Modeling Chronic Toxicity: A Comparison of Experimental Variability With (Q)SAR/Read-Across Predictions

This study compares the accuracy of (Q)SAR/read-across predictions with the experimental variability of chronic lowest-observed-adverse-effect levels (LOAELs) from in vivo experiments. We could demonstrate that predictions of the lazy structure-activity relationships (lazar) algorithm within the applicability domain of the training data have the same variability as the experimental training data. Predictions with a lower similarity threshold (i.e., a larger distance from the applicability domain) are also significantly better than random guessing, but the errors to be expected are higher and a manual inspection of prediction results is highly recommended.

Common and distinct gene expression patterns induced by the herbicides 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, cinidon-ethyl and tribenuron-methyl in wheat

In wheat, herbicides are used to control weeds. Little is known about the changes induced in the metabolism of tolerant plants after herbicide treatment. The impact of three herbicides [2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), cinidon-ethyl and tribenuron-methyl] on the wheat transcriptome was studied using cDNA microarrays. Gene expression of plants grown in a controlled environment or in the field was studied between 24 h and 2 weeks after treatment. Under controlled conditions, 2,4-D induced genes of the phenylpropanoid pathway soon after treatment. Cinidon-ethyl triggered peroxidase and defence-related gene expression under controlled conditions, probably because reactive oxygen species are released by photo-oxidation of protoporphyrin-IX. The same genes were upregulated in the field as under controlled conditions, albeit at a weaker level. These results show that cinidon-ethyl specifically induces genes involved in plant defence. Under controlled conditions, tribenuron-methyl did not change the expression profile immediately after treatment, but defence-related genes were upregulated after 1 week. Sulfonylurea compounds such as tribenuron-methyl specifically inhibit acetolactate synthase and are rapidly detoxified, but the activity of some of the resulting metabolites could explain later changes in gene expression. Finally, overexpression of the isopropylmalate synthase gene, involved in branched-chain amino acid synthesis, and of defence-related genes was observed in the field after sulfonylurea treatment.

Specific patterns of changes in wheat gene expression after treatment with three antifungal compounds

The two fungicides azoxystrobin and fenpropimorph are used against powdery mildew and rust diseases in wheat (Triticum aestivumL). Azoxystrobin, a strobilurin, inhibits fungal mitochondrial respiration and fenpropimorph, a morpholin, represses biosynthesis of ergosterol, the major sterol of fungal membranes. Although the fungitoxic activity of these compounds is well understood, their effects on plant metabolism remain unclear. In contrast to the fungicides which directly affect pathogen metabolism, benzo(1,2,3) thiadiazole-7-carbothioic acid S-methylester (BTH) induces resistance against wheat pathogens by the activation of systemic acquired resistance in the host plant. In this study, we monitored gene expression in spring wheat after treatment with each of these agrochemicals in a greenhouse trial using a microarray containing 600 barley cDNA clones. Defence-related genes were strongly induced after treatment with BTH, confirming the activation of a similar set of genes as in dicot plants following salicylic acid treatment. A similar gene expression pattern was observed after treatment with fenpropimorph and some defence-related genes were induced by azoxystrobin, demonstrating that these fungicides also activate a defence reaction. However, less intense responses were triggered than with BTH. The same experiments performed under field conditions gave dramatically different results. No gene showed differential expression after treatment and defence genes were already expressed at a high level before application of the agrochemicals. These differences in the expression patterns between the two environments demonstrate the importance of plant growth conditions for testing the impact of agrochemicals on plant metabolism.

CD24, a mucin-type glycoprotein, is a ligand for P-selectin on human tumor cells

P-selectin (CD62P) is a Ca2+-dependent endogenous lectin that can be expressed by vascular endothelium and platelets. The major ligand for P-selectin on leukocytes is P-selectin glycoprotein ligand-1 (PSGL-1). P-selectin can also bind to carcinoma cells, but the nature of the ligand(s) on these cells is unknown. Here we investigated the P-selectin binding to a breast and a small cell lung carcinoma cell line that are negative for PSGL-1. We report that CD24, a mucin-type glycosylphosphatidylinositol-linked cell surface molecule on human neutrophils, pre B lymphocytes, and many tumors can promote binding to P-selectin. Latex beads coated with purified CD24 from the two carcinoma cell lines but also neutrophils could bind specifically to P-selectin-IgG. The binding was dependent on divalent cations and was abolished by treatment with O-sialoglycoprotein endopeptidase but not endoglycosidase F or sialidase. The beads were stained with a monoclonal antibody (MoAb) to CD57 (HNK-1 carbohydrate epitope) but did not react with MoAbs against the sialylLe(x/a) epitope. The carcinoma cells and CD24-beads derived from these cells could bind to activated platelets or P-selectin transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells (P-CHO) in a P-selectin-dependent manner and this binding was blocked by soluble CD24. Transfection of human adenocarcinoma cells with CD24 enhanced the P-selectin-dependent binding to activated platelets. Treatment of the carcinoma cells or the CD24 transfectant with phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C reduced CD24 expression and P-selectin-IgG binding concomitantly. These results establish a role of CD24 as a novel ligand for P-selectin on tumor cells. The CD24/P-selectin binding pathway could be important in the dissimination of tumor cells by facilitating the interaction with platelets or endothelial cells.

Formation of mammalian Cu8-metallothionein in vitro: evidence for the existence of two Cu(I)4-thiolate clusters

Copper accumulates in metallothionein (Cu-MT) in copper overload diseases, such as Wilson's disease and Bedlington Terriers disease. The in vitro formation of the Cu12-MT form comprising two Cu(I)6(CysS)9,11 cores is well documented. However, lysosomal Cu-MT isolated from canine liver contains 8 Cu(I) ions in two proposed adamantane-like Cu4-thiolate clusters [Freedman, J. H., Powers, L., & Peisach, J. (1986) Biochemistry 25, 2342]. The present studies have been carried out in an effort to learn more about the Cu(I)-thiolate cluster species formed upon the sequential incorporation of Cu(I) ions into metal-free MT from rabbit liver. On the basis of changes in the electronic absorption, circular dichroism (CD), magnetic circular dichroism (MCD), and luminescence spectra, besides the formation of a molecular species with 12 Cu(I) equivalents, evidence for the existence of a distinct MT complex with 8 Cu(I) equivalents (Cu8-MT) was obtained. Analysis of the metal-dependent absorption envelope of Cu(I)-MT between 240 and 360 nm permitted the discrimination between predominantly CysS-Cu(I) charge-transfer (LMCT) (240-260 nm) and cluster-localized Cu(I) (d-s) transitions (260-360 nm). Accordingly, the decrease in the ratio of intensities of LMCT to d-s bands from 2.6 to 2.4 on going from 8 to 12 Cu(I) equivalents was attributed to the formation of Cu-MT species with different cysteine ligand to metal stoichiometries. The results suggest that while in Cu12-MT all 20 thiolate ligands participate in metal binding, in the Cu8-MT species between 12 and 14 cysteines take part in Cu(I) coordination.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Mutants of human insulin-like growth factor II with altered affinities for the type 1 and type 2 insulin-like growth factor receptor

With the aim to produce insulin-like growth factors (IGF) with enhanced specificity for the type 1 or type 2 IGF receptors, three mutants of IGF II have been prepared and expressed in NIH-3T3 cells. IGF II mutated at Tyr27 to Leu and Glu showed a 25- and 54-fold decrease in affinity for the type 1 IGF receptor and a 3.4- and 9.2-fold decrease in affinity for the type 2 IGF receptor. IGF II mutated at Phe48 to Glu showed a 18-fold decrease in affinity for the type 2 IGF receptor and a 2.8-fold decrease in affinity for the type 1 IGF receptor. These affinities were measured in radioreceptor assays using type 1 or 2 IGF receptor overexpressing cells. Data obtained on receptor cross-linking and thymidine incorporation assays confirmed the results of the radioreceptor assays. It is concluded that mutations of Tyr27 preferentially decrease binding to the type 1 IGF receptor and of Phe48 to the type 2 IGF receptor, either by the loss of a residue involved in receptor binding or by preferentially destabilizing the region involved in receptor binding.