Osamu Midorikawa

Oxygen Reduction and Lipid Peroxidation by Iron Chelates with Special Reference to Ferric Nitrilotriacetate

A certain iron chelate, ferric nitrilotriacetate (Fe3+-NTA) is nephrotoxic and also carcinogenic to the kidney in mice and rats, a distinguishing feature not shared by other iron chelates tested so far. Iron-promoted lipid peroxidation is thought to be responsible for the initial events. We examined its ability to initiate lipid peroxidation in vitro in comparison with that of other ferric chelates. Chelation of Fe2+ by nitrilotriacetate (NTA) enhanced the autoxidation of Fe2+. In the presence of Fe2+-NTA, lipid peroxidation occurred as measured by the formation of conjugated diene in detergent-dispersed linoleate micelles, and by the formation of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances in the liposomes of rat liver microsomal lipids. Addition of ascorbic acid to Fe3+-NTA solution promoted dose-dependent consumption of dissolved oxygen, which indicates temporary reduction of iron. On reduction, Fe3+-NTA initiated lipid peroxidation both in the linoleate micelles and in the liposomes. Fe3+-NTA also initiated NADPH-dependent lipid peroxidation in rat liver microsomes. Although other chelators used (deferoxamine, EDTA, diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid, ADP) enhanced autoxidation, reduction by ascorbic acid, or in vitro lipid peroxidation of linoleate micelles or liposomal lipids, NTA was the sole chelator that enhanced all the reactions.

Acute renal failure and glucosuria induced by ferric nitrilotriacetate in rats

Nitrilotriacetate (NTA), an effective metal-chelating agent, has been used as a substitute for polyphosphates in household laundry detergents. Nephrotoxicity and renal tumorigenicity have been reported in experimental animals that received high doses of NTA po for 4 weeks to 2 years. Since NTA exists in water as a variety of NTA-metal complexes, it was important to investigate the biological effects of NTA in a complexed form. In this study, acute and subchronic toxicity of a ferric iron chelate of NTA (Fe-NTA) was investigated in rats. When Fe-NTA was given ip, acute tubular necrosis and renal failure occurred following a single injection of 15 mg iron/kg. Repeated injections of sublethal doses produced degeneration and necrosis of the proximal tubular epithelium and was associated with polyuria, glucosuria, aminoaciduria, and azotemia. After 9 days of treatment, regeneration of the tubular epithelium with atypical cells was observed. Except for a parenchymal iron deposit, no marked changes were observed in other organs. None of these effects were observed in animals given noncomplexed NTA. In conclusion, the toxicity observed following high doses of NTA given po may be the result of an absorbed metal-NTA chelate.

Liver, kidney, and central nervous system toxicity of aluminum given intraperitoneally to rats: A multiple-dose subchronic study using aluminum nitrilotriacetate

In the first test, aluminum nitrilotriacetate (Al-NTA), aluminum chloride, aluminum potassium sulfate, or saline was injected ip, employing male Wistar rats. Each group consisted of ten rats. Al was given in a dose of 5 mg Al/kg body wt/day, for 14 days. Only those rats given Al-NTA showed morphological damage of the liver and kidney. Damages included diffuse midzonal coagulation necrosis of hepatocytes and acute proximal tubular necrosis of the kidney at Day 4. Seven of ten rats given Al-NTA died within 5 days. The second test was performed in metabolic cages. Al-NTA, in a dose of 1.5 to 2.0 mg Al/kg body wt/day, and NTA, of an equivalent dose, were injected ip for 54 days. Midzonal coagulation necrosis and some regenerative changes were observed in the hepatic parenchyma at Day 8. At the end of the study, complete regeneration occurred in the liver. Biochemical tests at Days 6, 13, and 28 showed high amounts of GOT, GPT, LDH, gamma-GTP, and ALP. Necrosis of proximal tubular cells of the kidney and some regeneration was noted at Day 8. Metabolic acidosis was demonstrated at Days 6, 13, and 28. Moreover, from Day 38 on, atrophy of the nerve cells of the cerebrum and demyelination of the brain stem were observed. Control rats given NTA did not exhibit any organ damage. It is concluded that a relatively small dose of Al can produce toxicosis when given with certain metal chelators.

Impairment of bone formation with aluminum and ferric nitrilotriacetate complexes

SummaryThe deleterious effects of aluminum(Al) and iron(Fe) on bone formation were studied in the presence of nitrilotriacetate (NTA) as a chelator. Both Al-NTA (1.0–1.5 mg Al/kg/day, n=12)- and ferric nitrilotriacetate (Fe-NTA) (2.0 mg/kg/day, n=4)—treated Wistar rats showed renal insufficiency blood urea nitrogen [BUN] levels of 25±8.8−20±0.7 compared to 12±0.7–11±0.4 mg/dl), osteomalacia with a relative osteoid volume of 31.5±5.6−13.2±2.4 compared to 4.6±1.8−0.83±0.12%, and bone growth retardation (3.1±0−3.0±0.2 compared to 3.4±0−3.3±0.1 cm) in 24 control rats. Dietary vitamin E(VE) supplementation prevented the Fe-NTA-induced impairment, but not the Al-NTA toxicity. Aluminum was deposited at the interface between osteoid and mineralized bone, while Fe was deposited in the osteoblasts and osteoclasts. There seems to be a positive correlation between hypophosphatemia and osteomalacia but carboxy-terminal parathyroid hormone (C-PTH) and calcium (Ca) levels in the serum were not related to the degree of osteomalacia. Administration of Al-NTA results in more bone Al deposition than that of aluminum chloride (AlCl3) (450±40 compared to 211±18 mg/kg fat-free dry weight). The Fe-NTA bone change is related to VE-preventable cellular injury, being consistent with the notion that Fe-NTA toxicity is caused by lipid peroxidation. Al-NTA can be used as an animal model of renal osteodystrophy. Osteodystrophy by Al in chronic renal failure may be mediated by the intrinsic chelator or chelating substance(s) retained in the body fluid due to renal insufficiency.

Effect of dietary vitamin E on ferric nitrilotriacetate-induced nephrotoxicity in rats

The effect of dietary vitamin E on renal tissue damage and lipid peroxidation was investigated following treatment with ferric nitrilotriacetate (Fe-NTA) in rats. Almost 100% renal proximal tubular necrosis was observed in the vitamin E-deficient rats following Fe-NTA treatment (5 mgFe/kg body wt, ip) as early as 12 hr. In the vitamin E-supplemented rats, no injury was observed in the proximal convoluted (cortical) tubules, although some injury was seen in the medullary outer stripe (mostly pars recta of the proximal tubules) 24 hr after Fe-NTA treatment. The tissue lipid peroxidation was dose-dependently increased 1 hr after a single ip injection of Fe-NTA (1 to 10 mg Fe/kg body wt). Vitamin E-deficient animals had an increased tissue content of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance following Fe-NTA treatment, whereas vitamin E-supplemented animals showed suppressed lipid peroxidation. This study indicates that vitamin E provides some protection against the nephrotoxicity and associated lipid peroxidation induced by Fe-NTA.

Mitochondrial Myopathy, Encephalopathy, Lactic Acidosis, and Stroke-like Episodes

We present an autopsy report on a 14‐year‐old girl with mitochondrial myopathy, encephalopathy, lactic acidosis and stroke‐like episodes (MELAS), placing emphasis on the mitochondrial enzymatic histochemistry of the 3 types skeletal muscle and cardiomyocytes. Generalized muscular atrophy, cardiac hypertrophy, cerebral cortical laminar necrosis, basal ganglia calcification and liver steatosis were observed. In the skeletal muscles, modified Gomoris trichrome staining demonstrated scattered ragged red fibers, and histochemical staining for mitochondrial enzymes showed intense positivity in the subsarcolemmai zones of some muscle fibers. Some of the hypertrophic cardiomyocytes also showed a ragged red appearance with the modified Gomoris trichrome stain. Histochemical staining for mitochondrial enzymes showed patchy loss of enzymatic activity in the myocardium. Electron microscopically, extreme accumulation of enlarged mitochondria and severe loss of myofibrils was observed in both skeletal muscle fibers and cardiomyocytes. The arteriolar smooth muscle cells also showed a mild increase in mitochondria. Acta Pathol Jpn 39: 599 606, 1989.

Collagenolytic enzyme activity in human ovary: an ovulatory enzyme system

Collagenolytic enzyme activities presumed to play an important role in ovulation were investigated in the human follicular apex, base, and granulosa cell layer throughout the ovarian cycle. Those analyzed were human ovarian collagenase, 2,4-dinitrophenyl-Pro-Gln-Gly-Ile-Ala-Gly-Gln-D-Arg-OH peptidase, N-carbobenzoxy-Gly-Pro-Gly-Gly-Pro-Ala peptidase, and alpha-N-benzoyl-DL-arginine beta-naphthylamide hydrolase. Collagenase activity was also measured in human granulosa cell cultures. The activities of all four enzymes showed a marked preovulatory decrease in the apex. The activities in the apex were slightly higher than those in the base throughout the ovarian cycle. However, the activities in the granulosa cell layer and collagenase activity in the granulosa cell cultures increased toward preovulation and decreased after ovulation. These findings suggest that collagenase is synthesized in the granulosa cells maximally at preovulation and is consumed in the follicular apex at the same time, resulting in collagen degradation and disruption of the follicular wall in collaboration with other collagenolytic enzymes investigated here.

AN AUTOPSY CASE

A diagnosis of the heritable disorder Sipples syndrome was made in a Japanese male aged 28 years. The coexistence of bilateral pheochromocytomas, bilateral medullary thyroid carcinomas and secondary hyperplasia of parathyroid was confirmed at the time of autopsy. Pancreatic islets were hyperplastic with marked proliferation of A and D cells. Transition of the ductal cell to the islet, i.e. ‘nesidioblatosis’ was observed. There was no proliferation of B cells, but a retention of B cell granules, a manifestation of suppressed secretion of insulin attributed to the overproduction of catecholamines was evident. In the stomach, numerous petechial hemorrhages and proliferation of gastrin cells were found. The pathogenesis of changes in the pancreatic islets and stomach is discussed from the viewpoint of hormonal disorders induced by pheochromocytoma and medullary thyroid carcinoma such as are found in Sipples syndrome. ACTA PATH. JAP. 27: 739˜748,1977.

Thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance formation of rat kidney brush border membrane vesicles induced by ferric nitrilotriacetate☆

An iron chelate, ferric nitrilotriacetate (Fe3+-NTA), is nephrotoxic and also carcinogenic to the kidney in experimental animals. Iron-promoted lipid peroxidation in the proximal tubules is thought to be responsible for the pathologic process. In the present study, iron-promoted lipid peroxidation, with thiobarbituric acid (TBA) formation as an indication, in the tubular surface was simulated in vitro using rat kidney brush border membrane vesicles and the results were compared with those using linoleate micelles and rat liver microsomal lipid liposomes. Addition of ascorbate, cysteine, or dithiothreitol to the Fe3+-NTA solution resulted in consumption of dissolved oxygen and promoted the lipid peroxidation in the micelles and in the liposomes. In contrast, addition of glutathione to the Fe3+-NTA solution caused only sluggish oxygen consumption and far less peroxidation in these lipid systems. When the brush border membrane vesicles were used for the peroxidation substrate, Fe3+-NTA and glutathione could promote TBA formation at a rate comparable to that elicited by Fe3+-NTA with cysteine or dithiothreitol. Acivicin, a gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase inhibitor, suppressed the peroxidation of the brush border membrane vesicles promoted by Fe3+-NTA and glutathione. These results suggest the following mechanism of proximal tubular cell lipid peroxidation promoted by Fe-NTA: Fe3+-NTA filtered through glomeruli is rapidly reduced by cysteine and Fe2+-NTA starts lipid peroxidation at the site, leading to proximal tubular necrosis. Cysteine is amply supplied by the decomposition of glutathione within the lumen by the action of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase and dipeptidase situated at the proximal tubular brush border membrane.

Sex differences in ferric nitrilotriacetate-induced lipid peroxidation and nephrotoxicity in mice

Since male A/J mice are much more susceptible to both acute and subacute nephrotoxicity and the carcinogenic effect of ferric nitrilotriacetate than female mice, sex differences in the lipid peroxidation level after ferric nitrilotriacetate use were examined. The effects of orchiectomy and testosterone were also investigated. Male and female A/J mice were given a single intraperitoneal injection of ferric nitrilotriacetate (3 mg of iron/kg of body weight) and then thiobarbituric acid reactivity was determined in the liver and the kidney. Only male mice showed high thiobarbituric acid reactivity after 30 min, with the kidney showing higher activity than the liver. Castrated male mice showed a reduction in thiobarbituric acid reactivity, whereas testosterone-pretreated castrated male or testosterone-pretreated female mice showed increased thiobarbituric acid reactivity. In addition, daily intraperitoneal injections of ferric nitrilotriacetate resulted in the death of all normal male mice within 6 days, whereas all female and castrated male mice survived 3 months of treatment. Thus, male and female mice showed differences in ferric nitrilotriacetate-induced toxicity as reflected in the degree of lipid peroxidation and mortality.