Platelets play an essential role in hemostasis through aggregation and adhesion to vascular injury sites but their unnecessary activation can often lead to thrombotic diseases. Upon exposure to physical or biochemical stimuli, remarkable platelet shape changes precede aggregation or adhesion. Platelets shape changes facilitate the formation and adhesion of platelet aggregates, but are readily reversible in contrast to the irrevocable characteristics of aggregation and adhesion. In this dynamic phenomenon, complex molecular signaling pathways and a host of diverse cytoskeleton proteins are involved. Platelet shape change is easily primed by diverse pro-thrombotic xenobiotics and stimuli, and its inhibition can modulate thrombosis, which can ultimately contribute to the development or prevention of thrombotic diseases. In this review, we discussed the current knowledge on the mechanisms of platelet shape change and also pathological implications and therapeutic opportunities for regulating the related cytoskeleton dynamics.
Blood Platelets* ; Cytoskeleton* ; Hemostasis ; Thrombosis ; Vascular System Injuries ; Xenobiotics

Organic anion transporting polypeptides (OATP), a member of solute carrier (SLC) superfamily, is considered as an important transmembrane uptake transporters. OATP is involved in the transport of a variety of endo- and xenobiotics (bile acids, bilirubin, prostaglandin, thyroid hormones, steroid hormone conjugates), drugs and toxins in a Na+ and ATP independent manner. Multiple factors (eg. hormones, proinflammatory cytokines, drugs) can affect the distribution, expression and activity of OATPs, leading to an altered accumulation of OATP substrates and related food-drug and drug-drug interactions. Changes in the distribution and expression of OATPs in malignant tissues may be related to the pathological process of cancer, while the modulation epigenetic mechanism also contributes to its distribution patterns. This review describes the factors that can affect the expression or function of OATPs, which may provide a valuable reference for drug development and the clarification of pathogenesis.
Biological Transport ; Humans ; Neoplasms ; Organic Anion Transporters ; physiology ; Xenobiotics

Glutathione ; metabolism ; Humans ; Lipoxygenase ; metabolism ; Oxidation-Reduction ; Xenobiotics ; metabolism

The gastrointestinal exposome represents the integration of all xenobiotic components and host-derived endogenous components affecting the host health, disease progression and ultimately clinical outcomes during the lifespan. The human gut microbiome as a dynamic exposome of commensalism continuously interacts with other exogenous exposome as well as host sentineling components including the immune and neuroendocrine circuit. The composition and diversity of the microbiome are established on the basis of the luminal environment (physical, chemical and biological exposome) and host surveillance at each part of the gastrointestinal lining. Whereas the chemical exposome derived from nutrients and other xenobiotics can influence the dynamics of microbiome community (the stability, diversity, or resilience), the microbiomes reciprocally alter the bioavailability and activities of the chemical exposome in the mucosa. In particular, xenobiotic metabolites by the gut microbial enzymes can be either beneficial or detrimental to the host health although xenobiotics can alter the composition and diversity of the gut microbiome. The integration of the mucosal crosstalk in the exposome determines the fate of microbiome community and host response to the etiologic factors of disease. Therefore, the network between microbiome and other mucosal exposome would provide new insights into the clinical intervention against the mucosal or systemic disorders via regulation of the gut-associated immunological, metabolic, or neuroendocrine system.
Biological Availability ; Disease Progression ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome ; Humans ; Microbiota ; Mucous Membrane ; Neurosecretory Systems ; Phenobarbital ; Symbiosis ; Xenobiotics

Although stroke is one of the leading causes of death and disability worldwide, preventive or therapeutic options are still limited. Therefore, a better understanding of the pathophysiological characteristics of this life-threatening disease is urgently needed. The incidence and prevalence of ischemic stroke are increased by exposure to certain types of xenobiotics, including heavy metals, suggesting the possible toxicological contribution of these compounds to the onset or aggravation of stroke. Among the potential targets, we have focused on alterations to cerebral endothelial cells (CECs), which play important roles in maintaining the functional integrity of brain tissue.
Blood-Brain Barrier* ; Brain ; Cause of Death ; Endothelial Cells ; Incidence ; Metals, Heavy ; Prevalence ; Stroke* ; Tight Junctions ; Xenobiotics

OBJECTIVES: The effects of ethanol and phenobarbital,which are known to affect metabolism of xenobiotics, on the formation of benzidine-and its metabolites-plasma protein adducts in rats administered benzidine were evaluated. METHODS: The experimental rats were divided into the control,ethanol and phenobar-bital groups. The experimental groups (ethanol and phenobarbital group)were pretreated with ethanol (1g/kg)or phenobarbital (80mg/kg)24 hours prior to the oral administration of benzidine (0.5mmol/kg). Blood samples were obtained from the vena cava from 5 rats in each group; and at 30 min,3 h,6 h,9 h,12 h,24 h,48 h,72 h,96 h,and 144 h after the administration of benzidine using heparin treated syringes.The plasma protein levels were separated immediately after taking blood samples. The adducts were underwent basic hydrolysis to convert them into aromatic amines. The hydrolyzed benzidine, monoacetylbenzidine, and 4-aminobiphenyl were analyzed by reverse-phased liquid chro-matography with an electrochemical detector. The quantitative amount of the metabolites was expressed by the plasma protein binding index(PBI). RESULTS: Similar to the hemoglobin adducts,the levels of the plasma protein adducts of the ethanol and phenobarbital groups (benzidine-, monoacetylbenzidine-, and 4-amino-biphenyl-PBI)were higher than those of the control group. These results are attributable to the fact that ethanol and phenobarbital induced to the plasma protein adduct formation. The N-acetylation ratio in the control group was highest at 72 h with 2.34.In the ethanol group,it was highest at 72 h with a ratio of 2.46 and was highest in the phenobarbital group at 72 h with a ratio of 2.43. The N-acetylation ratio of the plasma protein adducts was relatively lower than that of the hemoglobin adducts.The level of the plasma protein adduct increased more rapidly than the hemoglobin adducts in all experimental groups regardless of the pretreatment,and decreased rapidly after reaching the maximum level. CONCLUSION: The above results indicate that ethanol and phenobarbital increased the level of plasma protein adduct formation. The plasma protein adducts tended to decrease more rapidly than the hemoglobin adducts in the body after benzidine exposure. This results in this study result suggests that the effects of ethanol or phenobarbital need to be considered in the biochemical monitoring,and that the level of the plasma protein adducts be a more proper biomarker than the hemoglobin adducts for assessing the short term exposure to a benzidine and benzidine based dye.
Administration, Oral ; Amines ; Animals ; Environmental Monitoring* ; Ethanol* ; Heparin ; Hydrolysis ; Metabolism ; Phenobarbital* ; Plasma* ; Protein Binding ; Rats* ; Xenobiotics

Glutathione (GSH) is a well-known antioxidative cellular component which is ubiquitous in nature. Several enzymes involved in GSH metabolism and recycling have been found to play important roles in detoxification of xenobiotics and free radicals. In this study, total GSH content, activity of GSH peroxidase and GSH reductase were measured in liver and kidney of cisplatin treated rats. Total GSH content (mM/g protein) of liver was higher in cisplatin treated rats (1.51±0.28) than of nontreated control (0.95±0.28), and in kidney, it was also higher in cisplatin treated rats (0.87±0.20) than that of control (0.68±0.14). The activity of GSH peroxidase (µM/mg protein/min) was lower in liver of cisplatin treated rats (348.0±18.54) than that of control (415.5±53.15), in kidney it was increase din cisplatin treated rats (380.5±51.86) compared to control (327.3±20.36). The activity of GSH reductase (µM/mg protein/min) was higher in liver of cisplatin treated rats (3.09±0.88) than that of control (2.28±0.61), in kidney it was also higher in cisplatin treated rats (8.50±2.62) than that of control (3.30±1.10). In summary, detoxification of ciplatin was revealed lesser effect in kidney as show increasion of GSH peroxidase and reductase and detoxification of cisplatin was expressed effectively in liver by increasing of GSH content and decreasing GSH peroxidase.
Animals ; Cisplatin* ; Free Radicals ; Glutathione* ; Kidney* ; Liver* ; Metabolism* ; Oxidoreductases ; Peroxidase ; Rats* ; Recycling ; Xenobiotics

As a member of the nuclear receptor superfamily, the pregnane X receptor (PXR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor. PXR is highly expressed in liver and intestinal tissues, and also found in other tissues and organs, such as stomach and kidney. After heterodimerization with retinoid X receptor (RXR), PXR recruits numerous co-activating factors, and binds to specific DNA response elements to perform transcriptional regulation of the downstream target genes. As an acknowledged receptor for xenobiotics, PXR was initially considered as a nuclear receptor regulating drug metabolizing enzymes and transporters. However, nowadays, PXR has also been recognized as an important endobiotic receptor. Recent studies have shown that PXR activation can regulate glucose metabolism, lipid metabolism, steroid endocrine homeostasis, detoxification of cholic acid and bilirubin, bone mineral balance, and immune inflammation in vivo. This review focuses on the role of PXR in metabolism of endogenous substances.
Animals ; Gene Expression Regulation ; Humans ; Pregnane X Receptor ; metabolism ; Xenobiotics ; metabolism

A function of the kidney is elimination of a variety of xenobiotics ingested and wasted endogenous compounds from the body. Organic anion and cation transport systems play important roles to protect the body from harmful substances. The renal proximal tubule is the primary site of carrier-mediated transport from blood into urine. During the last decade, molecular cloning has identified several families of multispecific organic anion and cation transporters, such as organic anion transporter (OAT), organic cation transporter (OCT), and organic anion-transporting polypeptide (oatp). Additional findings also suggested ATP-dependent organic ion transporters such as MDR1/P-glycoprotein and the multidrug resistance-associated protein (MRP) as efflux pump. The substrate specificity of these transporters is multispecific. These transporters also play an important role as drug transporters. Studies on their functional properties and localization provide information in renal handling of drugs. This review summarizes the latest knowledge on molecular properties and pharmacological significance of renal organic ion transporters.
Cloning, Molecular ; Humans ; Ion Transport* ; Kidney* ; Multidrug Resistance-Associated Proteins ; P-Glycoprotein ; Substrate Specificity ; Xenobiotics

Lipoxygenase is a protein with non-heme iron atom, which has been discovered in many animals and plants. Lipoxygenase which has a close relationship with human tumors, inflammatory diseases, asthma, arteriosclerosis, and toxic action of chemicals could not only di-oxygenate endogenous polyunsaturated fatty acid to yield bioactive factors such as leukotrienes(LTs), but also has co-oxidation activity to activate xenobiotics. Lipoxygenase inhibitors include hydroxamic acid derivatives, nordihydroguaiaretic acid, flavonoids, FLAP inhibitors and so on. All of them can effectively restrain the catalytic action of lipoxygenase. Literatures demonstrate that the inhibitors can block the formation of relevant bioactive factors and toxic products of xenobiotics clinically which are used to prevent and cure the relevant diseases to keep people healthy.
Animals ; Flavonoids ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Leukotrienes ; metabolism ; Lipoxygenase Inhibitors ; pharmacology ; Masoprocol ; pharmacology ; Oxidation-Reduction ; Xenobiotics ; metabolism