Involvement of calcium-dependent protein kinase C in arsenite-induced genotoxicity in chinese hamster ovary cells

Arsenic is the first metal to be identified as a human carcinogen. Arsenite, one inorganic form of arsenic, has been found to induce sister chromatid exchange, chromosome aberrations, and gene amplification in a variety of in vitro systems. In this study of arsenite-induced genotoxicity represented as micronuclei production in Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO-K1), we found that the calcium channel blocker, verapamil, can potentiate arsenite-induced micronuclei. And after arsenite treatment, the elevation of intracellular calcium was observed. When extracellular calcium was depleted during arsenite treatment, the arsenite-induced micronuclei formation was significantly suppressed. These data indicated that a calcium ion plays an essential role in arsenite-induced genotoxicity. Further, it was found that the cotreatment of arsenite and a calcium ionophore, A23187, can increase the micronuclei induction. In contrast, pretreatment of the intracellular calcium chelator, quin 2, significantly inhibited micronuclei production of arsenite administration. In addition, we measured the activity of calcium-and phospholipid-dependent protein kinase C (PKC) and found that arsenite can activate PKC activity in a dose-dependent manner. Subsequently, some PKC activators and inhibitors were applied to investigate the involvement of PKC on arsenite-induced micronuclei formation. It was found that H7, a PKC inhibitor, can depress but TPA, a PKC activator, can enhance arsenite-induced micronuclei significantly. These data indicated that arsenite exposure perturbs intracellular calcium homeostasis and activates PKC activity. As a result, the activation of PKC activity may play an important role in arsenite-induced genotoxicity. J. Cell. Biochem. 64:423–433. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

The effect of arsenate and arsenite on photosynthesis in Scenedesmus obliquus. A Potentiometric study in a closed CO2-system

Abstract

A Potentiometric titration method was used to study the adverse effect of arsenate (As(V)) and arsenite (As(III)) on inorganic carbon uptake in suspensions of the green alga Scenedesmus obliquus. The measurements were performed in a closed CO₂-system with diluted synthetic seawater (1‰ salinity) as ionic medium. Usually, the algal chlorophyll concentration was 0.4 mg dm^?3, while the arsenate- and arsenite-concentrations were varied within the limits 0.1 to 200 μmol dm^?3. In some experiments arsenate toxicity was studied in the presence of 1 to 100 μmol dm^?3 of phosphate (P(V)).

With concentrations of arsenate or arsenite less than 0.1 μmol dm^?3 no toxic effects were observed. However, at As-concentrations of 200 μmol dm^?3, the algal carbon uptake was reduced by 41% with arsenate and 29% with arsenite, i.e., arsenate is more toxic to Scenedesmus obliquus than arsenite. The toxicity of arsenate was negligible in the presence of a ten fold excess of phosphate. This is probably due to chemical similarities between arsenate and phosphate causing competition between the ions for the binding sites.

The importance of taking the speciation as well as the buffer capacity of the algal system into account, when calculating the carbon uptake, is also discussed.     

Mytilus trossulus hsp70 as a biomarker for arsenic exposure in the marine environment: Laboratory and real-world results

Acute renal papillary necrosis (RPN) in animals is characterized by increased renal lipid accumulation. The excretion of renal lipids into urine has been determined to evaluate their possible use as sensitive early biomarkers for the diagnosis of RPN. This study investigates injury induced by two model nephrotoxins, mefenamic acid (MFA), a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), and its analogue N-phenylanthranilic acid (NPAA). Oral NPAA was given repeatedly at doses of 100, 250 and 500 mg kg^-1 daily for 5 days, followed by a 2 day respite over the weekend, and then four further daily doses. The same dosing procedure was used with MFA, but at doses of 75, 150 and 300 mgkg^-1. The control groups were given vehicle orally using the same volume given to the test groups. Urinary phospholipids (PLs), notably sphingomyelin (SPM), phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), were measured and compared with other urinary parameters. Histopathological investigations were also performed to confirm the presence or absence of RPN. Following MFA treatment, PC, PI and PE were raised significantly (p < 0.001) on days 1 and 3 and for the remaining part of the experiment. After NPAA treatment, PI showed a transient elevation, and PC and PE levels were significantly increased from day 2 onwards. Both drugs caused a dose-related increase in PLs. There was no significant increase in the level of other urinary parameters. However, histopathological examination of the kidney on day 11 revealed lesions in the medulla and papilla following treatment with the two papillotoxins. These findings demonstrate the potential of urinary PLs as diagnostic non-invasive biomarkers for early renal injury associated with RPN, which may provide an important improvement in the approach to the therapeutic management of analgesic nephropathy.     

Oxidative Stress and Heat Shock Protein Induction in Human Cells

Agents which induce heat shock protein synthesis in cultured monolayers of Hela cells such as hyperthermia, ethanol and sodium arsenite can also cause increases in the levels of lipid peroxidation as determined by the formation of TBA-products. The heat induced increases may be diminished by addition to the medium of mannitol or EGTA. These compounds are known to depress heat shock protein synthesis.

Following hyperthermia there is also a decrease in protein synthesis. In vitro studies indicate possible damage to ribosomes, and since the heat induced loss of protein synthetic capacity can be increased by superoxide dismutase inhibitors, and prevented by mannitol, such effects may be linked to the increases observed in lipid peroxidation. It is suggested that a connection exists between lipid peroxidation and heat shock protein gene activation.     

The response of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) to different concentrations of inorganic and organic compounds of arsenic

Tomato plants were cultivated in greenhouse and water solutions of arsenite (As(III)), arsenate (As(V)), methylarsonic acid (MA) and dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) were applied individually into cultivation substrate at two As levels, 5 and 15 mg kg⁻¹ of the substrate. Comparing the availability of arsenic compounds increased in order arsenite = arsenate < MA < DMA where the arsenic contents in plants decreased during vegetation period. Within a single plant, the highest arsenic concentration was found in roots followed in decreasing order by leaves, stems, and fruits regardless of arsenic compound applied. Arsenic toxicity symptoms reflected in suppressed growth of plants and a lower number and size of fruits were most significant with DMA treatment. However, the highest accumulation of arsenic by plants growing in the soil containing DMA was caused by higher mobility of this compound in the soil due to its lower sorption affinity. Our results confirmed substantial role of transformation processes of arsenic compounds in soil in uptake and accumulation of arsenic by plants.     

Reversal of Sodium Arsenite Inhibition of Rat Liver Microsomal Ca2+ Pumping ATPase by Vitamin C

Sodium arsenite (NaAsO₂), at 10% of its median lethal dose, was administered to rats with and without vitamin C pretreatment. Liver microsomal fraction was isolated and the activity of Ca²⁺-ATPase was assayed. Sodium arsenite was found to inhibit the activity of the liver microsomal Ca²⁺-ATPase to 50% to that of control rats. The specific activity of the enzyme in rats administered sodium arsenite with vitamin C pretreatment was not significantly different from that of control rats.     

Arsenite oxidation by a facultative chemolithoautotrophic Sinorhizobium sp. KGO-5 isolated from arsenic-contaminated soil

A chemolithoautotrophic arsenite-oxidizing bacterium, designated strain KGO-5, was isolated from arsenic-contaminated industrial soil. Strain KGO-5 was phylogenetically closely related with Sinorhizobium meliloti with 16S rRNA gene similarity of more than 99%, and oxidized 5?mM arsenite under autotrophic condition within 60?h with a doubling time of 3.0?h. Additions of 0.01–0.1% yeast extract enhanced the growth significantly, and the strain still oxidized arsenite efficiently with much lower doubling times of approximately 1.0?h. Arsenite-oxidizing capacities (11.2–54.1?μmol?h^?1?mg dry cells^?1) as well as arsenite oxidase (Aio) activities (1.76–10.0?mU?mg protein^?1) were found in the cells grown with arsenite, but neither could be detected in the cells grown without arsenite. Strain KGO-5 possessed putative aioA gene, which is closely related with AioA of Ensifer adhaerens. These results suggest that strain KGO-5 is a facultative chemolithoautotrophic arsenite oxidizer, and its Aio is induced by arsenic.     

RNAi介导的Nrf2表达下调对亚砷酸钠诱发的小鼠胰岛β细胞毒性损伤的影响

目的探讨用RNA干扰技术下调核转录因子Nrf2的表达,对亚砷酸钠诱发的小鼠胰岛口细胞毒性损伤的影响。方法将针对Nrf2和非针对阴性对照的shRNA慢病毒颗粒稳定转染至小鼠胰岛β细胞MIN6,利用Real—time PCR和Western Blot检测细胞的Nrf2的表达,筛选Nrf2基因沉默（Nrf2-KD）和阴性对照（Scr）的细胞;应用4μmol／L亚砷酸钠（NaAsO2）作用于Nrf2-KD和Scr细胞24h,通过光学显微镜观察细胞的形态和贴壁数量的改变;四甲基偶氮唑盐（MTT）法检测细胞生长情况;利用Western Blot检测细胞内cleaved—caspase-3蛋白的表达。结果成功建立稳定转染的Nrf2基因沉默的小鼠胰岛8细胞系MIN6,与Scr细胞相比,Nrf2-KD细胞的Nrf2基因和蛋白表达水平显著降低。4μmol／L亚砷酸钠暴露24h后,与Scr细胞相比,Nrf2-KD细胞贴壁数量、细胞体积、细胞生长活性都显著下降,而细胞内的cleaved—caspase-3蛋白表达明显升高。结论Nrf2基因沉默的小鼠胰岛口细胞对亚砷酸钠暴露诱发的细胞毒性损伤更敏感。     

一株MAs (III)脱甲基菌株的分离及功能基因的研究

[目的] 分离并鉴定三价单甲基砷（MAs （III））脱甲基菌株,对MAs （III）脱甲基菌FJ-6中arsI基因进行克隆表达,并对arsI基因表达蛋白进行功能鉴定。[方法] 利用富集培养的方法分离MAs （III）脱甲基菌株,并通过形态学、生理生化特征和16S rDNA基因进化分析进行鉴定;HPLC-ICP-MS鉴定菌株转化MAs （III）的产物为三价砷（As （III））,对菌株FJ-6的基因组进行生物信息学分析,寻找潜在的MAs （III）脱甲基酶编码基因,通过PCR扩增获得arsI全长基因,构建重组质粒pET29a-arsI,转化大肠杆菌BL21（DE3）菌株进行异源表达,通过Ni²⁺-NTA亲和层析柱纯化异源表达的蛋白,以MAs （III）为反应底物,检测MAs （III）脱甲基酶ArsI的酶学特性。通过实时定量PCR观察arsI的表达类型。[结果] Bacillus aryabhattai FJ-6在12 h内能将1 μmol/L MAs （III）完全转化为As （III）。克隆得到MAs （III）脱甲基酶表达基因arsI,构建了pET29a-arsI重组质粒并进行了表达,ArsI蛋白分子量为17.4 kDa。ArsI纯化蛋白具有较高的MAs （III）脱甲基酶的活性;荧光定量PCR实验结果表明arsI受砷诱导表达。[结论] 明确了ArsI蛋白具有MAs （III）脱甲基酶活性。