Molecular mechanism of action of the radioprotective substance WR 2721

The radioprotective effect of WR 2721 on catalase and the type and loci of its interaction with the enzyme have been investigated by means of spectrophotometric and electron spin resonance, (ESR) methods. The radiation damage, indicated by a change in enzymatic activity and in the Soret absorption band, has been the less the larger the WR 2721 concentration. In the case of ESR investigations, addition of WR 2721 has resulted in a reduction of the spin concentration of Cu-2+. Since cysteamine has exhibited similar results, however, to a lesser extent, it can be assumed that the RS-ions are responsible for the protective effect. From the results obtained it can be concluded that (the dephosphorilized) WR 2721 forms a complex with the enzyme and acts as an electron donor.     

Oxygen-dependent protection of radiation lung damage in mice by WR 2721

The modification of early and late radiation damage to the mouse lung by oxygen and WR 2721 has been studied by measurement of breathing rate, lethality, pleural fluid and hydroxyproline content. Protection by hypoxia and sensitization by hyperoxia of early radiation pneumonitis were demonstrated. There was a tendency for the protective effect of WR 2721 to decrease as the breathed oxygen concentration was raised above normal levels. WR 2721 protection of the late damage was higher (PF = 1.6-1.65) than was seen for early pneumonitis (PF = 1.3-1.35) when either breathing rate or lethality were used. Protection factors (PF) gained from measurements of pleural fluid at a year after treatment were similar to those for other endpoints of late damage (PF = 1.7). In contrast, the measurement of fibrosis through determination of lung hydroxyproline at 1 year gave a somewhat lower protection factor for WR 2721. In the same experiments the degree of epilation on the dorsal thorax was scored at 6 weeks. One hundred per cent oxygen gave enhancement (dose enhancement factor (DEF) = 1.2), 9 per cent oxygen reduced damage (DEF less than 0.7) and WR 2721 gave PF values in excess of 1.4 at all oxygen concentrations used. This showed that the radiation response of hair follicles was more sensitive to WR 2721 or to changes of oxygen than the lung. The results presented indicate a competitive interaction between WR 2721 and oxygen for the same injury site causing a shift in the oxygen K curve to higher oxygen concentrations. The validity of applying functional or survival measurements to assess the extent of pulmonary fibrosis is discussed.     

Induction of micronucleated erythrocytes by MEA,AET, WR-2721 and X-rays

The induction of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes (MNPCEs) was assessed in the bone marrow of adult male Swiss mice treated with MEA (cysteamine HCl), AET (2-aminoethylisothiouronium Br.HBr), or WR-2721 (S-2-(3-aminopropylamino)ethyl phosphorothioic acid), at a dose of 200 mg/kg body weight, and/or exposed to 6 Gy X-rays. MEA, AET, or WR-2721 was given alone or 15 min prior to X-ray exposure, and the frequency of MNPCEs was determined 24 h after the aminothiol treatment and X-irradiation of mice. A genotoxic effect was shown for MEA, AET, WR-2721, and X-rays, as well as a protective effect of the aminothiols against X-ray-induced genotoxicity in the mouse erythropoietic system. The aminothiol drugs given alone, without subsequent X-irradiation, elevated the frequency of MNPCEs, and WR-2721 appeared to be less toxic than AET and MEA. After exposure of mice to X-rays, the number of MNPCEs was distinctly increased. MEA, AET, or WR-2721 administration prior to X-irradiation resulted in a reduction of the X-ray-induced elevation of the frequency of micronuclei, but a stronger radioprotective effect was obtained following WR-2721 and AET treatment than after MEA application. So, the genotoxic and radioprotective effect of the aminothiols was dependent on the compound applied.     

Biodistribution of the radioprotective drug 35S-labeled 3-amino-2-hydroxypropyl phosphorothioate (WR77913)

3-Amino-2-hydroxypropyl phosphorothioate (WR77913), a less toxic phosphorothioate radioprotector than WR2721, has been labeled with 35S. The biodistribution of a radioprotective dose of 800 mg/kg was determined in C3H mice bearing RIF-1 tumors as a function of time after intraperitoneal injection and was expressed as percentage injected dose/gram (% ID/g). Levels of 35S in the blood peaked 10 min after injection, and radioactivity in most tissues was highest at 15 min. Label in most tissues declined markedly between 15 and 60 min, but in gut, salivary glands, tumor, and brain, the levels of radioactivity remained quite stable over 1 hr. At 30 min after injection the highest levels of labeled drug were found in submandibular salivary glands, gut, and kidney, with the lowest level in brain. Tumors had approximately the same amount of label as blood, muscle, skin, and esophagus. Two principal differences between the distribution of label from WR77913 and WR2721 were defined. Although blood levels of 35S-WR2721 also peaked 10 min after injection, the 10-min blood levels achieved for WR77913 were more than fourfold greater than those attained by WR2721. Maximum levels of WR2721 occurred in most tissues 30 to 60 min after administration of the drug, compared to 15 min for WR77913. The basis for these differences remains to be determined, but these results suggest that the optimum interval between administration of WR77913 and irradiation may be shorter than for WR2721.     

The differential protection by WR2721 of skin versus growing cartilage following irradiation in weanling rats

The potential for radioprotection of growing cartilage by the thiophosphate WR2721 was evaluated in weanling rats using single fractions of irradiation. Protection of acute skin toxicity was monitored simultaneously. Single doses of 600, 1200, 1800, or 2400 cGy were administered to the left tibia of CrL:CD(SD)BR female rats in groups of 12. Identically treated groups were injected with 310 mg/kg WR2721 (2/3 the determined LD50/30) in a concentration of 26 mg/ml intraperitoneally 15 min prior to irradiation. Rats untreated or given WR2721 without radiation served as control groups. Radiographs of the irradiated and unirradiated tibiae for each animal were obtained weekly to the date of sacrifice at 80 days following the initial treatment. Skin toxicity was assessed weekly starting on the second week using Moulder's scale (J.E. Moulder, J.J. Fischer, and A. Casey, Radiology 115, 465-470 (1975]. No significant difference in bone growth as measured by tibial lengths for the WR2721-treated or untreated animals was observed. Skin toxicity including moist desquamation occurred in irradiated limbs and was substantially less in rats treated with WR2721. As opposed to previous work with cysteamine, WR2721 as administered had no significant radioprotective effect on tibial growth in weanling rats but substantially reduced the accompanying skin toxicity.     

Radioprotective activity of ethylcellulose microspheres containing WR 2721, after oral administration

Ethylcellulose microspheres containing WR 2721 were prepared by the emulsion-solvent evaporation technique. No significant loss or degradation of this phosphorothioate was noted during preparation. Oral administration of these microspheres to mice gave an important lowering of WR 2721 toxicity and an enhancement of its radioprotective activity with a D.R.F. of about 1.7-1.8 over 2-3 h. This action is explained by the protection of WR 2721 from acid hydrolysis and degradation in the gastro-intestinal tract. The adsorption of a fraction of WR 2721 onto the surface of microspheres constitutes an inconvenience. This study confirms the interest of such carriers for providing important sustained radioprotection after oral administration.     

Induction of marrow hypoxia by radioprotective agents

The ability of thiol and non-thiol radioprotectors to induce hypoxia was determined using the binding of [3H]misonidazole by bone marrow cells as a measure of hypoxia. When administered at maximally radioprotective doses, four drugs (WR-2721, cysteamine, 5-hydroxytryptamine, and 16,16-dimethyl prostaglandin E2) significantly increased the amount of [3H]misonidazole bound by marrow cells, while no significant increase in binding was observed with three other agents (endotoxin, AET, superoxide dimutase). Doses of WR-2721 previously shown to provide suboptimal radioprotection did not significantly increase 3H-misonidazole binding. These results suggest that the physiological effects of some radioprotectors, that is, their ability to induce marrow hypoxia, may contribute to their efficacy in vivo.     

In vitro evaluation of some latent radioprotective compounds.

In tissue culture, protection against X-irradiation by a number of cysteamine derivatives was studied and the results were compared with data obtained in mice. Compounds with a covered SH group, like WR 638, cysteamine phosphate, WR 2721, and AE 48527, showed practically no protection when dissolved in tissue-culture medium, but developed a protective activity when dissolved in rat blood. Thiol measurements demonstrated that in rat blood the compounds were partly hydrolysed to thiols. C511 was also hydrolysed in culture medium and was slightly less effective than cysteamine in culture medium. Cysteamine phosphate was hydrolsed more easily than cysteamine sulphate and the protective activity in rat blood was better. WR 2721 was also partly hydrolysed in rat blood. The in vitro protection of this compound was disappointing when compared with results in vivo. Its SH form (WR 1065) also showed less protection than expected from in vivo experiments. Thus, the little protection by WR 2721 in vitro in rat blood is not only due to its incomplete conversion into its thiol. Longer incubation times and the use of rat blood as a solvent brought the protective activity of WR 1065 almost up to the level of cysteamine. This may indicate that WR 1065 penetrates the cells poorly. WR 1065 was the only compound we studied whose protective activity in vitro was improved appreciably by dissolving it in rat plasma.     

Thiol-disulfide interchange between cystine and N-2-mercaptoethyl-1, 3-diaminopropane as a potential treatment for cystinuria

The radioprotective compound WR2721 is a thiophosphate, which, when administered orally, is activated at the acid pH of the stomach to its free thiol (MDP). The free thiol is a mucolytic compound which acts via the reduction of disulfide bonds of mucin molecules. An equimolar mixture of MDP and cysteine, in urine at pH 6.0 and 37 degrees C, when oxidized by molecular oxygen, preferentially forms the soluble mixed disulfide between MDP and cysteine. The disulfide cystine will undergo thiol-disulfide interchange with MDP; as a result, cystine crystals are effectively dissolved. Moreover, in the presence of catalytic amounts of free thiol, the disulfide of MDP will undergo thiol-disulfide interchange with cystine to dissolve cystine crystals. The mixed disulfide of MDP with cysteine is soluble in urine at pH 6.0 and 37 degrees C to at least 100 mg/ml. Chromatographic procedures which permit the analysis of MDP and its mixed disulfide derivatives as MDP-sulfonic acid are described. By these procedures, it was demonstrated that 20% of a single oral dose of WR2721 was excreted as MDP derivatives in the urine of normal volunteers. These procedures will permit the evaluation of WR2721 in the treatment of cystinuria.     

WR-2721, its derivatives and their radioprotective effects on mammalian cells in culture

Although it is well known that WR-2721 is very efficient in protecting mice against lethal irradiation, we could not find any radioprotective effect of WR-2721 on mouse L cells in culture. But WR-1065 alone (free SH form of WR-2721), and WR-2721 pre-incubated with mouse liver homogenate, showed radioprotective ability. It was found that mouse liver homogenate dephosphorylated WR-2721 to WR-1065. The highest WR-2721 metabolizing activity was found in mouse liver homogenate and Chang liver cell homogenate. Homogenates of human liver and kidney were also shown to possess moderate activity for metabolizing WR-2721. These results suggest to us that WR-2721 must be dephosphorylated before exerting its radioprotective effect and that this dephosphorylating activity varies with tissues. It is demonstrated therefore that mouse L cell in culture is a novel system to assess the extent of dephosphorylation of WR-2721 in various tissues.     

Postirradiation glucan administration enhances the radioprotective effects of WR-2721

Based on murine survival studies, endogenous hemopoietic spleen colony formation (E-CFU), and recovery of bone marrow and splenic granulocyte-macrophage colony-forming cells (GM-CFC), it was demonstrated that the postirradiation administration of glucan, an immunomodulator and hemopoietic stimulant, enhances the radioprotective effects of WR-2721. LD50/30 dose reduction factors for mice treated with WR-2721 (200 mg/kg approximately 30 min before irradiation), glucan (250 mg/kg approximately 1 h after irradiation), or both agents were 1.37, 1.08, and 1.52, respectively. Enhanced survival in mice treated with both agents appeared to be due in part to glucan's ability to accelerate hemopoietic regeneration from stem cells initially protected from radiation-induced lethality by WR-2721. Following a 10-Gy radiation exposure, E-CFU numbers in mice treated with saline, WR-2721, glucan, or both WR-2721 and glucan were 0.05 +/- 0.03, 6.70 +/- 1.05, 0.95 +/- 0.24, and 33.90 +/- 2.96, respectively. Similarly, bone marrow and splenic GM-CFC numbers were greater in mice treated with both WR-2721 and glucan than in mice treated with either agent alone. These results demonstrated at least additive radioprotective effects when mice were given WR-2721 prior to irradiation and glucan following irradiation. These effects appeared to depend on the sequential cell protection mediated by WR-2721 and hemopoietic repopulation mediated by glucan.     

Bowman-Birk proteinase inhibitor-mediated radioprotection against UV irradiation is TP53-dependent and associated with stimulation of nucleotide excision repair

The Bowman-Birk proteinase inhibitor (BBI) has previously been described as a radioprotective agent against ionising radiation. It was demonstrated that BBI is able to significantly increase the clonogenic cell survival of normal fibroblasts when applied before exposure to ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation. In transformed TP53-mutated cell lines, however, the BBI-mediated radioprotection was absent. At the molecular level, the radioprotective effect of BBI can be correlated with BBI-mediated stabilisation of TP53 protein prior to irradiation. Following UVB irradiation, the BBI-treated cells present an accelerated removal of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers. Thus, the cell and molecular biological data presented suggest that BBI is able to protect cells with functional TP53 from UVB-induced DNA damage. This protective effect is most likely achieved via the activation of the TP53 signalling cascade resulting in the activation of nucleotide excision repair. Received: 7 August 2000 / Accepted: 11 January 2001     

Phosphatidylserine externalization during bone marrow cell death after treatment of mice with WR-2721 and gamma-rays

The cell surface exposure of phosphatidylserine (PS) and the plasma membrane impairment were assessed in the bone marrow of adult male Swiss mice exposed to a single 6 Gy dose of 60 Co gamma-rays, and treated intraperitoneally with the aminothiol WR-2721 (Amifostine, S-2-/3-aminopropylamino/ethyl phosphorothioic acid), at a dose of 400 mg/kg body weight, 30 min prior to gamma-irradiation. The bone marrow cells were stained with a combination of fluoresceinated annexin V (annexin V--FITC) and propidium iodide (PI) at 3 h, 7 h, and 24 h after treatment of mice with WR-2721 and 60Co gamma-irradiation. The number of early apoptotic cells (annexin V--FITC positive/PI negative), and late apoptotic and necrotic cells (annexin V--FITC positive/PI positive), was increased at 3 h after exposure of mice to 60Co gamma-rays and thereafter declined with the frequency of apoptotic and necrotic cells remaining lower in WR-2721 pre-treated mice. Using the annexin V--FITC flow cytometric assay, the radioprotective effect of WR-2721 against induction of apoptosis and necrosis in normal cells of the haematopoietic system was shown.     

Simultaneous protective and damaging effects of cysteamine on intracellular DNA of leukocytes

Incubation of human leukocytes with cysteamine can lead to the induction of DNA strand breaks. The induction of breaks is biphasic with increasing concentration of scavenger. The number of breaks increases in a dose-dependent manner to a maximum and then decreases at higher concentrations. Catalase has been shown to prevent the production of breaks, indicating an involvement of hydrogen peroxide. Cysteamine reacts with oxygen to generate hydrogen peroxide but at higher concentrations it also reacts with hydrogen peroxide. Thus, the biphasic effect of cysteamine on leukocyte DNA may be due to the sum of two separate reaction pathways. (i) Cysteamine reacts with oxygen to generate hydrogen peroxide which leads to DNA strand breakage. (ii) At higher concentrations, it eliminates hydrogen peroxide by reacting with it, thereby protecting the cellular DNA. Other antioxidant scavengers such as WR2721, acetylcysteine and ascorbate can also autooxidize to produce strand breaks. Thiourea and tetramethylurea do not. When tested for their ability to protect cells against DNA damage from added H2O2, the agent which most damaging by itself, cysteamine, was also the most protective.     

Quercetin ameliorates gamma radiation-induced DNA damage and biochemical changes in human peripheral blood lymphocytes

We investigated the radioprotective efficacy of quercetin (QN), a naturally occurring flavonoid against gamma radiation-induced damage in human peripheral blood lymphocytes and plasmid DNA. In plasmid study, QN at different concentrations (3, 6, 12, 24 and 48 microM) were pre-incubated with plasmid DNA for 1h followed by exposure of 6 Gy radiation. Among all concentrations of QN used, 24 microM showed optimum radioprotective potential. To establish the most effective protective concentration of QN in lymphocytes, the cells were pre-incubated with 3, 6, 12, 24 and 48 microM of QN for 30 min and then exposed to 4 Gy gamma-radiation. The concentration-dependent effects of QN were evaluated by scoring micronuclei (MN) frequencies. The results showed that QN decreased the MN frequencies dose dependently, but the effect was more pronounced at 24 microM. Thus, 24 microM of QN was selected as the optimum concentration and was further used to evaluate its radioprotective effect in lymphocytes. For that a separate experiment was carried out, in which lymphocytes were incubated with QN (24 microM) for 30 min and exposed to different doses of radiation (1, 2, 3 and 4 Gy). Genetic damage (MN, dicentric aberration and comet attributes) and biochemical changes were measured to evaluate the effect of QN on gamma-radiations (1-4 Gy). Radiation exposed showed significant increases in the genetic damage and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) accompanied by a significant decrease in the antioxidant status. QN pretreatment significantly decreased the genetic damage and TBARS and improved antioxidant status through its antioxidant potential. Altogether, our findings encourage further mechanistic and in vivo studies to investigate radioprotective efficacy of QN.     

Reaction of 4-hydroxynonenal with some thiol-containing radioprotective agents or their active metabolites

The rate of reaction of several radioprotective agents or their active metabolites with 4-hydroxynonenal (4HNE) was studied and compared to the rate of reaction with cysteine (Cys) and glutathione (GSH). The agents studied were: mercapto ethylamine (MEA); 2(3-aminopropyl) aminoethanethiol (WR1065); S-2-aminoethylisothiouronium bromide-hydrobromide (AET); 1,4-dithiothreitol (DTT); 1,4-dithioerythritol (DTE); N-2(2-mercaptopropionyl)-glycine (MPG); penicillamine hydrochloride (PA); N-acetylcysteine (NAC); 2–3 dimercapto-1 propane sulfonic acid (DMPS); 2,3-dimercaptopropanol (BAL), and meso 2,3 dimercapto succinic acid (DMS). All of them reacted with 4HNE. MEA and WR1065 were the most reactive thiols, and PA and DMS were the least reactive thiols. All the others reacted at rates comparable to or higher than that of cysteine or GSH. The potential role of this type of interactions in the protective action of these drugs against deleterious effects of radiation or carbon tetrachloride is analyzed.     

Relationship between phosphorylated histone H2AX formation and cell survival in human microvascular endothelial cells (HMEC) as a function of ionizing radiation exposure in the presence or absence of thiol-containing drugs

Human microvascular endothelial cells (HMEC) were exposed to ionizing radiation at doses ranging from 0 to 16 Gy in either the presence or absence of the active thiol forms of amifostine (WR1065), phosphonol (WR255591), N-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC), captopril or mesna. Each of these clinically relevant thiols, administered to HMEC at a dose of 4 mM for 30 min prior to irradiation, is known to exhibit antioxidant properties. The purpose of this investigation was to determine the relationship(s), if any, between the frequency of radiation-induced histone H2AX phosphorylation at serine 139 (gamma-H2AX) in cells and subsequent survival, as assessed by colony-forming ability, in exposed cell populations as a function of the presence or absence of each of the five thiol compounds during irradiation. gamma-H2AX formation in irradiated cells, as a function of relative DNA content, was quantified by bivariant flow cytometry analysis with FITC-conjugated gamma-H2AX antibody and nuclear DAPI staining. gamma-H2AX formation in cells was measured as the relative fold increase as a function of the treatment conditions. The frequency of gamma-H2AX-positive cells increased with increasing dose of radiation followed by a dose- and time-dependent decay. The most robust response for gamma-H2AX formation occurred 1 h after irradiation with their relative frequencies decreasing as a function of time 4 and 24 h later. To assess the effects of the various thiols on gamma-H2AX formation, all measurements were made 1 h after irradiation. WR1065 was not only effective in protecting HMEC against gamma-H2AX formation across the entire dose range of radiation exposures used, but it was also significantly more cytoprotective than either its prodrug (WR2721) or disulfide (WR33278) analogue. WR1065 had no significant effect on gamma-H2AX formation when administered immediately or up to 30 min after radiation exposure. An inhibitory effect against gamma-H2AX formation induced by 8 Gy of radiation was expressed by each of the thiols tested. NAC, captopril and mesna were equally effective in reducing the frequency of gamma-H2AX formation, with both WR1065 and WR255591 exhibiting a slightly more robust protective effect. Each of the five thiols was effective in reducing the frequency of gamma-H2AX-positive cells across all phases of the cell cycle. In contrast to the relative ability of each of these thiols to inhibit gamma-H2AX formation after irradiation, NAC, captopril and mesna afforded no protection to HMEC as determined using a colony-forming survival assay. Only WR1065 and WR255591 were effective in reducing the frequencies of radiation-induced gamma-H2AX-positive cells as well as protecting against cell death. These results suggest that the use of gamma-H2AX as a biomarker for screening the efficacy of novel antioxidant radioprotective compounds is highly problematic since their formation and disappearance may be linked to processes beyond simply the formation and repair of radiation-induced DSBs.     

重组人血小板生成素早期干预救治重症急性放射病猴的实验研究

重组人血小板生成素（rhTPO）是一种能促进巨核系祖细胞增殖、分化生成血小板的造血因子,研究表明它能促进射线照射小鼠造血功能恢复,前期工作证明rhTPO早期干预可显著提高致死剂量照射小鼠的活存率.本文以7.0Gy照射恒河猴为重度骨髓型急性放射病（ARS）模型,研究了rhTPO早期干预对重症ARS的治疗作用,并与WR2721和＂500＂的辐射防护作用进行了比较,结果发现rhTPO早期干预可明显促进ARS猴造血功能恢复,改善ARS猴症状,简化对症治疗措施,提高重度骨髓型ARS猴活存率,其对重度骨髓型ARS的防治作用优于现有的辐射防护药WR2721和＂500＂,有望开发成安全有效的新型辐射防治药物.     

The effect of sodium azide on the thermotolerance of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida albicans

The addition of sodium azide (a mitochondrial inhibitor) at a concentration of 0.15 mM to glucosegrown Saccharomyces cerevisiae or Candida albicans cells before exposing them to heat shock increased cell survival. At higher concentrations of azide, its protective effect on glucose-grown cells decreased. Furthermore, azide, even at low concentrations, diminished the thermotolerance of galactose-grown yeast cells. It is suggested that azide exerts a protective effect on the thermotolerance of yeast cells when their energy requirements are met by the fermentation of glucose. However, when cells obtain energy through respiratory metabolism, the azide inhibition of mitochondria enhances damage inflicted on the cells by heat shock.     

Hydrolysis of WR2721 by mouse liver cell fractions

A study of the dephosphorylation of WR2721 by broken cell preparations of mouse liver revealed the presence of at least two distinctive activities. One activity was inactivated by heat treatment and was present in the nuclear and microsomal fractions. It had an optimum pH at 9 and was inhibited by sodium vanadate, EDTA, and phenylalanine. Further subcellular fractionation demonstrated the localization of this activity in plasma membrane. A second WR2721 hydrolysis activity was detected in the cytosol fraction (postmicrosomal supernatant), which changed little with pH over the range of 5 to 10; sodium vanadate did not inhibit it. The cytosolic activity in response to heat treatment was complicated since there was an initial decrease followed by an increase in catalytic activity as a function of time at 55 degrees C. Enzyme kinetic analysis of the plasma membrane-associated activity in the microsomal fraction was performed, and Km and Vmax values of 12.5 and 69.9 nmol/min/mg protein, respectively, were obtained.