The intensity of vanadium(V)-induced cytotoxicity and morphological transformation in BALB/3T3 cells is dependent on glutathione-mediated bioreduction to vanadium(IV)

A possible role of oxidative stress in the vanadium-induced cytotoxicity in the MC3T3E1 osteoblast and UMR106 osteosarcoma cell lines

The cytotoxicity and free radical production induced by vanadium compounds were investigated in an osteoblast (MC3T3E1) and an osteosarcoma (UMR106) cell lines in culture. Vanadate induced cell toxicity, reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) increased in a concentration-dependent manner (0.1-10 mM) after 4 h. The concentration-response curve of vanadate-induced cytotoxicity and oxidative stress in MC3T3E1 cells was shifted to the left of the UMR106 curve, suggesting a greater sensitivity of the non-transformed cells in comparison to the osteosarcoma UMR106 cells. Supplementing with vitamin E acetate (80 microM) significantly inhibited ROS and TBARS formation but did not improve the vanadate-dependent decrease in cell number. Other vanadium compounds (vanadyl, pervanadate, and VO/Aspi, a complex of vanadyl(IV) with aspirin) showed different degrees of cell toxicity and induced oxidative stress. Altogether these results suggest that oxidative stress is involved in vanadium induced osteoblastic cytotoxicity, although the mechanism is unknown.

Tyrosine phosphorylation and morphological transformation induced by four vanadium compounds on MC3T3E1 cells

The present study was performed to determine the phosphotyrosine-protein levels induced by insulin and by four vanadium derivatives in MC3T3E1 osteoblast-like cells. We have also attempted to associate these patterns with the vanadium-induced growth and morphological changes of such cells. Vanadate (Vi), vanadyl (VO), bis(maltolato)oxovanadium (IV) (BMOV) and bis(maltolato)dioxovanadium (V) (BMV) stimulate cell growth in a narrow range of concentration, but are also inhibitors for the cells at high concentrations. Vanadium-treated cells displayed clear changes in their morphology after overnight incubation. However, BMV was the least cytotoxic and the weakest inducer of morphological changes. All the compounds promote the phosphorylation of tyrosine residues in several proteins. This effect was more pronounced at low than at high doses. At low doses (10 microM), BMV showed a phosphorylation pattern similar to that of insulin, while Vi, VO and BMOV induced strong phosphorylation of cell proteins. The present findings suggest that the vanadium-induced growth regulation and morphological changes in MC3T3E1 osteoblast-like cells are associated with the ability of these agents to increase the phosphotyrosine protein levels and to inhibit phosphotyrosine phosphatases. These properties are dependent on the oxidation state as well as on the organic ligand which coordinates the vanadium atom.

Maltol complexes of vanadium (IV) and (V) regulate in vitro alkaline phosphatase activity and osteoblast-like cell growth

Vanadium compounds have been found to possess insulin- and growth factor-mimetic effects. In consequence, these derivatives are potentially useful as effective oral therapeutic agents in diabetic patients. However, their use has been limited by various toxic side-effects and by the low solubility of different derivatives. Recently, vanadium complex with maltol, a sugar used as a common food additive, have been synthesised and investigated in animals, showing possible insulin-mimetic effects with low toxic side-effects. In the present study we have investigated the effect of bis(maltolato)oxovanadium (IV) (BMOV) and bis(maltolato)dioxovanadium (V) (BMV) on bone cells in culture as well as their direct effect on alkaline phosphatase in vitro. A comparison was also made with the action of vanadate and vanadyl cation. Vanadium compounds regulated cell proliferation in a biphasic manner with similar potencies. Osteoblast differentiation, assessed by alkaline phosphatase activity, was found to be dose-dependent, with the inhibitory effect being stronger for vanadate and BMOV than for vanadyl and BMV. All vanadium compounds directly inhibited bovine intestinal ALP with a similar potency. Thus, maltol vanadium derivatives behave in a similar way to vanadate and vanadyl in osteoblast-like UMR 106 cells in culture.

Comparative effects of essential and nonessential metals on preimplantation mouse embryo development in vitro

It is well recognized that deficiencies of essential trace elements during early development can result in structural abnormalities and/or embryonic death. Recently, there has been increasing interest in the concept that small excesses of essential metals can also have negative effects on the developing embryo. We hypothesized that, with respect to toxicity, metals with similar physico-chemical properties would act by similar mechanisms to influence the preimplantation embryo. In the current study we investigated the influence of four essential (Cu, Mn, Fe, Zn), and eight nonessential (Cr, Hg, Pb, V, Al, Ag, Cd, As) metals on mouse preimplantation embryonic development. Two cell stage mouse embryos were cultured for 72 h in media containing varying metal concentrations (0.05 - 200 microM). Embryo cell differentiation and proliferation were respectively assessed by scoring for blastocyst formation and final embryo cell number. Both nonessential and essential metals were embryotoxic at relatively low concentrations. However, in contrast to our expectations, at similar molar concentrations, redox active essential metals were less toxic than non-redox active nonessential metals. These data suggest that direct metal binding to critical membrane sites and/or intracellular ligands, including protein and nucleic acids, may trigger abnormal development and death prior to metal-associated oxidative damage.

A polymer-based drug delivery system for the antineoplastic agent bis(maltolato)oxovanadium in mice

Using vanadyl sulphate, sodium orthovanadate or bis(maltolato)oxovanadium (BMOV), Cruz TF, Morgan A, Min W (1995, Mol Cell Biochem 153: 161-166) have recently demonstrated the antineoplastic effects of vanadium in mice. In this study, the antineoplastic effects of BMOV against human tumour cell lines was confirmed, and this effect was shown to depend on the prolonged exposure of the cells to the drug. We have investigated a polymeric drug delivery system for the sustained delivery of BMOV as an antineoplastic agent in mice. The objective was to design and evaluate an injectable polymer-BMOV paste that would act as a drug implant for the slow but sustained release of BMOV in the mice. In vitro studies showed that the biodegradable polymer poly (Ghlr epsilon epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) released BMOV in a sustained manner with rates of drug release increasing with increased loading of the drug in the polymer. In vivo studies showed that PCL-BMOV paste implants produced a concentration-dependent inhibition of MDAY-D2 tumour growth via systemic drug delivery. Further in vivo studies showed that 5% BMOV-loaded PCL (containing 20% methoxypolyethylene glycol) was effective in preventing tumour regrowth of resected RIF tumour masses in mice when the PCL-BMOV paste was applied to the resected site for localized drug delivery. The results confirm the potential of vanadium as an antineoplastic agent and show that the injectable PCL-BMOV formulation releases a chemotherapeutic dose of vanadium for the systemic treatment of whole tumours as well as the localized treatment of resected RIF tumours.

Inhibitory effect of vanadium on rat liver carcinogenesis initiated with diethylnitrosamine and promoted by phenobarbital

The chemoprotective effect of vanadium, a dietary micronutrient, against chemically induced hepatocarcinogenesis in rats was investigated. Initiation was performed by a single intraperitoneal injection of diethylnitrosamine (DENA; 200 mg kg-1) followed by promotion with phenobarbital (0.05%) in the diet. Supplementary vanadium (0.5 p.p.m.) in the drinking water was provided ad libitum throughout the experiment, before the initiation or during the promotion period. At the end of the study (20 weeks), vanadium supplementation throughout the experiment reduced the incidence (P < 0.01), total number and multiplicity (P < 0.001) and altered the size distribution of visible persistent nodules (PNs) as compared with DENA control animals. Mean nodular volume (P < 0.05) and nodular volume as a percentage of liver volume (P < 0.01) were also attenuated following long-term vanadium treatment. It also caused a large decrease in the number (P < 0.001) and surface area (P < 0.01) of gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT)-positive hepatocyte foci and in the labelling index (P < 0.001) of focal cells, coupled with increased (P < 0.01) remodelling. The activity of GGT, measured quantitatively, was found to be significantly less in the PNs (P < 0.001) and non-nodular surrounding parenchyma (P < 0.01) of vanadium-supplemented rats. The anticarcinogenic effect of vanadium was also reflected in the histopathological analysis of liver sections that showed a well-maintained hepatocellular architecture as compared with DENA control. Similar results were observed when vanadium was given only before the initiation. However, supplementation of vanadium during the promotion period did not result in significant alterations of these parameters. Our results, thus, strongly suggest that vanadium may have a unique anti-tumour potential which is primarily exerted on the initiation phase and only secondarily on the promotion stage.

Oxidative stress-regulated gene expression and promotion of morphological transformation induced in C3H/10T1/2 cells by ammonium metavanadate

Promoters of C3H/10T1/2 cell morphological transformation that elevate intracellular oxidant levels can be distinguished by a spectrum of induced gene expression, which includes the oxidant-responsive murine proliferin gene family. Proliferin transcripts were induced 40- to 100-fold by 20 microM ammonium metavanadate, 20-fold by 5 microM vanadium pentoxide but only three-fold by vanadium oxide sulfate. Consistent with its response to other oxidant chemicals, induction of proliferin by ammonium metavanadate was inhibited almost completely by the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (8 mM). Ammonium metavanadate (5 microM), added as promoter in two-stage morphological transformation assays, amplified yields of Type II and Type III foci in monolayers of 20-methylcholanthrene-initiated C3H/10T1/2 cells. Ammonium metavanadate also induced formation of Type II foci in single-step transformation assays. The results suggest that pentavalent vanadium compounds could promote morphological transformation in C3H/10T1/2 cells by creating a cellular state of oxidative stress, sufficient to induce elevated expression of the proliferin gene family.