Increase In Cellular Glutathione Levels Research Articles

Targeted Inhibition of Glutamine-Dependent Glutathione Metabolism Overcomes Death Resistance Induced by Chronic Cycling Hypoxia.

Tumor hypoxia is a major biological factor causing poor patient outcome. Evidence is increasing that improved protection against reactive oxygen species (ROS) participates in therapy resistance of chronically hypoxic cancer cells. We aimed at characterizing the relevance of improved ROS defense for radiation resistance of cancer cells with tolerance to cycling anoxia/re-oxygenation stress ("anoxia-tolerant") and at designing rational treatment strategies for overcoming the resulting therapy resistance by targeting the underlying mechanisms identified in an in vitro model. We demonstrate that chronic exposure of NCH-H460 lung adenocarcinoma, DU145 prostate cancer, and T98G glioblastoma cells to cycling anoxia/re-oxygenation stress induced upregulation of the aspartate-aminotransferase glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT1), particularly in RAS-driven anoxia-tolerant NCI-H460 cells. Altered glutamine utilization of the anoxia-tolerant cancer cells contributed to the observed decrease in cellular ROS levels, the increase in cellular glutathione levels, and improved cell survival on ROS-inducing treatments, including exposure to ionizing radiation. Importantly, targeting glutamine-dependent antioxidant capacity or glutathione metabolism allowed us to hit anoxia-tolerant cancer cells and to overcome their increased resistance to radiation-induced cell death. Targeting glutathione metabolism by Piperlongumine also improved the radiation response of anoxia-tolerant NCI-H460 cells in vivo. Improved antioxidant capacity downstream of up-regulated GOT1-expression is a characteristic of anoxia-tolerant cancer cells and is predictive for a specific vulnerability to inhibition of glutamine utilization or glutathione metabolism, respectively. Unraveling the molecular alterations underlying improved ROS defense of anoxia-tolerant cancer cells allows the design of rational strategies for overcoming radiation resistance caused by tumor cell heterogeneity in hypoxic tumors. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 25, 89-107.

Is the antioxidative effectiveness of a bilberry extract influenced by encapsulation?

Bilberries (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) have been suggested to have preventive properties against diseases associated with oxidative stress such as colon cancer or inflammatory bowel diseases. Therefore the gastrointestinal tract is regarded as a potential target for prevention. In this study the antioxidative properties of a commercially available anthocyanin-rich bilberry extract (BE) were investigated in comparison with four different BE-loaded microcapsule systems. As markers to describe the antioxidant status in this cellular system, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, oxidative DNA damage and total glutathione (tGSH) levels were monitored. Incubations with the BE-loaded capsule systems showed an increase in cellular glutathione levels and reduction of ROS levels at high BE concentrations (100-500 µg mL(-1) ) and a positive effect on the formation of DNA strand breaks (5-10 µg mL(-1) BE). The biological properties of BE-loaded pectin amide core-shell capsules, whey protein matrix capsules and coated apple pectin matrix capsules were comparable to those of the non-encapsulated BE. Overall, the BE and the encapsulated BE types tested have antioxidative activity under the studied assay conditions in terms of the prevention of oxidative DNA damage, the reduction of intracellular ROS and the enhancement of cellular tGSH.

Rasagiline protects against alpha-synuclein induced sensitivity to oxidative stress in dopaminergic cells

Rasagiline is a propargylamine and irreversible monoamine oxidase (MAO) B inhibitor used for the treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD). It has demonstrated neuroprotective properties in laboratory studies. Current concepts of PD aetiopathogenesis include the role of alpha-synuclein, protein aggregation, free radical metabolism and mitochondrial dysfunction in contributing to cell death. We have used a combination of alpha-synuclein and free radical mediated toxicity in a dopaminergic cell line to provide a model of nigral toxicity in order to investigate the potential molecular mechanisms that mediate rasagiline protection. We demonstrate that rasagiline protects against cell death induced by the combination of free radicals generated by paraquat and either wild-type or A53T mutant alpha-synuclein over-expression. This protection was associated with a reduction in caspase 3 activation, a reduction in superoxide generation and a trend to ameliorate the fall in mitochondrial membrane potential. Rasagiline induced an increase in cellular glutathione levels. The results support a role for rasagiline in protecting dopaminergic cells against free radical mediated damage and apoptosis in the presence of alpha-synuclein over-expression. The data are of relevance to the interpretation of the potential mechanisms of action of rasagiline in explaining the results of disease modification trials in PD.

Separation and purification of (−)schisandrin B from schisandrin B stereoisomers

Schisandrin B (Sch B), consisting of a mixture of its stereoisomers, namely (−)Sch B and (±)γ-schisandrin, is the most abundant and biologically active dibenzocyclooctadiene lignan present in Fructus Schisandrae (FS). The objective of this study is to develop a process for large-scale separation and purification of a single stereoisomer of Sch B, (−)Sch B, which offers the highest desirable bioactivities. To this end, a crystallization-based separation and purification process has been conceptualized. Bench-scale crystallization experiments guided by experimental solid–liquid equilibrium phase diagrams were performed to verify process feasibility. A (−)Sch B product with a purity of 98.5 wt% and a (±)γ-schisandrin-enriched product with a purity of 65.0 wt% were obtained. The (−)Sch B product caused a 32% increase in cellular glutathione level and the (±)γ-schisandrin-enriched product a 26% increase, indicating a potentially more efficacious pharmaceutical preparation.

Inhibition of Glutathione Synthesis Overcomes Bcl-2-Mediated Topoisomerase Inhibitor Resistance and Induces Nonapoptotic Cell Death via Mitochondrial-Independent Pathway

Bcl-2 protein plays a critical role in inhibiting anticancer drug-induced apoptosis. We found that Bcl-2 overexpression is associated with a nearly 3-fold increase in cellular glutathione levels and with increased resistance to cell death after treatment with etoposide or SN-38, a derivative of camptothecin, in leukemia 697 cells with wild-type p53. Treatment of Bcl-2-overexpressing 697 cells (697-Bcl-2) with buthionine sulfoximine (BSO), an inhibitor of glutathione synthesis, reduced cellular glutathione levels and completely abolished Bcl-2-mediated drug resistance. Morphologic studies revealed that nonapoptotic cell death was induced in 697-Bcl-2 cells after treatment with BSO plus etoposide or SN-38. Activation of caspase-3/7 and cytochrome c release could not be detected in 697-Bcl-2 cells after these drug treatments. Notably, we showed that proteasome-mediated down-regulation of Puma and Noxa proteins occurs in 697-Bcl-2 cells after treatment with BSO plus topoisomerase inhibitor, although there is an increase in the protein levels of p53 in these 697-Bcl-2 cells. In contrast, parental 697 cells underwent typical apoptosis with up-regulation of Puma and Noxa proteins, followed by cytochrome c release and caspase-3/7 activation after treatment with topoisomerase inhibitor in the presence or absence of BSO. Our data suggest that BSO may possess a unique activity to overcome Bcl-2-mediated drug resistance by stimulating the signals that can bypass mitochondrial process in Bcl-2-overexpressing cells.

Schisandrin B‐induced increase in cellular glutathione level and protection against oxidant injury are mediated by the enhancement of glutathione synthesis and regeneration in AML12 and H9c2 cells

To define the relative role of reduced glutathione (GSH) synthesis and regeneration in schisandrin B (Sch B)-induced increase in cellular GSH level and the associated cytoprotection against oxidative challenge, the effects of L-buthionine-[S,R]-sulfoximine (BSO, a specific inhibitor of gamma-glutamate cysteine ligase (GCL)) and 1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrourea (BCNU, a specific inhibitor of glutathione reductase (GR)) treatments or their combined treatment were examined in control and Sch B-treated AML12 and H9c2 cells, without and/or with menadione intoxication. Both BSO and BCNU treatments reduced cellular GSH level in AML12 and H9c2 cells, with the effect of BSO being more prominent. The GSH-enhancing effect of Sch B was also suppressed by BSO and BCNU treatments, with the effect of the combined treatment with BSO and BCNU being semi-additive. While Sch B treatment increased the GR but not GCL activity in AML12 and H9c2 cells, it increased the cellular cysteine level. BSO treatment also suppressed the Sch B-induced increase in GR activity. BSO or BCNU treatment per se did not cause any detectable cytotoxic effect, as assessed by lactate dehydrogenase leakage, but the combined treatment with BSO and BCNU was cytotoxic, particularly in H9c2 cells. The cytotoxic effect of BSO and BCNU became more apparent following the menadione challenge. The cytoprotection afforded by Sch B pretreatment was partly suppressed by BSO or BCNU treatment, or completely abrogated by the combined treatment with BSO and BCNU. In conclusion, the results indicate that the cytoprotective action of Sch B is causally related to the increase in cellular GSH level, which is likely mediated by the enhancement of GSH synthesis and regeneration.

Proteomic and metabolomic analysis of vascular smooth muscle cells: role of PKCdelta.

Recent developments of proteomic and metabolomic techniques provide powerful tools for studying molecular mechanisms of cell function. Previously, we demonstrated that neointima formation was markedly increased in vein grafts of PKCdelta-deficient mice compared with wild-type controls. To clarify the underlying mechanism, we performed a proteomic and metabolomic analysis of cultured vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) derived from PKCdelta+/+ and PKCdelta-/- mice. Using 2-dimensional electrophoresis and mass spectrometry, we identified >30 protein species that were altered in PKCdelta-/- SMCs, including enzymes related to glucose and lipid metabolism, glutathione recycling, chaperones, and cytoskeletal proteins. Interestingly, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy confirmed marked changes in glucose metabolism in PKCdelta-/- SMCs, which were associated with a significant increase in cellular glutathione levels resulting in resistance to cell death induced by oxidative stress. Furthermore, PKCdelta-/- SMCs overexpressed RhoGDIalpha, an endogenous inhibitor of Rho signaling pathways. Inhibition of Rho signaling was associated with a loss of stress fiber formation and decreased expression of SMC differentiation markers. Thus, we performed the first combined proteomic and metabolomic study in vascular SMCs and demonstrate that PKCdelta is crucial in regulating glucose and lipid metabolism, controlling the cellular redox state, and maintaining SMC differentiation.

Effects of Mannich bases on cellular glutathione and related enzymes of Jurkat cells in culture conditions

Jurkat cells were exposed to representative acetophenone-derived mono Mannich bases 2 and 3 and also cyclic Mannich base C1 in culture conditions to see the alterations in the most abundant cellular thiol, glutathione and also some of the enzymes in its metabolic pathway. Jurkat cells were exposed to the compounds for 24 h in cell culture medium with fetal bovine serum (1%) at 37 °C under a humidified atmosphere of 95% air and 5% CO 2. Mannich bases generally increased total glutathione level (123–151% of control). Glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity also increased (150–363% of control), while glutathione disulfide reductase (GRD) activity was not affected. The increase in cellular glutathione level may possibly result from de novo glutathione synthesis. The consumption of the glutathione due to alkylation by Mannich bases might have stimulated the enzymes in the γ-glutamyl cycle in our experimental design, where the cells had nutrients and time to react with their feedback mechanisms. A remarkable increase in GST activity might be a compensatory up-regulation to detoxify Mannich bases by conjugating them with cellular thiols.

49] Preparation and use of glutathione monoesters

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the preparation and use of glutathione monoesters. Glutathione monoesters are useful glutathione delivery agents because they are readily transported into many types of cells and split intracellularly to form glutathione. Treatment of cells (in suspension or culture) and of intact animals with glutathione itself may lead to some increase in cellular glutathione levels; such increases are usually caused by extracellular breakdown of glutathione into its constituent amino acids and into dipeptides and the transport of these into cells followed by intracellular glutathione synthesis. Studies in which glutathione synthesis is completely inhibited, for example, by treatment with buthionine sulfoximine, show that administration of glutathione leads to little increase in cellular glutathione levels. Glutathione monoesters are transported into many rodent tissues, including kidney, liver, pancreas, spleen, skeletal muscle, heart, lung, and, in neonatal animals, the lens and the brain. Monoesters of glutathione are also transported into human red blood cells, lymphocytes, and fibroblasts.

Amplification and increased expression of alpha class glutathione S-transferase-encoding genes associated with resistance to nitrogen mustards.

Glutathione-dependent enzymes play a central role in the protection of cells from cytotoxic chemicals and have been implicated in the intrinsic and acquired resistance of tumors to cytotoxic drugs. We have generated a Chinese hamster ovary line resistant to bifunctional nitrogen mustards and in this report have characterized and isolated the protein that represents the major observable phenotypic difference between the drug-sensitive and drug-resistant cell lines. This purified protein is shown to be an alpha class glutathione S-transferase comprising YcYc subunits and possessing a pI value of approximately 8.0. The intracellular level of the Yc subunit is elevated greater than 40-fold in the drug-resistant cell line, which could account for the increase in glutathione S-transferase (RX:glutathione R-transferase; EC 2.5.1.18) activity toward both 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene and cumene hydroperoxide. Other glutathione S-transferase subunits within this gene family are also elevated. These changes are accompanied by a significant elevation in alpha class mRNA levels. Southern analysis indicates that the genes coding for these proteins are amplified 4- to 8-fold in the drug-resistant cell line. In addition, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase [(5-glutamyl)-peptide:amino acid 5-glutamyltransferase; EC 2.3.2.2] activity is increased 3.6-fold in the drug-resistant Chinese hamster ovary cell line, which may explain the increase in cellular glutathione level. In this case no gene amplification was seen. These data indicate that gene amplification may be important in drug resistance toward alkylating agents and also that other enzymes in glutathione homeostasis are involved.