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Biomedical subjects

G Bartosz

Publications and source records attributed to G Bartosz.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2000

Transport of organic anions by multidrug resistance-associated protein in the erythrocyte.

The active transport of oxidized glutathione and glutathione S-conjugates has been demonstrated for the first time in erythrocytes and this cell remained the main subject of research on the "glutathione S-conjugate pump" for years. Further studies identifled the "glutathione S-conjugate pump" as multidrug resistance-associated protein (MRP). Even though cells overexpressing MRP and isolated MRP provide useful information on MRP structure and function, the erythrocyte remains an interesting model cell for studies of MRP1 in its natural environment, including the substrate specificity and ATPase activity of the protein.

ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters↗
PubMed2000

Multidrug resistance-associated protein--reduction of expression in human leukaemia cells by antisense phosphorothioate olignucleotides.

Multidrug resistance-associated protein (MRP1) causes cellular drug resistance in several cancer cell lines. In this paper we show that antisense oligonucleotides decrease MRP1 expression in human leukaemia cells. We investigated biological activity of a series of 12 linear phosphorothioate oligonucleotides, complementary to several regions of MRP1 mRNA. The oligonucleotides were administered to leukaemia HL60/ADR cells overexpressing MRP1 protein. Then, the level of MRP1 mRNA was determined by means of semiquantitative RT-PCR and the protein level by reaction with specific monoclonal antibodies. Some of the investigated antisense oligonucleotides decrease the expression level of the MRP1 protein by 46% and its mRNA level by 76%.

DNA-Binding Proteins↗
PubMed1999

Sensitivity of antioxidant-deficient yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae to peroxynitrite and nitric oxide.

Sensitivity of Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains deficient in superoxide dismutases and catalases and of decreased level of glutathione to peroxynitrite and a nitric oxide donor, S-nitrosoglutathione was compared. Moderate but significant differences observed point to increased sensitivity to both agents of yeast deficient in antioxidant defense, the superoxide dismutase-deficient strain showing the highest sensitivity, The sequence of sensitivity of various strains to peroxynitrite and nitric oxide was the same. The results are compatible with the view that cytotoxic effects of peroxynitrite involve formation of secondary reactive oxygen species.

Antioxidants↗
PubMed1999

Membrane effects of nitrite-induced oxidation of human red blood cells.

The aim of our investigation was to study the red blood cell (RBC) membrane effects of NaNO(2)-induced oxidative stress. Hyperpolarization of erythrocyte membranes and an increase in membrane rigidity have been shown as a result of RBC oxidation by sodium nitrite. These membrane changes preceded reduced glutathione depletion and were observed simultaneously with methemoglobin (metHb) formation. Changes of the glutathione pool (total and reduced glutathione, and mixed protein-glutathione disulfides) during nitrite-induced erythrocyte oxidation have been demonstrated. The rates of intracellular oxyhemoglobin and GSH oxidation highly increased as pH decreased in the range of 7.5-6.5. The activation energy of intracellular metHb formation obtained from the temperature dependence of the rate of HbO(2) oxidation in RBC was equal to 16.7+/-1.6 kJ/mol in comparison with 12.8+/-1.5 kJ/mol calculated for metHb formation in hemolysates. It was found that anion exchange protein (band 3 protein) of the erythrocyte membrane does not participate significantly in the transport of nitrite ions into the erythrocytes as band 3 inhibitors (DIDS, SITS) did not decrease the intracellular HbO(2) oxidation by extracellular nitrite.

Benzothiazoles↗
PubMed1999

Antioxidant activity: what do we measure?

Inhibition of oxidation of 2,2'-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) by free radicals generated by decomposition of 2,2'-azobis(2-amidopropane) (ABAP) by antioxidants and biological material was studied. A correlation was found between the ability of various substances to delay the onset of ABTS oxidation and their rapid reduction of the ABTS+* cation radical, and between the ability to reduce the maximal rate of ABTS oxidation and slow reduction of ABTS+*. The length of the lag period of ABTS oxidation was found to be independent of ABTS concentration. Similar decrease of peroxynitrite-induced ABTS+* formation by antioxidants was observed when the antioxidants were added before and after peroxynitrite. All these findings indicate that the main effect of antioxidants in this system is reduction of ABTS+* and not prevention of its formation. Reduction of oxidation products rather than inhibition of their formation may be the predominant mode of action of antioxidants in various assays of antioxidant activity.

Amidines↗
PubMed1998

Apoptosis-independent alterations in membrane dynamics induced by curcumin.

Curcumin is a well-known natural compound with antiinflammatory properties. Its antiproliferative effect and ability to modulate apoptotic response are considered essential in cancer therapy. The physicochemical properties of curcumin suggest membranous localization, which prompted an investigation of the mechanisms of membrane disturbances evoked by curcumin. We chose the erythrocyte as a convenient model for studying membrane effects of curcumin and showed its nonspecific, apoptosis-independent way of action. Curcumin was found to expand the cell membrane, inducing echinocytosis. Changes in cell shape were accompanied by transient exposure of phosphatidylserine. Membrane asymmetry was recovered by the action of aminophospholipid translocase, which remained active in the presence of curcumin. Lipids rearrangements and drug partitioning caused changes of lipid fluidity. Such nonspecific effects of curcumin on cellular membranes would produce artifacts of apoptosis measurement, since several methods are based on membrane changes.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Glutathione-independent mechanism of apoptosis inhibition by curcumin in rat thymocytes.

Curcumin (CUR) is a natural yellow dye with antioxidant and scavenging properties present in Curcuma species. It is widely used as an anti-inflammatory, anti-mutagenic and chemopreventive agent. In addition to its inhibitory effect on proliferation, CUR has recently been shown to block dexamethasone-induced programmed cell death (apoptosis) of rat thymocytes. Because cellular thiols seem to play a role in redox regulation of apoptosis, the mechanism of the anti-apoptotic effect of CUR was studied by examining the levels of glutathione and acid-soluble sulfhydryl groups. CUR was shown to prevent the glutathione loss occurring in dexamethasone-treated thymocytes, enhancing intracellular glutathione content at 8 hr to 192% of that of nontreated cells. A 60% increase in acid-soluble sulfhydryl groups was also observed. In the presence of L-buthionine S,R-sulfoximine (BSO, an inhibitor of glutathione synthesis), intracellular glutathione content of thymocytes treated with dexamethasone and CUR fell to 31% and that of the acid-soluble sulfhydryl groups to 23% of control after 8 hr. Unexpectedly, the electrophoretic and flow cytometric studies of DNA fragmentation demonstrated that apoptosis did not occur even after 20 hr of incubation with buthionine S,R-sulfoximine and dexamethasone, while control thymocytes and the cells treated only with buthionine S,R-sulfoximine showed DNA fragmentation at a level corresponding to spontaneous apoptosis. These results show that CUR treatment elevated the concentrations of glutathione and nonprotein sulfhydryl groups, thus preventing their decrease in apoptotic thymocytes. Coadministration of L-buthionine S,R-sulfoximine and CUR did not affect the anti-apoptotic effect of CUR suggesting a glutathione-independent mechanism of cell protection.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Apoptosis-like, reversible changes in plasma membrane asymmetry and permeability, and transient modifications in mitochondrial membrane potential induced by curcumin in rat thymocytes.

Curcumin (diferuoylmethane) is a natural compound with anticarcinogenic activities which is able to exert either proapoptotic or antiapoptotic effects in different cell types. This paper focuses on the sequence and extent of primary events induced by curcumin, in comparison with those occurring during dexamethasone-induced apoptosis in rat thymocytes. It also presents annexin VI-FITC as a new probe for studying membrane asymmetry. Curcumin readily penetrates into the cytoplasm, and is able to accumulate in membranous structures such as plasma membrane, endoplasmic reticulum and nuclear envelope. Curcumin-treated cells exhibit typical features of apoptotic cell death, including shrinkage, transient phosphatidylserine exposure, increased membrane permeability and decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential. However, nuclei morphology, DNA fragmentation, the extent and time-course of membrane changes are different from those observed during dexamethasone-induced apoptosis, suggesting that, despite many similarities, the mode of action and the events triggered by curcumin are different from those occurring during typical apoptosis.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Radiation inactivation suggests that human multidrug resistance-associated protein 1 occurs as a dimer in the human erythrocyte membrane.

Molecular masses of functional units of two components of 2, 4-dinitrophenyl-S-glutathione (DNP-SG) transport across the erythrocyte membrane determined by radiation inactivation were 437 +/- 69 kDa for the high-affinity component and 466 +/- 67 kDa for the low-affinity component. These results confirm that the multidrug resistance-associated protein (MRP) 1 is responsible for the high-affinity DNP-SG transport across the erythrocyte membrane and suggest that MRP1 exists in the membrane as a dimer. The molecular size of the low-affinity transporter is similar if not identical to that of MRP1. Moreover, while the molecular mass of the DNP-SG-ATPase activity of the erythrocyte membrane corresponds also to that of MRP (375 +/- 36 kDa), the molecular mass of the functional unit of dinitrophenol-stimulated ATPase is significantly lower (232 +/- 26 kDa), which suggests that thisactivity is linked to a different protein, perhapsaminophospholipid translocase.

2,4-Dinitrophenol↗
PubMed1998

Uncouplers of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation are not substrates of the erythrocyte glutathione-S-conjugate pump.

Uncouplers of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation, dinitrophenol (DNP) and carbonyl cyanide p-trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone (FCCP), were found to stimulate Mg(2+)-ATPase activity of human erythrocyte membranes in a manner competitive with respect to 2,4-dinitrophenyl-S-glutathione (DNP-SG) which suggested that these compounds may also be substrates of the glutathione-S-conjugate pump. We confirm that the stimulation of erythrocyte membrane ATPase activity by DNP and by another uncoupler, carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP), is competitive with respect to DNP-SG. However, we found no evidence for active transport of DNP and CCCP out of erythrocytes and demonstrate that they inhibit the low-affinity component of DNP-SG transport noncompetitively while stimulating the high-affinity DNP-SG transport (mediated by multidrug resistance-associated protein, MRP1). Implications of these findings may indicate the electrogenic nature of MRP1-mediated transport of glutathione-S conjugates and stimulation of aminophospholipid translocase (flippase) rather than the glutathione-S-conjugate pump by the uncouplers.

ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters↗
PubMed1998

Is the glutathione S-conjugate pump a flippase?

A hypothesis of the flippase nature of the glutathione S-conjugate transport is presented. Experimental premises for this hypothesis include interaction of glutathione S-conjugates with the membrane, as demonstrated by their effects on membrane fluidity, quenching of 1-(4-trimethylammoniumphenyl)-6-phenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene fluorescence and induction of echinocytosis by 2,4-dinitrophenyl-S-glutathione (DNP-SG). This hypothesis can rationalize, i. a., observations of the enhancement of DNP-SG transport by butanol and stimulation of erythrocyte membrane Mg(2+)-ATPase activity by albumin-coupled DNP-SG.

1-Butanol↗
PubMed1998

Menadione toxicity in Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells: activation by conjugation with glutathione.

Menadione (2-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone) has been used extensively as an oxidant stressor at the cellular level. However, the mechanism of cytotoxicity of this compound still remains controversial. This study deals with the role of intracellular glutathione in the resistance of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae to menadione. Incubation with 0.5 mM menadione resulted in a decrease of total glutathione concentration in yeast cells, intracellular formation of menadione S-glutathione conjugate and export of the conjugate from cells. GSH-deficient mutants showed lower stimulation of superoxide and hydrogen peroxide production upon exposure to menadione and were more resistant to menadione than wild-type isogenic strains. These results indicate that in yeast cells the formation of S-glutathione conjugate is a major pathway of menadione metabolism and that this reaction leads to redox activation of menadione but permits its removal from the cells.

Biotransformation↗
PubMed1998

Luminol luminescence induced by oxidants in antioxidant-deficient yeasts Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Luminol chemiluminescence induced in the presence of yeast cells and yeast cell homogenates was significantly induced by exogenous oxidants (hydrogen peroxide and menadione). tert-Butyl hydroperoxide did not stimulate chemiluminescence by itself but augmented menadione-induced chemiluminescence. Comparison of yeast strains deficient in catalase, superoxide dismutase or glutathione showed that only glutathione-deficient strains showed elevated chemiluminescence in this system. These results support the idea that more reactive species than hydrogen peroxide and superoxide are critical in the induction of luminol chemiluminescence.

Acatalasia↗
PubMed1998

Simple determination of peroxyl radical-trapping capacity.

A simple spectrophotometric method of determination of peroxyl radical-trapping capacity (PRTC) of body fluids and food products is proposed. In this method, decomposition of 2,2'-azobis(2-amidopropane) hydrochloride (ABAP) is the source of peroxyl and alkoxyl radicals which oxidize 2,2'-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) to a green cation radical. Antioxidant present in a sample inhibit the reaction; the induction time of the reaction is proposed as a parameter enabling determination of antioxidant content. Standard assay conditions are: 20 mM ABAP and 150 microM ABTS in 0.1 M phosphate buffer, pH 7.0, at 37 degrees C; absorbance is monitored at 414 nm. A 10-min assay allows for determination of the induction time of appropriately diluted sample. As examples of application of this method, PRTC values of several types of beverages are reported.

Alcoholic Beverages↗
PubMed1997

Peroxynitrite inhibits glutathione S-conjugate transport.

Peroxynitrite was demonstrated to inhibit the active efflux of glutathione S-conjugates (2,4-dinitrophenyl-S-glutathione and bimane-S-glutathione) from human erythrocytes and the erythrocyte membrane ATPase activity stimulated by glutathione S-conjugates. As the multidrug resistance-associated protein (MRP) is responsible for the transport of glutathione S-conjugates in mammalian cells, these results point to the possibility of the effect of peroxynitrite on the MRP function.

Biological Transport↗