Acetaminophen-Induced Liver Injury Alters Expression and Activities of Cytochrome P450 Enzymes in an Age-Dependent Manner in Mouse Liver

Improved Detection of Drug-Induced Liver Injury by Integrating Predicted In Vivo and In Vitro Data

Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) has been a significant challenge in drug discovery, often leading to clinical trial failures and necessitating drug withdrawals. Over the last decade, the existing suite of in vitro proxy-DILI assays has generally improved at identifying compounds with hepatotoxicity. However, there is considerable interest in enhancing the in silico prediction of DILI because it allows for evaluating large sets of compounds more quickly and cost-effectively, particularly in the early stages of projects. In this study, we aim to study ML models for DILI prediction that first predict nine proxy-DILI labels and then use them as features in addition to chemical structural features to predict DILI. The features include in vitro (e.g., mitochondrial toxicity, bile salt export pump inhibition) data, in vivo (e.g., preclinical rat hepatotoxicity studies) data, pharmacokinetic parameters of maximum concentration, structural fingerprints, and physicochemical parameters. We trained DILI-prediction models on 888 compounds from the DILI data set (composed of DILIst and DILIrank) and tested them on a held-out external test set of 223 compounds from the DILI data set. The best model, DILIPredictor, attained an AUC-PR of 0.79. This model enabled the detection of the top 25 toxic compounds (2.68 LR+, positive likelihood ratio) compared to models using only structural features (1.65 LR+ score). Using feature interpretation from DILIPredictor, we identified the chemical substructures causing DILI and differentiated cases of DILI caused by compounds in animals but not in humans. For example, DILIPredictor correctly recognized 2-butoxyethanol as nontoxic in humans despite its hepatotoxicity in mice models. Overall, the DILIPredictor model improves the detection of compounds causing DILI with an improved differentiation between animal and human sensitivity and the potential for mechanism evaluation. DILIPredictor required only chemical structures as input for prediction and is publicly available at https://broad.io/DILIPredictor for use via web interface and with all code available for download.

Prenatal cigarette smoke exposure sensitizes acetaminophen-induced liver injury by modulating miR-34a-5p in male offspring mice

Introduction: Cigarette smoke (CS) exacerbates the severity of diseases not only in lungs, but also in systemic organs having no direct contact with smoke. In addition, smoking during pregnancy can have severe health consequences for both the mother and the fetus. Therefore, our aim was to evaluate effects of prenatal exposure to CS on acetaminophen (APAP)-induced acute liver injury (ALI) in offspring. Methods: Female C57BL/6 mice on day 6 of gestation were exposed to mainstream CS (MSCS) at 0, 150, 300, or 600 μg/L for 2 h a day, 5 days a week for 2 weeks using a nose-only exposure system. At four weeks old, male offspring mice were injected intraperitoneally with a single dose of APAP at 300 mg/kg body weight to induce ALI. Results: Maternal MSCS exposure significantly amplified pathological effects associated with ALI as evidenced by elevated serum alanine aminotransferase levels, increased hepatocellular apoptosis, higher oxidative stress, and increased inflammation. Interestingly, maternal MSCS exposure reduced microRNA (miR)-34a-5p expression in livers of offspring. Moreover, treatment with a miR-34a-5p mimic significantly mitigated the severity of APAP-induced hepatotoxicity. Overexpression of miR-34a-5p completely abrogated adverse effects of maternal MSCS exposure in offspring with ALI. Mechanistically, miR-34a-5p significantly decreased expression levels of hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 alpha, leading to down-regulated expression of cytochrome P450 (CYP)1A2 and CYP3A11. Discussion: Prenatal exposure to MSCS can alter the expression of miRNAs, even in the absence of additional MSCS exposure, potentially increasing susceptibility to APAP exposure in male offspring mice.

Improved Detection of Drug-Induced Liver Injury by Integrating Predicted in vivo and in vitro Data

Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) has been significant challenge in drug discovery, often leading to clinical trial failures and necessitating drug withdrawals. The existing suite of in vitro proxy-DILI assays is generally effective at identifying compounds with hepatotoxicity. However, there is considerable interest in enhancing in silico prediction of DILI because it allows for the evaluation of large sets of compounds more quickly and cost-effectively, particularly in the early stages of projects. In this study, we aim to study ML models for DILI prediction that first predicts nine proxy-DILI labels and then uses them as features in addition to chemical structural features to predict DILI. The features include in vitro (e.g., mitochondrial toxicity, bile salt export pump inhibition) data, in vivo (e.g., preclinical rat hepatotoxicity studies) data, pharmacokinetic parameters of maximum concentration, structural fingerprints, and physicochemical parameters. We trained DILI-prediction models on 888 compounds from the DILIst dataset and tested on a held-out external test set of 223 compounds from DILIst dataset. The best model, DILIPredictor, attained an AUC-ROC of 0.79. This model enabled the detection of top 25 toxic compounds compared to models using only structural features (2.68 LR+ score). Using feature interpretation from DILIPredictor, we were able to identify the chemical substructures causing DILI as well as differentiate cases DILI is caused by compounds in animals but not in humans. For example, DILIPredictor correctly recognized 2-butoxyethanol as non-toxic in humans despite its hepatotoxicity in mice models. Overall, the DILIPredictor model improves the detection of compounds causing DILI with an improved differentiation between animal and human sensitivity as well as the potential for mechanism evaluation. DILIPredictor is publicly available at https://broad.io/DILIPredictor for use via web interface and with all code available for download and local implementation via https://pypi.org/project/dilipred/.

Deletion of Glyoxalase 1 Exacerbates Acetaminophen-Induced Hepatotoxicity in Mice

Acetaminophen (APAP) overdose triggers a cascade of intracellular oxidative stress events, culminating in acute liver injury. The clinically used antidote, N-acetylcysteine (NAC), has a narrow therapeutic window, and early treatment is essential for a satisfactory therapeutic outcome. For more versatile therapies that can be effective even at late presentation, the intricacies of APAP-induced hepatotoxicity must be better understood. Accumulation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and the consequent activation of the receptor for AGEs (RAGE) are considered one of the key mechanistic features of APAP toxicity. Glyoxalase 1 (Glo-1) regulates AGE formation by limiting the levels of methylglyoxal (MEG). In this study, we studied the relevance of Glo-1 in the APAP-mediated activation of RAGE and downstream cell death cascades. Constitutive Glo-1-knockout mice (GKO) and a cofactor of Glo-1, ψ-GSH, were used as tools. Our findings showed elevated oxidative stress resulting from the activation of RAGE and hepatocyte necrosis through steatosis in GKO mice treated with high-dose APAP compared to wild-type controls. A unique feature of the hepatic necrosis in GKO mice was the appearance of microvesicular steatosis as a result of centrilobular necrosis, rather than the inflammation seen in the wild type. The GSH surrogate and general antioxidant ψ-GSH alleviated APAP toxicity irrespective of the Glo-1 status, suggesting that oxidative stress is the primary driver of APAP toxicity. Overall, the exacerbation of APAP hepatotoxicity in GKO mice suggests the importance of this enzyme system in antioxidant defense against the initial stages of APAP overdose.

Mechanobiological stimulation in organ-on-a-chip systems reduces hepatic drug metabolic capacity in favor of regenerative specialization

Hepatic physiology depends on the liver's complex structural composition which among others, provides high oxygen supply rates, locally differential oxygen tension, endothelial paracrine signaling, as well as residual hemodynamic shear stress to resident hepatocytes. While functional improvements were shown by implementing these factors into hepatic culture systems, direct cause-effect relationships are often not well characterized-obfuscating their individual contribution in more complex microphysiological systems. By comparing increasingly complex hepatic in vitro culture systems that gradually implement these parameters, we investigate the influence of the cellular microenvironment to overall hepatic functionality in pharmacological applications. Here, hepatocytes were modulated in terms of oxygen tension and supplementation, endothelial coculture, and exposure to fluid shear stress delineated from oxygen influx. Results from transcriptomic and metabolomic evaluation indicate that particularly oxygen supply rates are critical to enhance cellular functionality-with cellular drug metabolism remaining comparable to physiological conditions after prolonged static culture. Endothelial signaling was found to be a major contributor to differential phenotype formation known as metabolic zonation, indicated by WNT pathway activity. Lastly, oxygen-delineated shear stress was identified to direct cellular fate towards increased hepatic plasticity and regenerative phenotypes at the cost of drug metabolic functionality - in line with regenerative effects observed in vivo. With these results, we provide a systematic evaluation of critical parameters and their impact in hepatic systems. Given their adherence to physiological effects in vivo, this highlights the importance of their implementation in biomimetic devices, such as organ-on-a-chip systems. Considering recent advances in basic liver biology, direct translation of physiological structures into in vitro models is a promising strategy to expand the capabilities of pharmacological models.

Comparative analysis of gene expression between mice and humans in acetaminophen-induced liver injury by integrating bioinformatics analysis

OBJECTIVE

Mice are routinely utilized as animal models of drug-induced liver injury (DILI), however, there are significant differences in the pathogenesis between mice and humans. This study aimed to compare gene expression between humans and mice in acetaminophen (APAP)-induced liver injury (AILI), and investigate the similarities and differences in biological processes between the two species.

METHODS

A pair of public datasets (GSE218879 and GSE120652) obtained from GEO were analyzed using "Limma" package in R language, and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, including co-expressed DEGs (co-DEGs) and specific-expressed DEGS (specific-DEGs). Analysis of Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA), Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) were performed analyses for specific-DEGs and co-DEGs. The co-DEGs were also used to construct transcription factor (TF)-gene network, gene-miRNA interactions network and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network for analyzing hub genes.

RESULTS

Mouse samples contained 1052 up-regulated genes and 1064 down-regulated genes, while human samples contained 1156 up-regulated genes and 1557 down-regulated genes. After taking the intersection between the DEGs, only 154 co-down-regulated and 89 co-up-regulated DEGs were identified, with a proportion of less than 10%. It was suggested that significant differences in gene expression between mice and humans in drug-induced liver injury. Mouse-specific-DEGs predominantly engaged in processes related to apoptosis and endoplasmic reticulum stress, while human-specific-DEGs were concentrated around catabolic process. Analysis of co-regulated genes reveals showed that they were mainly enriched in biosynthetic and metabolism-related processes. Then a PPI network which contains 189 nodes and 380 edges was constructed from the co-DEGs and two modules were obtained by Mcode. We screened out 10 hub genes by three algorithms of Degree, MCC and MNC, including CYP7A1, LSS, SREBF1, FASN, CD44, SPP1, ITGAV, ANXA5, LGALS3 and PDGFRA. Besides, TFs such as FOXC1, HINFP, NFKB1, miRNAs like mir-744-5p, mir-335-5p, mir-149-3p, mir-218-5p, mir-10a-5p may be the key regulatory factors of hub genes.

CONCLUSIONS

The DEGs of AILI mice models and those of patients were compared, and common biological processes were identified. The signaling pathways and hub genes in co-expression were identified between mice and humans through a series of bioinformatics analyses, which may be more valuable to reveal molecular mechanisms of AILI.

Acetaminophen causes neurodevelopmental injury in susceptible babies and children: no valid rationale for controversy

Despite the worldwide acceptance of acetaminophen (APAP) as a necessary medicine in pediatrics, evidence that early exposure to APAP causes neurodevelopmental injury in susceptible babies and children has been mounting for over a decade. The evidence is diverse and includes extensive work with laboratory animals, otherwise unexplained associations, factors associated with APAP metabolism, and limited studies in humans. Although the evidence has reached an overwhelming level and was recently reviewed in detail, controversy persists. This narrative review evaluates some of that controversy. Evidence from the pre- and postpartum periods was considered to avoid controversy raised by consideration of only limited evidence of risks during the prepartum period. Among other issues, the association between APAP use and the prevalence of neurodevelopmental disorders was considered. A systematic review revealed that the use of APAP in the pediatric population was never tracked carefully; however, historical events that affected its use were documented and are sufficient to establish apparent correlations with changes in the prevalence of neurodevelopmental disorders. Moreover, problems with the exclusive reliance on results of meta-analyses of large datasets with limited time frames of drug exposure were reviewed. Furthermore, the evidence of why some children are susceptible to APAPinduced neurodevelopmental injuries was examined. We concluded that available evidence demonstrates that early exposure to APAP causes neurodevelopmental injury in susceptible babies and small children.

COVID-19 and severity of liver diseases: Possible crosstalk and clinical implications

COVID-19-infected individuals and those who recovered from the infection have been demonstrated to have elevated liver enzymes or abnormal liver biochemistries, particularly with preexisting liver diseases, liver metabolic disorders, viral hepatitis, and other hepatic comorbidities. However, possible crosstalk and intricate interplay between COVID-19 and liver disease severity are still elusive, and the available data are murky and confined. Similarly, the syndemic of other blood-borne infectious diseases, chemical-induced liver injuries, and chronic hepatic diseases continued to take lives while showing signs of worsening due to the COVID-19 crisis. Moreover, the pandemic is not over yet and is transitioning to becoming an epidemic in recent years; hence, monitoring liver function tests (LFTs) and assessing hepatic consequences of COVID-19 in patients with or without liver illnesses would be of paramount interest. This pragmatic review explores the correlations between COVID-19 and liver disease severity based on abnormal liver biochemistries and other possible mechanisms in individuals of all ages from the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic to the post-pandemic period. The review also alludes to clinical perspectives of such interactions to curb overlapping hepatic diseases in people who recovered from the infection or living with long COVID-19.

Epigenetic Mechanisms Contribute to Intraindividual Variations of Drug Metabolism Mediated by Cytochrome P450 Enzymes

Significant interindividual and intraindividual variations on cytochrome P450 (CYP)-mediated drug metabolism exist in the general population globally. Genetic polymorphisms are one of the major contribution factors for interindividual variations, but epigenetic mechanisms mainly contribute to intraindividual variations, including DNA methylation, histone modifications, microRNAs, and long non-coding RNAs. The current review provides analysis of advanced knowledge in the last decade on contributions of epigenetic mechanisms to intraindividual variations on CYP-mediated drug metabolism in several situations, including (1) ontogeny, the developmental changes of CYP expression in individuals from neonates to adults; (2) increased activities of CYP enzymes induced by drug treatment; (3) increased activities of CYP enzymes in adult ages induced by drug treatment at neonate ages; and (4) decreased activities of CYP enzymes in individuals with drug-induced liver injury (DILI). Furthermore, current challenges, knowledge gaps, and future perspective of the epigenetic mechanisms in development of CYP pharmacoepigenetics are discussed. In conclusion, epigenetic mechanisms have been proven to contribute to intraindividual variations of drug metabolism mediated by CYP enzymes in age development, drug induction, and DILI conditions. The knowledge has helped understanding how intraindividual variation are generated. Future studies are needed to develop CYP-based pharmacoepigenetics to guide clinical applications for precision medicine with improved therapeutic efficacy and reduced risk of adverse drug reactions and toxicity. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Understanding epigenetic mechanisms in contribution to intraindividual variations of CYP-mediated drug metabolism may help to develop CYP-based pharmacoepigenetics for precision medicine to improve therapeutic efficacy and reduce adverse drug reactions and toxicity for drugs metabolized by CYP enzymes.

Possible Role of Extracellular Vesicles in Hepatotoxicity of Acetaminophen

We examined proteomic profiles of rat liver extracellular vesicles (EVs) shed following treatment with a sub-toxic dose (500 mg/kg) of the pain reliever drug, acetaminophen (APAP). EVs representing the entire complement of hepatic cells were isolated after perfusion of the intact liver and analyzed with LC-MS/MS. The investigation was focused on revealing the function and cellular origin of identified EVs proteins shed by different parenchymal and non-parenchymal liver cells and their possible role in an early response of this organ to a toxic environment. Comparison of EV proteomic profiles from control and APAP-treated animals revealed significant differences. Alpha-1-macroglobulin and members of the cytochrome P450 superfamily were highly abundant proteins in EVs shed by the normal liver. In contrast, proteins like aminopeptidase N, metalloreductase STEAP4, different surface antigens like CD14 and CD45, and most members of the annexin family were detected only in EVs that were shed by livers of APAP-treated animals. In EVs from treated livers, there was almost a complete disappearance of members of the cytochrome P450 superfamily and a major decrease in other enzymes involved in the detoxification of xenobiotics. Additionally, there were proteins that predominated in non-parenchymal liver cells and in the extracellular matrix, like fibronectin, receptor-type tyrosine-protein phosphatase C, and endothelial type gp91. These differences indicate that even treatment with a sub-toxic concentration of APAP initiates dramatic perturbation in the function of this vital organ.

Acetaminophen-induced reduction of NIMA related kinase 7 expression exacerbates acute liver injury

Background & Aims

Acetaminophen (APAP)-induced acute liver injury (ALI) is a global health issue characterised by an incomplete understanding of its pathogenesis and unsatisfactory therapies. NEK7 plays critical roles in both cell cycle regulation and inflammation. In the present study, we investigated the role and mechanism of NEK7 in APAP-induced ALI.

Methods

In mice with NEK7 overexpression (hydrodynamic tail vein injection of NEK7 plasmids), hepatocyte-specific NEK7 knockout (cKO), and inducible NEK7 knockout (iKO), an overdose of APAP was administered to induce ALI. Liver injury was determined by an analysis of serum liver enzymes, pathological changes, inflammatory cytokines, and metabonomic profiles. In vitro, hepatocyte damage was evaluated by an analysis of cell viability, the reactive oxygen species levels, and mitochondrial function in different cell lines. Hepatocyte proliferation and the cell cycle status were determined by Ki-67 staining, EdU staining, and the cyclin levels.

Results

NEK7 was markedly downregulated in APAP-induced injured liver and damaged hepatocytes. NEK7 overexpression in the liver significantly alleviated APAP-induced liver injury, as shown by the restored liver function, reduced pathological injury, and decreased inflammation and oxidative stress, which was confirmed in a hepatocyte cell line. Moreover, both NEK7 cKO and iKO mice exhibited exacerbation of APAP-induced ALI. Finally, we determined that cyclin B1-mediated cell cycle progression could mediate the protective effect of NEK7 against APAP-induced ALI.

Conclusions

Reduced NEK7 contributes to APAP-induced ALI, possibly by dysregulating cyclins and disturbing cell cycle progression.

Lay summary

Acetaminophen-induced acute liver injury is one of the major global health issues, owing to its high incidence, potential severity, and limited therapeutic options. Our current understanding of its pathogenesis is incomplete. Herein, we have shown that reduced NEK7 (a protein with a key role in the cell cycle) exacerbates acetaminophen-induced acute liver injury. Hence, NEK7 could be a possible therapeutic target for the prevention or treatment of this condition.

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NEK7 was downregulated in livers following APAP overdose challenge.

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Reduced NEK7 worsened APAP-induced acute liver injury.

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Reduced NEK7 dysregulated cyclins and cell cycle progression.

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Cyclin B1 overexpression attenuated NEK7 reduction-related worsening of APAP-induced acute liver injury.

Effect of Perioperative Vitamin C on the Incidence of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Complex regional pain syndrome type 1 (CRPS-I) is a complex complication that occurs after limb extremity surgeries. Controversy exists regarding the effectiveness of vitamin C in reducing that condition. Therefore, we conducted this systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the role of vitamin C on CRPS-I and functional outcomes after distal radius, wrist, foot, and ankle surgeries. We searched Medline (via PubMed), Embase, the Cochrane Library, Clinicaltrial.gov, and Google Scholar for relevant studies comparing perioperative vitamin C versus placebo after distal radius, wrist, foot, and ankle surgeries from infinity to May 2021. Continuous data such as functional outcomes and pain scores were pooled as mean differences, while dichotomous variables such as the incidence of complex regional pain syndrome and complications were pooled as odds ratios, with 95% confidence interval, using R software (meta package, version 4.9-0) for Windows. Eight studies were included. The timeframe for vitamin C administration in each study ranged from 42 to 50 days postinjury and/or surgical fixation. The effect size showed that vitamin C was associated with a decreased rate of CRPS-1 than placebo (odds ratio 0.33, 95% confidence interval [0.17, 0.63]). No significant difference was found between vitamin C and placebo in terms of complications (odds ratio 1.90, 95% confidence interval [0.99, 3.65]), functional outcomes (mean difference 6.37, 95% confidence interval [-1.40, 14.15]), and pain scores (mean difference -0.14, 95% confidence interval [-1.07, 0.79]). Overall, vitamin C was associated with a decreased rate of CRPS-I than placebo, while no significant difference was found regarding complications, functional outcomes, and pain scores. These results hold true when stratifying fracture type (distal radius, ankle, and foot surgeries) and vitamin C dose (500 mg or 1 g).

Alterations of Cytochrome P450-Mediated Drug Metabolism during Liver Repair and Regeneration after Acetaminophen-Induced Liver Injury in Mice

Acetaminophen (APAP)-induced liver injury (AILI) is the leading cause of acute liver failure in the United States, but its impact on metabolism, therapeutic efficacy, and adverse drug reactions (ADRs) of co- and/or subsequent administered drugs are not fully investigated. The current work explored this field with a focus on the AILI-mediated alterations of cytochrome P450-mediated drug metabolism. Various levels of liver injury were induced in mice by treatment with APAP at 0, 200, 400, and 600 mg/kg. Severity of liver damage was determined at 24, 48, 72, and 96 hours by plasma levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), microRNA miR122, and tissue staining. The expression and activities of CYP3A11, 1A2, 2B10, 2C29, and 2E1 were measured. Sedation efficacy and ADRs of midazolam, a CYP3A substrate, were monitored after APAP treatment. ALT, AST, and miR122 increased at 24 hours after APAP treatment with all APAP doses, whereas only groups treated with 200 and 400 mg/kg recovered back to normal levels at 72 and 96 hours. The expression and activity of the cytochromes P450 significantly decreased at 24 hours with all APAP doses but only recovered back to normal at 72 and 96 hours with 200 and 400, but not 600, mg/kg of APAP. The alterations of cytochrome P450 activities resulted in altered sedation efficacy and ADRs of midazolam, which were corrected by dose justification of midazolam. Overall, this work illustrated a low cytochrome P450 expression window after AILI, which can decrease drug metabolism and negatively impact drug efficacy and ADRs. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: The data generated in the mouse model demonstrated that expression and activities of cytochrome P450 enzymes and correlated drug efficacy and ADRs are altered during the time course of liver repair and regeneration after liver is injured by treatment with APAP. Dose justifications based on predicted changes of cytochrome P450 activities can achieve desired therapeutic efficacy and avoid ADRs. The generated data provide fundamental knowledge for translational research to drug treatment for patients during liver recovery and regeneration who have experienced AILI.

The Role of Cytochrome P450 Enzymes in COVID-19 Pathogenesis and Therapy

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a new public health crisis threatening the world. Dysregulated immune responses are the most striking pathophysiological features of patients with severe COVID-19, which can result in multiple-organ failure and death. The cytochrome P450 (CYP) system is the most important drug metabolizing enzyme family, which plays a significant role in the metabolism of endogenous or exogenous substances. Endogenous CYPs participate in the biosynthesis or catabolism of endogenous substances, including steroids, vitamins, eicosanoids, and fatty acids, whilst xenobiotic CYPs are associated with the metabolism of environmental toxins, drugs, and carcinogens. CYP expression and activity are greatly affected by immune response. However, changes in CYP expression and/or function in COVID-19 and their impact on COVID-19 pathophysiology and the metabolism of therapeutic agents in COVID-19, remain unclear. In this analysis, we review current evidence predominantly in the following areas: firstly, the possible changes in CYP expression and/or function in COVID-19; secondly, the effects of CYPs on the metabolism of arachidonic acid, vitamins, and steroid hormones in COVID-19; and thirdly, the effects of CYPs on the metabolism of therapeutic COVID-19 drugs.

Sex-dependent effects of long-term clozapine or haloperidol medication on red blood cells and liver iron metabolism in Sprague Dawley rats as a model of metabolic syndrome

BACKGROUND

Patients with liver diseases often have some form of anemia. Hematological dyscrasias are known side effects of antipsychotic drug medication and the occurrence of agranulocytosis under clozapine is well described. However, the sex-dependent impact of clozapine and haloperidol on erythrocytes and symptoms like anemia, and its association with hepatic iron metabolism has not yet been completely clarified. Therefore, in the present study, we investigated the effect of both antipsychotic drugs on blood parameters and iron metabolism in the liver of male and female Sprague Dawley rats.

METHODS

After puberty, rats were treated orally with haloperidol or clozapine for 12 weeks. Blood count parameters, serum ferritin, and liver transferrin bound iron were determined by automated counter. Hemosiderin (Fe³⁺) was detected in liver sections by Perl's Prussian blue staining. Liver hemoxygenase (HO-1), 5'aminolevulinate synthase (ALAS1), hepcidin, heme-regulated inhibitor (HRI), cytochrome P4501A1 (CYP1A1) and 1A2 (CYP1A2) were determined by Western blotting.

RESULTS

We found anemia with decreased erythrocyte counts, associated with lower hemoglobin and hematocrit, in females with haloperidol treatment. Males with clozapine medication showed reduced hemoglobin and increased red cell distribution width (RDW) without changes in erythrocyte numbers. High levels of hepatic hemosiderin were found in the female clozapine and haloperidol medicated groups. Liver HRI was significantly elevated in male clozapine medicated rats. CYP1A2 was significantly reduced in clozapine medicated females.

CONCLUSIONS

The characteristics of anemia under haloperidol and clozapine medication depend on the administered antipsychotic drug and on sex. We suggest that anemia in rats under antipsychotic drug medication is a sign of an underlying liver injury induced by the drugs. Changing hepatic iron metabolism under clozapine and haloperidol may help to reduce these effects of liver diseases.

Pulmonary implications of acetaminophen exposures independent of hepatic toxicity

Both preclinical and clinical studies have demonstrated that exposures to acetaminophen (APAP) at levels that cause hepatic injury cause pulmonary injury as well. However, whether exposures that do not result in hepatic injury have acute pulmonary implications is unknown. Thus, we sought to determine how APAP exposures at levels that do not result in significant hepatic injury impact the mature lung. Adult male ICR mice (8-12 wk) were exposed to a dose of APAP known to cause hepatotoxicity in adult mice [280 mg/kg, intraperitoneal (ip)], as well as a lower dose previously reported to not cause hepatic injury (140 mg/kg, ip). We confirm that the lower dose exposures did not result in significant hepatic injury. However, like high dose, lower exposure resulted in increased cellular content of the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and induced a proinflammatory pulmonary transcriptome. Both the lower and higher dose exposures resulted in measurable changes in lung morphometrics, with the lower dose exposure causing alveolar wall thinning. Using RNAScope, we were able to detect dose-dependent, APAP-induced pulmonary Cyp2e1 expression. Finally, using FLIM we determined that both APAP exposures resulted in acute pulmonary metabolic changes consistent with mitochondrial overload in lower doses and a shift to glycolysis at a high dose. Our findings demonstrate that APAP exposures that do not cause significant hepatic injury result in acute inflammatory, morphometric, and metabolic changes in the mature lung. These previously unreported findings may help explain the potential relationship between APAP exposures and pulmonary-related morbidity.

Vitamin C in orthopedic practices: Current concepts, novel ideas, and future perspectives

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid), is an important antioxidant that has been applied broadly in the field of orthopaedics. Current research on vitamin C examines the molecule's role in bone and tendon physiology, as well as joint replacement and Postoperative pain. Most laboratory and human studies associate the use of vitamin C with improved bone health and tendon healing. Recent literature moderately supports the use of vitamin C to improve functional outcomes, decreased postoperative pain, and prevent complex regional pain syndrome following orthopaedic procedures. The perioperative use of vitamin C in patients undergoing joint replacement surgery and anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction is still under investigation. Overall, there is need for high-quality human trials to confirm whether vitamin C can potentiate the outcomes of orthopaedic procedures and to determine optimal dosage and means of administration to maximize its proposed benefits. The purpose of this review was to summarize the application of vitamin C in orthopaedic practices and to identify potential areas for future study.

Antituberculosis Drugs (Rifampicin and Isoniazid) Induce Liver Injury by Regulating NLRP3 Inflammasomes

Patients being treated for pulmonary tuberculosis often suffer liver injury due to the effects of anti-TB drugs, and the underlying mechanisms for those injuries need to be clarified. In this study, rats and hepatic cells were administrated isoniazid (INH) and rifampin (RIF) and then treated with NLRP3-inflammasome inhibitors (INF39 and CP-456773) or NLRP3 siRNA. Histopathological changes that occurred in liver tissue were examined by H&E staining. Additionally, the levels IL-33, IL-18, IL-1β, NLRP3, ASC, and cleaved-caspase 1 expression in the liver tissues were also determined. NAT2 and CYP2E1 expression were identified by QRT-PCR analysis. Finally, in vitro assays were performed to examine the effects of siRNA targeting NLRP3. Treatment with the antituberculosis drugs caused significant liver injuries, induced inflammatory responses and oxidative stress (OS), activated NLRP3 inflammasomes, reduced the activity of drug-metabolizing enzymes, and altered the antioxidant defense system in rats and hepatic cells. The NLRP3 inflammasome was required for INH- and RIF-induced liver injuries that were produced by inflammatory responses, OS, the antioxidant defense system, and drug-metabolizing enzymes. This study indicated that the NLRP3 inflammasome is involved in antituberculosis drug-induced liver injuries (ATLIs) and suggests NLRP3 as a potential target for attenuating the inflammation response in ATLIs.

Hepatic consequences of COVID-19 infection. Lapping or biting?

The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) starting last December in China placed emphasis on liver involvement during infection. This review discusses the underlying mechanisms linking COVID-19 to liver dysfunction, according to recent available information, while waiting further studies. The manifestations of liver damage are usually mild (moderately elevated serum aspartate aminotransferase activities), and generally asymptomatic. Few patients can still develop severe liver problems, and therapeutic options can be limited. Liver dysfunction may affect about one-third of the patients, with prevalence greater in men than women, and in elderly. Mechanisms of damage are complex and include direct cholangiocyte damage and other coexisting conditions such as the use of antiviral drugs, systemic inflammatory response, respiratory distress syndrome-induced hypoxia, sepsis, and multiple organ dysfunction. During new COVID-19 infections, liver injury may be observed. If liver involvement appears during COVID-19 infection, however, attention is required. This is particularly true if patients are older or have a pre-existing history of liver diseases. During COVID-19 infection, the onset of liver damage impairs the prognosis, and hospital stay is longer.