DNA deaminating ability and genotoxicity of nitric oxide and its progenitors.

Nitric oxide (NO), a multifaceted bioregulatory agent and an environmental pollutant, can also cause genomic alterations. In vitro, NO deaminated deoxynucleosides, deoxynucleotides, and intact DNA at physiological pH. That similar DNA damage can also occur in vivo was tested by treating Salmonella typhimurium strain TA1535 with three NO-releasing compounds, including nitroglycerin. All proved mutagenic. Observed DNA sequence changes were greater than 99% C----T transitions in the hisG46 (CCC) target codon, consistent with a cytosine-deamination mechanism. Because exposure to endogenously and exogenously produced NO is extensive, this mechanism may contribute to the incidence of deamination-related genetic disease and cancer.

Enhancement of hydroxylation and deglycosylation of 2'-deoxyguanosine by carcinogenic nickel compounds.

The effects of nickel subsulfide (Ni3S2) and nickel chloride [Ni(II)] on hydroxylation and deglycosylation of pure 2'-deoxyguanosine (dG) and on hydroxylation of guanine (Gu) residues in calf thymus DNA in the absence or presence of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and/or ascorbate (Ascb) were studied with the use of high-performance liquid chromatography. Incubation of 0.75 mM dG with 5 mg Ni3S2/ml (particle size less than 5 microns) at 37 degrees C in aerated 50 mM Tris/HCl buffer, pH 7.4, resulted in slow hydroxylation of dG to 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OH-dG). This effect was greatly enhanced by 20 mM H2O2. Ni(II) alone at concentrations up to 10 mM was inactive but produced 8-OH-dG in the presence of 20 mM H2O2; the latter caused no dG hydroxylation by itself. Both Ni3S2 and Ni(II) increased the formation of 8-OH-dG from dG exposed to H2O2 + Ascb. At pH 7.4 and constant concentration of H2O2 and Ascb (20 and 8 mM, respectively), Ni(II) over the concentration range 1-10 mM raised the hydroxylation yield by up to five times that without Ni(II). Also, addition of 7.5 mM Ni(II) more than doubled the hydroxylation yield of Gu residues by the 20 mM H2O2 + 8 mM Ascb mixture (pH 7.4) in denatured DNA and doubled it in native DNA. Ni3S2 and Ni(II) alone had no effect on deglycosylation of dG and did not significantly influence the slow rate of Gu production from dG reacting with H2O2 or Ascb at pH 7.4. However, Ni(II), unlike Ni3S2, increased the extent of dG deglycosylation when added to the dG + H2O2 + Ascb system; 10 mM Ni(II) increased deglycosylation by a factor of 2.5 in 24 h. Thus, nickel carcinogens were shown for the first time to cause and/or enhance both hydroxylation and deglycosylation reactions of dG which may contribute to the observed genotoxic and carcinogenic effects of this metal.

Nickel(II)- and cobalt(II)-dependent damage by hydrogen peroxide to the DNA bases in isolated human chromatin.

Nickel compounds are known to be carcinogenic to humans and animals. Cobalt compounds produce tumors in animals and are probably carcinogenic to humans. The mechanisms of the carcinogenicity of these metal compounds, however, have remained elusive. In the present work, we have investigated the ability of Ni(II) and Co(II) ions in the presence of H2O2 to cause chemical changes in DNA bases in chromatin extracted from cultured cells of human origin. Eleven modified DNA bases in chromatin were identified and quantitated by the use of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. 2-Hydroxyadenine (isoguanine), which has not previously been shown to occur DNA or chromatin, was also identified. Products identified were typical hydroxyl radical-induced products of DNA bases, suggesting that the hydroxyl radical was involved in their formation. This idea was supported by partial inhibition of product formation by typical scavengers of hydroxyl radical. Partial inhibition of product formation indicated a possible "site-specific" formation of hydroxyl radical by unchelated Ni(II) and Co(II) ions bound to chromatin. Although treatment of chromatin for 1 h with Co(II)/H2O2 caused formation of significant amounts of products, treatment with Ni(II)/H2O2 required incubation times of more than 5 h and an increase in Ni(II) concentration before increases in product amounts above background levels became detectable. In both cases, ascorbic acid did not increase product yields. Glutathione at a physiologically relevant concentration had little overall effect on DNA base modification. Superoxide dismutase increased the yields of most products. Chelation of Ni(II) and Co(II) ions with EDTA almost completely inhibited product formation. Ni(II) in the presence of H2O2 produced greater base damage to the DNA in chromatin than to isolated DNA, unlike other metal ions tested. DNA damage in chromatin caused by Ni(II) and Co(II) ions in the presence of H2O2 may contribute to the established genotoxicity and carcinogenicity of these metal ions.

Inflammatory, proliferative, and neoplastic lesions at the site of metallic identification ear tags in Wistar [Crl:(WI)BR] rats.

During a 2-yr study of carcinogenesis by CdCl2 in male Wistar [Crl:(WI)BR] rats, weekly clinical observations during the last 6 mo of the study revealed many cases of persistent tumor-like masses at the site of the metal identification tags in the ears of the animals. A total of 14 tumors (mostly compound osteosarcomas) was diagnosed in 168 rats. Histologically, almost 90% of the rats in this study (henceforth referred to as Study I) showed some significant lesion at the tag site including various degrees of chronic inflammation, chondrous hyperplasia, and osseous metaplasia of the pinnal cartilage. In marked contrast, only two tumors were detected in 193 animals in a second study (Study II) in the same strain of rats, and only 56% of the rats had lesions at the tag site. A high incidence (greater than 25%) of clinically severe inflammation at the tag site was seen early in Study I and persisted during the first 6 mo of the study, while the incidence of such reactions in Study II was never more than 1%. Elemental analysis of the tags provided no explanation for the differences between the two studies, as tags used in both studies were of the same composition, predominantly nickel and copper. Metallic internal prostheses have induced local malignancies in humans and animals, and the present observations provide further evidence of the hazard posed by such devices at the site of prolonged contact with tissues. These findings suggest that a persistent tissue reaction may be an important factor in tumor development.

Effects of calcium and magnesium acetates on the carcinogenicity of cadmium chloride in Wistar rats.

The effects of calcium and magnesium acetates on the formation of injection site and testicular tumors in male Wistar rats over 2 years following s.c. injections of cadmium chloride (CdCl2) were determined. The rats (25/group) received a single s.c. dose of CdCl2 (0.02 or 0.04 mmol/kg; 0.9% NaCl solutions). Calcium and magnesium acetates were administered as 3% dietary supplements for 2 weeks prior to and 2 weeks after the CdCl2 injection, or as three daily s.c. injections (0.16 mmol calcium acetate per kg, 4 mmol magnesium acetate per kg; 0.9% NaCl solutions) at the same site as CdCl2 on the day before, the day of, and the day after CdCl2 dosing. Control groups were given 0.9% NaCl solution instead of CdCl2 plus s.c. or dietary calcium and magnesium acetates. In rats given injections of CdCl2 alone, the final tumor yields were 33 and 34% of rats at risk at the injection site (mostly fibrosarcomas) and 86 and 85% of rats at risk in the testes (mostly interstitial cell tumors), respectively, for the low- and high-CdCl2 doses. In control rats, the corresponding tumor yields were 0% at the site of 0.9% NaCl solution injection and 30% in the testes. Dietary calcium and magnesium acetates or s.c. calcium acetate did not affect significantly the tumor yields and latent periods. Simultaneous injections of magnesium acetate at the same site completely prevented the development of injection site tumors for both CdCl2 doses but had no effect on the final yields of testicular tumors. CdCl2 injection also caused significant elevation of incidence of the pancreatic islet cell tumors (8.5 versus 2.2%) regardless of any other experimental treatment. These results provide further evidence that the divalent carcinogenic metals may exert their activity through an antagonism with the physiologically essential divalent metals.

Effects of manganese on carcinogenicity and metabolism of nickel subsulfide.

Nickel subsulfide, Ni3S2, alone or combined with manganese or chromium dusts, was administered i.m. to Fischer rats to study the effects of the metals upon Ni3S2 induction of sarcomas at the injection site. The incidence of sarcomas within 2 years after injection of Ni3S2 (1.2 mg) plus manganese (1.0 mg) was 7%, versus 77% in rats that received only Ni3S2 (1.2 mg), and 80% in rats that received Ni3S2 (1.2 mg) plus chromium (1.0 mg) (p less than 0.005). No local sarcomas occurred in rats that received the injection vehicle, or in rats that received manganese or chromium without Ni3S2. Admixture of manganese diminished the solubility of 63Ni3S2 in rat serum, serum ultrafiltrate, or water, in vitro. Admixture of manganese with 63Ni3S2 did not affect the mobilization or excretion of 63Ni in vivo, nor did it alter the acute pathological reactions to Ni3S2. 63Ni concentrations in ultrafiltrates of supernatant fractions of homogenates of injection sites averaged 2.8 (S. D. +/- 0.7) ng/ml at 5 to 6 months after injection of 63Ni3S2 (1.2 mg) plus manganese (1.0 mg), versus 5.4 +/- 2.0 ng/ml after injection of only 63Ni3S2 (1.2 mg) (p less than 0.02). This study demonstrates that admixture of manganese dust and Ni3S2 inhibits Ni3S2 tumorigenesis in rats, and reveals that manganese dust affects the subcellular distribution of 63Ni derived from 63Ni3S2, without influencing 63Ni kinetics as estimated by compartmental analysis.

GGT to GTT transversions in codon 12 of the K-ras oncogene in rat renal sarcomas induced with nickel subsulfide or nickel subsulfide/iron are consistent with oxidative damage to DNA.

Nickel is a toxic, mutagenic, and carcinogenic metal of significant occupational and environmental concern. Although several cellular targets of nickel have been identified, considerable evidence suggests that it can act indirectly upon DNA by inducing the formation of oxidized purines or pyrimidines that constitute promutagenic lesions. In this study, we examined nickel subsulfide (Ni3S2)- or Ni3S2/iron-induced renal sarcomas in F344 rats for the presence of transforming mutations in the K-ras oncogene. Selective oligonucleotide hybridization analysis of K-ras gene sequences amplified by polymerase chain reaction revealed that 1 of 12 primary tumors induced with Ni3S2 and 7 of 9 primary tumors induced with Ni3S2/iron contained exclusively GGT to GTT activating mutations in codon 12. These mutations are consistent with the known ability of nickel, in the presence of an oxidizing agent, to catalyze formation of 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine, which in turn promotes misincorporation of dATP opposite the oxidized guanine residue. The presence of GGT to GTT transversions was confirmed by direct sequencing of the polymerase chain reaction products. Sequencing also revealed that there were no transforming mutations in codons 13 or 59-61. Additionally, a direct correlation between shortened tumor latency and the presence of activating ras mutations was noted. These results show that, in rat kidney, Ni3S2 can induce transforming mutations that are consistent with the ability of nickel to produce oxidative lesions and that iron, which exacerbates the extent of cellular oxidative damage, can enhance the frequency of these transforming mutations.

Activity of the antimutagenic enzyme 8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine 5'-triphosphate pyrophosphohydrolase (8-oxo-dGTPase) in cultured chinese hamster ovary cells: effects of cell cycle, proliferation rate, and population density.

Mammalian 8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine 5'-triphosphate pyrophosphohydrolases (8-oxo-dGTPases), such as MTH1, are believed to play the same antimutagenic role as their bacterial homologues, like MutT. Both decompose promutagenic 8-oxo-dGTP, a product of active oxygen's attack on dGTP. It is not known how 8-oxo-dGTPase expression and function are regulated. Therefore, we investigated the effect of cell population density, proliferation rate, and cell cycle phase on 8-oxo-dGTPase specific activity in cultured Chinese hamster ovary K1-BH4 (CHO) cells. With increasing cell population density (from 30 to 95% confluence), the activity of 8-oxo-dGTPase per milligram protein decreased by 33% (p =.007 by ANOVA) while cells shifted by 9% into the G(0)/G(1) phase, with a 5% drop in cells in S phase. Importantly, inhibition of the cells' proliferation rate by calf serum deprivation caused a more dramatic 23% shift toward the G(0)/G(1) phase and a 25% drop in S phase, but had no effect on 8-oxo-dGTPase activity. Likewise, no differences in the enzyme activity were observed within cell populations of different cell cycle phases separated by centrifugal elutriation. Thus, the present results exclude cell cycle-dependent regulation of 8-oxo-dGTPase activity in CHO cells or its simple dependence on proliferation rate. The observed decrease of 8-oxo-dGTPase activity with increasing cell population density might be related to augmentation of cell-to-cell contact.

Higher activity of 8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine 5'-triphosphate pyrophosphohydrolase (8-oxo-dGTPase) coincides with lower background levels of 8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine in DNA of fetal compared with maternal mouse organs.

Mammalian homologues of Escherichia coli MutT, a protein having 8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine 5'-triphosphate pyrophosphohydrolase (8-oxo-dGTPase) activity, are thought to play the same role in preventing the incorporation of promutagenic 8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxo-dG) into DNA. One could thus expect that higher activity of 8-oxo-dGTPase should correlate with a lower background level of 8-oxo-dG in nuclear DNA. During transplacental carcinogenesis experiments, in control healthy Swiss mice on day 18 of gestation we found consistently lower levels of 8-oxo-dG in DNA in fetal livers and lungs (1.74+/-0.04 SE and 1.49+/-0.08 SE 8-oxo-dG/10(5) dG, respectively; pooled organs of fetuses of 8 dams) as compared with maternal organs (3.05+/-0.20 SE and 3.08+/-0.17 SE 8-oxo-dG/10(5) dG, respectively; n = 8). The 8-oxo-dGTPase activity determination in the same organs revealed that the lower levels of 8-oxo-dG in fetal DNA did, indeed, coincide with higher 8-oxo-dGTPase activity (48.8+/-2.6 SE and 52.5+/-2.5 SE U/mg protein in livers and lungs, respectively); and vice versa, higher 8-oxo-dG levels in DNA of maternal organs were associated with lower levels of 8-oxo-dGTPase activity (24.3+/-1.3 SE and 4.7+/-0.6 SE U/mg protein, as above). Without excluding other reasons for the relatively low 8-oxo-dG background in DNA of fetal tissues (e.g., higher level of antioxidants and antioxidative enzymes; more efficient DNA repair), this inverse relationship may support or at least does not contradict the concept of a guardian role of 8-oxo-dGTPase against 8-oxo-dGTP mutagenicity in mammalian cells.

Expressions of hepatic genes, especially IGF-binding protein-1, correlating with serum corticosterone in microarray analysis.

Microarray technology was evaluated for usefulness in assessing relationships between serum corticosterone and hepatic gene expression. Nine pairs of female Swiss mice were chosen to provide a wide range of serum corticosterone ratios; cDNA microarray analysis (approximately 8000 genes) was performed on their livers. A statistical method based on calculation of 99% confidence intervals discovered 32 genes which varied significantly among the livers. Five of these ratios correlated significantly with serum corticosterone ratio, including tyrosine aminotransferase, stress-induced protein, pleiotropic regulator 1 and insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-1; the latter has a potential role in cancer development. Secondly, linear regression of gene expression vs corticosterone ratios was screened for those with r> or =0.8 (P<0.01), yielding 141 genes, including some known to be corticosterone regulated and others of interest as possible glucocorticoid targets. Half of these significant correlations involved data sets where no microarray ratio exceeded +/- 1.5. These results showed that microarray may be used to survey tissues for changes in gene expression related to serum hormones, and that even small changes in expression can be of statistical significance in a study with adequate numbers of replicate samples.

Oxidative DNA damage in tissues of pregnant female mice and fetuses caused by the tobacco-specific nitrosamine, 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK).

The tobacco-specific nitrosamine, 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK), induces the promutagenic oxidative-damage DNA lesion, 8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxo-dG), in adult animals. To investigate whether this alteration occurs in DNA after transplacental exposure, pregnant Swiss mice were administered single or multiple doses of NNK. The 8-oxo-dG was quantified in placenta, and maternal and fetal tissues. In maternal lungs, single and multiple doses of NNK significantly increased levels of 8-oxo-dG by 23% and 32%, respectively. In maternal liver, a significant 38% increase was observed after multiple dose treatment. In the fetuses, a significant 45% increase in 8-oxo-dG levels was observed in liver after multiple doses of NNK. This is the first demonstration of oxidative DNA damage after transplacental exposure to NNK, and supports the concept of maternal smoking as a contributor to the development of childhood cancer.

Enhanced generation of hydroxyl radical and sulfur trioxide anion radical from oxidation of sodium sulfite, nickel(II) sulfite, and nickel subsulfide in the presence of nickel(II) complexes.

Electron spin resonance (ESR) spin trapping was utilized to investigate the generation of free radicals from oxidation of sodium sulfite, nickel(II) sulfite, and nickel subsulfide (Ni3S2) by ambient oxygen or H2O2 at pH 7.4. The spin trap used was 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline-N-oxide (DMPO). Under ambient oxygen, a solution of sodium sulfite alone generated predominantly sulfur trioxide anion radical (.SO3-) due to the autoxidation of sulfite. Addition of nickel(II) chloride [Ni(II)] enhanced the .SO3- yield about 4-fold. Incubation of sulfite with Ni(II) in the presence of chelators such as tetraglycine, histidine, beta-alanyl-3-methyl-L-histidine (anserine), beta--L-histidine (carnosine), gamma-aminobutyryl-L-histidine (homocarnosine), glutathione, and penicillamine did not have any significant effect on that enhancement. In contrast, albumin, and especially glycylglycylhistidine (GlyGlyHis), augmented the enhancing effect of Ni(II) by factors of 1.4 and 4, respectively. Computer simulation analysis of the spin-adduct spectrum and formate scavenging experiment showed that the mixture of sodium sulfite, Ni(II), and GlyGlyHis generated both hydroxyl (.OH) radical and .SO3- radical, in the ratio of approximately 1:2. The free-radical spin adduct intensity reached its saturation level in about 5 min. The yield of the radical adducts could be slightly reduced by deferoxamine and very strongly reduced by diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA). Aqueous suspensions of sparingly soluble nickel(II) sulfite in the presence of air and GlyGlyHis generated surface-located .SO3- and .OH radicals. The same radicals were generated in Ni3S2 suspension in the presence of GlyGlyHis and H2O2, indicating sulfite production by oxidation of the sulfide moiety of this compound.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Mechanisms of arsenic-induced cross-tolerance to nickel cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, and apoptosis in rat liver epithelial cells.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the mechanism of cross-tolerance to nickel in arsenic-transformed cells. Chronic arsenite-exposed (CAsE) cells (TRL 1215 cells, which had been continuously exposed to 0.5 microM arsenite for 20 or more weeks) and control TRL 1215 cells were both exposed to nickel for 24 h, and cell viability was determined by metabolic integrity. The LC(50) for nickel was 608 +/- 32 microM in CAsE cells as compared to 232 +/- 16 microM in control cells, a 2.6-fold increase. CAsE and control cells were treated with 200 microM nickel for 4 h and cellular-free radical production was measured using ESR spectrometry. Hydroxyl radical generation was decreased in CAsE cells. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, indicative of lipid peroxidation, and 8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine, indicative of oxidative DNA damage, were reduced in CAsE cells. Flow cytometric analysis using Annexin/FITC revealed that nickel-induced apoptosis was reduced in CAsE cells. CAsE cells showed generalized resistance to oxidant-induced toxicity as evidenced by a marked reduction in sensitivity to hydrogen peroxide. Interestingly, intracellular reduced glutathione (GSH) levels were significantly increased in CAsE cells, and when GSH was depleted, CAsE cells lost their nickel resistance. The mechanism of arsenic-induced cross-tolerance to cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, and apoptosis induced by nickel appears related to a generalized resistance to oxidant-induced injury, probably based, at least in part, in increased cellular GSH levels.

Prevention of nickel subsulfide carcinogenesis by local administration of Mycobacterium bovis antigen in male F344/NCr rats.

This study was designed to determine the effect of local inflammation on nickel subsulfide (Ni3S2) carcinogenesis. Male F344/NCr rats, 6-week-old, 20 rats/group, received a single i.m. injection of 2.5 mg of Ni3S2 alone or 2.5 mg of Ni3S2 mixed with either 0.5 mg of Mycobacterium bovis lyophilized cell walls (MB), 1 mg cortisol (CORT), or 1 mg indomethacin (IND). Two more groups of rats received i.m. Ni3S2 alone, as above, followed by a single s.c. dose of either 1 mg MB or 2 mg IND. The i.m. injections were made into the thigh muscles of both hind limbs; the s.c. injections were made at the neck area. The experiment was terminated at 71 weeks. The final yields of injection site sarcomas were 85% in the Ni3S2, 85% in the Ni3S2 + CORT, and 80% in the Ni3S2 + IND group. Only one injection site tumor (5%) was found in rats given i.m. Ni3S2 + MB. In contrast, the s.c. MB injection enhanced muscular carcinogenicity of Ni3S2 by shortening the latency and increasing the yield of tumors to 100% at week 39 (P less than 0.04 vs. Ni3S2 alone). The s.c. treatment with IND gave similar, though statistically nonsignificant results; 100% tumor yield was reached at week 42 (P less than 0.18 vs. Ni3S2 alone). Although local treatment with CORT or IND had no significant effect on the final tumor incidence by Ni3S2, it shortened the latency of tumors to 17 weeks compared with 23 weeks for Ni3S2 alone. MB, CORT, IND, or the injection vehicle (water) alone did not produce tumors. Local MB treatment had no significant effect on the retention of Ni3S2 at the injection site. The prevention of the Ni3S2 tumors by local MB might result from localization of numerous natural killer cells and macrophages and formation of giant cells observed at the injection site of Ni3S2, 1-14 days post injection. These cells could immobilize the carcinogen and destroy Ni3S2-transformed cells.

Effects of calcium and magnesium acetates on tissue distribution of carcinogenic doses of cadmium chloride in Wistar rats.

Previous studies have shown that magnesium, unlike calcium, prevents cadmium carcinogenesis at the subcutaneous injection site, and that neither magnesium nor calcium has any significant influence on the production of testicular tumors by cadmium in rats. The present investigation attempts to disclose the nature of those different effects by comparing the results of administration of both physiological metals on the uptake and distribution of carcinogenic doses of cadmium in rats. Male Wistar rats received a single subcutaneous (s.c.) injection of 109CdCl2 (0.02 mmol/kg or 0.04 mmol/kg) and s.c. injections (one daily) of calcium acetate (CaAcet; 0.16 mmol/kg), or magnesium acetate (MgAcet; 4 mmol/kg), or saline on the day before, the day of and the day after the 109CdCl2 dosing. The concentration of cadmium in tissues was determined by gamma-counting on the 4th, the 15th and the 45th day after the 109CdCl2 injection. The concentration of cadmium in tissues on day 4 was ranked as follows: liver greater than kidney greater than the injection site skin greater than pancreas greater than spleen greater than heart greater than lung greater than distant skin greater than testes greater than blood. Administration of CaAcet increased by over 20% and that of MgAcet decreased by over 30% the initial uptake of both cadmium doses at the injection site. Thus MgAcet may prevent cadmium carcinogenesis by inhibiting the uptake of cadmium by the injection site tissues. In the testis and in all other tissues investigated, except kidney, the effects of the physiological metals were reversed, CaAcet tended to decrease and MgAcet tended to increase the uptake of cadmium. CaAcet and MgAcet exerted no noticeable effects on the uptake of cadmium by the kidney. The observed results of CaAcet and MgAcet administration on the concentration of cadmium in distal tissues seem to depend on the alterations in cadmium uptake at the injection site.

Nickel induced lipid peroxidation in the rat: correlation with nickel effect on antioxidant defense systems.

Lipid peroxidation (LPO) and alterations in cellular systems protecting against oxidative damage were determined in the liver, kidney and skeletal muscle of male F344/NCr rats, 1 h to 3 days after a single intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of 107 mumol nickel(II)acetate per kg body weight. At 3 h, when tissue nickel concentrations were highest, the following significant (at least, P less than 0.05) effects were observed: in kidney, increased LPO (by 43%), increased renal iron (by 24%), decreased catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities (both by 15%), decreased glutathione (GSH) concentration (by 20%), decreased glutathione reductase (GSSG-R) activity (by 10%), and increased glutathione-S-transferase (GST) activity (by 44%); the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), as well as copper concentration, were not affected. In the liver, nickel effects included increased LPO (by 30%), decreased CAT and GSH-Px activities (both by 15%), decreased GSH level (by 33%), decreased GSSG-R activity (by 10%) and decreased GST activity (by 35%); SOD, GGT, copper, and iron remained unchanged. In muscle, nickel treatment decreased copper content (by 43%) and the SOD activity (by 30%) with no effects on other parameters. In blood, nickel had no effect on CAT and GSH-Px, but increased the activities of alanine-(ALT) and aspartate-(AST) transaminases to 330% and 240% of the background level, respectively. In conclusion, nickel treatment caused profound cell damage as indicated by increased LPO in liver and kidney and leakage of intracellular enzymes, ALT and AST to the blood. The time pattern of the resulting renal and hepatic LPO indicated a possible contribution to its magnitude from an increased concentration of nickel and concurrent inhibition of CAT, GSH-Px and GSSG-R, but not from increased iron or copper levels. The oxidative damage expressed as LPO was highest in the kidney and lowest in the muscle, which concurs with the corresponding ranking of nickel uptake by these tissues.

Effects of nickel on catalase activity in vitro and in vivo.

The decomposition of H2O2 by catalase (CAT) was measured in a cell-free in vitro system in the presence of 0-24 mM Ni(II) or Mg(II) as well as in red blood cells (RBCs), and in post-mitochondrial fractions of liver and kidney of rats injected i.p. with 95 mumol/kg of nickel acetate. In vitro, immediately after addition of Ni(II), the inhibition of the catalytic activity of CAT (at 25 degrees C and pH 7.2) was directly proportional to Ni(II) concentration while Mg(II) had no effect. Following in vivo treatment, activity of CAT in the RBCs was decreased by 12% at 16 h, but had returned to control level by 48 h post injection. Hepatic CAT activity remained unchanged during the first 24 h after the injection but subsequently decreased by 25% at 48 h. Renal CAT first increased by 17% above the control levels at 16 h, returned to the control level at 24 h, and finally decreased by 27% at 48 h post injection. These changes neither concurred with the corresponding tissue concentrations of Ni(II) nor resembled the concentration/effect relationships observed in vitro. Thus, the mechanism by which Ni(II) inhibits CAT activity in vivo is more complex than that in vitro and cannot be solely related to direct Ni(II)-CAT interaction.

Iron accelerates while magnesium inhibits nickel-induced carcinogenesis in the rat kidney.

Effects of magnesium basic carbonate (MgCarb) and metallic iron powder (Fe0) on nickel subsulfide (Ni3S2)-induced carcinogenesis were studied in kidneys of male F344/NCr rats. The rats, 20-40/group, received injections of Ni3S2 alone (62 mumol Ni) or with equimolar doses of MgCarb or Fe0 into the renal cortex of each pole of the right kidney. Control rats were given MgCarb, Fe0, or 0.1 ml of 50% aqueous glycerol, the injection vehicle. Final incidence of renal tumors 2 years after the injection of Ni3S2 alone or mixed with Fe0 was 60%. However, rats given Ni3S2 + Fe0 developed renal tumors much more rapidly. In contrast, the incidence of renal tumors in rats given Ni3S2 + MgCarb was only 20% (P < 0.01 vs. Ni3S2 alone). No kidney tumors were observed in the control rats. Between weeks 4 and 32 post injection, Ni3S2 alone caused erythrocytosis. This effect was attenuated by Fe0, but not by MgCarb. Hence, there is no firm correlation between carcinogenic activity of nickel and its ability to induce erythropoiesis. All kidney tumors were of mesenchymal cell origin and resembled the sarcomatous variant of the classic rat renal mesenchymal tumor. Some of them metastasized to the lungs and other organs. In 3-35 days post-injection, kidneys of rats treated with Ni3S2 alone showed moderate to extensive necrosis, inflammation, fibrosis, and degenerative and regenerative proliferative changes in the proximal tubular epithelium at the injection site. Similar, but more severe and multifocal changes were observed in the kidneys of Ni3S2 + Fe0-treated rats. The necrosis was less severe in kidneys injected with Ni3S2 + MgCarb, but fibrosis and degenerative and regenerative changes in proximal tubular epithelium were similar to those observed in other treatment groups. Ni3S2 deposits were seen inside macrophages and proximal tubular epithelial cells of Ni3S2 and Ni3S2+ Fe0-treated kidneys more frequently than in Ni3S2 + MgCarb-treated kidneys. Thus, magnesium antagonizes nickel carcinogenesis in the rat kidney while iron tends to enhance it. This result may be related to respectively attenuating or enhancing effects of magnesium and iron on the inflammatory response to Ni3S2.

The effect of nickel compounds on immunophenotype and natural killer cell function of normal human lymphocytes.

In order to elucidate effects of nickel on human lymphocytes in vitro, peripheral blood mononuclear cells from normal donors were initially tested for viability in the presence of increasing concentrations of two selected nickel salts, sparingly-soluble nickel subsulfide (Ni3S2), and promptly-soluble nickel sulfate (NiSO4). After establishing the toxicity profile, the cells were cultured for 24 h with each compound at three nontoxic concentrations, 0.01 mM, 0.02 mM, and 0.04 mM, to determine its effect on lymphocyte immunophenotype and function. Cells were also cultured in the presence of 0.01-0.04 mM magnesium acetate, Mg(CH3COO)2, while still other cell samples were subjected to a mixture of Mg(CH3COO)2 plus either Ni3S2 or NiSO4 at equimolar concentration. Following the culture, the immunophenotype of the cells was determined by indirect immunofluorescence, using monoclonal antibodies to major differentiation antigens of peripheral blood mononuclear cells, and their natural killer activity toward K562 target cells was measured. Both nickel salts were found to exert distinct effects on lymphocyte phenotype. Exposure of cells to Ni3S2 resulted in the decline of CD4 and natural killer cell populations. NiSO4 diminished the abundance of natural killer cells and, to a limited extent, also of CD4 cells. The nickel salts tested suppressed natural cytotoxicity of peripheral blood mononuclear cells, with Ni3S2 acting more strongly than NiSO4. The addition of Mg(CH3COO)2 to a nickel salt during in vitro culture abolished the above inhibitory effects. Nickel and magnesium salts did not affect CD3, CD8, CD20, and CD11a cell populations. The results indicate that nickel salts have deleterious effects on human peripheral blood mononuclear cells in short-term in vitro culture, but the magnitude of these effects varies, depending on the cell subsets.

Protective effects of zinc acetate toward the toxicity of nickelous acetate in rats.

Zinc pretreatment is known to ameliorate the acute and chronic effects of the toxic heavy metal, cadmium. However, the ability of zinc to decrease the toxicity of other metals has not been widely investigated. Therefore, this study was designed to determine the effects of zinc pretreatment on the acute toxicity of nickel. Male Fischer rats received either nickel alone (i.p.), zinc alone (s.c.), zinc plus nickel, or saline (i.p. and s.c.; controls). In the lethality studies, the dose of nickel was 115 mumol nickel/kg (as nickel acetate) while for all other studies the dose was 95 mumol nickel/kg. Zinc was given in multiple doses of 300 mumol zinc/kg (as zinc acetate) at -24, 0 and +24 h relative to nickel (total zinc dose 900 mumol/kg) for lethality studies or -24 and 0 h for studies 24 h and under in duration (total dose 600 mumol/kg). Zinc pretreatment significantly increased the 14-day survival of nickel-related rats. Zinc did not, however, prevent the reduction in weight gain over 2 weeks seen with nickel treatment. Histopathologically, at 120 h following nickel exposure, kidneys in the group receiving nickel alone generally showed moderate nephropathy (multifocal proximal tubule degeneration with necrosis) while in the zinc plus nickel group the nephropathy was generally mild. Zinc pretreatment had no apparent effect on the pharmacokinetics of nickel over 24 h as assessed by urinary excretion, blood levels or organ distribution. Zinc pretreatment also did not alter the subcellular distribution of renal nickel 6 h after nickel exposure. Enhanced synthesis of metallothionein did not appear to play a critical role in the reduction of nickel toxicity, since renal concentrations of this metal-binding protein, although elevated compared to control, were not different in rats receiving zinc and nickel or zinc alone. Zinc pretreatment did, however, have marked effect on nickel-induced hyperglycemia, reducing both the duration and severity of elevated blood glucose levels. Results of this study show that zinc can prevent some of the toxic effects of nickel and that the mechanism of this action does not appear to involve either metallothionein or alterations in the pharmacokinetics of nickel.