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M Comporti

Publications and source records attributed to M Comporti.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Studies on the mechanism of formation of 4-hydroxynonenal during microsomal lipid peroxidation.

The mechanism of the formation of 4-hydroxynonenal through the NADPH-linked microsomal lipid peroxidation was investigated. The results were as follows: 4-hydroxynonenal arises exclusively from arachidonic acid contained in the polar phospholipids, neither arachidonic acid of the neutral lipids nor linoleic acid of the polar or neutral lipids are substrates for 4-hydroxynonenal generation. This finding results from the estimation of the specific radioactivity of 4-hydroxynonenal produced by microsomes prelabelled in vivo with [U-14C]arachidonic acid. Phospholipid-bound 15-hydroperoxyarachidonic acid would have the structural requirements needed for 4-hydroxynonenal (CH3-(CH2)4-CH(OH)-CH=CH-CHO). Microsomes supplemented with 15-hydroperoxyarachidonic acid and NADPH, ADP/iron converted only minimal amounts (0.6 mol%) of 15-hydroperoxyarachidonic acid into 4-hydroxynonenal; similarly, 15-hydroperoxyarachidonic acid incubated at pH 7.4 in the presence of ascorbate/iron yielded only small amounts of 4-hydroxynonenal with a rate orders of magnitude below that observed with microsomes. Phospholipid-bound 15-hydroperoxyarachidonic acid is therefore not a likely intermediate in the reaction pathway leading to 4-hydroxynonenal. The rate of 4-hydroxynonenal formation is highest during the very initial phase of its formation and the onset does not show a lag phase, suggesting a transient intermediate predominantly formed during the early phase of microsomal lipid peroxidation. After 60 min of incubation, 204 nmol polyunsaturated fatty acids (20 nmol 18:2, 143 nmol 20:4, 41 nmol 22:6) were lost per mg microsomal protein and the incubation mixture contained 206 nmol lipid peroxides, 71.6 nmol malonic dialdehyde and 4.6 nmol 4-hydroxynonenal per mg protein. Under artificial conditions (pH 1.0, ascorbate/iron, 20 h of incubation) not comparable to the microsomal peroxidation system, 15-hydroperoxyarachidonic acid can be decomposed in good yields (15 mol%) into 4-hydroxynonenal. Autoxidation of arachidonic acid in the presence of ascorbate/iron gave after 25 h of incubation 2.8 mol% (pH 7.4) and 1.5 mol% (pH 1.0) 4-hydroxynonenal. The most remarkable difference between the non-enzymic system and the enzymic microsomal system is that the latter forms 4-hydroxynonenal at a much higher rate.

Aldehydes↗

4-Hydroxynonenal and other aldehydes produced in the liver in vivo after bromobenzene intoxication.

4-Hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) has been identified as one of the most reactive products in a series of toxic aldehydes originating from lipid peroxidation of cellular membranes. The possibility that this aldehyde plays a role as one of the mediators of the cellular injury induced by pro-oxidants is currently investigated. Mice intoxicated with bromobenzene showed levels of lipid peroxidation in the liver that exceed those induced by hepatotoxic haloalkanes CCl4 and BrCCl3. Hence, we have searched for the presence of 4-HNE and other lipid peroxidation products in the liver of bromobenzene-poisoned mice. We looked for 4-HNE in liver extracts as either free aldehyde or its 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazone derivative. Using thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) we obtained well resolved peaks, corresponding to the standard aldehyde or its 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazone derivative, respectively. 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazone derivatization was also used to determine the total carbonyl content in the liver of the intoxicated animals. Three fractions of hydrazones, according to their different polarity ("polar", "non-polar carbonyls, fraction I"; and "non-polar carbonyls, fraction II"), were obtained using TLC. The UV-visible spectra were recorded for quantitative evaluation. Further fractionation of "non-polar carbonyls, fraction II" provided a fraction containing several alkanals and alk-2-enals, which were analyzed and identified by HPLC. Furthermore, protein bound carbonyls were determined in the liver of the intoxicated animals.

Aldehydes↗

Lipid peroxidation and cellular damage in extrahepatic tissues of bromobenzene-intoxicated mice.

The mechanisms of bromobenzene toxicity in extrahepatic tissues of mice were studied. Kidney, lung, heart and brain were examined. As observed in this as well as in a previous report for the liver, bromobenzene intoxication caused a progressive decrease in the glutathione content of all the tissues examined. Cellular damage (as assessed by both biochemical determinations and histologic observations) appeared after 6 hours in the case of the kidney and the heart and after 15 hours in the case of the lung. Lipid peroxidation (as assessed by the tissue content of malonic dialdehyde, a parameter correlating with both the diene conjugation absorption and the amount of carbonyl functions in cellular phospholipids) was found to occur at the same times at which cellular damage was observed or even before. As in the case of bromobenzene-induced liver injury, when the individual values for cell damage obtained at 15-20 hours were plotted against the corresponding glutathione contents, a severe cellular damage was generally observed when the glutathione levels reached a threshold value (3.0-0.5 nmol/mg protein). Such a glutathione threshold was also observed for the onset of lipid peroxidation. Glutathione depletion and lipid peroxidation are therefore general phenomena occurring not only in the liver but in all the tissues as a consequence of bromobenzene poisoning. The possibility that lipid peroxidation is the cause of bromobenzene-induced damage to liver and extrahepatic tissues is discussed.

Animals↗

Calcium sequestration activity in rat liver microsomes. Evidence for a cooperation of calcium transport with glucose-6-phosphatase.

Mechanisms regulating the energy-dependent calcium sequestering activity of liver microsomes were studied. The possibility for a physiologic mechanism capable of entrapping the transported Ca2+ was investigated. It was found that the addition of glucose 6-phosphate to the incubation system for MgATP-dependent microsomal calcium transport results in a marked stimulation of Ca2+ uptake. The uptake at 30 min is about 50% of that obtained with oxalate when the incubation is carried out at pH 6.8, which is the pH optimum for oxalate-stimulated calcium uptake. However, at physiological pH values (7.2-7.4), the glucose 6-phosphate-stimulated calcium uptake is maximal and equals that obtained with oxalate at pH 6.8. The Vmax of the glucose 6-phosphate-stimulated transport is 22.3 nmol of calcium/mg protein per min. The apparent Km for calcium calculated from total calcium concentrations is 31.9 microM. After the incubation of the system for MgATP-dependent microsomal calcium transport in the presence of glucose 6-phosphate, inorganic phosphorus and calcium are found in equal concentrations, on a molar base, in the recovered microsomal fraction. In the system for the glucose 6-phosphate-stimulated calcium uptake, glucose 6-phosphate is actively hydrolyzed by the glucose-6-phosphatase activity of liver microsomes. The latter activity is not influenced by concomitant calcium uptake. Calcium uptake is maximal when the concentration of glucose 6-phosphate in the system is 1-3 mM, which is much lower than that necessary to saturate glucose-6-phosphatase. These results are interpreted in the light of a possible cooperative activity between the energy-dependent calcium pump of liver microsomes and the glucose-6-phosphatase multicomponent system. The physiological implications of such a cooperation are discussed.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Liver glutathione depletion induced by bromobenzene, iodobenzene, and diethylmaleate poisoning and its relation to lipid peroxidation and necrosis.

The mechanisms of bromobenzene and iodobenzene hepatotoxicity in vivo were studied in mice. Both the intoxications caused a progressive decrease in hepatic glutathione content. In both instances liver necrosis was evident only when the hepatic glutathione depletion reached a threshold value (3.5-2.5 nmol/mg protein). The same threshold value was evident for the occurrence of lipid peroxidation. Similar results were obtained in a group of mice sacrificed 15-20 hours after the administration of diethylmaleate, a drug which is mainly conjugated with hepatic glutathione without previous metabolism. The correlation between lipid peroxidation and liver necrosis was much more significant than that between covalent binding and liver necrosis. This fact supports the view that lipid peroxidation is the major candidate for the liver cell death produced by bromobenzene intoxication. Moreover, a dissociation of liver necrosis from covalent binding was observed in experiments in which Trolox C (a lower homolog of vitamin E) was administered after bromobenzene poisoning. The treatment with Trolox C, in fact, almost completely prevented both liver necrosis and lipid peroxidation, while not changing at all the extent of the covalent binding of bromobenzene metabolites to liver protein.

Alanine Transaminase↗

[Functional coupling of the calcium pump and glucose 6-phosphatase activity in liver microsomes: preliminary results].

The addition of G-6-Pi to the incubation system for MgATP-dependent calcium transport in liver microsomes results in a marked stimulation of Ca2+ uptake. At physiological pH values (7.2-7.4), the G-6-Pi stimulated calcium uptake is maximal and equals that obtained with oxalate at pH 6.8. In the system for the G-6-Pi-stimulated calcium uptake, G-6-Pi is actively hydrolyzed by the glucose 6-phosphatase activity of liver microsomes. Such an activity is not influenced by the concomitant calcium uptake. After the incubation of the system for the MgATP-dependent microsomal calcium transport in the presence of G-6-Pi, Pi and calcium are found in equal concentrations, on a molar base, in the recovered microsomal fraction. These results are interpreted in the light of a possible cooperative activity between the energy-dependent calcium pump of liver microsomes and the glucose 6-phosphatase multicomponent system.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

[Inhibition of the calcium-sequestering activity of liver microsomes in monobromotrichloromethane poisoning: preliminary studies on possible mechanisms].

The mechanisms by which the in vivo intoxication with BrCCl3 inhibits the calcium sequestration activity of liver microsomes were studied. The initial rate of Ca2+ transport is inhibited by nearly 50% in the intoxicated rats as compared to the controls; this indicates that the active transport of Ca2+ is markedly affected by the intoxication. The microsomal ATPases activities both in the presence and in the absence of Ca2+ were not decreased at all in the intoxicated animals. However, the Ca2+-dependent extra ATP hydrolysis shows a different kinetics in the BrCCl3-poisoned rats with respect to the controls. The release of Ca2+ from Ca2+ loaded liver microsomes is higher in the intoxicated animals. It seems therefore that the increased permeability of the membrane to Ca2+ contributes to some extent to the haloalkane-induced inhibition of the calcium sequestration activity of liver microsomes.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗

Inhibition of calcium sequestration activity of liver microsomes by 4-hydroxyalkenals originating from the peroxidation of liver microsomal lipids.

Aldehydes released during peroxidation of liver microsomal lipids and identified as 4-hydroxyalkenals (4-hydroxynonenal being quantitatively the most significant) strongly inhibited the calcium sequestration activity of liver microsomes. The ID50 for 4-hydroxynonenal was 42 microM. The inhibition appeared to be correlated with the amount of the aldehyde bound to the microsomal protein. In rats intoxicated with BrCCl3 significant amounts of protein-bound aldehydes were formed at only 5 min after poisoning, a time at which the calcium sequestring capacity is markedly inhibited.

Aldehydes↗

Cytotoxic aldehydes originating from the peroxidation of liver microsomal lipids. Identification of 4,5-dihydroxydecenal.

During the NADPH-Fe-induced peroxidation of liver microsomal lipids products are formed which are provided with cytopathological activities. In a previous study one of the major products was identified as an aldehyde of the 4-hydroxyalkenal class, namely 4-hydroxynonenal. In the present study another cytotoxic product has been isolated and identified as 4,5-dihydroxy-2,3-decenal. The isolation was performed by means of thin-layer chromatography and high-pressure liquid chromatography and the structure was ascertained mainly by means of mass spectroscopy of the free aldehyde and of its derivatives. In the absence of NADPH-Fe liver microsomes produced no 4,5-dihydroxydecenal. The inhibitory activity of 4,5-dihydroxydecenal on microsomal glucose-6-phosphatase is somewhat lower than that exhibited by 4-hydroxynonenal. This lower inhibitory activity correlates with the lower capacity to bind to the microsomal protein of 4,5-dihydroxydecenal as compared to 4-hydroxynonenal. The reactivities of the two aldehydes with cysteine were comparable. The production of toxic aldehydes may represent a mechanism by which lipid peroxidation causes deleterious effects on cellular functions.

Aldehydes↗

Glutathione depletion, lipid peroxidation, and liver necrosis following bromobenzene and iodobenzene intoxication.

NMRI Albino mice, in which the hepatic glutathione (GSH) content was decreased by nearly 50% by either the administration of a pure glucose diet or by starvation, were intoxicated with aryl halides, bromobenzene, and iodobenzene (13 and 9 mmol/kg body weight, respectively, p.o.). After both intoxications, the hepatic glutathione content decreased rapidly to very low values, and liver necrosis, as assessed by serum transaminase levels, occurred in about 45 or 60% of the animals (in the case of bromobenzene or iodobenzene, respectively) after a lag phase of 9 or 6 hr. In both instances liver necrosis was evident only when the hepatic GSH depletion reached a threshold value (3.5-2.5 nmols/mg protein). The same threshold value was evident for the occurrence of lipid peroxidation (measured as both carbonyl functions and conjugated dienes in liver phospholipids). The possibility that the depletion in hepatic GSH level is capable of inducing lipid peroxidation and necrosis could be supported by the fact that similar results were obtained after the administration of inethylmaleate (12 mmol/kg, p.o.), a drug which is expected to conjugate directly with GSH without previous metabolism. The covalent binding of reactive metabolites to cellular macromolecules was determined in the case of bromobenzene poisoning. A dissociation between liver necrosis and covalent binding was observed in experiments in which Trolox C, a lower homolog of vitamin E, was administered (270 mumol/kg) 9 and 13 hr after bromobenzene poisoning. The treatment with Trolox C, in fact, almost completely prevented both liver necrosis and lipid peroxidation, while the extent of the covalent binding of bromobenzene metabolites to liver proteins was not altered.

Animals↗

Loss of lipid peroxidation as a histochemical marker for preneoplastic hepatocellular foci of rats.

Since it is known that tumor cell membranes have lost the capacity to undergo lipid peroxidation, it seemed of interest to investigate whether the loss of susceptibility to lipid peroxidation represents a tumoral marker appearing in preneoplastic cells together with the other known tumoral markers. A histochemical technique was developed to detect lipid peroxidation in individual cells of liver sections exposed to effective prooxidants. The technique was based on the detection of protein-bound aldehydes (alkenals) with the use of the Schiff's reagent. The latter reagent can also detect carbonyl function present in acyl residues of peroxidized phospholipids of cellular membranes. Liver preneoplastic foci were obtained in rats by the i.p. administration of diethylnitrosamine and of 2-acetylaminofluorene in the diet. Frozen sections of the liver, incubated in the presence of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate:iron revealed the presence of areas in which lipid peroxidation had not been induced (Schiff-negative areas). These areas corresponded strictly, in serial sections, to areas that were strongly positive to gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase.

2-Acetylaminofluorene↗

On the mechanisms of the inhibition of calcium sequestering activity of liver microsomes in bromotrichloromethane intoxication.

The mechanisms by which the in vivo intoxication with BrCCl3 inhibits the calcium sequestration activity of liver microsomes were studied. The initial rate of Ca2+ transport is inhibited by nearly 50% in the intoxicated rats as compared to the controls; this indicates that the active transport of Ca2+ is markedly affected by the intoxication. The microsomal ATPase activities both in the presence and in the absence of Ca2+ were not decreased at all in the intoxicated animals. However, the Ca2+-dependent extra ATP-hydrolysis shows a different kinetics in the BrCCl3-poisoned rats with respect to the controls. The release of Ca2+ from Ca2+-loaded liver microsomes is higher in the intoxicated animals. It seems therefore that the increased permeability of the membrane to Ca2+ contributes to some extent to the haloalkane-induced inhibition of the calcium sequestration activity of liver microsomes.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

[Depletion of liver glutathione induced by iodobenzene poisoning and its relation to lipid peroxidation and necrosis].

The mechanisms underlying iodobenzene hepatotoxicity were investigated in Albino mice in which the hepatic glutathione (GSH) content had been decreased by nearly 50% by starvation for 16 h before poisoning. After iodobenzene administration (9 mmol/Kg, p.o.) the hepatic GSH content decreased progressively and liver necrosis, as measured by the plasma transaminase (GPT, GOT) levels, occurred in many animals at 12 and 16 h. A clear cut necrosis was evident only when the hepatic GSH depletion reached a threshold value (3.5-2.5 nmol/mg protein). The same threshold value was evident for the occurrence of lipid peroxidation (measured as both carbonyl functions and conjugated dienes in liver phospholipids). The highly significant correlation found between lipid peroxidation and liver necrosis supports the possibility of a cause-effect relationship between the two phenomena.

Alanine Transaminase↗

Variations of fatty acid composition of erythrocyte and plasma lipids in the rat during the first period of life.

The changes occurring in the fatty acid composition of the erythrocyte lipids during the first weeks of life were studied in the rat. The major changes consisted of a progressive decrease in oleic acid and a progressive increase in linoleic acid. A lower but significant increase in arachidonic acid was also observed. These changes are not related to variations in erythrocyte age; rather, they appear to be related to the age of the animal. Since somewhat similar changes were observed in the fatty acid composition of the major lipid classes of plasma during the first weeks of life, the possibility that these variations could account for the changes in the fatty acid composition of erythrocyte lipids was considered. Some support to this possibility was found in the results of experiments in which erythrocytes taken from 15-day-old rats were incubated with plasma taken from newborn rats. The changes in the fatty acid composition of erythrocytes and plasma lipids do not appear to be dependent on dietary lipids, since they occur during the suckling period, i.e., before the rats begin to ingest the pelleted diet which presents a fatty acid pattern completely different to that of the dams' milk.

Aging↗

Detection of carbonyl functions in phospholipids of liver microsomes in CCl4- and BrCCl3-poisoned rats.

Since the peroxidative cleavage of unsaturated fatty acids can result in either the release of carbonyl compounds or the formation of carbonyl functions in the acyl residues, evidence for the presence of carbonyl groups in liver microsomal phospholipids was searched for in in vivo conditions (CCl4 and BrCCl3 intoxications) in which peroxidation of lipids of hepatic endoplasmic reticulum had been previously demonstrated. The spectrophotometric examination of 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine-treated phospholipids of liver microsomes from the intoxicated animals showed absorption spectra similar to those observed for the dinitrophenylhydrazones of various carbonyls. Similar spectra, although magnified from a quantitative point of view, were also observed with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine-treated phospholipids of liver microsomes peroxidized in the NADPH-Fe-dependent system. A time-course study of microsomal lipid peroxidation showed that the amount of 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine-reacting groups (carbonyl functions) in phospholipids of liver microsomes increases with the incubation time and is correlated to the amount of malonic dialdehyde formed in the incubation mixture. The kinetics of the production of 4-hydroxynonenal was somewhat similar to that of malonic dialdehyde formation. In both the in vivo conditions (CCl4 and BrCCl3 intoxications) the amount of carbonyl functions in microsomal phospholipids, which was higher in the BrCCl3-intoxicated animals as compared to the CCl4-poisoned ones, was close to that found in the vitro condition in which lipid peroxidation is induced by 6 microM Fe2+. The possible pathological significance of formation of carbonyl functions in membrane phospholipids is discussed.

Animals↗

Evidence for aldehydes bound to liver microsomal protein following CCl4 or BrCCl3 poisoning.

Since it has been demonstrated in previous studies that peroxidation of liver microsomal lipids leads to the production of aldehydes provided with cytopathological activities--namely 4-hydroxyalkenals--evidence was searched for aldehydes bound to microsomal protein in in vivo conditions (CCl4 and BrCCl3 intoxications) in which peroxidation of lipids of hepatic endoplasmic reticulum had been demonstrated previously. The spectrophotometric analysis of 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine-treated non-lipoidal residues of liver microsomes from the intoxicated rats shows absorption spectra similar to those observed for the dinitrophenylhydrazones formed in the reaction of alkenals with -SH groups of proteins or low molecular weight thiols. Similar spectra, although magnified from a quantitative point of view, were obtained either with liver microsomes allowed to react with synthetic 4-hydroxynonenal or with liver microsomes peroxidized in the NADPH-Fe-dependent system. A time-course study of microsomal lipid peroxidation shows that the amount of 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine-reacting groups in the non-lipoidal residue of liver microsomes increases with the incubation time and is correlated to the amount of thiobarbituric acid-reacting products formed in the incubation mixture. In both the in vivo conditions (CCl4 and BrCCl3 intoxications) the amount of 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine-reacting groups in the non-lipoidal residue of liver microsomes increases from 15 min up to 2 h after poisoning and is higher, in every instance, in the BrCCl3-intoxicated animals compared to the CCl4-poisoned ones. Experiments carried out to ascertain the reliability of the spectrophotometric detection of protein-bound alkenals showed that in the in vitro system in which liver microsomes are allowed to react with 4-hydroxynonenal there is a good agreement between the binding value that can be calculated from the absorption spectrum and the binding value obtained by using labelled 4-hydroxynonenal.

Aldehydes↗

[Mechanism of action of carbonyl compounds (4-hydroxyalkenals) derived from the peroxidation of hepatic microsomal lipids].

When carbonyl compounds released during the NADPH-Fe dependent peroxidation of liver microsomal lipids and identified as 4-hydroxyalkenals (almost entirely 4-hydroxynonenal) are incubated with liver microsomes, a substantial amount of these products can be recovered bound to the microsomal protein, by allowing the microsomal protein to react with 2,4-dinitrophenyl-hydrazine. Concomitantly with the binding a decrease in the "exposed" and total -SH groups is stechiometrically accounted for by the amount of carbonyl compounds bound to the microsomal protein. Still in concomitance with the binding, the G-6-Pase activity of the microsomes markedly decreased. Therefore a mechanism similar to that described (12) for the binding of 4-hydroxyalkenals to -SH groups of protein and enzymes can be postulated.

Aldehydes↗