Adverse effects of dipeptidyl peptidases 8 and 9 inhibition in rodents revisited.

AIM: To evaluate the association between inhibition of dipeptidyl peptidase (DPP)-8 and/or DPP-9 organ toxicities and mortality in rodents. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: The relative selectivity of the DPP-4 inhibitor, vildagliptin, was determined by comparing its K(I) (concentration of compound yielding 50% inhibition of the enzyme) values for inhibition of recombinant human DPP-4, DPP-8 and DPP-9 assessed in vitro. In experiments performed in vivo, vildagliptin was administered by gavage for 13 weeks, at doses up to 1500 mg/kg/day in CD-1 mice and at doses up to 900 mg/kg/day in Wistar rats. Plasma concentrations of vildagliptin were assessed at week 12, and toxicities previously ascribed to inhibition of DPP-8 and/or DPP-9 were assessed at week 13. RESULTS: The K(I) values for vildagliptin-induced inhibition of DPP-4, DPP-8 and DPP-9 were 3, 810 and 95 nM respectively. The mean plasma concentration 24 h after dose after 12-week daily dosing with 1500 mg/kg/day in mice was 2279 nM. The mean plasma drug level 24 h after dose after 12-week daily dosing with 900 mg/kg/day in rats was 5729 nM. These high doses maintained plasma drug levels well above the K(I) values for DPP-8 and DPP-9 throughout a 24-h period. At these high doses, the toxicities of a selective DPP-8/DPP-9 inhibitor that were reported previously (100% mortality in mice, alopecia, thrombocytopenia, reticulocytopenia, enlarged lymph nodes, splenomegaly and 20% mortality in rats) were not observed. CONCLUSIONS: Inhibition of DPP-8 and DPP-9 per se does not lead to organ toxicities and mortality in rodents. Thus, a mechanism other than DPP-8/DPP-9 inhibition likely underlies the toxicity previously reported to be associated with a selective DPP-8/DPP-9 inhibitor.

Mutations induced in the supF gene of pSP189 by hydroxyl radical and singlet oxygen: relevance to peroxynitrite mutagenesis.

We previously showed that the oxidant peroxynitrite (ONOO-) was strongly mutagenic in the supF shuttle vector pSP189 replicated in bacteria or human cells. Qualitative characteristics of the mutational spectra induced by ONOO- differed significantly from those reportedly caused by hydroxyl radical (OH.) in other experimental systems but showed similarities to spectra reportedly produced by singlet oxygen (1O2). The molecular mechanisms of ONOO--mediated DNA damage are unknown. The objective of the present set of experiments was to characterize mutational effects induced in the supF gene of pSP189 by OH* and 1O2 to permit direct comparison with mutational spectra induced by ONOO- in this system. Base substitutions were the major form of mutation induced in plasmids replicated in human (AD293) cells by ONOO- (84%) and 1O2 (71%), whereas OH* induced fewer of them (49%). In plasmids replicated in bacteria (Escherichia coli MBL50), frequencies of base substitutions induced by the three treatments were similar. G:C-to-T:A transversions were the most common form of base substitution induced by ONOO- (75% and 67%, respectively, in AD293- and MBL50-replicated plasmids) and 1O2 (68% and 71%); they were induced at lower frequencies by OH. (51% and 47%). G:C-to-C:G transversions or G:C-to-A:T transitions were induced at almost equal frequencies by both ONOO- and 1O2, whereas OH* induced these mutations at different frequencies in the AD293 system. Collectively, our results confirm that in several important respects mutational spectra induced by ONOO- have greater similarity to spectra induced by 1O2 than to those induced by OH* and suggest that genotoxic derivatives of ONOO- are likely to include species that have DNA-damaging properties resembling those of 1O2 in selectivity for guanine but not identical in sequence specificity.

Peroxynitrite-induced mutation spectra of pSP189 following replication in bacteria and in human cells.

Peroxynitrite is a powerful oxidant formed through reaction of nitric oxide with superoxide. Because activated macrophages can produce both nitric oxide and superoxide, it has been proposed that peroxynitrite may contribute to cytotoxicity and increased cancer risks associated with the inflammatory response during chronic infections. We therefore investigated mutagenicity of peroxynitrite in the supF gene of the pSP189 shuttle vector as a mutation target. The plasmid was exposed to 2.5 mM peroxynitrite in vitro, then replicated in Eschericia coli MBL50 and in human AD293 cells. Mutation frequency increased 21-fold in pSP189 replicated in E. coli and 9-fold in plasmid replicated in human cells. Mutations were clustered within the 5' region of the supF gene in plasmids replicated in bacteria. The hot spots were located at positions 108, 113, 116, 124, 126 and 141; more than 25% of all mutations occurred at position 124. Following replication in human cells, mutations were more widely distributed over the gene, with hot spots at positions 113, 124, 133, 156 and 164; 15% occurred at position 124. In both systems, the majority of mutations occurred at G:C base pairs, predominantly involving G:C-->T:A transversions (65% when replication was in bacteria and 63% when in human cells). G:C-->C:G transversions were observed at lower frequency (28% in MBL50 and 11% in AD293 cells), and 11% of mutations found in vectors replicated in AD293 cells were G:C-->A:T transitions. A greater number of large deletions, insertions, tandem and multiple mutations occurred in plasmid replicated in AD293 cells. Differences in mutation spectra following replication in the two systems may be attributable to differences in recognition and repair of the lesions and/or properties of the replication apparatus.

m-iodobenzylguanidine increases the mitochondrial Ca2+ pool in isolated hepatocytes.

The incubation of isolated hepatocytes with the inhibitor of protein mono ADP-ribosylation, m-iodobenzylguanidine (MIBG), resulted in an increase in the size of the mitochondrial Ca2+ pool, without alteration of the non-mitochondrial Ca2+ store(s). This increase was abolished when the cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) was buffered by prior loading of the cells with fluo 3. Elevating [Ca2+]i by releasing the endoplasmic reticular Ca2+ store with 2,5-di-(tert-butyl)-1,4-hydroquinone resulted in a synergistic increase in the magnitude of the mitochondrial Ca2+ pool. A role for protein ADP-ribosylation in the intracellular regulation of mitochondrial Ca2+ homeostasis is suggested.

Cyclosporin A protects hepatocytes against prooxidant-induced cell killing. A study on the role of mitochondrial Ca2+ cycling in cytotoxicity.

Cyclosporin A (CsA) is a potent inhibitor of the prooxidant-induced release of Ca2+ from isolated mitochondria. In this investigation, pretreatment of hepatocytes with CsA before exposure to the prooxidants tert-butyl hydroperoxide (tBH), cumene hydroperoxide or 3,5-dimethyl-N-acetyl-p-benzoquinone imine (3,5-Me2-NAPQI) prevented the loss of cell viability. HPLC analysis of adenine and pyridine nucleotide concentrations in hepatocytes treated with 3,5-Me2-NAPQI showed a rapid depletion of ATP prior to the loss of cell viability versus the maintenance of near control levels of ATP in hepatocytes treated with CsA before 3,5-Me2-NAPQI. In 3,5-Me2-NAPQI-exposed hepatocytes there was also a rapid loss of cellular NAD+ which could be accounted for initially by a transient increase in NADP+. Measurement of the intracellular Ca2+ pools showed an early depletion of the mitochondrial Ca2+ pool in hepatocytes exposed to 3,5-Me2-NAPQI, tBH or cumene hydroperoxide; this loss was prevented by CsA. In conclusion, these results show that CsA protected hepatocytes from prooxidant injury by preventing mitochondrial Ca2+ cycling and subsequent mitochondrial dysfunction. This suggests that in prooxidant injury, excessive Ca2+ cycling is an early and important event leading to mitochondrial damage and subsequently to cell death.

Role of P-450c in the formation of a reactive intermediate of chlorotrianisene (TACE) by hepatic microsomes from methylcholanthrene-treated rats.

A previous study has shown that chlorotrianisene is metabolized by hepatic microsomal cytochrome P-450 monooxygenase(s) to a reactive intermediate that binds covalently to microsomal proteins [Juedes, Bulger, and Kupfer: Drug Metab. Dispos. 15, 786 (1987)]. Covalent binding of chlorotrianisene in hepatic microsomes is dramatically stimulated by treatment of rats with methylcholanthrene (MC), which is known to induce two major P-450 isozymes, P-450c (IA1) and P-450d (IA2). To determine whether P-450c and/or P-450d are involved in catalysis of covalent binding of chlorotrianisene, antibodies to P-450c and P-450d were used. Incubations of chlorotrianisene were conducted with liver microsomes from MC-treated rats (MC microsomes) and a monoclonal antibody (mAb) raised to the major MC-induced isozyme P450c, mAb 1-7-1, or a polyclonal monospecific antibody (pAb) to P-450d, pAb anti-d (-c). At a 5:1 ratio of antibody to microsomal protein, mAb 1-7-1 inhibited covalent binding by 67%, whereas pAb anti d (-c) showed a 10% inhibition. Maximal inhibition by mAb 1-7-1 was 89% at a 100:1 ratio of antibody to microsomal protein. From these findings it was concluded that P-450c is the major isozyme responsible for the metabolism of chlorotrianisene to the covalently binding reactive intermediate in MC microsomes. Additionally, it was observed that potentiation of covalent binding occurred with the noninhibitory mAbs used in these incubations. Substituting bovine serum albumin (BSA) for antibodies showed that this increase in binding is probably due to an increase in acceptor sites.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Monooxygenase-mediated activation of chlorotrianisene (TACE) in covalent binding to rat hepatic microsomal proteins.

Chlorotrianisene is a therapeutic estrogen and contaminant of the pesticide methoxychlor. Incubation of [3H]chlorotrianisene with rat liver microsomes, supplemented with NADPH, yielded covalent binding of radiolabeled metabolite(s) to microsomal components. This binding was dramatically stimulated when microsomes from methylcholanthrene-treated rats were used. However, microsomes from phenobarbital-treated animals did not enhance binding. Analysis of solubilized microsomes by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed radiolabeled bands in the 45- to 66-kDa range. Furthermore, these bands were sensitive to protease degradation, indicating that the recipient macromolecules were proteins and possibly cytochrome P-450(s). Selective inhibition of binding to microsomes prepared from control, phenobarbital-, and methylcholanthrene-treated rats by inhibitors of monooxygenase activity [beta-diethylaminoethyl diphenylpropylacetate (SKF-525A) and metyrapone], by alternate substrates (ethylmorphine and benzo[a]pyrene), and by oxygen exclusion indicated that the binding was dependent upon monooxygenase activity and that a specific P-450 may be involved. Compounds containing free sulfhydryls markedly inhibited covalent binding, suggesting that the reactive intermediate is an epoxide or a free radical. The epoxide hydratase inhibitor (1,1,1-trichloropropane oxide) failed to enhance covalent binding, suggesting that an epoxide of chlorotrianisene was not the reactive intermediate. By contrast, free radical scavengers (propyl gallate, N,N'-diphenylenediamine, and ascorbic acid) markedly inhibited covalent binding, indicating that binding was mediated via a free radical. Since both methylcholanthrene and phenobarbital did not enhance demethylation of chlorotrianisene and methylcholanthrene increased covalent binding, it appears that demethylation products are not involved in covalent binding or that demethylation is not the rate-limiting step. A possible pathway for the metabolism and covalent binding of chlorotrianisene is presented.