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1.
Am J Occup Ther ; 73(5): 7305205070p1-7305205070p11, 2019.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31484031

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to assess the feasibility of conducting a future full-scale trial to test the efficacy of an in-home occupational therapy intervention designed to reduce disability in older adult cancer survivors. METHOD: Participants reporting activity limitations during or after cancer treatment were enrolled in a Phase 1 pilot randomized controlled trial comparing the 6-wk intervention (n = 30) to usual care (n = 29). Descriptive data on retention rates were collected to assess feasibility of intervention and study procedures. Potential efficacy was explored through participants' self-reported disability, quality of life, activity level, and behavioral activation at 0, 8, and 16 wk after enrollment. RESULTS: Retention rates were high regarding completion of the intervention (90%) and outcome assessments (90% of usual-care participants and 80% of intervention participants). Outcomes consistently favored the intervention group, although group differences were small. CONCLUSION: The procedures were feasible to implement and acceptable to participants.


Subject(s)
Occupational Therapy , Quality of Life , Aged , Cancer Survivors/statistics & numerical data , Humans , Occupational Therapy/methods , Outcome Assessment, Health Care
2.
Toxicol Appl Pharmacol ; 349: 29-38, 2018 06 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29698738

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study is to characterize the genotoxicity of depleted uranium (DU) in Chinese Hamster Ovary cells (CHO) with mutations in various DNA repair pathways. CHO cells were exposed to 0-300 µM of soluble DU as uranyl acetate (UA) for 0-48 h. Intracellular UA concentrations were measured via inductively coupled mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and visualized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Cytotoxicity was assessed in vitro by clonogenic survival assay. DNA damage response was assessed via Fast Micromethod® to determine UA-induced DNA single strand breaks. Results indicate that UA is entering the CHO cells, with the highest concentration localizing in the nucleus. Clonogenic assays show that UA is cytotoxic in each cell line with the greatest cytotoxicity in the base excision repair deficient EM9 cells and the nuclear excision repair deficient UV5 cells compared to the non-homologous end joining deficient V3.3 cells and the parental AA8 cells after 48 h. This indicates that UA is producing single strand breaks and forming UA-DNA adducts rather than double strand breaks in CHO cells. Fast Micromethod® results indicate an increased amount of single strand breaks in the EM9 cells after 48 h UA exposure compared to the V3.3 and AA8 cells. These results indicate that DU induces DNA damage via strand breaks and uranium-DNA adducts in treated cells. These results suggest that: (1) DU is genotoxic in CHO cells, and (2) DU is inducing single strand breaks rather than double strand breaks in vitro.


Subject(s)
DNA Breaks, Single-Stranded/drug effects , Organometallic Compounds/toxicity , Animals , CHO Cells , Cell Nucleus/drug effects , Cell Nucleus/metabolism , Cell Survival , Colony-Forming Units Assay , Cricetinae , Cricetulus , DNA Damage , DNA Repair , Organometallic Compounds/metabolism
3.
Am J Occup Ther ; 72(2): 7202205110p1-7202205110p8, 2018.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29426388

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: In this pilot study of a home-based occupational therapy intervention intended to reduce disability and improve quality of life, our objective was to identify rates of goal attainment and patterns of goal adjustment of participants. METHOD: Thirty older adults with cancer were randomized to the intervention arm, and 24 participants identified goals and completed the six-session intervention. An exploratory content analysis of qualitative and quantitative session data was performed. RESULTS: Participants set 63 6-wk goals and attained 62% of them. Most of the goals addressed walking (28%), sedentary leisure (24%), exercising (16%), or instrumental activities of daily living (14%). When 6-wk goals were not attained (n = 24), there were 10 instances of goal disengagement and 14 instances of goal reengagement. CONCLUSION: Although most participants were able to meet their goals, many also changed their goals and priorities after reflection and attempts to resume or initiate meaningful activities.

4.
Innov High Educ ; 42(5-6): 421-435, 2017 Dec.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29225411

ABSTRACT

Universities are under pressure to increase external research funding, and some federal agencies offer programs to expand research capacity in certain kinds of institutions. However, conflicts within faculty roles and other aspects of university operations influence the effectiveness of particular strategies for increasing research activity. We review conventional approaches to increasing research, focusing on outcomes for individual faculty members and use one federally-funded effort to build cancer-related research capacity at a public university as an example to explore the impact of various strategies on research outcomes. We close with hypotheses that should be tested in future formal studies.

5.
Appl In Vitro Toxicol ; 2(3): 151-156, 2016 Sep 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28971114

ABSTRACT

Cellular migration assays are useful tools to investigate physiologic events on the bench top. Furthermore, this migration assay can be utilized to investigate wound healing therapeutics (those that encourage or accelerate wound closure) as well as deleterious agents (ones that mitigate or slow wound closure). The current study used an in vitro scratch assay to measure the effects of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and depleted uranium (DU) in the form of uranyl acetate on cellular migration of human neonatal dermal fibroblasts in an in vitro simulation of wound healing. Data analyses included percent wound closure measured as the distance between cell margins, and rates of wound closure versus untreated controls. The highest doses of PRP (0.063, 0.125%) resulted in 50-65% wound closure after 4-8 hours relative to 38-44% in controls and the low-dose treatment group (0.031%). The high-dose treatments of PRP (0.125, 0.063%) reached 100% wound closure at 12 hours postwound versus 16 hours for controls and the low-dose treatment group (0.031%). Conversely, the higher doses of DU treatments (50 and 100 µM) resulted in <80% closure versus 100% closure in controls after 16 hours, with full closure observed at 20 hours. The highest dose of DU (1,000 µM) resulted in <20% closure versus 100% closure in controls after 16 hours. The use of the described scratch assay serves as a translatable bench-top model that has the potential to predict in vivo outcomes, and in many early studies can help to demonstrate proof-of-concept before moving into complex biological systems.

6.
J Appl Toxicol ; 35(4): 338-49, 2015 Apr.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-24832689

ABSTRACT

Depleted uranium (DU) has a chemical toxicity that is independent of its radioactivity. The purpose of this study was to explore the photoactivation of uranyl ion by ultraviolet (UV) radiation as a chemical mechanism of uranium genotoxicity. The ability of UVB (302 nm) and UVA (368 nm) radiation to photoactivate uranyl ion to produce single strand breaks was measured in pBR322 plasmid DNA, and the presence of adducts and apurinic/apyrimidinic sites that could be converted to single strand breaks by heat and piperidine was analyzed. Results showed that DNA lesions in plasmid DNA exposed to UVB- or UVA-activated DU were only slightly heat reactive, but were piperidine sensitive. The cytotoxicity of UVB-activated uranyl ion was measured in repair-proficient and repair-deficient Chinese hamster ovary cells and human keratinocyte HaCaT cells. The cytotoxicity of co-exposures of uranyl ion and UVB radiation was dependent on the order of exposure and was greater than co-exposures of arsenite and UVB radiation. Uranyl ion and UVB radiation were synergistically cytotoxic in cells, and cells exposed to photoactivated DU required different DNA repair pathways than cells exposed to non-photoactivated DU. This study contributes to our understanding of the DNA lesions formed by DU, as well as their repair. Results suggest that excitation of uranyl ion by UV radiation can provide a pathway for uranyl ion to be chemically genotoxic in populations with dermal exposures to uranium and UV radiation, which would make skin an overlooked target organ for uranium exposures.


Subject(s)
Cocarcinogenesis , DNA Breaks, Single-Stranded , DNA/drug effects , Mutagens/radiation effects , Organometallic Compounds/radiation effects , Plasmids/drug effects , Ultraviolet Rays/adverse effects , Animals , CHO Cells , Cell Line , Cell Survival/drug effects , Cell Survival/radiation effects , Cricetulus , DNA/radiation effects , DNA Adducts/drug effects , DNA Adducts/radiation effects , DNA Repair/drug effects , DNA Repair/radiation effects , Hot Temperature/adverse effects , Humans , Indicators and Reagents/chemistry , Keratinocytes/drug effects , Keratinocytes/radiation effects , Mutagens/toxicity , Organometallic Compounds/toxicity , Photochemical Processes , Piperidines/chemistry , Plasmids/radiation effects
7.
J Biol Inorg Chem ; 19(1): 45-57, 2014 Jan.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-24218036

ABSTRACT

The goal of this study was to characterize how depleted uranium (DU) causes DNA damage. Procedures were developed to assess the ability of organic and inorganic DNA adducts to convert to single-strand breaks (SSB) in pBR322 plasmid DNA in the presence of heat or piperidine. DNA adducts formed by methyl methanesulfonate, cisplatin, and chromic chloride were compared with those formed by reaction of uranyl acetate and ascorbate. Uranyl ion in the presence of ascorbate produced U-DNA adducts that converted to SSB on heating. Piperidine, which acted on DNA methylated by methyl methanesulfonate to convert methyl-DNA adducts to SSB, served in the opposite fashion as U-DNA adducts by decreasing the level of SSB. The observation that piperidine also decreased the gel shift for metal-DNA adducts formed by monofunctional cisplatin and chromic chloride was interpreted to suggest that piperidine served to remove U-DNA adducts. Radical scavengers did not affect the formation of uranium-induced SSB, suggesting that SSB arose from the presence of U-DNA adducts and not from the presence of free radicals. A model is proposed to predict how U-DNA adducts may serve as initial lesions that convert to SSB or AP sites. The results suggest that DU can act as a chemical genotoxin that does not require radiation for its mode of action. Characterizing the DNA lesions formed by DU is necessary to assess the relative importance of different DNA lesions in the formation of DU-induced mutations. Understanding the mechanisms of formation of DU-induced mutations may contribute to identification of biomarkers of DU exposure in humans.


Subject(s)
DNA Damage/drug effects , DNA/genetics , Mutagens/toxicity , Plasmids/drug effects , Uranium/toxicity , Ascorbic Acid/chemistry , Ascorbic Acid/toxicity , Chlorides/toxicity , Chromium Compounds/toxicity , DNA/chemistry , Hot Temperature , Humans , Mutagens/chemistry , Organometallic Compounds/chemistry , Organometallic Compounds/toxicity , Plasmids/chemistry , Plasmids/genetics , Uranium/chemistry
9.
Chem Res Toxicol ; 24(11): 1830-2, 2011 Nov 21.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-22013951

ABSTRACT

Uranium is an important emerging toxicant whose use has outpaced the rate at which we are learning about its health effects. One unexplored pathway for uranium toxicity involves the photoactivation of uranyl ion by UV light to produce U(5+) and oxygen radicals. The purpose of this study was to provide proof of principle data by testing the hypothesis that coexposures of DNA to uranyl acetate and UVB irradiation should produce more DNA strand breaks than individual exposures. Results supported the hypothesis and suggest that investigations of uranium toxicity be expanded to include skin as a potential target organ for carcinogenesis, especially in populations with high uranium and high UV radiation exposures.


Subject(s)
DNA/chemistry , Organometallic Compounds/metabolism , Plasmids/chemistry , Skin Neoplasms/metabolism , Skin/drug effects , Skin/radiation effects , Cell Transformation, Neoplastic/chemistry , Cell Transformation, Neoplastic/genetics , Cell Transformation, Neoplastic/metabolism , DNA/drug effects , DNA/genetics , DNA/radiation effects , DNA Damage , Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation , Electrophoresis, Agar Gel , Environmental Exposure , Humans , Ions/chemistry , Ions/metabolism , Organometallic Compounds/chemistry , Photochemical Processes/drug effects , Photochemical Processes/radiation effects , Plasmids/drug effects , Plasmids/genetics , Plasmids/radiation effects , Reactive Oxygen Species/adverse effects , Skin/metabolism , Skin/pathology , Skin Neoplasms/genetics , Skin Neoplasms/pathology , Skin Neoplasms/prevention & control , Ultraviolet Rays/adverse effects
10.
Oncol Nurs Forum ; 38(1): 75-83, 2011 Jan.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-21186163

ABSTRACT

UNLABELLED: PRPOSE/OBJECTIVES: to describe the natural pace and pattern of activity resumption in the first six months after stem cell transplantation (SCT). DESIGN: longitudinal, descriptive survey. SETTING: bone marrow transplantation program of a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center in the northeastern United States. SAMPLE: 18 men and 18 women who underwent either autologous (83%) or allogeneic (17%) transplantation. METHODS: participants were surveyed 30 days, 100 days, and six months after SCT. Descriptive statistics were followed by exploratory linear mixed modeling with factors of time, gender, and the interaction between time and gender. MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES: a modified checklist version of the Activity Card Sort was used to measure activity retention. FINDINGS: participants generally were performing 49% of their usual activities 30 days after transplantation, 70% of their premorbid activities 100 days after transplantation, and 77% of their premorbid activities six months after transplantation. Level of activity engagement increased over time, with the greatest changes observed from 30-100 days after SCT. Men retained more of their activities than women in the domains of low physical-demand leisure and social activities. CONCLUSIONS: rehabilitation screening may be most helpful in the period from 100 days to six months, when activity levels begin to plateau. Activity recovery may differ for men and women; future research should explore how this could affect rehabilitation needs. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: nurses can use structured surveys to explore and promote patients' satisfaction with and ability to engage in daily activities and ensure appropriate referrals to rehabilitation during recovery from SCT.


Subject(s)
Health Surveys , Hematologic Neoplasms , Oncology Nursing , Stem Cell Transplantation , Adult , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Hematologic Neoplasms/nursing , Hematologic Neoplasms/rehabilitation , Hematologic Neoplasms/therapy , Humans , Leisure Activities , Longitudinal Studies , Male , Middle Aged , Motor Activity , Patient Satisfaction , Pilot Projects , Social Behavior , Transplantation, Autologous , Transplantation, Homologous
11.
Cancer Manag Res ; 2: 53-9, 2010 Feb 05.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-21188096

ABSTRACT

Denileukin diftitox (Ontak(®)) is indicated for the treatment of patients with persistent or recurrent cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL), a rare lymphoproliferative disorder of the skin. Denileukin diftitox was the first fusion protein toxin approved for the treatment of a human disease. This fusion protein toxin combines the IL2 protein with diphtheria toxin, and targets the CD25 subunit of the IL2 receptor, resulting in the unique delivery of a cytocidal agent to CD-25 bearing T-cells. Historically, immunotherapy targeting malignant T-cells including monoclonal antibodies has been largely ineffective as cytocidal agents compared to immunotherapy directed against B-cells such as rituximab. This review will summarize the development of denileukin diftitox, its proposed mechanism of action, the pivotal clinical trials that led to its FDA approval, the improvements in quality of life, and the common toxicities experienced during the treatment of patients with CTCL. CTCL is often a chronic progressive lymphoma requiring the sequential use of treatments such as retinoids, traditional chemotherapy, or biological response modifiers. The incorporation of the immunotoxin denileukin diftitox into the sequential or combinatorial treatment of CTCL will also be addressed.

12.
Cell Cycle ; 6(3): 318-29, 2007 Feb 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-17297309

ABSTRACT

Increasing evidence indicates that maintenance of neuronal homeostasis involves the activation of the cell cycle machinery in postmitotic neurons. Our recent findings suggest that cell cycle activation is essential for DNA damage-induced neuronal apoptosis. However, whether the cell division cycle also participates in DNA repair and survival of postmitotic, terminally differentiated neurons is unknown. Here, we tested the hypothesis that G(1) phase components contribute to the repair of DNA and are involved in the DNA damage response of postmitotic neurons. In cortical terminally differentiated neurons, treatment with subtoxic concentrations of hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) caused repairable DNA double strand breaks (DSBs) and the activation of G(1) components of the cell cycle machinery. Importantly, DNA repair was attenuated if cyclin-dependent kinases CDK4 and CDK6, essential elements of G(0) --> G(1) transition, were suppressed. Our data suggest that G(1) cell cycle components are involved in DNA repair and survival of postmitotic neurons.


Subject(s)
Cell Cycle/physiology , DNA Repair/physiology , Neurons/metabolism , Animals , Apoptosis/drug effects , Cell Cycle/drug effects , Cell Cycle/genetics , Cells, Cultured , Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 4/genetics , Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 4/metabolism , Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 6/genetics , Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 6/metabolism , DNA Breaks, Double-Stranded/drug effects , DNA Damage , DNA Repair/drug effects , DNA Repair/genetics , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Flow Cytometry , Fluorescent Antibody Technique , G1 Phase/drug effects , G1 Phase/genetics , G1 Phase/physiology , Gene Expression Regulation/drug effects , Histones/metabolism , Hydrogen Peroxide/pharmacology , Immunoblotting , Immunoprecipitation , Mice , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Neurons/cytology , Neurons/drug effects , Phosphorylation/drug effects , RNA, Small Interfering/genetics , Rats , Rats, Sprague-Dawley
13.
Mutat Res ; 610(1-2): 114-23, 2006 Nov 07.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-16877033

ABSTRACT

Chromium picolinate (CrPic) is a popular dietary supplement, marketed to the public for weight loss, bodybuilding, and control of blood sugar. Recommendations for long-term use at high dosages have led to questions regarding its safety. Previous studies have reported that CrPic can cause chromosomal aberrations and mutations. The purpose of the current work was to compare the mutagenicity of CrPic as a suspension in acetone versus a solution in DMSO, and to characterize the hprt mutations induced by CrPic in CHO AA8 cells. Treatments of 2% acetone or 2% DMSO alone produced no significant increase in 6-thioguanine (6-TG)-resistant mutants after 48 h exposures. Mutants resistant to 6-TG were generated by exposing cells for 48 h to 80 microg/cm(2) CrPic in acetone or to 1.0mM CrPic in DMSO. CrPic in acetone produced an average induced mutation frequency (MF) of 56 per 10(6) surviving cells relative to acetone solvent. CrPic in acetone was 3.5-fold more mutagenic than CrPic in DMSO, which produced an MF of 16.2. Characterization of 61 total mutations in 48 mutants generated from exposure to CrPic in acetone showed that base substitutions comprised 33% of the mutations, with transversions being predominant; deletions made up 62% of the mutations, with one-exon deletions predominating; and 1-4 bp insertions made up 5% of the characterized mutations. CrPic induced a statistically greater number of deletions and a statistically smaller number of base substitutions than have been measured in spontaneously generated mutants. These data confirm previous studies showing that CrPic is mutagenic, and support the contention that further study is needed to verify the safety of CrPic for human consumption.


Subject(s)
Chromium Compounds/toxicity , Hypoxanthine Phosphoribosyltransferase/genetics , Mutation/drug effects , Picolinic Acids/toxicity , Acetone/chemistry , Animals , CHO Cells , Chromium Compounds/chemistry , Cricetinae , Cricetulus , DNA/chemistry , DNA/genetics , DNA Mutational Analysis/methods , DNA, Complementary/chemistry , DNA, Complementary/genetics , Dimethyl Sulfoxide/chemistry , Exons/genetics , Mutation/genetics , Picolinic Acids/chemistry , Solvents/chemistry
14.
Mol Carcinog ; 45(1): 60-72, 2006 Jan.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-16299811

ABSTRACT

Naturally occurring uranium and depleted uranium (DU) are believed to be health hazards by virtue of both their chemical and radiological properties. The mechanism(s) behind uranium's chemotoxic effects has yet to be elucidated. Previous work has shown that DU, as uranyl acetate (UA), was mutagenic at the hypoxanthine (guanine) phosphoribosyltransferase (hprt) locus in XRCC1-deficient CHO EM9 cells. The purpose of the current study was to characterize the mutations induced by UA at the hprt locus of CHO EM9 cells and compare the mutation spectrum of UA with those of hydrogen peroxide and spontaneous mutations in the same line. The hypothesis being tested was that if DU as UA is chemically genotoxic then the mutation spectrum induced by the heavy metal should be distinct from that produced spontaneously or by H2O2. A total of 59 UA-induced, 38 spontaneous, and 45 H2O2-induced mutations were identified. Base substitutions comprised 29%, 42%, and 16% of UA, spontaneous, and H2O2 mutants, respectively. The frequency of G --> T or C --> A substitutions was not significantly different in spontaneous or H2O2-induced mutants than in UA-induced mutants, suggesting a possible role for 8-oxodG damage in UA mutagenesis. However, the observation that UA produced significantly more major genomic rearrangements (multiexon insertions and deletions) than occurred spontaneously suggests the possibility that DNA strand breaks or crosslinks could also be UA-induced mutagenic lesions. The unique mutation spectrum elicited by exposure to UA suggests that UA generates mutations in ways that are different from spontaneous and free radical as well as radiological mechanisms.


Subject(s)
Hydrogen Peroxide/pharmacology , Hypoxanthine Phosphoribosyltransferase/genetics , Mutation , Organometallic Compounds/pharmacology , Alpha Particles , Animals , CHO Cells , Cricetinae , Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
15.
Mutagenesis ; 20(6): 417-23, 2005 Nov.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-16195314

ABSTRACT

Questions about possible adverse health effects from exposures to uranium have arisen as a result of uranium mining, residual mine tailings and use of depleted uranium in the military. The purpose of the current study was to measure the toxicity of depleted uranium as uranyl acetate (UA) in mammalian cells. The activity of UA in the parental CHO AA8 line was compared with that in the XRCC1-deficient CHO EM9 line. Cytotoxicity was measured by clonogenic survival. A dose of 200 microM UA over 24 h produced 3.1-fold greater cell death in the CHO EM9 than the CHO AA8 line, and a dose of 300 microM was 1.7-fold more cytotoxic. Mutagenicity at the hypoxanthine (guanine) phosphoribosyltransferase (hprt) locus was measured by selection with 6-thioguanine. A dose of 200 microM UA produced approximately 5-fold higher averaged induced mutant frequency in the CHO EM9 line relative to the CHO AA8 line. The generation of DNA strand breaks was measured by the alkaline comet assay at 40 min and 24 h exposures. DNA strand breaks were detected in both lines; however a dose response may have been masked by U-DNA adducts or crosslinks. Uranium-DNA adducts were measured by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) at 24 and 48 h exposures. A maximum adduct level of 8 U atoms/10(3) DNA-P for the 300 microM dose was found in the EM9 line after 48 h. This is the first report of the formation of uranium-DNA adducts and mutations in mammalian cells after direct exposure to a depleted uranium compound. Data suggest that uranium could be chemically genotoxic and mutagenic through the formation of strand breaks and covalent U-DNA adducts. Thus the health risks for uranium exposure could go beyond those for radiation exposure.


Subject(s)
DNA Adducts/drug effects , Hypoxanthine Phosphoribosyltransferase/genetics , Mutagenesis/drug effects , Mutation/drug effects , Organometallic Compounds/pharmacology , Animals , CHO Cells , Cell Survival/drug effects , Comet Assay , Cricetinae , Cricetulus , DNA Adducts/genetics , DNA Damage/drug effects , DNA-Formamidopyrimidine Glycosylase/pharmacology , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Female , Hydrogen Peroxide/pharmacology , Mutation/genetics , Ribonuclease, Pancreatic/pharmacology , Thioguanine/pharmacology , Uranium
16.
Chem Res Toxicol ; 16(7): 847-54, 2003 Jul.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-12870887

ABSTRACT

Exposure of cells or animals to carcinogenic chromium(VI) (Cr(VI)) produces Cr(III)-DNA adducts. The relevance of these lesions to Cr(VI)-induced tumors is unclear. Various Cr(III) complexes have been used to model the products resulting from Cr(VI) metabolism in order to gain mechanistic insights. The purpose of this study was to characterize interactions of Cr(III) complexes with DNA in order to evaluate their use as models for these purposes. The reactivity of DNA with chromic chloride hexahydrate (CrCl(3)) and sodium bis(l-cysteinato)chromium(III) dihydrate (Cr(cys)(2)(-)) was compared to that with cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II) (cis-platin). Both Cr(III) and Pt(II) cause unwinding of supercoiled DNA that can be visualized as a mobility shift by gel electrophoresis. Chromic chloride was much less distorting than cis-platin, unwinding DNA by only 1-2 degrees, and Cr(cys)(2)(-) interacted with DNA only weakly. Consistent with in vitro studies, CrCl(3) produced Cr-DNA adducts in CHO AA8 cells at levels equivalent to those obtained with Cr(VI), whereas Cr(cys)(2)(-) did not produce significant adducts. Lesions produced by CrCl(3) were not mutagenic in the hypoxanthine-Gua-phosphoribosyl-transferase assay. These data are consistent with CrCl(3) producing a nondistorting lesion, perhaps by association with the phosphate backbone. There are two possible interpretations of these results: Either the Cr(III) products formed by Cr(VI) metabolism are not modeled by CrCl(3) and Cr(cys)(2)(-) complexes, or Cr(III) is not an active species for Cr(VI)-induced DNA damage. This study provides the first structural evidence for Cr(III)-DNA adducts. A molecular understanding of Cr(III)-DNA interactions will be necessary before we can determine their relevance in Cr(VI)-induced cancers.


Subject(s)
Chlorides/chemistry , Chromium Compounds/chemistry , Chromium/chemistry , DNA Adducts/biosynthesis , DNA Adducts/chemistry , Animals , CHO Cells , Carcinogens, Environmental , Chlorides/toxicity , Chromium/toxicity , Chromium Compounds/toxicity , Cisplatin/chemistry , Cisplatin/metabolism , Cricetinae , Cysteine/chemistry , Cysteine/metabolism , DNA Adducts/toxicity , DNA Damage , Electrophoresis, Agar Gel , Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay , Mutagens , Plasmids
17.
Chem Res Toxicol ; 16(4): 524-30, 2003 Apr.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-12703969

ABSTRACT

Uranium is a radioactive heavy metal with isotopes that decay on the geological time scale. People are exposed to uranium through uranium mining, processing, the resulting mine tailings, and the use of depleted uranium in the military. Acute exposures to uranium are chemically toxic to the kidney; however, little is known about chronic exposures, for example, if there is a direct chemical genotoxicity of uranium. The hypothesis that is being tested in the current work is that hexavalent uranium, as uranyl ion, may have a chemical genotoxicity similar to that of hexavalent chromium. In the current study, reactions of uranyl acetate (UA) and ascorbate (vitamin C) were observed to produce plasmid relaxation in pBluescript DNA. DNA strand breaks increased with increasing concentrations of a 1:1 reaction of UA and ascorbate but were not affected by increasing the ratio of ascorbate. Plasmid relaxation was inhibited by coincubation of reactions with catalase but not by coincubation with the radical scavengers mannitol, sodium azide, or 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline-N-oxide. Reactions of UA and ascorbate monitored by (1)H NMR spectroscopy showed formation of a uranyl ascorbate complex, with no evidence of a dehydroascorbate product. A previous study inferred that hydroxyl radical formation was responsible for oxidative DNA damage in the presence of reactions of uranyl ion, hydrogen peroxide, and ascorbate [Miller et al. (2002) J. Bioinorg. Chem. 91, 246-252]. Current results, in the absence of added hydrogen peroxide, were not completely consistent with the interpretation that strand breaks were produced by a Fenton type generation of reactive oxygen species. Data were also consistent with the interpretation that a uranyl ascorbate complex was catalyzing hydrolysis of the DNA-phosphate backbone, in a manner similar to that known for the lanthanides. These data suggest that uranium may be directly genotoxic and may, like chromium, react with DNA by more than one pathway.


Subject(s)
Ascorbic Acid/chemistry , DNA Damage , Organometallic Compounds/chemistry , Uranium/chemistry , Electrophoresis, Agar Gel , Free Radical Scavengers/chemistry , Humans , Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy , Mutagenicity Tests , Organometallic Compounds/toxicity , Plasmids , Uranium/toxicity
18.
J Biol Inorg Chem ; 7(7-8): 791-8, 2002 Sep.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-12203015

ABSTRACT

Chromium picolinate (CrPic) is a human dietary supplement that provides a bioavailable form of chromium(III). Its mechanism of action is unknown, and a number of toxic endpoints have been attributed to its use. Understanding the cellular effects of CrPic is important for confirmation or dismissal of these potential toxic effects. The purpose of this work was to characterize morphological damage caused by CrPic, picolinic acid, and chromic chloride in Chinese hamster ovary AA8 cells. A 48-h exposure to 80 micro g/cm(2) CrPic (0.44 mg/mL CrPic) produced 45% survival by colony formation. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed 83% of analyzed cells having swollen mitochondria with degraded cristae. Apoptosis was identified by nuclear convolution and fragmentation, and cytoplasmic blebbing. Apoptosis was quantified by fluorescence microscopy with acridine orange/ethidium bromide staining. At the 80 micro g/cm(2) dose of CrPic, 37% of the cells were apoptotic cells at 48 h. An equivalent dose of picolinate, 3 mM, was much more cytotoxic and thus there was an inadequate cell number for TEM analysis. However, a lower dose of 1.5 mM induced 49% cell survival, and damaged 86% of the mitochondria, with 51% of the cells undergoing apoptosis. A dose of 1 mM chromic chloride produced 71% cell survival, and damaged 86% of the mitochondria, with 22% of the cells undergoing apoptosis. The amount of apoptosis correlated with overall cell survival by colony formation, but not with the amount of mitochondrial damage. The coordination of Cr(III) by picolinate ligands may alter the cellular chemistry of Cr(III) to make chromium picolinate a toxic form of Cr(III).


Subject(s)
Picolinic Acids/toxicity , Animals , Apoptosis/drug effects , CHO Cells , Cell Nucleus/drug effects , Cell Nucleus/ultrastructure , Cell Survival/drug effects , Chlorides/toxicity , Chromium Compounds/toxicity , Cricetinae , Microscopy, Electron , Microscopy, Fluorescence , Mitochondria/drug effects , Mitochondria/ultrastructure , Mitochondrial Swelling/drug effects , Picolinic Acids/metabolism
19.
Mutat Res ; 513(1-2): 135-42, 2002 Jan 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-11719098

ABSTRACT

Chromium trispicolinate (CrPic) is a popular dietary supplement that is not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. We are using this compound as a bio-available model to explore the role of Cr(III) in Cr(VI)-induced cancers. The ability of CrPic to cause mutations at the hypoxanthine (guanine) phosphoribosyltransferase (hprt) locus of CHO AA8 cells has been measured after a 48 h exposure. The highest dose tested was 80 microg/cm(2) CrPic, which, if fully soluble, would be equivalent to 1mM or 0.44 mg/ml CrPic, and would correspond to 1mM Cr(III) or 52 microg/ml Cr(III). This exposure resulted in 68+/-16% cell survival based on 48 h cell counts, and 24+/-11% survival by 7-day colony formation. Exposure of CHO cells to CrPic produced a statistically significant increase in 6-thioguanine (6-TG)-resistant cells over the dose range tested. The 80 microg/cm(2) CrPic exposure resulted in an average induced mutation frequency (MF) of 58 per 10(6) surviving cells, or an average 40-fold increase in hprt mutants relative to untreated cells. An equivalent dose of 3mM Pic was highly cytotoxic and did not yield hprt mutants. The dose range of 0.375-1.5mM Pic produced a slight increase in hprt mutants, but the increase was not statistically significant. An equivalent dose of 1mM chromic chloride yielded an induced MF of 9 per 10(6) surviving cells, or a 10-fold increase in mutants with cell survivals of >100%. The coordination of Cr(III) with picolinic acid may make the metal more genotoxic than other forms of Cr(III). In light of the current results and the known ability of Cr(III) and CrPic to accumulate in tissues, as well as the growing evidence of Cr(III) involvement in Cr(VI)-induced cancers, we caution against ingestion of large doses of CrPic for extended periods.


Subject(s)
Hypoxanthine Phosphoribosyltransferase/genetics , Mutagens/toxicity , Picolinic Acids/toxicity , Animals , CHO Cells , Cell Survival/drug effects , Chromium/toxicity , Chromosome Mapping , Cricetinae , DNA Damage
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