Nephrotoxic potential and toxicokinetics of melamine combined with cyanuric acid in rats.

To investigate the nephrotoxic potential of melamine (MEL) and cyanuric acid (CA) in male Sprague-Dawley rats, 7-d repeated-dose studies were performed. The experimental groups of MEL100 and CA100 were orally administered with MEL and CA at 100 mg/kg/d for 7 d, respectively. In groups dosed with MEL-CA mixtures, melamine and cyanuric acid (1:1) were simultaneously administered at 4, 20, or 100 mg/kg/d for 7 d (i.e., MEL-CA4, MEL-CA20, or MEL-CA100, respectively). Body weights were not markedly affected in MEL100, CA100, and MEL-CA4 groups, but significantly reduced in MEL-CA 20 and 100 rats. Most parameters determined in sera and tissues were not markedly altered in MEL100, CA100, and MEL-CA4-treated rodents. However, BUN, creatinine, total protein, and kidney weights were significantly increased in MEL-CA20- and MEL-CA100-treated animals. Renal histopathologic findings also revealed signs of toxicity, including tubular dilatation, crystal deposition, granulomatous tubulo-interstitial inflammation, and tubular necrosis with regeneration. Data suggested that the combination of MEL and CA might be responsible for observed nephrotoxicity that was not seen following individual exposure to either MEL or CA alone. Subsequently, the concentrations of MEL and CA were determined in serum, urine, and kidney tissues by using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Toxicokinetic studies indicated that MEL or CA alone might be eliminated almost completely within 24 h after dosing showing no accumulation in kidney. However, the combined MEL-CA dose produced marked accumulation of chemicals in blood and kidneys. These results suggested that combined MEL and CA might produce renal toxicity due to significant chemical accumulation in kidney accompanied by low excretion.

Simultaneous determination of doxifluridine and 5-fluorouracil in monkey serum by high performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry.

A reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography method with electrospray ionization and detection by mass spectrometry is described for the simultaneous determination of doxifluridine and its active metabolite 5-fluorouracil in monkey serum. A liquid/liquid extraction with ethyl acetate (90%) and isopropyl alcohol (10%) was used to extract simultaneously doxifluridine and 5-FU which have considerable difference in the polarity. Optimum chromatographic separation was achieved on a Agilent Zorbax C(18) (100 mm x 2.1mm, 3.5 microm) column with a mobile phase of methanol-water (20:80, v/v). The flow rate was 0.2 mL/min with total cycle time of 5 min. The lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) was validated at 10.0 ng/mL of serum for both doxifluridine and 5-FU. Accuracy and precision of quality control (QC) samples for both compounds met FDA Guidance criteria of +/-15% with average QC accuracy of 95.5-105.0% and coefficients of variation of 1.1-9.5% in the 10-2000 ng/mL concentration range. This method demonstrated adequate sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, precision, stability to support the analysis of monkey serum samples.

Immunosuppressive effects of rutaecarpine in female BALB/c mice.

Rutaecarpine is a major quinazolinocarboline alkaloid isolated from Evodia rutaecarpa. It was reported to possess a wide spectrum of pharmacological activities, such as vasodilation, antithrombosis, and anti-inflammation. In the present study, adverse effects of rutaecarpine on immune functions were determined in female BALB/c mice. Rutaecarpine had no effects on hepatotoxicity parameters in mice, as measured by serum activities of aminotransferases. Meanwhile, rutaecarpine significantly decreased the number of antibody-forming cells and caused weight decrease in spleen in a dose-dependent manner, when mice were administered with rutaecarpine at 10mg/kg, 20mg/kg, 40 mg/kg or 80 cmg/kg once intravenously. In addition, rutaecarpine administered mice exhibited reduced splenic cellularity, decreased numbers of total T cells, CD4(+) cells, CD8(+) cells, and B cells in spleen. IL-2, interferon-gamma and IL-10 mRNA expressions were suppressed significantly by rutaecarpine treatment. The number of CD4(+)IL-2(+) cells was reduced significantly following administration of mice with rutaecarpine. Furthermore, rutaecarpine caused the cell cycle arrest in G(0)+G(1) phase in a dose-dependent manner. Rutaecarpine caused significant inductions of hepatic cytochrome P450 (CYP) 1A, 2B, and 2E1 activities dose-dependently. In the splenic lymphocyte proliferation assay, rutaecarpine inhibited proliferation by LPS and Con A ex vivo, whereas it had no effects on in vitro proliferation. These results suggested that a single bolus intravenous injection of rutaecarpine from 20mg/kg might cause immunosuppressive effects, and that rutaecarpine-induced immunosuppression might be mediated, at least in part, through the inhibition of cytokine production and cell cycle arrest in G(0)+G(1) phase, and caused possibly by mechanisms associated with metabolic activation.

Identification of glutathione conjugates of 2, 3-dibromopropene in male ICR mice.

Hepatotoxic potential of 2, 3-dibromopropene (2, 3-DBPE) and its conjugation with glutathione (GSH) were investigated in male ICR mice. Treatment of mice with 20, 50, and 100 mg/kg of 2, 3-DBPE for 24 h caused elevation of serum alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase activities. The hepatic content of GSH was not changed by 2, 3-DBPE. Meanwhile, the GSH content was slightly reduced when mice were treated with 2, 3-DBPE for 6 h and significantly increased 12 h after the treatment. Subsequently, a possible formation of GSH conjugate of 2, 3-DBPE was investigated in vivo. After the animals were treated orally with 20, 50, and 100 mg/kg of 2, 3-DBPE, the animals were subjected to necropsy 6, 12, and 24 h later. A conjugate of S-2-bromopropenyl GSH was identified in liver and serum treated with 100 mg/kg of 2, 3-DBPE by using liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. The protonated molecular ions [M+H]+ of S-2-bromopropenyl GSH were observed at m/z 425.9 and 428.1 in the positive ESI spectrum with a retention time of 6.35 and 6.39 min, respectively. In a time-course study in livers following an oral treatment of mice with 100 mg/kg of 2, 3-DBPE for 6, 12, and 24 h, the 2, 3-DBPE GSH conjugate was detected maximally 6 h after the treatment. The present results suggested that 2, 3-DBPE-induced hepatotoxicity might be related with the production of its GSH conjugate.

In vivo and in vitro immunosuppressive effects of benzo[k]fluoranthene in female Balb/c mice.

Although polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have been known to suppress immune responses, few studies have addressed the immunotoxicity of benzo[k]fluoranthene (B[k]F). In this study, we investigated the immunosuppression by B[k]F, both in vivo and in vitro, in female BALB/c mice. To assess the effects of B[k]F on humoral immunity as splenic antibody response to sheep red blood cells (SRBCs), B[k]F was given a single dose or once daily for 7 consecutive days po with 30, 60, and 120 micromol/kg. B[k]F reduced the number of antibody-forming cells (AFCs) in a dose-dependent manner. Subacute treatment with B[k]F caused weight increases in liver and decreases in spleen and thymus. The number of AFCs was dramatically decreased by B[k]F in a dose-dependent manner. In a subsequent study, mice were subacutely exposed to the same doses of B[k]F without an immunization with SRBCs, followed by splenic and thymic lymphocyte phenotypings using a flow cytometry and ex vivo mitogen-stimulated proliferation. B[k]F-exposed mice exhibited reduced splenic and thymic cellularity, decreased numbers of total T cells, CD4(+) cells, and CD8(+) cells in spleen, and immature CD4(+)CD8(+) cells, CD4(+)CD8(-) cells, and CD8(+)CD4(-) cells in thymus. The number of CD4(+) IL-2(+) cells was reduced by about 11%, 31%, and 53% following exposure of mice to 30, 60, and 120 micromol/kg of B[k]F, respectively. In the ex vivo lymphocyte proliferation assay, B[k]F inhibited splenocyte proliferation by LPS and Con A. In the in vitro mitogen-stimulated proliferation by untreated splenic suspensions, B[k]F only suppressed splenocyte proliferation to LPS. These results suggested that B[k]F-induced immunosuppression might be mediated, at least in part, through the IL-2 production, and caused by mechanisms associated with metabolic processes.

Hepatotoxic effect of 1-bromopropane and its conjugation with glutathione in male ICR mice.

The hepatotoxic effects of 1-bromopropane (1-BP) and its conjugation with glutathione were investigated in male ICR mice. A single dose (1000 mg/kg, po) of 1-BP in corn oil to mice significantly increased serum activities of alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase. Glutathione (GSH) content was dose-dependently reduced in liver homogenates 12 h after 1-BP treatment. In addition, 1-BP treatment dose-dependently increased levels of S-propyl GSH conjugate at 12 h after treatment, as measured by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. The GSH conjugate was maximally increased in liver at 6 h after 1-BP treatment (1000 mg/kg), with a parallel depletion of hepatic GSH content. Finally, 1-BP induced the production of malondialdehyde in liver. The present results suggest that 1-BP might cause hepatotoxicity, including lipid peroxidation via the depletion of GSH, due to the formation of GSH conjugates in male ICR mice.

The effect of gut microbiota on drug metabolism.

INTRODUCTION: Numerous drugs and toxicants must be metabolized to an active form. Metabolic activation by host tissues, such as the liver, has been well studied. However, drug and toxicant metabolism by the intestinal microbiota is an unexplored, but essential, field of study in pharmacology and toxicology. The taxonomic diversity and sheer numbers of the intestinal microbiota, and their capacity to metabolize xenobiotics, underscore the importance of this mode of metabolism. AREAS COVERED: Metabolism by the intestinal microbiota has focused on the natural products of glycosides hydrolyzed by intestinal microbiota enzymes, but not by host tissues. Metabolism of synthetic drugs by the intestinal microbiota has been less-intensively investigated. This review provides an overview of xenobiotic metabolism by the intestinal microbiota of both natural products and synthetic drugs. EXPERT OPINION: Metabolism by the intestinal microbiota might result in a different metabolite profile than that produced by host tissues. This could potentially result in either activation or inactivation of the pharmacological and/or toxicological actions of the compound in question. The contribution of the intestinal microbiota to drug metabolism remains relatively unexplored. Therefore, studies of xenobiotic metabolism by the intestinal microbiota need to be included in new drug development as well as classical studies of host tissue metabolism.

Role of Metabolism by Intestinal Bacteria in Arbutin-Induced Suppression of Lymphoproliferative Response in vitro.

Role of metabolism by intestinal bacteria in arbutin-induced immunotoxicity was investigated in splenocyte cultures. Following an incubation of arbutin with 5 different intestinal bacteria for 24 hr, its aglycone hydroquinone could be produced and detected in the bacterial culture media with different amounts. Toxic effects of activated arbutin by intestinal bacteria on lymphoproliferative response were tested in splenocyte cultures from normal mice. Lipopolysaccharide and concanavalin A were used as mitogens for B- and T-cells, respectively. When bacteria cultured medium with arbutin was treated into the splenocytes for 3 days, the medium cultured with bacteria producing large amounts of hydroquinone induced suppression of lymphoproliferative responses, indicating that metabolic activation by intestinal bacteria might be required in arbutin-induced toxicity. The results indicated that the present testing system might be applied for determining the possible role of metabolism by intestinal bacteria in certain chemical-induced immunotoxicity in animal cell cultures.

Identification of a tryptanthrin metabolite in rat liver microsomes by liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry.

Tryptanthrin originally isolated from Isatis tinctoria L. has been characterized to have anti-inflammatory activities through the dual inhibition of cyclooxygenase-2 and 5-lipoxygenase mediated prostaglandin and leukotriene syntheses. To characterize phase I metabolite(s), tryptanthrin was incubated with rat liver microsomes in the presence of NADPH-generating system. One metabolite was identified by liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry. M1 could be identified as a metabolite mono-hydroxylated on the aromatic ring of indole moiety from the MS(2) spectra of protonated tryptanthrin and M1. The structure of metabolite was confirmed as 8-hydroxytryptanthrin with a chemically synthesized authentic standard. The formation of M1 was NADPH-dependent and was inhibited by SKF-525A, a general CYP-inhibitor, indicating the cytochrome P450 (CYP)-mediated reaction. In addition, it was proposed that M1 might be formed by CYP 1A in rat liver microsomes from the experiments with enriched rat liver microsomes.