Chemistry and primary toxicity of tobacco and tobacco smoke.

Tobacco smoke contains thousands of organic and inorganic chemicals. Two thirds of these originate from pyrolysis and pyrosynthesis in the burning or smoldering of tobacco products. The rest is transferred unchanged from the tobacco into the smoke. The components in tobacco leaves and processed tobacco differ widely with the type of tobacco plant, and method of cultivation, harvesting and curing. Major toxic constituents of tobacco smoke are volatile organic chemicals, free radicals, nonvolatile polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, aromatic amines, heterocyclic amines and metals. N-nitrosamines, in particular tobacco-specific N-nitrosamines, in processed tobacco are of major health concern. They are distilled into the smoke but are also present in 'smokeless' tobacco products. The distribution of tobacco smoke constituents between the particulate and gaseous phase largely determines their site of deposition and, hence, action. Reactive compounds in tobacco smoke interact with cellular macromolecules to cause lipid peroxidation, protein modification and DNA damage. In addition, free radicals, foremost reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, disturb the equilibrium of physiological messenger substances. Together, this leads to malfunctioning of signaling pathways, cytotoxicity, cell necrosis and apoptosis, impaired growth control and gene mutation, initial steps in the development of cardiovascular disease, lung disorders and cancer

Metabolism of fluperlapine by cytochrome p450-dependent and flavin-dependent monooxygenases in continuous cultures of rat and human cells.

The metabolism of fluperlapine, a neuroleptic dibenzazepine derivative with a N-methyl-piperazinyl substituent, was investigated in continuous cultures of rat and human cells which express various cytochrome P450-dependent monooxygenase activities. The differentiated rat hepatoma cells H4IIEC3/G- and their variants 2sFou and FGC-5 metabolized fluperlapine predominantly by N-oxygenation and only to a minor degree by N-demethylation or glucuronidation of primary phenolic products. Total fluperlapine metabolism in dedifferentiated rat hepatoma cells H5 and partially differentiated human hepatoma cells HepG2 was much smaller than in the differentiated rat hepatoma lines. This was primarily attributable to their low capacity for N-oxygenation. Human lung adenocarcinoma lines NCI-H322 and NCI-H358 formed only trace amounts of fluperlapine N-oxide. Pretreatment of 2sFou cells with benz(a)anthracene, phenobarbital or dexamethasone markedly increased the formation of N-demethylated and glucuronidated products but did not affect the rate of N-oxide formation. Guanethidine and cysteamine, inhibitors of flavin-dependent monooxygenase activity, reduced fluperlapine N-oxidation more strongly than aldrin epoxidation, a marker for cytochrome P450 activity. In contrast, n-octylamine inhibited aldrin epoxidation but was without effect on fluperlapine N-oxygenation. The results suggest that certain cells in continuous culture are capable of expressing flavin-dependent monooxygenase(s) in addition to cytochrome P450-containing monooxygenases. Such cells may offer useful systems for studying the oxidative metabolism of a broad spectrum of xenobiotics and analysing the importance of the two oxygenation reactions for the biological effects of their substrates

Differential effects of 12-<em>O</em>-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate on cytochrome <em>P</em>-450-dependent monooxygenase activities in rat hepatoma cells: Induction of <em>P</em>-450I and suppression of <em>P</em>-450II.

We have studied the effects of the tumor promoter 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA) on cytochrome P-450-dependent monooxygenase activities in several differentiated and dedifferentiated Reuber rat hepatoma cell lines using aryl hydrocarbon (benzo[a]pyrene) hydroxylase (AHH), ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD), and aldrin epoxidase (AE) at test systems. The following results were obtained: (1) Exposure of cultures to 400 nM TPA for 18-24 h increased AHH activities in the differentiated lines 2sFou, H41IEC3/G- and Fao as well as in the dedifferentiated line 5L, 1.5-2.5-fold. The phorbol ester did not affect AHH activity in the dedifferentiated line H5. (2) EROD, a marker for P-450I, was induced by the phorbol ester to a similar degree as AHH. (3) A monoclonal antibody directed against P-450I strongly inhibited the AHH activity induced by TPA. (4) The onset of AHH or EROD induction by TPA was much later than that elicited by benz[a]anthracene. (6) In contrast to the induction of AHH and EROD, TPA decreased AE activity, a marker for P-450II, by about 50% in all the cell lines containing this monooxygenase activity. (7) The half-maximum-effect concentration of TPA for inducing or suppressing AHH and AE, respectively, was approximately 20 nM. (8) TPA did not interfere with AHH induction by benz[a]anthracene. However, the phorbol ester moderately decreased AHH induction and markedly suppressed AE induction by dexamethasone. The results indicate that TPA simultaneously induces P-450I and suppresses P-450II forms in rat hepatoma cells. P-450I induction by TPA in these cells did not appear to depend on their status of differentiation. Furthermore, the results suggest that the mechanism of P-450I induction by TPA differs from that elicited by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons or glucocorticoids

Arylamine <em>N</em>-acetyltransferase activities in cell lines of mouse, rat, hamster and man differing in their sensitivity to 1,6-dinitropyrene.

This study was aimed at monitoring N-acetyltransferase activities of continuous cell lines, which differ in their sensitivity to the toxic effects of nitroaromatic compounds. Transferase activities were measured toward the acetyl acceptors sulfamethazine and p-aminobenzoic acid in partially purified preparation of cytosols. Cell lines such as hamster V79, BHK, rat hepatoma H4IIEC3G- or fibroblast 208F, which are sensitive to 1,6-dinitropyrene (1,6-DNP), possess high transferase activities ranging from 120-270 nmol/min &times; mg protein. In contrast, human lung cells NCI-H322, mouse and rat hepatoma cells BW1J and H5, respectively, which are resistant to 1,6-DNP contain no or low transferase activity of less than 15 nmol/min &times; mg. There was no apparent correlation between 1,6-DNP sensitivity and acetyltransferase levels in a few cell lines, e.g. rat hepatoma HTC, 2sFou and 5L, which express intermediate transferase activities ranging from 25-50 nmol/min &times; mg protein. The results suggest that acetylation is an essential step in activating 1,6-DNP to toxic products in mammalian cells

V79 Chinese hamster cells express cytochrome P-450 activity after simultaneous exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and aminophylline.

V79 Chinese hamster lung cells expressed low but significant aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase activities when treated with an inducer of cytochrome P-450I, such as benz[a]anthracene or 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), together with aminophylline. Inducibility by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and inhibition by a specific monoclonal antibody indicated that the observed enzyme activity was mediated by cytochrome P-450I. Intact V79 cells pretreated with TCDD and aminophylline for 24 h metabolized benzo[a]pyrene to phenolic products with accumulated linearly in the growth medium for at least the same time period. Exposure of V79 cells to 10 &mu;M benzo[a]pyrene and aminophylline for 72 h reduced subsequent cell growth by about 40%. The results demonstrate that V79 cells, under specific conditions, express PAH-inducible cytochrome P-450I and are capable of activating benzo[a]pyrene to cytotoxic products

Dexamethasone-mediated potentiation of P450IA1 induction in H4IIEC3/T hepatoma cells is dependent on a time-consuming process and associated with induction of the <em>Ah</em> receptor.

The synergistic effect of dexamethasone (DEX) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons on the induction of cytochrome P450IA1 (P450IA1) was examined in H4IIEC3/T Reuber hepatoma cells. P450IA1 activity was determined by the hydroxylation of benzo[a]pyrene (AHH) and deethylation of 7-ethoxy-resorufin (EROD). The amount of Ah receptors, i.e. the specific cytosolic binding protein of 3-methylcholanthrene or 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) in H4IIEC3/T cells was characterized and quantitated by high performance gel filtration. Benz[a]anthracene and TCDD induced AHH and EROD activities, respectively, about 20-fold within 4 h. The increase was about 100-fold when cells were pretreated with DEX. The glucocorticoid alone induced P450IA1 activities 3-4-fold. DEX elicited half maximum AHH induction at a concentration of 20 nM in the presence or absence of benz[a]anthracene. Maximal potentiation of AHH induction required treatment with DEX for at least 32 h prior to the exposure to benz[a]anthracene. Treatment of H4IIEC3/T cells with DEX for 20 h caused a 2-3-fold increase in the amount of Ah receptor. The results suggest that the synergistic effect of DEX and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons on P450IA1 induction involves a time-consuming process which may consist of the synthesis or modification of a factor, possibly the Ah receptor

2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin causes unbalanced growth in 5L rat hepatoma cells.

5L cells, dedifferentiated descendents of the rat hepatoma line H4IIEC3, constitute one of the rare continuous lines which are sensitive to the toxic effects of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD). In the present study we investigated the nature of TCDD toxicity in these cells. The following results were obtained: (1) Exposure to 0.1 nM TCDD for 48 hr inhibits the proliferation of 5L cells by more than 50%, as determined by the increase in the number of cells and the amount of DNA per culture. (2) TCDD doubles the amount of protein and the uptake of neutral red per cell during the 48-hr exposure period. (3) TCDD restores neither constitutive levels of tyrosine aminotransferase, a marker of liver-specific functions, nor its inducibility by dexamethasone. (4) The effects of TCDD are reversible when TCDD-containing growth media are replaced by TCDD-free medium. (5) 5L cells grown at 2% of fetal bovine serum are considerably more sensitive to TCDD than those grown at 10% serum. The results indicate that TCDD inhibits the proliferation of 5L cells without retarding the rate of growth or overtly changing the status of differentiation. The dioxin possibly causes unbalanced cell growth by interfering with the action of hormones or factors contained in the growth medium

Toxicity of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin in vitro: H4IIEC3-derived 5L hepatoma cells as a model system.

2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) was investigated for its toxicity in 5L-cells, descendants of the hepatoma line H4IIEC3. TCDD reduced the proliferation of 5L-cells by about 50%, with half-maximum inhibition at 0.1-0.3 nM concentrations. As shown by flow cytometric analys&iacute;s, TCDD blocked the entry of 5L-cells into the S-phase, but did not hinder their progression through S and G2/M to the G1 phase. There was a marked increase in cell volume concomitant with the inhibition of growth. Both effects became apparent as early as 4-8 h after TCDD exposure. The parental line H4IIEC3/G- and the variant lines H4IIEC3/T, p4 and H5 were insensitive to the growth-inhibitory effect of TCDD. In view of the rapid onset of effects which can readily be detected and quantitated, 5L-cells offer a highly useful system for analysing the mechanism of action of TCDD at the cellular level

Comparison of the continuous rat hepatoma cell line 2sFou with primary rat hepatoyctes cultures for the induction of DNA repair synthesis by nitrosamines, benzo[<em>a</em>]pyrene and hydroxyurea.

We have examined the suitability of the continuous rat hepatoma cell line 2sFou for testing the genotoxicity of chemicals in comparison with that of primary rat hepatocyte cultures (HPC). The capacity of the cells for metabolic activation was assessed by measuring induction of DNA-repair synthesis and inhibition of replicative DNA synthesis by the test compounds dimethylnitrosamine (DMN), diethylnitrosamine (DEN), hydroxyurea (HU) and benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), which are substrates for major hepatic and extrahepatic forms of cytochrome P-450 dependent monooxygenases. The cellular capacity for DNA-repair synthesis was assessed using UV-light as a DNA-damaging agent. Repair-specific incorporation of [3H]deoxycytidine (3H-dCyd) caused by UV-light was higher in 2sFou cells than in HPC. In contrast, background repair incorporation of 3H-dCyd in 2sFou cells was only 1/3 that found in HPC. All the test agents induced DNA repair and inhibited DNA synthesis in both 2sFou cells and HPC. The two nitrosamines were more effective in HPC than in 2sFou cells. HU and BaP affected DNA repair and DNA synthesis in the two cell systems at similar range of concentrations. In general, DNA repair in the 2sFou cells increased near linearly with the concentrations of the test compounds. The data indicate that 2sFou cells are capable of activating hepatotropic pro-mutagens/carcinogens such as dialkylnitrosamines, and are sensitive indicators of DNA damage. In contrast, BaP, a non-hepatotoxic compound, caused only little DNA repair in these cells. Thus, continuously growing cells, such as 2sFou, show a qualitatively similar response to genotoxic chemicals as HPC and offer a potential alternative to HPC for genotoxicity testing