The iron chelator Dp44mT does not protect myocytes against doxorubicin

The iron chelating agent Dp44mT (di-2-pyridylketone-4,4-dimethyl-3-thiosemicarbazone) and the clinically approved cardioprotective agent dexrazoxane (ICRF-187) were compared for their ability to protect neonatal rat cardiac myocytes from doxorubicin-induced damage. Doxorubicin is thought to induce oxidative stress on the heart muscle through iron-mediated oxygen radical damage. While dexrazoxane was able to protect myocytes from doxorubicin-induced lactate dehydrogenase release, in contrast Dp44mT synergistically increased doxorubicin-induced damage. This occurred in spite of the fact that Dp44mT quickly and efficiently removed iron(III) from its complex with doxorubicin and that Dp44mT also rapidly entered myocytes and displaced iron from a fluorescence-quenched trapped intracellular iron-calcein complex. Electron paramagnetic resonance spin trapping was used to show that iron complexes of Dp44mT were not able to generate hydroxyl radicals, suggesting that its cytotoxicity was not due to reactive oxygen species formation. In conclusion Dp44mT is unlikely to be useful as an anthracycline cardioprotective agent.     

Determination of a new oral iron chelator, ICL670, and its iron complex in plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography and ultraviolet detection

ICL670 is a representative of a new class of orally active tridentate selective iron chelators. Two molecules of ICL670 are required to form a complete hexacoordinate chelate Fe–[ICL670]₂ with one ferric iron. A simple and rapid HPLC–UV method for the separate determination of ICL670 and Fe–[ICL670]₂ in the plasma of iron-overloaded patients is described. Plasma samples were prepared as rapidly as possible, the tubes being kept at 4°C. Plasma proteins were precipitated with methanol. The supernatant was diluted with water and placed on the refrigerated sample rack of an autosampler before injection. The chromatographic separations were achieved on an Alltima C₁₈ column using 0.05 M Na₂HPO₄ and 0.01 M tetrabutylammonium hydrogen sulfate–acetonitrile–methanol (41:9:50, v/v/v) as mobile phase. The analytes were detected at 295 nm. Calibration and quality control samples were prepared in normal human plasma. The mean accuracy (n=6) over the entire investigated concentration range 0.25–20 μg/ml ranged from 91 to 109% with a coefficient of variation (C.V.) from 4 to 8% for ICL670, and from 95 to 105% with a C.V. from 2 to 20% for the iron complex. The dissociation of the complex during analysis was shown to be marginal. The iron removal from plasma of iron-overloaded patients by free ICL670 during analysis was low. The in vitro iron transfer from the iron pools of iron-overloaded plasma onto ICL670 was shown to be a slow process.     

Stem cell-conditioned medium does not protect against kidney failure

Paracrine secretion of mediators may be the main route by which stem cells protect against injuries. Stem cells commonly secrete different bioactive molecules. In this study, we examined the hypothesis that administration of conditioned media of stem cells can diminish the burden of kidney injury. A mouse model of cisplatin-induced nephropathy was developed to test the putative renoprotective effects of conditioned media of human umbilical cord blood USSCs (unrestricted somatic stem cells) as well as mouse bone marrow MSCs (mesenchymal stem cells). None of these two types of conditioned medium could protect against kidney failure in terms of serum urea and creatinine, histopathologic examinations and physical activity score. Neither MSC- nor USSC-conditioned media were effective in protecting against kidney injury in our study. Possible explanations for our observations are offered, and related literature is reviewed.     

Tumor progression locus 2 (Tpl2) deficiency does not protect against obesity-induced metabolic disease

Obesity is associated with a state of chronic low grade inflammation that plays an important role in the development of insulin resistance. Tumor progression locus 2 (Tpl2) is a serine/threonine mitogen activated protein kinase kinase kinase (MAP3K) involved in regulating responses to specific inflammatory stimuli. Here we have used mice lacking Tpl2 to examine its role in obesity-associated insulin resistance. Wild type (wt) and tpl2(-/-) mice accumulated comparable amounts of fat and lean mass when fed either a standard chow diet or two different high fat (HF) diets containing either 42% or 59% of energy content derived from fat. No differences in glucose tolerance were observed between wt and tpl2(-/-) mice on any of these diets. Insulin tolerance was similar on both standard chow and 42% HF diets, but was slightly impaired in tpl2(-/-) mice fed the 59% HFD. While gene expression markers of macrophage recruitment and inflammation were increased in the white adipose tissue of HF fed mice compared with standard chow fed mice, no differences were observed between wt and tpl2(-/-) mice. Finally, a HF diet did not increase Tpl2 expression nor did it activate Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), the MAPK downstream of Tpl2. These findings argue that Tpl2 does not play a non-redundant role in obesity-associated metabolic dysfunction.     

Vitamin supplementation does not protect against symptoms in ozone-responsive subjects

Vitamin supplements have been reported to reduce the magnitude of symptoms in subjects exposed to oxidant air pollution. To confirm whether supplementation with vitamins C and E could reduce lung function decrements, airway inflammation, and epithelial injury in subjects sensitive to ozone, a double-blinded, crossover control study was performed. Fourteen ozone-responsive subjects were randomly exposed to both air and ozone (0.2 ppm for 2 h) after 7 days of either placebo treatment or supplementation with vitamin C (500 mg/day) and E (100 mg/day). Lung function was assessed pre- and immediately postexposure and blood samples were taken at set intervals. Inflammatory, tissue injury, and antioxidant responses were examined in lavage fluid obtained by bronchoscopy 6 h postexposure. Exposure to ozone resulted in significant (P < 0.01) decrements in FEV1 with no protection observed following vitamin supplementation (-8.5%) versus placebo (-7.3%) treatment. Similarly, ozone-induced neutrophilia were of a similar magnitude after both treatments (P < 0.05). This lack of protection was observed despite elevated plasma vitamin C (+60.1%) and vitamin E (+51.4%) concentrations following supplementation, and increased vitamin C concentrations in the airways after supplementation following ozone exposure. These data do not therefore support the contention that acute ozone-induced symptoms can be attenuated through the use of dietary antioxidants in well-nourished individuals.     

Training does not protect against exhaustive exercise-induced lactate transport capacity alterations

The effects of endurance training on lactate transport capacity remain controversial. This study examined whether endurance training 1) alters lactate transport capacity, 2) can protect against exhaustive exercise-induced lactate transport alteration, and 3) can modify heart and oxidative muscle monocarboxylate transporter 1 (MCT1) content. Forty male Wistar rats were divided into control (C), trained (T), exhaustively exercised (E), and trained and exercised (TE) groups. Rats in the T and TE groups ran on a treadmill (1 h/day, 5 days/wk at 25 m/min, 10% incline) for 5 wk; C and E were familiarized with the exercise task for 5 min/day. Before being killed, E and TE rats underwent exhaustive exercise (25 m/min, 10% grade), which lasted 80 and 204 min, respectively (P < 0.05). Although lactate transport measurements (zero-trans) did not differ between groups C and T, both E and TE groups presented an apparent loss of protein saturation properties. In the trained groups, MCT1 content increased in soleus (+28% for T and +26% for TE; P < 0.05) and heart muscle (+36% for T and +33% for TE; P < 0.05). Moreover, despite the metabolic adaptations typically observed after endurance training, we also noted increased lipid peroxidation byproducts after exhaustive exercise. We concluded that 1) endurance training does not alter lactate transport capacity, 2) exhaustive exercise-induced lactate transport alteration is not prevented by training despite increased MCT1 content, and 3) exercise-induced oxidative stress may enhance the passive diffusion responsible for the apparent loss of saturation properties, possibly masking lactate transport regulation.     

P-glycoprotein does not protect cells against cytolysis induced by pore-forming proteins

P-glycoprotein (P-gp) is an ATP-dependent drug pump that confers multidrug resistance (MDR). In addition to its ability to efflux toxins, P-gp can also inhibit apoptosis induced by a wide array of cell death stimuli that rely on activation of intracellular caspases for full function. We therefore hypothesized that P-gp may have additional functions in addition to its role in effluxing xenotoxins that could provide protection to tumor cells against a host response. There have been a number of contradictory reports concerning the role of P-gp in regulating complement activation. Given the disparate results obtained by different laboratories and our published results demonstrating that P-gp does not affect cell death induced by another membranolytic protein, perforin, we decided to assess the role of P-gp in regulating cell lysis induced by a number of different pore-forming proteins. Testing a variety of different P-gp-expressing MDR cell lines produced following exposure of cells to chemotherapeutic agents or by retroviral gene transduction in the complete absence of any drug selection, we found no difference in sensitivity of P-gp(+ve) or P-gp(-ve) cells to the pore-forming proteins complement, perforin, or pneumolysin. Based on these results, we conclude that P-gp does not affect cell lysis induced by pore-forming proteins.     

Human C-reactive protein does not protect against acute lipopolysaccharide challenge in mice

The physiological and pathophysiological functions of C-reactive protein (CRP), the classical acute-phase protein, are not well established, despite many reports of biological effects of CRP in vitro and in model systems in vivo. Limited, small scale experiments have suggested that rabbit and human CRP may both protect mice against lethal toxicity of Gram-negative bacterial LPS. However, in substantial well-controlled studies in C57BL/6 mice challenged with Escherichia coli O111:B4 LPS, we show in this work that significant protection against lethality was conferred neither by an autologous acute-phase response to sterile inflammatory stimuli given to wild-type mice 24 h before LPS challenge, nor by human CRP, whether passively administered or expressed transgenically. Male mice transgenic for human CRP, which mount a major acute-phase response of human CRP after LPS injection, were also not protected against the lethality of LPS from either E. coli O55:B5 or Salmonella typhimurium. Even when the acute-phase human CRP response was actively stimulated in transgenic mice before LPS challenge, no protection against LPS toxicity was observed. Indeed, male mice transgenic for human CRP that were pretreated with casein to stimulate an acute-phase response 24 h before LPS challenge suffered significantly greater mortality than unstimulated human CRP transgenic controls. Rather than being protective in this situation, human CRP may thus have pathogenic proinflammatory effects in vivo.     

Ascorbate does not protect macrophages against apoptosis induced by oxidised low density lipoprotein

Apoptosis of macrophages and smooth muscle cells is observed in atherosclerotic lesions and may play an important role in the disease progression. Oxidised low density lipoprotein (LDL) is cytotoxic and induces apoptosis in a variety of cell types. We reported previously that ascorbate protects arterial smooth muscle cells from apoptosis induced by oxidised LDL containing the peak levels of lipid hydroperoxides. We now demonstrate that macrophages undergo apoptosis when treated with this species of oxidised LDL, as detected by increased annexin V binding and DNA fragmentation. Ascorbate treatment of macrophages did not protect against the cytotoxicity of oxidised LDL, and modestly increased the levels of annexin V binding and DNA fragmentation. Oxidised LDL treatment also increased the expression of the antioxidant stress protein heme oxygenase-1 in macrophages; however, this increase was markedly attenuated by ascorbate pretreatment. Although apoptosis induced by oxidised LDL was modestly promoted by ascorbate, ascorbate apparently decreased the levels of oxidative stress in macrophages, suggesting that this pro-apoptotic effect was not mediated by a pro-oxidant mechanism, but may instead have been due to intracellular protection of the apoptotic machinery by ascorbate.     

A PRKAG2 mutation causes biphasic changes in myocardial AMPK activity and does not protect against ischemia

Dominant mutations in the gamma2 regulatory subunit of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), encoded by the gene PRKAG2, cause glycogen storage cardiomyopathy. We sought to elucidate the effect of the Thr400Asn (T400N) human mutation in a transgenic mouse (TGT400N) on AMPK activity, and its ability to protect the heart against ischemia-reperfusion injury. TGT400N hearts had markedly vacuolated myocytes, excessive accumulation of glycogen, hypertrophy, and preexcitation. Early activation of myocardial AMPK, followed by depression, and then recovery to wild-type levels was observed. AMPK activity correlated inversely with glycogen content. Partial rescue of the phenotype was observed when TGT400N mice were crossbred with TGalpha2DN mice, which overexpress a dominant negative mutant of the AMPK alpha2 catalytic subunit. TGT400N hearts had greater infarct sizes and apoptosis when subjected to ischemia-reperfusion. Increased AMPK activity is responsible for glycogen storage cardiomyopathy. Despite high glycogen content, the TGT400N heart is not protected against ischemia-reperfusion injury.     

Dietary coenzyme Q10 does not protect against cigarette smoke-augmented atherosclerosis in apoE-deficient mice

Dietary coenzyme Q10 reduces spontaneous atherosclerosis in the apoE-deficient mouse model of experimental atherosclerosis. We have shown previously that exposure to sidestream cigarette smoke (SSCS) enhances atherosclerotic lesion formation in apoE-deficient mice. The aim of the present study was to determine if CoQ10 protected against SSCS-mediated atherosclerosis. Female apoE-deficient mice were fed a saturated fat-enriched diet (SFD) alone, or supplemented with 1% wt/wt coenzyme Q10 (SFD-Q10). Mice in each diet group were exposed to SSCS for 4 hrs/day, 5 days/week in a whole-body exposure chamber maintained at 35 ± 4 mg smoke particulates/m³. Mice kept in filtered ambient air served as controls. Mice were euthanized after either 6 or 15 weeks of SSCS exposure and following measurements were performed: i) lung 7-ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) activity; ii) plasma cholesterol and CoQ10 concentrations; iii) aortic intimal area covered by atherosclerotic lesions; and, iv) pathological characterization of lesions. Lung EROD activity increased in SSCS mice of both diet groups, confirming SSCS exposure. Plasma concentrations of CoQ10 in SFD-Q10-fed mice were increased markedly in comparison to SFD-fed mice. Plasma cholesterol concentrations and distributions of cholesterol in lipoprotein fractions were unaffected by SSCS exposure. Dietary supplementation with CoQ10 significantly reduced atherosclerotic lesions in control mice. As reported previously, exposure to SSCS increased the size of lesions in apoE-/- mice at both time points. However, dietary supplementation with CoQ10 had no effect on atherosclerotic lesions augmented by SSCS exposure. The results suggest a role of oxidative processes in smoke-augmented atherosclerosis that are different than those mitigated by CoQ10.     

Antiproliferative and apoptotic effects in rat and human hepatoma cell cultures of the orally active iron chelator ICL670 compared to CP20: a possible relationship with polyamine metabolism

OBJECTIVE: Iron loading has been observed to have a hyperproliferative effect on hepatocytes in vitro and on tumour cells in vivo; removal of this iron being required to induce antitumour activity. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Antiproliferative effects of orally active tridentate iron chelator ICL670 (deferasirox) and bidentate iron chelator CP20 (deferiprone), mediated through the chelation of intracellular iron, were compared in rat hepatoma cell line FAO and human hepatoma cell line HUH7. RESULTS: In FAO cell cultures, we have shown that ICL670 decreased cell viability and DNA replication and induced apoptosis more efficiently than an iron-binding equivalent concentration of CP20. Moreover, ICL670 decreased significantly the number of the cells in G(2)-M phase. In the HUH7 cell cultures, ICL670 and a four-time higher iron-binding equivalent concentration of CP20, decreased cell viability and DNA replication in the same range. CP20 increased the number of the cells in G(2)-M phase. However, ICL670 inhibited polyamine biosynthesis by decreasing ornithine decarboxylase mRNA level; in contrast, CP20 increased polyamine biosynthesis, particularly putrescine level, by stimulating spermidine-spermine N(1)-acetyl transferase activity that could activate the polyamine retro-conversion pathway. By mass spectrometry, we observed that ICL670 cellular uptake was six times higher than CP20. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that ICL670 has a powerful antitumoural effect and blocks cell proliferation in neoplastic cells by a pathway different from that of CP20 and may constitute a potential adjuvant drug for anticancer therapy.     

Cosmetic plumage coloration by iron oxides does not confer protection against feather wear

The active acquisition of plumage cosmetic coloration by iron oxides has been described in several bird species (notably the Bearded Vulture Gypaetus barbatus, but also in cranes, pelicans and other vulture species) but its function remains controversial. We tested the hypothesis that iron oxide acquired through mud bathing protects feathers from wear. We experimentally stained 13 breast feathers collected from two White Storks Ciconia ciconia with mud from a ferruginous pond regularly used by Bearded Vultures, while another 13 feathers (controls) were treated with water. All feathers were exposed to a controlled physical abrasion treatment. We found no differences in wear between control and stained feathers, which is counter to predictions of the wear protection hypothesis for the acquisition of this cosmetic plumage coloration.     

The quenching of photosystem II fluorescence does not protect the D1 protein against light induced degradation in thylakoids

In spinach thylakoids, the quenching of the singlet excited state in the photosystem II antenna by m-dinitrobenzene does not change the rate of the light induced degradation of the D1 reaction centre protein and offers only limited protection against photoinhibition itself. These results are discussed in terms of the role of non-photochemical quenching as a photoprotective strategy.     

BCG revaccination does not protect against leprosy in the Brazilian Amazon: a cluster randomised trial

Background

Although BCG has been found to impart protection against leprosy in many populations, the utility of repeat or booster BCG vaccinations is still unclear. When a policy of giving a second BCG dose to school children in Brazil was introduced, a trial was conducted to assess its impact against tuberculosis, and a leprosy component was then undertaken in parallel. Objective: to estimate the protection against leprosy imparted by a second dose of BCG given to schoolchildren.

Methods and Findings

This is a cluster randomised community trial, with 6 years and 8 months of follow-up. Study site: City of Manaus, Amazon region, a leprosy-endemic area in Brazil. Participants: 99,770 school children with neonatal BCG (aged 7–14 years at baseline), of whom 42,662 were in the intervention arm (revaccination). Intervention: BCG given by intradermal injection. Main outcome: Leprosy (all clinical forms). Results: The incidence rate ratio of leprosy in the intervention over the control arm within the follow-up, in schoolchildren with neonatal BCG, controlled for potential confounders and adjusted for clustering, was 0.99 (95% confidence interval: 0.68 to 1.45).

Conclusions/Significance

There was no evidence of protection conferred by the second dose of BCG vaccination in school children against leprosy during the trial follow-up. These results point to a need to consider the effectiveness of the current policy of BCG vaccination of contacts of leprosy cases in Brazilian Amazon region.     

Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide inhibits caspase-3 activity but does not protect cerebellar granule neurons against beta-amyloid (25-35)-induced apoptosis

The beta-amyloid (Abeta) peptide Abeta25-35 provokes apoptosis of cerebellar granule cells through activation of caspase-3 while the neuropeptide pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) promotes granule cell survival by inhibiting caspase-3 activation through the intrinsic apoptotic pathway. The aim of the present study was to determine whether PACAP could prevent Abeta25-35 neurotoxicity by inhibiting caspase-3 activity. A 24-h exposure of cultured cerebellar granule cells to Abeta25-35 induced shrinkage of cell bodies, neurite retraction and alteration of mitochondrial activity. Administration of graded concentrations (10-80 microM) of Abeta25-35 induced a dose-related decrease of the number of living cells, and the neurotoxic effect was highly significant after a 24-h exposure to 80 microM Abeta25-35. Exposure of cerebellar granule cells to Abeta25-35 markedly enhanced caspase-3 but not caspase-9 activity. Co-incubation with 1 microM PACAP significantly reduced Abeta25-35-evoked caspase-3 activation. In contrast, PACAP did not prevent the deleterious effects of Abeta25-35 on mitochondrial potential and granule cell survival. Taken together, these data suggest that caspase-3 activation is not the main pathway activated by Abeta25-35 that leads to granule cell death. The results also demonstrate that PACAP cannot be considered as a potent neuroprotective factor against Abeta25-35-induced apoptosis in cerebellar granule neurons.