Evaluation of the mode of action of mouse lung tumors induced by 4-methylimidazole.

4-Methylimidazole (4-MEI) occurs in certain foods and beverages as a product of browning reactions. An increased incidence of lung tumors was reported in mice, but not rats, exposed to levels of 4-MEI in their diet that far exceed human dietary intake. This investigation evaluated the hypothesis that 4-MEI induces mouse lung tumors by the same mode of action (MOA) as styrene: CYP2F2 metabolic activation and increased BrdU labeling. Using styrene (200 mg/kg/day by gavage) as a positive control, histopathology and DNA synthesis (measured by BrdU incorporation) in the bronchiolar region were evaluated in: (1) a 5-day comparative toxicity study in C57BL/6 "wild type" and CYP2F2 "knock out" (KO) mice given 4-MEI at the same dietary concentrations used in the NTP cancer bioassay, and (2) a 13-week comparative toxicity study of C57BL/6 and B6C3F1 mice receiving 0, 1250 or 2500 ppm of 4-MEI in the diet for 6, 15, 34 and 91 days. In contrast to styrene, 4-MEI had no consistent effect on BrdU labeling or histopathology in the lungs of mice in the dose range that had been shown to produce lung tumors in another study. The results of these studies do not support the hypothesis that 4-MEI and styrene induce lung tumors by the same MOA.

Nonclinical and pharmacokinetic assessments to evaluate the potential of tedizolid and linezolid to affect mitochondrial function.

Prolonged treatment with the oxazolidinone linezolid is associated with myelosuppression, lactic acidosis, and neuropathies, toxicities likely caused by impairment of mitochondrial protein synthesis (MPS). To evaluate the potential of the novel oxazolidinone tedizolid to cause similar side effects, nonclinical and pharmacokinetic assessments were conducted. In isolated rat heart mitochondria, tedizolid inhibited MPS more potently than did linezolid (average [± standard error of the mean] 50% inhibitory concentration [IC50] for MPS of 0.31 ± 0.02 µM versus 6.4 ± 1.2 µM). However, a rigorous 9-month rat study comparing placebo and high-dose tedizolid (resulting in steady-state area under the plasma concentration-time curve values about 8-fold greater than those with the standard therapeutic dose in humans) showed no evidence of neuropathy. Additional studies explored why prolonged, high-dose tedizolid did not cause these mitochondriopathic side effects despite potent MPS inhibition by tedizolid. Murine macrophage (J774) cell fractionation studies found no evidence of a stable association of tedizolid with eukaryotic mitochondria. Monte Carlo simulations based on population pharmacokinetic models showed that over the course of a dosing interval using standard therapeutic doses, free plasma concentrations fell below the respective MPS IC50 in 84% of tedizolid-treated patients (for a median duration of 7.94 h) and 38% of linezolid-treated patients (for a median duration of 0 h). Therapeutic doses of tedizolid, but not linezolid, may therefore allow for mitochondrial recovery during antibacterial therapy. The overall results suggest that tedizolid has less potential to cause myelosuppression and neuropathy than that of linezolid during prolonged treatment courses. This, however, remains a hypothesis that must be confirmed in clinical studies.

Gene and microRNA expression in p53-deficient day 8.5 mouse embryos.

BACKGROUND: Neural tube defects (NTDs) are one of the most common human birth defects, with a prevalence of approximately 1 in 1000 live births in the United States. In animal studies, deletion of p53 leads to a significant increase in embryos that exhibit exencephaly. Whereas several studies have closely investigated the morphologic changes of p53-deficient embryos, no study has reported the molecular-level alteration in p53-deficient embryos. Here we attempt to identify genes and microRNAs (miRNAs) modified by deletion of p53 in day 8.5 mouse embryos. METHODS: Mouse embryos from p53 heterozygous crosses were collected, genotyped, and embryos of similar genotype (+/+; +/-; -/-) were pooled. RNA from the pooled samples was isolated to determine mRNA and miRNA expression levels using Whole Genome Bioarrays and Low Density Arrays, respectively. RESULTS: In p53 -/- embryos, 388 genes showed statistically significant alteration in gene expression of more than twofold compared to p53 +/+ embryos. Expression of p53 and well known p53 target genes, such as p21 and cyclin G1, were significantly down-regulated in p53 -/- embryos. In contrast, expression of other p53 target genes, such as Mdm2, Noxa, and Puma, were unchanged. We also identified six genes (Csk, Itga3, Jarid2, Prkaca, Rarg, and Sall4), known to cause NTDs when deleted, that are also down-regulated in p53 -/- embryos. Finally, five miRNAs (mir-1, mir-30e-3p, mir-142-3p, mir-301, and mir-331) also showed statistically significant alterations in expression levels in p53 -/- embryos compared to p53 +/+ embryos. Combined analysis of the experimental data using stepwise regression model and two publicly available algorithms identified putative target genes of these miRNAs. CONCLUSIONS: Our data have identified genes and miRNAs that may be involved in the mechanisms underlining NTDs and begin to define the developmental role of p53 in the etiology of NTDs.

The roles of p53 and p21 in normal development and hyperthermia-induced malformations.

BACKGROUND: Hyperthermia (HS) is a well-studied teratogen that induces serious malformations, including neural tube defects. Our previous studies have shown that HS induces apoptosis by activating the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway. Prior to activation of the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway, HS also activates p53 and its target genes. In the present study, we determine whether p53 and/or p21 play a role as teratogen suppressors or inducers of HS-induced malformations. METHODS: Pregnant mice carrying all three p53 or p21 genotype embryos were exposed to HS on day 8.5. Subsequently, fetuses were collected on day 15.5, and genotyped. In addition to genotype, we also determined the number of resorptions and dead fetuses as well as the number and types of external malformations. RESULTS: In the absence of HS exposure, fetuses exhibiting exencephaly and spina bifida were observed in approximately 11% of p53 -/- fetuses, whereas no malformations were observed among p21 -/- fetuses. Exposure to HS resulted in an increase in exencephaly and polydactyly in fetuses of all three p53 genotypes. However, the incidence of these malformations was statistically significantly higher in p53 -/- compared to p53 +/- and p53 +/+ fetuses. Exencephaly was the only malformation observed in p21 fetuses exposed to HS, with an approximately 2-fold increase among p21 +/- and a 3-fold increase among p21 -/- compared to p21 +/+ fetuses. CONCLUSIONS: Our study confirms that p53 plays a role in normal development and has shown, for the first time that p53 and p21 function to suppress HS-induced malformations.

Teratogen-induced activation of p53 in early postimplantation mouse embryos.

Hyperthermia (HS) and 4-hydroperoxycyclophosphamide (4CP) activate the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway in day 9 mouse embryos. Previous microarray analyses Microarray analyses revealed that several p53 target genes are upregulated after exposure to HS or 4CP, suggesting a role for p53 in teratogen-induced apoptosis. To explore the role of p53, we assessed the activation of p53 in day 9 mouse embryos exposed to HS or 4CP in vitro. Both teratogens induced the accumulation of p53 and phosphorylation of p53 at ser-15, two hallmarks of p53 activation. HS and 4CP also induced an increase in Noxa and Puma mRNAs, transcripts of two known proapoptotic p53 target genes; however, these two teratogens did not induce significant increases in NOXA and PUMA proteins, suggesting that p53 does not activate the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway by transcriptionally upregulating the expression of NOXA and PUMA proteins. HS and 4CP also induced the expression of p21 mRNA and protein, suggesting a role for p53 in teratogen-induced cell cycle arrest. Previously, we also showed that HS and 4CP activate the apoptotic pathway in the embryo proper (head and trunk) but not in the heart. We now show that HS and 4CP induce a robust activation of p53 in the embryo proper but an attenuated induction in the heart. HS and 4CP induce the expression of p21 protein in majority of the cells in the embryo; however, expression of NOXA and PUMA proteins were not significantly induced in heads, hearts, or trunks of day 9 embryos. Overall, our results suggest that p53 may play a transcription-dependent role in teratogen-induced cell cycle arrest but a transcription-independent role in teratogen-induced apoptosis in day 9 mouse embryos exposed to HS or 4CP.