E. Karge

Serum concentrations of asymmetric (ADMA) and symmetric (SDMA) dimethylarginine in patients with chronic kidney diseases.

BACKGROUND NO synthesis is inhibited by the dimethylarginine (DMA) ADMA, which accumulates, similar to SDMA, in the plasma of patients suffering from chronic renal failure (CRF). ADMA and possibly SDMA contribute to hypertension and atherosclerosis in patients with chronic renal disease: ADMA inhibits directly eNOS, whereas SDMA competes with the NO precursor arginine for uptake into the cells. METHODS In 26 control persons and 221 patients with kidney diseases of different stage as were CRF, end stage renal disease (ESRD), and patients after renal transplantation (RT), the plasma concentrations of ADMA (c(ADMA)), SDMA (c(SDMA)) and 20 endogenous amino acids (AA) were measured by HPLC and correlated to blood pressure, cardiac events, endothelial dysfunction, and diabetes mellitus. RESULTS Both ADMA (1.04+/-0.04 vs. 0.66+/-0.04 microM) and SDMA (2.69+/-0.12 vs. 0.49+/-0.03 microM) were significantly (p<0.001) elevated in all patients compared to healthy controls, whereas arginine concentration (51.4+/-2.3 vs. 76.0+/-5.2 microM) was decreased in dependence on the degree of kidney disease. In RT patients, SDMA levels were significantly decreased, but c(ADMA) remained enhanced. A strong correlation was found between SDMA and both serum urea and creatinine in CRF and RT patients. A linear correlation was found between ADMA and cholesterol concentrations in RT patients. Hypertension in CRF was accompanied by a further increase in the concentration of DMAs. There was no relation between DMAs and the occurrence of peripheral arterial occlusive disease or cerebrovascular diseases. In patients with cardiac diseases, c(SDMA) was additionally increased only in the CRF group. CONCLUSIONS In patients with chronic kidney disease, c(ADMA) and c(SDMA) are significantly increased but cardiovascular diseases are evidently not correlated to changes in DMA concentrations in this group of patients.

Luminol-and lucigenin-amplified chemiluminescence with rat liver microsomes. Kinetics and influence of ascorbic acid, glutathione, dimethylsulfoxide, N-t-butyl-a-phenyl-nitrone, copper-ions and a copper complex, catalase, superoxide dismutase, hexobarbital and aniline.

For the investigation of luminol (LM)-and lucigenin (LC)-amplified chemiluminescence (CL) in rat liver microsomes using both a liquid-scintillation counter (LKB/Wallac 1219 Rackbeta) and a Berthold luminometer (AutoLumat LB 953) optimal incubation mixtures and conditions and basic kinetics have been established. Whereas calibration curves for both LM- and LC-CL are performed with hydrogenperoxide (LC quantum yield is 6.25 fold higher as that of LM), distinct differences were revealed with microsomes, indicating that different reactive oxygen species (ROS) are determined: Both LM- and LC-CL follow the kinetics of enzymatic reactions in terms of dependence on protein and NADPH or NADH concentration, time course, temperature etc., but with differences. LM-CL does not work without addition of Fe2+, whereas LC-CL does. Both copper ions and copper bound in a complex abolish CL, LC-CL being much more sensitive. Isolated cytochrome P-450 (P450) and NADPH P450 reductase from liver of pheno-barbital treated rats alone proved to be inactive in LM-and LC-CL production, whereas te combination 1:1 without and with addition of lipid was highly active in both LM-and LC-CL. Ascorbic acid and glutathione as scavengers diminish both LM- and LC-CL in concentrations higher then 10(5). Dimethyl-sulfoxide (DMSO) was ineffective in LM-CL up to concentrations of 0.2 M, the very high concentration of 2 M diminished LM-CL only to 1/3. LC-CL was diminished starting at concentrations of 100 mM and at 2 M only 10% of maximum LC-CL was observed. The trap substance N-t-butyl-a-phenylnitrone (BNP) also diminished LC-CL more effectively than LM-CL. Clearcut differences were revealed by the addition of catalase and superoxide dismutase: both enzymes diminished LM-CL only, without any influence on LC-CL. Hexobarbital, a potent uncoupler of P450, enhances LM-CL fivefold, whereas LC-CL is barely influenced. Aniline (without uncoupling capability) decreased both LM-and LC-CL increasingly with increasing concentrations. Therefore the conclusion is drawn that LM-CL measures in liver microsomes predominantly superoxide anion radicals, whereas LC-CL is mainly a measure for microsomal hydroxyl radical formation or of reactive organic radicals. With microsomes of phenobarbital and beta-naphthoflavone treated rats CL was much higher but in principle the same kinetic characteristics could be shown. All results on microsomes were obtained uniformly with the liquid scintillation counter and the Berthold luminometer, the letter being much more effective and more sensitive.

Evaluation of possible pro- or antioxidative properties and of the interaction capacity with the microsomal cytochrome P450 system of different NMDA-receptor ligands and of taurine in vitro

In the first part of the study possible additional antioxidative effects of various N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-receptor antagonists, some of which are used in the treatment of Parkinsons or Alzheimers disease or as narcotic (dizocilpine, ketamine, budipine, memantine, amantadine, AP-5) were investigated in vitro in comparison to the respective agonists (NMDA, glutamate, aspartate, glycine) and the putative antioxidative amino acid taurine. For this purpose, effects on cytochrome P450 (P450) mediated oxidase functions in rat liver and brain microsomes were examined by measuring the influence on stimulated lipid peroxidation (LPO), H2O2 production, and lucigenin and luminol amplified chemiluminescence. Additionally, effects on rat whole blood chemiluminescence (WB-CL) were assessed. In the second part of the study the influence of the substances on P450 mediated monooxygenase functions in rat liver 9000 g supernatants, as assessed by the model reactions ethoxyresorufin O-deethylation (EROD), ethoxycoumarin O-deethylation (ECOD), and ethylmorphine N-demethylation (EMND), was investigated in order to evaluate possible interactions with the biotransformation of other foreign or endogenous substances. The non-competitive antagonists dizocilpine, ketamine, budipine and memantine concentration-dependently diminished all oxidase model reactions in both rat liver and brain microsomes. Amantadine was only slightly effective in brain microsomes and on LPO in liver microsomes. No noticeable effect was seen with the competitive antagonist AP-5, with all agonists and with taurine. WB-CL was diminished by all antagonists and by glutamate but not affected by the other agonists and taurine. Dizocilpine, ketamine, budipine and memantine concentration dependently inhibited EROD, ECOD and EMND, amantadine only EROD and ECOD activity. The other substances were without any effect. These results demonstrate that only the non-competitive NMDA-receptor antagonists seem to have antioxidative properties. On the other hand, only with the non-competitive antagonists interactions with the P450 system and thus with the biotransformation of other substances are to be expected.

What do we measure with luminol-, lucigenin- and penicillin-amplified chemiluminescence? 1. Investigations with hydrogen peroxide and sodium hypochlorite.

Evidence is provided that the amplifiers luminol and lucigenin react with different reactive oxygen species (ROS), depending on the ROS-generating system used. H2O2 is used to produce calibration curves for luminol- and lucigenin-amplified chemiluminescence. With this chemiluminescence generator we characterized the specificity and sensitivity of luminol- and lucigenin-amplified chemiluminescence and also studied penicillin G, a known enhancer of luminol-amplified chemiluminescence. The combination of luminol and lucigenin in reciprocally changing concentrations is effective in an additive manner, but the weak amplifier penicillin increases luminol-amplified chemiluminescence distinctly more than in an additive manner in different combinations. Lucigenin-amplified chemiluminescence is increased by penicillin at about 1% of the optimum concentration of penicillin; increasing concentrations of penicillin are less and less effective. On the other hand, low lucigenin concentrations enhance penicillin-amplified chemiluminescence at optimum penicillin concentrations more than in an additive manner. Fe2+ does not alter luminol-, lucigenin- or penicillin-amplified chemiluminescence. Co2+ increases luminol-amplified chemiluminescence by a factor of 100. Lucigenin- and penicillin-amplified chemiluminescence are minimally enhanced by Co2+. Cu2+ enhances luminol-amplified chemiluminescence with increasing concentrations by a factor of 1000. Lucigenin-amplified chemiluminescence increases also by the factor of 1000, but the concentration-reaction curve is not as steep. NaOCl enhances H2O2/Fe(2+)-driven luminol-amplified chemiluminescence in a concentration-dependent manner by a factor of 10(4) (in the highest concentration of 10 mmol/L) and lucigenin amplified chemiluminescence only by a factor of about 25. Catalase (CAT) abolishes luminol-, lucigenin- and penicillin-amplified chemiluminescence completely, whereas superoxide dismutase (SOD) has no effect on luminol- or penicillin-amplified chemiluminescence, but enhances lucigenin-amplified chemiluminescence five-fold increasingly with increasing SOD activity.

Investigation on possible antioxidative properties of the NMDA-receptor antagonists ketamine, memantine, and amantadine in comparison to nicanartine in vitro.

Possible antioxidative properties of three N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-receptor antagonists, the anesthetic ketamine and the antiparkinson drugs memantine and amantadine were investigated in vitro on the microsomal cytochrome P450 (P450) system of rat livers and on rat whole blood chemiluminescence in comparison to nicanartine, a substance with known antiatherosclerotic, hypolipemic and antioxidative capacity. For this purpose, the effects on NADPH- and iron-stimulated lipid peroxidation (LPO), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) production, and NADPH- and iron-stimulated lucigenin (LC) and luminol (LM) amplified chemiluminescence (CL) were examined using rat liver microsomes. Additionally, the influence on LM amplified whole blood chemiluminescence after zymosan activation of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (WB-CL) was investigated. Furthermore, binding to P450 and effects on P450 mediated monooxygenase function, as measured by the model reactions ethoxyresorufin O-deethylation (EROD), ethoxycoumarin O-deethylation (ECOD), and ethylmorphine N-demethylation (END), were assessed. Nicanartine concentration dependently reduced LPO and H2O2 production already at a concentration of 1 microM, whereas LC and LM amplified CL and WB-CL were not affected. EROD and END were concentration dependently diminished starting at 1 microM, and ECOD already at 0.1 microM. Ketamine decreased LPO, H2O2 production and LM and LC amplified CL, starting at 100 microM. WB-CL was significantly diminished already at 10 microM. EROD and ECOD were inhibited at 10 and 100 microM and END at 100 microM. With memantine a concentration dependent inhibition of LPO and WB-CL was seen at 100 and 1000 microM and a reduction of LC and LM amplified CL only at 1000 microM. H2O2 production was not affected. EROD and ECOD were significantly diminished by a concentration of 100 microM. No effect was observed on END. Amantadine significantly reduced LPO and WB-CL, but only at 1000 microM. H2O2 production and LC and LM amplified CL were not affected. EROD was significantly diminished at 100 microM, whereas no influence was seen on ECOD and END. Nicanartine displayed type II or reverse type I, ketamine, memantine and amantadine type I substrate binding to P450. The highest binding affinity to P450 was seen with nicanartine, followed by ketamine, memantine and then amantadine. These results demonstrate, that all four substances seem to act as radical scavengers and/or as inhibitors of the oxidative function of P450. All four substances seem to interfere with the monooxygenase function of P450. This may result in a possible influence on the biotransformation of endogenous as well as of foreign compounds. The effects of nicanartine were much more pronounced than those of ketamine, memantine, and amantadine.

Age dependent different influence of carbon tetrachloride on biotransformation of xenobiotics, glutathione content, lipid peroxidation and histopathology of rat liver

15- and 60-day-old male rats were treated with different doses of CCl4 orally. 24 h later cytochrome P-450 (P450) concentration, 7-ethoxyresorufin O-deethylation (EROD) and 7-pentoxy-resorufin O-deethylation (PEROD) activities were determined. Whereas P450 and EROD are lowered to the same extent in both ages, PEROD shows a more pronounced inhibition in the livers of younger rats. The formation of endogenous lipid peroxides (measured as thiobarbituric acid reactive substances) is drastically increased only in the livers of young rats. The hepatic glutathione (GSH) content was unaffected by CCl4 treatment whereas oxidized glutathione is more increased in the livers of adult rats. This can be caused by a higher activity of GSH-peroxidase in the livers of adult rats. The changes in NADPH-induced lipid peroxidation and chemiluminescence correlate partially with the changes in P450 and biotransformation reactions. Histopathologically the liver damage is more extensive in suckling rats. The necrosis is localized predominantly in the perivenous tissue, which has normally the highest activities of toxification and detoxification enzymes.

Influence of oestrogens on formation of reactive oxygen species in liver microsomes of differently aged male Wistar rats

Metabolic pathways of oestrogens are the formation of catechol oestrogens (CE; 2- and 4-hydroxy-oestrogens), redox cycling of CE and free radical generation, mediated through cytochrome P450 (P450) oxidase/reductase activity. We checked the oestrogens oestradiol (E2), oestradiol valerate (E2V) and ethinyloestradiol (EE2) for formation of reactive oxygen species in vitro and ex vivo in male Wistar rats in dependence on age. In liver microsomes of 10-, 30-, 60- and 270-day-old rats the influence of E2, E2V and EE2 (10(-7)-10(-3) M) on NADPH-Fe(++)-stimulated lipid peroxidation (LPO), H2O2 generation and lucigenin (LUC) and luminol (LUM) amplified chemiluminescence (CL) was investigated. The same parameters, additionally P450 content and monooxygenase activities were measured in liver 9000 x g supernatants after subchronic administration of the oestrogens (1, 10 mg/kg b. wt. orally). The most important results are the strong inhibitory capacities of the oestrogens in vitro on LPO in the order of E2V < E2 < EE2, most pronounced in 10-, 60- and 270-day-old animals. In microsomes of 30-day-old rats with the highest control LPO the antioxidative effect of the oestrogens was lower. Whereas the H2O2 generation was not changed by E2, enhanced by E2V, but diminished by EE2 in all age groups, CL(LUC) and CL(LUM) were inhibited in the order of E2 < E2V < EE2. Also after subchronical treatment of the rats the antioxidative action of the oestrogens was evident, microsomal LPO was inhibited in the order of E2 < E2V < EE2. All oestrogens inhibited ethylmorphine N-demethylation. But enhanced H2O2 generation and increased CL(LUC) also indicate a formation of reactive oxygen species by these oestrogens. Obviously in vitro the antioxidative phenolic structure of the oestrogens dominates, whereas after in vivo administration the dose- and age-dependent biotransformation produces prooxidative in addition to antioxidative structures.

Cytochrome P450 (P450) isoforms expression, P450 concentration, monooxygenase activities, reactive oxygen species formation, lipid peroxidation, and glutathione content in wild catch carp and tench liver - influence of a two weeks exposure to phenobarbital

Carps, both sexes, 3 years old, weighing about 1 kg, and tenches of both sexes, 6 years old, weight about 250 g, were caught from a Thuringian lake without industrial pollution in November 1995 (fish without food uptake, water temperature at about 10 degrees C) and kept for 2 weeks in basins with clean water and addition of 0, 0.1, 1.0 or 10.0 mg/l phenobarbital-Na (PB). The concentration of PB was controlled during and at the end of the exposure period. The animals were fed pellets, but no food uptake was observed. After 24-48 h in fresh water the fish were sacrificed and the following hepatic parameters were immediately determined biochemically: monooxygenase functions: cytochrome P450 (P450) content, ethylmorphine N-demethylation (EN), ethoxycoumarin O-deethylation (ECOD), ethoxyresorufin O-deethylation (EROD), 7-benzyloxy-4-methyl-coumarin O-debenzylation (BCDB); oxidase function indicators: microsomal Fe2+/NADPH dependent hydrogen peroxide formation (H2O2), microsomal Fe2+/NADPH dependent luminol and lucigenin amplified chemiluminescence (LMCL, LCCL), microsomal Fe2+/NADPH dependent lipid peroxide formation (LPO); oxidative state: lipid peroxidation products (TBARS) and GSH and GSSG. Additionally, the expression of three P450 isoforms, 1A1, 2B and 3A, was assessed immunohistochemically in tissue samples from brain, gill, heart, spleen, liver, gut and ovary of both fish species and in kidney of tenches. PB did not influence body or liver weights, but increased liver P450 concentration in both species by 50-100%, though not significantly. Carp: PB increased both EN and EROD significantly, but not ECOD and BCDB; H2O2 and TBARS were enhanced significantly. LPO, LMCL and LCCL were not significantly influenced. Tench: PB increased all monooxygenase reactions (EN, ECOD, BCDB and EROD), though only significantly ECOD; H2O2 was elevated only after treatment with 0.1 mg/l PB, whereas LPO was decreased (!) after treatment by all three concentrations, though significantly only after 1.0 mg/l PB. LMCL was depressed (not significantly), but LCCL increased 5fold. TBARS were significantly enhanced. P450 1A1 subtype expression was concentration dependently elevated by PB in gill and liver of both fish and in the heart and kidney of tenches, P450 2B and 3A isoforms expression was induced in brain, gill, heart, liver and gut of both fish and in the kidney of tenches. In summary, the increased activities of the monooxygenase reactions tested and the elevated expression of all three P450 isoforms investigated in certain tissues indicate an induction of the P450 families 1, 2 and 3 by PB in fish.

Fibrates and their newly synthesized glycinate or glycinate-methylester derivatives: comparison of the interactions with liver cytochrome P450 dependent monooxygenase- and oxidase-functions in vitro.

Different fibrates (bezafibrate, ciprofibrate, clofibrate, fenofibrate, gemfibrozil) were investigated in comparison with their newly synthesized glycinate and glycinate-methylester derivatives. Interactions with the cytochrome P450 (CYP) system were studied by assessing binding to CYP and effects on CYP mediated monooxygenase functions in rat liver 9000 g supernatants, as measured by six model reactions for different CYP isoforms (ethoxyresorufin O-deethylation, ethoxycoumarin O-deethylation, pentoxyresorufin O-depentylation, p-nitrophenol-hydroxylation, ethylmorphine N-demethylation, lauric acid 11- or 12-hydroxylation). Possible prooxidant or antioxidant properties were investigated by the stimulated lipid peroxidation, hydrogen peroxide production, and lucigenin and luminol amplified chemiluminescence using rat liver microsomes. Additionally, the influence on luminol amplified rat whole blood chemiluminescence was examined. All substances tested displayed binding to CYP. Effects on the monooxygenase model reactions were in general more distinct with the glycinates than with the parent compounds and most pronounced with the glycinate-methylester derivatives. The slightest effects on all model reactions were seen with clofibrate and its derivatives. On the whole, low antioxidative rather than prooxidative effects were observed. In general and with most model reactions, the antioxidative capacity of the glycinate and glycinate-methylester derivatives slightly exceeded that of the respective parent compounds. Summarizing the results it can be concluded that with respect to possible interactions with the CYP system in vivo and thus with the biotransformation of other concomitantly administered compounds no advantages of the glycinate or glycinate methylester derivatives over their parent fibrates are to be expected. Only the antioxidative capacity of the derivatives was somewhat higher than that of the parent substances, though most probably only of minor therapeutical relevance.

Interaction of chlormezanone with rat liver microsomes and its degradation

SummaryChlormezanone binds to oxidized cytochrome P450 in rat liver microsomes with a binding curve according to type I like hexobarbital but less pronounced and with a general shift to the left. Ethylmorphine N-demethylation, ethoxycoumarin and ethoxyresorufin O-deethylation are inhibited by chlormezanone in mM concentrations only whereas pentoxyreosorufin O-depentylation is inhibited by about 50% in μM concentrations. Luminol and lucigenin amplified chemiluminescence indicating the formation of reactive oxygen species was not influenced in concentration ranges between mM and μM, whereas NADPH/Fe stimulated lipid peroxidation showed a tendency of inhibition. But scavenger activity could not be demonstrated: the zymosan stimulated chemiluminescence of whole blood was not influenced significantly.The degradation process of chlormezanone was elucidated. The first step involves ring opening by chemical hydrolysis with subsequent formation of an unstable acyhalfaminal which is the source of 4-chlorobenzaldehyde. This aldehyde undergoes enzymatically controlled oxidation to 4-chlorobenzoic acid which is the parent compound of following phase II reactions. The second degradation product is 2-carboxyethane-sulfinic-acid-N-methylamide, which is hydrolyzed very quickly. Neither oxidation of the sulfinic acid or its N-nethylamide derivative could be observed nor N-demethylation of chlormezanone.