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Biomedical subjects

M Paolini

Publications and source records attributed to M Paolini.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1997

Molecular non-genetic biomarkers of effect related to acephate cocarcinogenesis: sex- and tissue-dependent induction or suppression of murine CYPs.

The aim of this work was to study the ability of the organophosphate insecticide acephate to alter some biochemical markers of effect related non-genetic cocarcinogenesis. For this purpose, selective CYP-dependent reactions have been examined in liver, kidney and lung microsomes of male and female Swiss albino CD1-mice treated (i.p.) with a 125 or 250 mg/kg b.w. dose of this pesticide. High specific substrates were used as a probe of various isozymes, such as CYP 1A1, 1A2, 2B1, 2E1 and 3A. Maked organ- and sex-related differences in either inducive or suppressive response by acephate depict a complex pattern of CYP modulation with the kidney being more responsive to 3A induction (up to 6.9-fold increase, male) and the lung to 2B1 suppression (up to 70% loss, mainly female). In the liver, a 2.7-fold increase in the 3A-like activity, probed by the O-demethylation of aminopyrine, in the O-deethylation of phenacetin (1.8-fold increase, 1A2), as well as in the hydroxylation of p-nitrophenol (1.6-fold increase, 2E1) was observed in male animals at a lower dose. In contrast, a marked reduction of CYP 1A1-mediated ethoxyresorfin O-deethylase activity ranging from 43% (lower dose) to 44% loss (higher dose) in female and male mice, respectively, and of CYP 2B1-mediated pentoxyresorufin O-dealkylase (3% loss, female) was achieved. In the kidney, an increase in the 'mixed' ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase (up to 2-fold) as well as in the 2B1-like activity (up to 2.8-fold) was also recorded in males at 250 mg/kg. Once again, in the lung, a different behaviour on 3A isoforms between female (approximately 2-fold increase) and male (44% loss) was seen at a lower dose. The specificity of CYP changes was corroborated by means of Western immunoblotting analysis using rabbit polyclonal antibodies, anti-CYP 3A1/2 and 2E1. Taken together, these data indicate a possible toxic/cotoxic, cocarcinogenic and promoting potential of acephate.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Biomarkers of effect in evaluating dithianon cocarcinogenesis: selective induction and suppression of murine CYP3A isoform.

The ability of dithianon, whose mutagenic/cocarcinogenic activity has as yet not been clarified, to affect specific biomarkers of effect related to non-genotoxic cocarcinogenesis was investigated. For this purpose, several CYP-dependent reactions have been studied in liver, kidney and lung microsomes derived from male and female Swiss Albino CD1 mice treated i.p. with single (3 or 6 mg kg(-1) b.w.) or repeated (3 mg kg(-1) b.w., daily for 3 days) administrations of such fungicide. No significant changes in both absolute and relative liver, kidney and lung weights were achieved after dithianon treatment. Whereas a single dose was able to significantly induce certain monooxygenases, with repeated treatments a loss of activity was observed. For example, a approximately 2.4-fold increase of CYP3A-dependent activity, probed by N-demethylation of aminopyrine, was achieved in the liver (both sexes, lower dose) and, to a lesser extent, in lung. A small, but significant increase in the hydroxylation of p-nitrophenol (2E1) and in the O-deethylation of ethoxycoumarin (mixed) was also found in liver. With the exception of a approximately 46% loss in the 3A-like activity, no appreciable changes of the selected biomarkers were observed in kidney. Repeated dithianon doses were able to significantly reduce the 3A- and 2E1-dependent monooxygenases (approximately 30% and approximately 30% loss, respectively, averaged between male and female), as well as ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase activity (approximately 54% loss) in the liver. On the contrary, no significant CYP modulation in both kidney and lung was recorded. On the whole, dithianon has a complex pattern of CYP induction or suppression in various tissues of both sexes, suggesting the possible toxic/cotoxic and cocarcinogenic potential of this fungicide. These data can contribute to a better understanding of its toxicological profile, providing more information concerning the risk associated to human exposure.

7-Alkoxycoumarin O-Dealkylase↗
PubMed1997

Development of basal and induced testosterone hydroxylase activity in the chicken embryo in ovo.

1. The sensitivity of the developing embryo to xenobiotics is highly dependent on the expression of metabolizing enzymes including cytochromes P450 (CYP). In the present study, therefore, the ontogeny of the CYP-dependent system in the chick was investigated with testosterone hydroxylase activity as a marker of CYP expression. 2. Chicken embryo livers were assayed for basal and phenobarbitone (PB)-induced regio- and stereo-selective testosterone hydroxylase activity, from the first appearance of the liver as a discrete organ at 5 days of incubation through day 10 posthatching. In addition, whole embryo preparations were assayed at 3 and 4 days of incubation. 3. Whereas testosterone 16 beta-hydroxylase and androst-4-ene-3, 17-dione-linked activities were expressed during all stages of embryonic development, testosterone 6 alpha-, 6 beta-, 7 alpha- and 16 alpha-hydroxylase activities were observed only in basal embryos from 8 days of incubation. Furthermore, testosterone 2 alpha- and 2 beta-hydroxylase activities were detected exclusively from 10 days of incubation onward. All activities increased steadily throughout development as did the responsiveness of the embryonic liver to PB induction. 4. A typical pattern of development with a higher activity from 10 to 14 days of incubation (testosterone 16 alpha-, 7 alpha-, 6 alpha- and 2 beta-hydroxylase activities; up to 4.1 +/- 0.3 pmol mg-1 protein min-1 at 13 days of incubation for testosterone 7 alpha-hydroxylase) or shifted to 14 to 18 days of incubation (testosterone 6 beta-, 2 alpha- and 16 beta-hydroxylase activities: up to 56.6 +/- 1.4 pmol mg-1 protein min-1 at 16 days of incubation for testosterone 6 beta-hydroxylase) was observed. There was a tendency towards an increased activity for all activities around hatching, specifically from 19 days of incubation to 4 days posthatching (up to 1,759.3 +/- 179.4 pmol mg-1 protein min-1 at 1 day posthatching for androst-4-ene-3,17-dione-linked activity). 5. The highest level of PB-induced enzyme activity was observed for testosterone 2 alpha-hydroxylase activity (95.14 +/- 7.35 and 660.19 +/- 45.27 pmol mg-1 protein min-1) at 12 days of incubation and day 3 posthatching, respectively. Except for testosterone 2 alpha- and 2 beta-hydroxylase activities at 3 to 4 days of incubation, all metabolites were detectable during the first period of organogenesis in the presence of PB. 6. The use of highly specific substrates, studies on the immunoinhibition of metabolism by polyclonal antibodies raised against highly purified rat CYPs, and the use of selective inhibitors seemed to reveal a wide pleiotropic response with the possible presence in liver of PB-treated chickens of CYP1A together with CYP2HI/H2, CYP2E and CYP3A.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

A database for evaluating the toxicological risk of pesticides.

This study of Overtox-DB, a computerized database for managing chemical toxicity data, is a product of the application of typical methodologies regarding information science and computer technology. The methodology applied can be reduced to three-basic elements: the collection of requirements, design, and achievement. Overtox-DB was developed by defining technological elements for managing data and its structure and by identifing the procedures and methodologies for data storage, retrieval, distribution, and standardization of many kinds of test data stored in the same format. The program stores data about chemical identification, physical and chemical properties, toxicological tests, mutagenicity, teratogenicity, carcinogenicity, and a bibliography of chemical compounds. Overtox-DB consists of five modules: experimental and bibliographic, data collection, molecular data collection, data search, and data report. The Overtox-DB user responds to a simplified set of query commands and boolean operators that interact with the system to retrieve different toxicological data (the majority of fields are defined as search fields and identify the test system, results of the assays, administration route, dose, etc.). The collected information provides an analytical characterization of biological activities for many compounds and identifies evidence possibly lacking in experimental approaches. Indeed, this database could permit a comparative evaluation with other substances and can be used for structure-activity relationship studies.

Database Management Systems↗
PubMed1996

Biomarkers of effect in evaluating metalaxyl cocarcinogenesis. Selective induction of murine CYP 3A isoform.

The ability of metalaxyl, whose mutagenic/cocarcinogenic activity has as yet not been clarified, to affect specific biomarkers related to non-genotoxic cocarcinogenesis, was investigated. Several CYP-dependent reactions have been studied in liver, kidney and lung microsomes derived from male and female Swiss Albino CD1 mice treated i.p. with single (200 or 400 mg/kg b.w.) or repeated (200 mg/kg b.w., 3 days) administrations of fungicide. No significant changes in both absolute and relative liver, kidney and lung weights were observed after metalaxyl treatment. Although a single dose did not significantly affect the considered monooxygenases, a clear example of selective CYP3A induction was recorded in different tissues after repeated treatment. A 3 approximately -fold increase in CYP3A isozymes, probed by N-demethylation of aminopyrine, was observed in the liver (both sexes). Again, a 5 approximately -fold increase (averaged between male and female) in this oxidase activity was present in the kidney. No significant change of the selected biomarkers was observed in the lung. A weak, but significant reduction of CYP2B1 isoform in liver (male) was also recorded. Liver and kidney CYP3A overexpression was corroborated by means of Western immunoblotting analysis using rabbit polyclonal antibodies anti-CYP3A1/2. Northern blotting analysis with CYP3A cDNA biotinylated probe showed that, in the liver, the expression of this isozyme is regulated at the mRNA level. On the whole, these data seem to indicate the cotoxic and cocarcinogenic potential of this fungicide.

Alanine↗
PubMed1996

Cytotoxic activity and transformation of BALB/c 3T3 cells in vitro by the insecticide acephate.

Cytotoxic and cell transforming activity of the organophosphate insecticide acephate have been studied in an in vitro experimental model which foresees the exposure of BALB/c 3T3 cells to the chemical. The assay was performed in the presence or absence of metabolic activation system derived from phenobarbital and beta-naphthoflavone induced rats (S9-mix). Cytotoxicity of acephate was unaffected by the presence of the metabolizing fraction. Cell-transforming potential, evidenced through the induction of transformation foci, was observed at all tested doses (i.e. 100, 200 and 400 micrograms/ml) with or without exogenous bioactivation. This activity was related with cell proliferation since it was particularly evident in a level-II cell-transformation assay when the cells were allowed to perform active proliferative activity. These findings, obtained in a medium-term (6-8 weeks) test, may contribute to a better understanding of the action of acephate in the multistep carcinogenesis, proving more information on the oncogenic risk to humans.

3T3 Cells↗
PubMed1996

Molecular non-genetic biomarkers related to Fenarimol cocarcinogenesis: organ- and sex-specific CYP induction in rat.

Selective biochemical markers of effect have been used to evaluate some non-genotoxic cocarcinogenic properties of Fenarimol. Several CYP-dependent reactions have been monitored in liver, kidney and lung microsomes of male and female Sprague-Dawely rats treated (i.p.) with 200 or 400 mg/kg body wt dose of this pesticide. Highly specific substrates were used as probes of various isoforms, such as CYP1A1, 1A2, 2B1, 2E1 and 3A. A complex pattern of CYP induction, including organ- and sex-related differences in the inductive response by Fenarimol, has been recorded in this investigation, the kidney (mainly male) being more responsive when compared to other tissues. A 6.6-fold increase in the 2B1-like activity, probed by dealkylation of pentoxyresorufin was observed in the liver at a higher dose. On the contrary, a marked induction of CYP1A1 mediated ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase activity, ranging from 20- to 35-fold in female and male, respectively, was observed in the kidney at a lower dose tested. In the lung, at a higher dose, the p-nitrophenol hydroxylase activity (2E1) was enhanced up to 3.5-fold in male animals, whereas the 3A-like activity, probed by the N-demethylation of aminopyrine, was induced up to 2.6-fold in females. A weak, although significant reduction of CYP2B1 isoforms in lung was also recorded. Taken together, these data corroborated by means of Western immunoblotting analysis (using rabbit polyclonal antibodies anti-CYP 2B1/2, 1A1, 2E1, and 3A1/2) indicate a possible cotoxic, comutagenic cocancerogenic and promoting potential of this fungicide.

7-Alkoxycoumarin O-Dealkylase↗
PubMed1996

Testosterone hydroxylase in evaluating induction and suppression of murine CYP isoenzymes by fenarimol.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of single and repeated administration of fenarimol on murine liver, kidney and lung microsomal CYP-catalyzed drug metabolism. The modulation of the regio- and stereo-selective hydroxylation of testosterone by fenarimol was considered in evaluating cocarcinogenic properties. Induction or suppression of different CYPs was recorded after a single dose of the fungicide. For example, in liver, 6 beta-(mainly associated with CYP3A), 7 alpha- and 2 beta-testosterone hydroxylase (TH) activities were induced up to 4.8-fold (7 alpha-TH) in female mice, at a dose of 150 mg/kg. In contrast, at 150 and 300 mg/kg, 16 alpha-TH (CYP2B9), 17-TH (female) and 6 alpha-TH (CYP2A1 and 2B1, male) activities were appreciably reduced. In extrahepatic tissues, the CYP modulation pattern was different, 16 alpha-TH being the only metabolite decreased (lung, male). In kidney, 16 beta-TH and 17-TH activities were increased up to 5.8-fold in female mice (lowest dose), while in lung 6 alpha-TH and 7 alpha-TH activities were induced up to 6- and 7-fold, respectively (both doses). Repeated treatment (150 mg/kg for 3 days) was able markedly to induce all steroid hydroxylations, up to 78-fold in 2 alpha-TH activity (male liver). In conclusion, fenarimol has a complex pattern of CYP induction or suppression in various tissues of both sexes, suggesting the possible toxic, cotoxic/cocarcinogenic and promoting potential of this fungicide.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Genetic and non-genetic biomarkers related to carcinogenesis in evaluating toxicological risk from Fenarimol.

A multibiomarker approach based on the study of toxicity mechanisms at both genetic and metabolic levels has been applied to Fenarimol. With regard to genotoxicity, particular attention was given to assays for chromosomal aberration and micronuclei; clastogenic potential was assessed in human peripheral blood lymphocytes in vitro, while the induction of micronuclei was studied in male CD1 mouse bone marrow polychromatic erythrocytes (PCE). Fenarimol did not induce any significant dose-related increase in micronucleated PCEs, up to 4-fold above the control level at a single dose of 75 mg/kg b.w., was observed 24 h after treatment. Using selective biochemical markers of effect Fenarimol was found to induce CYP 2B1 isoforms in liver, kidney and lung microsomes of Swiss Albino CD1 male and female mice, as shown by the significant increase in specific 2B1-probe pentoxyresorufin O-dealkylase activity. On the contrary, CYP 3A, probed by N-demethylation of aminopyrine, were only induced in the liver. Results were corroborated by means of Western immunoblotting using rabbit polyclonal antibodies anti-CYP 2B1 and 3A. Northern blotting analysis with CYP 2B1 and 3A cDNA biotinylated probes showed that the expression of such isoforms is regulated at mRNA level. Taken as a whole, these data indicate the possible (mutagenic) cotoxic/cocarcinogenic and promoting potential of this fungicide.

Animals↗