Modulation of genotoxic and cytotoxic effects of aromatic amines in monolayers of rat hepatocytes

Exploring the Pivotal Neurophysiologic and Therapeutic Potentials of Vitamin C in Glioma

Gliomas represent solely primary brain cancers of glial cell or neuroepithelial origin. Gliomas are still the most lethal human cancers despite modern innovations in both diagnostic techniques as well as therapeutic regimes. Gliomas have the lowest overall survival rate compared to other cancers 5 years after definitive diagnosis. The dietary intake of vitamin C has protective effect on glioma risk. Vitamin C is an essential compound that plays a vital role in the regulation of lysyl and prolyl hydroxylase activity. Neurons store high levels of vitamin C via sodium dependent-vitamin C transporters (SVCTs) to protect them from oxidative ischemia-reperfusion injury. Vitamin C is a water-soluble enzyme, typically seen as a powerful antioxidant in plants as well as animals. The key function of vitamin C is the inhibition of redox imbalance from reactive oxygen species produced via the stimulation of glutamate receptors. Gliomas absorb vitamin C primarily via its oxidized dehydroascorbate form by means of GLUT 1, 3, and 4 and its reduced form, ascorbate, by SVCT2. Vitamin C is able to preserve prosthetic metal ions like Fe2+ and Cu+ in their reduced forms in several enzymatic reactions as well as scavenge free radicals in order to safeguard tissues from oxidative damage. Therapeutic concentrations of vitamin C are able to trigger H2O2 generation in glioma. High-dose combination of vitamin C and radiation has a much more profound cytotoxic effect on primary glioblastoma multiforme cells compared to normal astrocytes. Control trials are needed to validate the use of vitamin C and standardization of the doses of vitamin C in the treatment of patients with glioma.

Role of cell signaling in B[a]P-induced apoptosis: characterization of unspecific effects of cell signaling inhibitors and apoptotic effects of B[a]P metabolites

Here we show that several cell signaling inhibitors have effect on cyp1a1 expression and the metabolism of benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) in Hepa1c1c7 cells. The CYP1A1 inhibitor alpha-naphthoflavone (alpha-NF), the p53 inhibitor pifithrin-alpha (PFT-alpha), the ERK inhibitors PD98059 and U0126, and the p38 MAPK inhibitors SB202190 and PD169316 induced the expression and level of cyp1a1 protein. On the other hand, during the first h the inhibitors appeared to reduce the metabolism of B[a]P as measured by the generation of tetrols and by covalent binding of B[a]P to macromolecules. In contrast, the phosphatidylinositol-3 (PI-3) kinase inhibitor wortmannin, had neither an effect on the cyp1a1 expression nor the B[a]P-metabolism. In order to avoid these unspecific effects, we characterized the mechanisms involved in the apoptotic effects of B[a]P-metabolites. B[a]P and the B[a]P-metabolites B[a]P-7,8-DHD and BPDE-I induced apoptosis, whereas B[a]P-4,5-DHD had no effect. B[a]P, B[a]P-7,8-DHD and BPDE-I induced an accumulation and phosphorylation of p53, while the Bcl-2 proteins Bcl-xl, Bad and Bid were down-regulated. Interestingly, the levels of anti-apoptotic phospho-Bad were up-regulated in response to B[a]P as well as to B[a]P-7,8-DHD and BPDE-I. Both p38 MAPK and JNK were activated, but the p38 MAPK inhibitors were not able to inhibit BPDE-I-induced apoptosis. PFT-alpha reduced the BPDE-I-induced apoptosis, while both the PI-3 kinase inhibitor and the ERK inhibitors increased the apoptosis in combination with BPDE-I. BPDE-I also triggered apoptosis in primary cultures of rat lung cells. In conclusion, often used cell signaling inhibitors both enhanced the expression and the level of cyp1a1 and more directly acted as inhibitors of cyp1a1 metabolism of B[a]P. However, studies with the B[a]P-metabolite BPDE-I supported the previous suggestion that p53 has a role in the pro-apoptotic signaling pathway induced by B[a]P. Furthermore, these studies also show that the reactive metabolites of B[a]P induce the anti-apoptotic signals, Akt and ERK. Neither the induction nor the activity of p38 MAPK and JNK seems to be of major importance for the B[a]P-induced apoptosis.

Vitamin C inhibited DNA adduct formation and arylamine N-acetyltransferase activity and gene expression in rat glial tumor cells

Studies have been demonstrated that vitamin C (ascorbic acid) exhibit the protective role of vin in certain types of cancer. Rat glial tumor cells also have been shown have N-acetyltransferase activity. In this study, we reported the effects of vitamin C on arylamine N-acetyltransferase (NAT) activity and DNA adduct formation in rat glial tumor cell line (C6 glioma). The activity of NAT was measured by high performance liquid chromatography assaying for the amounts of acetylated 2-aminofluorene and p-aminobenzoic acid and nonacetylated 2-aminofluorene and p-amonibenzoic acid. Rat C6 glioma cells were used for examining NAT activity and gene expression and 2-aminofluorene-DNA adduct formation. The results demonstrated that NAT activity and 2-aminofluorene-DNA adduct formation in C6 glioma cells were inhibited and decreased by vitamin C in a dose-dependent manner. But vitamin C did not affect NAT gene expression in examined cells. The apparent kinetic parameters (apparent values of Km and Vmax) from C6 glioma cells were also determined with or without vitamin C cotreatment. The data also indicated that vitamin C decreased the apparent values of Km and Vmax from C6 glioma cells.

The effect of vitamin C on N-acetyltransferase activity in Klebsiella pneumoniae

This study was designed to assess the effect of vitamin C on arylamine N-acetyltransferase (NAT) activity in Klebsiella pneumoniae by using HPLC to measure the acetylation of 2-aminofluorene (2-AF) with and without vitamin C. Two assay systems were performed, one with intact bacterial cell suspensions, the other with S-9 fractions (9000g supernatant). It was found that vitamin C promoted NAT activity in K. pneumoniae in a dose-dependent manner in both systems. 4 and 8 mM vitamin C were selected for further studies in S-9 fractions and intact cell systems, respectively. Through a 4-hr time course study, vitamin C promoted the N-acetylation of 2-AF in both assay systems, but, the longer the reaction time lasted, the lower the promotion rate. In the kinetic studies, vitamin C increased the value of Km from 0.42+/-0.03 mM to 2.43+/-0.87 mM in S-9 fraction assays and from 0.54+/-0.03 mM to 0.85+/-0.18 mM in intact cell assays. Vitamin C also increased the apparent Vmax values from 3.5 +/-0.08 to 39.66+/-9.81 nmol/min/mg protein in S-9 fraction assays, and from 1.28+/-0.06 to 4.88+/-0.87 nmol/min/10(10) CFU in intact cell assays, for acetylation of 2-AF. In the presence of vitamin C, the NAT activity was increased from 0.58+/-0.06 to 1.34+/-0.02 nmol/min/mg protein in S-9 fractions, and from 0.18+/-0.02 to 0.40+/-0.02 nmol/min/10(10) CFU in intact cells, for acetylation of 2-AF. From the present study, it is concluded that vitamin C does promote the N-acetylation of 2-AF in K. pneumoniae. This is a first report suggesting that oral vitamin C may be involved in modifying the mutagenicity/carcinogenicity of ingested arylamines through enhancing the NAT activity of human enteric bacteria. This interaction should be pursued in future in vivo studies.

Genetic toxicity of 2-acetylaminofluorene, 2-aminofluorene and some of their metabolites and model metabolites

2-Acetylaminofluorene and 2-aminofluorene are among the most intensively studied of all chemical mutagens and carcinogens. Fundamental research findings concerning the metabolism of 2-acetylaminofluorene to electrophilic derivatives, the interaction of these derivatives with DNA, and the carcinogenic and mutagenic responses that are associated with the resulting DNA damage have formed the foundation upon which much of genetic toxicity testing is based. The parent compounds and their proximate and ultimate mutagenic and carcinogenic derivatives have been evaluated in a variety of prokaryotic and eukaryotic assays for mutagenesis and DNA damage. The reactive derivatives are active in virtually all systems, while 2-acetylaminofluorene and 2-aminofluorene are active in most systems that provide adequate metabolic activation. Knowledge of the structures of the DNA adducts formed by 2-acetylaminofluorene and 2-aminofluorene, the effects of the adducts on DNA conformation and synthesis, adduct distribution in tissues, cells and DNA, and adduct repair have been used to develop hypotheses to understand the genotoxic and carcinogenic effects of these compounds. Molecular analysis of mutations produced in cell-free, bacterial, in vitro mammalian, and intact animal systems have recently been used to extend these hypotheses.

The effects of putative DNA repair inhibitors on DNA adduct levels and unscheduled DNA synthesis in rat hepatocytes exposed to 2-acetylaminofluorene

The enzymology of DNA repair is currently under active investigation. The purpose of the present study was to examine the involvement of a number of enzymes (DNA polymerase alpha and beta, DNA topoisomerase II and ribonucleotide reductase) in the repair of chemically induced DNA damage in a mammalian cell system. This was done by studying the effects of inhibitors of these enzymes on the levels of 2-acetylaminofluorene (2-AAF)-DNA adducts and on the induction of UDS in primary cultures of rat hepatocytes exposed to the carcinogen in vitro. The results obtained with aphidicolin (an inhibitor of DNA polymerase alpha) show that the binding of 2-AAF to cellular DNA was significantly higher in samples exposed to this compound. Moreover, induction of UDS by 2-AAF was completely blocked in the presence of this compound. Dideoxythymidine, a DNA polymerase beta inhibitor, led to complex results. It produced a reduced DNA-specific activity due to [3H]2-AAF adduct formation as well as a diminished but still detectable UDS response in the presence of 2-AAF. Inhibitors of DNA topoisomerase II (nalidixic acid) and ribonucleotide reductase (hydroxyurea) did not cause any statistically significant change in the accumulation of 2-AAF adducts nor did they affect the induction of UDS. The data clearly suggest that DNA polymerase alpha participates in the repair of 2-AAF adducts in hepatocytes. In addition, neither DNA topoisomerase II activity, nor limitations in the precursor nucleotide pools appear to be critical factors in this process.

Genotoxic effects of heavy metals in rat hepatocytes

The genotoxic interaction of metals, which are common environmental contaminants, was studied in cultured hepatocytes. Freshly isolated rat hepatocytes were exposed to concentrations of cadmium, copper, silver and lead salts ranging from non-cytotoxic to moderately cytotoxic (as determined by LDH release), and the incorporation of [3H]thymidine into the DNA, as a measure of repair synthesis, was followed. In addition, the uptake of metals by the nuclear fraction was determined using Inductively Coupled Plasma/Mass Spectrometry or atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The evaluation of binding of 109Cd to the DNA in situ was also attempted. It was observed that after a 20 h exposure period, all the metals investigated were found in the nuclear fraction of hepatocytes, with Ag apparently being accumulated less efficiently. In parallel, Cd (0.18 to 1.8 microM) and Cu (7.9 to 78.5 microM) consistently produced a statistically significant stimulation of [3H]thymidine incorporation into the DNA, in the presence or absence of hydroxyurea while Ag was active only at the highest concentration tested (18.5 microM). In contrast, Pb failed to induce a UDS response at the levels used. Moreover, exposure of hepatocytes to 1.8 microM 109CdCl2 for 20 h led to a DNA binding ratio of 0.98 +/- 0.23 ng Cd/micrograms DNA. The present results support the view that the nucleus may be an important target organelle for metal toxicity.

Modulation of the mutagenic effects of 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (IQ) and 2-amino-3,4-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (MeIQ) in bacteria with rat-liver 9000 x g supernatant or monolayers of rat hepatocytes as an activation system

An in vitro protocol was designed to separate the process of metabolic activation from the mutational events. Cultured rat hepatocytes were first incubated with the food mutagens 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (IQ) or 2-amino-3,4-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (MeIQ). After the incubation period the medium was removed and further incubated with Salmonella typhimurium TA98. A high direct mutagenic activity of the culture medium was then measured. The half-lives of the mutagenic metabolites formed from IQ and MeIQ were in the order of 45 min. The presence of the cytochrome P450 inhibitors alpha-naphthoflavone and metyrapone during the pre-incubation period reduced the accumulation of mutagenic metabolites. No effects of ascorbate on the mutagenic effects of IQ and MeIQ were seen. (+)-Catechin, another antioxidant and free-radical scavenger, markedly enhanced the number of IQ/MeIQ-induced revertants when added to the hepatocytes. In contrast, (+)-catechin clearly decreased the number of revertants when 9000 X g supernatant from rat liver (S9) was used as an activation system. No marked effect of pentachlorophenol, an inhibitor of hepatocyte sulfation and bacterial O-acetylation, was seen using hepatocytes as an activation system, while the mutagenic activity of both IQ and MeIQ was reduced by 90% in the S9/Salmonella system. The addition of an inhibitor of glucuronidation, galactosamine, or the nucleophile glutathione caused no or only minor decreases in the genotoxic effects of the IQ compounds. With both S9 and hepatocytes as activation systems the relative mutagenic effects observed in the S. typhimurium strains TA98 and TA98 NR were in the same order of magnitude, while a large decrease was seen with TA98/1,8-DNP6. The results show that this in vitro test protocol may be useful as a tool to study mechanisms involved in the formation of mutagenic metabolites.

Metabolic activation of 2-aminofluorene, 2-acetylaminofluorene and N-hydroxy-acetylaminofluorene to bacterial mutagens with mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis) and carp (Cyprinus carpio) subcellular preparations

1. The mode of activation of 2-aminofluorene (AF), 2-acetylaminofluorene (AAF) and N-hydroxy-acetylaminofluorene (OH-AAF) to Salmonella typhimurium TA 98 mutagens was investigated in subcellular fractions from the digestive gland of the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis and from the liver of carp Cyprinus carpio. 2. In carp liver microsomes the activation of OH-AAF was due to very active deacetylase, in contrast to undetectable deacetylase-dependent activation in mussel microsomes. 3. AF and AAF are activated in mussel microsomes exclusively by a noninducible FAD-containing monooxygenase, whereas in carp microsomes in addition deacetylase and inducible cytochrome P-450 monooxygenase are involved. 4. N,O-Acetyltransferase, sulfotransferase and paraoxon sensitive cytosolic enzyme (PSCE) are involved in activation of OH-AAF, AF and AAF in both carp and mussel cytosols. 5. The metabolic activation of OH-AAF, AF and AAF to bacterial mutagens found in carp liver is similar to that described in livers of experimental mammalian species and strikingly different from the mode of activation found in mussel digestive gland.

Modulation of the embryotoxicity in vitro of reactive metabolites of 2-acetylaminofluorene by reduced glutathione and ascorbate and via sulfation

To provide insights into mechanisms whereby reactive intermediary metabolites of foreign chemicals elicit teratogenic and embryotoxic effects, we initiated investigations of the capacity of physiologic factors to modulate the effects of embryotoxic metabolites of 2-acetylaminofluorene (AAF). The whole embryo culture system was utilized in order to avoid potentially confounding maternal factors. Reduced glutathione (GSH) effectively protected cultured embryos from the embryolethal effects of N-acetoxy-2-AAF (AAAF) and also reduced the severity of AAAF-elicited malformations although the percentage of embryos exhibiting malformations was not affected significantly. GSH also reduced the embryolethality of 2-nitrosofluorene (NF) as well as the percentage of NF-elicited axial rotation defects. Ascorbate protected against the embryolethality of both AAAF and NF and exhibited significant protection in terms of the capacity of NF to cause flexure abnormalities. However, significant protection against NF-elicited prosencephalic deformities was not detected. N-Acetylcysteine and alpha-tocopherol each failed to produce significant protection, even at the highest concentrations utilized. Enzymatic sulfation of N-hydroxy-AAF (N-OH-AAF) markedly increased the incidence of observable malformations. Synthesized N-sulfonyloxy-AAF also elicited a high incidence of malformations at relatively low concentrations when added to the culture medium. Malformations elicited, however, resembled those produced by NF rather than by AAAF. The results suggest that endogenous metabolic systems can play a critical role as determinants of both the quantitative and the qualitative capacity of foreign organic chemicals to produce embryotoxic or teratogenic effects via the generation of reactive intermediates.

V79 Chinese hamster cells deacetylate trans-N-acetoxy-4-acetylaminostilbene and trans-N-hydroxy-4-acetylaminostilbene to mutagenic and cytotoxic metabolites

The N-acetoxy and N-hydroxy derivatives of trans-4-acetylaminostilbene (AAS) were demonstrated to induce gene mutations at the hgprt locus and to be cytotoxic in V79 cells. These cells deacetylated AAS. Paraoxon inhibited the deacetylation of AAS by more than 99% and reduced the mutagenicity and cytotoxicity of N-hydroxy-AAS and N-acetoxy-AAS to about one-tenth. Hence, deacetylated metabolites, formed by the target cells, were important for the observed biological effects.

Effects of harman and norharman on the metabolism and genotoxicity of 2-acetylaminofluorene in cultured rat hepatocytes

Monolayers of rat hepatocytes metabolize 0.25 mM 2-acetylaminofluorene (AAF) to various ether-extractable, water-soluble as well as covalently bound products. The major ether-extractable metabolite formed is 2-aminofluorene (AF), followed by 7-OH-AAF and 9-OH-AAF. Pretreatment of rats with the inducer Aroclor 1254 (PCB) increased the metabolism of AAF and caused an increased DNA repair synthesis in hepatocytes exposed to AAF or AF. With N-OH-AAF, a decreased genotoxic response in PCB-treated cells compared to control cells was seen. The addition of harman and norharman decreased the metabolism of AAF to ether-extractable metabolites, water-soluble metabolites and metabolites covalently bound to macromolecules. In contrast, the DNA-repair synthesis caused by the same concentrations of AAF was increased by harman. One explanation for this apparent discrepancy could be that the aromatic amines changed the metabolism of harman and norharman in such a way that these compounds were converted into genotoxic metabolites.

Trends in Scandinavian Cell Toxicology

Over a period of two years the Scandinavian Society for Cell Toxicology* has met three times (on 21 October 1983 and 6–7 June 1984 in Uppsala, Sweden, and on 6–7 September 1985 in Roskilde, Denmark), to present research advances in cell toxicology and to discuss the effects of xenobiotics in isolated and cultured cells. The first part of this report represents a summary of these discussions. In the second part, some of the individual research reports presented by the participating members are summarised. The purpose is to give a review of problems currently dealt with in Scandinavian laboratories associated with the Society for Cell Toxicology.

Absence of genotoxic effects of nonasbestos mineral fibers

The biological activity of natural and synthetic mineral fibers has been examined. Natural attapulgite [(Mg, Al)2Si4O10(OH).4H2O], synthetic xonotlite [Ca3Si3O8(OH)2] and natural sepiolite [Mg2Si3O8.2H2O] were selected. Genotoxic effects were investigated by means of a well established cellular model based upon the measurement of unscheduled DNA synthesis (UDS) in rat hepatocytes in primary culture. The intrinsic capacity of the fibers (1 and 10 micrograms/ml) to induce UDS was first tested. None of the fiber types showed detectable UDS-eliciting activity. Also, the possible modulation of the cellular response to genotoxic agents by the materials was examined by exposing the cells to mixtures of 2-acetylaminofluorene (AAF) (0.05 and 0.25 micrograms/ml) and fibers (1 and 10 micrograms/ml). In these experiments, the UDS response was significantly diminished in the presence of xonotlite. This phenomenon may reflect changes in the uptake and/or metabolism of AAF or may result from an inhibition of DNA repair processes, the latter suggesting a possible cocarcinogenic potential for this synthetic silicate. These results point to the immediate necessity of studying more extensively the biological effects of fibrous materials that can be used as substitutes for asbestos.