Genome-wide transcriptome profiling of the early cadmium response of Arabidopsis roots and shoots.

Transcriptional regulation in response to cadmium treatment was investigated in both roots and leaves of Arabidopsis, using the whole genome CATMA microarray containing at least 24,576 independent probe sets. Arabidopsis plants were hydroponically treated with low (5 microM) or high (50 microM) cadmium concentrations during 2, 6, and 30 hours. At each time point, Cd level was determined using ICP-AES showing that both plant tissues are able to accumulate the heavy metal. RT-PCR of eight randomly selected genes confirmed the reliability of our microarray results. Analyses of response profiles demonstrate the existence of a regulatory network that differentially modulates gene expression in a tissue- and kinetic-specific manner in response to cadmium. One of the main response observed in roots was the induction of genes involved in sulfur assimilation-reduction and glutathione (GSH) metabolism. In addition, HPLC analysis of GSH and phytochelatin (PC) content shows a transient decrease of GSH after 2 and 6 h of metal treatment in roots correlated with an increase of PC contents. Altogether, our results suggest that to cope with cadmium, plants activate the sulfur assimilation pathway by increasing transcription of related genes to provide an enhanced supply of GSH for PC biosynthesis. Interestingly, in leaves an early induction of several genes encoding enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of phenylpropanoids was observed. Finally, our results provide new insights to understand the molecular mechanisms involved in transcriptional regulation in response to cadmium exposure in plants.

Failure to detect free radicals in the isolated perfused rat heart.

Oxygen free radicals have been indirectly implicated in reperfusion injury following ischemia in the isolated rabbit heart. The authors moved to detect free radicals in an isolated rat heart model as a prerequisite to studying its effects during ischemia and reperfusion. Several different spin trapping agents and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy were used to detect free radicals being generated during ischemia and reperfusion. The possible roles of ferrous iron and hydrogen peroxide generation in reperfusion injury were also investigated. No free radical "bursts" were detected with any of the spin traps used in this model during ischemia or reperfusion. Hydrogen peroxide and hydroxyl free radicals do not appear to be involved in tissue reperfusion injury. This study suggests that free radicals are not produced in clinically significant quantities under these conditions to account for ischemic myocardial damage.

Decay studies of DMPO-spin adducts of free radicals produced by reactions of metmyoglobin and methemoglobin with hydrogen peroxide.

The 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline-N-oxide (DMPO) spin adduct of myoglobin (Mb) or hemoglobin (Hb) was formed when metmyoglobin (MetMb) or methemoglobin (MetHb) reacted with H2O2 in the presence of DMPO, and both decayed with half-life of a few minutes. The DMPO spin adduct of Mb decayed with biphasic kinetics with k1 = 0.645 min-1 and k2 = 0.012 min-1, indicating that the spin adduct consisted of two kinetically heterogeneous species, stable and unstable ones. The DPMO spin adduct of Hb, however, was homogeneous. Decay of both spin adducts was accelerated in the presence of tyrosine, tryptophan or cysteine, but not phenylalanine, methionine or histidine. The decay obeyed the first order kinetics at varying concentrations of the spin adducts. The decay was accelerated by denaturation and proteolysis of protein moiety. The decay rate was not affected by the extra addition of MetMb or MetHb to each spin adduct. The decay rate of the spin adduct of Mb was increased by hematin in the presence of H2O2 and decreased by catalase. Decay of stable spin adduct of Mb, however, was not significantly changed under any experimental conditions used. These results led us to conclude that instability of the DMPO-spin adducts of Mb and Hb is due to intramolecular redox reactions between the spin adducts and amino acid residues and/or products of the reaction between heme and H2O2.

The effect of hemoglobin, hematin, and iron on neutrophil inactivation in superoxide generating systems.

When Escherichia coli was incubated with xanthine oxidase and acetaldehyde, the killing of E. coli was accelerated by iron-EDTA but inhibited by hematin or hemoglobin. On the other hand, when E. coli was incubated with human neutrophils in the presence of phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), all of these iron species at concentrations of a few micromolar accelerated the inactivation of neutrophils and in so doing protected the E. coli from being killed by the neutrophils. The inactivation of the neutrophils was accompanied by an increase in lipid peroxidation and by a decrease in viability measured with trypan blue. This inactivation was inhibited by scavengers such as deoxyribose, mannitol, or thiourea. Desferrioxamine B and 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline-1-oxide (DMPO) both inhibited the inactivation mediated by iron-EDTA, but had no effect on the hematin- or hemoglobin-mediated inactivation. Vanadium (vanadyl ion), an effective Fenton reagent, behaved in the same way as iron-EDTA relative to the effects of DMPO on neutrophil inactivation. These results led us to conclude that neutrophils were inactivated during PMA stimulation by OH radicals in the presence of iron-EDTA and by some other oxidizing species when hematin or Hb is present. Ascorbate enhanced the inactivation of neutrophils mediated by these iron species. Catalase was very effective in inhibiting neutrophil inactivation. Superoxide dismutase was not as effective but the combination with catalase was most effective.

Quantitative assessment of free-radical generation during ischemia and reperfusion in the isolated rabbit heart.

BACKGROUND: Several investigators have indirectly implicated oxygen free radicals in reperfusion injury following ischemia in the isolated rabbit heart. METHODS: A quantitative assessment of free-radical production during ischemia and reperfusion was made using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. Serial frozen (77 degrees K) tissue biopsies of the left ventricular wall in isolated rabbit hearts were performed during perfusion, ischemia, and reperfusion. These were pulverized into a fine powder that was filled into EPR tubes. EPR spectra of the tissue were recorded at 77 degrees K. RESULTS: Three predominant signals were seen on EPR analysis: signal A, g = 2.028; signal B, g = 2.005, and signal C, g = 1.940. All three signals were present during the perfusion period and decreased in size during the period of ischemia. After reperfusion, all three signals doubled in size. CONCLUSION: This study lends direct support to the theory that free radicals are generated during myocardial reperfusion and may result in reperfusion injury.

Effect of retinyl acetate on the assembly of the fibronectin extracellular matrix and the processing of the fibronectin receptor beta subunit of confluent C3H/10T1/2 mouse embryo fibroblasts.

The mouse embryo fibroblast cell line, C3H/10T1/2, synthesized and deposited a large amount of fibronectin especially in the pericellular matrix. Confluent cultures of these cells cultured in the presence of 0.3 micrograms/ml of retinyl acetate released cell surface fibronectin and the extracellular matrix fibronectin fibrils were disorganized. The immunoblot analysis demonstrated that the number of the fibronectin receptor was decreased in the prolonged culturing of retinyl acetate-treated cells. Immunoprecipitation of 35S-methionine pulse-chase labeled cell extracts by antifibronectin receptor antibody indicated that about one-half of the pre-beta subunit was processed and converted to the mature form in control cells, and only about one-fourth of the pre-beta subunit was processed in the retinyl acetate-treated confluent cells. 1-deoxymannojirimycin (MNJ), which is an inhibitor of oligosaccharide processing, induced disorganization of the extracellular matrix fibronectin assembly similar to that observed with retinyl acetate. The results of this study suggest that a mechanism of action of retinyl acetate is inhibition of the glycosylation during processing of the fibronectin receptor, a step necessary for fibronectin binding and for assembly of the extracellular matrix.

Failure of mannitol to reduce myocardial infarct size in the baboon.

OBJECTIVE: The aim was to determine whether mannitol, previously shown to have several myocardial protective properties, could reduce the myocardial infarct size after coronary occlusion in the baboon. METHODS: Anaesthetised baboons underwent a 2 h transient coronary artery occlusion. Each was randomised into one of two groups receiving either mannitol (n = 6) or no adjunct (n = 8). Mannitol (20%) was given at a rate of 0.4 ml.min-1 x kg-1 starting at 105 min postocclusion until reperfusion was allowed at 2 h, and at a rate of 0.2 ml.min-1 x kg-1 thereafter, until a total of 500 ml had been delivered. Changes in the ST segments were recorded with epicardial wires. The animals were killed at 24 h postocclusion and the hearts excised. Silicone microvascular dye was injected into the previously occluded coronary artery to delineate the perfusion bed. The hearts were fixed in formalin, sliced, and mounted on slides. Using planimetry the ratios of the mean volume of infarct to the mean volume of the perfusion bed (VI/VPB) were calculated and compared. RESULTS: The VI/VPB for the mannitol treated group was 71.7(SEM 14.0)% and for the control group, 65.6(6.9)% (NS). No significant difference was noted in the mean summated ST segment elevations between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Mannitol does not reduce myocardial infarct size or ischaemia in the baboon.

Spin-labeling studies of rat liver NADPH-cytochrome p450 reductase: conformation and function relationship.

ESR spin-labeling studies designed to yield information regarding the relationship between function and conformation of rat liver NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase (EC 1.6.4.2) were carried out. The purified enzyme was spin labeled by a nitroxide derivative of p-chloromercuribenzoate. Two conditions for spin labeling were employed: (i) the presence of NADP+, yielding an active site-protected spin-labeled reductase, and (ii) the absence of NADP+, yielding completely spin-labeled reductase. Reductase in which the active site was protected by binding NADP+ and then spin-labeled retains most of its enzymatic activity; on the other hand, completely spin-labeled reductase is devoid of any enzymatic activity. Completely spin-labeled reductase yields a two-component resolved ESR spectrum that reflects two classes of spin-labeled binding sites, a strongly immobilized (S) and a weakly immobilized (W) site. The ratio of W/S provides a valuable parameter for studying the relationship between function and conformation. Structural perturbants, such as urea, KCl, and pH, were employed to determine their effects on the activity of the enzyme and their relationship to changes in the conformational state of the reductase. It was further observed that the enzymatically active spin-labeled derivative generated superoxide radical in the presence of NADPH and cytochrome c, which in turn reduced completely the attached spin-label.

ESR spin-trapping studies on the reaction of Fe2+ ions with H2O2-reactive species in oxygen toxicity in biology.

Using ESR spin-trapping techniques with 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline-N-oxide (DMPO), we confirmed the 1:1 stoichiometry for the formation of hydroxyl radicals with Fe2+ in the Fenton reaction under experimental conditions wherein [H2O2] is 90 microM and [Fe2+] is very low, 1 microM or less. The stoichiometry decreased markedly as the Fe2+ concentration was increased. The efficiency of hydroxyl radical generation varied with the nature of the iron chelators used and increased in the order of phosphate alone approximately ADP less than EDTA less than diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DETAPAC). The second order rate constant for the Fenton reaction was measured to be 2.0 x 10(4) M-1 s-1 for phosphate alone, 8.2 x 10(3) M-1 s-1 for ADP, 1.4 x 10(4) M-1 s-1 for EDTA, and 4.1 x 10(2) M-1 s-1 for DETAPAC. Measuring the radicals formed as spins trapped in the presence of ethanol, we estimated the amount of total oxidizing intermediates formed in the Fenton reaction, which we concluded consists of hydroxyl radicals and an iron species. The oxidizing species of iron which might be assigned as ferryl, FeO2+, or Fe(IV) = O was generated effectively in the presence of ADP even at low Fe2+ concentrations. In general, as the Fe2+ concentration was increased, the ferryl species predominated over the hydroxyl radical except for the case of Fe(II)-DETAPAC, which generated only hydroxyl radicals as the oxidizing species. Three possible pathways are proposed for the Fenton reaction, the dominant ones depending very much on the nature of the iron chelator being used.

Kinetic studies on spin trapping of superoxide and hydroxyl radicals generated in NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase-paraquat systems. Effect of iron chelates.

Electron spin resonance (ESR) studies on spin trapping of superoxide and hydroxyl radicals by 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline-1-oxide (DMPO) were performed in NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase-paraquat systems at pH 7.4. Spin adduct concentrations were determined by comparing ESR spectra of the adducts with the ESR spectrum of a stable radical solution. Kinetic analysis in the presence of 100 microM desferrioxamine B (deferoxamine) showed that: 1) the oxidation of 1 mol of NADPH produces 2 mol of superoxide ions, all of which can be trapped by DMPO when extrapolated to infinite concentration; 2) the rate constant for the reaction of superoxide with DMPO was 1.2 M-1 s-1; 3) the superoxide spin adduct of DMPO (DMPO-OOH) decays with a half-life of 66 s and the maximum level of DMPO-OOH formed can be calculated by a simple steady state equation; and 4) 2.8% or less of the DMPO-OOH decay occurs through a reaction producing hydroxyl radicals. In the presence of 100 microM EDTA, 5 microM Fe(III) ions nearly completely inhibited the formation of the hydroxyl radical adduct of DMPO (DMPO-OH) as well as the formation of DMPO-OOH and, when 100 microM hydrogen peroxide was present, produced DMPO-OH exclusively. Fe(III)-EDTA is reduced by superoxide and the competition of superoxide and hydrogen peroxide in the reaction with Fe(II)-EDTA seems to be reflected in the amounts of DMPO-OOH and DMPO-OH detected. These effects of EDTA can be explained from known kinetic data including a rate constant of 6 x 10(4) M-1 s-1 for reduction of DMPO-OOH by Fe(II)-EDTA. The effect of diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (DETAPAC) on the formation of DMPO-OOH and DMPO-OH was between deferoxamine and EDTA, and about the same as that of endogenous chelator (phosphate).

Oxidation of NADH by vanadium compounds in the presence of thiols.

The nonenzymatic oxidation of NADH was studied spectrophotometrically in the presence of two vanadium compounds, sodium orthovanadate and vanadyl sulfate. At physiological pH 7.4, in 25 mM sodium phosphate buffer, addition of the synthetic thiol, dithioerythritol (DTE) results in a marked increase of NADH oxidation in the presence of sodium orthovanadate, but not in the presence of vanadyl sulfate. Other reductants, such as dithiothreitol and cysteine, can also increase NADH oxidation, whereas glutathione and ascorbate cannot. In all reactions, superoxide dismutase and catalase completely inhibit the vanadium-stimulated oxidation of NADH. Inhibition occurs in a concentration-dependent manner, and the boiled enzymes do not inhibit the thiol reaction. The hydroxyl radical scavenger, thiourea, inhibits the reaction, whereas urea cannot. ESR studies show that the ability of the thiol to reduce vanadate can be correlated with the degree of NADH oxidation. Using spin trapping techniques, hydroxyl radicals are detected during the course of the reaction. Addition of hydrogen peroxide to vanadyl in the presence of DTE greatly increases NADH oxidation; however, no NADH oxidation occurs when hydrogen peroxide is added to vanadyl and ascorbic acid. These results provide a partial explanation for the ability of vanadium compounds to both decrease cellular reducing equivalents and promote lipid peroxidation.

Importance of hydroxyl radical in the vanadium-stimulated oxidation of NADH.

Vanadium compounds are known to stimulate the oxidation of NAD(P)H, but the mechanism remains unclear. This reaction was studied spectrophotometrically and by electron spin resonance spectroscopy (ESR) using vanadium in the reduced state (+4, vanadyl) and the oxidized state (+5, vanadate). In 25 mM sodium phosphate buffer at pH 7.4, vanadyl was slightly more effective in stimulating NADH oxidation than was vanadate. Addition of a superoxide generating system, xanthine/xanthine oxidase, resulted in a marked increase in NADH oxidation by vanadyl, and to a lesser extent, by vanadate. Decreasing the pH with superoxide present increased NADH oxidation for both vanadate and vanadyl. Addition of hydrogen peroxide to the reaction mixture did not change the NADH oxidation by vanadate, regardless of concentration or pH. With vanadyl however, addition of hydrogen peroxide greatly enhanced NADH oxidation which further increased with lower pH. Use of the spin trap DMPO in reaction mixtures containing vanadyl and hydrogen peroxide or a superoxide generating system resulted in the detection by ESR of hydroxyl. In each case, the hydroxyl radical signal intensity increased with vanadium concentration. Catalase was able to inhibit the formation of the DMPO--OH adduct formed by vanadate plus superoxide. These results show that the ability of vanadium to act in a Fenton-type reaction is an important process in the vanadium-stimulated oxidation of NADH.

Vanadium and lipid peroxidation: evidence for involvement of vanadyl and hydroxyl radical.

The present study was designed to determine which form of vanadium is involved in initiating conjugated diene formation in both purified and partially peroxidized fatty acids, and to determine if active oxygen radicals are involved in this process. We report that vanadyl is the active form of vanadium in initiating conjugated diene formation in micelles prepared from purified fatty acids or partially peroxidized fatty acids. Vanadate did not initiate conjugated diene formation in either case. Hydroxyl radicals were shown to be involved in the initiation of diene conjugation when vanadyl and hydrogen peroxide were added together in a reaction mixture. In this case, there was a rapid burst of conjugated diene formation which quickly leveled off. Using spin trapping techniques, hydroxyl radicals were shown to be generated in the vanadyl-catalyzed break-down of fatty acid hydroperoxides. A comparison was made between the ability of vanadyl or vanadyl chelates to decompose hydrogen peroxide and catalyze the decomposition of fatty acid hydroperoxides. It was found that strongly chelated vanadyl (vanadyl/EDTA) was much less effective in decomposing both hydrogen peroxide and fatty acid hydroperoxides than the weak vanadyl chelates (e.g., vanadyl/ADP). This study suggests a mechanism to explain the effects of vanadium on lipid peroxidation.

Photolysis of nitrosamines and nitrosamides at neutral pH: a spin-trap study.

A model system has been used to study the types of radicals formed on denitrosation of N-nitroso compounds. Free radicals were formed at room temperature (22 degrees-23 degrees C) and neutral pH by photolytic cleavage of N-nitroso bonds and were partially characterized following their addition to the spin traps 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline-N-oxide (DMPO) and N-tert-butyl-alpha-phenyl-nitrone (PBN). Carbon-centered radical adducts were obtained during nitrosamine photolysis and nitrogen-centered radical adducts during nitrosamide photolysis. Since both the nitrosamines and nitrosamides initially form nitrogen-centered radicals on photolysis, a secondary reaction or rearrangement must occur after initial N-nitroso bond cleavage in the nitrosamines. Mechanisms are proposed to account for these results.

The role of the central globular domain of histone H5 in chromatin structure.

Histone H5 contains three tyrosines in the central, apolar region of the molecule. All three tyrosines can be spin labeled at low ionic strength. When the central globular domain is folded at high ionic strength, only one tyrosine becomes accessible to the imidazole spin label. Spin labeling the buried tyrosines prevents the folding of the globular structure, which, in turn, affects the proper binding of the H5 molecule to stripped chromatin. Chromatin complexes reconstituted from such an extensively modified H5 molecule show a weaker protection of the 168 base pair chromatosome during nuclease digestion. However, when only the surface tyrosine of the H5 molecule is labeled, such a molecule can still bind correctly to stripped chromatin, yielding a complex very similar to that of native chromatin. Our data supports the idea that not just the presence of the linker histone H5, but the presence of an intact H5 molecule with a folded, globular central domain in essential in the recognition of its specific binding sites on the nucleosomes. Our data also show that during the chromatin condensation process, the tumbling environment of the spin label attached to the surface tyrosine in the H5 molecule is not greatly hindered but remains partially mobile. This suggests that either the labeled domain of the H5 molecule is not directly involved in the condensation process or the formation of the higher-order chromatin structure does not result is a more viscous or tighter environment around the spin label. The folded globular domain of H5 molecule serves in stabilizing the nucleosome structure, as well as the higher-order chromatin structure.

ESR analysis of the FAD in bovine liver monoamine oxidase.

Two hydrazine spin labels, 1-oxyl-2,2,5,5-tetramethylpyrroline-3-carbonyl ethyl hydrazine and 1-oxyl-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidino-4-hydrazine, were synthesized as probes of the FAD binding site of monoamine oxidase. The reporter nitroxide moiety showed an ESR spectrum classified as partially immobilized which is indicative of FAD near the surface of the enzyme. Attempts to pick up flavin semiquinone or free radical intermediates during substrate oxidation with the spin traps 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline-1-oxidase and phenyl-t-butylnitrone were not successful.

Spin labelling studies of cytolysis induced by fatty acids.

Rat thymocytes, spleen lymphocytes and isolated nuclei were incubated with fatty acids and then labelled with 5-doxylstearic acid and 12-doxylstearic acid. The ESR spectra only in the case of 5-doxylstearic acid showed changes which were demonstrable only under those conditions which resulted in cytolysis. Thymocytes in medium with 10% serum showed the effect at 10 microM, splenic lymphocytes at 100 microM. The effect was maximal at 2 min and was not enhanced by higher concentrations. The uptake of fatty acid by spleen cells required to cause this change was determined using 14C-oleic acid, to be 0.6 mumol/g tissue. This quantity is less than that required (label:lipid ratio less than 1:10) to produce major perturbations in membranes. Free fatty acids of C-8 to C-18 produced the effect, but not esters or amides. It was concluded that free fatty acids induce changes proximal to the polar region of membrane lipids which, if not progressive and essential to the ultimate process of lysis, are at least indicative of impending cell death at an early time.

Effect of Tyrosyl modifications on nucleosome reconstitution: a spin-labeling study.

An imidazole spin-label was used to study the role of tyrosyl residues in the reassociation process for the nucleosome core particle. The nucleosome core particle, containing 145 base pairs of DNA and a histone core (two each of the four histones H2S, H2B, H3, and H4), was isolated from chicken erythrocytes. Native particles were first dissociated in 2 M NaCl and labeled with varying concentrations of imidazole spin-label. The labeled histone core and endogenous DNA were then reassociated back by salt step dialysis. Reconstituted spin-labeled complexes, purified by an isokinetic sucrose gradient, were found to have physical properties identical with those of unlabeled native particles. Spin-labeling the surface tyrosines of the histone core did not interfere with proper reassociation of the nucleosome core complex. ESR spectra of the reconstituted nucleosomes core complex are not the strongly anisotropic type, suggesting that labeled surface tyrosines in the histone core are not involved in specific DNA-histone interaction nor does wrapping of DNA on the histone core involve very close contact with the label. When labeling was carried out under denaturing conditions following exposure of the histone core to urea, additional histone tyrosine residues were spin-labeled. The resulting histone-DNA complexes that formed after reassociation had physical properties different from those of the native nucleosomes core. This result suggested that some of the "buried" tyrosines are essential for specific histone-histone interactions that lead to stable histone core structures. Spin-labeling the buried tyrosines prevented to compact supercoiling of DNA into nucleosome core particle.