Alleviation by garlic of antitumor drug-induced damage to the intestine.

Antitumour drugs such as methotrexate (MTX) and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) induce intestinal damage. This is a serious side effect of cancer chemotherapy. The present studies examined whether or not aged garlic extract (AGE) protects against damage from these antitumor drugs. Both drugs were administered orally for 4 or 5 d to rats fed a standard laboratory diet with and without 2% AGE. The small intestinal absorption of the poorly absorbable compound, fluorescein isothiocyanate--labeled dextran (FD-4; average molecular weight, 4400) was used to evaluate the damage to the intestine using the in vitro everted intestine technique and the in situ intestinal loop technique. FD-4 absorption increased in the antitumour drug-treated rats fed the diet without garlic. Interestingly, FD-4 absorption was depressed in rats fed the diet containing AGE. These results suggest that AGE may protect the small intestine of rats from antitumour drug-induced damage.

Intestinal transport and metabolism of glucose-conjugated kyotorphin and cyclic kyotorphin: metabolic degradation is crucial to intestinal absorption of peptide drugs.

Intestinal transport and metabolism of modified kyotorphin (KTP) were studied in rats. Modified KTPs studied were C-terminally modified KTP with p-aminophenyl-beta-D-glucoside (KTP-pAPbeta glc), N-terminally modified KTP-pAPbeta glc with t-butyloxycarbonyl group (Boc-KTP-pAPbeta glc) and the N- and C-terminally modified KTP by cyclization (cyclic KTP). KTP-pAPbeta glc was metabolized at a similar rate to that of KTP, and did not appear on the serosal side. Although Boc-KTP-pAPbeta glc was also metabolized, it was more stable than KTP and appeared on the serosal side. Cyclic KTP was also quite stable and appeared on the serosal side. The modified KTPs were evaluated kinetically for absorption consisting of membrane transport and metabolism. Absorption clearance (CL(abs)) of cyclic KTP, Boc-KTP-pAPbeta glc and Boc-KTP was higher than that of KTP (0.247 microl/min/cm) (Mizuma et al., Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1335 (1997) 111-119), which is the theoretical maximum by complete inhibition of peptidase activity, indicating that derivatization of KTP increases the membrane permeability. Furthermore, the data clearly showed that the greater the metabolic clearance (CL(met)) of KTP and the KTP derivatives, the lower the absorption clearance (CL(abs)). These results and further simulation study led to the conclusion that metabolic degradation in the intestinal tissues is more critical than membrane permeability (transport) for oral delivery of peptide drugs. Based on the stability of cyclic KTP in serum, this appears to be a good candidate analgesic peptide drug.

Intestinal transport of beta-thioglycosides by Na+/glucose cotransporter.

Intestinal metabolism and transport of p-nitrophenyl beta-D-thioglucoside (p-NPbetaSglc) and p-nitrophenyl beta-D-thiogalactoside (p-NPbetaSgal) by the Na+/glucose cotransporter were studied in excised small intestine of the rat. p-NPbetaSglc and p-NPbetaSgal were stable enough on the mucosal side to be transported to the serosal side. Transport of p-NPbetaSglc was inhibited in the presence of phloridzin (a Na+/glucose cotransporter inhibitor), glucose, or 3-O-methylglucose (3-OMG). p-NPbetaSglc transport was dependent on Na+ concentration in a sigmoidal manner. The activation energy for transport was 19.4 kcal mol(-1). The distribution of transport activity of p-NPbetaSglc in each region of the small intestine correlated well with that of 3-OMG. These results indicate that p-NPbetaSglc is transported by the Na+/glucose cotransporter in small intestine. The order of turnover rate for glycoside transport by Na+/glucose cotransporter was 3-OMG > p-nitrophenyl beta-O-glucoside > p-NPbetaSglc > p-NPbetaSgal, indicating that the presence of a galactose moiety and a sulphur between the monosaccharide moiety and aglycone decreases the turnover rate of the Na+/glucose cotransporter in the transport of glycosides. In an inhibition study using stable p-NPbetaSglc as a Na+/glucose cotransporter-transportable marker glucoside, it was also shown that the Na+/glucose cotransporter recognized several types of glycosides. In conclusion, displacement of the oxygen at carbon C-1 of glucose by sulphur in thioglycosides decreases the turnover rate of the Na+/glucose cotransporter, but thioglycosides are stable in the small intestine and are transported by the Na+/glucose cotransporter.

Histopathological study of the effects of a single intratracheal instillation of surface active agents on lung in rats.

Pulmonary drug administration of most peptide/protein drugs is characterized by low bioavailability due to low permeability. Surface active agents have been tested as an absorption enhancer, but few studies have been carried out on the local toxicity of these additives. In the present study, to clarify the toxic effects of surface active agents on the lung, a relatively high concentration (1%) of polyoxyethylene 9 lauryl ether (Laureth-9) and sodium glycocholate (SGC) was given to rats in a single intratracheal instillation (100 microliters/rat), and the lung was evaluated histopathologically. In the rats treated with Laureth-9, lung lesions were observed in the bronchi to alveoli. At 1 day after administration, edema, hemorrhage and inflammatory cell infiltration due to degeneration and desquamation of epithelium were observed. At 3 and 7 days after administration, the wound healing process resulting from the lung injury, such as hyperplasia of epithelium and sporadic fibrosis, was noted. SGC also induced lung lesions with a similar histopathological nature, whereas the lesions were mostly confined to the alveoli. These results suggest that surface active agents induce acute inflammation of the lung by intratracheal instillation, that the distribution of lesions is different among surface active agents, and moreover that pathological examination is indispensable for clarifying local toxicity of absorption enhancers in pulmonary drug-delivery studies.

The effects of absorption enhancers on the pulmonary absorption of recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rhG-CSF) in rats.

Pulmonary absorption of recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rhG-CSF) with various surfactants and protease inhibitors were examined in rats. The relative bioavailabilities of rhG-CSF with surfactants, such as polyoxyethylene 9-lauryl ether (Laureth-9) and sodium glycocholate (SGC), after intratracheal (i.t.) administration by intravenous (i.v.) and subcutaneous (s.c.) means were 37% (i.v.), 88% (s.c.), 84% (i.v.) and 197% (s.c.), respectively. These values were evaluated from the ratio of the area under the curve (AUC) of the plasma rhG-CSF concentration versus time for 8 h. In the presence of various kinds of protease inhibitors, such as (p-amidinophenyl) methanesulfonyl fluoride x HCl (p-APMSF), aprotinin and bestatin, an increase in the plasma rhG-CSF concentration was observed, and the effect with p-APMSF was maximal. The relative bioavailabilities of rhG-CSF with p-APMSF after i.t. administration by i.v. and s.c. means were increased about 2-fold. To clarify the absorption mechanism of rhG-CSF, rhG-CSF was intratracheally administered with both Laureth-9 and p-APMSF. The AUC of rhG-CSF increased with both agents, and was approximately equal to that with SGC, which has both an enhancing effect on membrane permeation and an inhibitory effect on enzymatic degradation after i.t. administration. Consequently, it was considered that permeation and enzymatic degradation were rate-determining steps in the pulmonary absorption of rhG-CSF after i.t. administration.

Can squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus) learn self-control? A study using food array selection tests and reverse-reward contingency.

Eight squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus) were presented with 2 stimulus arrays, namely 1 and 4 pieces of food, but they received only the array other than the one they reached for. In this reverse-reward condition, all monkeys initially showed a strong preference for the larger array. One monkey learned to reach toward the smaller array when a large-or-none reward contingency was applied (i.e., no reward followed a reach toward the larger array, but this array was given for a reach toward the smaller array). When correction trials and time-out were added to the large-or-none procedure, all remaining monkeys except 1 learned this form of self-control. Performance was maintained when correction trials were discontinued, the original reverse-reward condition was rerun, and novel array-size pairs were presented. This study demonstrates one form of self-control in a New World primate and shows the reverse-reward procedure to be a potentially valuable method for assessing species and individual differences in self-control and numerosity-related abilities.

Blood-brain barrier transport of L-tyrosine Conjugates: a model study for the brain targeting using large neutral amino acid transport system.

We examined the relation ship between the charge of the amino or carboxylic function of a substrate and the substrate recognition by the large neutral amino acid (LNAA) transport carrier, using the in situ brain perfusion technique. Glucose-coupled L-tyrosine (GcpY), which has a free carboxylic function, and 2-(L-tyrosylamide)-2-deoxy-D-glucose (Y-2DG), which has a free amino function were synthesized. The inhibitory effect of GcpY on [3 H]L-tyrosine uptake was larger than that of N-methly-L-phenylalanine or N-acetyl-L-phenylalanine, whereas Y-2DG did not affect it. These results indicate that a free amino group is not required for recognition, provided that the modified amino group is able to take a positive charge. Steric factors appeared to be relatively unimportant.

Physiological mechanism for enhancement of paracellular drug transport.

We examined the action mechanisms of enhancers that improve paracellular drug transport. For sodium caprate (C10), the increase in the intracellular calcium level was considered to induce the contraction of calmodulin-dependent actin filaments, followed by dilation of the paracellular pathway. Although decanoylcarnitine (DC) also increased the intracellular calcium level, the action was independent of calmodulin and thus, the action mechanism of acylcarnitines was considered to differ from that of C10. Other acylcarnitines, lauroylcarnitine (LC) and palmitoylcarnitine (PC) and organic acids, tartaric acid (TA) and citric acid (CA) decreased the intracellular ATP level and the intracellular pH. From these results, it was considered that one of the action mechanism of acylcarnitines and organic acids is that the intracellular acidosis increases the calcium level through the decrease in ATP levels, followed by opening the tight junction. Membrane dysfunction which was expected from the above mechanism was assessed by the transport function of electrolytes. Membrane conductance, which was increased by C10, LC and PC, returned to the control value during a 3- to 6-h recovery period. On the other hand, Cl(-) ion secretion, which was obtained from short-circuit current (I(sc)), was decreased by these enhancers, but was normalized by C10 but not by LC and PC. Accordingly, C10 can be considered a safer enhancer than acylcarnitines.

Enhancement of blood-brain barrier permeability by sodium caprate.

We examined the effect of sodium caprate on the integrity of the tight junctions of brain capillary endothelial cells, using a modified in-situ brain perfusion technique. Model hydrophilic compounds used were [3H]mannitol, [14C]sucrose, [3H]PEG900, [3H]PEG4000, FITC-dextran 4000, FITC-dextran 20000 and FITC-dextran 70000. The brain distribution volume of [14C]sucrose was significantly increased by sodium caprate in a concentration-dependent manner. The effective minimum concentration was 10mM. Furthermore, the effects of sodium caprate on the distribution volumes of hydrophilic compounds, [3H]mannitol, [14C]sucrose, [3H]PEG900, [3H]PEG4000, FITC-dextran 4000, FITC-dextran 20000 and FITC-dextran 70000, showed a molecular weight dependence. A plot of apparent permeation clearance against diffusion coefficient values suggested that 20 mM sodium caprate induced pores so large that the above compounds could pass through the blood-brain barrier with negligible friction within the pore. Our results showed that intracarotid sodium caprate perfusion could enhance the permeation of hydrophilic compounds through the blood-brain barrier.

Transport and recognition of aminopeptidase-resistant cellobiose-coupled tyrosylglycylglycine by intestinal Na+/glucose cotransporter (SGLT1): recognition of sugar conjugates by SGLT1 is much less restricted than transport.

Transport and recognition of aminopeptidase-resistant cellobiose-coupled tyrosylglycylglycine (CcpTGG) by intestinal Na+/glucose cotransporter (SGLT1) was examined in rat small intestine. Inhibitory effect of phloridzin (SGLT1 inhibitor) on the CcpTGG transport was extremely low. Concentration dependence of the CcpTGG transport was observed, but the primary component of transport was passive diffusion. However, CcpTGG significantly inhibited SGLT1-mediated transport, indicating its recognition by SGLT1. Other glucose-conjugates also inhibited SGLT1-mediated transport. These results indicate that recognition of sugar conjugates by SGLT1 is much less restricted than transport, and that it should be relatively easier to design SGLT1 inhibitors than SGLT1-transportable sugar conjugates.

Protective effect of aged garlic extract on the small intestinal damage of rats induced by methotrexate administration.

The methotrexate (MTX) administration to rats causes the damage of small intestine. The small intestinal damage was evaluated by measuring the intestinal permeability of the poorly absorbable compound, fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-labeled dextran (average molecular weight, 4,400) (FD-4) using the in vitro everted intestine technique and by determining the FD-4 that appeared in plasma using the in situ closed loop intestine technique. The MTX administration to rats fed with the standard laboratory diet increased the small intestinal permeability of FD-4 due to the damage of the small intestine. Interestingly, the permeability of FD-4, when MTX was administered to rats fed with the aged garlic extract containing diet, was depressed almost to the level of control rats without the MTX treatment. The present study showed that the aged garlic extract protected the small intestine from the damage induced by the action of MTX on the crypt cells.

Polarized transport was observed not in hydrophilic compounds but in dextran in Caco-2 cell monolayers.

We examined the efflux from the basal to apical side of fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled dextran 4000 (FD-4) in Caco-2 cell monolayers using a diffusion chamber system. The permeation clearance (Pm) of FD-4 from the basal to apical side was 6 times greater than that from the apical to basal side at 37 degrees C. Such polarized efflux of FD-4 was evident at 37 degrees C, but not at 4 degrees C. Efflux of FD-4 was dose-dependently inhibited by colchicine, an endocytosis inhibitor. Adding an excess of unlabeled dextran (M.W. 10,000 Da) decreased the efflux of FD-4. On the other hand, transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) did not change during the experiments under any conditions. These results suggest that the efflux of FD-4 across Caco-2 cell monolayers is apparently mediated by at least two polarized, energy requiring transport systems, one of which shows substrate specificity for dextran polysaccharides.

Intestinal absorption of acyclovir beta-glucoside: comparative study with acyclovir, guanosine, and kinetin beta-glucoside.

PURPOSE: To characterize the intestinal absorption of a beta-glucose conjugate of acyclovir (9-[(2-hydroxyethoxy) methyl] guanine, ACV) and compare it to ACV and its analogues in terms of stability and transport by Na+/glucose cotransporter (SGLTI). METHODS: ACVbeta(glc) was enzymatically synthesized using cellulase. Intestinal absorption experiments were performed with rat everted small intestine. Conformation of the glucose moiety was analyzed by NMR spectroscopy. RESULTS: The ACVbeta(glc) was stable on the mucosal side, and was transported to the serosal side in all regions of the small intestine. However, significant contribution of SGLTI to the transport of ACVbetaglc was not observed. NMR spectroscopic analysis indicated that the glucose conformation of ACVbeta(glc) was the 4C1 chair form, identical to beta-glucose or SGLT1-transportable beta-glucosides reported previously. Therefore, other factors such as molecular size and charge due to aglycone may cause no transport of ACVbeta(glc) by SGLT1. On the other hand, the hydrophilicity of ACVbeta(glc) was much higher than of ACV, suggesting water solubility-derived improvement of intestinal absorption of ACV. CONCLUSIONS: ACVbeta(glc) is stable and absorbable, but it is not transported by SGLT1. No involvement of SGLT1 in the ACVbeta(glc) transport is not due to glucose conformation.

Stable transfection of retinoblastoma gene promotes contact inhibition of cell growth and hepatocyte nuclear factor-1-mediated transcription in human hepatoma cells.

The retinoblastoma (Rb) gene is a key factor involved in cell cycle regulation. In the present study, alterations in cell growth and expression of the alpha-fetoprotein and albumin genes by the stable transfection of the Rb gene were analyzed in HuH-7 human hepatoma cells. Cell growth was almost similar in the Rb gene-transfected and nontransfected cells at the sparse cell density. However, under a confluent condition, contact inhibition of cell growth was stimulated by the Rb gene transfection. By Northern blotting, the levels of the alpha-fetoprotein and albumin mRNA as well as the transcript of hepatocyte nuclear factor-1 (HNF-1), a liver-specific transcriptional factor regulating both genes, were apparently elevated in the Rb gene-transfected cells, compared with the nontransfected cells. These results suggest that the Rb gene transduction promotes contact growth inhibition in conjunction with the enhanced HNF-1-mediated liver-specific gene transcription in human hepatoma cells.

Inhibitory effect of phloridzin and phloretin on glucuronidation of p-nitrophenol, acetaminophen and 1-naphthol: kinetic demonstration of the influence of glucuronidation metabolism on intestinal absorption in rats.

Intestinal glucuronidation and absorption of p-nitrophenol (p-NP), acetaminophen (APAP) and 1-naphthol (alpha-NA) in the presence of phloridzin (inhibitor of Na+/glucose cotransporter) and phloretin (aglycone of phloridzin) were studied. Glucuronides of p-NP, APAP and alpha-NA appeared on both the serosal and mucosal sides. The amounts of glucuronides on the serosal side were decreased in the presence of phloridzin and phloretin. p-NP, APAP and alpha-NA appeared on the serosal side as well, and the amounts of p-NP, APAP and alpha-NA on the serosal side were increased by the presence of phloridzin and phloretin. Furthermore, the intestinal glucuronidation and absorption of alpha-NA at various concentrations were studied in the presence and absence of phloretin. Metabolic clearance was decreased in the presence of phloretin, and the absorption clearance was increased. The higher concentrations of alpha-NA caused higher absorption clearance. The lower the metabolic clearance, the higher the absorption clearance. The relationship between glucuronidation metabolism and absorption in intestine was kinetically analyzed by the metabolic inhibition model. Complete inhibition of glucuronidation improved the intestinal absorption of alpha-NA, and the absorption clearance increased to 7.17 microliter/min/cm. The formation of phloretin and an unknown metabolite from phloridzin were observed. An unknown metabolite from phloretin was observed, and was suppressed by the presence of alpha-NA. This suggests that phloridzin was hydrolyzed to phloretin, which was metabolized to glucuronide, and thereby inhibited glucuronidation of p-NP, APAP and alpha-NA.

Retention mechanism of imidazoles in connective tissue. III. Aldehyde adduct formation of a 4(5H)(or5(4H))-imidazolone product in vitro.

2-Methylimidazole (2MI), as well as imidazole, has been thought to undergo cupro-ascorbate (Cu-VC)-catalyzed oxidative transformation in vitro to become a reactive species capable of combining with aldehydes intrinsic to connective-tissue proteins. We attempted to seize the essence of the above reaction through obtaining the structural information of an aldehyde-bonding species. As major products from 2MI in the in vitro Cu-VC system, 2-hydroxymethylimidazole (2(OH)MI) and 2-methyl-4(5H)(or 5(4H))-imidazolone (2MIone) were identified by mass-spectral and chromatographic comparison with the corresponding authentic standards synthesized. The in situ addition of acetaldehyde or propionaldehyde as a simple protein-aldehyde model to the system resulted in the deducible formation of an aldol condensate, 2-methyl-4(or 5)-ethylidene-4(5H)(or 5(4H))-imidazolone (2MEIone) or its possible analogue with a propylidene moiety, respectively. The authentic compound of 2MIone directly reacted with acetaldehyde and easily afforded the products assignable to the isomers of 2MEIone through the ethylidene moiety at physiological pH and temperature, whereas neither 2MI or 2(OH)MI reacted at all. These results suggest that a 4(5H)(or 5(4H))-imidazolone product, although simply a monooxygenated form, is sufficiently reactive to give aldol condensation-typed covalent adducts with aldehydes, even under physiological conditions, probably having an activated methylene moiety in the ring structure. Based on the present results, we discussed the mechanism of the retention of imidazole-containing drugs in connective tissue.

Factors that cause the beta-anomeric preference of Na+/glucose cotransporter for intestinal transport of monosaccharide conjugates.

The intestinal transport of glucose- and galactose-conjugated acetaminophen (APAP glycoside) by Na+/glucose cotransporter (SGLT1) was studied. SGLT1-mediated transport of APAP glycosides preferred glucoside>galactoside and beta-anomer>alpha-anomer. These preferences agree with previous studies. NMR spectroscopic and molecular modeling studies indicated that the conformation of the glucose ring of alpha- and beta-glucosides of APAP, as well as glycosides in previous studies, is in the 4C1 chair form, the same form as glucose itself. Molecular dynamics analysis also indicated that the glucose ring was in the 4C1 chair form, and that there are differences between the rotational spaces of aglycones and hydroxy groups of glucose moieties between anomers. Therefore, we conclude that the beta-anomeric preference of glucose conjugate transport by SGLT1 is not due to the conformation of the glucose ring, but to the configuration of the aglycone at C-1 of the monosaccharide moiety.

Intestinal metabolism and transport of alpha-disaccharide conjugates: the role of disaccharidase in the Na+/glucose cotransporter-mediated transport.

Intestinal transport and metabolism of p-nitrophenyl alpha-disaccharides were studied. In the absorption of p-nitrophenyl alpha-melibioside, no compounds other than p-nitrophenyl alpha-melibioside were detected on either the mucosal or the serosal side. In the absorption of p-nitrophenyl alpha-maltoside, on the other hand, p-nitrophenyl alpha-glucoside was formed on the mucosal side to appear on the serosal side. p-Nitrophenol and p-nitrophenyl beta-glucuronide also appeared on the serosal side in the absorption of p-nitrophenyl alpha-maltoside, and the total amount transported to the serosal side was significantly decreased in the absence of Na+ (a cosubstrate of Na+/glucose cotransporter (SGLT1)). Furthermore, the total transport clearance of p-nitrophenyl alpha-glucoside formed from p-nitrophenyl alpha-maltoside on the mucosal side in the p-nitrophenyl alpha-maltoside absorption, was similar to that of the absorption of p-nitrophenyl alpha-glucoside itself. These results led to the conclusion that the intestinal absorption of disaccharide conjugate depended on disaccharidase, and the absorption of the alpha-maltose conjugate occurred sequentially by the maltase-catalyzed hydrolysis of the disaccharide conjugate and SGLT1-mediated transport of the glucose conjugate.

Spontaneous chemiluminescence production, lipid peroxidation, and covalent binding in rat hepatocytes exposed to acetaminophen.

Spontaneous chemiluminescence associated with the cell injury was observed in the isolated rat hepatocyte suspension during acetaminophen (APAP) metabolism, indicating the occurrence of oxidative stress. APAP apparently affected the hepatocytes in various manners. APAP, at low concentrations (1-2 mM), damaged the hepatocytes due to lipid peroxidation provoked during APAP metabolism, while at high concentrations (5-50 mM), APAP protected the hepatocytes due to a chemical antioxidant effect of the unmetabolized APAP that remained in the medium because of the saturation of APAP metabolism. The covalent binding of APAP to the hepatocytes increased with APAP concentration up to 50 mM without loss of cell viability. When an overdose of APAP was administered to rats, the APAP plasma concentration was around 1-3 mM, which corresponded to the concentration range where lipid peroxidation occurred in the isolated hepatocytes. Thus, it seems likely that lipid peroxidation contributes to the APAP-induced hepatotoxicity in the early stage of the toxic process.

Transport mechanisms of a glycoside, p-nitrophenyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside, across rat small intestinal brush-border membranes.

We examined the mechanism of p-nitrophenyl-beta-d-glucopyranoside (p-NP-beta-d-Glc) transport in brush-border membrane vesicles from rat small intestine. The initial uptake rate showed an overshoot phenomenon in the presence of an inwardly directed sodium-ion concentration gradient. The overshoot disappeared when the sodium-ion concentration gradient was replaced with a potassium ion concentration gradient. d-Glucose and p-NP-beta-D-Glc analogues inhibited the uptake, whereas uridine, leucine and disaccharide did not. Data on the concentration dependence of p-NP-beta-D-Glc uptake indicated that two carrier-mediated systems are involved. The uptake via the high-affinity site required an inwardly directed sodium-ion concentration gradient, while the uptake via the low-affinity site proceeded such a gradient. D-Glucose competitively inhibited the initial uptake of p-NP-beta-D-Glc via the high-affinity site with a Ki value of 301 microM. The p-NP-beta-D-Glc is transported in the small intestine via both the same carrier-mediated transport system that takes up D-glucose and a distinct low-affinity carrier-mediated transport system.