Susana Graciela Afonso

Protoporphyrin IX and oxidative stress

The short- and long-term pro-oxidant effect of protoporphyrin IX (PROTO) administration to mice was studied in liver. A peak of liver porphyrin accumulation was found 2 h after the injection of PROTO (3.5 mg/kg, i.p.); then the amount of porphyrins diminished due to biliar excretion. After several doses of PROTO (1 dose every 24 h up to 5 doses) a sustained enhancement of liver porphyrins was observed. The activity of delta-aminolevulinic acid synthetase was induced 70-90% over the control values 4 h after the first injection of PROTO and stayed at these high levels throughout the period of the assay. Administration of PROTO induced rapid liver damage, involving lipid peroxidation. Hepatic GSH content was increased 2h after the first injection of PROTO, but then decreased below the control values which were maintained after several doses of porphyrin. After a single dose of PROTO, Cu-Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD) was rapidly induced, suggesting that superoxide radicals had been generated. Increased levels of hydrogen peroxide coming from the reaction catalyzed by SOD and lipid peroxides as a consequence of membrane peroxidation, induced the activity of catalase and glutathione peroxidase (GPx), while decreased GSH levels induced glutathione reductase (GRed) activity. However after 5 doses of PROTO, the activity of SOD was reduced reaching control values. GPx and catalase activities slowly went down, while GRed continued increasing as long as the levels of GSH were kept very low. TBARS values, although lower than those observed after a single dose of PROTO, remained above control values; Glutathione S-transferase activity was instead greatly diminished, indicating sustained liver damage. Our findings would indicate that accumulation of PROTO in liver induces oxidative stress, leading to rapid increase in the activity of the antioxidant enzymes to avoid or revert liver damage. However, constant accumulation of porphyrins provokes a liver damage so severe that the antioxidant system is compromised.

The photodynamic and non-photodynamic actions of porphyrins

Porphyrias are a family of inherited diseases, each associated with a partial defect in one of the enzymes of the heme biosynthetic pathway. In six of the eight porphyrias described, the main clinical manifestation is skin photosensitivity brought about by the action of light on porphyrins, which are deposited in the upper epidermal layer of the skin. Porphyrins absorb light energy intensively in the UV region, and to a lesser extent in the long visible bands, resulting in transitions to excited electronic states. The excited porphyrin may react directly with biological structures (type I reactions) or with molecular oxygen, generating excited singlet oxygen (type II reactions). Besides this well-known photodynamic action of porphyrins, a novel light-independent effect of porphyrins has been described. Irradiation of enzymes in the presence of porphyrins mainly induces type I reactions, although type II reactions could also occur, further increasing the direct non-photodynamic effect of porphyrins on proteins and macro-molecules. Conformational changes of protein structure are induced by porphyrins in the dark or under UV light, resulting in reduced enzyme activity and increased proteolytic susceptibility. The effect of porphyrins depends not only on their physico-chemical properties but also on the specific site on the protein on which they act. Porphyrin action alters the functionality of the enzymes of the heme biosynthetic pathway exacerbating the metabolic deficiencies in porphyrias. Light energy absorption by porphyrins results in the generation of oxygen reactive species, overcoming the protective cellular mechanisms and leading to molecular, cell and tissue damage, thus amplifying the porphyric picture.

MECHANISTIC STUDIES ON UROPORPHYRIN I-INDUCED PHOTOINACTIVATION OF SOME HEME-ENZYMES

Aerobic and anaerobic studies have demonstrated that uroporphyrin I-induced inactivation of delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase, porphobilinogenase, deaminase and uroporphyrinogen decarboxylase was dependent on oxygen and mediated by reactive oxygen species. The mechanism of photoinactivation of those heme-enzymes from human erythrocytes by uroporphyrin I by u.v. light was investigated. Enzymes of the heme pathway were preincubated in the presence of specific scavengers for several reactive oxygen species and then exposed to uroporphyrin I and u.v. light. Upon exposure of the enzymes to the porphyrin under u.v. light, and in an aerobic atmosphere, the percentage of enzyme activities with respect to the corresponding controls were 50.2 +/- 5.1 (SD, n = 6), 25.3 +/- 3.0 (SD, n = 6), 25.9 +/- 2.8 (SD, n = 6) and 49.7 +/- 7.5 (SD, n = 8) for delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase, porphobilinogenase, deaminase and uroporphyrinogen decarboxylase, respectively. The presence of sodium azide, histidine or superoxide dismutase did not protect the enzymes against the effects of uroporphyrin I. However, both cysteine and potassium ferrycyanide prevented the enzyme photoinactivation induced by uroporphyrin I. In the presence of either catalase or GSH, the enzyme photoinactivation was lower. Ethanol, glucose and dimethylsulfoxide had no effect on enzyme activity, while ion chelators had variable effects. This study shows that the type II mechanism is not the predominant reaction mediating the uroporphyrin I effect and enzyme photoinactivation would involve an electron transfer. Hydrogen peroxide and hydroxyl radicals could possibly mediate the uroporphyrin I-induced enzyme photoinactivation.

Further Evidence on the Photodynamic and the Novel Non-Photodynamic Inactivation of Uroporphyrinogen Decarboxylase by Uroporphyrin I

The action of uroporphyrin I (URO I) on the activity of red cell uroporphyrinogen decarboxylase (URO-D) in the dark and under UV light was studied. Light-dependent-and light-independent inactivation was observed. Both effects increased at increasing concentrations of URO I, the former reached its maximum at 150 microM of sensitizer. At 100 microM of URO I, both light and dark inactivation were temperature dependent amounting to about 50% at 30-37 degrees C. The velocity of dark inactivation increased with increasing temperature in the range of 0 to 45 degrees C. Photoinactivation can be ascribed to primary oxidation of essential amino acids, very likely histidyl residues, followed by secondary inter or intrapeptide cross-linking. Dark inactivation could be the result of both oxidation and cross-linking (although to a less degree than that produced by light) and also direct inhibition of the enzyme by induced conformational changes at its active site through binding of the porphyrin to the protein. When the action of URO I was tested on partially purified URO-D, the enzyme appeared to be more susceptible to the dark than to the light effect.

Griseofulvin-induced hepatopathy due to abnormalities in heme pathway.

1. The effect of long-term griseofulvin (GRIS) topical administration on some indicators of liver damage was examined. 2. Liver porphyrin accumulation was significant; however, no porhyrin crystals were observed under light microscopy. 3. An earlier onset of hepatopathy was established (3-fold) increase of direct bilirubin values after 7 days of treatment; hepatic injury was confirmed by measuring a 6-fold increase of free bilirubin. 4. Enhanced values of alkaline phosphatase and glutamic oxalacetic transaminase (GOT) confirmed the onset of cholestasis. 5. Topical application of GRIS induced measurable hepatopathy. Nevertheless, we cannot discard the possibility that this hepatopathy could also be attributed in part to a direct reaction to xenobiotics.

δ-Aminolevulinic acid dehydratase inactivation by uroporphyrin I in light and darkness☆

Abstract 1. 1. The action of uroporphyrin I on erythrocytic ALA-D activity under dark and light conditions was examined. 2. 2. Photo and non-photoinactivation of ALA-D induced by uroporphyrin I were observed. 3. 3. Both effects were dependent on uroporphyrin concentration, temperature and time of exposure of the protein to the porphyrin. 4. 4. Light-dependent effect of uroporphyrin I is related with the phototoxicity of porphyrins and could be produced by primary amino acid photooxidation followed by secondary cross-linking of the protein. 5. 5. Light-dependent effect of uroporphyrin I could be ascribed to a direct enzyme inhibition due to binding of the porphyrin to the protein inducing structural changes at or near its active site.

Porphyrin-induced protein structural alterations of heme enzymes II: protection of 5-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase and porphobilinogen deaminase from the photodynamic and non-photodynamic effects of URO and PROTO

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Uroporphyrin and protoporphyrin produce alterations on 5-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase and porphobilinogen deaminase, as a result of a direct effect of porphyrins on the protein structure. With the aim of assessing the possible protection from the porphyrins effect on the proteins, some chemicals and the enzyme substrates were assayed. METHODS Enzymes were pre-incubated with the protecting agents (beta-mercaptoethanol, dithiotreitol, hydroxylamine, succinic anhydride) or the corresponding substrates (delta-aminolevulinic acid and porphobilinogen), and then exposed to the porphyrins. All experiments were performed in the enzyme solutions after removing the porphyrins. RESULTS The presence of sulfhydryl reagents partially protected both the enzyme activities and the content of total SH and free amino groups, but they did not prevent the appearance of molecular aggregates in the electrophoresis. Similar results were obtained in the presence of the corresponding substrates. Nucleophilic addition of hydroxylamine to the aromatic amino acids on the enzymes and blockage of their free amino groups did not prevent the direct effect of porphyrins, but these agents protected the enzyme activities from the photodynamic action of the tetrapyrroles, and also prevented the formation of molecular aggregates. However, an increased amount of free amino groups was observed, probably due to protein fragmentation. CONCLUSIONS Porphyrins mainly affected the SH groups at or near the active site of the enzymes. Most of the free amino groups on the treated enzymes were involved in the formation of cross-links among the protein molecules. Protein fragmentation induced by porphyrins under UV light, and the consequent increased amount of free amino groups, were observed.

How the atmosphere and the presence of substrate affect the photo and non-photoinactivation of heme enzymes by uroporphyrin I

1. The effect of URO I on the activity of ALA-D, PBGase, deaminase and URO-D, both in aerobiosis and anaerobiosis, was studied. 2. Photoinactivation of the enzymes was much lower in an anaerobic than in an aerobic atmosphere. 3. Dark inactivation in the absence of oxygen was lower than its presence. 4. Preincubation in the presence of ALA or PBG protected the enzymic activity of ALA-D, PBGase and deaminase against URO I-inactivation both under u.v. light and in the dark. 5. Photoinactivating action of URO I would be mediated by reactive oxygen species generated by the excited porphyrin after its absorption of light. Dark inactivation, in aerobiosis, can also be partly mediated by amino acid oxidation, although to a lesser extent than that observed under u.v. light.

The effect of griseofulvin on the heme pathway. Studies on tissue explant cultures.

The effect of griseofulvin on porphyrin biosynthesis was studied in vitro and in vivo using liver and skin explants from mice. Neither porphyrin nor precursors accumulation was detected after in vitro treatment of explants with griseofulvin. Culture medium porphyrins formed from added delta-amino-laevulinic acid (ALA) were increased after oral chronic intoxication. Similar results were obtained by cutaneous and oral intoxication. Consequently griseofulvin topical application is proposed as an alternative method to produce experimental erythropoietic protoporphyria. Probable intoxication mechanisms are proposed to explain the porphyrinogenic action of griseofulvin.

Cytosolic and Mitochondrial Enzymes Inactivation by Uroporphyrin in Light and Darkness

The effect of uroporphyrin I (UI) on several cytosolic and mitochondrial enzymes (succinyl CoA synthetase, delta-aminolevulinic acid synthetase, rhodanese, lactate dehydrogenase) has been examined. All the enzymes were inactivated in the presence of the porphyrin both in the dark and under UV light.