Ryoichi Ohtsuka

Nivalenol-induced apoptosis in thymus, spleen and Peyer's patches of mice

ICR:CD-1 male mice were orally administered with Nivalenol(NIV) at the dose levels of 5, 10 and 15 mg/kg body weight, and examined at 12, 24 and 48 hours after inoculation (HAI), respectively, to elucidate the process of development of apoptosis in the thymus, spleen and Peyers patch. There were no signs of clinical disorders and no changes in body and organ weights until 48 HAI except for that the thymus weight significantly decreased at 48 HAI. Immunohistochemically, the number of apoptotic lymphocytes evaluated by in situ detection for fragmented DNA showed a dose-dependent increase at 12 HAI in both the thymus and the Peyers patch, while it became to increase at 24 HAI in the spleen. Dead lymphocytes in the thymus, spleen and Peyers patch showed ultrastructural characteristics of apoptosis. Moreover, the DNA ladder was first detected by agarose gel electrophoresis at 12 HAI in the thymus of 15 mg/kg-group. The results clearly indicate that NIV is able to induce apoptosis in the lymphoid tissues of mice.

Didecyldimethylammonium chloride induces pulmonary inflammation and fibrosis in mice.

Didecyldimethylammonium chloride (DDAC) is used worldwide as a germicide, in antiseptics, and as a wood preservative, and can cause adverse pulmonary disease in humans. However, the pulmonary toxicity of DDAC has not yet been thoroughly investigated. Mice were intratracheally instilled with DDAC to the lung and the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid and lung tissues were collected to assess dose- and time-related pulmonary injury. Exposure to 1500 μg/kg of DDAC caused severe morbidity with pulmonary congestive oedema. When the BAL fluid from survivors was examined on day 3 after treatment, exposure to 150 μg/kg of DDAC caused weakly induced inflammation, and exposure to 15μg/kg did not cause any visible effects. Next, we observed pulmonary changes that occurred up to day 20 after 150 μg/kg of DDAC exposure. Pulmonary inflammation peaked on day 7 and was confirmed by expression of interleukin-6, monocyte chemotactic protein-1, macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1α, MIP-1β, and regulated upon activation, normal T-cell expressed and secreted in the BAL fluid; these changes were accompanied by altered gene expression of their chemokine (C-C motif) receptor (Ccr) 1, Ccr2, Ccr3, and Ccr5. Cytotoxicity evoked by DDAC was related to the inflammatory changes and was confirmed by an in vitro study using isolated mouse lung fibroblasts. The inflammatory phase was accompanied or followed by pulmonary remodeling, i.e., fibrosis, which was evident in the mRNA expression of type I procollagen. These results suggest that administering DDAC by intratracheal instillation causes pulmonary injury in mice, and occupational exposure to DDAC might be a potential hazard to human health.

Pulmonary injury and antioxidant response in mice exposed to arsenate and hexavalent chromium and their combination

Chromated copper arsenate, which is used worldwide as a wood preservative, can adversely affect human health. Accumulating evidence suggests that chromium (Cr) and arsenic (As) can potentially disrupt the redox balance and cause respiratory diseases and cancer in humans. The present study was designed to determine the combined toxic effects of these metals in the lungs and to clarify the specific molecules that are stimulated by combined exposure to both metals. Male C57BL/6J mice were intratracheally instilled with arsenate [As(V)], hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)], or a combination of both metals. Mice were sacrificed 2 days after treatment to collect bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and lung tissue samples. Inflammation, cytotoxicity, apoptosis, and oxidative stress markers were measured. Our results indicated that administration of Cr(VI) alone or in combination with As(V) induced neutrophil-dominant inflammation as well as phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinases; effects of treatment with As(V) alone were comparatively less potent. By analyzing the production of interleukin-6 and activity of lactate dehydrogenase and caspase, we confirmed that co-treatment intensified pulmonary injury and that it was accompanied by oxidative stress, as confirmed by marked increases in the production of reactive oxygen species, reduced glutathione content, and thioredoxin reductase (TRXRD) activity. Expressed mRNA levels of heme oxygenase-1, glutamylcysteine ligase, glutathione peroxidase 2, thioredoxin (TRX) 1, and TRXRD1 were also enhanced by co-treatment, whereas treatment with As(V) alone reduced the mRNA expression level of TRX2. Our data suggest that co-treatment with As(V) exacerbated Cr(VI)-induced pulmonary injury and that this effect may be exerted through a disruption in the balance among several antioxidant genes.

Altered pulmonary defense system in lung injury induced by didecyldimethylammonium chloride in mice.

Didecyldimethylammonium chloride (DDAC), a representative dialkyl-quaternary ammonium compound (QAC), could contaminate working atmospheres when used in disinfectant operation and adversely affect human health. Furthermore, the development of bacteria resistant to DDAC might become public health concern. We postulated that DDAC instillation in the lungs alters pulmonary antioxidant and antimicrobial responses and increases susceptibility to systemic administration of a bacterial component lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Mice were intratracheally instilled with DDAC and sacrificed 1, 3, or 7 days after treatment. Pulmonary cytotoxicity in recovered bronchoalveolar lavage was evident on Days 1 and 7, and inflammatory cell influx and interleukin-6 expression peaked on Day 7, in association with altered antioxidant and antimicrobial responses, as demonstrated by measuring heme oxygenase-1, glutathione peroxidase 2, lactoferrin, and mouse β-defensin-2 and -3 mRNA in the lung samples. The impaired defense system tended to enhance the inflammatory reaction caused by a systemic administration of LPS; the effect was in association with increased expression of toll-like receptor-4 mRNA. The results suggest that DDAC alters pulmonary defense system, which may contribute to susceptibility to an exogenous infectious agent.

Didecyldimethylammonium chloride induces pulmonary fibrosis in association with TGF-β signaling in mice

Didecyldimethylammonium chloride (DDAC) is a representative dialkyl-quaternary ammonium compound that is used as a disinfectant against several pathogens and is also used in commercial, industrial, and residential settings. We previously investigated toxicity on air way system following single instillation of DDAC to the lungs in mice, and found that DDAC causes pulmonary injury, which is associated with altered antioxidant antimicrobial responses; the inflammatory phase is accompanied or followed by fibrotic response. The present study was conducted to monitor transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling in pulmonary fibrosis induced by DDAC. Mice were intratracheally instilled with DDAC and sacrificed 1, 3, or 7 days after treatment to measure TGF-β signaling. In order to further evaluate TGF-β signaling, we treated isolated mouse lung fibroblasts with DDAC. Fibrotic foci were observed in the lungs on day 3, and were widely extended on day 7, with evidence of increased α-smooth muscle actin-positive mesenchymal cells and upregulation of Type I procollagen mRNA. Developing fibrotic foci were likely associated with increased expression of Tgf-β1 mRNA, in addition to decreased expression of Bone morphogenetic protein-7 mRNA. In fibrotic lung samples, the expression of phosphorylated SMAD2/3 was considerably higher than that of phosphorylated SMAD1/5. In isolated lung fibroblasts, the mRNA levels of Tgf-β1 were specifically increased by DDAC treatment, which prolonged phosphorylation of SMAD2/3. These effects were abolished by treatment with SD208 - a TGF-βRI kinase inhibitor. The results suggest that DDAC induces pulmonary fibrosis in association with TGF-β signaling.

Rat strain difference in histology and expression of Th1- and Th2-related cytokines in nasal mucosa after short-term formaldehyde inhalation

Changes in histology and Th1- and Th2-related cytokines expression in nasal mucosa were examined in Brown Norway (BN) and Fischer 344 (F344) rats after 5-day inhalation of 1% formaldehyde aerosol. In F344 rats, mucosal lesions characterized by degeneration and/or desquamation of epithelial cells with neutrophil infiltration were observed at all levels of nasal cavity and all kinds of mucosal epithelia were involved in such lesions. In BN rats, mucosal lesions were milder and the olfactory epithelium was free from lesions. The levels of Th1-related cytokines (IFN-gamma and IL-2) were significantly depressed and those of Th2-related cytokines (IL-4 and IL-5) also tended to be depressed in BN rats. In F344 rats, similar but much less clear alterations in the levels of Th1- and Th2-related cytokines were observed. Such results of measurement of Th1- and Th2-related cytokines mRNAs seem to be interesting although their significance is still obscure.

Pathological and Clinical Pathological Changes Induced by Four-week, Repeated-dose, Oral Administration of the Wood Preservative Chromated Copper Arsenate in Wistar Rats:

Chromated copper arsenate (CCA) is used as a wood preservative worldwide. Exposure to it may adversely affect human health. Some events have increased human exposure to CCA, including the Great East Japan Earthquake, which generated a large amount of lumber debris from CCA-treated woods. We elucidated the toxicity due to daily exposure to CCA over a 4-week period at doses of 0, 8, 40, and 80 mg/kg/day in Wistar Hannover rats. Chromium (Cr) and arsenic (As), but not copper, were detected in the plasma samples of rats treated with various doses of CCA. Males and females showed sedation, and males had poor body weight gain. The clinical pathologies observed in both sexes included hypochromic and microcytic anemia, hepatic and renal dysfunction, and changes in lipid and glucose levels. Histopathologically, males and females showed forestomach hyperkeratosis, mucosal epithelial hyperplasia in the small intestine, rectal goblet cell hypertrophy, and lipofuscin deposition in the proximal renal tubule. Females showed diffuse hepatocellular hypertrophy with increased 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine levels. These results indicated that oral administration of CCA mainly affected hematopoietic, gastrointestinal, hepatic, and renal systems owing to the toxic effects of As and/or Cr. Major toxic effects were observed in both sexes receiving 40 and 80 mg/kg/day.

Spironolactone in Combination with α-glycosyl Isoquercitrin Prevents Steatosis-related Early Hepatocarcinogenesis in Rats through the Observed NADPH Oxidase Modulation:

Administration of the diuretic, spironolactone (SR), can inhibit chronic liver diseases. We determined the effects of SR alone or in combination with the antioxidant α-glycosyl isoquercitrin (AGIQ) on hyperlipidemia- and steatosis-related precancerous lesions in high-fat diet (HFD)-fed rats subjected to a two-stage hepatocarcinogenesis model. Rats were fed with control basal diet or HFD, which was administered with SR alone or in combination with an antioxidant AGIQ in drinking water. An HFD increased body weight, intra-abdominal fat (adipose) tissue weight, and plasma lipids, which were reduced by coadministration of SR and AGIQ. SR and AGIQ coadministration also reduced hepatic steatosis and preneoplastic glutathione S-transferase placental form-positive foci, in association with decrease in NADPH oxidase (NOX) subunit p22phox-positive cells and an increase in active-caspase-3-positive cells in the foci. Hepatic gene expression analysis revealed that the coadministration of SR and AGIQ altered mRNA levels of lipogenic enzymes (Scd1 and Fasn), antioxidant-related enzymes (Catalase), NOX component (P67phox), and anti-inflammatory transcriptional factor (Pparg). Our results indicated that SR in combination with AGIQ had the potential of suppressing hyperlipidemia- and steatosis-related early hepatocarcinogenesis through the reduced expression of NOX subunits.