Toxic Organophosphorus Compounds Research Articles

From metabolism to comparative biochemistry of toxic organophosphorus compounds

The main stages of scientific biography of Professor Viktor Iosifovich Rozengart are exposed: his works on muscle bioenergetics, discovery of the pathway of synthesis of creatinine, his development of new concepts of pathways of metabolism of organophosphorus xenobiotics, creation of biochemical grounds of selective toxicity as well as studies in the new field, of which he was one of founders,—comparative biochemistry of toxic organophosphorus compounds.

Repeated Exposure to Sublethal Doses of the Organophosphorus Compound VX Activates BDNF Expression in Mouse Brain

The highly toxic organophosphorus compound VX [O-ethyl S-[2-(diisopropylamino)ethyl]methylphosphonate] is an irreversible inhibitor of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE). Prolonged inhibition of AChE increases endogenous levels of acetylcholine and is toxic at nerve synapses and neuromuscular junctions. We hypothesized that repeated exposure to sublethal doses of VX would affect genes associated with cell survival, neuronal plasticity, and neuronal remodeling, including brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). We examined the time course of BDNF expression in C57BL/6 mouse brain following repeated exposure (1/day × 5 days/week × 2 weeks) to sublethal doses of VX (0.2 LD(50) and 0.4 LD(50)). BDNF messenger RNA expression was significantly (p < 0.05) elevated in multiple brain regions, including the dentate gyrus, CA3, and CA1 regions of the hippocampal formation, as well as the piriform cortex, hypothalamus, amygdala, and thalamus, 72 h after the last 0.4 LD(50) VX exposure. BDNF protein expression, however, was only increased in the CA3 region of the hippocampus. Whether increased BDNF in response to sublethal doses of VX exposure is an adaptive response to prevent cellular damage or a precursor to impending brain damage remains to be determined. If elevated BDNF is an adaptive response, exogenous BDNF may be a potential therapeutic target to reduce the toxic effects of nerve agent exposure.

Probing the simulant behavior of PNPDPP toward parathion and paraoxon: A computational study

The extreme toxicity of organophosphorus nerve agents and pesticides mandates to employ models or simulants in place of the actual compounds in the laboratory. The importance of simulants is known, however, their efficacy for direct comparison with the toxic organophosphorus compounds is not well documented. We have examined the potential energy surfaces (PES) for the alkaline hydrolysis of pesticides like paraoxon (diethyl 4-nitrophenyl phosphate), parathion (O,O-diethyl O-4-nitrophenyl phosphorothioate) and PNPDPP (4-nitrophenyl diphenyl phosphate), a simulant with MP2/6-311+G*//B3LYP/6-311+G*+ΔGsolv (HF/6-31+G*) level of theory. The effect of aqueous solvation was considered with the Integral Equation Formalism Polarizable Continuum Model (IEF-PCM). The alkaline hydrolysis of these organophosphorus compounds reveals that the reaction proceeds through the attack of hydroxide ion at the phosphorus center to form a pentacoordinate intermediate. The calculated free energies of activation for the alkaline hydrolysis of paraoxon and parathion are in good agreement with the available experimental activation free energies. The computed results show that the reaction profiles for the alkaline hydrolysis of paraoxon, parathion and PNPDPP are largely similar; however, the rate of hydrolysis of parathion may be higher than that of paraxon and PNPDPP. Such difference arises due to the less electrophilic nature of the phosphorus atom of parathion molecule as observed in the charge analysis study. The conceptual DFT analysis also showed the similar trend for the alkaline hydrolysis of paraoxon, parathion and PNPDPP with hydroxide anion. This computational study provides a quantitative support toward the use of PNPDPP as a simulant for organophosphorus compounds, which cannot be used directly for the laboratory purposes.

Differential sensitivity of plasma carboxylesterase-null mice to parathion, chlorpyrifos and chlorpyrifos oxon, but not to diazinon, dichlorvos, diisopropylfluorophosphate, cresyl saligenin phosphate, cyclosarin thiocholine, tabun thiocholine, and carbofuran

Mouse blood contains four esterases that detoxify organophosphorus compounds: carboxylesterase, butyrylcholinesterase, acetylcholinesterase, and paraoxonase-1. In contrast human blood contains the latter three enzymes but not carboxylesterase. Organophosphorus compound toxicity is due to inhibition of acetylcholinesterase. Symptoms of intoxication appear after approximately 50% of the acetylcholinesterase is inhibited. However, complete inhibition of carboxylesterase and butyrylcholinesterase has no known effect on an animal’s well being. Paraoxonase hydrolyzes organophosphorus compounds and is not inhibited by them. Our goal was to determine the effect of plasma carboxylesterase deficiency on response to sublethal doses of 10 organophosphorus toxicants and one carbamate pesticide. Homozygous plasma carboxylesterase deficient ES1−/− mice and wild-type littermates were observed for toxic signs and changes in body temperature after treatment with a single sublethal dose of toxicant. Inhibition of plasma acetylcholinesterase, butyrylcholinesterase, and plasma carboxylesterase was measured. It was found that wild-type mice were protected from the toxicity of 12.5mg/kg parathion applied subcutaneously. However, both genotypes responded similarly to paraoxon, cresyl saligenin phosphate, diisopropylfluorophosphate, diazinon, dichlorvos, cyclosarin thiocholine, tabun thiocholine, and carbofuran. An unexpected result was the finding that transdermal application of chlorpyrifos at 100mg/kg and chlorpyrifos oxon at 14mg/kg was lethal to wild-type but not to ES1−/− mice, showing that with this organochlorine, the presence of carboxylesterase was harmful rather than protective. It was concluded that carboxylesterase in mouse plasma protects from high toxicity agents, but the amount of carboxylesterase in plasma is too low to protect from low toxicity compounds that require high doses to inhibit acetylcholinesterase.

In vitro and in vivo efficacy of PEGylated diisopropyl fluorophosphatase (DFPase)

Highly toxic organophosphorus compounds that irreversibly inhibit the enzyme acetycholinesterase (AChE), including nerve agents like tabun, sarin, or soman, still pose a credible threat to civilian populations and military personnel. New therapeutics that can be used as a pretreatment or after poisoning with these compounds, complementing existing treatment schemes such as the use of atropine and AChE reactivating oximes, are currently the subject of intense research. A prominent role among potential candidates is taken by enzymes that can detoxify nerve agents by hydrolysis. Diisopropyl fluorophosphatase (DFPase) from the squid Loligo vulgaris is known to effectively hydrolyze DFP and the range of G-type nerve agents including sarin and soman. In the present work, DFPase was PEGylated to increase biological half-life, and to lower or avoid an immunogenic reaction and proteolytic digest. Addition of linear polyethylene glycol (PEG) chains was achieved using mPEG-NHS esters and conjugates were characterized by electrospray ionization--time of flight--mass specrometry (ESI-ToF-MS). PEGylated wildtype DFPase and a mutant selective for the more toxic stereoisomers of the agents were tested in vivo with rats that were challenged with a subcutaneous 3x LD(50) dose of soman. While wildtype DFPase prevented death only at extremely high doses, the mutant was able keep the animals alive and to minimize or totally avoid symptoms of poisoning. The results serve as a proof of principle that engineered variants of DFPase are potential candidates for in vivo use if substrate affinity can be improved or the turnover rate enhanced to lower the required enzyme dose.

Determination of acetylcholinesterase activity by the Ellman assay: A versatile tool for in vitro research on medical countermeasures against organophosphate poisoning

Inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) is the main mechanism of action of organophosphorus compounds (OP), and AChE reactivators (oximes) are at present the only causal therapeutic approach. Being the key target of OP toxicity, AChE may serve as a valuable tool for diagnosis of OP exposure as well as for the investigation of the kinetics of interactions between OP and oximes. At present, the rapid, simple, and cheap spectrophotometric Ellman assay is widely used for diagnosis, therapeutic monitoring and in vitro kinetic investigations. Application of the assay for investigation of the interactions between AChE, inhibitors, and oximes requires the consideration of potential matrix effects (e.g. hemoglobin), side reactions (e.g. oximolysis of substrate) and other determinants (e.g. pH, temperature). By taking these factors into account, the Ellman assay allows the precise and reproducible determination of kinetic constants as a basis for the understanding of toxic OP effects and for the development of improved therapies against poisoning by OP. In addition, advanced applications of the Ellman assay, for example, in a dynamic in vitro model for the real-time activity determination of membrane-bound AChE, enables the proper investigation of relevant tissue, primarily respiratory muscle, and extends the applicability of this method.

Reactivation of organophosphate-inhibited human acetylcholinesterase by isonitrosoacetone (MINA): A kinetic analysis

Treatment of poisoning by highly toxic organophosphorus compounds (OP) with atropine and an acetylcholinesterase (AChE) reactivator (oxime) is of limited effectiveness in case of different nerve agents and pesticides. One challenge is the reactivation of OP-inhibited brain AChE which shows inadequate success with charged pyridinium oximes. Recent studies with high doses of the tertiary oxime isonitrosoacetone (MINA) indicated a beneficial effect on central and peripheral AChE and on survival in nerve agent poisoned guinea pigs. Now, an in vitro study was performed to determine the reactivation kinetics of MINA with tabun-, sarin-, cyclosarin-, VX- and paraoxon-inhibited human AChE. MINA showed an exceptionally low affinity to inhibited AChE but, with the exception of tabun-inhibited AChE, a moderate to high reactivity. In comparison to the pyridinium oximes obidoxime, 2-PAM and HI-6 the affinity and reactivity of MINA was in most cases lower and in relation to the most effective reactivators, the second order reactivation constant of MINA was 500 to 3400-fold lower. Hence, high in vivo MINA concentrations would be necessary to achieve at least partial reactivation. This assumption corresponds to in vivo data showing a dose-dependent effect on reactivation and survival in animals. In view, of the toxic potential of MINA in animals human studies would be necessary to determine the tolerability and pharmacokinetics of MINA in order to enable a proper assessment of the value of this oxime as an antidote in OP poisoning.

Novel approach for detection of toxic organophosphorus compounds

We report on a novel approach for the detection of toxic organophosphorus (OP) compounds using electrochemical and fluorescence spectroscopy. An electrochemical sensor device that employs gold (Au) interdigitated electrodes (IDT) on a glass substrate was used for the electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) of various OP compounds. Picomolar level detection of ethion, malathion, parathion and fenthion was made possible through EIS performed in the presence of benzodipyrido [3,2-a:2′3′-c] phenazine (BDPPZ). Quantitative detection of ethion, malathion, parathion and fenthion, based on different optical signals produced in the emission spectra, was obtained through fluorescence titration spectroscopy for concentrations as low as 1 pM, 1 nM, 1 μM and 10 μM, respectively.

Quantum topological molecular descriptors in QSAR analysis of organophosphorus compounds

AbstractA Quantitative structure–activity relationship study is performed on a set of organophosphorus compounds to reveal structural and quantum‐chemical features influencing the toxic effect. The properties derived from the topological analysis of the electron density have been used to model the toxicity data. A multiple linear regression analysis in conjunction with genetic algorithm is used in the study, followed by subsequent validation of the results. Obtained QSAR models are beneficial for virtual screening of toxicity for new compounds of interest. Because toxicity of organophosphorus compounds is dependent on conformational properties, a conformational search has been performed before optimization of geometries. All quantum‐chemical calculations are carried out at DFT/B3LYP level of theory with 6‐311++G(d,p) basis set. Frequency calculations are performed after full geometry optimization. Ab initio wave functions were obtained for further analysis and evaluation of quantum topological properties of target molecules. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2012

Detection of Picomolar Levels of Toxic Organophosphorus Compounds by Electrochemical and Fluorescence Spectroscopy

Detection of Picomolar Levels of Toxic Organophosphorus Compounds by Electrochemical and Fluorescence Spectroscopy

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of the hyperthermophilic Sulfolobus islandicus lactonase.

Phosphotriesterase-like lactonases (PLLs) constitute an interesting family of enzymes that are of paramount interest in biotechnology with respect to their catalytic functions. As natural lactonases, they may act against pathogens such asPseudomonas aeruginosa by shutting down their quorum-sensing system (quorum quenching) and thus decreasing pathogen virulence. Owing totheir promiscuous phosphotriesterase activity, which can inactivate toxic organophosphorus compounds such as pesticides and nerve agents, they are equally appealing as potent bioscavengers. A new representative of the PLL family has been identified (SisPox) and its gene was cloned from the hyperthermophilic archeon Sulfolobus islandicus. Owing to its hyperthermostable architecture, SisPox appears to be a good candidate for engineering studies. Here, production, purification, crystallization conditions and data collection to 2.34 Å resolution are reported for this lactonase from the hyperthermophilic S.islandicus.

Enzyme entrapped nanoporous scaffolds formed through flow-induced gelation in a microfluidic filter device for sensitive biosensing of organophosphorus compounds

A novel and versatile processing method was developed for the formation of gel scaffolds with in situ AChE-AuNPs immobilization for biosensing of organophosphorus compounds. The biosensor designed by our new approach shows high sensitivity, selectivity and reactivation efficiency. This flow-induced immobilization technique opens up new pathways for designing a simple, fast, biocompatible, and cost-effective process for enhanced sensor performance and on-site monitoring of a variety of toxic organophosphorus compounds.

First efficient uncharged reactivators for the dephosphylation of poisoned human acetylcholinesterase

Nerve agents are highly toxic organophosphorus compounds with strong inhibition potency against acetylcholinesterase (AChE). Herein, we describe two first extremely promising uncharged reactivators for poisoned human AChE with a superior or similar in vitro ability to reactivate the enzyme as compared to that of HI-6, obidoxime, TMB-4 and HLö-7.

Low concentrations of methamidophos do not alter AChE activity but modulate neurotransmitters uptake in hippocampus and striatum in vitro

AimsMethamidophos (Meth) is a toxic organophosphorus compound (OP) that inhibits acetylcholinesterase enzyme (AChE) and induces neurotoxicity. As the mechanism of its neurotoxic effects is not well understood, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of Meth on glutamate and gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) uptake and correlate with cell viability and AChE and Na+/K+-ATPase enzyme activities in striatum and hippocampus slices exposed to low concentrations (0.05 to 1.0μM) of Meth. Main methodsHippocampal and striatal slices of rat brain were exposed to Meth for 5min ([3H]Glutamate uptake) or 15min ([3H]GABA uptake) for assays. The enzyme activities and cell viability were also accessed at both times in hippocampal and striatal slices and homogenates. Key findingsAt concentrations that did not inhibit AChE, Meth caused changes in glutamate uptake in striatal (0.05 and 1.0μM Meth) and hippocampal (1.0μM Meth) slices. GABA uptake was increased by the pesticide in striatum at 0.5 and 1.0μM and in hippocampus at 0.05μM. After 3.5h of Meth exposure, striatal and hippocampal cells showed no changes in viability as well as no inhibition of Na+/K+-ATPase were observed after 5 or 15min exposure to Meth in the same brain structures. SignificanceResults suggest that Meth, even without changing the AChE activity can modify somehow the neurotransmitters uptake. However, further studies are necessary to clarify if this modulation in glutamate or GABA uptake may be responsible to cause some disturbance in behavior or in other neurochemical parameters following low Meth exposure in vivo.

Neutron structure and mechanistic studies of diisopropyl fluorophosphatase (DFPase).

Diisopropyl fluorophosphatase (DFPase) is a calcium-dependent phosphotriesterase that acts on a variety of highly toxic organophosphorus compounds that act as inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase. The mechanism of DFPase has been probed using a variety of methods, including isotopic labelling, which demonstrated the presence of a phosphoenzyme intermediate in the reaction mechanism. In order to further elucidate the mechanism of DFPase and to ascertain the protonation states of the residues and solvent molecules in the active site, the neutron structure of DFPase was solved at 2.2 Å resolution. The proposed nucleophile Asp229 is deprotonated, while the active-site solvent molecule W33 was identified as water and not hydroxide. These data support a mechanism involving direct nucleophilic attack by Asp229 on the substrate and rule out a mechanism involving metal-assisted water activation. These data also allowed for the re-engineering of DFPase through rational design to bind and productively orient the more toxic S(P) stereoisomers of the nerve agents sarin and cyclosarin, creating a modified enzyme with enhanced overall activity and significantly increased detoxification properties.

Reactivation of organophosphate-inhibited human, Cynomolgus monkey, swine and guinea pig acetylcholinesterase by MMB-4: A modified kinetic approach

Treatment of poisoning by highly toxic organophosphorus compounds (OP, nerve agents) is a continuous challenge. Standard treatment with atropine and a clinically used oxime, obidoxime or pralidoxime is inadequate against various nerve agents. For ethical reasons testing of oxime efficacy has to be performed in animals. Now, it was tempting to investigate the reactivation kinetics of MMB-4, a candidate oxime to replace pralidoxime, with nerve agent-inhibited acetylcholinesterase (AChE) from human and animal origin in order to provide a kinetic basis for the proper assessment of in vivo data. By applying a modified kinetic approach, allowing the use of necessary high MMB-4 concentrations, it was possible to determine the reactivation constants with sarin-, cyclosarin-, VX-, VR- and tabun-inhibited AChE. MMB-4 exhibited a high reactivity and low affinity towards OP-inhibited AChE, except of tabun-inhibited enzyme where MMB-4 had an extremely low reactivity. Species differences between human and animal AChE were low (Cynomolgus) to moderate (swine, guinea pig). Due to the high reactivity of MMB-4 a rapid reactivation of inhibited AChE can be anticipated at adequate oxime concentrations which are substantially higher compared to HI-6. Additional studies are necessary to determine the in vivo toxicity, tolerability and pharmacokinetics of MMB-4 in humans in order to enable a proper assessment of the value of this oxime as an antidote against nerve agent poisoning.

Secondary phorate poisoning of large carnivores in India

India, with its huge human population and fragmented wildlife habitat, is plagued with human–animal conflicts. In conflict areas, large carnivores are often primary targets for malicious poisoning. The effects of certain poisons do not stop with the target animal but also affects other species of wildlife in the form of secondary poisoning. This paper describes incidences of secondary poisoning of a tiger (Panthera tigris) and a black panther (melanistic Panthera pardus) in the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. Wild boars (Sus scrofa), which are considered pests in horticultural plantations, were the primary targets in both cases and were poisoned using phorate, a highly toxic organophosphorus compound. Tigers and leopards hold significant position in the upper most trophic level of the ecological pyramid and are grouped in schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act of India. The tiger, as a species, is currently waging a grim battle of survival in the wild. The world over, leopard populations are also dwindling. The implications of the death of these endangered apex predators due to the increase in population of the ubiquitous wild boars are analysed. The merits of introducing a policy of selective culling of wild boars in conflict areas are discussed.

Study of a QCM Dimethyl Methylphosphonate Sensor Based on a ZnO-Modified Nanowire-Structured Manganese Dioxide Film

Sensitive, selective and fast detection of chemical warfare agents is necessary for anti-terrorism purposes. In our search for functional materials sensitive to dimethyl methylphosphonate (DMMP), a simulant of sarin and other toxic organophosphorus compounds, we found that zinc oxide (ZnO) modification potentially enhances the absorption of DMMP on a manganese dioxide (MnO2) surface. The adsorption behavior of DMMP was evaluated through the detection of tiny organophosphonate compounds with quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) sensors coated with ZnO-modified MnO2 nanofibers and pure MnO2 nanofibers. Experimental results indicated that the QCM sensor coated with ZnO-modified nanostructured MnO2 film exhibited much higher sensitivity and better selectivity in comparison with the one coated with pure MnO2 nanofiber film. Therefore, the DMMP sensor developed with this composite nanostructured material should possess excellent selectivity and reasonable sensitivity towards the tiny gaseous DMMP species.

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) for detection and identification of albumin phosphylation by organophosphorus pesticides and G- and V-type nerve agents

Toxic organophosphorus compounds (OPC), e.g., pesticides and nerve agents (NA), are known to phosphylate distinct endogenous proteins in vivo and in vitro. OPC adducts of butyrylcholinesterase and albumin are considered to be valuable biomarkers for retrospective verification of OPC exposure. Therefore, we have detected and identified novel adducts of human serum albumin (HSA) by means of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Pure albumin and plasma were incubated with numerous pesticides and NA of the V- and G-type in different molar ratios. Samples were prepared either by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis followed by in-gel enzymatic cleavage using endoproteinase Glu-C (Glu-C) or by combining highly albumin-selective affinity extraction with ultrafiltration followed by reduction, carbamidomethylation, and enzymatic cleavage (Glu-C) prior to MALDI-TOF MS analysis. Characteristic mass shifts for phosphylation revealed tyrosine adducts at Y(411) (Y(401)KFQNALLVRY(411)TKKVPQVSTPTLVE(425)), Y(148) and Y(150) (I(142)ARRHPY(148)FY(150)APE(153), single and double labeled), and Y(161) (L(154)LFFAKRY(161)KAAFTE(167)) produced by original NA (tabun, sarin, soman, cyclosarin, VX, Chinese VX, and Russian VX) as well as by chlorpyrifos-oxon, diisopropyl fluorophosphate (DFP), paraoxon-ethyl (POE), and profenofos. MALDI-MS/MS of the single-labeled I(142)-E(153) peptide demonstrated that Y(150) was phosphylated with preference to Y(148). Aged albumin adducts were not detected. The procedure described was reproducible and feasible for detection of adducts at the most reactive Y(411)-residue (S/N ≥ 3) when at least 1% of total albumin was labeled. This was achieved by incubating plasma with molar HSA/OPC ratios ranging from approximately 1:0.03 (all G-type NA, DFP, and POE) to 1:3 (V-type NA, profenofos). Relative signal intensity of the Y(411) adduct correlated well with the spotted relative molar amount underlining the usefulness for quantitative adduct determination. In conclusion, the current analytical design exhibits potential as a verification tool for high-dose exposure.

Overexpression of protein disulfide isomerase DsbA enhanced detoxification of organophosphates and enhanced detectability in the environment following degradation of pesticide residues

In many cases the expressed protein is insoluble and accumulates in so-called inclusion bodies. Several strategies have been developed to improve the solubility of the expressed protein. Disulfide isomerase DsbA could effectively assist proteins folding,both in vivo coexpressed with the target protein,and in vitro replenished as foldases.Moreover,DsbA also has the chaperone-like activity in the assistant refolding of genetically engineered inclusion bodies.Coexpression of DsbA with the target protein could lead to higher levels of soluble protein. In this work, a significantly improved, recombinant Escherichia coli has been developed to degrade the toxic organophosphorus compound, methyl parathion, to non-toxic materials by coexpression of disulfide isomerase DsbA and Methyl Parathion Hydrolase (MPH)-GFP fusion protein. Whole cells expressing DsbA had significant enhancement of MPH activity compared to DsbA-free system and could be easily detected.