The modulating effects of tumor necrosis factor alpha antibody on ricin-induced oxidative stress in mice

Treatments for Pulmonary Ricin Intoxication: Current Aspects and Future Prospects

Ricin, a plant-derived toxin originating from the seeds of Ricinus communis (castor beans), is one of the most lethal toxins known, particularly if inhaled. Ricin is considered a potential biological threat agent due to its high availability and ease of production. The clinical manifestation of pulmonary ricin intoxication in animal models is closely related to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), which involves pulmonary proinflammatory cytokine upregulation, massive neutrophil infiltration and severe edema. Currently, the only post-exposure measure that is effective against pulmonary ricinosis at clinically relevant time-points following intoxication in pre-clinical studies is passive immunization with anti-ricin neutralizing antibodies. The efficacy of this antitoxin treatment depends on antibody affinity and the time of treatment initiation within a limited therapeutic time window. Small-molecule compounds that interfere directly with the toxin or inhibit its intracellular trafficking may also be beneficial against ricinosis. Another approach relies on the co-administration of antitoxin antibodies with immunomodulatory drugs, thereby neutralizing the toxin while attenuating lung injury. Immunomodulators and other pharmacological-based treatment options should be tailored according to the particular pathogenesis pathways of pulmonary ricinosis. This review focuses on the current treatment options for pulmonary ricin intoxication using anti-ricin antibodies, disease-modifying countermeasures, anti-ricin small molecules and their various combinations.

Ricin-B-lectin enhances microsporidia Nosema bombycis infection in BmN cells from silkworm Bombyx mori

Nosema bombycis is an obligate intracellular parasitic fungus that utilizes a distinctive mechanism to infect Bombyx mori Spore germination can be used for host cell invasion; however, the detailed mechanism remains to be elucidated. The ricin-B-lectin (RBL) gene is significantly differentially regulated after N. bombycis spore germination, and NbRBL might play roles in spore germination and infection. In this study, the biological function of NbRBL was examined. Protein sequence analysis showed that NbRBL is a secreted protein that attaches to carbohydrates. The relative expression level of the NbRBL gene was low during the first 30 h post-infection (hpi) in BmN cells, and high expression was detected from 42 hpi. Gene cloning, prokaryotic expression, and antibody preparation for NbRBL were performed. NbRBL was detected in total and secreted proteins using western blot analysis. Subcellular localization analysis showed that NbRBL is an intracellular protein. Spore adherence and infection assays showed that NbRBL could enhance spore adhesion to BmN cells; the proliferative activities of BmN cells incubated with anti-NbRBL were higher than those in negative control groups after N. bombycis infection; and the treatment groups showed less damage from spore invasion. We therefore, propose that NbRBL is released during spore germination, enhances spore adhesion to BmN cells, and contributes to spore invasion.

Dichloroacetate-induced modulation of cellular antioxidant enzyme activities and glutathione level in the J774A.1 cells

Dichloroacetate (DCA) is used for different medical and industrial purposes and has been found to be a toxic by-product produced during the process of water chlorination. The DCA effects on superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities and glutathione (GSH) level were assessed and correlated with each other and also with cellular viabilities in J774A.1 macrophage cells. A concentration of 24 mm of DCA resulted in time-dependent decreases in cellular viability and glutathione level, and time-dependent increases in SOD activity when incubated with the cells for 24-48 h. DCA also resulted in significant increases in CAT and GSH-Px activities of the viable cells when incubated with the cells for 36 and 48 h. The changes in antioxidant enzyme activities and GSH levels were found to be strongly correlated with each other, and with cellular viabilities at different time points. While GSH did not result in any significant effects when added to the cells at concentrations ranging between 15 and 60 nmol ml(-1), it resulted in concentration-dependent increases in cellular viability when added to the DCA-treated cells, with maximal effects achieved at 45-60 nmol GSH ml(-1). However, cellular viability of the GSH + DCA treated cells remained below that of the control. Since viable cells from the DCA-treated cultures displayed significantly higher antioxidant enzyme activities compared with the control, it is concluded that those increases may have contributed to the cellular protection against DCA-induced cell death. Also, glutathione depletion has a major contribution to the observed cellular death induced by DCA.

Oropharyngeal aspiration of ricin as a lung challenge model for evaluation of the therapeutic index of antibodies against ricin A-chain for post-exposure treatment

To investigate the effectiveness of passive antibody treatment as post-exposure therapy for ricin, we had developed an oropharyngeal aspiration model for ricin lethal challenge and antibody administration. When polyclonal anti-deglycosylated ricin A-chain antibody (dgA Ab) was administered between 1-18 hr after ricin challenge, all animals survived while delayed treatment to 24 hr resulted in 30% survival. The protective effects of dgA Ab correlated with inhibition of apoptosis in the lungs in vivo and in RAW264.7 macrophage and Jurkat T cells in vitro. In addition, ricin-induced cell cytotoxicity was inhibited by both dgA Ab and RAC18 monoclonal antibody against ricin A-chain. Administration of RAC18 monoclonal antibody at 4, 18, and 24 hr after ricin exposure resulted in 100%, 60% and 50% protection, respectively, suggesting that the therapeutic window for passive vaccination extended to at least 24 hr post-ricin lung challenge.

Mechanism of ricin-induced apoptosis in human cervical cancer cells

The mechanism of ricin-induced apoptosis in human cervical cancer cell line HeLa was studied. The present study demonstrated that ricin induces apoptosis of human cervical cancer cells (HeLa) in a time dependent manner with an IC(50) for cell viability of 1 microg/ml. Ricin treatment resulted in a time dependent increase in LDH leakage, DNA fragmentation, percent apoptotic cells, generation of reactive oxygen species and depletion of intracellular glutathione levels. DNA agarose gel electrophoresis showed typical oligonucleosomal length DNA fragmentation. Additionally, DNA diffusion assay was performed to confirm DNA damage and apoptosis. Ricin activated caspase-3 as evidenced by both proteolytic cleavage of procaspase-3 into 20 and 18 kDa subunits, and increased protease activity. Caspase activity was maximum at 4h and led to the cleavage of 116 kDa poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), resulting in the 85 kDa cleavage product. Ricin-induced caspase-3 activation also resulted in cleavage of DNA fragmentation factor-45 (DFF45/ICAD) and DFF40 or caspase-activated DNase in HeLa cells. Activation of caspase-3, cleavage of PARP and DNA fragmentation was blocked by pre-treatment with caspase-3 specific inhibitor Ac-DEVD-CHO (100 microM) and broad-spectrum caspase inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK (40 microM). Ricin-induced DNA fragmentation was inhibited by pre-treatment with PARP inhibitors 3-aminobenzamide (100 microM) and DPQ (10 microM). Our results indicate that ricin-induced cell death was mediated by generation of reactive oxygen species and subsequent activation of caspase-3 cascade followed by down stream events leading to apoptotic mode of cell death.

Effects of superoxide dismutase and polyclonal tumor necrosis factor-alpha antibodies on chloroacetate-induced cellular death and superoxide anion production by J774.A1 macrophages

Dichloroacetate (DCA) and trichloroacetate (TCA) are by-products that are formed during the process of water chlorination and have been previously shown to induce superoxide anion (SA) production and cellular death when added to J774.A1 macrophage cultures. In this study, the effects of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and polyclonal tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) antibodies on DCA- and TCA-induced SA production and cellular death have been tested on the J774.A1 macrophage cultures. TCA and DCA were added to different cultures either alone, each at a concentration of 16 mM, or in combination with SOD (2-12 units/ml), or with TNF-alpha antibodies (10 and 25 units/ml). Cells were incubated for 48 h, after which cellular death/viability, lactate dehydrognase (LDH) leakage by the cells, and SA production by the cells were determined. While TCA and DCA caused significant cellular toxicity, indicated by reduction in cellular viability and increases in LDH leakage and SA production, SOD addition resulted in significant reduction of the effects induced by the compounds. On the other hand, addition of TNF-alpha antibodies to the DCA- and TCA-treated cultures resulted in significant reduction of DCA- but not TCA-induced cellular death and SA production by the cells. Although these results suggest a significant role for SA in DCA- and TCA-induced cellular death, they may also suggest two different mechanisms for the chloroacetate-induced SA production by the cells.

Oxidative stress associated hepatic and renal toxicity induced by ricin in mice

Ricin a glycoprotein from the Ricinus communis seeds, is known to have diverse toxic effects on cells of different visceral organs. We have studied the hepatotoxicity, nephrotoxicity, and oxidative stress following i.p. administration of ricin (25 microg/kg) in Swiss albino male mice. The results of this study revealed that activities of various enzymes like glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (gamma-GT), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were increased in plasma, liver, and kidney tissues indicating damage in liver and kidney. Blood urea level was also increased. However, blood creatinine and bilirubin were not altered. Lipid peroxidation increased to 49 and 25% in hepatic and renal tissue. Total non-protein sulfhydryl content decreased in plasma (12%), hepatic (29%), and renal (16%) tissues. Superoxide dismutase activity decreased significantly in liver (43%) and kidney (37%). The activity of glutatione peroxidase was also decreased. The decrease was more prominent in kidney than liver. A significant increase, 20 to 27% in the activity of catalase was observed in plasma, liver, and kidney. These results indicate that ricin produces hepatoxicity, nephrotoxicity, and oxidative damage at 24 h of post treatment. The hepatotoxicity was more prominent than nephrotoxicity.

Time- and concentration-dependent production of superoxide anion, nitric oxide, DNA damage and cellular death by ricin in the J774A.1 macrophage cells

The time- and concentration-dependent effects of ricin on some biomarkers of cellular toxicity, including production of superoxide anion (O2-), nitric oxide (NO), and DNA single strand breaks (SSB), as well as cellular death, have been examined in the J774A.1 macrophage cell cultures. Various concentrations of ricin have been added to various cell cultures, and the cells were incubated for 12, 24, 36, and 48 hours. Following 12 hour incubation, ricin did not cause significant increases in any of those biomarkers. However, time- and concentration-dependent increases were observed in the induction of all the biomarkers after incubation for 24-48 hours. Approximately twofold increases in the production of O2- were observed after incubation with 1 and 10 ng/mL of ricin for 24 and 36-48 hours, respectively. The concentrations of ricin that caused approximately twofold increases in the rate of DNA-SSB are 10 and 1-10 ng/mL after 24 and 36-48 hours incubation, respectively. Approximately twofold increases in NO production were only observed after incubation of the cultures with 1-10 ng/mL of ricin for 36-48 hours. Fifty percent reductions in cellular viability were also observed with ricin concentrations of 10-100, 10, and 1-10 ng/mL, after incubation for 24, 36, and 48 hours, respectively.

Ricin-induced toxicity in the macrophage J744A.1 cells: the role of TNF-alpha and the modulation effects of TNF-alpha polyclonal antibody

Ricin is a natural toxin of the castor beans (Ricinus communus). We studied the time- and concentration-dependent effects of ricin on the release of TNF-alpha and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), as well as the modulation of the ricin-induced effects by TNF-alpha antibody in the J774A.1 cells. When added at concentrations ranging from 0 to 1000 ng/mL, ricin caused concentration-dependent increases in the release of TNF-alpha after incubation for 12 to 24 hours. Concentration-dependent increases in the leakage of LDH were also observed after incubation of the cells with those concentrations of ricin for 24 to 48 hours. Addition of 5 units/mL of rabbit anti-mouse TNF-alpha polyclonal antibody (TNF-alpha antibody) 2 hours prior to the addition of ricin resulted in a decrease in the ricin-induced toxicity, indicated by the release of LDH by the cells. However, when added at concentrations higher than 5 units/mL, the antibody resulted in either no effect or an increase in the ricin-induced LDH leakage. These results suggest that secretion of TNF-alpha by the macrophages in response to ricin plays a significant role in the toxicity of ricin and that TNF-alpha antibody can antagonize the effects of ricin in this cell line when added at relatively low concentrations.