Global Kinetic Mechanism of Microsomal Glutathione Transferase 1 and Insights into Dynamic Enzyme Activation

AOP Report: Glutathione Conjugation Leading to Reproductive Dysfunction via Oxidative Stress

We propose an adverse outcome pathway (AOP) for reproductive dysfunction via oxidative stress (OS). The AOP was developed based on Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Guidance Document 184 and on the specific considerations of the OECD users' handbook supplement to the guidance document for developing and assessing AOPs (no. 233). According to the qualitative and quantitative experimental data evaluation, glutathione (GSH) conjugation is the first upstream key event (KE) of this AOP to reproductive dysfunction triggering OS. This event causes depletion of GSH basal levels (KE2 ). Consequently, this drop of free GSH induces an increase of reactive oxygen species (KE3 ) generated by the natural cellular metabolic processes (cellular respiration) of the organism. Increased levels of these reactive species, in turn, induce an increase of lipid peroxidation (KE4 ). This KE consequently leads to a rise in the amount of toxic substances, such as malondialdehyde and hydroxynonenal, which are associated with decreased quality and competence of gamete cell division, consequently impairing fertility (KE5 and adverse outcome). The overall assessment of the general biological plausibility, the empirical support, and the essentiality of KE relationships was considered as high for this AOP. We conclude that GSH conjugation is able to lead to reproductive disorder in fishes and mammals, via OS, but that the amount of stressor needed to trigger the AOP differs between stressors. Environ Toxicol Chem 2023;42:2519-2528. © 2023 SETAC.

Enzymology of reactive intermediate protection: kinetic analysis and temperature dependence of the mesophilic membrane protein catalyst MGST1

Glutathione transferases (GSTs) are a class of phase II detoxifying enzymes catalysing the conjugation of glutathione (GSH) to endogenous and exogenous electrophilic molecules, with microsomal glutathione transferase 1 (MGST1) being one of its key members. MGST1 forms a homotrimer displaying third-of-the-sites-reactivity and up to 30-fold activation through modification of its Cys-49 residue. It has been shown that the steady-state behaviour of the enzyme at 5 °C can be accounted for by its pre-steady-state behaviour if the presence of a natively activated subpopulation (~ 10%) is assumed. Low temperature was used as the ligand-free enzyme is unstable at higher temperatures. Here, we overcame enzyme lability through stop-flow limited turnover analysis, whereby kinetic parameters at 30 °C were obtained. The acquired data are more physiologically relevant and enable confirmation of the previously established enzyme mechanism (at 5 °C), yielding parameters relevant for in vivo modelling. Interestingly, the kinetic parameter defining toxicant metabolism, k_cat /K_M , is strongly dependent on substrate reactivity (Hammett value 4.2), underscoring that glutathione transferases function as efficient and responsive interception catalysts. The temperature behaviour of the enzyme was also analysed. Both the K_M and K_D values decreased with increasing temperature, while the chemical step k₃ displayed modest temperature dependence (Q₁₀ : 1.1-1.2), mirrored in that of the nonenzymatic reaction (Q₁₀ : 1.1-1.7). Unusually high Q₁₀ values for GSH thiolate anion formation (k₂ : 3.9), k_cat (2.7-5.6) and k_cat /K_M (3.4-5.9) support that large structural transitions govern GSH binding and deprotonation, which limits steady-state catalysis.

Bioaccumulation and glutathione S-transferase activity on Rhinella arenarum tadpoles after short-term exposure to antiretrovirals

The aim of the present study was to investigate the bioaccumulation and toxicological effects of four antiretrovirals (lamivudine, stavudine, zidovudine and nevirapine) on Rhinella arenarum tadpoles, after short-term (48 h) exposure to these drugs at sublethal concentrations. The analytical procedure involved a simple extraction method followed by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection and chemometric analysis for data processing. Under the conditions studied, the analytes investigated, particularly nevirapine, showed possible bioaccumulation in tadpoles. Besides, an increase in the bioaccumulation was observed when increasing the exposure concentration. In addition, the enzymatic biomarkers measured to evaluate the toxicological effects showed that acethylcholinesterase activity was similar to that of the control group, while glutathione S-transferase activity was increased, indicating potential oxidative stress damage. Our results also allowed demonstrating the usefulness of chemometric algorithms to quantitate analytes in complex matrices, such as those absorbed by tadpoles in aquatic ecosystems. The results also evidenced the short-term antiretroviral bioaccumulation in tadpoles and the alteration of antioxidant systems, highlighting the need of environmental studies to elucidate the ecotoxicological risk of antiretrovirals in humans and wildlife.

The mercapturic acid pathway

The mercapturic acid pathway is a major route for the biotransformation of xenobiotic and endobiotic electrophilic compounds and their metabolites. Mercapturic acids (N-acetyl-l-cysteine S-conjugates) are formed by the sequential action of the glutathione transferases, γ-glutamyltransferases, dipeptidases, and cysteine S-conjugate N-acetyltransferase to yield glutathione S-conjugates, l-cysteinylglycine S-conjugates, l-cysteine S-conjugates, and mercapturic acids; these metabolites constitute a "mercapturomic" profile. Aminoacylases catalyze the hydrolysis of mercapturic acids to form cysteine S-conjugates. Several renal transport systems facilitate the urinary elimination of mercapturic acids; urinary mercapturic acids may serve as biomarkers for exposure to chemicals. Although mercapturic acid formation and elimination is a detoxication reaction, l-cysteine S-conjugates may undergo bioactivation by cysteine S-conjugate β-lyase. Moreover, some l-cysteine S-conjugates, particularly l-cysteinyl-leukotrienes, exert significant pathophysiological effects. Finally, some enzymes of the mercapturic acid pathway are described as the so-called "moonlighting proteins," catalytic proteins that exert multiple biochemical or biophysical functions apart from catalysis.

Insecticide pyriproxyfen (Dragón®) damage biotransformation, thyroid hormones, heart rate, and swimming performance of Odontophrynus americanus tadpoles

Odontoprynus americanus tadpoles were used to determine the safety concentration of pyriproxyfen (PPF) insecticide by acute and sublethal toxicity tests (nominal range tested 0.01 to 10 [± 15%] PPF mg/L). Median lethal concentration (LC₅₀) and no, and lowest-observed-effect concentrations (NOEC and LOEC, respectively) were calculated. We also assessed the effect on the activities of glutathione S-transferse (GST), acetylcholinesterase (AChE), and carboxylesterase (CbE) and compared to control (CO) tadpoles. Based on the 48-h NOEC value, two sublethal concentrations of PPF (0.01 and 0.1 mg/L) were assayed to detect effects on enzymes activities (GST and CbE), thyroid hormone's levels (triiodothyronine; T3 and thyroxine; T4), heart function, and tadpoles swimming behaviour. The results showed that the LC₅₀ values of O. americanus tadpoles were 3.73 PPF mg/L and 2.51 PPF mg/L at 24-h and 48-h, respectively (NOEC = 0.1 mg/L; LOEC = 1 mg/L, for both times). PPF concentrations at 48 h, induced enzymatic activities such as GST (212.98%-242.94%), AChE (142.15%-165.08%), and CbE (141.86%-87.14%) significantly respect to COs. During the 22 days of chronic PPF exposure, GST (0.01 mg/L 88%-153% NOEC), AChE (177.82% NOEC), and T4 (70% NOEC) also significantly increased respect to COs. Similarly, heart rate (fH) and ventricular cycle length (VV interval) in CO tadpoles were significantly higher than PPF treated. Finally, at NOEC tadpoles exhibited significant effects on the behavioral endpoint (swimming distance, mean speed, and global activity; P < 0.05).