Role of isozyme-specific inhibition of cytochrome P450IIB1 activity in m-xylene-induced alterations in rat pulmonary benzo(a)pyrene metabolism

Effects of exposure to diesel exhaust particles (DEP) on pulmonary metabolic activation of mutagenic agents

Exposure of rats to diesel exhaust particles (DEP) or carbon black (CB) has been shown to induce time-dependent changes in CYP1A1and CYP2B1 in the lung. The present study evaluated the role of these metabolic enzymes on the pulmonary bioactivation of mutagens. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were intratracheally instilled with saline (control), DEP or CB (35 mg/kg body weight) and sacrificed at 1, 3, or 7 days post-exposure. Both control and exposed lung S9 increased the mutagenic activity of 2-aminoanthracene (2-AA), 2-aminofluorene (2-AF), 1-nitropyrene (1-NP), and the organic extract of DEP (DEPE) in Ames tests with Salmonella typhimurium YG1024 in a dose-dependent manner. Lung microsomes prepared form control or particle-exposed S9, but not cytosolic protein, activated 2-AA mutagenicity. Compared to saline controls, CB-exposed S9 was a less potent inducer of 2-AA mutagenicity at all time points, whereas DEP-exposed S9 was less potent than control saline at 3 and 7 days but not 1 day post-exposure. At 3 days post-exposure, DEP- or CB-exposed lung S9 did not significantly affect the mutagenicity of DEPE or 1-NP, when compared to the controls. The mutgenicity of 2-AA, 2-AF, 1-NP, and DEPE were significantly decreased in the presence of inhibitors for CYP1A1 (alpha-naphthoflavone) or CYP2B (metyrapone), but markedly enhanced by CYP1A1 or CYP2B1 supersomes with all the cofactors, suggesting that both CYP1A1 and CYP2B1 were responsible for mutagen activation. These results demonstrated that exposure of rats to DEP or CB altered metabolic activity of lung S9 and S9 metabolic activity dependent mutagen activation. The bioactivation of mutagens are metabolic enzyme- and substrate-specific, and both CYP1A1 and CYP2B1 play important roles in pulmonary mutagen activation.

Inhibition of rat respiratory-tract cytochrome P-450 activity after acute low-level m-xylene inhalation: role in 1-nitronaphthalene toxicity

The xylenes are commonly used industrial solvents that have been shown to inhibit cytochrome P-450 (CYP450) activities in an organ- and isozyme-specific pattern. This study examined the dose-response and durational effects of m-xylene inhalation on cytochrome P-450 activities in the respiratory tract and liver as well as the effects of these CYP450 alterations on 1-nitronaphthalene (1-NN)-induced respiratory or hepatic toxicity. After m-xylene inhalation exposure there was a dose-related inhibition of all nasal mucosa CYPs examined. At 300 ppm, inhibition was sustained up to 2 days after exposure, but on day 5 all CYP activities were increased. There was also dose-related inhibition of lung CYPs 2B1, 2E1, and 4B1. The activities of these CYPs returned to those of control by day 2 but lung CYP 2B1 was increased 5 days following m-xylene exposure. Hepatic CYP 2E1 activity was increased immediately following m-xylene exposure (300 ppm). CYP 2B1 and CYP 1A2 activities were increased through day 2, all activities returning to control values 5 days postexposure. 1-NN treatment caused severe respiratory toxicity that was prevented by prior m-xylene exposure. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and protein were increased in nasal lavage fluid (NLF) but gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) was unchanged. m-Xylene coexposure prevented or ameliorated the increases in LDH and protein but increased GGT. 1-NN-induced increases in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) LDH and GGT were attenuated by m-xylene. 1-NN caused pronounced histopathological changes in both respiratory and olfactory regions of the nasal mucosa. Lesions in both regions were characterized by acute epithelial necrosis and exfoliation and suppurative exudate in the airways. These changes were prevented by m-xylene coexposure. Serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels were not changed in animals exposed to 1-NN but were increased by m-xylene coexposure. Low-level m-xylene exposure organ-selectively altered CYP450 isozyme activities and subsequent 1-NN toxicity.

Inhibition of rat respiratory-tract cytochrome P-450 isozymes following inhalation of m-Xylene: possible role of metabolites

Xylene is used as a solvent in paints, cleaning agents, and gasoline. Exposure occurs primarily by inhalation. The volatility and lipophilicity of the xylenes make the lung and nasal mucosa the primary target organs. m-Xylene (m-XYL) has been shown to alter cytochrome P-450 (CYP) activity in an organ- and isozyme-specific manner. The purpose of this work was to determine if the metabolism of m-XYL to the inhibitory metabolite m-tolualdehyde (m-ALD) is the cause of inhibition of CYP isozymes following in vivo inhalation exposure to m-XYL (100, 300 ppm), 3-methylbenzyl alcohol (3-MBA) (50, 100 ppm), or m-ALD (50, 100 ppm). A single 6-h inhalation exposure of rats to m-XYL inhibited pulmonary CYPs 2B1, 2E1, and 4B1 in a dose-dependent manner. Inhalation of 3-MBA inhibited pulmonary CYPs 2B1 and 4B1 in a dose-dependent manner. m-ALD inhibited pulmonary CYPs 2B1 and 2E1 in a dose-dependent manner, while 4B1 activity was increased dose dependently. Nasal mucosa CYP 2B1 and 2E1 activity was inhibited following exposure to m-XYL dose dependently, 3-MBA inhibited nasal mucosa CYPs 2E1 and 4B1 dose dependently. CYPs 2B1, 2E1, and 4B1 were inhibited in a dose-dependent fashion following inhalation of m-ALD. Following high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis, m-ALD was detected after in vivo exposure to m-XYL, m-ALD, and 3-MBA in a dose-dependent manner, with highest m-ALD levels in the nasal mucosa and lung. Alteration of cytochrome P-450 activity by m-XYL could result in increased or decreased toxicity, changing the metabolic profiles of xenobiotics in coexposure scenarios in an organ-specific manner.

The dual effect of the particulate and organic components of diesel exhaust particles on the alteration of pulmonary immune/inflammatory responses and metabolic enzymes

Exposure to diesel exhaust particles (DEP) is an environmental and occupational health concern. This review examines the cellular actions of the organic and the particulate components of DEP in the development of various lung diseases. Both the organic and the particulate components cause oxidant lung injury. The particulate component is known to induce alveolar epithelial damage, alter thiol levels in alveolar macrophages (AM) and lymphocytes, and activate AM in the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and pro-inflammatory cytokines. The organic component, on the other hand, is shown to generate intracellular ROS, leading to a variety of cellular responses including apoptosis. There are a number of differences between the biological actions exerted by these two components. The organic component is responsible for DEP induction of cytochrome P450 family 1 enzymes that are critical to the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and nitro-PAH metabolism in the lung as well as in the liver. The particulate component, on the other hand, causes a sustained down-regulation of CYP2B1 in the rat lung. The significance of this effect on pulmonary metabolism of xenobiotics and endobiotics remains to be seen, but may prove to be an important factor governing the interplay of the pulmonary metabolic and inflammatory systems. Long-term exposures to various particles including DEP, carbon black (CB), TiO2, and washed DEP devoid of the organic content, have been shown to produce similar tumorigenic responses in rodents. There is a lack of correlation between tumor development and DEP chemical-derived DNA adduct formation. But the organic component has been shown to generate ROS that produce 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) in cell culture. The organic, but not the particulate, component of DEP suppresses the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines by AM and the development of Th1 cell-mediated immunity. The mechanism for this effect is not yet clear, but may involve the induction of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), a cellular genetic response to oxidative stress. Both the organic and the particulate components of DEP enhance respiratory allergic sensitization. Part of the DEP effects may be due to a depletion of glutathione in lymphocytes. The organic component, which is shown to induce IL-4 and IL-10 productions, may skew the immunity toward Th2 response, whereas the particulate component may stimulate both the Th1 and Th2 responses. In conclusion, the literature shows that the particulate and organic components of DEP exhibit different biological actions but both involve the induction of cellular oxidative stress. Together, these effects inhibit cell-mediated immunity toward infectious agents, exacerbate respiratory allergy, cause DNA damage, and under long-term exposure, induce the development of lung tumors.

Cytochrome P450 destruction by quinones: comparison of effects in rat and human liver microsomes

Exposure to benzene was recently reported to lower the cytochrome P450 (CYP) content in phenobarbital-pretreated rats in vivo (Gut et al., Environ. Health Perspect. 104 (1996) 1211-1218). This study followed the ability of quinonic benzene metabolites (catechol, hydroquinone, and benzoquinone) to destroy CYP in liver microsomes from rats pretreated with various inducers and in human liver microsomes. Sensitivity of CYP isoforms to destruction was revealed and the interspecies differences assessed. The spectrophotometric evaluations of the total CYP content, assay of CYP marker activities, and electrophoresis with immunoblotting after incubation of microsomes with quinones revealed that: (1) rat liver CYP activities markedly differed in sensitivity to quinone-mediated destruction in vitro, CYP 1A and 3A being the most sensitive isoforms; (2) differences in OH radicals formation and lipid peroxidation among microsomes from rats pretreated with various CYP inducers were also observed; (3) semiquinone radical formation, OH radical production, and induction of lipid peroxidation did not contribute significantly to CYP destruction by quinones; (4) the main mechanism of CYP destruction is covalent binding of the oxidized quinone form to protein and heme moieties of CYP; (5) quinones, mainly benzoquinone, destroy human CYP isoforms to a much greater extent than rat enzymes and thus humans may be much more susceptible to the deleterious effect of benzene metabolism. In conclusion, it is suggested that CYP destruction may be another consequence of benzene exposure and should be taken into consideration when evaluations of possible health risks are performed.

ATSDR evaluation of health effects of chemicals. V. Xylenes: health effects, toxicokinetics, human exposure, and environmental fate

Xylenes, or dimethylbenzenes, are among the highest-volume chemicals in production. Common uses are for gasoline blending, as a solvent or component in a wide variety of products from paints to printing ink, and in the production of phthalates and polyester. They are often encountered as a mixture of the three dimethyl isomers, together with ethylbenzene. As part of its mandate, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) prepares toxicological profiles on hazardous chemicals found at Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) National Priorities List (NPL) sites that are of greatest concern for public health purposes. These profiles comprehensively summarize toxicological and environmental information. This article constitutes the release of the bulk of this profile (ATSDR, 1995) into the mainstream scientific literature. An extensive listing of known human and animal health effects, organized by route, duration, and end point, is presented. Toxicological information on toxicokinetics, biomarkers, interactions, sensitive subpopulations, reducing toxicity after exposure, and relevance to public health is also included. Environmental information encompasses physical properties, production and use, environmental fate, levels seen in the environment, analytical methods, and a listing of regulations. ATSDR, as mandated by CERCLA (or Superfund), prepares these profiles to inform and assist the public.

Cytochrome P450 destruction and radical scavenging by benzene and its metabolites. Evidence for the key role of quinones

Exposure to benzene was reported to lower the cytochrome P450 (CYP; EC 1.14.14.1) content in phenobarbital-pretreated (PB) rats in vivo (Gut I, Zbl Pharm 122: 1139-1161, 1983). In this paper we followed the ability of benzene and its metabolites, phenol, catechol, hydroquinone and benzoquinone to destroy CYP in liver microsomes from PB rats in vitro. The spectrophotometric determinations of the total CYP content, 7-pentoxyresorufin O-depentylase and aniline hydroxylase activities, electrophoresis and western blot analysis after incubation of PB-microsomes with benzene or its metabolites revealed that: (1) benzene is metabolically activated to intermediates causing CYP destruction; phenol is not responsible for this effect. (2) Quinonic metabolites of benzene cause CYP destruction with different potency (30% CYP was destroyed by 3 mM catechol, 0.3 mM hydroquinone and 0.03 mM benzoquinone). (3) Low concentrations of quinones are capable of protecting CYP against reactive oxygen species produced in the CYP futile cycle. (4) Ascorbate effectively protects CYP against quinones, apparently by maintaining them in the reduced state. (5) Quinones attack both heme and protein of CYP. (6) CYP activities differ in the sensitivity to quinone-mediated destruction. In conclusion, we suggest that quinones may be responsible for CYP destruction by benzene in vivo.

Effects of m-xylene on rat nasal cytochrome P450 mixed function oxidase activities

The effect of m-xylene on the rat nasal cytochrome P450 (P450) mixed function oxidase system was analyzed in vitro utilizing microsomes isolated 2, 12, and 24 h following intraperitoneal administration of this solvent in vivo. For comparative purposes, pulmonary and hepatic activities were also measured. Benzyloxyresorufin O-deethylation (BROD) and ethoxyresorufin O-deethylation (EROD), catalytic activities linked with P450 isozymes IIB1 and IA1, respectively, were inhibited in nasal tissue at all times following m-xylene administration. Pulmonary tissue mimicked this m-xylene-dependent inhibition of BROD activity but did not display significant inhibition of EROD activity. In contrast, m-xylene caused a dramatic induction of both BROD and EROD activity in hepatic tissue. The metabolism of a third P450 substrate, cyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl (CMT), was also analyzed. m-Xylene caused significant inhibition of CMT metabolism at all time points in both nasal and pulmonary microsomes but was without effect on hepatic microsomal metabolism of this compound. These data show an inhibitory effect of m-xylene on rat nasal and pulmonary but not hepatic cytochrome P450-dependent metabolism.