Whey proteins inhibit food intake and tend to improve oxidative balance in obese zucker rats.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Whey proteins (WP), obtained from milk after casein precipitation, represent a heterogeneous group of proteins. WP are reported to inhibit food intake in diet-induced experimental obesity; WP have been proposed as adjuvant therapy in oxidative stress-correlated pathologies. This work evaluates the effects of WP in comparison with casein, as a source of alimentary proteins, on food intake, weight growth and some indexes of oxidative equilibrium in Zucker Rats, genetically prone to obesity. METHODS: We monitored food intake and weight of Zucker Rats during the experiment, and some markers of oxidative equilibrium. RESULTS: WP induced significant decrease of food intake in comparison to casein (WP 80.41 ± 1.069 ml/day; CAS: 88.95 ± 1.084 ml/day; p < 0.0005). Body weight growth was slightly reduced, and the difference was just significant (WP 128.2 ± 6.56 g/day; CAS 145.2 ± 3.29 g/day; p = 0.049), while plasma HNE level was significantly lower in WP than in CAS (WP 41.2 ± 6.3 vs CAS 69.61 ± 4.69 pmol/ml, p = 0.007). Mild amelioration of oxidative equilibrium was indicated by a slight increase of total glutathione both in the liver and in the blood and a significant decrease of plasma 4-hydroxynonenal in the group receiving WP. CONCLUSIONS: The effect of WP on food intake and weight growth in Zucker Rats is particularly noteworthy since the nature of their predisposition to obesity is genetic; the possible parallel amelioration of the oxidative balance may constitute a further advantage of WP since oxidative stress is believed to be interwoven to obesity, metabolic syndrome and their complications.

4-Hydroxynonenal signalling to apoptosis in isolated rat hepatocytes: the role of PKC-delta.

4-Hydroxynonenal, a significant aldehyde end product of membrane lipid peroxidation with numerous biochemical activities, has consistently been detected in various human diseases. Concentrations actually detectable in vivo (0.1-5 microM) have been shown to up-regulate different genes and modulate various enzyme activities. In connection with the latter aspect, we show here that, in isolated rat hepatocytes, 1 microM 4-hydroxynonenal selectively activates protein kinase C-delta, involved in apoptosis of many cell types; it also induces very early activation of Jun N-terminal kinase, in parallel increasing activator protein-1 DNA-binding activity in a time-dependent manner and triggering apoptosis after only 120 min treatment. These phenomena are likely protein kinase C-delta-dependent, being significantly reduced or annulled by cell co-treatment with rottlerin, a selective inhibitor of protein kinase C-delta. We suggest that 4-hydroxynonenal may induce apoptosis through activation of protein kinase C-delta and of Jun N-terminal kinase, and consequent up-regulation of activator protein-1 DNA binding.

RAGE Expression and ROS Generation in Neurons: Differentiation versus Damage.

RAGE is a multiligand receptor able to bind advanced glycation end-products (AGEs), amphoterin, calgranulins, and amyloid-beta peptides, identified in many tissues and cells, including neurons. RAGE stimulation induces the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) mainly through the activity of NADPH oxidases. In neuronal cells, RAGE-induced ROS generation is able to favor cell survival and differentiation or to induce death through the imbalance of redox state. The dual nature of RAGE signaling in neurons depends not only on the intensity of RAGE activation but also on the ability of RAGE-bearing cells to adapt to ROS generation. In this review we highlight these aspects of RAGE signaling regulation in neuronal cells.

Role of Nrf2, HO-1 and GSH in Neuroblastoma Cell Resistance to Bortezomib.

The activation of Nrf2 has been demonstrated to play a crucial role in cancer cell resistance to different anticancer therapies. The inhibition of proteasome activity has been proposed as a chemosensitizing therapy but the activation of Nrf2 could reduce its efficacy. Using the highly chemoresistant neuroblastoma cells HTLA-230, here we show that the strong reduction in proteasome activity, obtained by using low concentration of bortezomib (BTZ, 2.5 nM), fails in reducing cell viability. BTZ treatment favours the binding of Nrf2 to the ARE sequences in the promoter regions of target genes such as heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1), the modulatory subunit of γ-glutamylcysteine ligase (GCLM) and the transporter for cysteine (x-CT), enabling their transcription. GSH level is also increased after BTZ treatment. The up-regulation of Nrf2 target genes is responsible for cell resistance since HO-1 silencing and GSH depletion synergistically decrease BTZ-treated cell viability. Moreover, cell exposure to all-trans-Retinoic acid (ATRA, 3 µM) reduces the binding of Nrf2 to the ARE sequences, decreases HO-1 induction and lowers GSH level increasing the efficacy of bortezomib. These data suggest the role of Nrf2, HO-1 and GSH as molecular targets to improve the efficacy of low doses of bortezomib in the treatment of malignant neuroblastoma.

The Nrf2/HO-1 Axis in Cancer Cell Growth and Chemoresistance.

The transcription factor, nuclear factor erythroid 2 p45-related factor 2 (Nrf2), acts as a sensor of oxidative or electrophilic stresses and plays a pivotal role in redox homeostasis. Oxidative or electrophilic agents cause a conformational change in the Nrf2 inhibitory protein Keap1 inducing the nuclear translocation of the transcription factor which, through its binding to the antioxidant/electrophilic response element (ARE/EpRE), regulates the expression of antioxidant and detoxifying genes such as heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1). Nrf2 and HO-1 are frequently upregulated in different types of tumours and correlate with tumour progression, aggressiveness, resistance to therapy, and poor prognosis. This review focuses on the Nrf2/HO-1 stress response mechanism as a promising target for anticancer treatment which is able to overcome resistance to therapies.

Mutual interaction between glycation and oxidation during non-enzymatic protein modification.

Aging pathogenesis involves non-enzymatic modifications of proteins; protein oxidation, glycation and their interactions have aroused a particular interest. Possible interrelations between oxidation and glycation have been evaluated in vitro: bovine serum albumin was oxidized by gamma-irradiation and then exposed to in vitro glycation. Fluorescence modifications induced by radiolytic oxidation and glycation were similar and tended to be additive. Both non-enzymatic processes provoked a loss of free sulfhydryl groups and a strong increment of protein carbonyl content: this supports that glycation can act through oxidative mechanisms. The observed rearrangement of amino groups after irradiation could predispose proteins to glycation attacks. Protein peroxides generated during irradiation appear able to give birth to further protein modifications leading to the generation of carbonyl groups and to interact with monosaccharides, probably stimulating their autoxidation and in turn glycative protein damage. Glycation increases the oxidation-mediated structural damage revealed by SDS-PAGE. Therefore our data support the hypothesis of mutual enhancement between oxidation and glycation of proteins and suggest possible molecular mechanisms of interactions.

Evaluating the role of hnRNP-C and FMRP in the cAMP-induced APP metabolism.

Cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) modulates synaptic plasticity and memory and manipulation of the cAMP/protein kinase A/cAMP responsive element binding protein pathway significantly affects cognitive functions. Notably, cAMP can increase the expression of the amyloid precursor protein (APP), whose proteolytic processing gives rise to amyloid beta (Aß) peptides. Despite playing a pathogenic role in Alzheimer's disease, physiological concentrations of Aß are necessary for the cAMP-mediated regulation of long-term potentiation, supporting the existence of a novel cAMP/APP/Aß cascade with a crucial role in memory formation. However, the molecular mechanisms by which cAMP stimulates APP expression and Aß production remain unclear. Here, we investigated whether hnRNP-C and FMRP, two RNA-binding proteins largely involved in the expression of APP, are the cAMP effectors inducing the protein synthesis of APP. Using RNA immunoprecipitation and RNA-silencing approaches, we found that neither hnRNP-C nor FMRP is required for cAMP to stimulate APP and Aß production.

Lipoperoxidation in hepatic subcellular compartments of diabetic rats.

It is known that an accumulation of lipoperoxidative aldehydes malondialdehyde (MDA) and 4-hydroxynonenal (HNE) takes place in liver mitochondria during aging. The existence and role of an increased extra- and intra-cellular oxidative stress in diabetes, an aging-accelerating disease, is currently under discussion. This report offers evidence that lipoperoxidative aldehydes accumulate in liver microsomes and mitochondria at a higher rate in spontaneously diabetic BB/WOR rats than in control non-diabetic animals (HNE content, diabetes vs. control: microsomes 80.6+/-19.9 vs. 25.75+/-3.6 pmol/mg prot, p = .024; mitochondria 77.4+/-15.4 vs. 26.5+/-3.5 pmol/mg prot, p = .0103). Liver subcellular fractions from diabetic rats, when exposed to the peroxidative stimulus ADP/Fe, developed more lipoperoxidative aldehydes than those from non diabetic rats (HNE amount, diabetes vs. control: microsomes 3.60+/-0.37 vs. 2.33+/-0.22 nmol/mg prot, p = .014; mitochondria 3.62+/-0.26 vs. 2.30+/-0.17 nmol/mg prot, p = .0009). Liver subcellular fractions of diabetic rats developed more fluorescent chromolipids related to HNE-phospholipid adducts, either after in vitro peroxidation (microsomes: p = .0045; mitochondria: p = .0023) or by exposure to exogenous HNE (microsomes: p = .049; mitochondria: p = .0338). This higher susceptibility of diabetic liver membranes to the non-enzymatic attack of HNE may be due to an altered phospholipid composition. Moreover, a decreased activity of the HNE-metabolizing systems can be involved: diabetic liver mitochondria and microsomes were unable to consume exogenous HNE at the same rate as non-diabetic membranes; the difference was already significant after 5' incubation (microsomes p<.001; mitochondria p<.001). These data show an increased oxidative stress inside the hepatocytes of diabetic rats; the impairment of the HNE-metabolizing systems can play a key role in the maintenance and propagation of the damage.

Mechanisms of inactivation of hepatocyte protein kinase C isoforms following acute ethanol treatment.

Acute ethanol exposure of rat isolated hepatocytes leads to a significant decrease (-30%) in cytosolic enzymatic activity of classic protein kinase C (PKC) isoforms, while immunoreactive protein level measured by Western Blot remains unaffected. The inactivation of classic cytosolic isoforms appears dependent on the modification of the enzyme function, probably due to ethanol metabolism. In fact, pretreatment with 4-methylpyrazole (4MP), an inhibitor of alcohol dehydrogenase, fully prevented such damage. After ethanol treatment, a decrease of about 40% in both enzymatic activity and immunoreactive protein level of novel PKC isoforms was evident both in the soluble and particulate fractions. Even if 4MP cell pre-treatment afforded protection in this case too, the inhibitory action of ethanol on novel PKC hepatocyte isoforms involves a proteolytic mechanism as shown by Western Blot analysis. The reproduction of PKC inactivation by ethanol in hepatocyte lysate excluded a role of peroxisomal hydrogen peroxide in the pathogenesis of the damage investigated. This damage was not reduced by addition of catalase to the lysate model system.

Glutathione depletion induces apoptosis of rat hepatocytes through activation of protein kinase C novel isoforms and dependent increase in AP-1 nuclear binding.

Treatment of isolated rat hepatocytes with the glutathione depleting agents L-buthionine-S,R-sulfoximine or diethylmaleate reproduced various cellular conditions of glutathione depletion, from moderate to severe, similar to those occurring in a wide spectrum of human liver diseases. To evaluate molecular changes and possible cellular dysfunction and damage consequent to a pathophysiologic level of GSH depletion, the effects of this condition on protein kinase C (PKC) isoforms were investigated, since these are involved in the intracellular specific regulatory processes and are potentially sensitive to redox changes. Moreover, a moderate perturbation of cellular redox state was found to activate novel PKC isoforms, and a clear relationship was shown between novel kinase activation and nuclear binding of the redox-sensitive transcription factor, activator protein-1 (AP-1). Apoptotic death of a significant number of cells, confirmed in terms of internucleosomal DNA fragmentation was a possible effect of these molecular reactions, and was triggered by a condition of glutathione depletion usually detected in human liver diseases. Finally, the inhibition of novel PKC enzymatic activity in cells co-treated with rottlerin, a selective novel kinase inhibitor, prevented glutathione-dependent novel PKC up-regulation, markedly moderated AP-1 activation, and protected cells against apoptotic death. Taken together, these findings indicate the existence of an apoptotic pathway dependent on glutathione depletion, which occurs through the up-regulation of novel PKCs and AP-1.

Protein oxidation in hemodialysis and kidney transplantation.

Oxidative damage of plasma proteins determined with the markers carbonyl group (CG) content and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) was studied in 13 hemodialyzed and eight kidney-transplanted patients. The level of CGs was 38% higher in hemodialysis (HD) patients (1.49 +/- 0.05 nmol/mg protein) than in the healthy subjects (1.08 +/- 0.03 nmol/mg protein); the TBARS level was also higher in HD patients than in the control group (2.64 +/- 0.15 v 1.81 +/- 0.09 nmol/mL, P < .001). These data confirm that in end-stage renal failure, an increased oxidative stress is present and is able to induce protein damage. After transplantation, the CG content in protein was reduced (1.34 +/- 0.08 nmol/mg protein), but it was not significantly different from the level in the HD group. The failure to return to the normal range suggests that an impaired redox status is maintained, resulting in a sustained elevation of CG. Conversely, the level of TBARS in transplanted patients (1.99 +/- 0.22 nmol/mL) was not significantly different from that in the control group (1.81 +/- 0.09), suggesting that lipoperoxidation may be inhibited. These results may be explained by the different turnover rates of the molecules and by the distinct origin of the two markers, resulting from the damage of proteins or lipids. Thus, lipoperoxidation would produce rapidly removable molecules, whereas protein oxidation damage would tend to accumulate. However, the significant correlation found between CGs and TBARS indicates that a common cause (oxidative stress) binds the two markers of damage.

Induction of heme oxygenase 1 in liver of spontaneously diabetic rats.

It has been suggested that diabetes induces an increase in oxidative stress; the increased expression of heme-oxygenase 1 (HO-1) in liver is believed to be a sensitive marker of the stress response. The aim of this study was to examine whether diabetes is able to induce HO-1 expression in liver. The specific mRNA was amplified by RT/PCR and calibrated with amplified beta-actin mRNA. The mRNA HO-1 levels in the liver of spontaneously diabetic rats were increased by 1.8 fold compared with non diabetics; this supports the hypothesis of weak but significant oxidative damage due to chronic hyperglycaemia. This work represents the first in vivo study exploring the semi-quantitative expression of HO-1 in the liver of spontaneously diabetic rats.

Carbon tetrachloride-induced inhibition of hepatocyte lipoprotein secretion: functional impairment of Golgi apparatus in the early phases of such injury.

Functional change of liver Golgi apparatus during carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) poisoning was demonstrated both in rat isolated hepatocytes and in the whole animal. The "in vitro" experimental model provided evidence of Golgi derangement early after giving the haloalkane. The "in vivo" analyses also showed that such an alteration involves both formative and secretory sides of the subcellular structure.

Effects of ethanol metabolism on PKC activity in isolated rat hepatocytes.

Isolated rat hepatocytes were exposed to increasing concentrations of ethanol. During exposure of cells to ethanol a moderate but significant modification in the level of hepatic PKC c-isoforms has been observed. The ethanol-induced effect on liver protein kinase C was reversed by 4-methylpyrazole, an inhibitor of alcohol dehydrogenase, indicating that the conversion of ethanol to acetaldehyde may be involved in the enzyme inactivation. The involvement of the alcohol metabolite in PKC modifications was confirmed by the exposure of hepatocytes or partially purified liver enzyme to acetaldehyde concentrations of pathological interest.

Ethanol-induced effects on expression level, activity, and distribution of protein kinase C isoforms in rat liver Golgi apparatus.

Acute ethanol administration induces significant modifications both in secretive and formative membranes of rat liver Golgi apparatus. The decrease in glycolipoprotein secretion and their retention into the hepatocyte contribute to the pathogenesis of alcohol-induced fatty liver. Molecular and cellular mechanisms behind the ethanol-induced injury of the liver secretory pathway are not yet completely defined. In this study on intact livers from ethanol-treated rats, the involvement of the Golgi compartment in the impairment of hepatic glycolipoprotein secretion has been correlated with changes in the expression level, subcellular distribution and enzymatic activity of protein kinase C (PKC) isoforms. Acute ethanol exposure determined a translocation of classic PKCs and delta isoform from the cytosol to cis and trans Golgi membranes, the site of glycolipoprotein retention in the hepatic cell. A marked stimulation of cytosolic epsilon PKC activity was observed throughout the period of treatment. The presence of activated PKC isozymes at the Golgi compartment of alcohol-treated rat livers may play a role in hepatic secretion and protein accumulation. Direct and indirect effects of ethanol consumption on PKC isozymes and Golgi function are discussed.

Is lipid peroxidation associated with DNA damage?

Specific binding to DNA of lipid peroxidation products was studied in rat hepatocytes labeled with [14C(U)]arachidonic acid after incubation at 37 degrees C either in the absence or in the presence of 200 microM FeSO4. The results obtained show that: (1) production of malondialdehyde-like thiobarbituric-reactive substances occurred in the absence of FeSO4 and was increased, albeit quite variably, by exposure to this pro-oxidant; (2) a low but appreciable binding of radioactivity to DNA and protein was constantly detected in 5 independent experiments; (3) there was no quantitative correlation between malondialdehyde formation and the amount of DNA-bound and protein-bound radioactivity, and any meaningful evidence of a GSH-depletion effect was absent. Taking into account the possible biosynthetic incorporation of radioactivity into DNA, the results of this study must be interpreted with caution, and solely as indicating that in the intact cell the covalent binding to DNA of reactive species generated by lipid peroxidation, if it occurs, should be minimal, corresponding in our experimental conditions approximately to 0.01 mumole of radioactive arachidonic acid per mole nucleotides.

Cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of five n-alkanals in primary cultures of rat and human hepatocytes.

Five n-alkanals were examined for cytotoxicity, as evaluated by the trypan blue exclusion test, and for genotoxicity, as evaluated by the induction of unscheduled DNA synthesis (UDS), in primary cultures of rat and human hepatocytes. After 20 h exposure, cytotoxicity was similar in cells of the two species, and increased with the length of the carbon chain. In rat hepatocytes, propanal (10-100 mM), butanal (10-100 mM), pentanal (3-30 mM) and hexanal (3-30 mM) induced a modest but significant and dose-dependent increase of net nuclear grain counts, while in human hepatocytes this effect was not detected. Nonanal (3-30 mM), which showed the highest cytotoxic effect, failed to induce UDS in both cell types. These results seem to suggest that at the concentrations which are presumably attained after ingestion with food or generated by lipid peroxidation processes the five n-alkanals tested are presumably unable to induce genotoxic effects in the human liver.

Mutation induction in Chinese hamster lung V79 cells by five alk-2-enals produced by lipid peroxidation.

Five alk-2-enals--pent-2-enal, hex-2-enal, hept-2-enal, oct-2-enal and non-2-enal--produced by lipid peroxidation were tested for mutagenic activity in V79 Chinese hamster cells. At concentrations ranging from 0.003 to 0.3 mM all 5 alk-2-enals induced a dose-dependent increase in the frequency of 6-thioguanine-resistant mutants, and their mutagenic potency was found to increase with the length of the carbon chain. In contrast, only hept-2-enal produced a statistically significant increase in the number of mutations to ouabain resistance.

Cytotoxicity, DNA fragmentation and sister-chromatid exchange in Chinese hamster ovary cells exposed to the lipid peroxidation product 4-hydroxynonenal and homologous aldehydes.

The cytotoxic and genotoxic activities of 4-hydroxypentenal (HPE), 4-hydroxyhexenal (HHE), 4-hydroxyoctenal (HOE), 4-hydroxynonenal (HNE) and 4-hydroxyundecenal (HUE) were investigated in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. All five 4-hydroxyalkenals reduced plating efficiency in a concentration (ranging from 7 to 170 microM) lower than that producing a parallel reduction of trypan blue-excluding cells, but with both methods the increase in molarity needed to obtain a lethal effect was constantly rather small. With all five 4-hydroxyalkenals a significant amount of DNA fragmentation, as revealed either by the alkaline elution assay or by alkaline denaturation followed by chromatographic partition of single- and double-stranded DNA, was detected only after cell exposure to a cytotoxic concentration. HPE, HHE and HOE induced a clear-cut increase of sister-chromatid exchange (SCE) frequency, while that displayed by cells treated with HNE and HUE was minimal, even if dose-dependent and statistically significant. Since 4-hydroxyalkenals have been shown to originate from biomembrane lipids peroxidation, these findings should be taken into consideration in the assessment of the genotoxic role of lipoperoxidation in humans.

Levels of carbonyl groups in plasma proteins of type 2 diabetes mellitus subjects.

Carbonyl groups result from protein oxidation and their level in tissues and plasma is a relatively stable marker of oxidative damage. Carbonyl content of plasma proteins in 43 type 2 diabetic subjects, 30-87 years of age (25 males and 18 females) and in 20 age-matched healthy controls (31-89 years of age, 12 males and 8 females) was evaluated with 2,4-dinitro-phenyl-hydrazine method. In both groups, lipids, tocopherols (HPLC) and glycated hemoglobin (HPLC) were studied. Fasting blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin and lipids were significantly higher in the diabetic group; carbonyl content and alpha-tocopherol were slightly, but not significantly higher in the diabetic group (1.06 +/- 0.03 vs. 0.97 +/- 0.04 nmol/mg protein, 27. 07 +/- 2.82 vs. 31.55 +/- 2.11 micromol/l, respectively). Significant relationships between age and lipids, alpha-tocopherol and proteins were found in controls, but not in diabetics. Alpha-tocopherol correlated with lipids in both groups; glycated hemoglobin, a marker of glycemic control, was related to lipids, alpha-tocopherol and protein carbonyl groups in diabetics, while only the correlation with carbonyls was found in controls. These results suggest that impaired glycemic control is connected to protein oxidation. Glycation cascade also releases free radicals, becoming responsible for further oxidative attacks. In conclusion, increased oxidative stress, if any, in the diabetic group, is doubtlessly induced by hyperglycemia, and the tocopherols are not seriously affected by a worsening of the metabolic control.