Search results for "Agens"

Extracellular Matrix Molecular Remodeling in Human Liver Fibrosis Evolution

2016

Chronic liver damage leads to pathological accumulation of ECM proteins (liver fibrosis). Comprehensive characterization of the human ECM molecular composition is essential for gaining insights into the mechanisms of liver disease. To date, studies of ECM remodeling in human liver diseases have been hampered by the unavailability of purified ECM. Here, we developed a decellularization method to purify ECM scaffolds from human liver tissues. Histological and electron microscopy analyses demonstrated that the ECM scaffolds, devoid of plasma and cellular components, preserved the three-dimensional ECM structure and zonal distribution of ECM components. This method has been then applied on 57 l…

Assessment of a possible genotoxic environmental risk in sheep bred on grounds with strongly elevated contents of mercury, arsenic and antimony.

1996

A part of Northern Palatinate country (Germany) was formerly influenced by mercury mining. Today, in many cases agricultural and housing areas are placed onto or near to former dump grounds of rubble. In the soil of these areas the concentration of mercury, arsenic and antimony was found ranging from basic natural contents up to strongly elevated levels. In a biomonitoring project, sheep bred on grounds contaminated with mercury (range 1-435 mg Hg/kg dry matter), arsenic (range 17-147 mg As/kg dry matter) and antimony (range 2-15 mg Sb/kg dry matter) were taken as example on the uptake of these elements from the environment and for possible effects of this exposure. Significantly elevated m…

The nucleotide excision repair protein XPC is essential for bulky DNA adducts to promote interleukin-6 expression via the activation of p38-SAPK

2016

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are environmental pollutants, and many are potent carcinogens. Benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P), one of the best-studied PAHs, is metabolized ultimately to the genotoxin anti-B[a]P-7,8-dihydrodiol-9,10-epoxide (BPDE). BPDE triggers stress responses linked to gene expression, cell death and survival. So far, the underlying mechanisms that initiate these signal transduction cascades are unknown. Here we show that BPDE-induced DNA damage is recognized by DNA damage sensor proteins to induce activation of the stress-activated protein kinase (SAPK) p38. Surprisingly, the classical DNA damage response, which involves the kinases ATM and ATR, is not involved in p38-SA…

Rat liver endothelial and Kupffer cell-mediated mutagenicity of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and aflatoxin B1.

1990

The ability of isolated rat liver endothelial and Kupffer cells to activate benzo(a)pyrene (BP), trans-7,8-dihydroxy-7,8-dihydrobenzo(a)pyrene (DDBP), trans-1,2-dihydroxy-1,2-dihydrochrysene (DDCH), and aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) to mutagenic metabolites was assessed by means of a cell-mediated bacterial mutagenicity assay and compared with the ability of parenchymal cells to activate these compounds. Endothelial and Kupffer cells from untreated rats were able to activate AFB1 and DDBP; DDBP was activated even in the absence of an NADPH-generating system. Pretreating the animals with Aroclor 1254 strongly enhanced the mutagenicity of the dihydrodiol, whereas the mutagenicity of AFB1 showed a sligh…

Large differences in metabolic activation and inactivation of chemically closely related compounds: effects of pure enzymes and enzyme induction on t…

1981

Metabolic Activation of the (+)-S,S- and (−)-R,R-Enantiomers of trans-11,12-Dihydroxy-11,12-dihydrodibenzo[a,l]pyrene:  Stereoselectivity, DNA Adduct…

1997

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons require metabolic activation in order to exert their biological activity initiated by DNA binding. The metabolic pathway leading to bay or fjord region dihydrodiol epoxides as ultimate mutagenic and/or carcinogenic metabolites is thought to play a dominant role. For dibenzo[a,l]pyrene, considered as the most potent carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, the formation of the fjord region syn- and/or anti-11,12-dihydrodiol 13,-14-epoxide (DB[a,l]PDE) diastereomers has been found to be the principal metabolic activation pathway in cell cultures leading to DNA adducts. In order to further elucidate the stereoselectivity involved in this activation pathway…

Metabolic activation of aflatoxin B1 to aflatoxin B1-8,9-epoxide in woodchucks undergoing chronic active hepatitis

1997

Chronic hepatitis B virus infection as well as consumption of food contaminated with the mycotoxin aflatoxin B1 are considered to be 2 major risk factors for the development of primary liver cancer in humans. Furthermore, epidemiological surveys indicate that hepatitis B virus and aflatoxin B1 might act synergistically to induce primary liver cancer. In the present study, we have tested the hypothesis that the metabolic activation of aflatoxin B1 to aflatoxin B1-8,9-epoxide, the ultimate mutagenic and carcinogenic mycotoxin metabolite, is enhanced in an experimental model of chronic hepatitis using woodchucks, chronically infected with the woodchuck hepatitis virus. Woodchuck liver microsom…

Biological activation of 1,3-butadiene to vinyl oxirane by rat liver microsomes and expiration of the reactive metabolite by exposed rats.

1983

When 1,3-butadiene is incubated with rat liver microsomes and NADPH both enantiomers of vinyl oxirane are formed, the amount of epoxide being dependent on incubation time, microsomal protein, and substrate concentration. Inhibition by SKF 525 A or dithiocarb as well as induction by pretreatment with phenobarbital or 20-methylcholanthrene suggest participation of cytochrome P-450 in this reaction. The amount of epoxide is enhanced by addition of 1,1,1-trichloropropene oxide and reduced by glutathione, especially in the presence of hepatic cytosol. When rats are exposed to 1,3-butadiene in a closed chamber (conditions of maximal metabolism) vinyl oxirane is exhaled and can be quantitatively d…

cAMP-dependent phosphorylation of CYP2B1 as a functional switch for cyclophosphamide activation and its hormonal controlin vitro andin vivo

2001

An important feature of cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2B1 is its high ability to convert the prodrug cyclophosphamide (CPA) to therapeutically cytotoxic metabolites, resulting in interstrand DNA-cross-linking and cell death. We have examined whether and how the phosphorylation of CYP2B1 influences CPA metabolic activation in vitro and in vivo. We found first that only part of the total CYP2B1 pool undergoes phosphorylation. This part is fully inactivated. Second, phosphorylation of CYP2B1 in intact hepatocytes reduced by up to 75% toxification of CPA to mutagenic metabolites (totally dependent on the same preferentially CYP2B-catalyzed 4-hydroxylation of CPA as is the generation of highly cytotoxic…

Covalent DNA adducts formed in mouse epidermis by benzo(g)chrysene

1996

The metabolic activation in mouse skin of benzo[g]chrysene (B[g]C), a moderately carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) present in coal tar, was investigated. Male Parkes mice were treated topically with 0.5 micromol B[g]C and DNA was isolated from the treated areas of skin at various times after treatment and analysed by 32P-post-labelling. Seven major adduct spots were detected, at a maximum level of 6.55 fmol adducts/microg DNA. Mouse skin treated with the PAH benzo[c]phenanthrene (B[c]Ph) gave a total of 0.24 fmol adducts/microg DNA. B[g]C-DNA adducts persisted in skin for at least 3 weeks. Treatment of mice with 0.5 micromol of the optically pure putative proximate carcinog…