochrome P-450-dependent monooxygenases.

Interaction of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetate (2,4-D) and 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetate (2,4,5-T) with the acyl-CoA: amino acid N-acyltransferase enzymes of bovine liver mitochondria

The amino acid conjugation of the phenoxyherbicides 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetate (2,4-D) and 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetate (2,4,5-T) by animals was examined at the level of the enzymes catalyzing the reactions. The phenoxyherbicides were not substrates for the bile acid conjugating system but were substrates for the mitochondrial xenobiotic conjugating system. The two mitochondrial xenobiotic-CoA: amino acid N-acyltransferases (benzoyltransferase and phenylacetyltransferase) were separated and tested for activity towards 2,4-D-CoA and 2,4,5-T-CoA. The phenylacetyltransferase showed activity towards phenylacetyl-CoA, phenoxyacetyl-CoA and 2,4-D-CoA, but not 2,4,5-T-CoA. Benzoyltransferase conjugated both 2,4-D-CoA and 2,4,5-T-CoA. The overall rates of conjugation of the phenoxyherbicides were slow relative to the standard substrates with both enzymes. This slow rate was found to be due in both cases to a relatively high Km for glycine, and a very slow catalytic rate constant. Both enzymes did, however, have a very high affinity for 2,4-D-CoA and 2,4,5-T-CoA so these compounds proved to be potent alternate substrate inhibitors of both enzymes. The data show that the inefficient in vivo conjugation of the phenoxyherbicides relative to structurally similar compounds can be understood in terms of the kinetic properties of the mitochondrial N-acyltransferases. Further, the potential for the interference of the phenoxyherbicides with the conjugation of other compounds is revealed.

1,4-Bis[2-(3,5-dichloropyridyloxy)]benzene (TCPOBOP) and related compounds as inducers of hepatic monooxygenases. Structure-activity effects

1,4-Bis[2-(3,5-dichloropyridyloxy)]benzene (TCPOBOP) resembles phenobarbital (PB) in its mode of induction of the hepatic drug-metabolizing enzymes in mice. The structural features of this molecule include: a linear tricyclic aromatic ether ring system, an internal 1,4-disubstituted benzene ring and two 3,5-dichloropyridyloxy substituents. Ten analogs of TCPOBOP have been synthesized and their activities as microsomal enzyme inducers evaluated. Dose-response induction of mice hepatic microsomal cytochrome P-450, aldrin epoxidase and dimethylaminoantipyrine N-demethylase gave ED50 values for TCPOBOP and five homologs. The results illustrate that changes in the structure of the pyridyloxy ring markedly affect enzyme induction activity. The order of activity for the substituents was 3,5-dibromopyridyloxy approximately 3,5-dichloropyridyloxy greater than 5-bromopyridyloxy approximately 5-chloropyridyloxy greater than 3-chloropyridyloxy greater than pyridyloxy. In addition, the effects of altered substitution pattern of the benzene ring and structural alterations of the internal ring moiety were evaluated by measuring hepatic microsomal coumarin hydroxylase activity. The results confirm the microsomal monooxygenase enzyme induction activity of TCPOBOP, and the observed structure-dependent potencies of several related homologs support a receptor-mediated mechanism of action for the process.

Thymidine and methionine syntheses in pregnant rats exposed to nitrous oxide

The dose-dependent effects of nitrous oxide on thymidine and methionine syntheses were investigated in pregnant rats. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed on day 9 of gestation to 0.75%, 7.5%, or 75% nitrous oxide for 24 h. Immediately and 72 h after exposure, a deoxyuridine-suppression test was performed on maternal bone marrow and a methionine synthetase assay was performed on maternal liver to assess thymidine and methionine syntheses, respectively. Inhibition of thymidine synthesis was seen after exposure to 7.5% and 75%, but not after 0.75%, nitrous oxide. Recovery was complete 72 h after exposure. Methionine synthetase activity was abolished at all concentrations of nitrous oxide tested and did not return to control values 72 h after exposure. Fetal weight and gross appearance were not affected by exposure to nitrous oxide; however, the observed decrease in thymidine and methionine syntheses after nitrous oxide exposure may account for its teratogenic effects.

Human monocyte functional heterogeneity: monocyte fractionation by discontinuous albumin gradient centrifugation

Human monocytes subserve many roles in the immune response. It is not clear, however, whether this functional heterogeneity reflects the action of different monocyte subpopulations. We separated human blood monocytes into distinct populations using a discontinuous (15-35%) serum albumin gradient technique. We examined if any of a number of monocyte functions were preferentially expressed by these five monocyte subsets. Monocytes in the 25% and 30% albumin fractions possessed more Fc (IgG) and C3 receptor activity than did monocytes in either of the 15, 20 or 35% fractions. In addition, monocytes isolated in the more dense albumin fractions were enriched for the capacity to support pokeweed mitogen-induced B-cell differentiation. All gradient fractions were equally capable of binding Raji cells and inhibiting Raji cell incorporation of [3H]thymidine. These data indicate that fractionation of monocytes by a discontinuous albumin gradient is an effective method to enrich for those monocytes with certain functional characteristics.

Modulation of the number of ligand binding sites of UDP-glucuronyltransferase by the gel to liquid-crystal phase transition of phosphatidylcholines

The kinetics of a pure, delipidated form of microsomal UDP-glucuronyltransferase is non-Michaelis-Menten when the enzyme is reconstituted into unilamellar vesicles of phosphatidylcholine that are in a gel phase. Double reciprocal plots of velocity as a function of the concentration of UDP-glucuronic acid show a downward curvature under these conditions. Binding studies indicate that the basis for the kinetic pattern is the presence of one high affinity and one low affinity binding site for UDP-glucuronic acid. The two classes of binding sites seem to be generated by the presence of two subunits that bind UDP-glucuronic acid within a single molecule of UDP-glucuronyltransferase. Melting the phospholipids from the gel phase to the liquid-crystal phase is associated with a switch from non-Michaelis-Menten to Michaelis-Menten kinetics for UDP-glucuronyltransferase. Binding studies for interaction of UDP-glucuronic acid with enzyme present in a liquid-crystal lipid phase indicate that the two binding sites for UDP-glucuronic acid do not become identical in this setting. Instead, one of the sites becomes nonfunctional. Binding studies carried out with UDP as ligand lead to similar results. There is a high affinity and a low affinity site for UDP when enzyme is reconstituted into a phospholipid bilayer in a gel phase. There is only one UDP binding site per holoenzyme when enzyme is reconstituted into a phospholipid bilayer in a liquid-crystal phase. Delipidated enzyme or enzyme reconstituted with lysophosphatidylcholine displays Michaelis-Menten kinetics. Binding studies show that these forms have only one binding site for UDP-glucuronic acid per holoenzyme. However, they have two nonidentical binding sites for binding of UDP. Thus, the physical properties of its phospholipid milieu influence the number of functional binding sites of UDP-glucuronyltransferase.

Mutagenicity of experimental inhalational anesthetic agents: sevoflurane, synthane, dioxychlorane, and dioxyflurane

A modification of the Ames bacterial assay system employing two histidine-dependent strains of Salmonella typhimurium, TA1535 and TA100, was used to test the mutagenicity of four experimental, inhalational anesthetic agents: sevoflurane, synthane, dioxychlorane, and dioxyflurane. None of the anesthetics was mutagenic. Increased activity was seen only with vinylidene chloride, the positive control.

Lack of toxicity of enflurane on male reproductive organs in mice

Enflurane has been shown to increase slightly the percentage of abnormal spermatozoa in mice. To examine in more detail possible adverse effects of enflurane on male reproductive organs, 125 Swiss/ICR mice were exposed to 0.3% enflurane for up to 18 months; a control group of 125 mice was exposed concurrently to air. Exposures were for 4 hours/day, 5 days/week. After 12 months of exposure, groups of 25 enflurane-treated and control mice were killed, and chromosomal analysis of spermatogonial cells was performed. After 18 months exposure, remaining mice were killed and epididymal sperm were collected for morphologic examination. In addition, the reproductive organs of all mice dying or killed throughout the study were examined histologically. Approximately 1% of spermatogonial cells from both enflurane-treated and control mice had aberrant chromosomes. The average percentage of morphologically abnormal sperm was 9.4 +/- 1.7 for enflurane-treated mice and 6.5 +/- 1.3 for control mice; the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.18). Finally, there was no difference between the treated and control mice in histologic appearance of reproductive organs. It was concluded that long-term exposure to enflurane has no adverse effects on male reproductive organs in mice.

Lack of mutagens in urines of operating room personnel

Mutagenic activity of urines obtained from operating room personnel was assayed in the Ames Salmonella/mammalian microsome system using three strains of histidine-dependent S. typhimurium, TA1535, TA1538, and TA100. Two procedures were employed. In the first, 100- and 200-microliter aliquots of urine obtained from 28 subjects working in either scavenged or unscavenged operating rooms were tested. In the second, urine samples obtained from 13 physicians before and after starting an anesthesia residency, as well as 250-fold concentrates of these samples, were assayed. There was no statistically significant difference in urinary mutagenic activities between individuals working in scavenged and those working in unscavenged operating rooms. Furthermore, urines of anesthesiologists collected before and after beginning training had similar mutagenic activities. Only heavy smokers had mutagenic urine. It was concluded that the majority of operating room workers do not excrete mutagens in the urine.

Mutagenicity of inhalation anaesthetics: trichloroethylene, divinyl ether, nitrous oxide and cyclopropane

The mutagenic potential of trichloroethylene, divinyl ether, nitrous oxide and cyclopropane was assessed in vitro by microbial assay employing two histidine-dependent strains of Salmonella typhimurium, TA1535 and TA100. Anaesthetic agents in various concentrations were incubated with bacteria in the presence or absence of an enzyme system prepared from enzyme-induced rat liver. Nitrous oxide and cyclopropane were not mutagenic, whereas divinyl ether gave a strongly positive response. Results for trichloroethylene were equivocal. These and previous studies with the salmonella system, together with mutagenicity studies using different test systems, indicate that modern inhalation anaesthetic agents are unlikely to be mutagenic.

Fluroxene mutagenicity

The commercially available volatile anesthetic fluroxene (2,2,2-trifluoroethyl vinyl ether) which contains the stabilizer N-phenyl-1-napthylamine, was tested for mutagenicity using four strains of S. typhimurium, TA1535, TA1537, TA98 and TA100, and one strain of E. coli, WP2. In addition, purified fluroxene; N-phenyl-1-napthylamine; trifluoroethanol, a major metabolite of fluoroxene; and urine from rats anesthetized with fluroxene were tested. Several procedures were utilized including exposure of bacteria to vapor in desiccators and in liquid suspension. Results indicate that fluroxene, but not its stabilizer, was mutagenic to strains TA1535, TA100 and WP2 only in liquid suspension and only in the presence of a rat-liver enzyme system. Trifluoroethanol and urine from fluroxene-treated rat were not mutagenic to any strain of bacteria. These findings indicate that fluroxene is a promutagen which requires preincubation before it is recognized. Further experiments were performed with enzymes prepared from mouse, hamster and human liver. Fluroxene was mutagenic only in the presence of enzymes prepared from Aroclor 1254 pretreated rodents. Since fluroxene was not mutagenic in the presence of enzymes prepared from three human livers, the significance of these findings to man are unclear.

Mutagenicity of halogenated ether anesthetics

An in vitro microbial assay system employing two histidine-dependent strains of Salmonella typhimurium, TA1535 and TA100, was used to test the mutagenicities of enflurane, methoxyflurane, isoflurane and fluroxene. Enflurane, isoflurane and fluroxene in concentrations ranging from 0.01 to 30 per cent and methoxyflurane in concentrations ranging from 0.01 to 7 per cent were incubated with bacteria in the presence or absence of homogenates of liver prepared from rats pretreated with the enzyme inducer, Aroclor 1254. Enflurane, methoxyflurane, isoflurane, and urines from patients anesthetized with these agents were not mutagenic. Fluroxene, however, was highly mutagenic, and therefore poses a possible hazard for operating room personnel and patients.

Acute sedative properties of SKF 525A in rats: implications for its use as a metabolism inhibitor in the study of psychoactive drugs

SKF 525A was found possess sedative properties in rats at doses of 25 and 50 mg per kg, when injected intraperitoneally. The behavioural effects of the drug were assessed in two ways. Firstly, by "Time Sampling Behavioural Categorisation" of explatory behaviour; and secondly by activity measurements obtained with an ultrasonic motion recorder. The results clearly demonstrate that SKF 525A has sedative properties in rats at doses which are conventionally used to inhibit metabolism of a wide range of drugs. The implications of these results for the use of SKF 5251 in the study of the actions of psychotropic drugs are discussed.