Renal Glutathione Content Research Articles

Acivicin-induced alterations in renal and hepatic glutathione concentrations and in γ-glutamyltransferase activities

γ-Glutamyltransferase (γ-GT) catalyzes the hydrolysis of glutathione, glutathione S-conjugates, and γ-substituted l-glutamate derivatives. Acivicin is an irreversible inhibitor of γ-GT that has been used to study the role of γ-GT in glutathione homeostasis and glutathione-dependent bioactivation reactions. The present studies were undertaken because of reported conflicting effects of acivicin on the nephrotoxicity of some haloalkenes that undergo glutathione-dependent bioactivation. The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that acivicin may alter renal glutathione concentrations; acivicin-induced changes in renal glutathione concentrations may alter the susceptibility of the kidney to the nephrotoxic effects of haloalkenes. Hence, diurnal and acivicin-induced changes in renal and hepatic glutathione concentrations along with renal and hepatic γ-GT activities were investigated. The previously observed diurnal variations in hepatic glutathione concentrations in fed rats were confirmed, but no diurnal variations were observed in renal glutathione concentrations or in renal or hepatic γ-GT activities. Renal and hepatic glutathione concentrations and γ-GT activities were measured in tissue homogenates from rats given 0, 0.1, or 0.2 mmol acivicin/kg (i.p.) and killed 0, 2, 4, 8, 12, or 24 hr later. Renal glutathione concentrations were increased above control values in acivicin-treated rats, whereas acivicin had no effect on hepatic glutathione concentrations. Renal γ-GT activities decreased within 2 hr after giving acivicin and remained decreased for 24 hr. Acivicin had no effect on hepatic γ-GT activities, except at 24 hr after treatment when values in acivicin-treated rats were elevated compared with controls. Although the present studies do not afford an explanation of the mechanism whereby acivicin increases the nephrotoxicity of some haloalkenes, they do indicate that acivicin is not a reliable probe to investigate the role of γ-GT in haloalkene-induced nephrotoxicity.

Glyceryl trinitrate, a nitric oxide donor, abrogates ferric nitrilotriacetate-induced oxidative stress and renal damage

Ferric nitrilotriacetate (Fe-NTA), a common water pollutant and a known renal carcinogen, acts through the generation of oxidative stress and hyperproliferative response. In the present study, we show that the nitric oxide (NO) generated by the administration of glyceryl trinitrate (GTN) affords protection against Fe-NTA-induced oxidative stress and proliferative response. Administration of Fe-NTA resulted in a significant ( P<0.001) depletion of renal glutathione (GSH) content with concomitant increase in lipid peroxidation and elevated tissue damage marker release in serum. Parallel to these changes, Fe-NTA also caused down-regulation of GSH metabolizing enzymes including glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR), and glutathione- S-transferase and several fold induction in ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity and rate of DNA synthesis. Subsequent exogenous administration of GTN at doses of 3 and 6 mg/kg body weight resulted in significant ( P<0.001) recovery of GSH metabolizing enzymes and amelioration of tissue GSH content, in a dose-dependent manner. GTN administration also inhibited malondialdehyde (MDA) formation, induction of ODC activity, enhanced rate of DNA synthesis, and pathological deterioration in a dose-dependent fashion. Further, administration of NO inhibitor, N G-nitro- l-arginine methyl ester ( l-NAME), exacerbated Fe-NTA-induced oxidative tissue injury, hyperproliferative response, and pathological damage. Overall, the study suggests that NO administration subsequent to Fe-NTA affords protection against ROS-mediated damage induced by Fe-NTA.

Nigella sativa (black cumin) ameliorates potassium bromate-induced early events of carcinogenesis: diminution of oxidative stress.

Potassium bromate (KBrO3) is a potent nephrotoxic agent. In this paper, we report the chemopreventive effect of Nigella sativa (black cumin) on KBrO3-mediated renal oxidative stress, toxicity and tumor promotion response in rats. KBrO3 (125 mg/kg body weight, intraperitoneally) enhances lipid peroxidation, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, hydrogen peroxide and xanthine oxidase with reduction in the activities of renal antioxidant enzymes and renal glutathione content. A marked increase in blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine has also been observed. KBrO3 treatment also enhances ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity and [3H] thymidine incorporation into renal DNA. Prophylaxis of rats orally with Nigella sativa extract (50 mg/kg body weight and 100 mg/kg body weight) resulted in a significant decrease in renal microsomal lipid peroxidation (P < 0.001), gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (P < 0.001), H2O2 (P < 0.001) and xanthine oxidase (P < 0.05). There was significant recovery of renal glutathione content (P < 0.01) and antioxidant enzymes (P < 0.001). There was also reversal in the enhancement of blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine, renal ODC activity and DNA synthesis (P < 0.001). Data suggest that Nigella sativa is a potent chemopreventive agent and may suppress KBrO3-mediated renal oxidative stress, toxicity and tumour promotion response in rats.

오존처리에 의한 Bromate의 생성 및 흰쥐의 신장독성에 미치는 영향

브롬(Br-)이온을 포함하는 지표수 또는 해수를 상수원 또는 어류양식용 물로 사용할 경우 소독, 살균을 위하여 오존(O<TEX>$_3$</TEX>)을 많이 사용한다. 이때 물속에 포함되어 있는 브름(Br-) 이온과 오존과의 반응에 의하여 독성물질인 Bromate(BrO<TEX>$_3$</TEX>-)가 산화 부산물로서 생성된다. 이 bromate의 생성반응에 대한 용액의 pH와 반응온도의 영향 및 bromate를 음용수중에 함유시키고 실험동물에 섭취시켰을 때의 생체독성에 미치는 기전을 관찰하였다. Bromate의 생성은 반응온도가 증가할수록 증가되지만, 낮은온도(15<TEX>$^{\circ}C$</TEX>)에서는 용액의 초기 pH가 3 인 경우는 초기 pH가 7, 10 인 용액의 경우보다 훨씬 적은 생성량을 나타내었다. Bromate를 음료수중에 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.4g/L로하여 4, 12, 16, 20, 24주 투여하고서 신조직중의 지질과산화의 함량이 증가되었으며, 혈중 뇨소질소의 활성 및 뇨중 <TEX>${\gamma}$</TEX>-glutamy-ltransferase의 활성은 대조군에 비하여 bromate의 투여로 현저히 증가되었으며, 뇨중 lactate dehydrogenase의 활성에는 별다른 영향이 없었다. Bromate의 투여로 xanthine oxidase 및 aldehyde oxidase의 활성은 bromate의 투여로 현저히 증가되었으며 glutathione의 농도 및 glutathione S-transferase의 활성도 대조군 보다 현저히 억제되었다. Glutathione의 생성계에 미치는 <TEX>${\gamma}$</TEX>-giutarnylcystein synthetase의 활성은 대조군에 비해 bromate의 투여로 억제되었으며 glutathione redurtase의 활성은 별다른 영향이 없었다. In oder to investigate the effects of pH and temperature on the formation of bromate ion, which is ozonation by-products of bromine containing natural water. At the same intial pH condition, the increase of pH shown similar trends even if the reaction variables such as temperature and reaction time of ozonation were changed. As pH and temperature were increasing, the bromate concentration was increased but bromine components (HOBr/OBr-) were decreased with increasing pH from 3 to 10. Lipid peroxide content in the kidney was increased by bromate which was ingestion with 0.4g/L for 24 weeks in drinking water. Renal cytosolic enzyme system (XO, AO) of bromate group were significantly increased in comparison with those of normal group. But microsomal enzyme system were not affected. BUN level and urinary <TEX>${\gamma}$</TEX>-glutamyltransferase activity were significantly increased in comparison with those of the normal. But, urinary lactate dehydrogenase activity was not affected. Renal glutathione content of rat was significantly decreased in comparison with those of normal rat given bromate. Renal glutathione S-transferase and <TEX>${\gamma}$</TEX>-glutamylcysteine synthetase activities were significantly decreased in bromate-treated group, but change in renal glutathione reductase activity was not significantly different from any other experimental group.

Tephrosia purpurea Ameliorates N‐Diethylnitrosamine and Potassium Bromate‐Mediated Renal Oxidative Stress and Toxicity in Wistar Rats

In an earlier communication, we have shown that Tephrosia purpurea ameliorates benzoyl peroxide-induced oxidative stress in murine skin (Saleem et al. 1999). The present study was designed to investigate a chemopreventive efficacy of T purpurea against N-diethylnitrosamine-initiated and potassium bromate-mediated oxidative stress and toxicity in rat kidney. A single intraperitoneal dose of N-diethylnitrosamine (200 mg/kg body weight) one hr prior to the dose of KBrO3 (125 mg/kg body weight) increases microsomal lipid peroxidation and the activity of xanthine oxidase and decreases the activities of renal antioxidant enzymes viz., catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, phase II metabolizing enzymes such as glutathione-S-transferase and quinone reductase and causes depletion in the level of renal glutathione content. A sharp increase in blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine has also been observed. Prophylactic treatment of rats with T. purpurea at doses of 5 mg/kg body weight and 10 mg/kg body weight prevented N-diethylnitrosamine-initiated and KBrO3 promoted renal oxidative stress and toxicity. The susceptibility of renal microsomal membrane for iron ascorbate-induced lipid peroxidation and xanthine oxidase activities were significantly reduced (P<0.01). The depleted levels of glutathione, the inhibited activities of antioxidant enzymes, phase II metabolizing enzymes and the enhanced levels of serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen were recovered to a significant level (P<0.01). All the antioxidant enzymes were recovered dose-dependently. Our data indicate that T purpurea besides a skin antioxidant can be a potent chemopreventive agent against renal oxidative stress and carcinogenesis induced by N-diethylnitrosamine and KBrO3.

Glyceryl trinitrate, a nitric oxide donor, suppresses renal oxidant damage caused by potassium bromate

Nitric oxide (NO) is a short-lived, readily diffusible intracellular messenger molecule associated with multiple organ-specific regulatory functions. Endogenous stimulation or exogenous administration of NO have been shown to inhibit production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and expression of oxidant-mediated molecular or tissue injury. Potassium bromate (KBrO3) is one such potent renal oxidant that acts through generation of ROS-mediated lipid peroxidation, and causes increased ornithine decarboxylase activity, enhanced rate of DNA synthesis and depletion of the antioxidant armoury of the tissue. In this study, we elucidate the effect of exogenous NO administration, using the NO donor glyceryl trinitrate (GTN), on KBrO3-induced nephrotoxicity, oxidative stress and cell proliferation. KBrO3 administration at a dose of 125 mg/kg body weight results in significant (P < 0.001) depletion in renal glutathione (GSH) content, and glutathione reductase (GR) activity with a concomitant increase in microsomal lipid peroxidation, and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine levels. Parallel to these changes, we found significant enhancement in ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity and rate of renal DNA synthesis. Subsequent administration of GTN resulted in dose-dependent amelioration of GSH content and GR activity with concomitant inhibition of lipid peroxidation, and BUN and creatinine levels. In addition, GTN administration to KBrO3-intoxicated rats resulted in significant dose-dependent down regulation of enhanced ODC activity and rate of [3H]-thymidine incorporation in renal DNA, providing support for the protective role of NO in attenuation of KBrO3-induced oxidative stress and cell proliferation. Enhancement of oxidative tissue injury and cell proliferation on administration of the NO inhibitor, L-NAME, further demonstrates the protective efficacy of endogenous NO. These data suggest that NO inhibits KBrO3-induced tissue injury, oxidative stress and proliferative response in the rat kidney.

Surgical stress increases renal glutathione content via increased glucocorticoid, and resistance to subsequent oxidative injury in the rat: significant link between endocrine response and cell defense system under the stress.

Systemic and nonspecific stress response effects on the cellular defense mechanism were studied in the male rat kidney. Two days after laparotomy-induced surgical stress, rats showed increased serum corticosterone and renal cortical reduced glutathione (GSH). Rats were then injected s.c. with mercuric chloride (HgCl2) to oxidatively injure renal tubuli. Increased serum creatinine levels indicated that laparotomy pretreatment lessened renal damage. To study the effects of the activated pituitary-adrenal axis on renal cortical GSH content and vulnerability to subsequent oxidative injury, rats were injected s.c. with ACTH on two consecutive days. ACTH administration increased both corticosterone and aldosterone. These rats showed increased, dose-dependent renal cortical GSH content, i.e., controls (n=7): 1.25 +/- 0.23 micromol/g tissue, daily dose of 10 microg/100 gBW (n=7): 1.53 +/- 0.24 micromol/g tissue, and daily dose of 40 microg/100 gBW (n=7): 2.31 +/- 0.23 micromol/g tissue. Rats receiving daily doses of 40 microg of ACTH/100 gBW acquired resistance to oxidative injury, indicated by serum creatinine levels: controls (n=6), 22 +/- 4 micromol/L; HgCl2 (n=6), 145 +/- 88 micromol/L; ACTH and HgCl2 (n=6), 37 +/- 11 micromol/L. Morphological evidence indicated that ACTH pretreatment in HgCl2-injected rats prevented renal tissue from inflammatory cell infiltration but not from tubular degeneration. Cellular GSH content of LLC-PK1 cells, porcine renal-tubule-derived culture cells, increased significantly in incubation with dexamethasone or aldosterone, suggesting that adrenal steroids directly stimulate renal cell GSH. We demonstrated that stress or ACTH administration activates the defense mechanism in the kidney via increased GSH. This stress-activatable defense system may therefore indicate a connection between endocrine stress response and the cellular defense mechanism.

Localization by in situ hybridization of γ-glutamylcysteinesynthetase mrna expression in rat kidney following acute methylmercury treatment

In previous studies we reported that prolonged treatment of rats with subtoxic levels of mercury as methylmercury hydroxide (MMH) elicited a two- to threefold increase in renal glutathione (GSH) content and a three- to fourfold increase in the mRNA encoding the catalytically active heavy subunit of γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase (GCS), the rate-limiting enzyme in GSH synthesis. In the present studies, we demonstrate that enhanced expression of GCS mRNA and GSH synthesis rapidly occur following acute MMH treatment and, moreover, that increased expression of renal GCS mRNA is localized predominantly to regions of the kidney cortex consistent with the principal distribution of mercury in the kidney. Previous studies have demonstrated that resistance to mercury toxicity during prolonged MMH exposure may be associated with the ability to up-regulate GSH synthesis subsequent to intracellular dealkylation of MMH to Hg2+. The present finding that GCS mRNA and GSH levels are rapidly increased in kidney cells which are most susceptible to mercury toxicity supports the view that up-regulation of GSH synthesis occurs as an initial adaptive response to Hg2+-mediated cytotoxicity following acute as well as prolonged mercury exposure.

Localization by in situ hybridization of gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase mRNA expression in rat kidney following acute methylmercury treatment.

In previous studies we reported that prolonged treatment of rats with subtoxic levels of mercury as methylmercury hydroxide (MMH) elicited a two- to threefold increase in renal glutathione (GSH) content and a three- to fourfold increase in the mRNA encoding the catalytically active heavy subunit of gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase (GCS), the rate-limiting enzyme in GSH synthesis. In the present studies, we demonstrate that enhanced expression of GCS mRNA and GSH synthesis rapidly occur following acute MMH treatment and, moreover, that increased expression of renal GCS mRNA is localized predominantly to regions of the kidney cortex consistent with the principal distribution of mercury in the kidney. Previous studies have demonstrated that resistance to mercury toxicity during prolonged MMH exposure may be associated with the ability to up-regulate GSH synthesis subsequent to intracellular dealkylation of MMH to Hg2+. The present finding that GCS mRNA and GSH levels are rapidly increased in kidney cells which are most susceptible to mercury toxicity supports the view that up-regulation of GSH synthesis occurs as an initial adaptive response to Hg2(+)-mediated cytotoxicity following acute as well as prolonged mercury exposure.

Localization of γ-Glutamylcysteine Synthetase mRNA Expression in Mouse Brain Following Methylmercury Treatment Using Reverse Transcriptionin SituPCR Amplification

In previous studies we reported that prolonged treatment of rats with subtoxic levels of mercury as methymercury hydroxide (MMH) elicited a two- to three-fold increase in renal glutathione (GSH) content and a three- to fourfold increase in the mRNA encoding the catalytically active heavy subunit of γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase (GCS), the rate-limiting enzyme in GSH synthesis. Since methylmercury is a potent neurotoxicant, we investigated the effect of methylmercury treatment on GSH synthesis and the distribution of GCS mRNA expression in the brain. Male C57B1/6 mice were treated for 3 consecutive days with MMH (3 mg/kg/day, ip). GSH levels in whole brains were increased by twofold 24 hr following the first injection and remained elevated two to three times control levels after two subsequent MMH treatments. Concomitantly, whole brain GCS mRNA levels were increased 2.7-fold 24 hr after the third MMH treatment. Reverse transcriptionin situPCR amplification of GCS heavy subunit mRNA in brain slices taken from MMH-treated mice showed that GCS expression was selectively localized to the cerebellum and hippocampal regions and, within these regions, to areas which are known to resist methylmercury toxicity. In contrast, no GCS mRNA expression was found in brain regions which are known to be highly susceptible to mercury toxicity. These findings suggest that resistance to methylmercury toxicity in the brain may reflect the ability of specific neuronal cell types to up-regulate GSH synthesis as a protective response to mercury-mediated cell damage.

Lack of Correlation betweenpara-Aminophenol Toxicityin Vivoandin Vitroin Female Sprague–Dawley Rats

The present study was designed to test the hypothesis thatpara-aminophenol (PAP) nephrotoxicity is due to autooxidation. We compared renal functional responses following PAP administration to female Sprague–Dawley rats and following incubation of renal proximal tubules with PAP. The concentrations of PAP selected forin vitroincubations produced cytotoxicity (for example, a decrease in oxygen consumption or adenine nucleotide concentration) in rat renal epithelial cells or rabbit proximal tubule suspensions. In rats, PAP (300 mg/kg ip) caused proximal tubular necrosis within 24 hr. Changes in renal function 24 hr following PAP administration included increased kidney weight and blood urea nitrogen concentration and decreased renal glutathione (GSH) content and adenine nucleotide concentrations. PAP did not cause hepatic damage. Within 2–4 hr following PAP administration, renal GSH content and adenine nucleotide concentrations were significantly decreased. In renal cortical slices prepared from PAP-treated rats, oxygen consumption and accumulation of organic ions (para-aminohippurate and tetraethylammonium) were significantly decreased compared with renal cortical slices prepared from control rats. In liver, GSH content was significantly decreased from 1 to 4 hr following PAP administration. In contrast to the effects of PAPin vivo,renal proximal tubules showed little evidence of injury when incubated with 0.1 or 0.5 mMPAP for up to 4 hr in the presence or absence of amino acids in the incubation medium. When tubules were incubated with 1 mMPAP for 4 hr in the presence of amino acids, GSH content, AMP concentration, and TEA uptake were significantly decreased. When amino acids were removed from the incubation medium, 1 mMPAP caused decreases in oxygen consumption and ATP concentration after 4 hr of incubation. Functional changes observed during incubation with PAPin vitrowere not consistent with functional changes observedin vivo.The discrepancy between PAP toxicityin vivoandin vitrosuggests that autooxidation is unlikely to be responsible for PAP nephrotoxicity and that nephrotoxicityin vivois primarily mediated by extrarenal bioactivation. Further, depletion of hepatic GSH content prior to changes in renal function suggests that PAP or a PAP metabolite may conjugate with hepatic GSH. These observations suggest that PAP nephrotoxicity may be mediated by PAP–GSH conjugates rather than autooxidation of PAP in the kidney.

Intravenous fumonisin B1 induces cell proliferation and apoptosis in the rat

In the rat, the target organs of fumonisin B1, a mycotoxin produced by Fusarium moniliforme, are the kidney and liver. Fumonisin B1 is also hepatocarcinogenic in the rat and is associated epidemiologically with esophageal cancer in humans. We investigated the effect of a single intravenous dose of fumonisin B1 on cell proliferation, lesion development, and glutathione status in the major target organs of the rat. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were injected intravenously with fumonisin B1 at 0 or 1.25 mg/kg and were euthanized at 12 hr or, 1,2,3, or 5 days. An intraperitoneal injection of 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine at 100 mg/kg was given 90 min prior to euthanasia. In fumonisin B1 treated rats, serum cholesterol and serum urea nitrogen were elevated; however, the activity of hepatic enzymes was unaffected. Hepatic and renal glutathione concentrations were depressed at 12 and 24 hr, respectively, with subsequent recovery. Histologic changes were most prominent in the outer medulla of the kidney, with cell proliferation and apoptosis followed by nephrosis. Cell proliferation also occurred in the liver and esophagus, but in the absence of tissue injury. The labeling index peaked on day 1 for the liver and on day 3 for the esophagus. These results confirm that the primary target organ of fumonisin B1 in the rat is the kidney and support the concept that fumonisin B1-induced mitogenesis may be the mechanism of carcinogenesis.

Lack of Correlation between para-Aminophenol Toxicity in Vivo and in Vitro in Female Sprague—Dawley Rats

The present study was designed to test the hypothesis that para-aminophenol (PAP) nephrotoxicity is due to autooxidation. We compared renal functional responses following PAP administration to female Sprague-Dawley rats and following incubation of renal proximal tubules with PAP. The concentrations of PAP selected for in vitro incubations produced cytotoxicity (for example, a decrease in oxygen consumption or adenine nucleotide concentration) in rat renal epithelial cells or rabbit proximal tubule suspensions. In rats, PAP (300 mg/kg i.p.) caused proximal tubular necrosis within 24 hr. Changes in renal function 24 hr following PAP administration included increased kidney weight and blood urea nitrogen concentration and decreased renal glutathione (GSH) content and adenine nucleotide concentrations. PAP did not cause hepatic damage. Within 2-4 hr following PAP administration, renal GSH content and adenine nucleotide concentrations were significantly decreased. In renal cortical slices prepared from PAP-treated rats, oxygen consumption and accumulation of organic ions (para-aminohippurate and tetraethylammonium) were significantly decreased compared with renal cortical slices prepared from control rats. In liver, GSH content was significantly decreased from 1 to 4 hr following PAP administration. In contrast to the effects of PAP in vivo, renal proximal tubules showed little evidence of injury when incubated with 0.1 or 0.5 mM PAP for up to 4 hr in the presence or absence of amino acids in the incubation medium. When tubules were incubated with 1 mM PAP for 4 hr in the presence of amino acids, GSH content, AMP concentration, and TEA uptake were significantly decreased. When amino acids were removed from the incubation medium, 1 mM PAP caused decreases in oxygen consumption and ATP concentration after 4 hr of incubation. Functional changes observed during incubation with PAP in vitro were not consistent with functional changes observed in vivo. The discrepancy between PAP toxicity in vivo and in vitro suggests that autooxidation is unlikely to be responsible for PAP nephrotoxicity and that nephrotoxicity in vivo is primarily mediated by extrarenal bioactivation. Further, depletion of hepatic GSH content prior to changes in renal function suggests that PAP or a PAP metabolite may conjugate with hepatic GSH. These observations suggest that PAP nephrotoxicity may be mediated by PAP-GSH conjugates rather than autooxidation of PAP in the kidney.

Synergistic Effects of Fish Oil Diet and Dimethylthiourea in Acute Adriamycin Nephrosis

The synergistic effects of combining fish oil (FO) diet, which reduces thromboxane A production, with the free radical scavenger, dimethylthiourea (DMTU), were evaluated in acute adriamycin nephrosis, because proteinuria in adriamycin nephrosis is mediated by increased renal thromboxane A and free radical production. The effects of combined evening primrose oil (EPO) and DMTU were compared with the DMTU + FO combination because EPO increases prostaglandin E but not thromboxane A. After 7, 14, and 21 days, proteinuria was significantly (p < 0.05) reduced in rats receiving either DMTU + corn oil (CO) or DMTU + FO compared with untreated control rats. However, after 21 days, rats receiving DMTU + FO had significantly reduced urine protein excretion compared with those receiving DMTU + CO (103.9 +/- 20 mg daily vs 351.8 +/- 29.8 mg daily; P < 0.05). In contrast to FO, rats receiving EPO + DMTU had similar urine protein excretion to rats receiving DMTU + CO after 21 days (170.2 +/- 20.34 mg daily vs 179.45 +/- 26.38 mg daily). The mean serum cholesterol concentration was significantly (P < 0.01) reduced in rats receiving DMTU + FO (195.2 +/- 23.8 mg/dL) compared with DMTU + CO (377.9 +/- 28.5 mg/dL). Serum triglyceride levels also were significantly (P < 0.01) reduced in rats receiving DMTU + FO (52.5 +/- 26.4 mg/dL) compared with DMTU + CO (100.5 +/- 36.9 mg/dL). No significant differences in serum cholesterol concentrations or triglycerides occurred between rats receiving DMTU + CO and DMTU + EPO. Renal glutathione content was significantly (P < 0.05) increased by 23% in normal rats receiving FO diet and by 34% in rats receiving combined DMTU + FO compared with CO alone.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Captopril Does Not Protect Against Renal Oxidative Injury

The free thiol group of captopril is important in the action and metabolism of this drug. It has been postulated that the thiol group may allow captopril to act in a manner similar to glutathione and protect against oxidative injury. This study investigated the ability of captopril, enalaprilat, and N-acetylcysteine to prevent tertbutyl hydroperoxide induced oxidative injury in rat renal homogenates. Lipid peroxidation was significantly increased in homogenates from captopril-treated animals (p < 0.05), and following glutathione depletion this was further enhanced (p < 0.001). Renal glutathione content was significantly reduced by captopril treatment (p < 0.01). These results suggest that captopril does not act as an alternate source of reducing equivalents to glutathione and does not protect against renal oxidative injury in this model.

Effects of inhibition of cystathionase activity on glutathione and metallothionein levels in the adult rat

The effects of alterations in sulfur metabolism on hepatic and renal metallothionein and glutathione metabolism were studied in the adult rat using inhibition of two enzymes of these pathways, hepatic cystathionase and renal gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase. Rats were fed a diet containing both methionine (0.66%) and cystine (0.20%) for 1 week before receiving three consecutive daily intraperitoneal injections of propargylglycine, a selective cystathionase inhibitor, at various doses (2.5-375 mumol/kg). When hepatic cystathionase was inhibited greater than 90% (greater than or equal to 50 mumol propargylglycine/kg), renal and hepatic metallothionein and hepatic glutathione were unaltered except at the highest dose. On the other hand, renal glutathione was increased two-fold with a concomitant decrease in renal gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase activity (50% of control). In another experiment, when renal gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase was inhibited greater than 90% with three consecutive daily injections of acivicin, a selective gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase inhibitor (10 mg/kg IP), renal glutathione content was unaltered while hepatic glutathione was decreased. Renal and hepatic metallothionein were not changed. Thus, the cysteine pools for metallothionein and glutathione appear unrelated under the present experimental conditions. In addition, following either proparglyglycine or acivicin injections, renal and hepatic glutathione pools appear to be altered differently. These results suggest that renal glutathione may be preferentially maintained even when hepatic glutathione is decreased.

Role of glutathione in vanadate reduction in young and mature rats: Evidence for direct participation of glutathione in vanadate inactivation

The influence of renal glutathione content, modulated by the glutathione synthesis inhibitor buthionine sulphoximine or by glutathione infusion, on the polyuric and natriuretic effects of i.v. administered vanadate was investigated in 20- and 55-day-old rats. The modulation of renal glutathione content led to significant changes in urine volume and sodium excretion, independently of age. A decrease in the renal glutathione level led to intensification and prolongation of the diuretic effects of vanadate in 55-day-old animals. Treatment with glutathione abolished and treatment with buthionine sulphoximine increased the polyuric effect of vanadate. These observations indicate a role for renal glutathione in vanadate inactivation. Age-dependent differences in the polyuric and natriuretic effectiveness of vanadate are caused by differences in renal glutathione content during maturation of the kidney.

Endrin-induced depletion of glutathione and inhibition of glutathione peroxidase activity in rats

1. Recent studies have shown that endrin induces lipid peroxidation and may produce toxicity through an oxidative stress. We have therefore examined the effect of endrin administration to rats on glutathione content and the activities of glutathione metabolizing enzymes. 2. The oral administration of endrin resulted in dose- and time-dependent decreases in hepatic and renal glutathione content with maximum depletion (90%) occurring in liver at approximately 24 hr post-treatment. 3. Decreases in glutathione content were also observed in lung, brain, spleen and heart. 4. Endrin (4 mg/kg) decreased selenium dependent glutathione peroxidase activity in liver and kidney by 64 and 50%, respectively, while small increases were observed in the activities of glutathione reductase and glutathione S-transferase. 5. The toxicity of endrin may be at least in part related to oxidative tissue damage associated with depletion of glutathione and inhibition of glutathione peroxidase activity.

Effect of dietary copper on vanadate toxicity in chicks

The addition of copper to a corn-soybean diet at levels of 200 mg/kg and above lessened the growth-retarding effect of vanadate for chicks. This interaction between vanadate and copper was evident in both ad libitum-fed chicks and chicks in which feed consumption was restricted to approximately equal amounts. The ameliorating effect of copper was not accompanied by changes in the femur levels of vanadium nor by changes in the hepatic or renal glutathione concentrations. Zinc added at 515 mg/kg of diet had no effect on the toxicity of vanadium. Sodium sulfate added at a level to supply the same amount of sulfate, as supplied by 500 mg/kg copper sulfate, was without effect on the vanadate-induced growth depression. The underlying mechanism of the interaction of copper and vanadium is not known, but it does not lie in changes in feed consumption or organ burdens of vanadium, as represented by the femur vanadium concentrations.

The effect of dietary mercury on vanadate toxicity in the chick

Three experiments were conducted investigating the interaction of dietary vanadate and mercury on the growth of chicks. The growth-retarding effect of 30 mg vanadium/kg diet was completely overcome by the inclusion of 500 mg mercury/kg diet. Restricting the feed intake of the mercury-supplemented animals to approximately those receiving vanadate alone still resulted in an amelioration of the growth retarding effect of vanadate. Analyses of femurs and kidneys revealed that mercury added to a vanadium-containing diet increased the vanadate concentration of the femur and had no effect on the vanadium concentration in the kidney. As little as 25 mg mercury/kg diet significantly reduced the growth retarding effect of vanadium. The inclusion of 100 mg mercury/kg in the diet resulted in a significant increase in renal glutathione concentration.