Jacqueline H. Smith

Chemically Induced Nephrotoxicity: Role of Metabolic Activation

Renal xenobiotic metabolism can result in production of electrophiles or free radicals that may covalently bind macromolecules or initiate lipid peroxidation. The mechanisms of renal xenobiotic metabolism may vary in different anatomical regions. Kidney cortex contains a cytochrome P-450 system while medulla contains a prostaglandin endoperoxidase. Recently cysteine conjugated-lyase has been implicated in production of reactive intermediates. Metabolic activation may be amplified by accumulation of xenobiotics within renal cells due to tubular concentrating and/or secretory mechanisms. Additionally, renal xenobiotic detoxicification can occur by conjugation with glucuronide, sulfate or glutathione.

Mechanism of chloroform nephrotoxicity. I. Time course of chloroform toxicity in male and female mice.

Chloroform (CHCl3) nephrotoxicity in male mice could be detected as early as 2 hr after CHCl3 administration (250 microliter/kg, sc) as decreased ability of renal cortical slices to accumulate p-aminohippurate (PAH) and tetraethylammonium (TEA). The decrease was preceded and paralleled by a reduction of renal cortical nonprotein sulfhydryl (NPSH) concentration, an index of tissue reduced glutathione concentration. Histologic alterations were not observed until NPSH concentrations and PAH and TEA accumulation had reached the nadir, 5 hr after CHCl3 administration. Female mice exhibited no evidence of nephrotoxicity to CHCl3 even when the dose was increased to 1000 microliter/kg or when pretreated with diethyl maleate to reduce renal cortical NPSH concentrations prior to CHCl3 injection. The extent of hepatotoxicity was similar in male and female mice and decreases of hepatic NPSH concentrations also were detected by 1.5 hr after CHCl3 administration. The rapid response of the kidney to CHCl3 toxicity in male mice and the similarity of liver toxicity in both sexes suggests that nephrotoxicity occurs independently of hepatotoxicity. Furthermore, the ability to detect these early changes in vivo following CHCl3 administration may permit the development of an in vitro model to evaluate the mechanism of CHCl3 nephrotoxicity.

Mechanism of chloroform nephrotoxicity: III. Renal and hepatic microsomal metabolism of chloroform in mice

In vitro studies with male ICR mouse renal cortical slices have indicated that chloroform (CHCl3) is metabolized by the kidney to a nephrotoxic intermediate, possibly by a cytochrome P-450-dependent mechanism similar to that occurring in the liver. In this investigation, metabolism of 14CHCl3 by microsomes prepared from renal cortex and liver provided definitive evidence for a role of cytochrome P-450 in the renal metabolism and toxicity of CHCl3. 14CHCl3 was metabolized to 14CO2 and covalently bound radioactivity by male renal cortical microsomes; metabolism required oxygen, a NADPH regenerating system, was dependent on incubation time, microsomal protein concentration, and substrate concentration, and was inhibited by carbon monoxide. Consistent with the absence of CHCl3 nephrotoxicity in female mice, little or no metabolism of 14CHCl3 by female renal cortical microsomes was detected. CHCl3 produced a type I binding spectrum with oxidized male renal cortical and hepatic microsomes. Incubation of glutathione with microsomes and 14CHCl3 increased the amount of aqueous soluble metabolites detected with a concomitant decrease of metabolism to 14CO2 and covalently bound radioactivity, suggesting the formation of a phosgene conjugate as has been described for hepatic CHCl3 metabolism. These data support the hypothesis that renal cytochrome P-450 metabolizes CHCl3 to a nephrotoxic intermediate.

Effect of sex hormone status on chloroform nephrotoxicity and renal mixed function oxidases in mice

In mice, only males are susceptible to chloroform (CHCl3) nephrotoxicity and the susceptibility appears to be related to renal mixed function oxidase activity. There were sex-related differences of renal cytochrome P-450 and b5 concentrations and of ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase activity in mouse kidneys; in all cases activity was higher in males. Castration of male mice eliminated susceptibility to CHCl3 nephrotoxicity and reduced renal mixed function oxidases to concentrations observed in female mice. Treatment of male and female mice with testosterone increased the susceptibility to CHCl3 nephrotoxicity and increased renal mixed function oxidases to similar activities in both sexes. Previous data have suggested that CHCl3 is metabolized in situ by the kidney, possibly by a mechanism similar to that occurring in the liver. The data from this investigation are consistent with the concept that CHCl3 is metabolized by a cytochrome P-450-dependent mechanism in the kidney.

Nephrotoxicity of chloroform: Metabolism to phosgene by the mouse kidney

In this investigation, we have attempted to determine whether chloroform (CHCl3)-induced nephrotoxicity might be due to its metabolism to phosgene (COCl2) in the kidney. We have found that kidney homogenates from DBA/2J male mice in the presence of glutathione metabolize CHCl3 to 2-oxothiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid (OTZ). This product appears to be formed by the initial trapping of COCl2 by two molecules of GSH to form diglutathionyl dithiocarbonate (GSCOSG). Kidney gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase can rapidly metabolize GSCOSG to N-(2-oxothiazolidine-4-carbonyl)-glycine which is then hydrolyzed, possibly by cysteinyl glycinase to OTZ. The finding that deuterium-labeled chloroform (CDCl3) was less nephrotoxic and depleted less renal GSH than did CHCl3 suggests that the metabolism of CHCl3 to COCl2 may also occur in the kidney in vivo and lead to nephrotoxicity.

Mechanism of chloroform nephrotoxicity: II. In vitro evidence for renal metabolism of chloroform in mice

Preincubation of renal cortical slices with chloroform (CHCl3) from male, but not female, mice resulted in a subsequent decrease of the ability of the slices to accumulate the organic ions, p-aminohippurate (PAH) and tetraethylammonium (TEA). These sex-related differences, the time required for manifestation of this effect (60 to 90 min), and the concentration dependency (0 to 50 mumol, 0 to 4 microliter CHCl3) were similar to in vivo observations on CHCl3 nephrotoxicity in mice. Furthermore, an equimolar concentration of deuterated CHCl3 (CDCl3) in vitro was less effective than CHCl3 in decreasing PAH and TEA accumulation in male renal cortical slices. The effects of CHCl3 on PAH and TEA accumulation could be diminished or blocked by preincubation with CHCl3 in the presence of carbon monoxide or at 0 degrees C, respectively. The nephrotoxicity of CHCl3 in vitro was increased in renal cortical slices from male mice pretreated with diethyl maleate. Thus, this in vitro model with mouse renal cortical slices and the sex-related differences in CHCl3 nephrotoxicity suggests that the kidney may metabolize CHCl3 in situ to a nephrotoxic metabolite.

Mechanism of chloroform nephrotoxicity: IV. Phenobarbital potentiation of in vitro chloroform metabolism and toxicity in rabbit kidneys

Metabolism of chloroform (CHCl3) by a cytochrome P-450-dependent process to a reactive metabolite may be required to elicit hepatic and renal toxicities. Specific inducers or inhibitors of cytochrome P-450 have been employed frequently as tools to demonstrate this relationship between metabolism and toxicity in the liver. The experiments reported herein were designed to identify the relationship between metabolism and toxicity of CHCl3 in the kidney of rabbits, a species in which renal cytochrome P-450 is induced by phenobarbital. Pretreatment with phenobarbital enhanced the toxic response of renal cortical slices to CHCl3 in vitro as indicated by decreased p-aminohippurate and tetraethylammonium accumulation. Phenobarbital pretreatment also potentiated in vitro 14CHCl3 metabolism to 14CO2 and covalently bound radioactivity in rabbit renal cortical slices and microsomes. Addition of L-cysteine significantly reduced covalent binding in renal microsomes from both phenobarbital-treated and control rabbits and was associated with the formation of the radioactive phosgene-cysteine conjugate 2-oxothiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid (OTZ). Formation of OTZ was enhanced in renal microsomes from phenobarbital-pretreated rabbits. Thus, this in vitro model supports the hypothesis that the kidney metabolizes CHCl3 to the nephrotoxic metabolite, phosgene.

Role of intrarenal biotransformation in chloroform-induced nephrotoxicity in rats.

Various ketonic agents potentiate the hepatic and renal toxicity of halogenated solvents in mice and rats. Characteristics of CHCl3 nephrotoxicity and of 2-hexanone potentiation were evaluated in adult male Fischer 344 rats pretreated with vehicle (oil, 10 ml/kg, po) or 2-hexanone (10 mmol/kg, po) 18 hr prior to CHCl3 exposure. In contrast to the liver, little metabolism of 14CHCl3 by renal cortical microsomes from vehicle- or 2-hexanone-pretreated rats was detected. However, CHCl3 produced a concentration-related dysfunction when added to renal cortical slices from Fischer 344 or Sprague-Dawley rats. The degree of CHCl3 toxicity in vitro was not altered when renal cortical slices were preincubated with CHCl3 (8.5 microliter) under an atmosphere of carbon monoxide. In renal cortical slices, deuterated-CHCl3 was less toxic than CHCl3. Although 2-hexanone pretreatment increased renal slice metabolism of 14CHCl3 twofold, this increase was not associated with an increase in nephrotoxicity after direct exposure of slices to CHCl3 (0 to 10 microliter) in vitro. CHCl3 (0.5 ml/kg, ip) did not alter renal cortical glutathione concentrations in vehicle or 2-hexanone pretreated rats. The association of 14CHCl3-derived radiolabel was increased over control by 2-hexanone pretreatment in protein, lipid, and acid soluble fractions from the renal cortex by approximately two-, two-, and fivefold, respectively. In conclusion, renal cytochrome P-450 did not appear to mediate CHCl3 metabolism and nephrotoxicity in the rat to the extent observed previously in mice. 2-Hexanone appeared to potentiate nephrotoxicity by a mechanism different than that observed in rat liver.

Induction of renal and hepatic mixed function oxiases in the hamster and guinea pig

A marked species difference exists in the induction of renal and hepatic mixed function oxidase (MFO) activity between rats and rabbits. However, little is known about MFO induction in these organs from other laboratory animals. Male Golden Syrian hamsters and male Hartley guinea pigs were administered phenobarbital (PB) or beta-napthoflavone (BNF) at 70 and 40 mg/kg, respectively, as daily i.p. injections for 4 days. Polybrominated biphenyl (PBB) (Firemaster BP-6) was given as a single i.p. injection (50 mg/kg). Hamster hepatic microsomal ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) and benzphetamine-N-demethylase (BPND) were selectively induced by BNF and PB, respectively. PBB administration induced both hamster hepatic EROD and BPND. In contrast, hepatic microsomal MFO activity from the guinea pig was inducible by PB, PBB and BNF. Renal microsomal MFO activity in both species was inducible by BNF and PBB as arylhydrocarbon hydroxylase and EROD were induced approximately 10-fold. On the other hand, hamster BPND was induced by PB whereas guinea pig MFO activity was unaffected. Total renal cytochrome P-450 content was not affected by any of these inducers in either species. These data demonstrate selective patterns of induction in both hamster and guinea pig liver and kidney suggesting the involvement of multiple forms of cytochrome P-450.

Renal Protein Degradation: A Biochemical Target of Specific Nephrotoxicants

Protein degradation in the kidney occurs mainly in lysosomes, organelles which may also accumulate nephrotoxic chemicals. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effects of intracellular accumulation of gentamicin, cephaloridine and cisplatin on lysosomal digestion of the protein lysozyme. Gentamicin (15 or 30 mg/kg/day for 3 or 5 days), cisplatin (2.5 or 5 mg/kg) or cephaloridine (500, 1000, 2000 or 2500 mg/kg) was administered ip to male Wistar rats. The main site of the nephrotoxic effects of these compounds was the proximal tubule where these agents differentially affected S1, S2 and/or S3 segments. A 2- and 4-fold increase of the excretion of N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) was observed in the urine from cisplatin- and gentamicin-treated rats, respectively; no change in enzyme excretion occurred after cephaloradine. One hour prior to sacrifice, rat were given 0.3 mg of unlabelled lysozyme in combination with 125I-lysozyme in 0.3 mL saline. Renal cortical slices were prepared and incubated for 15, 30, 60 and 90 min. Release of trichloroacetic acid (TCA) soluble radioactivity into the medium was assumed to quantify lysosomal degradation of lysozyme. Accumulation of p-amino-hippurate (PAH) in renal cortical slices and changes in blood urea nitrogen (BUN) concentration were used as indices of renal damage. TCA-soluble radioactivity increased in the medium from kidney slices from control rats to 50% of the total radioactivity after 90 min incubation. In gentamicin-treated rats, lysozyme degradation was significantly decreased by doses of 15 and 30 mg/kg/day after 3 and 5 days of exposure in the absence of any changes in BUN or PAH accumulation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)