3-(4-Hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl) propionic acid contributes to improved hepatic lipid metabolism via GPR41.

3-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl) propionic acid (HMPA) is a metabolite produced by the gut microbiota through the conversion of 4-hydroxy-3-methoxycinnamic acid (HMCA), which is a widely distributed hydroxycinnamic acid-derived metabolite found abundantly in plants. Several beneficial effects of HMPA have been suggested, such as antidiabetic properties, anticancer activities, and cognitive function improvement, in animal models and human studies. However, the intricate molecular mechanisms underlying the bioaccessibility and bioavailability profile following HMPA intake and the substantial modulation of metabolic homeostasis by HMPA require further elucidation. In this study, we effectively identified and characterized HMPA-specific GPR41 receptor, with greater affinity than HMCA. The activation of this receptor plays a crucial role in the anti-obesity effects and improvement of hepatic steatosis by stimulating the lipid catabolism pathway. For the improvement of metabolic disorders, our results provide insights into the development of functional foods, including HMPA, and preventive pharmaceuticals targeting GPR41.

Pharmacokinetic profiles of 3-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl) propionic acid and its conjugates in Sprague-Dawley rats.

3-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)propionic acid (HMPA) is one of the end-products from gut microbiota from dietary polyphenols, which might contribute to their health benefits. This study aims to investigate the absorption, metabolism, and tissue accumulation of HMPA in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. After HMPA (10 mg/kg body weight) was orally administered, intact and conjugated HMPAs in the bloodstream were detected and reached the maximum concentration in 15 min (HMPA, 2.6 ± 0.4 nmol/mL; sulfated HMPA, 3.6 ± 0.9 nmol/mL; glucuronidated HMPA, 0.55 ± 0.09 nmol/mL). HMPA and its conjugates were also detected in the target organs 6 h postadministration, indicating that HMPA undergoes rapid conversion into conjugates, and they broadly distribute to organs with similar profiles (kidneys > liver > thoracic aorta > heart > soleus muscle > lungs). This study demonstrated that orally administered HMPA (10 mg/kg) in SD rats undergoes rapid metabolism and wide tissue distribution with ≥1.2% absorption ratio.

S-Nitrosylation of the virulence regulator AphB promotes Vibrio cholerae pathogenesis.

Vibrio cholerae is the etiologic agent of the severe human diarrheal disease cholera. To colonize mammalian hosts, this pathogen must defend against host-derived toxic compounds, such as nitric oxide (NO) and NO-derived reactive nitrogen species (RNS). RNS can covalently add an NO group to a reactive cysteine thiol on target proteins, a process called protein S-nitrosylation, which may affect bacterial stress responses. To better understand how V. cholerae regulates nitrosative stress responses, we profiled V. cholerae protein S-nitrosylation during RNS exposure. We identified an S-nitrosylation of cysteine 235 of AphB, a LysR-family transcription regulator that activates the expression of tcpP, which activates downstream virulence genes. Previous studies show that AphB C235 is sensitive to O2 and reactive oxygen species (ROS). Under microaerobic conditions, AphB formed dimer and directly repressed transcription of hmpA, encoding a flavohemoglobin that is important for NO resistance of V. cholerae. We found that tight regulation of hmpA by AphB under low nitrosative stress was important for V. cholerae optimal growth. In the presence of NO, S-nitrosylation of AphB abolished AphB activity, therefore relieved hmpA expression. Indeed, non-modifiable aphBC235S mutants were sensitive to RNS in vitro and drastically reduced colonization of the RNS-rich mouse small intestine. Finally, AphB S-nitrosylation also decreased virulence gene expression via debilitation of tcpP activation, and this regulation was also important for V. cholerae RNS resistance in vitro and in the gut. These results suggest that the modulation of the activity of virulence gene activator AphB via NO-dependent protein S-nitrosylation is critical for V. cholerae RNS resistance and colonization.

Noninvasive monitoring of HPMA copolymer-RGDfK conjugates by magnetic resonance imaging.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the tumor targeting potential of N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide (HPMA) copolymer-gadolinium(Gd)-RGDfK conjugates by magnetic resonance (MR) T1-mapping. METHODS: HPMA copolymers with and without RGDfK were synthesized to incorporate side chains for Gd chelation. The conjugates were characterized by their side-chain contents and r(1) relaxivity. In vitro integrin-binding affinities of polymeric conjugates were assessed via competitive cell binding assays on HUVEC endothelial cells and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. In vivo MR imaging was performed on MDA-MB-231 tumor-bearing SCID mice at different time points using non-targetable and targetable polymers. The specificity of alphavbeta3 targeting was assessed by using non-paramagnetic targetable polymer to block alphavbeta3 integrins followed by injection of paramagnetic targetable polymers after 2 h. RESULTS: The polymer conjugates showed relaxivities higher than Gd-DOTA. Endothelial cell binding studies showed that IC(50) values for the copolymer with RGDfK binding to alphavbeta3 integrin-positive HUVEC and MDA-MB-231 cells were similar to that of free peptide. Significantly lower T1 values were observed at the tumor site after 2 h using targetable conjugate (p < 0.012). In vivo blocking study showed significantly higher T1 values (p < 0.045) compared to targetable conjugate. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrate the potential of this conjugate as an effective targetable MR contrast agent for tumor imaging and therapy monitoring.

Evaluation of hexamethylphosphoramide for gene mutations in Salmonella typhimurium using plate incorporation, preincubation, and suspension assays.

Hexamethylphosphoramide (HMPA), a potent rat nasal carcinogen by inhalation, and three of its metabolites, pentamethylphosphoramide (PMPA), trimethylphosphoramide (TriMPA), and formaldehyde (HCHO), were assessed in Salmonella typhimurium gene mutation assays using various protocols, including plate incorporation, preincubation and suspension assays. HMPA (tested up to 15,000 micrograms/plate) was not mutagenic in plate incorporation or preincubation assays with or without metabolic activation. HCHO was mutagenic in the plate incorporation and preincubation assays (tested up to 150 micrograms/plate). In suspension assays, however, HMPA (tested up to 40 mg/ml), PMPA (up to 44 mg/ml) and HCHO (up to 45 micrograms/ml), but not TriMPA (up to 29 mg/ml), were mutagenic. HMPA and PMPA were positive only with activation. HMPA's mutagenicity was optimized using a relatively high level of rat liver S9 protein (3.5 mg/plate) in the metabolic activation mixture. Semicarbazide, an HCHO trapping agent, added at concentrations up to 167 micrograms/ml, markedly inhibited the mutagenic activities of HMPA and PMPA suggesting that HCHO generation may play a role in their mutagenicity. These studies show that HMPA is mutagenic in a modified Salmonella typhimurium reverse mutation assay with metabolic activation. Successive N-demethylation of HMPA eventually eliminates the mutagenic activity which further suggests that HMPA's mutagenic activity is related to the release of HCHO.

DNA-protein crosslink formation in rat nasal epithelial cells by hexamethylphosphoramide and its correlation with formaldehyde production.

Hexamethylphosphoramide (HMPA) is an aprotic polar solvent and nasal carcinogen in rats. The metabolism of HMPA to formaldehyde, another nasal carcinogen in rats, was found to be approximately 6 times greater in microsomes from olfactory tissues than from respiratory tissues (isolated from both male and female rats). HMPA was shown to induce formation of DNA-protein crosslinks (DPXLS) in isolated rat nasal epithelial cells. Using a filter binding assay, we demonstrated that microsomal activation is necessary for HMPA-induced crosslink formation between plasmid DNA and calf thymus histones, presumably through metabolic N-demethylation of HMPA and the formation of formaldehyde. Both formaldehyde production and DPXL formation were inhibited by pre-incubation of nasal mucosal extracts with metyrapone, an inhibitor of cytochrome P-450. Significant dose-dependent increases in DPXL formation were observed in respiratory and olfactory epithelial cells exposed to > or = 0.5 and 1 mM HMPA, respectively, for 3 h at 37 degrees C. This resulted in DPXL accumulation at 18-20% higher levels than untreated cells. Increases in DPXL formation in rat nasal epithelial cells cultured with 1 mM HMPA were inhibited by over 70% by co-administration of metyrapone. These data suggest that metabolic liberation of formaldehyde from HMPA is involved in the mechanism of HMPA-induced nasal carcinogenesis. Comparative studies showed formaldehyde to be more potent than HMPA in the induction of DPXL in nasal epithelium. However, induction of tumor formation after two years at 50 ppb HMPA and 6 ppm formaldehyde show the former to be active at several-fold lower concentrations. Therefore, other mechanisms are likely to be involved in HMPA nasal carcinogenesis.

Immunochemical characterization of multiple forms of cytochrome P-450 in rabbit nasal microsomes and evidence for tissue-specific expression of P-450s NMa and NMb.

Two unique forms of cytochrome P-450 (P-450), designated NMa and NMb, were recently isolated in this laboratory from nasal microsomes of rabbits. In the present study, polyclonal antibodies to the purified nasal cytochromes were prepared. Immunochemical analysis with specific rabbit anti-NMa and sheep anti-NMb antibodies indicated that P-450 isozymes identical to or having a high structural homology with NMa are present in both olfactory and respiratory mucosa, as well as in liver, but NMb was detected only in the olfactory mucosa. Neither form was detected in other tissues examined, including brain, esophageal mucosa, heart, intestinal mucosa, kidney, and lung. The specific occurrence of NMb in the olfactory mucosa was further substantiated by the detection and specific inhibition by anti-NMb of the formation of unique NMb-dependent metabolites of testosterone in olfactory microsomes but not in microsomes from liver or respiratory mucosa. Similar experiments with antibodies to previously purified rabbit hepatic P-450 isozymes indicated that not all of the hepatic cytochromes are expressed in the nasal tissues. Thus, P-450 isozymes structurally homologous to hepatic forms 2, 3a, and 4, but not 3b and 6, were found in the olfactory mucosa. On the other hand, only form 2 was detected in the respiratory mucosa. Immunoquantitation experiments revealed that NMa and NMb are the major P-450 forms in olfactory microsomes, whereas NMa and P-450 form 2 (or its homolog) constitute the major portion of the respiratory nasal microsomal P-450. The level of NMa in the liver is relatively low, accounting for less than 3% of total microsomal P-450 in this tissue. In addition, evidence is provided that NMa is the major catalyst in the dealkylation of two nasal carcinogens, hexamethylphosphoramide and phenacetin, in both olfactory and respiratory nasal microsomes.

Importance of multiple hydroxylated metabolites in hexamethylphosphoramide (HMPA)-mediated mutagenesis in Drosophila melanogaster.

The mutagenic profiles in Drosophila and the influence of inhibition of metabolism on genotoxic activity were determined for hexamethylphosphoric triamide (HMPA), some synthetically prepared presumed metabolites and ethylated analogs. Demethylated HMPA metabolites are considerably less mutagenic than HMPA, dependent on the degree of demethylation. The mutagenicity of the presumptive primary metabolite, hydroxymethyl pentamethylphosphoramide (HM-Me5-PA), is comparable to HMPA and can be decreased considerably by inhibition of the metabolism by 1-phenylimidazole or iproniazid. This suggests that further oxidative metabolism is required for mutagenic activity. The mutagenicity of the doubly hydroxylated HMPA metabolite, N,N'-bis(hydroxymethyl)-tetramethylphosphoramide (N,N'-(HM)2-Me4-PA) can also be decreased by inhibition of metabolism, whereas the 3-fold hydroxylated N,N',-N"-(HM)3-Me3-PA is not affected by pretreatment with enzyme inhibitors, indicating that no further oxidative metabolism is required for its activation. A second hydroxylation on 1 dimethylamino group, forming N,N-(HM)2-Me4-PA, results in a drastic loss of mutagenic activity. Further oxidation of HM-Me5-PA to formyl pentamethylphosphoramide (formyl-Me5-PA) also leads to a strong reduction of the genotoxic activity. The rearrangement product of N-oxidation, N-[bis(dimethylamino)phosphinyl)-oxy)dimethylamine (HMPOA) is not mutagenic in Drosophila. The very low mutagenicity of hexaethylphosphoramide (Et6-PA) allowed us to study the mutagenicity of some ethyl-hydroxymethyl hybrid compounds. For the ethylated phosphoramides also the presence of only 1 hydroxymethyl group is insufficient for mutagenic activity, whereas the introduction of 2 or 3 hydroxymethyl groups resulted in considerable genotoxicity in the sex-linked recessive lethal (SLRL) test as well as in the ring-X loss test. It is concluded that the bioactivation of HMPA in Drosophila proceeds via multiple metabolic hydroxylations to form multifunctional, cross-linking agents. The presence of an oxygen atom on the phosphorus appears to be a prerequisite for the genotoxic activity of HMPA as hexamethylphosphorus triamide (HMPT), a derivative lacking this oxygen, is only weakly mutagenic in Drosophila. The results presented in this paper do not support the theory that formaldehyde is the active principle of activated HMPA.

Biotransformation enzymes in nasal mucosa and liver of Sprague-Dawley rats.

The metabolism of hexamethylphosphoramide (HMPA), aminopyrine, ethoxycoumarin, ethoxyresorufin, and pentoxyresorufin, by the monooxygenase cytochrome P-450-dependent system, was studied in microsomes from nasal epithelial membranes and liver tissue of Sprague-Dawley rats. Nasal metabolism rates for the different substrates ranged from 9% of liver values for aminopyrine to 83% for ethoxycoumarin. HMPA-demethylase activity followed Michaelis-Menten kinetics in nasal mucosa microsomes but was biphasic in those from liver. SKF 525A, metyrapone, dioxolane and alpha-naphthoflavone (ANF), inhibitors of various P-450 monoxygenases, were examined with regard to inhibition of nasal and liver ethoxycoumarin deethylase. In addition, activity of epoxide hydrolase, glutathione S-transferase, DT-diaphorase and UDP-glucuronyltransferase (UDP-GT) in nasal tissue homogenates were investigated. These activities were generally lower than those present in the liver. Various attempts to increase the activity of oxidative enzymes in nasal tissue by PB, 3-MC and ethanol failed, 3-MC and PB doubled the microsomal UDP-GT and the epoxide hydrolase activities. The results together with data from the literature suggest that the balance between P-450 isozymes and detoxifying enzymes differs in the nose compared with the liver. The activities of these enzymes in nasal tissue of different strains of rats also varies substantially with implications regarding the metabolic fate and activation of inhaled xenobiotics.

The determination of parts per billion concentrations of hexamethylphosphoramide and its metabolite, pentamethylphosphoramide, in urine.

Hexamethylphosphoramide (HMPA) possesses unique solvent properties as a solvent in organic and organometallic reactions. Its acute toxicity is low to moderate. Its chronic toxicity is more severe in that inhalation exposure to HMPA vapor concentrations as low as 50 ppb for 12 months produced squamous cell carcinoma of the nasal cavity in laboratory rats. A simple and rapid technique for measuring in urine HMPA and its principal metabolite, pentamethylphosphoramide (PMPA) is described. Twenty mL of 50% (w/v) sodium hydroxide-water solution is added to a 50-mL urine specimen. HMPA and its demethylated metabolite, PMPA, then are extracted from the urine specimen with 5 mL of chloroform. For the nominal concentration range of 10 to 1000 ng/mL, HMPA and PMPA extraction from urine into chloroform averaged 88.0% and 80.2% respectively. The HMPA and PMPA in the extract are assessed by gas chromatography, using a phosphorous flame photometric detector, and quantified by an external standard calibration technique. The limit of detection for HMPA and PMPA in urine is 2 ng/mL. The total analysis time is less than 20 min. The method was validated by analyzing spiked urine samples prepared by another laboratory. Linear regression correlation coefficients greater than 0.99 were obtained for HMPA and PMPA for the 10 to 192 ng/mL concentration range.

Rhythmic change of myocardial phosphate metabolite content in cardiac cycle observed by depth-selected and EKG-gated in vivo 31P-NMR spectroscopy in a whole animal.

The newly developed pulse width modulation method for the depth-selected in vivo NMR under high magnetic field (6.4 Tesla), sectional magnetic resonance (SMR), enabled us to selectively obtain and follow time sequence of P metabolism of rat heart in a whole body. An EKG-gated 31P-SMR spectroscopy at every 30 m sec, after the R wave, with calibrating the resonance intensity by an external standard, demonstrated a synchronous oscillation of both contents of creatine phosphate (CP) and beta-ATP: minimal at the early 2/3 of the systole as was identified by the aortic pressure measurement and maximal at the last 1/3 of the diastole, while inorganic phosphate content varied antiphasically to CP or ATP without obvious change of intracellular pH in cardiac cycle. This is the first report that described an in vivo detection of cyclic change of phosphate metabolites in the heart.

Formaldehyde generators: relationship between stability, lipophilicity and carcinogenic potency.

The rate of hydrolysis to formaldehyde of methylenedimorpholine (MDM), hexamethylenetetramine (HMT) and dinitrosopentamethylenetetramine (DNPT) have been compared with the enzyme-mediated formation of formaldehyde from hexamethylphosphoramide (HMPA). The bio-distribution of [14C]HMPA following nasal instillation in rats has also been studied and compared with that of [14C]methyl methanesulphonate (MMS). These data are used to relate the several carcinogenic/genotoxic properties of the chemicals named above. It is concluded from these data and related considerations that three classes of formaldehyde-generators should be recognized (a) labile agents such as MDM (and formaldehyde) which are likely to be locally active as carcinogens, (b) lipophilic and relatively stable agents such as HMPA which may be both locally active (if bio-accumulated) and systemically active as carcinogens, and (c) agents such as HMT and DNPT, of intermediate stability, which are unlikely to be systemically active and to be of low or zero activity locally.