Objective: To investigate the effect of arsenic and its main metabolites on the apoptosis of human lung adenocarcinoma cell line A549 and the expression of pro-apoptotic genes Bad and Bik. Methods: In October 2020, A549 cells were recovered and cultured, and the cell viability was detected by the cell counting reagent CCK-8 to determine the concentration and time of sodium arsenite exposure to A549. The study was divided into NaAsO(2) exposure groups and metobol: le expoure groups: the metabolite comparison groups were subdivided into the control group, the monomethylarsinic acid exposure group (60 μmol/L) , and the dimethylarsinic acid exposure group (60 μmol/L) ; sodium arsenite dose groups were subdivided into 4 groups: control group (0) , 20, 40, 60 μmol/L sodium arsenite NaAsO(2). Hoechst 33342/propidium iodide double staining (Ho/PI) was used to observe cell apoptosis and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to detect the expression levels of Bad and Bik mRNA in cells after exposure. Western blotting was used to detect the protein expressions of Bad, P-Bad-S112, Bik, cleaved Bik and downstream proteins poly ADP-ribose polymerase PARP1 and cytochrome C (Cyt-C) , using spectrophotometry to detect the activity changes of caspase 3, 6, 8, 9. Results: Compared with the control group, the proportion of apoptotic cells in the 20, 40, and 60 μmol/L NaAsO(2) dose groups increased significantly (P<0.01) , and the expression levels of Bad, Bik mRNA, the protein expression levels of Bad, P-Bad-S112, Bik, cleaved Bik, PARP1, Cyt-C were increased (all P<0.05) , and the activities of Caspase 3, 6, 8, and 9 were significantly increased with significantly differences (P<0.05) . Compared with the control group, the expression level of Bad mRNA in the DMA exposure group (1.439±0.173) was increased with a significant difference (P=0.024) , but there was no significant difference in the expression level of Bik mRNA (P=0.788) . There was no significant differences in the expression levels of Bad and Bik mRNA in the poison groups (P=0.085, 0.063) . Compared with the control group, the gray values of proteins Bad, Bik, PARP1 and Cyt-C exposed to MMA were 0.696±0.023, 0.707±0.014, 0.907±0.031, 1.032±0.016, and there was no significant difference between the two groups (P=0.469, 0.669, 0.859, 0.771) ; the gray values of proteins Bad, Bik, PARP1 and Cyt-C exposed to DMA were 0.698±0.030, 0.705±0.022, 0.908±0.015, 1.029±0.010, and there was no difference between the two groups (P=0.479, 0.636, 0.803, 0.984) . Conclusion: Sodium arsenite induces the overexpression of Bad and Bik proteins, initiates the negative feedback regulation of phosphorylated Bad and the degradation of Bik, activates the downstream proteins PARP1, Cyt-C and Caspase pathways, and mediates the apoptosis of A549 cells.
A549 Cells ; Adenosine Diphosphate Ribose/pharmacology* ; Apoptosis ; Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins ; Arsenic ; Arsenites ; Cacodylic Acid/pharmacology* ; Caspase 3 ; Caspases/pharmacology* ; Cytochromes c/pharmacology* ; Humans ; Mitochondrial Proteins/pharmacology* ; Poisons ; Propidium/pharmacology* ; RNA, Messenger ; Sincalide/pharmacology* ; Sodium Compounds ; bcl-Associated Death Protein/metabolism*

Recently, a mitochondrial ceramidase has been identified and cloned, whose mitochondrial localization strongly suggests the existence of an unexpected mitochondrial pathway of ceramide metabolism that may play a key role in mitochondrial functions, especially in the regulation of apoptosis. To explore the biological effect of mitochondrial ceramidase on cells, pcDNA 3.1/His-CDase plasmid, containing mitochondrial ceramidase cDNA sequence, was transducted into K562 cells mediated by liposome, and G418 was used to screen for positive colonies. A stable transfected K562 cell line was established and named as 'K562TC'. The difference between K562 and K562TC cells in chemotheraputic cytotoxicity response and serum-withdrawal resistance and Bcl-2 protein expression were evaluated by MTT assay, annexin V/PI test, flow cytometry or Western blotting, respectively. The results showed that although survival was comparable between K562 and K562TC cells after exposed to adriamycin, etoposide or arsenious acid, K562TC cells with elevated Bcl-2 protein expression level as identified by FCM or Western blotting revealed stronger resistance to apoptosis induced by serum withdrawal than their parental cells. Inhibition of mitochondrial ceramidase expression in K562TC cells by its specific antisense oligodeoxynucleotide was correlated with a decrease in Bcl-2 protein level. N, N-dimethylsphingosine, a sphingosine kinase inhibitor, depleted intracellular sphingosine-1-phosphate production, also abrogated Bcl-2 protein expression in K562TC cells, while Bcl-2 protein level in K562 cells was up-regulated by exogenous sphingosine-1-phosphate. It is concluded that mitochondrial ceramidase overexpression in K562 cells leads to markedly elevated level of Bcl-2 protein and results in more resistance to serum withdrawal. This effect is initiated not by sphingosine, the direct metabolite of mitochondrial ceramidase, but via sphingosine-1-phosphate, its phosphorylated form. This is the first evidence that mitochondrial ceramidase, through its sphingoid metabolite sphingosine-1-phosphate, up-regulates Bcl-2 protein expression in K562 cells.
Amidohydrolases ; physiology ; Apoptosis ; Arsenites ; pharmacology ; Ceramidases ; Doxorubicin ; pharmacology ; Etoposide ; pharmacology ; Humans ; K562 Cells ; Lysophospholipids ; physiology ; Mitochondria ; enzymology ; Oligonucleotides, Antisense ; pharmacology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; analysis ; Sphingosine ; analogs & derivatives ; physiology ; Up-Regulation

The histopathological features and the associated clinical findings of ulcerative colitis (UC) are due to persistent inflammatory response in the colon mucosa. Interventions that suppress this response benefit UC patients. We tested whether sodium arsenite (SA) benefits rats with dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-colitis. The DSS-colitis was induced by 5% DSS in drinking water. SA (10 mg/kg; intraperitoneally) was given 8 h before DSS treatment and then every 48 h for 3 cycles of 7, 14 or 21 d. At the end of each cycle rats were sacrificed and colon sections processed for histological examination. DSS induced diarrhea, loose stools, hemoccult positive stools, gross bleeding, loss of body weight, loss of epithelium, crypt damage, depletion of goblet cells and infiltration of inflammatory cells. The severity of these changes increased in the order of Cycles 1, 2 and 3. Treatment of rats with SA significantly reduced this severity and improved the weight gain.
Animals ; Arsenites ; pharmacology ; Body Weight ; Colitis ; chemically induced ; drug therapy ; Colitis, Ulcerative ; chemically induced ; Colon ; pathology ; Dextran Sulfate ; pharmacology ; Epithelium ; pathology ; Inflammation ; Male ; Models, Biological ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Sodium Compounds ; pharmacology ; Time Factors ; Treatment Outcome

AIMTo investigate the effect of arsenic on spermatogenesis.

METHODSMature (4 months old) Wistar rats were intraperitoneally administered sodium arsenite at doses of 4, 5 or 6 mg.kg(-1).day(-1) for 26 days. Different varieties of germ cells at stage VII seminiferous epithelium cycle, namely, type A spermatogonia (ASg), preleptotene spermatocytes (pLSc), midpachytene spermatocytes (mPSc) and step 7 spermatids (7Sd) were quantitatively evaluated, along with radioimmunoassay of plasma follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), testosterone and assessment of the epididymal sperm count.

RESULTSIn the 5 and 6 mg/kg groups, there were significant dose-dependent decreases in the accessory sex organ weights, epididymal sperm count and plasma concentrations of LH, FSH and testosterone with massive degeneration of all the germ cells at stage VII. The changes were insignificant in the 4 mg/kg group.

CONCLUSIONArsenite has a suppressive influence on spermatogenesis and gonadotrophin and testosterone release in rats.

Animals ; Arsenites ; analysis ; pharmacology ; Body Weight ; Enzyme Inhibitors ; analysis ; pharmacology ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone ; blood ; Luteinizing Hormone ; blood ; Male ; Organ Size ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Sodium Compounds ; analysis ; pharmacology ; Sperm Count ; Spermatogenesis ; drug effects ; Testis ; chemistry ; cytology ; drug effects ; Testosterone ; blood

OBJECTIVETo construct different mutants of human p53 for expression in eukaryotic cells and investigate the effects of these mutants on stress-induced cell apoptosis.

METHODSHuman p53 cDNA was amplified by PCR and cloned into pcDNA3/HA vector following the routine procedures. The Ser15 and Ser46 of p53 were mutated to Ala and identified by enzyme digestion and PCR, and these mutants were expressed in NIH3T3 cells and detected by Western blotting. After transfection with the plasmids of different p53 mutants, the NIH3T3 cells were double-stained with AnnexinV-FITC and propidium iodide for apoptotic analysis using flow cytometry.

RESULTSThe recombinant plasmids of HA-tagged wild-type p53, HA-p53(WT), and its mutants, HA-p53(S15A) and HA-p53(S46A), were successfully constructed and expressed efficiently in NIH3T3 cells. The apoptotic ratio of p53(WT)-transfected cells induced by arsenite increased and that of p53(S15A)-transfected cells decreased significantly after arsenite stimulation, but no significant changes occurred in the apoptosis of p53(S46A)-transfected cells.

CONCLUSIONThe phosphorylation on Ser15 of p53 plays an important role in mediating arsenite-induced cell apoptosis.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Arsenites ; pharmacology ; Base Sequence ; Eukaryotic Cells ; metabolism ; Genetic Vectors ; Humans ; Mice ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Mutation ; NIH 3T3 Cells ; Phosphorylation ; Transfection ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 ; genetics ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the role of multidrug resistance-associated protein 2 (MRP2) in the hepatic cell membrane of rats.

METHODSThirty healthy Wistar rats were divided randomly into six groups based on time of administration (2 w, 4 w, 6 w) of 20 mg/kg of sodium arsenite, and their corresponding control groups. Animals were administered every other day. Arsenic content in blood and bile were detected by atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS), and the expression of MRP2 in the membrane of hepatocyte by Western blotting was determined.

RESULTSTotal arsenic levels (including organic arsenic and inorganic arsenic) in blood and bile were significantly higher than control groups (P < 0.05) at all three different time points, especially in 2 w and 4 w group (16.8 and 13.8 fold greater than that in control). The expression of MRP2 increased 36.61%, 32.36%, 12.73% more respectively in 2 w, 4 w, 6 w groups than those in control groups (P < 0.05). The expression of MRP2 was correlated with total arsenic content in bile (r = 0.713, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSBile is one of the major routes for the excretion of arsenite and its metabolites, and the overexpression of MRP2 may play an important role in the bile excretion of them at early stage.

Animals ; Arsenic Poisoning ; metabolism ; Arsenites ; pharmacology ; Bile ; metabolism ; Hepatocytes ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Liver ; metabolism ; Membrane Transport Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Multidrug Resistance-Associated Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

MDR1 promoter has been shown to contain heat shock elements (HSE), and it has been reported that FM3A/M and P388/M MDR cells show a constitutively activated heat shock factor (HSF), suggesting that HSF might be an important target for reversing the multidrug resistance. Therefore, it was examined whether quercetin, which has been shown to interfere with the formation of the complex between HSE and HSF, and to downregulate the level of HSF1, can sensitize MDR cells against anticancer drugs by inhibition of HSF DNA-binding activity. In this study, quercetin appeared to inhibit the constitutive HSF DNA-binding activity and the sodium arsenite-induced HSF DNA-binding activity in the MDR cells. The basal and sodium arsenite-induced MDRCAT activities were remarkably suppressed by the treatment of quercetin. These results were well consistent with the finding that the treatment of quercetin decreased the expression level of P-gp, MDR1 gene product, in dose-dependent manner, and markedly increased the sensitivity of MDR cells to vincristine or vinblastine. These results suggest that quercetin can decrease the expression of P-gp via inhibition of HSF DNA-binding activity, and might be useful as a chemosensitizer in MDR cells.
Animal ; Antineoplastic Agents/pharmacology ; Arsenites/pharmacology ; Carcinoma/drug therapy ; Drug Resistance, Multiple/physiology* ; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm/physiology ; Heat-Shock Proteins/metabolism ; Heat-Shock Proteins/drug effects* ; Heat-Shock Proteins/antagonists & inhibitors ; Leukemia, Experimental/drug therapy ; Mice ; P-Glycoprotein/genetics ; P-Glycoprotein/drug effects ; Quercetin/pharmacology* ; Sodium Compounds/pharmacology ; Tumor Cells, Cultured ; Vinblastine/pharmacology ; Vincristine/pharmacology

OBJECTIVEIn order to use facultative gut bacteria as an alternate to animals for the initial gastrointestinal toxicity screening of heavy metals, a comparative study on rat intestinal epithelial cells and resident gut bacteria was undertaken.

METHODSin vitro growth rate of four gut bacteria, dehydrogenase (DHA) and esterase (EA) activity test, intestinal epithelial and bacterial cell membrane enzymes and in situ effect of arsenite were analysed.

RESULTSGrowth profile of mixed resident population of gut bacteria and pure isolates of Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas sp., Lactobacillus sp., and Staphylococcus sp. revealed an arsenite (2-20 ppm) concentration-dependent inhibition. The viability pattern of epithelial cells also showed similar changes. DHA and EA tests revealed significant inhibition (40%-72%) with arsenite exposure of 5 and 10 ppm in isolated gut bacteria and epithelial cells. Decrease in membrane alkaline phosphatase and Ca2+ -Mg2+ -ATPase activities was in the range of 33%-55% in four bacteria at the arsenite exposure of 10 ppm, whereas it was 60%-65% in intestinal epithelial villus cells. in situ incubation of arsenite using intestinal loops also showed more or less similar changes in membrane enzymes of resident gut bacterial population and epithelial cells.

CONCLUSIONThe results indicate that facultative gut bacteria can be used as suitable in vitro model for the preliminary screening of arsenical gastrointestinal cytotoxic effects.

Animals ; Arsenites ; pharmacology ; Cell Membrane ; drug effects ; Culture Media ; Epithelial Cells ; drug effects ; enzymology ; microbiology ; Esterases ; metabolism ; Gram-Negative Bacteria ; drug effects ; enzymology ; growth & development ; Gram-Positive Bacteria ; drug effects ; enzymology ; growth & development ; Humans ; Intestines ; cytology ; drug effects ; microbiology ; Oxidoreductases ; metabolism ; Rats ; Teratogens ; pharmacology