Abu B. Al-Mehdi

Intravascular origin of metastasis from the proliferation of endothelium-attached tumor cells: a new model for metastasis.

Metastasis is a frequent complication of cancer, yet the process through which circulating tumor cells form distant colonies is poorly understood. We have been able to observe the steps in early hematogenous metastasis by epifluorescence microscopy of tumor cells expressing green fluorescent protein in subpleural microvessels in intact, perfused mouse and rat lungs. Metastatic tumor cells attached to the endothelia of pulmonary pre-capillary arterioles and capillaries. Extravasation of tumor cells was rare, and it seemed that the transmigrated cells were cleared quickly by the lung, leaving only the endothelium-attached cells as the seeds of secondary tumors. Early colonies were entirely within the blood vessels. Although most models of metastasis include an extravasation step early in the process, here we show that in the lung, metastasis is initiated by attachment of tumor cells to the vascular endothelium and that hematogenous metastasis originates from the proliferation of attached intravascular tumor cells rather than from extravasated ones. Intravascular metastasis formation would make early colonies especially vulnerable to intravascular drugs, and this possibility has potential for the prevention of tumor cell attachment to the endothelium.

Peroxynitrite-mediated oxidative protein modifications

Proteins are targets of reactive species and detection of oxidatively modified proteins is often used as an index of oxidative stress. Peroxynitrite is a strong oxidant formed by reaction of nitric oxide with superoxide. Using fatty acid‐free bovine serum albumin as a model we examined peroxynitrite‐mediated protein modifications. The reaction of protein with peroxynitrite resulted in the oxidation of tryptophan and cysteine, in the nitration of tyrosine, in the formation of dityrosine, in the production of 2,4 dinitrophenylhydrazine‐reactive carbonyls and in protein fragmentation. The formation of 3‐nitrotyrosine represents a specific peroxynitrite‐mediated protein modification that is different from modifications mediated by reactive oxygen species.

Mice lacking in gp91 phox subunit of NAD(P)H oxidase showed glomus cell [Ca2+]i and respiratory responses to hypoxia

The hypothesis that NAD(P)H oxidase may serve as an oxygen sensor was tested using the mice deficient (knock-out) in gp91phox subunit of NAD(P)H oxidase enzyme complex and compared with wild-type (C57BL/6J) strain measuring the ventilatory and glomus cell intracellular calcium ([Ca(2+)](i)) responses of carotid body to hypoxia. The hypoxic ventilatory responses as well as the [Ca(2+)](i) were preserved in the NAD(P)H oxidase knock-out mice. NAD(P)H oxidase, though a major source of oxygen radical production, is not the oxygen sensor in mice carotid body.

Anoxia-reoxygenation versus ischemia in isolated rat lungs

Oxidant generation in anoxia-reoxygenation and ischemia-reperfusion was compared in isolated rat lungs. Anoxia-reoxygenation was produced by N2 ventilation followed by O2 ventilation. After anoxia, lung ATP content was decreased by 59%. Oxygenated ischemia was produced by discontinuing perfusion while ventilation with O2 was maintained. With anoxia-reoxygenation, oxidant generation, evaluated by oxidation of dichlorodihydrofluorescein (H2DCF) to fluorescent dichlorofluorescein, increased 3.6-fold, lung thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) increased 342%, conjugated dienes increased 285%, and protein carbonyl content increased 46%. Pretreatment of lungs with 100 μM allopurinol inhibited the reoxygenation-mediated increase in lung fluorescence by 75% and TBARS by 69%. Oxygenated ischemia resulted in an approximately eightfold increase in lung H2DCF oxidation and a fourfold increase in TBARS, but allopurinol had no effect. On the other hand, 100 μM diphenyliodonium (DPI) inhibited the ischemia-mediated increase in lung fluorescence by 69% and lung TBARS by 70%, but it had no effect on the increase with anoxia-reoxygenation. Therefore, both ischemia-reperfusion and anoxia-reoxygenation result in oxidant generation by the lung, but a comparison of results with a xanthine oxidase inhibitor (allopurinol) and a flavoprotein inhibitor (DPI) indicate that the pathways for oxidant generation are distinctly different.Oxidant generation in anoxia-reoxygenation and ischemia-reperfusion was compared in isolated rat lungs. Anoxia-reoxygenation was produced by N2 ventilation followed by O2 ventilation. After anoxia, lung ATP content was decreased by 59%. Oxygenated ischemia was produced by discontinuing perfusion while ventilation with O2 was maintained. With anoxia-reoxygenation, oxidant generation, evaluated by oxidation of dichlorodihydrofluorescein (H2DCF) to fluorescent dichlorofluorescein, increased 3.6-fold, lung thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) increased 342%, conjugated dienes increased 285%, and protein carbonyl content increased 46%. Pretreatment of lungs with 100 microM allopurinol inhibited the reoxygenation-mediated increase in lung fluorescence by 75% and TBARS by 69%. Oxygenated ischemia resulted in an approximately eightfold increase in lung H2DCF oxidation and a fourfold increase in TBARS, but allopurinol had no effect. On the other hand, 100 microM diphenyliodonium (DPI) inhibited the ischemia-mediated increase in lung fluorescence by 69% and lung TBARS by 70%, but it had no effect on the increase with anoxia-reoxygenation. Therefore, both ischemia-reperfusion and anoxia-reoxygenation result in oxidant generation by the lung, but a comparison of results with a xanthine oxidase inhibitor (allopurinol) and a flavoprotein inhibitor (DPI) indicate that the pathways for oxidant generation are distinctly different.

Shear stress and endothelial cell activation.

We have shown previously that ischemia in an isolated rat lung that is normally oxygenated by continued ventilation results in lipid and protein oxidation, indicating the generation of reactive oxygen species. By using a variety of biochemical and imaging techniques, we determined that the initial response, which occurs within the first second of ischemia, is partial depolarization of the endothelial cell plasma membrane. This event is followed within several seconds by activation of endothelial NADPH oxidase and generation of superoxide anion at the extracellular surface of the cell membrane where it is dismutated to freely diffusible H2O2. Approximately 15 secs after the onset of ischemia, we detected an elevation of intracellular Ca2+ caused by its release from intracellular stores, followed by Ca2+ influx, possibly through T-type voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels. Increased nitric oxide generation through activation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase is detected after about 45 secs of ischemia. These changes (endothelial membrane depolarization, reactive oxygen species production, elevation of intracellular Ca2+ levels, and nitric oxide generation) were confirmed in isolated endothelial cells that had been adapted to shear stress in vitro. The in vitro model also demonstrates reactive oxygen species–dependent activation of nuclear factor-&kgr;B and activator protein-1 and that 24 hrs of ischemia results in increased cell division. These results indicate a novel cell-signaling pathway in response to loss of shear stress. The basis for these changes in endothelial function is related to mechanotransduction, i.e., altered shear stress rather than a metabolic response to ischemia. The biological function for the response may be an attempt to restore blood flow through vasodilatation and new capillary formation.

Endothelial cell oxidant generation during K(+)-induced membrane depolarization.

We tested the hypothesis that membrane depolarization may initiate oxidant generation in the endothelial cell. Depolarization was produced in bovine pulmonary arterial endothelial cells (BPAEC) in monolayer culture with varying external K+, or with glyburide (10 μM), tetraethylammonium (TEA, 10 mM), gramicidin (1 μM), or nigericin (2 μM). Evaluation of bisoxonol fluorescence of BPAEC indicated concentration‐dependent depolarization by high K+ (2% change in fluorescence/mV change in membrane potential in the 5.9–48 mM range of K+) and essentially complete depolarization with glyburide. Generation of oxidants was assessed with o‐phenylenediamine dihydrochloride (o‐PD) oxidation in the presence of horseradish peroxidase (HRP). There was a time‐dependent increase in o‐PD oxidation with 24 mM K+, nigericin, and gramicidin over 2 hours compared with control. In 1 hour o‐PD oxidation increased 2.8‐fold for 24 mM and 3.7‐fold for 48 mM K+ compared with control. Catalase reduced 24 mM K+‐induced o‐PD oxidation by 50%, while Cu/Zn‐superoxide dismutase (SOD) abolished the increase. Oxidation of o‐PD was reduced by 57% in the absence of HRP in the system. With K+ channel blockade, o‐PD oxidation increased 3.8‐fold with glyburide and 4.6‐fold with TEA compared with control. These data indicate formation of H2O2 and possibly other oxidants with depolarization and suggest involvement of K+‐channels in this process.

Ca2+ Flux Through Voltage-Gated Channels with Flow Cessation in Pulmonary Microvascular Endothelial Cells

Objective: To investigate the role of voltage‐gated Ca2+ channels in Ca2+ influx with flow cessation in flow‐adapted rat pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells.

Oxidant generation with K(+)-induced depolarization in the isolated perfused lung.

This study evaluated whether cell membrane depolarization can induce oxidant generation in the isolated perfused rat lung as has been demonstrated with bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cells. Depolarization was produced by perfusing the lungs with high [K+] or with glyburide and was evaluated with bis-oxonol lung surface fluorometry. Lung surface bis-oxonol fluorescence increased above baseline (at 5.9 mM K+) by 18.5% with 24 mM K+, 35% with 48 mM K+, and 67% with 96 mM K+, indicating graded membrane depolarization, and by 75% during perfusion with 10 microM glyburide. Oxidant generation was evaluated with hydroethidine lung surface fluorometry, and with assay of tissue thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS), conjugated dienes, and perfusate H2O2. Depolarization by high K+ or glyburide led to significant increases in generation of tissue oxidants and lipid peroxidation. Bodipy-FL-glyburide microfluorography showed localization of glyburide binding primarily to vascular endothelial cells vascular and airway smooth muscle cells, alveolar type II cells, and to nonciliated cells of the airway epithelium. These results indicate that cellular depolarization is associated with oxidant generation by the lung and suggests a role for K(+)-channels in these events.

Ischemia‐Reperfusion Injury to the Lung a

The pathophysiology of ischemia-reperfusion injury has been investigated with a variety of organs including heart, brain, kidney, and intestine. 172 O f the diverse initiating factors that eventuate in tissue injury, oxygen lack (anoxia) is considered of major importance. In some systems, such as studies with isolated cells, anoxia followed by reoxygenation is used as a model for ischemia-reperfusion.3 The lung is unique among major organs in that oxygen supply to lung tissue does not derive from pulmonary perfusion. In fact, occlusion of the pulmonary artery theoretically leads to slightly increased lung tissue PO2 since oxygen is no longer removed by the pulmonary capillary blood. (Provided of course that ventilation continues, as it should in the absence of other superimposed pulmonary pathology.) Further, continued ventilation of the ischemic lung will remove CO2 and lead to respiratory alkalosis, in contrast to the acidosis that results in other ischemic tissues. Finally, during the reperfision period PO2 of lung tissue will greatly exceed the values attained in other organs that depend on perfusion for oxygen delivery. Is the lung, then, susceptible to ischemia-reperfusion injury? Numerous recent studies have suggested that the answer is yes, even though anoxia may not be an initiating factor.4-9 Our studies with the isolated perfused rat lung have utilized two different models. In the first, anoxia plus ischemia is produced by ventilating ischemic lungs with nitrogen followed by reperfusion and ventilation with oxygen.1° This model is analogous to ischemia-reperfision in other organs. The second model is the more accurate physiologic situation in which ventilation is continued with air during the ischemic period.11-13 This second model is ischemic but not anoxic. The results indicate that ischemia leads to an oxidative lung injury actually manifest during the ischemic period itself, provided that oxygenation is maintained.

A phospholipase A2 inhibitor decreases generation of thiobarbituric acid reactive substance during lung ischemia-reperfusion

A novel active-site directed specific inhibitor of phospholipase A2 (PLA2), 1-hexadecyl-3-trifluoroethylglycero-sn-2-phosphomethanol (MJ33), administered endotracheally co-dispersed in liposomes, significantly reduced the formation of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in isolated rat lungs subjected to ischemia-reperfusion. Elevated conjugated dienes were unaffected. This contrasts with the effects of the cyclo-/lipoxygenase inhibitor 5,8,11,14-eicosatetraynoic acid (ETYA), which decreased formation of both TBARS and conjugated dienes (CD). The effects of MJ33 plus ETYA were additive for TBARS but results for CD were similar to ETYA alone. A similar dissociation of inhibition of TBARS and CD formation by MJ33 was observed with t-butyl hydroperoxide induced lipid peroxidation of isolated lung microsomes. Assay of lung homogenate with phosphatidylcholine as substrate showed that MJ33 selectively inhibited the Ca(2+)-independent acidic PLA2. MJ33 had no effect on thromboxane B2 release by the isolated lung, indicating the effects of acidic PLA2 inhibition do not involve the arachidonate cascade. MJ33 also partially prevented lung edema and lactate dehydrogenase release associated with ischemia-reperfusion. The observations show that this PLA2 inhibitor can be delivered to oxidant-sensitive lung sites by its co-dispersal in liposomes, and that oxidant-induced lipid peroxidation in this model of lung injury occurs in a complex lipid prior to PLA2 activity.