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Biomedical subjects

A B Barua

Publications and source records attributed to A B Barua.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

New simplified procedures for the extraction and simultaneous high-performance liquid chromatographic analysis of retinol, tocopherols and carotenoids in human serum.

A short, simple extraction procedure and a sensitive reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic assay, which utilizes isocratic elution and detection either by a photodiode-array detector or by two detectors set at 300 and 450 nm, have been developed to measure retinol, tocopherols and several carotenoids in human serum simultaneously. By relying on characteristic UV-visible spectra, seventeen carotenoids, retinol and alpha- and gamma-tocopherols were identified in concentrated serum extracts by use of the three-dimensional data mode of a photodiode-array detector. The presence of some recently reported carotenoids in human serum has been confirmed.

Carotenoids↗

Comparative teratogenicity and metabolism of all-trans retinoic acid, all-trans retinoyl beta-glucose, and all-trans retinoyl beta-glucuronide in pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats.

When single large equimolar doses (0.38-0.41 mmol/kg BW) of all-trans retinoic acid (RA), all-trans retinoyl beta-glucose (RBGL), and all-trans retinoyl beta-glucuronide (RBG) are administered orally in oil on day 8.5 of pregnancy to Sprague-Dawley rats, RA and RBGL proved highly teratogenic, whereas RBG was not. Indeed, fetuses from RBG-treated dams were 16% heavier (P < 0.01) than control fetuses. After dosing with RA and RBGL, RA appeared in large amounts within 0.5 h in the maternal plasma and within 1.0 h in the embryo. In contrast, orally administered RBG seemed to be absorbed much more slowly, to be converted very slowly to RA, and not to accumulate either as RBG or as RA in the embryo. When incubated in vitro with embryos and attached membranes, however, both all-trans RBG and all-trans RA were partially converted to 13-cis RA. The nonteratogenicity of RBG, in contrast to RA, seems to be due to a much slower rate of GI absorption, a slow rate of hydrolysis to RA, a limited passage from the maternal circulation into the embryo, and a lower inherent toxicity.

Abnormalities, Drug-Induced↗

Retinoyl beta-glucuronide: lack of binding to receptor proteins of retinoic acid as related to biological activity.

Retinoid beta-glucuronides have emerged as biologically active, water-soluble, natural retinoids with relatively few toxic and teratogenic effects. The mechanism of action of these glucuronides in the control of epithelial differentiation, growth, and tumorigenesis is unknown. Since retinoyl beta-glucuronide (RAG) contains a free carboxyl group, we studied the interactions of RAG with cellular retinoic acid-binding protein (CRABP) and nuclear receptors of retinoic acid (RARs), the possible mediators of the biological action of retinoic acid (RA). RAG did not exhibit any significant affinity to bind either CRABP or RARs. During 24- and 48-hr incubations of RAG in chick cytosol, detectable amounts of RA were generated which interacted with the RA receptors. In chick skin, the biological activity of RAG may be due to this slowly released RA. Other possible modes of action of RAG are suggested.

Animals↗

Chemical synthesis, growth-promoting activity, and metabolism of all-trans retinyl beta-glucose in the rat.

Reaction of all-trans retinol with alpha-D-glucopyranosyl bromide tetrabenzoate in the presence of silver carbonate gave all-trans retinyl beta-glucose in good yield. Depending on the mode of administration, retinyl beta-glucose, which is soluble in water, showed 67-100% of the growth-promoting activity of retinyl acetate in vitamin A-deficient rats. In metabolic studies on vitamin A-deficient rats, retinyl beta-glucose was rapidly hydrolyzed to retinol. The possible therapeutic uses of retinyl glucose are discussed.

Animals↗

Retinoid glucuronides do not interact with retinoid binding proteins.

Retinoid glucuronides have recently been described as water soluble, biologically active retinoids. In mouse mammary gland organ cultures retinoyl glucuronide, a retinoic acid counterpart, inhibited hormone induced differentiation. In this report we examined whether the effects of retinoyl and retinyl glucuronides are mediated by specific retinoid binding protein in mammary glands in organ culture. Results indicated that neither retinoyl nor retinyl glucuronide competed for cytosolic retinoic acid or retinol binding proteins respectively. These results indicate that either the effects of retinoid glucuronides are independent of retinoid binding proteins or they have to be metabolized to an active component which may in turn bind to retinoid binding protein for the glucuronide action.

Animals↗

Metabolism in vivo of all-trans-[11-3H]retinoic acid after an oral dose in rats. Characterization of retinoyl beta-glucuronide in the blood and other tissues.

Soon after [11-3H]retinoic acid (RA) (1.1 x 10(8) d.p.m.) was administered orally to rats either as a large dose (115 micrograms = 0.38 mumol/rat) or mixed with unlabelled RA as a huge dose (22 mg = 73.33 mumol/rat), retinoyl beta-glucuronide (RAG) was identified and characterized as a significant metabolite in the serum and small intestine. Of the administered dose, 70% remained unchanged as retinoic acid in the stomach up to 1 h. Significant amounts of 5,6-epoxyretinoic acid, 4-hydroxyretinoic acid, esters of retinoic acid and several polar retinoids, including 4-oxoretinoic acid, were also detected in the stomach. No significant difference was observed in the nature of the retinoids found after a large or a huge dose; however, the ratio of RAG/RA was higher after a huge dose than after a large dose. Thus RAG, which is biologically active in vivo and in vitro, is formed quickly in significant amounts in tissues after a dose of RA.

Administration, Oral↗

Induction of HL-60 cell differentiation by water-soluble and nitrogen-containing conjugates of retinoic acid and retinol.

Retinoids induce the promyelocytic cell line, HL-60, to differentiate along the granulocytic pathway in vitro. A number of water-soluble and nitrogen-containing retinoids were synthesized in our laboratory [retinoyl-glucose (RAGL), retinyl-glucose (ROGL), retinoyl-adenosine (RADS), retinoyl-adenine (RAD), retinoyl-beta-glucuronide (beta RAG), and retinoyl-alpha-glucuronide (alpha RAG)]. These retinoids (10(-5) to 10(-8) M), as well as retinoic acid (RA) and retinol (ROL), were tested for their ability to induce the differentiation of HL-60 cells in vitro and to affect cell growth and viability during a 24- to 72-h incubation period. Differentiation was assessed by measuring the percentage of cells expressing the Mac-1 antigen on their cell surfaces. RA and the conjugates of RA were all quite active in inducing HL-60 cell differentiation, whereas ROL and ROGL had much less activity at equimolar concentrations. beta RAG, alpha RAG, RADS, and RAD were less toxic, whereas the glucose conjugates of retinol and retinoic acid (ROGL and RAGL) were both considerably more toxic than either RA or ROL at equimolar concentrations. All retinoids affected cell growth in a dose-dependent fashion. At 24 h, free RA or ROL was not detected in the cells after incubation with any of the retinoid conjugates.

Cell Differentiation↗

Effects of retinoid glucuronides on mammary gland development in organ culture.

Retinoyl beta-glucuronide (RAG) and retinyl beta-glucuronide (ROG) inhibit prolactin-induced morphological developments in cultured mouse mammary gland, and are equally effective in depressing prolactin and steroid hormone-induced DNA synthesis in the same tissue. Retinol is essentially inactive by both assay methods. Although RAG and ROG show little or no toxicity in several cell and animal models, some possibly toxic manifestations were seen at higher concentrations in cultured mammary tissue. Nonetheless, because of the strong correlation between the actions of chemopreventive agents in culture mouse mammary glands and their effectiveness in vivo, the retinoid glucuronides may well prove to be useful cancer chemopreventive agents.

Animals↗

All-trans retinoyl beta-glucose: chemical synthesis, growth-promoting activity, and metabolism in the rat.

All-trans retinoyl beta-glucose was chemically synthesized in good yield by reaction of retinoyl fluoride with glucose. Retinoyl glucose, which is soluble in water, shows growth-promoting activity similar to retinyl acetate in vitamin A-deficient rats. In metabolic studies, retinoyl glucose was found to be hydrolyzed to retinoic acid, but at a slower rate. The possible therapeutic uses of retinoyl glucose are discussed.

Animals↗

Induction of beta-retinoic acid receptor mRNA by teratogenic doses of retinoids in murine fetuses.

Retinoic acid is required for normal growth and development, however excessive doses are teratogenic. Recently several nuclear retinoic acid receptors (RAR) have been identified and postulated to mediate the response of retinoic acid at the gene level. We wished to determine if alpha-RAR mRNA or beta-RAR mRNA levels are modulated by teratogenic doses of retinoic acid in vivo. We have found that beta-RAR mRNA levels in 9-day-gestation mouse conceptuses are increased as early as 3 h after administration of a completely teratogenic dose of retinoic acid (100 mg/kg body weight; b.w.) and reach a maximum of approximately sixfold after 6 h of treatment. Maternal liver and maternal kidney demonstrated a similar pattern of increase in beta-RAR mRNA, however this was only approximately threefold. Retinoic acid dose-response experiments demonstrated a reduced increase of beta-RAR mRNA levels with 10 mg/kg b.w. (minimally teratogenic dose), and no increase with a more-physiological dose of 1 mg/kg b.w. in the conceptuses. beta-RAR mRNA levels were elevated in 18-day-gestation fetuses to a similar extent to that observed in the 9-day-gestation conceptuses. Therefore, the twofold difference in the extent to which beta-RAR mRNA levels increase does not occur because the fetuses are at a developmental stage that is sensitive to the teratogenic effects of retinoic acid. Finally, treatment with another teratogenic retinoid, etretinate, and a nonteratogenic retinoid, retinoyl beta-glucuronide, both resulted in increase in the level of beta-RAR mRNA in the conceptuses and the maternal tissues. Therefore, an increase in beta-RAR mRNA levels caused by treatment with retinoids does not necessarily commit a fetus to undergo an abnormal pattern of development characteristic of teratogenic retinoids.

Abnormalities, Drug-Induced↗

Chemical synthesis of all-trans-[11-3H]retinoyl beta-glucuronide and its metabolism in rats in vivo.

All-trans-[11-3H]retinoyl beta-glucuronide (RAG) was synthesized in a single step from all-trans-[11-3H]retinoyl fluoride, with a 24% yield. After its intraperitoneal injection into rats, RAG was detected in the blood, liver, intestine and kidney during the following 24 h period. Although the concentration of radiolabelled metabolites decreased with time, RAG predominated at nearly all times in nearly all tissues. Small amounts of retinoic acid (RA) were also universally present, together with unidentified polar metabolites and small amounts of non-polar esters of RA. The major excretion products of RAG in faeces and urine were RA and polar metabolites. Thus RAG, although converted in part to RA in vivo, persists as a major component in blood and tissues for at least 24 h. These observations support the concept that the retinoid beta-glucuronides might serve a physiologically significant role in the function of vitamin A.

Animals↗

Characterization of retinyl beta-glucuronide in human blood.

Retinyl beta-glucuronide has been identified as a normal endogenous component of human blood, as have retinoyl beta-glucuronide and retinoic acid. The mean serum concentration of retinyl beta-glucuronide in adult volunteers (n = 6) was 6.8 +/- 4.0 nmol/L (means +/- SD) with a range from 1 to 11 nmol/L. Purified serum retinyl beta-glucuronide was characterized by the mass spectrum of its methylated trimethylsilyl derivative, by its hydrolysis by beta-glucuronidase, and by its chromatographic behavior in high-performance liquid chromatography systems. During a single day, concentrations of retinyl beta-glucuronide, retinoyl beta-glucuronide, and retinoic acid varied approximately two-fold.

Adult↗

Synthesis and metabolism of all-trans-[11-3H]retinyl beta-glucuronide in rats in vivo.

All-trans-[11-3H]retinyl beta-glucuronide (all-trans-[11-3H]ROG) was synthesized from [3H]retinol by an improved synthetic procedure. After its intraperitoneal injection into rats, ROG is initially found as the predominant labelled component in the serum, but then is distributed to the liver, intestine, kidney and other organs of the body. Esters of vitamin A, which constituted the major metabolite of ROG, were detected in the liver as well as in other tissues. Of the labelled vitamin A esters derived from tritiated ROG in the liver and intestine, about 50% contained 5,6-epoxyretinol, which was characterized by its chromatographic behaviour, formation of an acetyl ester and lack of reactivity with diazomethane. Thus ROG, although converted to retinol in vivo, might also act physiologically in an intact form.

Animals↗

Chemical synthesis and growth-promoting activity of all-trans-retinyl beta-D-glucuronide.

All-trans-retinol reacts with methyl (2,3,4-tri-O-acetyl-1-bromo-1-deoxy-beta-D-glucopyran)uronate in the presence of Ag2CO3 to give the triacetate methyl ester of retinyl beta-glucuronide. Hydrolysis of this ester with sodium methylate in methanol gives retinyl beta-D-glucuronide in about 15% yield. The water-soluble retinyl beta-D-glucuronide was characterized by u.v.-visible, n.m.r. and mass spectra, by elemental analysis and by its susceptibility to hydrolysis by bacterial beta-glucuronidase. Retinyl beta-glucuronide, when administered intraperitoneally in saline (0.9% NaCl), supports well the growth of vitamin A-deficient rats.

Animals↗

Induction of differentiation of human promyelocytic leukemia cell line HL-60 by retinoyl glucuronide, a biologically active metabolite of vitamin A.

We examined the differentiation activity of retinoyl beta-D-glucuronide, a biologically active physiological metabolite of vitamin A, using the human promyelocytic leukemic cell line HL-60, which can be induced to differentiate with retinoic acid. Retinoyl beta-D-glucuronide (1 microM) inhibited HL-60 cell proliferation by 55-75%, inhibited tritiated thymidine incorporation into DNA by 63-80%, and induced 38-50% of the cells to differentiate into mature granulocytes. The potency of growth inhibition and induction of differentiation by retinoyl beta-D-glucuronide was similar to that of all-trans-retinoic acid. The continuous presence of either retinoyl beta-D-glucuronide or all-trans-retinoic acid was not required to obtain maximum growth arrest and differentiation: a 1-hr exposure of HL-60 cells to the retinoids gave the same response (measured after a total incubation time of 48 hr) as a 24-hr or 48-hr continuous treatment. Retinoyl beta-D-glucuronide (0.1-0.2 mM) was 50% less cytotoxic to HL-60 cells than all-trans-retinoic acid at an equimolar concentration. Retinoyl beta-D-glucuronide was not significantly metabolized to other retinoids; retinoic acid was not formed during incubation. We conclude that retinoyl beta-D-glucuronide can arrest HL-60 cell proliferation and induce their differentiation into mature granulocytes; it may act by itself or by being hydrolyzed to retinoic acid, which could be immediately utilized and metabolized. The therapeutic use of this retinoid as an antineoplastic agent is suggested.

Cell Differentiation↗

Effects of retinoid beta-glucuronides and N-retinoyl amines on the differentiation of HL-60 cells in vitro.

Retinoyl beta-glucuronide and retinyl beta-glucuronide, which are naturally occurring water-soluble metabolites of vitamin A, induce the granulocytic differentiation of HL-60 cells in vitro, as evidenced by an increased reduction of nitroblue tetrazolium. The relative effectiveness of various retinoids in differentiation is retinoic acid greater than retinoyl beta-glucuronide greater than retinyl beta-glucuronide. Under the selected assay conditions, retinol, hydroxyphenyl-retinamide, retinamide, and N-retinoyl-phenylalanine are essentially inactive in differentiation. At concentrations of retinoids from 10(-9) to 10(-5) M, cell viability was best with the retinoid beta-glucuronides and retinamide, less with retinoic acid and retinol, and poorest with the N-retinoyl aromatic amines. Cellular growth was depressed only slightly by retinyl beta-glucuronide and retinamide, but to a greater degree by the other derivatives. Retinoyl beta-glucuronide was hydrolyzed in part to retinoic acid, whereas retinyl beta-glucuronide was cleaved to retinol, if at all, at a very slow rate. Under the selected assay conditions, retinoic acid and the retinoid beta-glucuronides primarily induce the differentiation of HL-60 cells, whereas the N-retinoyl aromatic amines show cytotoxicity.

Cell Differentiation↗