Toxicity of the methyl isocyanate metabolite S-(N-methylcarbamoyl)GSH on mouse embryos in culture.

Methyl isocyanate, the chemical involved in the 1984 accident at Bhopal, India, forms a labile conjugate, S-(N-methylcarbamoyl)GSH (SMG), by way of a reversible reaction with GSH. We studied the toxicity of SMG on mouse embryos explanted on day 8 of gestation and cultured in rat serum for 42 hr. SMG caused concentration-dependent decreases in growth and development over the range 0.1-2 mM, without causing significant mortality. At a concentration of 2 mM, SMG completely arrested embryo development, but heartbeat was absent in only one of nine embryos at 42 hr. At a concentration of 0.25 mM, SMG reduced embryo size to 75% and protein content to 63% of the control; 18% of embryos failed to rotate. At this concentration (0.25 mM), which was selected for all other studies, spinal kinks and somite pair distortion in the region of the forelimb were evident in 38% of embryos; no other abnormalities were noted. DNA content of and thymidine incorporation by embryos and yolk sacs was reduced by SMG, although this was more pronounced in the yolk sac than in embryos. At subtoxic concentrations, the L-cysteine precursor (-)-2-oxo-4-thiazolidine-carboxylic acid did not, but GSH did, inhibit embryotoxicity of SMG. It is concluded that SMG exerts embryotoxic and dysmorphogenic effects and may contribute to systemic toxicity of methyl isocyanate.     

S-(2-chloroacetyl)glutathione, a reactive glutathione thiol ester and a putative metabolite of 1,1-dichloroethylene

Conversion of the toxic vinyl halide 1,1-dichloroethylene (DCE) to S-(2-S-glutathionyl-acetyl)glutathione (GSCH2COSG) involves sequential acylation and alkylation of two glutathione (GSH) molecules by the microsomal DCE metabolite ClCH2COCl. To examine its possible role in DCE biotransformation, we synthesized the putative intermediate S-(2-chloroacetyl)glutathione (ClCH2COSG). In aqueous buffer, ClCH2COSG did not hydrolyze to release GSH, but instead underwent a two-step rearrangement to yield a cyclic product. Product analyses by liquid secondary ion mass spectrometry and 1H-13C heteronuclear correlation nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy indicated that rearrangement involved initial transfer of the chloroacetyl moiety from the cysteinyl thiol to the gamma-glutamyl alpha-amine. The cysteinyl thiol then displaced chloride from the 2-chloroacetyl methylene carbon to yield the cyclic product. Incubation of 2 mM ClCH2COSG with 20 mM GSH yielded approximately 4.5-fold more cyclic product than GSCH2COSG. ClCH2COSG alkylated oxytocindithiol and N-acetyl-L-cysteine to yield S-[2-(alkylthio)acetyl]glutathione adducts analogous to GSCH2COSG. S-2-Chloroacetylation products were absent. In reacting with thiols by alkylation and in decomposing by rearrangement, ClCH2COSG displayed properties strikingly different from those of ClCH2COCl. Although much less reactive than its acyl halide precursor, ClCH2COSG may display greater selectivity in covalent modification of cellular targets in DCE intoxication.     

S-(4-Nitrophenacyl)glutathione is a specific substrate for glutathione transferase omega 1-1

Glutathione transferase omega 1-1 (GSTO1-1) catalyzes the biotransformation of arsenic and is implicated as a factor influencing the age-at-onset of Alzheimer’s disease and the posttranslational activation of interleukin 1β (IL-1β). Investigation of the biological role of GSTO1-1 variants has been hampered by the lack of a specific assay for GSTO1-1 activity in tissue samples that contain other GSTs and other enzymes with similar catalytic specificities. Previous studies (P. G. Board and M. W. Anders, Chem. Res. Toxicol. 20 (2007) 149-154) have shown that GSTO1-1 catalyzes the reduction of S-(phenacyl)glutathiones to acetophenones. A new substrate, S-(4-nitrophenacyl)glutathione (4NPG), has been prepared and found to have a high turnover with GSTO1-1 but negligible activity with GSTO2-2 and other members of the glutathione transferase superfamily. A spectrophotometric assay with 4NPG as a substrate has been used to determine GSTO1-1 activity in several human breast cancer cell lines and in mouse liver and brain tissues.     

Cytotoxicity of S-(1,2-dichlorovinyl)glutathione and S-(1,2-dichlorovinyl)-L-cysteine in isolated rat kidney cells

S-(1,2-Dichlorovinyl)glutathione (DCVG) and S-(1,2-dichlorovinyl)-L-cysteine (DCVC) produced time- and concentration-dependent cell death in isolated rat kidney proximal tubular cells. AT-125 blocked and glycylglycine potentiated DCVG toxicity, indicating that metabolism by gamma-glutamyltransferase is required. S-(1,2-Dichlorovinyl)-L-cysteinylglycine, a putative metabolite of DCVG, also produced cell death, which was prevented by 1,10-phenanthroline, phenylalanylglycine, and aminooxyacetic acid, inhibitors of aminopeptidase M, cysteinylglycine dipeptidase, and cysteine conjugate beta-lyase, respectively. Aminooxyacetic acid and probenecid protected against DCVC toxicity, indicating a role for metabolism by cysteine conjugate beta-lyase and organic anion transport, respectively. DCVC produced a small decrease in cellular glutathione concentrations and did not change cellular glutathione disulfide concentrations or initiate lipid peroxidation. DCVC caused a large decrease in cellular glutamate and ATP concentrations with a parallel decrease in the total adenine nucleotide pool; these changes were partially prevented by aminooxyacetic acid. Both DCVG and DCVC inhibited succinate-dependent oxygen consumption, but DCVC had no effect when glutamate + malate or ascorbate + N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine were the electron donors. DCVC inhibited mitochondrial, but not microsomal, Ca2+ sequestration. These alterations in mitochondrial function were partially prevented by inhibition of DCVG and DCVC metabolism and were strongly correlated with decreases in cell viability, indicating that mitochondria may be the primary targets of nephrotoxic cysteine S-conjugates.     

Inhibition of octopus glutathione transferase by Meisenheimer complex analog, S-(2,4,6-trinitrophenyl) glutathione

The tight binding of Meisenheimer intermediate with octopus digestive gland glutathione transferase was analyzed with 1,3,5-trinitrobenzene, which forms a trapped Meisenheimer complex with glutathione because there is no leaving group at the ipso carbon. By steady-state enzyme kinetic analysis, an inhibition constant of 1.89 ± 0.17 M was found for the transient formed, S-(2,4,6-trinitrophenyl) glutathione. The above inhibition constant is 407-fold smaller than the K _m value for the substrate (2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene). Thus, S-(2,4,6-trinitrophenyl) glutathione is considered to be a transition-state analog. The tight binding of this inhibitor to the enzyme provides an explanation for the involvement of the biological binding effect on the rate enhancement in the glutathione transferase-catalyzed S_NAr mechanism.     

Identification of S-1,2,2-trichlorovinyl-N-acetylcysteine as a urinary metabolite of tetrachloroethylene: bioactivation through glutathione conjugation as a possible explanation of its nephrocarcinogenicity

The elimination and metabolism of [14-C]-tetrachloroethylene (Tetra) was studied in female rats and mice after the oral administration of 800 mg/kg [14-C]-Tetra. Elimination of unchanged Tetra was the main pathway of elimination in both species and amounted to 91.2% of the dose in rats and 85.1% in mice. [14-C]-Carbon dioxide (CO2) was found to be a trace metabolite of [14-C]-Tetra. Only a small part of the applied dose was transformed to urinary (rats = 2.3%, mice = 7.1%) and fecal (rats = 2.0%, mice = 0.5%) metabolites. The urinary metabolites were separated and quantified by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and identified by gas liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The following metabolites could be identified: oxalic acid (8.0% of urinary radioactivity in rats, 2.9% in mice), dichloroacetic acid (5.1%, 4.4%), trichloroacetic acid (54.0%, 57.8%), N-trichloroacetyl-aminoethanol (5.4%, 5.7%), trichloroethanol, free and conjugated (8.7%, 8.0%), S-1,2,2-trichlorovinyl-N-acetylcysteine (N-acetyl TCVC) (1.6%, 0.5%), and another conjugate of trichloroacetic acid (1.8%, 1.3%). The structures of the identified metabolites indicate two different pathways operative in Tetra biotransformation: cytochrome P-450-mediated epoxidation forming reactive metabolites in the liver and conjugation of Tetra with glutathione (GSH) catalyzed by glutathione transferase(s). The formation of reactive intermediates by renal processing of the glutathione conjugates may provide a molecular mechanism for the nephrotoxicity and nephrocarcinogenicity of Tetra in male rats.     

S-(4-Bromo-2,3-dioxobutyl)glutathione: a new affinity label for the 4-4 isoenzyme of rat liver glutathione S-transferase

S-(4-Bromo-2,3-dioxobutyl)glutathione (S-BDB-G), a reactive analogue of glutathione, has been synthesized and characterized by UV spectroscopy and thin-layer chromatography, as well as by bromide and primary amine analysis. Incubation of S-BDB-G (200 microM) with the 4-4 isoenzyme of rat liver glutathione S-transferase at pH 6.5 and 25 degrees C results in a time-dependent inactivation of the enzyme. The kobs exhibits a nonlinear dependence on S-BDB-G concentration from 50 to 1000 microM, with a kmax of 0.078 min-1 and K1 = 66 microM. The addition of 5 mM S-hexylglutathione, a competitive inhibitor with respect to glutathione, completely protects against inactivation by S-BDB-G. About 1.3 mol of [3H]S-BDB-G/mol of enzyme subunit is incorporated concomitant with 100% inactivation, whereas only 0.48 mol of reagent/mol of subunit is incorporated in the presence of S-hexylglutathione when activity is fully retained. Modified enzyme, prepared by incubating glutathione S-transferase with [3H]S-BDB-G in the absence or in the presence of S-hexylglutathione, was reduced with NaBH4, carboxymethylated, and digested with trypsin. The tryptic digest was fractionated by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. Two radioactive peptides were identified: Lys82-His-Asn-Leu-X-Gly-Glu-Thr-Glu-Glu-Glu-Arg93, in which X is modified Cys86, and Leu109-Gln-Leu-Ala-Met-CmCys-Y-Ser-Pro-Asp-Phe-Glu-Arg121 , in which Y is modified Tyr115. Only the Lys82-Arg93 peptide was modified in the presence of S-hexylglutathione when the enzyme retained full activity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Sequential enzyme-catalyzed metabolism of 4-nitrotoluene to S-(4-nitrobenzyl)glutathione

[14C]-4-Nitrotoluene was metabolized by rat liver postmitochondrial supernatant containing NADPH, reduced glutathione and a sulfate activating system to 4-nitrobenzyl alcohol, 4-nitrobenzyl sulfate, and S-(4-nitrobenzyl) glutathione. Formation of both sulfur-containing metabolites was dependent on the presence of a sulfate activating system. These results suggest that the glutathione conjugate was derived from 4-nitrobenzyl sulfate. Reaction of 4-nitrobenzyl sulfate with glutathione was not detected in pH 7.4 buffer, but rat liver cytosol catalyzed the formation of the glutathione conjugate from 4-nitrobenzyl sulfate. These results show that 4-nitrotoluene is metabolized in rat liver by sequential side chain oxidation, sulfation, and glutathione conjugation. Furthermore, they indicate that, unlike certain other arylmethyl sulfates, 4-nitrobenzyl sulfate is not highly reactive.     

Photoaffinity labelling by S-(p-azidophenacyl)-glutathione of glyoxalase II and glutathione S-transferase

S-(p-azidophenacyl)-glutathione, $\text{l}$, is a linear competitive inhibitor at pH 7.40 of beef liver glyoxalase II with K_i = 7.96 × 10^?4 M. On irradiation at 340 nm it covalently inhibits glyoxalase II to a level of 42 ± 5% inhibition. This photoaffinity labelling is prevented by the presence of a glyoxalase II competitive inhibitor (the hemimercaptal of glutathione and methylglyoxal). A crude preparation of sheep liver glutathione S-transferases is also irreversibly inactivated (86% ± 5% inhibition) by irradiation at 320 nm in the presence of $\text{l}$.     

(S)-2-chloro-2-fluoroethanoyl isocyanate,a chiral derivative of trichloroacetyl isocyanate

Carbamate diastereomers 3b-18b were prepared from easily accessible (S)-2-chloro-2-fluoroethanoyl isocyanate (1) and various secondary chiral alcohols. Compound 1 as a chiral analog of trichloroacetyl isocyanate undergoes the reaction with alcohols very fast, thus blocking the hydroxyl group for the purposes of NMR investigation. Moreover, the correlation of stereochemistry of 3b-18b with their (1)H NMR spectra revealed that the constitution as well as configuration influences regularly the values of chemical shift difference (deltadelta = delta(R) - delta(S)) except for those diastereomers bearing simple alkyl groups in the molecule. Spectral as well as crystallographic data manifest the predominant planar conformation of the central part of the molecule. Due to the good accessibility and high reactivity in particular, the acylisocyanate 1 might be considered, to some extent, an alternative for TAI giving additional information on a compound's spatial structure.     

Cytogenetic effects of methyl isocyanate exposure in Bhopal

Summary Among human survivors following the methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas tragedy the major complaints have been related to deep-seated suffocation, terrible pain in breathing, and severe ocular irritations. In order to assess the possible genetic effects we have used lymphocyte cultures and screened chromosomes by two techniques; one by looking for chromosomal aberrations and the other by estimating sister-chromatid exchange (SCE) frequencies. Both these paramaters are good indicators of genetic damage in chromosomal DNA. SCE frequencies in lymphocytes have been increased more than three times in MIC-exposed persons. The results were compared to two groups of controls (one group comprising persons present in the same house; the second group of persons were chosen from distant places, 20–50 km away from the incident). Chromosomal breaks have been observed in 10 out of 14 MIC-affected people (71.4%) studied while only 6 out of 28 (21.4%) controls had chromosomal breaks. Some MIC-exposed persons had chromatin bodies in addition to the normal 46 chromosomes. These observations suggest that chromosomal DNA has been damaged.     

S-(1,2-dicarboxyethyl)glutathione and activity for its synthesis in rat tissues

The contents of S-(1,2-dicarboxyethyl)glutathione (DCE-GS) in several tissues of rat were determined by HPLC. The peptide was present at concentrations (nmol/g tissue) of 119 in lens, 71.6 in liver, and 27.4 in heart. It was, however, not detected in spleen, kidney, cerebrum, or cerebellum. In rat liver, DCE-GS was located primarily in the cytosolic fraction. The substrates for the enzymic synthesis of DCE-GS were GSH and L-malate. In rats, the DCE-GS-synthesizing activity was found to be highest in the liver and in the cytosol of rat liver subcellular fractions. The DCE-GS-synthesizing enzyme was partially purified from rat liver cytosolic fraction by ammonium sulfate fractionation, Phenyl Superose chromatography, hydroxyapatite chromatography, and gel filtration. The molecular mass of the enzyme was estimated to be 53 kDa by gel filtration and SDS-PAGE, showing it to be a monomeric protein. The Km values for GSH and L-malate were 2.3 and 4.0 mM at 37 degrees C, respectively. The enzyme did not utilize 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene, 1,2-dichloro-4-nitrobenzene, p-nitrophenyl bromide, trans-4-phenyl-3-buten-2-one, or p-nitrobenzyl chloride, which were substrates for previously characterized glutathione S-transferases. The isolated enzyme preparation showed no fumarase activity, which supported the conclusion that the formation of DCE-GS was not the result of a nonenzymic reaction following the synthesis of fumarate from L-malate by the isolated enzyme. The N-terminal amino acid of this polypeptide was presumably blocked since no sequence was obtained by automatic sequencing after electro-blotting onto a siliconized-glass fiber (SGF) sheet.     

S-(2,3-dichlorotriazinyl)glutathione. A new affinity label for probing the structure and function of glutathione transferases.

S-(2,3-Dichlorotriazinyl)glutathione (SDTG) was synthesized and shown to be an effective alkylating affinity label for recombinant maize glutathione S-transferase I (GST I). Inactivation of GST I by SDTG at pH 6.5 followed biphasic pseudo-first-order saturation kinetics. The biphasic kinetics can be described in terms of a fast initial phase of inactivation followed by a slower phase, leading to 42 +/- 3% residual activity. The rate of inactivation for both phases exhibits nonlinear dependence on SDTG concentration, consistent with the formation of a reversible complex with the enzyme (K(d) 107.9 +/- 2.1 micro m for the fast phase, and 224.5 +/- 4.2 micro m for the slow phase) before irreversible modification with maximum rate constants of 0.049 +/- 0.002 min(-1) and 0.0153 +/- 0.001 min(-1) for the fast and slow phases, respectively. Protection from inactivation was afforded by substrate analogues, demonstrating the specificity of the reaction. When the enzyme was inactivated (42% residual activity), approximately 1 mol SDTG per mol dimeric enzyme was incorporated. Amino-acid analysis, molecular modelling, and site-directed mutagenesis studies suggested that the modifying residue is Met121, which is located at the end of alpha-helix H"'(3) and forms part of the xenobiotic-binding site. The results reveal an unexpected structural communication between subunits, which consists of mutually exclusive modification of Met residues across enzyme subunits. Thus, modification of Met121 on one subunit prevents modification of Met121 on the other subunit. This communication is governed by Phe51, which is located at the dimer interface and forms part of the hydrophobic lock-and-key intersubunit motif. The ability of SDTG to inactivate other glutathione-binding enzymes and GST isoenzymes was also investigated, and it was concluded that this new reagent may have general applicability as an affinity reagent for other enzymes with glutathione-binding sites.     

Excretion,distribution and metabolism of S-(2,4-dinitrophenyl) glutathione in the American cockroach

The excretion, distribution and metabolism of S-(2,4-dinitrophenyl) glutathione was investigated in adult American cockroaches, Periplaneta americana (L.).One day after administration 50% of the injected dose was excreted as the glutathione conjugate and its mercapturic acid. Three days after treatment about 40% of the initial dose was still present in the roaches, primarily in the abdomen.The metabolites identified in the roach suggest mercapturic acid synthesis, as in higher organisms.     

ATP-stimulated uptake of S-(2,4-dinitrophenyl)glutathione by plasma membrane vesicles from rat liver

ATP-stimulated uptake of S-(2,4-dinitrophenyl)glutathione with a high activity of 0.35 nmol/min per mg protein is found in a rat liver plasma membrane vesicle preparation enriched in sinusoidal marker enzymes. Transport takes place into an osmotically active space. Vanadate and S-(azidophenacyl)glutathione inhibit transport, whereas Ca2+, EGTA and ouabain are without effect.