Behavior and drug measurements in Long-Evans and Sprague-Dawley rats after ethanol-cocaine exposure.

Long-Evans and Sprague-Dawley rats show differential behavioral responses to cocaethylene, a metabolite derived from the simultaneous ingestion of ethanol and cocaine. Such differences may also be manifested when these outbred strains are exposed to ethanol and cocaine. To test this hypothesis, both strains were fed an ethanol-diet (8.7% v/v) in conjunction with cocaine (15 mg/kg) injections for 15 days. The following parameters were evaluated: (a) ethanol consumption, (b) cocaine-induced behavioral activity, (c) blood ethanol levels, (d) blood, liver, or brain cocaine and cocaethylene levels, and (e) liver catalase and esterase activity. We found that Long-Evans rats drank significantly more of the ethanol diet relative to the Sprague-Dawley line during the first few days of the test session. This rat phenotype also differed significantly from the Sprague-Dawley line in terms of behavioral activity after cocaine administration. Blood ethanol levels did not differ between strains. Similarly, we failed to detect strain-dependent differences in blood, liver, or brain cocaine levels as measured by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Cocaethylene levels, however, were higher in blood and brain of Long-Evans relative to Sprague-Dawley cohorts. Although the ethanol-cocaine regimen produced a marked suppression of catalase and esterase activity compared with control-fed rats, this suppression was roughly equivalent in both rat phenotypes. These data are discussed in the context of genotypic background and vulnerability to polysubstance abuse.

Effect of cocaine on cardiac biochemical functions.

The role of cocaine in cardiac ischemia and subsequent reversible and irreversible pathologic changes is well established. Nevertheless, the mechanisms leading to cardiac injury and irreversible cellular changes remain elusive. Reactive oxygen species (ROSs) are the critical mediators of cellular damage during ischemia-reperfusion. To explore the response of cardiac oxidative stress parameters to intravenous (i.v.) And intraperitoneal (i.p.) cocaine exposure, cardiac total glutathione (GSH, GSSG), malonaldialdehyde (MDA), Mn-superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD), catalase (CAT), GSH-peroxidase (GSH-px), and GSH s-transferase (GST) were measured, along with biochemical and histologic markers indicative of cardiac injury. Repeated i.p. cocaine exposure produced significant impairment in cardiac integrity, demonstrated by increased circulating lactate (2.4-fold; p < 0.0001), creatine kinase (2.2-fold; p < 0.0001), and creatinine levels (1.7-fold; p < 0.0001). Infiltration of neutrophils into myocardial cavities also was evident. These changes paralleled increases in cardiac MDA (25%; p < 0.04), GSSG (55%; p < 0.001), protein carbonyls (23%; p < 0.05), and Mn-SOD (23%; p < 0.05) levels, indicative of oxidative stress, decreases in GSH (35%; p < 0.01), adenosine triphosphate (ATP; 26%; p < 0.04), GSH-px (28%; p < 0.03), CAT (32%; p < 0.01), and GST (50%; p < 0.001) levels. Intravenous cocaine administration also had similar effects on cardiac oxidative stress measures. In conclusion, our data indicate that cocaine administration compromised the heart's antioxidant defense system.

Cocaine-induced increase of Mn-SOD in adult rat liver cells.

Cultured adult rat liver cells (non-induced) were exposed to two different concentrations (2 microg/ml and 4 microg/ml) of cocaine-HCI for 1-3 hours. Cocaine-treated rat liver cells showed a significant increase in manganese superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD) activity with time. Coinciding the rise in Mn-SOD activity was the Mn-SOD mRNA transcript, which also demonstrated a time-dependent elevation in its level (p<0.005). At the end of 1 and 3 hr. of cocaine exposure, the increase in Mn-SOD activity was 23% (p<0.05) and 39% (p<0.005), respectively. In contrast, activities of catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-px) were significantly diminished. Induction of Mn-SOD mRNA by cocaine (4 microg/ml) was inhibited by actinomycin D (4 microM), revealing that the up regulation of Mn-SOD involved transcriptional activation. The increase in Mn-SOD was accompanied by a decrease in liver cell integrity, indicated by increased lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release by rat liver cells. These results suggest that antioxidant enzymes may play a critical role in cocaine-induced liver injury.

Impairment of mitochondrial respiration and electron transport chain enzymes during cocaine-induced hepatic injury.

Morphological and biochemical changes in mitochondrial have been reported early in the course of cocaine-induced hepatotoxicity. This study was designed to examine the effects of repeated cocaine exposure in vivo on mitochondrial respiration, activities of respiratory chain enzymes, and lipid peroxide measures in liver. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to cocaine (5 i.p. injections of 25 mg/kg; 3-day period). Blood and liver samples were taken, and hepatic mitochondria were isolated by differential centrifugation. The cocaine-treated rats developed oxidative stress in hepatic mitochondria as evidenced by a significant increase in malonaldialdehyde (MDA; 52%; p < 0.0001) and a decreased glutathione (GSH; 22%; p < 0.0003). Blood aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and glutathione s-transferase (GST) levels in cocaine groups were significantly elevated (2.6 and 3.2 fold, respectively; p < 0.0001 for both). Cocaine caused a decrease in state-3 respiration and respiratory control ratio (RCR) ratio when exposed to site I and II substrates; these changes were parallelled by a decrease in complex I (22%; p < 0.003), succinate cytochrome c reductase (27%; p < 0.004), and complex IV (24%; p < 0.003). In conclusion, functional abnormalities of hepatic mitochondria accompany lipid peroxidation caused by cocaine, supporting the hypothesis that the mitochondria is one of the major intracellular targets of cocaine hepatotoxicity.

Cocaine-induced peroxidative stress in rat liver: antioxidant enzymes and mitochondria.

This study investigated how the cocaine-induced lipid peroxidation affected liver antioxidant enzymes and mitochondria. Acute cocaine (40 mg/kg) injection produced a significant, time-dependent increase in manganese-superoxide dismutase (Mn/SOD) activity and cellular thiobarbuturic acid reactive substances (TBARS), but activities of glutathione peroxidase and catalase were reduced significantly. These changes coincided with increased production of reactive oxygen species by mitochondria and decreased cellular ATP and glutathione. Binge cocaine (25 mg/kg; 5 injections in 3 days) significantly increased TBARS and conjugated dienes, but decreased ATP and glutathione. Accumulation of TBARS and reduction of glutathione was seen in mitochondria. Activities and mRNA of Mn/SOD and copper-zinc-superoxide dismutase were significantly elevated, but mRNA and activities of glutathione peroxidase and catalase were decreased in cocaine-treated rats. Cocaine (binge model) produced scattered liver necrosis (20%) and compromised cell integrity. This is the first report demonstrating cocaine-induced liver necrosis in rats. Pretreatment (acute model) with dimethylaminoethyl-2,2-diphenylvalerate, inhibitor of cocaine bioactivation, curtailed in part the generation of reactive oxygen species by mitochondrial fraction. Dimethylaminoethyl-2,2-diphenylvalerate also prevented the increase of TBARS and Mn/SOD. The results suggest that elevated levels of Mn/SOD and copper-zinc-superoxide dismutase, without a concomitant increase in glutathione peroxidase, catalase and glutathione s-transferase, may have contributed to cocaine-induced cellular and mitochondrial peroxidative stress. Reactive metabolites of cocaine N-oxidative metabolism may be responsible for the cocaine-induced oxidative stress and liver necrosis.

Effects of dietary restriction on experimental gastric mucosal injury in Fischer 344 rats.

The present study was designed to determine whether dietary restriction would render rats more resistant to experimental gastric mucosal injury induced by either aspirin or acidified ethanol. We have found that dietary restriction rendered rats more resistant to experimental gastric mucosal injury, and that dietary restriction prevented decreases in endogenous mucosal antioxidants (such as glutathione) and energy stores (such as adenosine triphosphate) in rat stomachs that had been injured by acidified ethanol. Our findings suggest that dietary restriction may reverse some of the age-related reductions in gastric mucosal protective factors and thereby may render the aged stomach more resistant to experimental injury.

Ethanol-induced oxidative stress and enzymatic defenses in cultured fetal rat hepatocytes.

Previously, we have documented an ethanol (E)-induced oxidative stress (OS) in cultured fetal rat hepatocytes (FRH). The cause of this is uncertain, but an inhibition of key antioxidant enzymes could be a/the factor. OS was also observed in fetal liver (FL) during in utero E exposure, but not in maternal liver, a difference that might be related to selectively lower enzymatic defenses in the fetus. Here, we record effects of E on activities of catalase (Cat), superoxide dismutase (Cu, Zn SOD and Mn SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) in FRH isolated from 20-day-old fetuses and exposed to E (2 mg/ml) for up to 24 h and we compare these to adult rat liver data. E treatment decreased fetal liver reduced glutathione (GSH) pools by 23% (p < 0.05) and increased malondialdehyde (MDA) by 14% (p < 0.05) within 24 h of E exposure. E caused an increase in fetal liver Cat by 18%, 32%, and 47% by 3, 6, and 24 h of E, respectively (p < 0.05). A 24-h E exposure increased Cu, Zn SOD by 22% (p < 0.05) and Mn SOD by 21% (p < 0.05). A 24 h E treatment increased GPX by 18% (p < 0.05) and GST by 17% (p < 0.05). Cat in whole FL was 26% of adult (p < 0.05) whereas Cu, Zn SOD and Mn SOD in whole FL were 12% and 11% of adult levels (p < 0.05). GPX and GST in FL were 11% and 28% of adult values (p < 0.05). It is concluded that in FRH, E-induced OS is not caused by impaired activities of these enzymes, but their low basal activities (vs. adult) may predispose the fetus to OS.

In utero ethanol exposure elicits oxidative stress in the rat fetus.

Prior studies in our laboratory have shown that exposure of cultured fetal rat hepatocytes to ethanol (E) blocks epidermal growth factor-dependent replication and that this is paralleled by cell membrane damage, mitochondrial dysfunction, membrane lipid peroxidation (LP), and enhanced generation of reactive oxygen species. These measures of E-mediated oxidative stress (OS) were mitigated by treatment with antioxidants, and cell replication could be normalized by maintaining cell glutathione (GSH) pools. We have now extended these studies to an in vivo model. Rats were administered E (4 g/kg, po) at 12-hr intervals on days 17 and 18 of gestation and killed on day 19, 1 hr following a final dose of E (a total of 5 doses). Fetal and maternal brain and liver were assayed for signs of OS. The 2-day in utero E exposure increased membrane LP in fetal brain as evidenced by increased malondialdehyde (MDA) levels from 1.76 +/- 0.12 SE (nMol/mg protein) to 2.00 +/- 0.08 (p < 0.05) and conjugated dienes from 0.230 +/- 0.006 SE (OD223/mg lipid) to 0.282 +/- 0.006 (p < 0.05). In fetal liver, MDA levels increased from 2.39 +/- 0.08 SE (nMol/mg protein) to 2.87 +/- 0.08 (p < 0.05), whereas dienes differed significantly only between ad libitum controls and the E and pair-fed control groups (p < 0.05). E decreased GSH levels in fetal brain by 19%, from 19.88 +/- 0.72 to 16.13 +/- 1.06 (nMol/mg protein) (p < 0.05). A 10% decrease in GSH was seen in fetal liver (p < 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Proteolytic activity of Aeromonas caviae.

Aeromonas strains produce a variety of virulence factors including proteases. Studies on the kinetics of growth of Aeromonas caviae NRRL B-966 and its proteases suggest that the proteolytic activities are produced throughout the growth phase, with peak level occurring at stationary phase. A. caviae synthesize both intracellular and extracellular proteases with the latter account for major portion of the total activity. Optimum pH for the A. caviae proteolytic activity is at 7.0. A. caviae produces a thermoresistant protease, whose activity is dependent on Mg++ and Ca++ ions. Inhibition of proteolytic activity by phenyl methyl sulfonyl fluoride suggest the presence of a serine protease in A. caviae. Nitrogenous compounds enhance the proteolytic activity while carbohydrates tested in this study inhibit the activity.

Effect of acute ethanol exposure on cultured fetal rat hepatocytes: relation to mitochondrial function.

Studies from our laboratory have shown that short-term ethanol exposure inhibits epidermal growth factor-dependent replication of cultured fetal rat hepatocytes, along with a drop in ATP level, and that these effects could be caused, at least in part, by ethanol-induced oxidative stress. In these prior studies, mitochondrial morphology was abnormal and membrane lipid peroxidation products were increased, along with reduced transmembrane potential and enhanced permeability to sucrose. To define the effects of ethanol on mitochondrial function further, the present study examines the impact of ethanol exposure on mitochondrial electron transport chain components. A 24-hr exposure of cultured fetal rat hepatocytes to ethanol (2.5 mg/ml) reduced mitochondrial complex I activity by 16% (p < 0.05), complex IV by 28% (p < 0.05), and succinate dehydrogenase by 23% (p < 0.05). This reduction was paralleled by lower ADP translocase activity (24%, p < 0.05) and diminished mitochondrial glutathione (GSH) (20%, p < 0.05). Pretreatment with 0.1 mM S-adenosyl methionine, before ethanol exposure, normalized mitochondrial GSH along with activities of complex I, complex IV, and succinate dehydrogenase. A 3-hr exposure of isolated mitochondria (which do not metabolize ethanol) to ethanol (2.5 mg/ml), inhibited the activities of complex I (19%, p < 0.05), complex IV (24%, p < 0.05), and of ATP synthesis (20%, p < 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Characterisation of haemolytic activity from Aeromonas caviae.

Aeromonas caviae, an enteropathogen associated with gastroenteritis, displays several virulence characteristics. Studies on the kinetics of growth of A. caviae and expression of beta-haemolytic toxin revealed that A. caviae produced maximum haemolytic activity extracellularly during the stationary phase. Preliminary studies on the properties of A. caviae haemolysin suggested that divalent cations (Mg2+ and Ca2+) and thiol compounds, dithiothreitol and mercaptoethanol enhanced the haemolytic activity. Addition of L-cysteine, glutathione and EDTA reduced the haemolytic activity. The iron chelator, 2-2' bipyridyl, significantly inhibited the growth of A. caviae possibly by iron limitation, with parallel enhancement of haemolysin production compared to A. caviae grown in excess of iron. These results suggest that A. caviae produces only beta-haemolysin, which resembles the haemolysins reported for several other bacteria and the activity might be regulated by environmental factors especially iron.

Factors influencing beta-galactosidase activity of Aeromonas caviae.

Aeromonas caviae, often reported to be associated with diarrhoeal patients, elaborates several virulence factors as well as catabolic enzymes such as xylanase and beta-galactosidase. Studies on the kinetics of growth of A. caviae and synthesis of beta-galactosidase suggested that the activity was cell associated and reached a peak during the late logarithmic phase of growth. The optimum pH for beta-galactosidase activity was 7.0 and required Ca2+ and glutathione for enhancement of its activity; IPTG also slightly improved the activity. Aerobic cultivation of A. caviae in LB containing glucose, fructose, maltose and sucrose completely inhibited the activity possibly due to acetic acid production. Addition of 100 mM cAMP to the media containing glucose (0.25%, w/v) restored the relative activity by 8.8%; however, the final pH of the media remained acidic. Aerobic growth of A. caviae with other carbon sources did not affect beta-galactosidase activity, probably as there was no acid production and thereby the final pH of the media unaltered. Arabinose, xylose and galactose induced the A. caviae beta-galactosidase activity by several folds and lactose moderately enhanced its activity.

Effect of ethanol on rat fetal hepatocytes: studies on cell replication, lipid peroxidation and glutathione.

Studies have shown that ethanol at moderate concentrations inhibits epidermal growth factor-dependent replication of fetal rat hepatocytes in culture. This may account for the growth/development impairment associated with fetal alcohol syndrome and decreased liver regeneration in alcoholic liver disease. In this study, we further define the mechanism(s) of the negative impact of ethanol on fetal rat hepatocytes and provide evidence that ethanol-induced injury to these cells is associated with membrane damage caused by lipid peroxidation, altered cell glutathione homeostasis and deranged mitochondrial structure and function. Exposure of fetal rat hepatocyte replication to ethanol (2 mg/ml) promptly resulted in blockade of replication, as indicated by a 40% reduction in DNA synthesis (p < 0.05). Assessment of cell injury on the basis of lactate dehydrogenase and ALT leakage indicated a statistically significant but not appreciable effect, whereas 51Cr leakage was more substantially increased (p < 0.05). Within 6 hr of ethanol exposure, superoxide radical levels increased more than twofold (p < 0.05). We noted a 56% increase in levels of diene conjugates, a 131% increase in malonaldehyde concentration and a 66% increase in fluorescent products of lipid peroxidation (all p < 0.05). Glutathione levels were decreased to 47% below control values (p < 0.05). Electron microscopic studies illustrated a slight disruption of mitochondrial structure (enlargement of mitochondria and dilation of cristae). This disruption was accompanied by mitochondrial swelling (increased permeability), altered mitochondrial membrane potential (a 16% decrease in rhodamine uptake), a 28% decrease in succinate dehydrogenase activity and a 30% decrease in cellular ATP level (p < 0.05). Pretreatment of fetal rat hepatocytes with 0.1 mmol/L N-acetylcysteine or S-adenosylmethionine for 24 hr prevented the ethanol-induced reduction of ATP and glutathione levels, essentially restored cell replication, ameliorated 51Cr leakage and decreased malonaldehyde and diene conjugate levels to 41% to 65% and 25% above control values, respectively. Pretreatment with 0.1 mmol/L vitamin E fully normalized malonaldehyde and diene conjugate levels and 51Cr leakage but failed to improve ATP levels or to increase significantly cell replication and glutathione levels. Concomitant administration of glutathione precursors with ethanol, rather than pretreatment, did not alter the impaired cell replication. Thus our data underscore the importance of cellular glutathione and ATP in preventing ethanol-induced decreases in fetal cell replication and suggest that alleviation of cellular lipid peroxidation alone is not sufficient to prevent this abnormality in fetal rat hepatocyte function.

Ganciclovir transfer by human placenta and its effects on rat fetal cells.

Cytomegalovirus is a common cause of intrauterine infection. Ganciclovir is an accepted therapeutic agent for this infection, but is proscribed in pregnancy, except when there is a life-threatening maternal infection, because of its known teratogenic and embryotoxic effects in experimental animals. There are no such data in humans and the human transplacental transfer of this drug has not been studied. This study defines the rate and mechanism of human-placental ganciclovir transport using maternal-facing syncytiotrophoblast vesicles and the perfused, isolated single-cotyledon system and determines further the effects of ganciclovir on fetal tissue, using cultured rat fetal hepatocytes. Ganciclovir was taken up by the maternal-facing placental membrane by a carrier-dependent, Na-independent system inhibited by adenine, guanine, and acyclovir, but not by cytosine and thymine or thymidine and uridine. By contrast, the overall transfer of the drug by the placenta was passive and without drug metabolism. Therefore, the drug is concentrated initially at the maternal placental surface and then crosses passively into the fetal compartment, with the latter process being rate-limiting. There was little or no toxic effect of high concentrations of ganciclovir on cultured fetal-rat hepatocytes.

Ontogeny of hepatocyte proliferation inhibitor activity during human liver development and its effect on cell proliferation in in vivo and in vitro studies.

Ontogeny of hepatocyte proliferation inhibitory (HPI) activity was studied during human liver development. HPI activity was first noticed in the cytosolic fraction of 20-week-old fetal liver and thereafter it began to increase with the liver maturation. An inverse correlation between the ontogeny of HPI activity and mitotic counting of the hepatocytes during human liver development was established. The crude HPI fraction from fetal and adult human liver inhibited the incorporation of [3H]thymidine into the DNA of 2-day-old rat liver and HepG2 cells and the inhibitory effect was directly proportional to the age of the HPI source. Prolonged exposure of HepG2 cells to the HPI fraction was also found to be cytotoxic. Preliminary characterization of the crude HPI fraction revealed an age-dependent increase in proteins of 18, 28, and 60 kilodaltons following silver chloride staining of sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and densitometric scanning.

Changes in membrane fluidity during human liver development.

The physico-chemical properties of the hepatic plasma membrane during prenatal period of development and in adult human liver were studied. Fluorescence polarization studies using the lipid probe pyrene, clearly demonstrated a significant reduction in the membrane fluidity with liver maturation. Lipid analysis showed an age dependent reduction in lipid/protein ratio while there was an increase in membrane cholesterol throughout the prenatal period and in adult human liver which decreased the membrane fluidity. Hepatic plasma membrane from prenatal liver also showed a decrease in phosphatidyl choline/phosphatidyl ethanolamine ratio and an increase in sphingomyelin/phosphatidyl choline ratio. These results suggest that there is a gradual decrease in lipid content and membrane fluidity during the prenatal period of development which might regulate the differentiation of membrane associated function in human liver.

Glycogen metabolism during human liver development.

Development of enzymes of glycogen metabolism in human fetal and neonatal liver was investigated. Glycogen was present in quantitatable amount from early gestational age onwards; however, ultrastructurally it could not be detected earlier than 20 weeks. Increase in glycogen synthetase a activity during 21-36 weeks of gestation subsequently resulted in glycogen accumulation. A rapid degradation of this glycogen storage, at birth, was accompanied by an elevation in glycogen phosphorylase a activity. The present investigation to be the first to provide a complete profile of glycogen storage and differentiation of glycogen metabolising enzymes in preparing the prenatal fetus for its independent nutritional life.

Studies on urea cycle enzyme levels in the human fetal liver at different gestational ages.

Urea cycle enzymes involved in the detoxification of ammonia were studied in liver tissues of 57 male and 49 female fetuses of different age groups ranging from 13 to 36 wk of gestation. Surgical wedge biopsies of liver from 18 male and 12 female adults were used as controls. Significant enzyme activity was found to be present as early as the 13th wk of gestation. As gestational age advanced, enzyme activity gradually increased, reaching about 90% of the adult activity by the 36th wk of gestation.

Localization of intracellular zinc under conditions of altered permeability control of the plasma membrane.

Intracellular zinc was located as electron dense granules associated with the plasma membrane, endoplasmic reticular membranes, mitochondrial membranes, nuclear membranes and chromatin in Zajdela ascitic hepatoma and AK5 macrophage ascitic tumour cells. The quantity of intracellular zinc estimated by atomic emission spectrometer was different in the two cell lines. However, after loss of permeability control by the plasma membrane, involving glutaraldehyde and heat-shock treatments, the quantity of intracellular zinc was increased to almost the same extent in both cases.

Differential expression of c-erbB, c-myc and c-myb oncogene loci in human lymphomas and leukemias.

Total cellular polyadenylated RNA from a variety of fresh human lymphoma and leukemia cells, characterized by histopathology and certain cell surface markers, was analyzed for the expression of three distinct cellular oncogenes (c-onc genes), c-erbB, c-myc and c-myb by dot-blot hybridization assays. Probes used were molecularly cloned DNA containing the respective oncogene sequence of avian erythroblastosis virus, myelocytomatosis virus (MC29) and myeloblastosis virus. All lymphoma-leukemia cells irrespective of B, T or non-B/non-T lymphocyte lineage expressed the c-erbB locus. This gene was also found to be active in normal peripheral blood lymphocytes and lymphocytes from lymph nodes showing reactive hyperplasia. This observation suggested that c-erbB might be normally involved in cell growth functions since it was not unique to hematopoietic malignancies. In contrast to c-erbB, elevated expressions of c-myc or c-myb were detected in certain neoplasms of B-lymphocytes and some other lymphoproliferative disorders as compared to the majority of the samples tested which showed either low or undetectable levels of these transcripts. An examination of B-cell lymphomas and leukemias in which the majority of the cellular populations expressed either Kappa or lambda surface lg light chain molecules revealed variations in the levels of c-onc transcripts within a morphologic and immunologic subtype. These findings support the notion that, in general, genetic heterogeneity exists in groups of hematopoietic proliferations defined by conventional histopathologic and immunologic criteria. Although with the majority of the specimens there was no obvious correlation between the morphologic cell type of lymphoma/leukemia and the c-onc RNA levels, interestingly two of the three samples diagnosed as chronic lymphocytic leukemia, B-cell type, showed considerably increased transcription of the c-myc gene relative to the other B-cell neoplasms. Thus a class of differentiated B-cell leukemia has been identified in which the molecular mechanisms which affect c-myc gene expression can now be investigated.