Effects of monensin on ATP levels and cell functions in rat liver and lung in vitro

Oxidative stress generated during monensin treatment contributes to altered Toxoplasma gondii mitochondrial function

The ionophore monensin displays potent activities against several coccidian parasites of veterinary and medical importance including the opportunistic pathogen of humans, Toxoplasma gondii. While monensin is used widely in animals, toxicity impedes its use in humans. Nonetheless, given its potency, understanding its mode of action would reveal vulnerable aspects of the parasite that can be exploited for drug development. We previously established that monensin induces Toxoplasma to undergo cell cycle arrest and an autophagy-like cell death. Interestingly, these effects are dependent on the mitochondrion-localized TgMSH-1 protein, suggesting that monensin disrupts mitochondrial function. We demonstrate that monensin treatment results in decreased mitochondrial membrane potential and altered morphology. These effects are mitigated by the antioxidant compound N-acetyl-cysteine suggesting that monensin causes an oxidative stress, which was indeed the case based on direct detection of reactive oxygen species. Moreover, over-expression of the antioxidant proteins glutaredoxin and peroxiredoxin 2 protect Toxoplasma from the deleterious effects of monensin. Thus, our studies show that the effects of monensin on Toxoplasma are due to a disruption of mitochondrial function caused by the induction of an oxidative stress and implicate parasite redox biology as a viable target for the development of drugs against Toxoplasma and related pathogenic parasites.

Effects of oral androstenedione on phospholipid fatty acids, ATP, caspase-3, prostaglandin E(2) and C-reactive protein in serum and livers of pregnant and non-pregnant female rats

Androstenedione, a steroidal dietary supplement taken to enhance athletic performance, could affect serum and liver lipid metabolism, induce liver toxicity or alter inflammatory response depending on dose and duration of exposure. Pregnancy could further exaggerate these effects. To examine this, mature female rats were gavaged with 0, 5, 30 or 60 mg/kg/day androstenedione beginning two weeks prior to mating and continuing through gestation day 19. Non-pregnant female rats were gavaged over the same time frame with 0 or 60 mg/kg/day androstenedione. Serum was collected and livers were removed from dams on gestation day 20 and from non-pregnant rats after 5 weeks of treatment. Androstenedione had no effect on serum total cholesterol, triglycerides or HDL-cholesterol, but significantly decreased C-reactive protein in pregnant rats and prostaglandin E(2) in serum of both pregnant and non-pregnant rats. There were treatment related decreases in liver ATP and, to a lesser degree, caspase-3 and no change in alkaline phosphatase of pregnant female rats. Androstenedione decreased docosahexaenoic acid in both serum and liver phospholipids of pregnant female rats. In conclusion, oral androstenedione did not result in overt hepatotoxicity in pregnant female rats, but produced modest changes in lipid metabolism and may impair regeneration of injured hepatic cells or tissue.

Mobile ionophores are a novel class of P-glycoprotein inhibitors. The effects of ionophores on 4'-O-tetrahydropyranyl-adriamycin incorporation in K562 drug-resistant cells

The decrease of the intracellular concentration of drug in resistant cells compared to sensitive cells is, in most cases, correlated with the presence, in the membrane of resistant cells, of a 170-kDa P-glycoprotein responsible for an active efflux of the drug. In an attempt to identify mechanism(s) by which multidrug resistance can be circumvented, we have examined the cellular accumulation of 4'-O-tetrahydropyranyl-adriamycin, alone and in conjunction with various ionophores on the one hand and with cyclosporin A on the other hand. The present study was performed using a spectrofluorometric method with which it is possible to follow continuously the uptake and release of fluorescent molecules by living cells, as the incubation of the cells with the drug proceeds. Erythroleukemia K562 cell lines were used. Using experimental conditions in which these ionophores were unable to modify either the intracellular pH, or the transmembrane potential, or to induce an intracellular ATP depletion, we have shown that mobile ionophores as well as cyclosporin inhibit the P-glycoprotein-mediated efflux of 4'-O-tetrahydropyranyl-adriamycin in K562 resistant cells, whereas gramicidin, a channel-forming ionophore, does not. The concentration that must be used to inhibit 50% of the efflux was 0.7 microM for valinomycin, 0.4 microM for nonactin, 0.2 microM for nigericin, 1.1 microM for monensin, 0.4 microM for lasalocid, 1.2 microM for calcimycin and 0.4 microM for cyclosporin. Due to the high toxicity of the ionophores, the observation that they increased 4'-O-tetrahydropyranyl-adriamycin accumulation in the multidrug-resistant cells is not correlated with an effect of these compounds on drug resistance. However, the correlation exists in the case of cyclosporin. From our data showing that lipophilic neutral complexes, formed between carboxylic ionophores and metal ions, are both able to inhibit the P-glycoprotein-mediated efflux of anthracycline we can infer that the lipophilicity but not the cationic charge is an important physical property.

The ionic response of the liver fluke, Fasciola hepatica to ouabain, monensin and the deacetylated (amine) metabolite of diamphenethide

1. The ionic response of the liver fluke, Fasciola hepatica to perturbation of Na,K-pump activity has been determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. 2. The Na+/K(+)-ATPase inhibitor ouabain (1 x 10(-4) M) induced a marked reduction in K+ levels; Na+ and Ca2+ levels also fell. 3. The sodium ionophore monensin (1 x 10(-4) M) also caused a decrease in K+ levels, to below that of Na+. 4. Brief pretreatment with ouabain (1 x 10(-4) M, 15 min) followed by monensin treatment did not affect the decline in K+ levels, but did prevent the short-lived Na+ decline observed with monensin alone. 5. The deacetylated (amine) metabolite of the fasciolicide diamphenethide caused a short-lived drop in Na+ levels, but otherwise produced little change in ion levels within the fluke.

Studies on monensin toxicity in goats

This study was carried out to examine the effect of orally administered monensin on the liver of goats. Goats given monensin at the rate of 55 mg/kg of feed (55 ppm) for three weeks showed clinical signs of anorexia and diarrhea, along with increased pentobarbital sleeping time and serum SDH level indicating the possible presence of hepatotoxicity. On the other hand, animals fed monensin at 11 ppm for three weeks or 8 mg/kg of body weight/day for five days showed no signs of hepatotoxicity.