L. Congiu

The effect of lead nitrate on the tissue distribution of mercury in rats treated with methylmercury chloride

Abstract Tissue concentrations of the reduced form of glutathione in brain, kidney, and liver vary in the same relationship as the tissue concentration of mercury. Brain glutathione is not influenced by lead nitrate administration, but glutathione content of kidney and liver is increased. The administration of lead nitrate which increased kidney glutathione also resulted in increased mercury deposition in the kidney. This provides additional evidence that, in the kidney, glutathione concentrations play a role in control of mercury deposition.

Lack of melatonin effect on hydrogen peroxide induced bronchoconstriction in isolated and perfused rat lung.

The effect of melatonin on hydrogen peroxide- induced broncho-and vasoconstriction was examined in vivo in the model of the isolated, perfused and ventilated lung. The administration of hydrogen peroxide (500 microM) to the perfusate caused a marked decrease in lung compliance, conductance and flow rate. The administration of melatonin (500 microM) to the perfusate 20 min before and during the hydroperoxide exposure did not cause any change in lung function. Exposure of lung microsomes to hydrogen peroxide (1-100 microM) did not induce any significant increase in malonaldehyde (MDA), an index of lipid peroxidation, and it was not affected by treatment with melatonin (500 microM). On the other hand, brain microsomes exposed to hydrogen peroxide (1-100 microM) give rise to increased levels of MDA, which were decreased by pre-treatment with melatonin (500 microM). The results suggest that melatonin may exert an antioxidant effect in conditions were lipid peroxidation is occurring. Its use may not be relevant in conditions where the mechanisms of the reactive oxygen species damage appears to be lipid peroxidation independent, such as the case of hydrogen peroxide induced broncho- and vasoconstriction.

Influence of lead nitrate oń dimethylnitrosamine intoxication

The effect of lead nitrate, an inhibitor of the hepatic drug-metabolizing enzyme system upon the acute, hepatotoxicity of dimethylnitrosamine (DMN) was studied. Lead pretreatment significantly prevented polysomal disaggregation induced by the nitrosamine. Cell necrosis, evaluated morphologically and by the release of serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (GPT), was also diminished. The metabolism of DMN in rats pretreated with lead nitrate was investigated by following its clearance from blood and by determining, in vitro the demethylation of the nitrosamine. Lead increased, although not significantly, the clearance of DMN from blood, but it lowered the activity of DMN-demethylase 24 h after its administration. Finally, lead lowered the lethal effects of DMN. The mechanism by which lead influenced DMN toxicity is discussed.

Involvement of capsaicin-sensitive nerves in paraquat-induced mortality

Paraquat (PQ), a broad spectrum herbicide, produces severe lung inflammation and necrosis resulting in pulmonary fibrosis and respiratory failure. Tachykinins are peptides released by sensory C fibers and have the ability of influencing respiratory functions and cellular proliferation. To examine whether the damage caused by PQ involves tachykinins, rats were depleted in their content of tachykinins by systemic treatment with capsaicin prior to PQ exposure. The animal subjected to this treatment showed a 3-fold higher viability compared to those treated with PQ alone (75 vs 27%). Depletion of reduced glutathione (GSH) is associated with oxidative stress produced by reactive oxygen intermediates during PQ metabolism. This is considered to be critical in the pathogenesis of lung damage by PQ. PQ treatment induced a significant depletion of GSH during the first days and a similar effect was also observed in the group of capsaicin-pretreated rats. Four weeks after PQ treatment the levels of GSH were similar to controls in rat pretreated or not with capsaicin plus PQ. This may indicate that the reduced levels of GSH may be associated to the toxicity observed in the acute phase, but not of importance in the final PQ-induced mortality. Neutral endopeptidase (NEP) is an enzyme considered to be critical in controlling the levels of tachykinins. Exposure of crude membrane preparations of rat lung to PQ resulted in a dose-dependent inhibition of NEP activity. Since NEP inactivation may occur in lung following a PQ exposure in vivo, the results indicate that during PQ intoxication a more sustained activity of tachykinins may be present, producing effects such as cell proliferation, fluid extravasation and bronchoconstriction. In conclusion, this finding supports the hypothesis that neuropeptides released from capsaicin-sensitive nerves could be involved in the modulation of PQ-induced lung damage.

Sodium Metabisulfite and Citric Acid Induce Bronchoconstriction via a Sulfite-Sensitive Pathway in the Isolated Guinea Pig Lung

Inhalation of sodium metabisulfite (MBS; 80 mM; pH 2.9 +/- 0.1) or citric acid (CA; 0.4 M; pH 2.0 +/- 0.1) aerosols induced a reduction in compliance and conductance in the isolated perfused and ventilated guinea pig lung without affecting perfusion flow. The effect was dependent on the pH of the nebulized solution since inhalation of 80 mM MBS aerosols at pH 7.4 did not induce any effect on bronchial tone. Concomitantly to the bronchoconstriction induced by MBS or CA an increased level of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP-LI) in the effluent perfusate was observed, indicating activation of sensory nerves. Sodium sulfite, a dissolution product of MBS, has previously been shown by our studies to reduce bronchoconstriction induced by inhalation of sulfur dioxide, in the isolated perfused and ventilated guinea pig lung. In the present study perfusion of the lung with sodium sulfite (3 mM) before and during exposure to aerosols with either MBS or CA attenuated the bronchoconstriction induced by the acidic solutions. The release of CGRP-LI induced by MBS or CA was not affected by sodium sulfite. Sulfite treatment did not modify perfused guinea pig lung reactivity towards acetylcholine (4 nmol), bradykinin (100 pmol), histamine (10 nmol), serotonin (500 pmol) and substance P fragment 5-11, a substance P analogue resistant to degrading enzyme (500 pmol). However, an inhibitory effect by sodium sulfite was observed on bronchoconstriction induced by the NK-2 agonist neurokinin A fragment 4-10 (NKA 4-10, 25 pmol). These results indicate that MBS- or CA-induced bronchoconstriction was dependent on the low pH of the aerosol solution and coincided with activation of sensory nerves. Sulfite modulation of the bronchoconstricting action of inhaled MBS and CA is suggested to be related to a sulfite-sensitive step in the signal transduction of the neuropeptide NKA.

Effect of verapamil on allyl alcohol hepatotoxicity

The effects of verapamil, a calcium channel blocker, on allyl alcohol (AA) hepatotoxicity were studied in vivo. AA administration induced an increase of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) concentration and liver necrosis by means of glutathione (GSH) depletion. Pretreatment with verapamil reduced the increase of ALT in plasma and the morphological signs of necrosis induced by AA administration. Verapamil did not affect GSH levels by itself but prevented the decrease of the tripeptide by AA. In vitro, but not in vivo, verapamil inhibited the activity of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), the key enzyme in the conversion of AA into the toxic metabolite acrolein. These data indicate that verapamil protects against AA toxicity, probably by preventing the production of acrolein, its reactive metabolite.

Lipid peroxidation induced by N-acetylcysteine in isolated rat hepatocytes

In isolated rat hepatocytes N-acetylcysteine induces an increase of lipid peroxidation, as evaluated by the malondialdehyde production and diene conjugation. Lipid peroxidation did not result in increased cell mortality. Antioxidants and free radicals scavengers completely protect toward lipid peroxidation induced by N-acetylcysteine.