Comparisons of the toxicity of CdCl2 and Cd-metallothionein in isolated rat hepatocytes.

In the intact animal, inorganic Cd distributes mainly to the liver and produces hepatotoxicity, while Cd-metallothionein (CdMT) distributes primarily to the kidney and produces nephrotoxicity. CdMT has also been demonstrated to be more toxic than Cd in cultured kidney cells, but it is not known if CdMT is more toxic to all cultured cells or if there is a good correlation between in vitro and in vivo toxicity. Therefore, hepatocytes, which were isolated and grown in monolayer culture for 24 h, were incubated with CdCl2 (1-100 microM) or CdMT (3-100 microM Cd). The intracellular K+ content was quantitated 24 h later as an index of toxicity. The K+ concentration of the hepatocytes was decreased 50% by 4 microM CdCl2, whereas 25 microM CdMT was required to produce similar injury. In the intact animal, zinc induces the synthesis of MT and decreases the hepatotoxicity of Cd. ZnCl2 added to the media (100 microM) for 24 h before exposure to Cd or CdMT increased the intracellular MT concentration 700%. This elevation in MT reduced the toxicity of CdCl2 approximately 80% but did not alter the toxicity of CdMT. In summary, CdCl2 is more toxic to cultured hepatocytes than Cd-MT, and MT induction decreases the toxicity of CdCl2 in hepatocytes, as has been observed in the intact animal. This indicates that cultured hepatocytes appear to be an excellent model for examining the hepatotoxicity of Cd.

Induction of metallothionein by steroids in rat primary hepatocyte cultures.

The purpose of this study was to characterize the induction of metallothionein (MT) by steroids in rat primary hepatocyte cultures. Comparison of the characteristics of MT induction by a steroid (dexamethasone) to that by metals (Zn and Cd), examination of the involvement of the glucocorticoid receptor in the steroid induction of MT, and determination of the potency and effectiveness of a number of steroids were studied. In general, the patterns of MT induction by metals and steroids were quite different. For metals, the maximal MT induction (12- to 39-fold) was limited by toxicity whereas for steroids, a plateau in MT induction (fivefold) occurred at noncytotoxic concentrations. Steroids elicited an increase in MT at concentrations that were one-hundredth to one-thousandth less than that of metals. A combination of metal and steroid increased the induction of MT to a level higher than achieved by metal or steroid alone. The effectiveness of steroids at inducing MT was related to their ability to induce a specific glucocorticoid effect, induction of tyrosine aminotransferase. For specific classes of steroids, synthetic glucocorticoids were more potent than the metals in inducing MT, but endogenous glucocorticoids, mineralocorticoids, androgens, and estrogens were less potent than the metals. The concentration of corticosterone, the major endogenous glucocorticoid of rats, required to induce MT in hepatocytes was 100 times higher than concentrations achievable in the plasma of rats. In conclusion, in rat hepatocytes dexamethasone was a more potent but less effective inducer of MT than Zn or Cd; synthetic glucocorticoids were more potent but endogenous adrenalcorticoids (i.e., glucocorticoids, mineralocorticoids, androgens, and estrogens) were both less potent and less effective inducers of MT than were metals, suggesting that glucocorticoids may not be the mediator for stress-induced MT induction; and induction of MT by steroids correlated well with the induction of tyrosine aminotransferase, supporting the involvement of a hormone-receptor complex in the induction of MT by steroids.

Induction of hepatic metallothionein by alcohols: evidence for an indirect mechanism.

The purpose of the present study was to determine the ability of various short-chain alcohols to induce metallothionein (MT) in the liver and to determine whether the induction results from a direct action of alcohol on liver or an indirect action mediated by zinc, glucocorticoids, or catecholamines. Mice were administered alcohol by gavage and hepatic MT was quantitated by the Cd-hemoglobin radioassay. Ethanol, methanol, isopropanol, and propanol increased MT content to seven to nine times that of control liver. In vitro, ethanol did not increase MT concentrations in rat hepatocyte cultures, indicating that the in vivo induction is not a direct effect of ethanol on the liver. Adrenergic blocking agents did not reduce the MT content of ethanol-treated mice, indicating that catecholamines are probably not involved in the MT induction. Corticosterone and zinc concentrations in plasma were increased in mice 1 hr after ethanol treatment. Corticosterone, given in vivo, was a less effective inducer of MT than was ethanol treatment. In conclusion, hepatic MT was increased by several alcohols, the induction was not due to direct action of alcohol on the liver, and while the mechanism of alcohol induction of MT is unclear, it may be due to an alteration in zinc and glucocorticoid homeostasis.

Utilization of methionine as a sulfhydryl source for metallothionein synthesis in rat primary hepatocyte cultures.

Metallothioneins (MT) contain a high concentration of cysteine which bind heavy metals. Exposure of liver cells to metals induces the synthesis of MT and thus causes the cells to draw upon their sulfhydryl (SH) pools. The utilization of methionine as compared with that of cysteine as a source of SH for the synthesis of MT has not been shown. Therefore, studies were designed to determine whether methionine, in addition to cysteine, serves as an SH donor for Zn-induced synthesis of MT in rat hepatocyte cultures. Hepatocytes were able to synthesize only low levels of MT when the concentration of both amino acids was extremely low; however, when either of the amino acids was present at a high concentration, production of MT was independent of the other amino acid concentration. Subsequently, induction of MT was compared in four media: complete (0.5 mM methionine, 0.5 mM cysteine), Met (0.5 mM methionine), Cys (0.5 mM cysteine), and SH free (-SH). Somewhat higher concentrations of MT were produced by the hepatocytes in the Met than in the Cys media and no differences were observed between the Met and the complete media. By contrast, GSH synthesis was much more dependent on methionine than on cysteine for its synthesis. Incorporation studies with 35S-labeled cysteine and methionine indicated that lower concentrations of MT found in hepatocytes in the Cys media may be due to less accumulation of cysteine by the hepatocytes. Cellular accumulation of cysteine was initially rapid and then reached a plateau, whereas the rate for methionine accumulation was more constant and eventually obtained higher cellular levels. To provide additional evidence for the role of methionine in MT production, a known inhibitor of the cystathionine pathway, DL-propargylglycine (PPG), was added to each of the four media. Reductions in MT levels were not observed in the cells cultured in the complete and Cys media; however, a 95% reduction was observed in the cells cultured in the Met media. In summary, the present results suggest that both cysteine and methionine can serve as a SH source for MT synthesis, and that the availability of SH in most culture mediums would not limit the synthesis of MT. Whereas methionine is a much better SH source than cysteine for GSH synthesis in hepatocyte cultures, it is only slightly better for MT synthesis.

Induction of metallothionein in rat primary hepatocyte cultures: evidence for direct and indirect induction.

The ability of a number of metals and organic chemicals to induce metallothionein (MT) synthesis in primary cultures of rat hepatocytes was tested to determine whether MT induction in vivo results from a direct effect of the agent on the liver or as a result of an indirect, physiologic response to the agent. Hepatocytes were exposed to metals [zinc (Zn), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), manganese (Mn), lead (Pb), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), and vanadium (V)] or organic compounds [ethanol, urethane, L-2-oxothiozolidine 4-carboxylate (L-OTCA), or dexamethasone] and were assayed for metallothionein by the Cd/hemoglobin radioassay. Cell viability was monitored by protein synthesis activity and cellular K+ concentration. Increases in MT concentrations were noted for Zn (22-fold), Hg (6.4-fold), Cd (4.8-fold), Co (2.4-fold), Ni (2.2-fold), and dexamethasone (4.5-fold). However, even at maximum tolerated concentrations, Mn, Pb, V, ethanol, urethane, and L-OTCA did not increase MT. The results indicate that Zn, Cd, Hg, Co, Ni and dexamethasone induce MT in vitro and thus are direct inducers of MT synthesis in hepatic tissue. In contrast, Mn, Pb, ethanol, urethane and L-OTCA, which did not increase the MT content of hepatocytes, apparently do so in vivo by an indirect mechanism.

Cadmium uptake by rat red blood cells.

Rat red blood cells were employed to study the uptake of cadmium (109Cd). Suspensions of red blood cells were exposed to Cd concentrations of 0.005-500 microM, which were representative of whole blood concentrations (both bound and free) observed following in vivo Cd administration. Cd uptake was biphasic with an initial rapid phase (less than 1 min) followed by a slower second phase. The rate of Cd uptake at 25 degrees C was one-fourth of that at 37 degrees C. The metabolic inhibitors; sodium fluoride (1 mM), potassium cyanide (1 mM) and carbonyl cyanide-m-chlorophenyl hydrazone (2 microM) and the Na+-K+-ATPase inhibitor, ouabain (1 mM) did not reduce Cd (50 microM) uptake into red blood cells. This suggests that the uptake of Cd into red blood cells was not an active process. Incubation of Cd (10 microM) with an equimolar concentration of Zn did not alter uptake of Cd into red blood cells, but at 5 and 10 times higher concentrations of Zn, Cd uptake was enhanced 5-fold. Mercury at one-tenth and equimolar concentrations of Cd increased Cd uptake by red blood cells 2-fold. N-Ethylmaleimide (0.5-5 mM), which irreversibly inactivates membrane sulfhydryl groups, decreased Cd uptake. The data indicate that Cd uptake into rat red blood cells occurs by passive transport and that alterations of sulfhydryls of red blood cell membrane may modulate the process.

Vanadium accumulation and subcellular distribution in relation to vanadate induced cytotoxicity in vitro.

A bovine kidney cell culture system was used to assess the relationship of vandium uptake and subcellular distribution to orthovanadate induced cytotoxicity. Twenty-four hr incubations with 20-1000 microM vanadium elicited 15-75% cytotoxicity. Concentration-related morphological changes from the control polygonal shape to the treated biopolar appearance were detected. Vanadium accumulated in cells via a multiphasic process; peak accumulation was achieved by 1 hr post-treatment and was followed by apparent decline, completed by 3 hr. A slower second phase of accumulation occurred during the remainder of the 24 hr incubation period. A concentration-dependent accumulation resulted in a 50-fold increase in cellular vanadium content. Near maximum toxicity was achieved at a cellular vanadium burden of approximately 5 nmoles/10(6) cells; further accumulation (up to 35 nmoles/10(6) cells) resulted in only a slight increase in the degree of toxicity. Subcellular distribution studies indicated 90% accumulation of vanadium in the soluble supernatant fraction (105,000xg supernatant) at varying stages of cytotoxicity. It was concluded that the multifaceted dependency of vanadium cytotoxicity on its cellular content may have resulted from a cellular balancing between proposed regulatory functions for vanadium and the interactions incurred with an excessive content.

Role of sulfhydryls in the hepatotoxicity of organic and metallic compounds.

Endogenous sulfhydryl compounds serve a critical role in maintaining the function and viability of living systems. Glutathione (GSH) is the most abundant of these nonprotein thiols. During the past decade it has been demonstrated that sulfhydryls such as GSH also serve an important role in protecting vital nucleophilic sites in the liver from electrophilic attack by numerous classes of reactive chemicals. Organocompounds such as bromobenzene and acetaminophen which undergo microsomal metabolism yield reactive intermediates that are specifically inactivated by conjugation with sulfhydryls in the form of GSH. Thus, for organocompounds GSH is extremely important in protecting against toxic insults. More recently, other sulfhydryl compounds also have been found to serve a specific but as yet less defined role in protecting biological systems against chemically induced injury. Metals such as cadmium have a high affinity for sulfhydryls and the metal binding protein metallothionein binds cadmium with high affinity. The highly specific association of the metal with this sulfhydryl-enriched protein serves to effectively sequester the reactive cadmium ion. The central role of sulfhydryl equivalents in the detoxication of organo- and metallocompounds is similar; however, the mechanism by which this is achieved is fundamentally different.

Comparative effectiveness of topical treatments for hydrofluoric acid burns.

Hydrofluoric acid (HF) burns are characterized by progressive tissue necrosis and severe pain. Numerous topical treatments have been proposed, yet few have been studied experimentally. The present study was designed to examine the comparative efficacy of recommended treatments. Hair on the hind legs of rats was removed and 48 hours later 70% HF was applied. Calcium gluconate, Zephiran (benzalkonium chloride), A + D Ointment, aloe gel, and magnesium ointment were applied topically and burn development was monitored. Calcium gluconate significantly reduced burn size as early as one hour after application. Significant protection continued for seven days after the single application. The other treatments were not effective in decreasing or delaying HF burn development. The results indicated that calcium gluconate ointment was the most effective topical treatment for HF burns.

Cytotoxicity-related alterations of selected cellular functions after in vitro vanadate exposure.

A bovine kidney cell line was used to monitor select cellular functions for toxicity-dependent alterations in an effort to examine the cellular response to vanadium insult. The vanadium concentrations utilized ranged between 20 and 500 microM Na3VO4 (V) and elicited 15-60% cytotoxicity. Cytotoxicity-related decreases in thymidine incorporation into DNA and leucine incorporation into protein were noted. Paradoxically, V-treated cultures exhibited increased protein and DNA content, suggestive of a decrease in precursor transport. K+-dependent phosphatase (KP), acid phosphatase (AP) and succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) were monitored in surviving cells and in a cell-free system. Significant inhibitions were detected for KP and AP; SDH exhibited slight enhancement. In the cell-free system, KP was inhibited significantly at 10(-7) M V, while AP and SDH were either unchanged or sensitive only at concentrations of 10(-4) M V or greater. Measurement of reduced glutathione (GSH) in surviving cells revealed toxicity-dependent increases of up to 500% of control values. When compared to the cellular V content, the GSH:V molar ratio decreased from 1.7 to 0.5 as cell survival decreased.

Cytotoxicity related changes in biochemical cell function following in vitro cadmium treatment.

In an effort to examine cellular responses to cadmium insult a bovine kidney cell line was used to monitor select cell functions for toxicity related alterations. Cadmium concentrations used ranged between 0.2 and 2.5 microM CdCl2 and elicited 0-85% cytotoxicity (cell attachment); 24-h incubations were used for all studies. Toxicity related inhibition of leucine incorporation into cellular protein and thymidine incorporation into DNA was noted. Decreases in protein synthesis activity closely paralleled the cytotoxicity profile; DNA synthesis was a less sensitive indicator to toxicity. K+-dependent phosphatase (KP), acid phosphatase (AP) and succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) were monitored in surviving cells and in a cell-free system. Significant inhibitions were detected for all enzyme activities following a 24 h culture with cadmium. KP and AP were most sensitive. In the cell-free system KP was significantly inhibited with 0.1 microM cadmium; AP and SDH were either unchanged or sensitive only at concentrations of 100 microM cadmium or greater. Reduced glutathione (GSH) concentration in surviving cells was elevated up to 7-fold over control cultures. The elevation occurred in a progressive toxicity-related manner.

Cadmium accumulation and subcellular distribution in relation to cadmium chloride induced cytotoxicity in vitro.

A bovine kidney cell culture system was used to assess what relationship cadmium (Cd) uptake and subcellular distribution had to cadmium chloride induced cytotoxicity. Twenty-four hour incubation with 0.1-10 microM Cd elicited 0-90% cytotoxicity. Fifty percent cytotoxicity was estimated to result from 0.8 microM Cd. A concentration-related Cd accumulation paralleled the cytotoxicity profile. The time-course for Cd accumulation was linear for the first 6 h of exposure and plateaued by 18 h post-exposure. When the degree of cytotoxicity was compared with the cellular Cd burden at 24 h post-treatment a least-squares linear regression analysis (r = 0.93) indicated a direct relationship. Subcellular distribution studies indicated greater than 90% Cd recovery from the soluble supernatant (105 000 g) at all levels of cytotoxicity studied. Metallothionein sequestered less than 25% of the cellular Cd. As a result of the correlation of the degree of cytotoxicity with the cellular Cd burden and the independence of subcellular distribution from cytotoxicity, a cumulative mechanism of toxicity for Cd in MDBK cells was suggested.

Cellular distribution of inorganic mercury and its relation to cytotoxicity in bovine kidney cell cultures.

A bovine kidney cell culture system was used to assess what relationship mercuric chloride (HgCl2) uptake and subcellular distribution had to cytotoxicity. Twenty-four-hour incubations with 0.05-50 micro M HgCl2 elicited a concentration-related, with 1.0 nmol/10(6) cells at the IC50. Measurement of Hg uptake over the 24-h exposure period revealed a multiphasic process. Peak accumulation was attained by 1 h and was followed by extrusion and plateauing of intracellular Hg levels. Least-squares regression analysis of the cytotoxicity and cellular uptake data indicated a potential relationship between the Hg uptake and cytotoxicity (r = 0.91). However, the subcellular distribution of Hg was not concentration-related. Mitochondria and soluble protein fractions accounted for greater than 65% of the cell-associated Hg at all concentrations. The remaining Hg was distributed between the microsomal (6-10%) and nuclear and cell debris (11-22%) fractions at all concentrations tested. Less than 20% of the total cell-associated Hg was bound with metallothionein-like protein.

Cadmium-copper interaction in intestinal mucosal cell cytosol of mice.

In vivo as well as in vitro protein-metal interaction was studied in cytosolic fractions from intestinal mucosal cells. Female Swiss-Webster mice wre pretreated with cadmium (25 ppm) or copper (100 ppm) in drinking water for 3 weeks. Treatment groups were divided into subgroups receiving Cd or Cd+Cu for an additional 6 weeks. In the in vitro study, mucosal cytosol obtained from pretreated animals was incubated with Cd-109 or Cd-109+Cu. Proteins were separated by gel filtration chromatography and metals determined by furnace AAS or gamma-spectrometry. Cadmium-induced synthesis of metallothionein-like proteins (MTP) in cytosol was indicated by increased Cd in those eluted fractions corresponding to the molecular weight of purified equine renal metallothionein. This cadmium level reached a plateau after 3 weeks of cadmium treatment. In addition, an increased amount of cadmium bound to MTP was noted when copper was added to cadmium in drinking water of mice pretreated with copper. This was not the case for Cd-pretreated animals. The in vitro experiments produced similar results, in that MTP fractions retained a greater percentage of Cd when animals were pretreated with copper compared to controls. Cadmium pretreatment resulted in even higher amounts of cadmium bound to MTP. The existence of a Cd as well as a separate Cu MTP, each with specific metal-binding properties, is suggested.

Inhibition of phorbol ester-induced tumor promotion in mice by vitamin A analog and anti-inflammatory steroid.

The effects of a vitamin A analog, TMMP ethyl retinoate [or ethyl-9-(4-methoxy-2,3,6-trimethylphenyl)-3,7-dimethyl-trans-2,4,6,8-nonatetraenoate] (abbreviated Ro 10-9359), and an anti-inflammatory steroid, fluocinolone acetonide (or 6 alpha, 9 alpha-difluoro-11 beta, 16 alpha, 17,21-tetrahydroxypregna-1,4-diene-3,20-dione cyclic 16,17-acetal) (abbreviated FA), given alone or together were studied in a two-stage carcinogensis system. The phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) was used as the tumor promoter in a 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA)-initiated mouse skin system. Two stocks of female mice, CD-1 and Sencar, which differ in their degrees of sensitivity to skin carcinogenesis, were used. A dose-dependent inhibition of carcinogenic expression, as determined by a decreased number of papillomas per animal, was observed in each mouse stock with the use of both FA and Ro 10-9359 when given alone. When FA and Ro 10-9359 were given together, an enhanced effect on the lowering of tumor incidence was noted. FA effectively inhibited tumor formation in the sensitive mouse stock even when the steroid was given 1 day prior to TPA treatment under conditions of unusually high doses of initiator (DMBA) and/or promoter (TPA). These results suggest that both anti-inflammatory steroids and retinoids inhibit tumor promotion and can be effectively used as a combination regimen for increased chemopreventive response.

The effects of weak or non-carcinogenic polycyclic hydrocarbons on 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene and benzo[a]pyrene skin tumor-initiation.

Benzo[e]pyrene (B[e]P) inhibited 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) skin tumor-initiation in mice by 84%, whereas pyrene and fluoranthene inhibited DMBA initiation by 50 and 34%, respectively. However, B[e]P, pyrene and fluoranthene had either no significant effect or a slight enhancing effect on benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) skin tumor-initiation. In addition, B[e]P had essentially no effect on the initiating ability of (+/-)B[a]P-7 beta,8 alpha-diol-9 alpha,10 alpha-epoxide. As a tumor-initiator, B[e]P was found to have very weak activity at a 252 microgram/level (0.4 papillomas/mouse at 40 weeks) and no activity at 100 microgram. When given at a dose of 100 microgram twice weekly, B[e]P induced 2.1 papillomas/mouse at 30 weeks, and 25% of the mice had carcinomas at 40 weeks. However, B[e]P carcinogenic activity is weak when compared to B[a]P, which can induce a comparable tumor response at a dose of 5 microgram twice weekly. When B[e]P was tested as a tumor promoter at a dose of 100 microgram twice weekly after DMBA initiation, it induced 4.5 papillomas/mouse at 30 weeks and a 45% carcinoma incidence at 40 weeks, which was approximately twice as effective as B[e]P alone. The data show that B[e]P is a very weak tumor initiator, a weak complete carcinogen, a moderate tumor promoter, possibly a weak co-tumor-initiator when given with B[a]P, and a potent anit-tumor-initiator when given with DMBA. The anti-tumor initiating and co-tumor-initiating effects of B[e]P appear to be related to its ability to modify the conversion of the tumor initiator into an electrophilic intermediate(s) which are capable of covalently binding to DNA. In addition, B[e]P induced epidermal cellular proliferation which may be related to its promoting ability.