Protective effects of exogenous and endogenous hydrogen sulfide in mast cell-mediated pruritus and cutaneous acute inflammation in mice

The recently described 'gasomediator' hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) has been involved in pain mechanisms, but its effect on pruritus, a sensory modality that similarly to pain acts as a protective mechanism, is poorly known and controversial. The effects of the slow-releasing (GYY4137) and spontaneous H₂S donors (Na₂S and Lawesson's reagent, LR) were evaluated in histamine and compound 48/80 (C48/80)-dependent dorsal skin pruritus and inflammation in male BALB/c mice. Animals were intradermally (i.d.) injected with C48/80 (3μg/site) or histamine (1μmol/site) alone or co-injected with Na₂S, LR or GYY4137 (within the 0.3-100nmol range). The involvement of endogenous H₂S and K_ATP channel-dependent mechanism were also evaluated. Pruritus was assessed by the number of scratching bouts, whilst skin inflammation was evaluated by the extravascular accumulation of intravenously injected ¹²⁵I-albumin (plasma extravasation) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity (neutrophil recruitment). Histamine or C48/80 significantly evoked itching behavior paralleled by plasma extravasation and increased MPO activity. Na₂S and LR significantly ameliorated histamine or C48/80-induced pruritus and inflammation, although these effects were less pronounced or absent with GYY4137. Inhibition of endogenous H₂S synthesis increased both Tyrode and C48/80-induced responses in the skin, whereas the blockade of K_ATP channels by glibenclamide did not. H₂S-releasing donors significantly attenuate C48/80-induced mast cell degranulation either in vivo or in vitro. We provide first evidences that H₂S donors confer protective effect against histamine-mediated acute pruritus and cutaneous inflammation. These effects can be mediated, at least in part, by stabilizing mast cells, known to contain multiple mediators and to be primary initiators of allergic processes, thus making of H₂S donors a potential alternative/complementary therapy for treating inflammatory allergic skin diseases and related pruritus.

211 REVERSED-PHASE HIGH-PERFORMANCE LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY AS A TOOL TO ELUCIDATE THE BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY OF COMMERCIAL EQUINE CHORIONIC GONADOTROPIN (eCG)

Superovulation in ruminants can be induced with a single injection of equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG). However, ovarian response is sometimes lower than expected because of, among other factors, the source of eCG used. This study aimed at establishing the physical-chemical profile of commercial eCG, in order to find differences which can be related to their biological activity. Four different commercial eCG products for veterinary use (A, B, C, D) and one eCG chemical reagent from Sigma (St. Louis, MO, USA), here used as reference preparation, were analysed by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) using a C4-Grace Vydac 214 TP 54-column (25 cm × 4.6 mm I.D.), with UV detection at 220 nm. All eCG preparations presented at least three peaks with retention times (tR) of ~27(I), 34(II), and 36(III) minutes, with a peak at tR = 27 min common to A, C, D, and Sigma eCG, whereas preparation B did not present this peak. A bioassay test was carried with all of these preparations. Immature 21- to 25-day-old Wistar female rats received the equivalent to 10 IU of eCG of each one of these preparations. Autopsy was performed 48 h later and ovaries were removed and weighed. The average ovarian weight for preparations A, C, D, and Sigma were ~0.0795 ± 0.0107 g, whereas preparation B was 0.035 ± 0.007 g (P < 0.01). Preparation B was not different from saline (0.034 ± 0.002 g). In order to establish which one of these three peaks presented the highest biological activity, a mass equivalent to 10 IU of eCG from peaks I, II, and III of Sigma and of product A were studied. The average ovarian weight of animals injected with material from peak II and III (~0.0285 ± 0.003 g) were similar to that of the control whereas peak I produced ovarian weights of 0.059 ± 0.007 g and 0.075 ± 0.010 g for Sigma and product A, respectively (P < 0.01). These results suggest that the lack of ovarian response to eCG treatments can be related to differences in the physical-chemical profile of commercial eCG products and that RP-HPLC is a fast and reliable tool for detecting these differences. Supported by FAPESP (Grant 11/13096-0).

Efficient isolation of the subunits of recombinant and pituitary glycoprotein hormones

Complete dissociation into subunits was attained by incubating Chinese hamster ovary (CHO)-derived or native human thyrotropin, follitropin and lutropin overnight at 37 degrees C in acetic acid. The alpha-and beta-subunits of the pituitary glycoprotein hormones were rapidly and quantitatively isolated by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). A dissociation efficiency of > 98% was obtained on the basis of mass determinations of the heterodimers and subunits carried out via mass spectrometry. CHO-derived or native subunits were isolated on a C4 column (80-90% total recovery) and characterized comparatively for purity, hydrophobicity, molecular mass and charge distribution by HPLC, mass spectrometry, sodium dodecylsulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and isoelectric focusing. Thyrotropin was used as a model for showing that, after subunit reassociation, the in vivo bioactivity of the hormone was completely restored. The method described is mild, practical, flexible, and can be adapted to dissociate microgram amounts of native or recombinant glycoprotein hormones, allowing characterization of each subunit.