The Electric and Magnetic Fields Instrument Suite and Integrated Science (EMFISIS): Science, Data, and Usage Best Practices.

We provide a post-mission assessment of the science and data from the Electric and Magnetic Field Instrument Suite and Integrated Science (EMFISIS) investigation on the NASA Van Allen Probes mission. An overview of important scientific results is presented, covering all of the key wave modes and DC magnetic fields measured by EMFISIS. Discussion of the data products, which are publicly available, follows to provide users with guidance on characteristics and known issues of the measurements. We present guidance on the correct use of derived products, in particular, the wave-normal analysis (WNA) which yields fundamental wave properties such as polarization, ellipticity, and Poynting flux. We also give information about the plasma density derived from measuring the upper hybrid line in the inner magnetosphere.

The Angular Distribution of Lower Band Chorus Waves Near Plasmaspheric Plumes.

Plumes have been identified as an access region for chorus waves to enter the plasmasphere. Here, for the first time, chorus wave properties are parameterized by distance from the plume boundary. Case studies and statistical analysis indicate that the polar wave vector angle, θ k , of chorus becomes more oblique near the plume edge. Occurrence rates of θ k > 35° on the plume boundary are approximately double that observed further away from the plume. Whilst the increase in θ k is apparent on both plume edges, the distribution of θ k exhibits different behavior between the Eastward and Westward boundaries. In general, the distribution of azimuthal wave vector angles, ϕ k , is symmetric about the anti-Earthwards direction. However, near the Eastward plume boundary, an Eastwards skew of ϕ k is reported. This result provides new insight on chorus propagation in the context of the chorus-to-hiss mechanism, and has implications for quantifying wave-particle interactions in the near-plume region.

Applying the cold plasma dispersion relation to whistler mode chorus waves: EMFISIS wave measurements from the Van Allen Probes.

Most theoretical wave models require the power in the wave magnetic field in order to determine the effect of chorus waves on radiation belt electrons. However, researchers typically use the cold plasma dispersion relation to approximate the magnetic wave power when only electric field data are available. In this study, the validity of using the cold plasma dispersion relation in this context is tested using Electric and Magnetic Field Instrument Suite and Integrated Science (EMFISIS) observations of both the electric and magnetic spectral intensities in the chorus wave band (0.1-0.9 fce). Results from this study indicate that the calculated wave intensity is least accurate during periods of enhanced wave activity. For observed wave intensities >10-3 nT2, using the cold plasma dispersion relation results in an underestimate of the wave intensity by a factor of 2 or greater 56% of the time over the full chorus wave band, 60% of the time for lower band chorus, and 59% of the time for upper band chorus. Hence, during active periods, empirical chorus wave models that are reliant on the cold plasma dispersion relation will underestimate chorus wave intensities to a significant degree, thus causing questionable calculation of wave-particle resonance effects on MeV electrons.

Attenuating pregnane X receptor (PXR) activation: a molecular modelling approach.

Recent studies have demonstrated that the pregnane X receptor (PXR) is a key regulator of cytochromes P450 3A (e.g. CYP3A4 in human) gene expression. As a result, activation of PXR may lead to CYP3A4 protein over-expression. Because induction of CYP3A4 could result in clinically important drug drug interactions, there has been a great interest in reducing the possibility of PXR activation by drug candidates in drug-discovery programmes. In order to provide structural insight for attenuating drug candidate-mediated PXR activation, we used a docking approach to study the structure activity relationship for PXR activators. Based on our docking models, it is proposed that introducing polar groups to the end of an activator should reduce its human PXR (hPXR) activity via destabilizing interactions in the hydrophobic areas of the PXR ligand-binding pocket. A number of analogues that incorporate these structural features then were designed and synthesized, and they exhibited significantly lower hPXR activation in a transactivation assay and decreased CYP3A4 induction in a human hepatocytes-based assay. In addition, an example in which attenuating hPXR activation was achieved by sterically destabilizing the helices 11 and 12 of the receptor is presented.

Tissue distribution and renal developmental changes in rat organic cation transporter mRNA levels.

Organic cation transporters (OCTs) are responsible for excretion of cationic substances into urine. Tissue OCT expression may be important for the disposition and excretion of xenobiotics. Therefore, OCT1, OCT2, OCT3, OCTN1, and OCTN2 mRNA levels were measured in adult rat tissues and rat kidney tissue at various stages of development from day 0 to 45. OCT1 mRNA expression was highest in kidney and spleen, moderate in skin, and low in the gastrointestinal tract, brain, lung, thymus, muscle, and prostate. OCT2 mRNA levels were highest in kidney, with low expression in other tissues, and with renal OCT2 levels being approximately 4 times higher in males than that in females. In gonadectomized males, OCT2 mRNA levels were attenuated to female levels, suggesting a role for testosterone in OCT2 expression. OCT3 was moderately expressed in kidney and was highest in blood vessel, skin, and thymus. OCTN1 was expressed in most of the tissues examined, with relatively higher expression in kidney and ileum and lower levels in thymus. Lastly, OCTN2 was expressed abundantly in kidney and ileum, moderately in large intestine, dorsal prostate, bladder, duodenum, and cerebellum, and minimally in thymus, spleen, and cerebral cortex. Renal OCT1, OCTN1, and OCTN2 mRNA levels increased gradually from postnatal day 0 through day 45 in both genders. Renal OCT2 levels remained the same in males and females through day 25 and then dramatically increased only in male kidney after day 30. In summary, OCT mRNA was detected primarily in kidney, and the high level of renal OCT expression may explain why the kidney is a target organ for xenobiotics with cationic properties.

Cyproterone acetate induces a cellular tolerance to cadmium in rat liver epithelial cells involving reduced cadmium accumulation.

Several reports indicate that some steroids, in particular sex steroid hormones, can modify cadmium toxicity. We recently reported that cyproterone acetate (CA), a synthetic steroidal antiandrogen that is closely related in structure to progesterone, affects cadmium toxicity in mice. In the present study, we investigated the effect of CA on cadmium toxicity in a rat liver epithelial cell line (TRL 1215) in vitro. Cells were exposed to various concentrations of CA (0,1,10, or 50 microM) for 24 h and subsequently exposed to cadmium (0,50, or 100 microM; as CdCl2) for an additional 24 h. CA pretreatment resulted in a clear decrease in the sensitivity to cadmium. Additional time course study showed CA pretreatment provided protection against cadmium toxicity but only when given for 6 or more hours prior to cadmium exposure. Cellular cadmium accumulation was markedly reduced (60% decrease) in cells pretreated for 6 or more hours with CA. In the presence of protein synthesis inhibitors the protective effect of CA toward cadmium toxicity was abolished. However, in the presence of the GSH synthesis inhibitor, L-buthionine (S,R)-sulfoximide (BSO), the protective effect of CA toward cadmium toxicity remained. CA alone increased metallothionein (MT) levels 2.4-fold, while cadmium (50 microM) alone resulted in a 8.9-fold increase over control. However, cadmium-induced MT synthesis was markedly decreased by CA pretreatment probably because of reduced cadmium accumulation. Analysis of various metal transporters by bDNA signal amplification assay revealed that the ZnT-1 transporter gene, which encodes for a membrane protein associated with zinc efflux, was expressed three-fold more in CA treated cells than control. These data show that CA pretreatment provides protection against cadmium toxicity in vitro and indicate that this protection is due to a decreased accumulation of cadmium rather than through activation of MT synthesis. This decrease of cellular cadmium accumulation appears to be related to events that require protein synthesis and may be due to activation of the genes associated with zinc efflux.

Differential effects of microsomal enzyme-inducing chemicals on the hepatic expression of rat organic anion transporters, OATP1 and OATP2.

The organic anion transporting polypeptides, Oatp1 (Slc21a1) and Oatp2 (Slc21a5), mediate hepatic uptake of cardiac glycosides. Previously, we demonstrated that chemicals that increase cytochrome P450s differentially affect hepatic uptake of cardiac glycosides. We postulated that increased uptake of cardiac glycosides observed after pretreatment of animals with phenobarbital (PB) and pregnenolone-16alpha-carbonitrile (PCN) occurs via increased hepatic expression of Oatp1 and/or Oatp2. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were injected with PB, PCN, 3-methylcholanthrene (3-MC), or vehicle for 4 days. Branched-DNA (bDNA) signal amplification and Western blot analyses were used to assess hepatic Oatp1 and Oatp2 mRNA and protein, respectively. The expression of Oatp1 was not increased by any chemical treatment. Increases in Oatp2 expression were observed from livers of rats treated with PB and PCN, in which PCN caused a robust elevation of Oatp2 mRNA and protein. Oatp2 expression was suppressed in response to 3-MC. To determine the temporal effects of PCN treatment on the expression of Oatp2, rats were administered PCN, livers were extracted at various times, and Oatp2 expression was analyzed. Maximal expression of Oatp2 mRNA was observed at 24 hours and remained elevated, whereas the amount of Oatp2 protein increased throughout the 96-hour interval. The finding that Oatp2 expression increases in response to PB and PCN is consistent with our previous findings that PB and PCN enhance hepatic uptake of cardiac glycosides. These results suggest that Oatp2, but not Oatp1, is inducible by PB and PCN, which imparts the increased capacity of the liver to extract cardiac glycosides from the plasma.

Detection of chemical-induced differential expression of rat hepatic cytochrome P450 mRNA transcripts using branched DNA signal amplification technology.

The importance of the cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzyme family in xenobiotic metabolism, as well as their differential expression and activity in response to a wide range of environmental chemicals and pharmaceuticals, is well documented. The objective of this study was to evaluate the specificity of the branched DNA (bDNA) signal amplification technique for the detection of multiple rat CYPs from hepatocellular RNA. Oligonucleotide probe sets were designed to various chemically inducible rat CYP mRNA transcripts, including CYP1A1, CYP1A2, CYP2B1/2, CYP2E1, CYP3A1/23, and CYP4A2/3. The robustness of the bDNA assay was assessed with the CYP2B1/2-specific probe set, and total RNA was isolated from control and phenobarbital (PB)-treated rats. Analysis of these RNA samples by bDNA signal amplification resulted in a linear quantifiable range of RNA detection that spanned three orders of magnitude (0.1-100 microg of total RNA). The fidelity of the bDNA assay was evaluated within a single assay and between assays where repeated measurements of a single sample were reproduced reliably. The specificity of individual CYP probe sets was evaluated with five typical CYP-inducing chemicals on the expression of specific hepatic CYP mRNA transcripts. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were administered 3-methylcholanthrene, PB, isoniazid, pregnenolone-16alpha-carbonitrile, or clofibric acid to induce transcription of CYP1A1, CYP1A2, CYP2B1/2, CYP2E1, CYP3A1/23, and CYP4A2/3 mRNA, respectively. Analysis of chemical-induced differences in gene expression by bDNA signal amplification indicated that 3-methylcholanthrene induced CYP1A1 and CYP1A2 mRNA levels 670- and 11-fold, respectively; PB induced CYP2B1/2 expression 71-fold; pregnenolone-16alpha-carbonitrile induced CYP3A1/23 expression 34-fold; and clofibric acid induced CYP4A2/3 expression 4.7-fold. Overall, these data support the use of bDNA signal amplification technology as a robust, reproducible, and efficient means of monitoring the differential expression of multiple isoforms of the CYP enzyme family.

4-Hydroxynonenal and malondialdehyde hepatic protein adducts in rats treated with carbon tetrachloride: immunochemical detection and lobular localization.

The metabolism of CCl(4) initiates the peroxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids producing alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes, such as 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) and malondialdehyde (MDA). The facile reactivity of these electrophilic aldehydic products suggests they play a role in the toxicity of compounds like CCl(4). To determine the rate at which CCl(4)-initiated lipid peroxidation results in the formation of 4-HNE and/or MDA hepatic protein adducts, rats were given an intragastric dose of CCl(4) (1.0 ml/kg) and euthanized 0-72 h after administration. Rabbit polyclonal antisera directed toward 4-HNE- or MDA-protein epitopes were employed in immuno-histochemical and immuno-precipitation/Western analyses to detect 4-HNE and MDA-protein adducts in paraffin-embedded liver sections and liver homogenates. As early as 6 h post CCl(4) exposure, 4-HNE and MDA adducts were detected immuno-histochemically in hepatocytes localized to zone 2 of the hepatic acinus. Liver injury was progressive to 24 h as lipid peroxidation and hepatocellular necrosis increased. The hallmark of CCl(4) hepatotoxicity, zone 3 necrosis, was observed 24 h after CCl(4) administration and immuno-positive hepatocytes were observed in zone 2 as well as zone 3. Immuno-positive cells were no longer visible by 36 to 72 h post CCl(4) administration. From 6 to 48 h after CCl(4) administration, at least four adducted proteins were immuno-precipitated from liver homogenates with the anti-MDA or anti-4HNE serum, which corresponded to molecular weights of 80, 150, 205, and greater than 205 kDa. These results demonstrate that 4-HNE and MDA alkylate specific hepatic proteins in a time-dependent manner, which appears to be associated with hepatocellular injury following CCl(4) exposure.

Postnatal ontogeny and hormonal regulation of sulfotransferase SULT1B1 in male and female rats.

The ontogenic and hormonal regulation of a sulfotransferase, SULT1B1, was examined. Hepatic RNA was isolated from rats of various ages from 1 to 90 days. The mRNA for SULT1B1 is low for both sexes until a dramatic increase ( approximately 6-fold) occurs between 15 and 30 days of age in male rats. SULT1B1 expression then decreases to half of the maximal level by 90 days of age. The increase in SULT1B1 mRNA in female rats is less dramatic and occurs between 30 and 45 days of age. SULT1B1 mRNA expression plateaus from 45 to 90 days in female rats. Expression of SULT1B1 mRNA is comparable in adult male and female rats. RNA was isolated from hypophysectomized (HX) animals and HX animals treated with growth hormone [by either male (injection) or female (infusion) pattern], estradiol, progesterone, or testosterone. HX and HX plus growth hormone, or HX plus steroid replacement, did not alter SULT1B1 mRNA expression. Pituitary-intact rats were treated with steroidal compounds dexamethasone (DEX) and pregnenolone-16alpha-carbonitrile (PCN). Both DEX and PCN increased expression of SULT1B1 mRNA in male rats (4- and 3-fold, respectively). However, in female rats, only PCN induced SULT1B1 mRNA (2-fold), whereas DEX did not induce SULT1B1 in female rats. Analysis of SULT1B1 protein expression indicated that only when SULT1B1 mRNA was markedly increased, that is in DEX-treated male rats, was SULT1B1 protein increased. Thus, although adult male and female rats have similar SULT1B1 mRNA expressions, the patterns develop ontogenically differently. SULT1B1 is not regulated by pituitary hormones and DEX induces SULT1B1 protein in male rats.

Protection against carbon tetrachloride hepatotoxicity by oleanolic acid is not mediated through metallothionein.

Oleanolic acid is a triterpenoid compound that has been shown to protect against liver injury produced by some hepatotoxicants. This study was designed to characterize the protective effects of oleanolic acid on carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity, and the role of metallothionein in the protection. Oleanolic acid pretreatment (100-400 micromol/kg, s.c.) protected Sprague-Dawley rats and mice from carbon tetrachloride-induced liver injury in a dose- and time-dependent manner, as evidenced by serum alanine aminotransferase and sorbitol dehydrogenase activities, as well as by histopathology. The protection against carbon tetrachloride hepatotoxicity was not evident until animals were pretreated with oleanolic acid 12 h, and lasted for 72 h after a single injection. This suggests that the protection might be due to induction of some adaptive mechanisms. Metallothionein (MT), an acute-phase protein proposed to decrease carbon tetrachloride-induced liver injury, was dramatically induced following oleanolic acid treatment. To examine whether oleanolic acid protection is mediated through MT, MT-I and II knock-out (MT-null) mice were utilized. Oleanolic acid pretreatment increased MT levels in control mice (20-fold), but not in MT-null mice, however, it protected equally against carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity in both control and MT-null mice. These data indicate that oleanolic acid is effective in protecting rats and mice from the hepatotoxicity produced by carbon tetrachloride, and the protection is not mediated through induction of MT.

1,2-Dichlorobenzene-induced lipid peroxidation in male Fischer 344 rats is Kupffer cell dependent.

1,2-Dichlorobenzene (1,2-DCB) is a potent hepatotoxicant in male Fischer 344 (F344) rats and previous studies have suggested that reactive oxygen species may play a role in the development of hepatotoxicity. Since reactive oxygen species can damage lipid membranes, this study was conducted to determine the extent of lipid peroxidation after administration of 1,2-DCB by immuno-histochemical analysis of 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) protein adduct formation in liver and conjugated diene formation in liver and serum. The contribution of Kupffer cells to the lipid peroxidation was also investigated. Male F344 rats were administered 1,2-DCB (3.6 mmol/kg i.p. in corn oil) and killed at selected times between 3 and 48 h. Time course studies revealed the greatest abundance of 4-HNE protein adducts in the centrilobular regions of the liver 24 h after 1,2-DCB administration, with much lower levels at 16 h. Adducts were present in necrotic and vacuolized centrilobular hepatocytes of 1,2-DCB treated rats but not in livers of controls. Further, conjugated dienes were significantly increased in liver and serum 16 and 24 h after 1,2-DCB administration, peaking at 24 h. These data correlated with hepatocellular injury, determined by serum alanine aminotransferase activity and histopathological evaluation, which was markedly elevated within 16 h and peaked at 24 h. When rats were pretreated with gadolinium chloride (GdCl3; 10 mg/kg i.v. 24 h prior to 1,2-DCB), an inhibitor of Kupffer cells, hepatotoxicity was decreased by 89 and 86%, at 16 and 24 h, respectively. Conjugated diene concentrations were decreased to control values at these times after 1,2-DCB administration. Moreover, no 4-HNE protein adducts were detected in livers of 1,2-DCB-treated rats pretreated with GdCl3. Finally, Kupffer cells isolated from 1,2-DCB-treated rats produced significantly more superoxide anion than Kupffer cells isolated from vehicle controls. These data, along with previous findings, suggest that lipid peroxidation associated with 1,2-DCB is mediated in part by Kupffer cell-derived reactive oxygen species.

Prooxidant-initiated lipid peroxidation in isolated rat hepatocytes: detection of 4-hydroxynonenal- and malondialdehyde-protein adducts.

Toxicity associated with prooxidant-mediated hepatic lipid peroxidation is postulated to originate from the interaction of the aldehydic end products of lipid peroxidation with cellular constituents. The principal alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydic products of lipid peroxidation, 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (4-HNE) and malondialdehyde (MDA), are known to modify proteins through covalent alkylation of lysine, histidine, and cysteine amino acid residues. To detect and characterize the formation of 4-HNE- and MDA-adducted proteins during prooxidant-initiated lipid peroxidation, rabbit polyclonal antibodies were raised to 4-HNE-sulfhydryl, dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH)-4-HNE-sulfhydryl, and MDA-amine conjugates of keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH). Each antiserum displayed high antibody titers to either 4-HNE-metallothionein, DNPH-albumin, or MDA-albumin adducts when measured by ELISA. To study the formation of 4-HNE- and MDA-protein adducts during prooxidant-initiated cellular injury, isolated hepatocytes were exposed to either carbon tetrachloride or iron/ascorbate for 2 h. Indices of hepatocellular oxidative stress (i.e., cell viability and glutathione status) and lipid peroxidation (i.e., formation of 4-HNE, protein carbonyls, and MDA) were monitored continuously. Hepatocellular viability was affected moderately by carbon tetrachloride, while cellular reduced glutathione status was moderately affected by both iron/ascorbate and carbon tetrachloride. Levels of MDA and protein carbonyls increased dramatically with both prooxidants, whereas 4-HNE levels did not change significantly over the time course studied. In addition, hepatocellular proteins were immunoprecipitated with each antiserum, and aldehyde-modified immunopositive proteins were detected by immunoblotting. Prooxidant-induced increases in MDA corresponded with increases in intensity and number of MDA-adducted proteins over the time course studied. A total of 13 MDA-modified proteins (20, 25, 28, 30, 33, 38, 41, 45, 80, 82, 85, 130, and 150 kDa) were detected with the MDA-amine antiserum. Additionally, both iron/ascorbate- and carbon tetrachloride-induced formation of DNPH-derivatizable protein carbonyls corresponded quantitatively with the ability to detect specific proteins (80, 100, 130, and 150 kDa) with the DNPH-4-HNE-cysteine antiserum. Neither CCl4 nor iron/ascorbate elicited changes in 4-HNE or induced the formation of 4-HNE-modified proteins when assessed by immunoprecipitation-immunoblot analysis with the 4-HNE-sulfhydryl antiserum. In all instances detection of aldehyde-modified proteins was not associated with cell death and may be related to the function of these proteins as aldehyde-binding proteins which sequester electrophilic molecules during oxidative liver injury.

Co-metabolism of ethanol, ethanol-derived acetaldehyde, and 4-hydroxynonenal in isolated rat hepatocytes.

Our laboratory has previously reported on the ability of 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE), a primary product of lipid peroxidation, to inhibit acetaldehyde metabolism in isolated mouse liver mitochondria. The purpose of the present study is to determine whether the co-metabolism of ethanol and 4-HNE compromises the elimination of either substrate in isolated rat hepatocytes. Hepatocytes were isolated and incubated with ethanol and 4-HNE. Ethanol elimination and acetaldehyde accumulation were monitored by gas chromatography, whereas 4-HNE elimination and metabolite accumulation were measured by UV detection and reversed-phase HPLC at 202 nm. In the absence of 4-HNE, hepatocytes metabolized ethanol at an initial rate of 9.4 nmol/min/million cells. Ethanol elimination was moderately inhibited by the presence of 4-HNE. Accumulation of ethanol-derived acetaldehyde was not apparent in incubations with only ethanol. In contrast, in incubations containing both substrates, ethanol-derived acetaldehyde accumulation exceeded that observed in hepatocytes exposed only to ethanol and was proportional to the 4-HNE concentration in the incubations. In all instances, the rate of 4-HNE elimination was not compromised by the presence of ethanol. Accordingly, ethanol metabolism did not alter the oxidative or conjugative metabolism of 4-HNE. However, the reductive metabolism of 4-HNE was affected by the presence of ethanol, wherein accumulation of 1,4-dihydroxy-2-nonene increased > 2-fold of that observed in incubations with only 4-HNE. To determine further if 4-HNE and ethanol are metabolized through the same metabolic pathways, cells were preincubated with either 4-methylpyrazole or cyanamide to inhibit alcohol dehydrogenase (E.C. 1.1.1.1.) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (E.C. 1.2.1.2.), respectively. Expectantly, 4-methylpyrazole blocked the formation of 1,4-dihydroxy-2-nonene, but had no effect on the rate of 4-HNE elimination. In contrast, cyanamide substantially inhibited the formation of 4-hydroxy-2-nonenoic acid, decreased the rate of 1,4-dihydroxy-2-nonene formation, but did not decrease the elimination rate of 4-HNE. Overall, these results support our previous observation that 4-HNE inhibits acetaldehyde metabolism and establish that ethanol and 4-HNE are metabolized through the same alcohol dehydrogenase- and aldehyde dehydrogenase-mediated pathways. These data continue to suggest that, as a consequence of enhanced lipid peroxidation resulting from chronic ethanol consumption, increased 4-HNE levels could compromise cellular elimination of ethanol-derived acetaldehyde and thus function in the potentiation of alcoholic liver fibrosis.

The hepatocellular metabolism of 4-hydroxynonenal by alcohol dehydrogenase, aldehyde dehydrogenase, and glutathione S-transferase.

It has previously been reported that isolated rat hepatocytes rapidly and completely metabolize high concentrations of 4-hydroxy-2,3-(E)-nonenal (4-HNE). However, until this report, the degree to which oxidative-reductive and nonoxidative metabolic pathways function in the depletion of 4-HNE by isolated rat hepatocytes has been speculative. The objective of the present study was to quantitate the extent to which cellular aldehyde dehydrogenases (ALDH; EC 1.2.1.3.), alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH; EC 1.1.1.1.), and glutathione S-transferases (GST; EC 2.5.1.18) function simultaneously during hepatocellular metabolism of 4-HNE. Hepatocytes were incubated with varying concentrations of 4-HNE (50, 100, 250 microM) and reversed-phase HPLC was used to quantitate 4-HNE and the oxidative and reductive metabolites, 4-hydroxy-2-nonenoic acid and 1,4-dihydroxy-2-nonene, respectively. Conjugative metabolism of 4-HNE was determined from the depletion of cellular reduced glutathione (GSH) and concomitant formation of a GSH-4-HNE adduct detected as 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene derivatives measured by reversed-phase HPLC. Hepatocellular elimination of 4-HNE was estimated at rates of 1.666, 0.902, and 0.219 nmol min-1 10(6) hepatocytes-1 for 50, 100, and 250 microM aldehyde, respectively. At aldehyde concentrations of 50, 100, and 250 microM the maximal concentrations of oxidative (acid) metabolites formed were 5.9, 12.7, and 28.9 nmoles 10(6) hepatocytes-1, whereas the concentrations of the reductive (diol) metabolite were 0.4, 12.6, and 42.3 nmoles 10(6) hepatocytes-1, respectively. The presence of 4-methylpyrazole or cyanamide abolished formation of the reductive metabolite 1,4-dihydroxy-2-nonene or the oxidative metabolite 4-hydroxy-2-nonenoic acid in hepatocyte suspensions. At all 4-HNE concentrations evaluated, hepatocellular glutathione was not completely depleted by the aldehyde and the depletion of cellular reduced GSH corresponded to the production of the GSH-4-HNE conjugate. Metabolism by the alcohol/aldehyde dehydrogenase pathways accounted for approximately 10% of the 4-HNE elimination, while bioconversion by GST represent 50-60% of the total 4-HNE removal by hepatocytes. The enzymatic pathways responsible for the remaining 40% of 4-HNE metabolism remain to be identified. Taken together these results describe the quantitative and dynamic importance of oxidative, reductive, and nonoxidative routes in the metabolism and detoxification of 4-HNE.