Luísa L. Gonçalves

Embryopathic effects of thalidomide and its hydrolysis products in rabbit embryo culture: evidence for a prostaglandin H synthase (PHS)-dependent, reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated mechanism

Thalidomide (TD) causes birth defects in humans and rabbits via several potential mechanisms, including bioactivation by embryonic prostaglandin H synthase (PHS) enzymes to a reactive intermediate that enhances reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation. We show herein that TD in rabbit embryo culture produces relevant embryopathies, including decreases in head/brain development by 28% and limb bud growth by 71% (P<0.05). Two TD hydrolysis products, 2‐phthalimidoglutaramic acid (PGMA) and 2‐phthalimidoglutaric acid (PGA), were similarly embryopathic, attenuating otic vesicle (ear) and limb bud formation by up to 36 and 77%, respectively (P<0.05). TD, PGMA, and PGA all increased embryonic DNA oxidation measured as 8‐oxoguanine (8‐oxoG) by up to 2‐fold (P<0.05). Co‐ or pretreatment with the PHS inhibitors eicosatetraynoic acid (ETYA) or acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), or the free‐radical spin trap phenylbutylnitrone (PBN), completely blocked embryonic 8‐oxoG formation and/or embryopathies initiated by TD, PGMA, and PGA. This is the first demonstration of limb bud embryopathies initiated by TD, as well as its hydrolysis products, in a mammalian embryo culture model of a species susceptible to TD in vivo, indicating that all likely contribute to TD teratogenicity in vivo, in part through PHS‐dependent, ROS‐mediated mechanisms.—Lee, C. J. J., Gonçalves, L. L., Wells, P. G. Embryopathic effects of thalidomide and its hydrolysis products in rabbit embryo culture: evidence for a prostaglandin H synthase (PHS)‐dependent, reactive oxygen species (ROS)‐mediated mechanism. FASEB J. 25, 2468–2483 (2011). www.fasebj.org

Resistance of CD-1 and ogg1 DNA Repair-Deficient Mice to Thalidomide and Hydrolysis Product Embryopathies in Embryo Culture

Thalidomide (TD) displays remarkable species specificity, causing birth defects (teratogenesis) in humans and rabbits, but not rats or mice; yet, few determinants of species susceptibility have been identified. Also, certain mouse strains are susceptible to the embryopathic effects of some teratogens in embryo culture despite their resistance in vivo. Herein we show that CD-1 mouse embryos in culture are resistant to limb embryopathies caused by TD and two of its hydrolysis products, 2-phthalimidoglutaramic acid and 2-phthalimidoglutaric acid, although all three compounds cause these embryopathies in rabbit embryo culture. These results show that the resistance of CD-1 mice to TD teratogenesis is inherent to the embryo and is not dependent upon maternal factors, including differential in vivo exposure to the many hydrolysis products of TD. In utero TD exposure of rabbit but not mouse embryos elevates levels of the teratogenic oxidative DNA lesion 8-oxoguanine, which is repaired by oxoguanine glycosylase 1 (OGG1). However, DNA repair-deficient ogg1 knockout mice proved resistant to TD-initiated embryopathies in culture and teratogenesis in vivo, indicating that the resistance of mice is not due to a higher level of DNA repair.

Serum Zn levels in dysphagic patients who underwent endoscopic gastrostomy for long term enteral nutrition

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Dysphagic patients who underwent endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) usually present protein-energy malnutrition, but little is known about micronutrient malnutrition. The aim of the present study was the evaluation of serum zinc in patients who underwent endoscopic gastrostomy and its relationship with serum proteins, whole blood zinc, and the nature of underlying disorder. METHODS From patients that underwent gastrostomy a blood sample was obtained minutes before the procedure. Serum and whole blood zinc was evaluated using Wavelength Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy. Serum albumin and transferrin were evaluated. Patients were studied as a whole and divided into two groups: head and neck cancer (HNC) and neurological dysphagia (ND). RESULTS The study involved 32 patients (22 males), aged 43-88 years: HNC = 15, ND = 17. Most (30/32) had low serum zinc, 17/32 presented normal values of whole blood zinc. Only two, with traumatic brain injury, presented normal serum zinc. Serum zinc levels showed no differences between HNC and ND patients. There was no association between serum zinc and serum albumin or transferrin. There was no association between serum and whole blood zinc. CONCLUSIONS Patients had low serum zinc when gastrostomy was performed, similar in HNC and ND, being related with prolonged fasting and unrelated with the underlying disease. Decrease serum zinc was unrelated with low serum proteins. Serum zinc was more sensitive than whole blood zinc for identifying reduced zinc intake. Teams taking care of PEG-patients should include zinc evaluation as part of the nutritional assessment, or include systematic dietary zinc supply.

Assessment of metal elements in final drug products by wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry

This work demonstrates that an analytical method based on wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry has an acceptable degree of linearity, precision and accuracy in a given range, which make it suitable for the purpose of determining Cu, Zn, Fe and Cr impurities in final drug products.

Changes in bone Pb accumulation: Cause and effect of altered bone turnover

This paper assesses the magnitude of Pb uptake in cortical and trabecular bones in healthy animals and animals with altered balance in bone turnover, and the impact of exposure to Pb on serum markers of bone formation and resorption. The results reported herein provide physiological evidence that Pb distributes differently in central compartments in Pb metabolism, such as cortical and trabecular bones, in healthy animals and animals with altered balance in bone turnover, and that exposure to Pb does have an impact on bone resorption resulting in OC-dependent osteopenia. These findings show that Pb may play a role in the etiology of osteoporosis and that its concentration in bones varies as a result of altered bone turnover characteristic of this disease, a long standing question in the field. In addition, data collected in this study are consistent with previous observations of increased half-life of Pb in bone at higher exposures. This evidence is relevant for the necessary revision of current physiologically based kinetic models for Pb in humans.

Relationships between Bone Turnover and Energy Metabolism

It is well established that diabetes can be detrimental to bone health, and its chronic complications have been associated with an increased risk of osteoporotic fracture. However, there is growing evidence that the skeleton plays a key role in a whole-organism approach to physiology. The hypothesis that bone may be involved in the regulation of physiological functions, such as insulin sensitivity and energy metabolism, has been suggested. Given the roles of insulin, adipokines, and osteocalcin in these pathways, the need for a more integrative conceptual approach to physiology is emphasized. Recent findings suggest that bone plays an important role in regulating intermediary metabolism, being possibly both a target of diabetic complications and a potential pathophysiologic factor in the disease itself. Understanding the relationships between bone turnover and glucose metabolism is important in order to develop treatments that might reestablish energy metabolism and bone health. This review describes new insights relating bone turnover and energy metabolism that have been reported in the literature.

Role of N-acetylcysteine in protecting against 2,5-hexanedione neurotoxicity in a rat model: Changes in urinary pyrroles levels and motor activity performance

The interference of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) on 2,5-hexanedione (2,5-HD) neurotoxicity was evaluated through behavioral assays and the analysis of urinary 2,5-HD, dimethylpyrrole norleucine (DMPN), and cysteine-pyrrole conjugate (DMPN NAC), by ESI-LC-MS/MS, in rats exposed to 2,5-HD and co-exposed to 2,5-HD and NAC. Wistar rats were treated with 4 doses of: 400mg 2,5-HD/kg bw (group I), 400mg 2,5-HD/kg bw+200mg NAC/kg bw (group II), 200mg NAC/kg bw (group III) and with saline (group IV). The results show a significant decrease (p<0.01) in urinary DMPN and free 2,5-HD, a significant increase (p<0.01) in DMPN NAC excretion, and a significant recovery (p<0.01) on motor activity in rats co-exposed to 2,5-HD+NAC, as compared with rats exposed to 2,5-HD alone. Taken together, our findings suggest that at the studied conditions NAC protects against 2,5-HD neurotoxicity and DMPN may be proposed as a new sensitive and specific biomarker of 2,5-HD neurotoxicity in animals treated with a toxic amount of 2,5-hexanedione.

Alternative biomarkers of n-hexane exposure: Characterization of aminoderived pyrroles and thiol-pyrrole conjugates in urine of rats exposed to 2,5-hexanedione

The identification of pyrrole derivatives in urine of rats exposed to 2,5-hexanedione (2,5-HD), was performed to select an adequate peripheral biomarker predictive of 2,5-HD neurotoxicity. Studies on molecular mechanism of 2,5-HD neurotoxicity have revealed that 2,5-hexanedione reacts with free amino groups of lysine in proteins forming primary pyrrole adducts, which may autoxidize and form pyrrole dimers, responsible for protein crosslinking in neurofilaments, or react with sulfhydryl groups of cysteine in peptides and proteins, forming secondary pyrrole adducts, which probably may inhibit the process responsible by 2,5-HD neurotoxicity. In this work, the analysis of excreted 2,5-HD and pyrrole derivatives in urine of rats exposed to 3 doses of 2,5-HD (400mg/kg bw, via ip) was performed using ESI-LC-MS/MS. Several pyrrole compounds were identified, namely dimethylpyrrole norleucine (DMPN), cysteine-pyrrole conjugate (DMPN NAC), glutathione-pyrrole conjugate (DMPN GSH) and 2,5-dimethylpyrrole (2,5-DMP). Additionally, free and total 2,5-HD, DMPN and DMPN NAC were quantified. The observed results suggest that DMPN is a sensitive and specific indicator of repeated exposure to 2,5-HD and its selection as a predictive biomarker of neurotoxic effect, is now under study.

The feasibility of wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry for the assessment of lead concentration in animal bone powder

This work demonstrates the feasibility of wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence for the assessment of lead in animal bone powder. When applied to real bone samples, this analytical procedure produced results compatible with current knowledge of lead metabolism, emerging as an important tool in the investigation of relevant issues in Public Health.

Feasibility of wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry for the determination of metal impurities in pharmaceutical products and dietary supplements in view of regulatory guidelines

The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of Wavelength Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (WDXRF) spectrometry for the measurement of As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ir, Mn, Mo, Ni, Os, Pb, Pd, Pt, Rh, Ru and V impurities in pharmaceuticals and dietary supplements, in view of the requirements by EMA and USP for the measurement of elemental impurities in drug products and according to the International Conference on Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Registration of Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH guidelines). For that purpose, a 4 kW WDXRF spectrometer (S4 Pioneer, Bruker AXS) was used after system calibration. The linearity of the method was demonstrated by correlation coefficients in excess of 0.9 and by appropriate test of lack of fit, except for Cd, Hg, Pd, V and As, which were excluded from analysis. The calculated limits of detection and quantification were in the ranges 0.6-5.4 μg/g and 1.7-16.4 μg/g meeting defined acceptance criteria, except for Pb. The accuracy of the method, determined by the percent recovery (R) of known amounts of each element added to a selected drug, at 3 different concentration levels, was in the acceptance range 70-150% except for Os and Pt, in which case R was marginally outside that range. The repeatability of the method, assessed as the % residual standard deviation (%RSD) of 3 replicate measurements at 3 concentration levels, produced %RSD values lower than 20%, as required. These results show that the WDXRF method complies with the validation requirements defined by the European Pharmacopeia for Cu, Cr, Ir, Mn, Mo, Ni, Os, and Pt, and by the United States Pharmacopeia for Ir, Ni, Os and Pt. Therefore, it may be an alternative to the compendial analytical procedures recommended for such elements. The novelty of the present work is the application of WDXRF to final medicines and not only to active pharmaceutical ingredients and/or excipients.