Metabolic Basis for Nonlinearity in 1,3-Dichloropropene Toxicokinetics and Use in Setting a Kinetically-derived Maximum Inhalation Exposure Concentration in Mice.

1,3-Dichloropropene (1,3-D) showed a statistically increased incidence of bronchioloalveolar adenomas in male B6C3F1 mice at 60 ppm air concentration during previous chronic inhalation testing. No tumors were observed in female mice, nor in either sex of F344 rats up to 60 ppm, the highest dose tested. Therefore, to understand if lung tumors observed in high dose male mice are due to saturation of metabolic clearance, the linearity of 1,3-D concentrations in mouse blood was investigated on day 15 of repeated nose-only inhalation exposure to 0, 10, 20, 40, 60, 90, and 120 ppm (6 h/d, 7 d/week). Additional groups were included at 20, 60, and 120 ppm for blood collection at 1.5 and 3 h of exposure and up to 25 or 40 min post-exposure to determine area-under-the-curve. The data provide multiple lines of evidence that systemic exposures to 1,3-D in the mouse become nonlinear at inhalation exposure levels of 30 ppm or above. A reduction in minute volume occurred at the highest exposure concentration. The glutathione (GSH)-dependent metabolism of 1,3-D results in significant depletion of GSH at repeated exposure levels of 30 ppm and above. This loss of GSH results in decreased metabolic clearance of this test material, with a concomitant increase of the 1,3-D isomers in circulating blood at exposure concentrations ≥30 ppm. Shifts in the ratio of cis- and trans-1,3-D also support nonlinear toxicokinetics well below 60 ppm. Based on this data, a kinetically derived maximum dose for 1,3-D in mice for repeated exposures should be at or below 30 ppm. These results support non-relevance of 1,3-D-induced benign pulmonary tumorigenicity in mice for human health risk assessment.

Determination of the concentration of diallyl trisulfide in rat whole blood using gas chromatography with electron-capture detection and identification of its major metabolite with gas chromatography mass spectrometry.

A simple, rapid, and sensitive procedure has been developed using gas chromatography with electron-capture detection to measure diallyl trisulfide levels in rat blood. Blood samples were acidified, and the analyte was extracted with hexane, and then degradation was stopped with acetonitrile before gas chromatographic separation. Two calibration curves were linear over the range of 10-500 ng/ml and 0.2-20 microg/ml, with typical r values of 0.9986 and 0.9993, respectively. The structure of its major metabolite was confirmed using combined gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The limit of detection was less than 10 ng/ml, and the assay was highly reproducible, giving peaks with excellent chromatographic properties. The method is suitable for pharmacokinetic and therapeutic purposes.

Simultaneous determination of diallyl trisulfide and diallyl disulfide in rat blood by gas chromatography with electron-capture detection.

A simple, rapid and sensitive method has been developed and validated for the simultaneous quantification of diallyl trisulfide (DATS) and diallyl disulfide (DADS) in rat blood by gas chromatography with electron-capture detection. The analytes were prevented from degradation by addition of acetonitrile and extraction with hexane before gas chromatographic separation. Two calibration curves for DATS were linear over the range of 10-500 ng/mL and 0.2-20 microg/mL, with typical r values of 0.9989 and 0.9993, respectively. Similarly, two calibration curves for DADS were linear in the concentration range of 50-5000 ng/mL and 1-30 microg/mL, with typical r values of 0.9989 and 0.9983, respectively. The limit of detection was less than 10 ng/mL for DATS and 50 ng/mL for DADS, and the assay was highly reproducible, considering the intra-, inter-day relative standard deviations (R.S.D.) below 12%. The developed procedure was successfully applied for the evaluation of the pharmacokinetics of garlic oil following iv administration at a single dose (10 mg) of garlic oil in rats. The results show that the developed method is suitable for pharmacokinetic and therapeutic purposes of DATS and DADS.

Mechanistic aspects of the metabolism of 1,3-dichloropropene in rats and mice.

1,3-Dichloropropene (DCP) is used in agriculture for the control of nematodes in a variety of food crops. The major routes of metabolism for this halogenated aliphatic compound involve conjugation with glutathione and oxidation to carbon dioxide. An additional, minor route of metabolism proposed for this compound involves epoxidation to the corresponding 1,3-dichloropropene oxide (DCPO). Recent in vivo studies have provided evidence for the formation of DCPO in mice following intraperitoneal (ip) administration of 350-700 mg of DCP/kg, which is equal to, or exceeds, the reported oral LD(50) for this compound in mice [Schneider, M., et al. (1998) Chem. Res. Toxicol. 11, 1137-1144]. The potential for epoxidation of DCP in rats and mice at lower doses administered orally was therefore examined. Following oral administration of 100 mg of DCP/kg of body weight to F344 rats and B(6)C(3)F(1) mice, no DCPO was found in the liver or blood 0-90 min postdosing at a relatively low detection limit (10 ng/g of tissue). Only very low levels of DCPO were seen following ip administration of 100 mg of DCP/kg of body weight in blood of B(6)C(3)F(1) mice. Substantial levels of DCPO were only seen as a metabolite of DCP following ip administration of 700 mg of DCP/kg to B(6)C(3)F(1) or Swiss-Webster mice. Significant nonlinearity of DCP epoxidation was evident following ip administration, with approximately 130-fold less DCPO in mice given 100 vs 700 mg/kg. The time course of DCPO formation could only be followed for 76 min, due to 100% mortality in Swiss-Webster mice at the 700 mg/kg dose level. The formation of measurable DCPO in mice was also accompanied by acute hepatic damage following ip administration of 100 or 700 mg of DCP/kg to mice. In contrast, no evidence of acute toxicity was noted in mice treated with 100 mg/kg via oral gavage. These data suggest that measurable epoxidation of DCP to DCPO, in the rodent, occurs only at relatively high dose levels which result in acute hepatic injury or death. It was concluded that findings of DCPO formation at lethal doses administered via bolus internal injections do not reflect DCPO formation at lower doses administered via the natural portal of entry.

Relationship between cytochrome P450 2E1 and acetone catabolism in rats as studied with diallyl sulfide as an inhibitor.

Previous studies have demonstrated that cytochrome P450 2E1 (P450 2E1) catalyzes the oxidation of acetone in vitro. The present study was designed to determine the importance of P450 2E1 in the catabolism of acetone in rats using diallyl sulfide (DAS) as an inhibitor of this enzyme. After a single intragastric dose of DAS, blood samples were collected from rats at different time points, and blood acetone concentrations were measured by gas chromatography. In a low DAS dose (50 mg/kg body weight) group, the maximum acetone level of 6-fold higher than the normal level was reached at 6 hr; the acetone level returned to normal at 48 hr. In a high dose (200 mg/kg) group, the maximum acetone level of 9-fold higher than the normal level was reached at 12 hr; the acetone level returned to normal at 60 hr. The turnover time and fractional turnover rate of elevated acetone were 15.8 +/- 0.5 hr and 0.054 +/- 0.001 hr-1, respectively, for the low dose, and 19.2 +/- 0.6 hr and 0.046 +/- 0.005 hr-1, respectively, for the high dose. In a chronic experiment, DAS (50 and 200 mg/kg, i.g.) was given to rats daily for 29 days, and elevated blood acetone levels were observed during the entire experimental period: 2.0 to 2.8 micrograms/mL for the low dose and 3.4 to 3.9 micrograms/mL for the high dose at 24 hr after the 1st, 7th, 14th and 28th doses versus 0.8 to 0.9 micrograms/mL for the control. The increase of blood acetone level was closely related to the decreases of N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) demethylase activity and P450 2E1 content in liver microsomes. Consistent with the lack of cumulative effect from the multiple doses of DAS on acetone level, rather stable levels of the DAS metabolites, diallyl sulfoxide (45.0 micrograms/mL, range: 33.8 to 58.6 micrograms/mL) and diallyl sulfone (11.7 micrograms/mL, range: 6.9 to 15.6 micrograms/mL), were observed at 24 hr after the 1st, 7th, 21st and 28th doses with DAS (200 mg/kg) in the chronic experiment. It is likely that the inactivation and inhibition of P450 2E1 by DAS and its metabolites block the oxidation of acetone and cause its elevation in blood. The results strongly suggest an important role of P450 2E1 in acetone catabolism under physiological conditions.

Tissue levels of glutathione following acute inhalation of 1,3-dichloropropene.

Rats were exposed by inhalation to 1,3-dichloropropene (DCP) to assess the relationship between DCP exposure concentration and tissue levels of reduced glutathione (GSH). Animals were exposed for 1 h in a dynamic, nose-only system. GSH content, indicative of DCP metabolism, was measured in heart, kidney, liver, lung, nasal mucosa, and testes. A decrease in nasal GSH content was first seen at 5 ppm DCP and followed an exposure concentration-dependent curve. Exposure to concentrations above 305 ppm DCP reduced the level of liver GSH in an exposure concentration-dependent manner. Although depressed, lung GSH content remained relatively constant at approximately 75% of control following concentrations of up to 955 ppm DCP. Significant decreases in GSH content were observed in heart, liver, and testes only at 1716 ppm. Additional measurements were taken to investigate DCP distribution and potential indicators of acute toxicity. DCP was not present in the blood of animals 2 h after exposure to 955 ppm DCP or less. Serum lactate dehydrogenase activity was affected only at the highest exposure concentration, 1716 ppm DCP. Lung weight, measured at 2 and 6 h after exposure, did not differ from control for any of the exposure levels. This information demonstrated the importance of nasal tissue GSH in the metabolism of at least low levels of DCP. It also suggests the complexities involved with in vivo defence against inhaled DCP.

Determination of cis- and trans-1,3-dichloropropene in whole rat blood by gas chromatography and gas chromatography-chemical ionization mass spectrometry with selected ion monitoring.

An analytical method was developed for quantitating low concentrations of the isomers cis- and trans-1,3-dichloropropene in whole rat blood by gas chromatography and gas chromatography-chemical ionization mass spectrometry with selected ion monitoring.