Metabolism of inhaled methylethylketone in rats.

Methylethylketone (MEK) is widely used in industry, often in combination with other compounds. Although nontoxic, it can make other chemicals harmful. This study investigates the fate of MEK in rat blood, brain and urine as well as its hepatic metabolism following inhalation over 1 month (at 20, 200 or 1400 ppm). MEK did not significantly accumulate in the organism: blood concentrations were similar after six-hour or 1-month inhalation periods, and brain concentrations only increased slightly after 1 month's exposure. Urinary excretion, based on the major metabolites, 2,3-butanediols (± and meso forms), accounted for less than 2.4% of the amount inhaled. 2-Butanol, 3-hydroxy-2-butanone and MEK itself were only detectable in urine in the highest concentration conditions investigated, when metabolic saturation occurred. Although MEK exposure did not alter the total cytochrome P450 concentration, it induced activation of both CYP1A2 and CYP2E1 enzymes. In addition, the liver glutathione concentration (reduced and oxidized forms) decreased, as did glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity (at exposure levels over 200 ppm). These metabolic data could be useful for pharmacokinetic model development and/or verification and suggest the ability of MEK to influence the metabolism (and potentiate the toxicity) of other substances.

Toluene-induced hearing loss in phenobarbital treated rats.

Exposure to aromatic organic solvents may induce hearing loss in rats, the cochlea being the primary target. The aim of this study which was carried out in rat, was to evaluate the impact of the hepatic metabolism of toluene on its ototoxic potency. To this end, the solvent hepatic metabolism was shifted by treating the rats with 50 mg/kg/d of phenobarbital (PhB), a potent inducer of the microsomal cytochromes P450 system, alcohol and aldehyde dehydrogenases, and glutathione-S-transferases. The two main urinary metabolites of the oxidative and conjugate pathways [hippuric (HA) and benzyl mercapturic acids (BMA) respectively] confirmed the efficacy of the PhB treatment. For the PhB-induced rats, the amount of excreted HA increased by 43% and the amount of BMA by 35%. Auditory function impairments were assessed using auditory-evoked potentials. On completion of the auditory tests, the organs of Corti were dissected to evaluate hair cell losses. The permanent auditory threshold shifts were approximately 15 dB greater in the toluene-exposed rats than in the PhB-induced rats. Both the functional and morphological data confirmed that PhB treatment can decrease the ototoxic potency of toluene.

The tonotopicity of styrene-induced hearing loss depends on the associated noise spectrum.

The neuropharmacological and cochleotoxic effects of styrene can exacerbate the impact of noise on the peripheral auditory receptor. The mechanisms through which co-exposure to noise and styrene impairs hearing are complex as the slowly developing cochleotoxic process can be masked in the short-term by the rapid pharmacological effect on the central nervous system. The current investigation was therefore designed to delineate the auditory frequency range sensitive to noise, to styrene, and to noise and styrene combined. In case of different frequency ranges targeted by noise and styrene, it would be possible to point out the main factor responsible for cases of deafness by looking at the location of the audiometric deficits. Male Brown-Norway rats were exposed to 600-ppm styrene, to an octave band noise centered at 8 kHz, or to both noise and styrene. The noise exposure was of two different types: impulse noise with a LEX,8h (equivalent continuous noise level averaged over 8 h) of 80 dB and continuous noise with a LEX,8 h of 85 dB SPL. Hearing was tested using a non-invasive technique based on distortion product otoacoustic emissions. Hearing data were completed with histological analysis of cochleae. The results showed that exposure to styrene alone caused outer hair cell losses in the apical cochlear region, which discriminates low frequencies. In contrast, noise-induced hearing loss was located at half an octave above the central frequency of the spectrum, around 10-12 kHz. Damage due to impulse noise was significantly exacerbated by styrene, and the noise spectrum defined the location of the cochlear trauma. Combined exposure caused greater cell losses than the sum of losses measured with the impulse noise and styrene alone. The fact that the tonotopicity of the styrene-induced damage depends on the associated noise spectrum complicates the diagnosis of styrene-related hearing loss with a tone-frequency audiometric approach. In conclusion, there is not really a frequency specificity of impairments due to styrene.

Neuronal circuits involved in the middle-ear acoustic reflex.

Human and animal studies have shown that certain aromatic solvents such as toluene can cause hearing loss and can exacerbate the effects of noise. The latter effects might be due to a modification of responses of motoneurons controlling the middle-ear acoustic reflex. In the present investigation, the audition of Long-Evans rats was evaluated by measuring cubic (2f1 - f2) distortion otoacoustic emissions (f1 = 8000 Hz; f2 = 9600 Hz; f1/f2 = 1.2) prior to, during, and after activation of the middle-ear acoustic reflex. A noise suppressor was used to modify the amplitude of the 2f1 - f2 distortion otoacoustic emissions. It was delivered either contralaterally (band noise centered at 4 kHz), or ipsilaterally (3.5 kHz sine wave) to test the role played by the central auditory nuclei. This audiometric approach was used to study the physiological efficiency of the middle-ear acoustic reflex during an injection of a bolus of Intralipid (as a vehicle) containing 58.4, 87.4, or 116.2mM toluene via the carotid artery. The results showed that toluene could either increase or decrease middle-ear acoustic reflex efficiency, depending on the toluene concentration and the ear receiving noise suppressor. A new neuronal circuit of the middle-ear acoustic reflex has been proposed to explain findings obtained in this investigation. Finally, the depressing action of toluene on the central auditory nuclei driving the middle-ear acoustic reflex might explain the synergistic effects of a co-exposure to noise and aromatic solvents.

Impact of noise or styrene exposure on the kinetics of presbycusis.

Presbycusis, or age-related hearing loss is a growing problem as the general population ages. In this longitudinal study, the influence of noise or styrene exposure on presbycusis was investigated in Brown Norway rats. Animals were exposed at 6 months of age, either to a band noise centered at 8 kHz at a Lex,8h = 85 dB (86.2 dB SPL for 6 h), or to 300 ppm of styrene for 6 h per day, five days per week, for four weeks. Cubic distortion product otoacoustic emissions (2f1-f2 DPOAEs) were used to test the capacity of the auditory receptor over the lifespan of the animals. 2f1-f2DPOAE measurements are easy to implement and efficiently track the age-related deterioration of mid- and high-frequencies. They are good indicators of temporary auditory threshold shift, especially with a level of primaries close to 60 dB SPL. Post-exposure hearing defects are best identified using moderate, rather than high, levels of primaries. Like many aging humans, aging rats lose sensitivity to high-frequencies faster than to medium-frequencies. Although the results obtained with the styrene exposure were not entirely conclusive, histopathological data showed the presbycusis process to be enhanced. Noise-exposed rats exhibit a loss of spiral ganglion cells from 12 months and a 7 dB drop in 2f1-f2DPOAEs at 24 months, indicating that even moderate-intensity noise can accelerate the presbycusis process. Even though the results obtained with the styrene exposure are less conclusive, the histopathological data show an enhancement of the presbycusis process.

Toluene-induced hearing loss in the guinea pig.

Toluene is a high-production industrial solvent, which can disrupt the auditory system in rats. However, toluene-induced hearing loss is species dependent. For instance, despite long-lasting exposures to high concentrations of aromatic solvent, no study has yet succeeded in causing convincing hearing loss in the guinea pig. This latter species can be characterized by two metabolic particularities: a high amount of hepatic cytochrome P-450s (P-450s) and a high concentration of glutathione in the cochlea. It is therefore likely that the efficiency of both the hepatic and cochlear metabolisms plays a key role in the innocuousness of the hearing of guinea pigs to exposure to solvent. The present study was carried out to test the auditory resistance to toluene in glutathione-depleted guinea pigs whose the P-450 activity was partly inhibited. To this end, animals on a low-protein diet received a general P-450 inhibitor, namely SKF525-A. Meanwhile, they were exposed to 1750 ppm toluene for 4 weeks, 5 days/week, 6 h/day. Auditory function was tested by electrocochleography and completed by histological analyses. For the first time, a significant toluene-induced hearing loss was provoked in the P-450-inhibited guinea pigs. However, the ototoxic process caused by the solvent exposure was different from that observed in the rat. Only the stria vascularis and the spiral fibers were disrupted in the apical coil of the cochlea. The protective mechanisms developed by guinea pigs are discussed in the present publication.

Not only training but also exposure to chlorinated compounds generates a response to oxidative stimuli in swimmers.

Relations between exposure to chlorinated compounds and biological markers of response to oxidative stimuli were investigated in swimmers, taking into account the effect of training. Twenty-two male swimmers aged 15-25 years were surveyed twice. Prevalence of irritant symptoms and asthma and number of hours of training were reported. Exposure to nitrogen trichloride (NCl3) and blood response to oxidative stimuli [catalase, superoxide dismutase (Cu2+/Zn2+ SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities and ceruloplasmin, ferritin and total antioxidant concentrations] were measured. Univariate analyses were completed by multivariate analyses. High prevalences of irritant symptoms and asthma were found. Multivariate analysis confirmed the results of the univariate analyses and showed that Cu2+/Zn2+ SOD activity was increased by exposure and by training (P = 0.01, P = 0.0001, respectively). Erythrocyte GSH-Px was decreased, whereas plasma GSH-Px was increased by exposure (P = 0.002, P = 0.002). No other association was found. Higher irritant symptoms and increases in the activities of erythrocyte Cu2+/Zn2+ SOD and of plasma GSH-Px with exposure support the hypothesis that the production of reactive oxygen species is not only related to training but also to exposure to chlorinated compounds. Other athletes tend to have respiratory problems such as asthma, but the exposure to chlorinated compounds may increase the respiratory disease among swimmers.