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A I Cederbaum

Publications and source records attributed to A I Cederbaum.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2000

Ethanol and arachidonic acid produce toxicity in hepatocytes from pyrazole-treated rats with high levels of CYP2E1.

Ethanol and polyunsaturated fatty acids such as arachidonic acid were shown to be toxic and cause apoptosis in HepG2 cells which express CYP2E1 but not in control HepG2 cell lines. The goal of the current study was to extend the observations made with the HepG2 cells to non-transformed, intact hepatocytes. Rats were treated with pyrazole to increase CYP2E1 levels, hepatocytes were isolated and placed into culture and treated for varying time points with ethanol or arachidonic acid. Comparisons were made to hepatocytes from saline-treated rats, with low CYP2E1 content. Incubation with ethanol (100 mM) or especially arachidonic acid (60 microM) resulted in loss of viability of hepatocytes from the pyrazole-treated rats, without any effect on the hepatocytes from the saline-treated rats. The toxicity appeared to be apoptotic in nature and was prevented by diallyldisulfide, an inhibitor of CYP2E1. Toxicity was reduced by trolox, an antioxidant. The treatment with ethanol or arachidonic acid resulted in release of cytochrome c into the cytosol fraction, and activation of caspase 3 (but not caspase 1) in hepatocytes from the pyrazole-treated rats but not hepatocytes from the saline-treated rats. The activation of caspase 3 was prevented by diallyldisulfide, by trolox, and by DEVD-fmk. The latter also prevented the toxicity produced by ethanol or arachidonic acid. These results extend previous observations found with HepG2 cells expressing CYP2E1 to intact hepatocytes and suggest that release of cytochrome c and activation of caspase 3 play a role in the overall pathway by which CYP2E1 contributes towards the hepatotoxic actions of ethanol and polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Interaction of 1-hydroxyethyl radical with antioxidant enzymes.

There is considerable interest in the role of the 1-hydroxyethyl radical (HER) in the toxic effects of ethanol. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effects of HER on classical antioxidant enzymes. The interaction of acetaldehyde with hydroxylamine-o-sulfonic acid has been shown to produce 1, 1'-dihydroxyazoethane (DHAE); this compound appears to be highly unstable, and its decomposition leads to the generation of HER. Addition of DHAE into a solution of PBN led to the appearance of the typical EPR spectra of PBN/HER adduct. No PBN/HER spin adduct was detected when DHAE was incubated with 0.1 M PBN in the presence of GSH. In the absence of PBN, DHAE oxidized ascorbic acid to semidehydroascorbyl radical, presumably via an ascorbate-dependent one-electron reduction of HER back to ethanol. Catalase was progressively inactivated by exposure to DHAE-generated HER in a time and HER concentration-dependent manner. Ascorbic acid and PBN gave full protection to catalase against HER-dependent inactivation. The antioxidants 2-tert-butyl-4-methylphenol, propylgallate, and alpha-tocopherol-protected catalase against inactivation by 84, 88, and 39%, respectively. Other antioxidant enzymes were also sensitive to exposure to HER. Glutathione reductase, glutathione peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase were inactivated by 46, 36, and 39%, respectively, by HER. The results reported here plus previous results showing HER interacts with GSH, ascorbate, and alpha-tocopherol suggest that prolonged generation of HER in cells from animals chronically exposed to ethanol may lower the antioxidant defense status, thereby contributing to mechanisms by which ethanol produces a state of oxidative stress and produces toxicity.

Antioxidants↗
PubMed1999

NADPH-dependent microsomal electron transfer increases degradation of CYP2E1 by the proteasome complex: role of reactive oxygen species.

Increased levels of cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) produced by low-molecular-weight compounds is mostly due to stabilization of the enzyme against proteolytic degradation. CYP2E1, in the absence of substrate or ligand, normally has a short half-life, but the factors which regulate CYP2E1 turnover or trigger its rapid degradation are not known. Since CYP2E1 is active in producing reactive oxygen species, experiments were carried out to evaluate whether reactive oxygen species modulated the degradation of CYP2E1. CYP2E1 present in human liver microsomes was very stable. Addition of the cytosol fraction produced degradation of CYP2E1, and this was enhanced when NADPH was present in the reaction system. Antioxidants or iron chelators which prevent lipid peroxidation, prevented the degradation of CYP2E1 by the cytosolic fraction. Similarly, diphenyleneiodonium chloride, which inhibits NADPH-dependent electron transfer, prevented the degradation of CYP2E1, as did 4-methylpyrazole, a ligand which increases the level of CYP2E1. If microsomes were first incubated with NADPH for 30 min, followed by the addition of these agents, there was no protection against CYP2E1 degradation. Lactacystin, an inhibitor of the proteasome, decreased the degradation of CYP2E1. In intact HepG2 cells transduced to express CYP2E1, proteasome inhibitors elevated steady-state levels of CYP2E1. Steady-state levels of CYP2E1 were increased by about 50% when the cells were incubated with trolox. Trolox decreased the rate of loss of CYP2E1 protein when the cells were treated with cycloheximide. These results suggest that NADPH-dependent production of reactive oxygen species may result in oxidative modification of CYP2E1, followed by rapid degradation of the labilized CYP2E1 by the proteasome complex. It is interesting to speculate that one consequence of the high rates of production of reactive oxygen species by CYP2E1 is its own labilization and subsequent rapid degradation, and this may be a regulatory mechanism to prevent high levels of the enzyme from accumulating within the cell.

Acetylcysteine↗
PubMed1999

Overexpression of catalase in cytosolic or mitochondrial compartment protects HepG2 cells against oxidative injury.

HepG2 cells were transfected with vectors containing human catalase cDNA and catalase cDNA with a mitochondrial leader sequence to allow comparison of the effectiveness of catalase overexpressed in the cytosolic or mitochondrial compartments to protect against oxidant-induced injury. Overexpression of catalase in cytosol and in mitochondria was confirmed by Western blot, and activity measurement and stable cell lines were established. The intracellular level of H(2)O(2) induced by exogenously added H(2)O(2) or antimycin A was lower in C33 cell lines overexpressing catalase in the cytosol and mC5 cell lines overexpressing catalase in the mitochondria as compared with Hp cell lines transfected with empty vector. Cell death caused by H(2)O(2), antimycin A, and menadione was considerably suppressed in both the mC5 and C33 cell lines. C33 and mC5 cells were also more resistant to apoptosis induced by H(2)O(2) and to the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential induced by H(2)O(2) and antimycin A. In view of the comparable protection by catalase overexpressed in the cytosol versus the mitochondria, catalase produced in both cellular compartments might act as a sink to decompose H(2)O(2) and move diffusable H(2)O(2) down its concentration gradient. The present study suggests that catalase in cytosol and catalase in mitochondria are capable of protecting HepG2 cells against cytotoxicity or apoptosis induced by oxidative stress.

Antimycin A↗
PubMed1999

Metabolites of acetaminophen trigger Ca2+ release from liver microsomes.

Release of mitochondrial calcium is believed to play a key role in the toxicity of acetaminophen in biological systems. Elevated cytosolic Ca2+ may also result from activation of calcium releasing channels. The major metabolites of acetaminophen, benzoquinone imine and 1,4-benzoquinone, induced Ca2+ release in isolated rat liver microsomes. The 1,4-benzoquinone-induced release of calcium was suppressed by ryanodine and fully inhibited by reduced glutathione. Concentrations of 1,4-benzoquinone that induced Ca2+ release did not affect the activity of the microsomal Ca2+, Mg2+-APTase. The binding of [3H]ryanodine to liver microsomes, however, was significantly decreased by 1,4-benzoquinone, suggesting a direct interaction of this metabolite with the ryanodine-binding protein (ryanodine receptor). These results suggest that cellular Ca2+ levels may be elevated by acetaminophen by pathways involving, in part, activation of Ca2+ releasing channels such as the ryanodine receptor.

Acetaminophen↗
PubMed1999

ESR and HPLC-EC analysis of the interaction of hydroxyl radical with DMSO: rapid reduction and quantification of POBN and PBN nitroxides.

The low stability of hydroxyl radical (OH.)-derived nitroxides is a limiting factor for direct spin-trapping of OH. in biological systems. The latter experimental difficulty is partly solved with the introduction of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) into the studied systems. Hydroxyl radical oxidizes DMSO to methyl radical, which forms relatively stable nitroxides. The results of the present work provide evidence that in alpha-(4-pyridyl-1-oxide)-N-tert-butylnitrone (POBN) and alpha-phenyl-N-tert-butylnitrone (PBN) spin-trapping experiments aimed to detect methyl radical in biological systems, the nitroxides formed can be reduced to their ESR-"silent" hydroxylamine derivatives. The nitroxides and their hydroxylamine derivatives were successfully analyzed by HPLC with electrochemical (EC) and UV detection. The lowest limits of UV and EC detection of POBN/CH3 hydroxylamine was evaluated to be in the micro- and nanomolar range, respectively. In parallel ESR and HPLC-EC analysis of the metabolism of menadione by either HepG2 cells or isolated rat hepatocytes in the presence of DMSO, the HPLC-EC method has proven to be more sensitive in detecting the production of methyl radical. The use of the HPLC-EC detection of POBN/CH3 and PBN/CH3 is expected to be advantageous in detection of hydroxyl radical in biological systems in the presence of DMSO.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

CYP2E1-mediated oxidative stress induces collagen type I expression in rat hepatic stellate cells.

Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are a major source of extracellular matrix, which, during fibrogenesis, undergo a process of "activation" characterized by increased proliferation and collagen synthesis. Oxidative stress can stimulate HSC proliferation and collagen synthesis in vitro. Cytochrome P4502E1 (CYP2E1) is an effective producer of reactive oxygen species. To study how intracellular oxidative stress modulates alpha 2 collagen type I (COL1A2) gene induction, a rat HSC line (HSC-T6) was transfected with human CYP2E1 complementary DNA in the sense and antisense orientation and with empty vector, and stable cell lines were generated. The cells expressing CYP2E1 displayed elevated production of reactive oxygen species and showed a 4-fold increase in COL1A2 messenger RNA (mRNA) levels; expression of this mRNA among different clones appeared to correlate with the level of CYP2E1. COL1A2 expression was decreased by vitamin E treatment or transfection with manganese superoxide dismutase, and was further increased after treatment with L-buthionine sulfoximine (BSO) to lower GSH levels. Thus, CYP2E1-dependent oxidative stress plays a major role in the elevation of COL1A2 mRNA levels in this system. Nuclear run-on assay showed a 3-and-a-half-fold increase in COL1A2 transcription in the cells expressing CYP2E1; stabilization of COL1A2 mRNA was also observed. These results indicate that under oxidative stress conditions, COL1A2 mRNA expression is regulated both transcriptionally and through mRNA stabilization. The CYP2E1-expressing HSC appear to be a valuable model for the sustained generation of reactive oxygen species and may allow the elucidation of signaling pathways responsible for oxidant stress-mediated collagen gene induction.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Metabolism of carbon tetrachloride to trichloromethyl radical: An ESR and HPLC-EC study.

Extensive ESR spin-trapping studies with alpha-phenyl-N-tert-butylnitrone (PBN) have shown that carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4)) is metabolized to trichloromethyl radical ((*)CCl(3)). However, the ESR analysis of alpha-phenyl-N-tert-butylnitrone (PBN)-spin trapped (*)CCl(3) in biological systems appears to be complicated. It has been reported that after in vivo administration of PBN and CCl(4) to rats, most of the PBN-CCl(3) adduct collected in the bile was ESR silent, suggesting reduction of the nitroxide to its hydroxylamine form. The PBN-CCl(3) nitroxide was also shown to undergo a NADPH-dependent reduction in the presence of liver microsomes. Thus, it appears that the variability (or the absence) of the ESR signal of PBN-CCl(3) nitroxide in biological systems reflects, at least in part, the fluctuations in the equilibrium between the nitroxide and hydroxylamine forms of this adduct. To test this possibility, ESR and HPLC experiments with electrochemical detection (EC) were conducted for analysis of the major redox form of the PBN-CCl(3) adduct in vivo. Standard procedures for the in vitro preparation of both redox forms of PBN-CCl(3) and for their HPLC-EC analysis and electrochemical profiles were established. The intensity of the initially observed ESR spectrum of PBN-CCl(3) nitroxide of the liver extract from a CCl(4)- and PBN-treated rat was relatively constant; after an addition of K(3)[Fe(CN)(6)] to the extract, the intensity of the ESR spectrum increased by 1 order of magnitude, most likely due to the co-oxidation of ESR silent PBN-derived hydroxylamines. The addition of PBN-CCl(3) nitroxide to the liver homogenate resulted in the rapid loss of the ESR signal. The HPLC-EC analysis of the liver extract revealed that the in vivo spin trapping of (*)CCl(3) with PBN leads to a preferential formation of the ESR silent PBN-CCl(3) hydroxylamine. The predominant presence of the hydroxylamine derivative was also detected in the blood of a CCl(4)-treated rat. The results of this work are discussed in terms of combination of the ESR spin trapping and HPLC-EC techniques for the detection of ESR silent radical adducts in biological systems.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Ethanol-induced apoptosis to stable HepG2 cell lines expressing human cytochrome P-4502E1.

In a previous study (Wu and Cederbaum, J. Biol. Chem. 271:23914-23919, 1996), ethanol was shown to be cytotoxic to HepG2 cells, which were transduced to express human cytochrome P-4502E1 (CYP2E1) but not to control HepG2 cells. The goal of the current study was to evaluate whether this toxicity was apoptotic in nature. Incubation of CYP2E1-expressing HepG2 cells with 100 mM ethanol for 2 days produced morphological changes and DNA fragmentation (in situ labeling, flow cytometry, and DNA ladder formation) indicative of apoptosis. No changes were observed in the control HepG2 cells that do not express CYP2E1. Ethanol-induced apoptosis was also observed in HepG2 cells transiently transfected to express CYP2E1. The ethanol-induced apoptosis was prevented by 4-methylpyrazole, an inhibitor of ethanol oxidation by CYP2E1, and by trolox, an antioxidant that prevents lipid peroxidation. Ethanol treatment of the cells expressing CYP2E1 resulted in increased activities of caspases 1 and 3. An inhibitor of these caspases prevented the ethanol-induced apoptosis in the stable cell lines and the transiently transfected cell lines. Ethanol did not cause apoptosis in a HepG2 cell line overexpressing bcl-2 plus CYP2E1, but did cause apoptosis in cell lines expressing CYP2E1 in the absence of bcl-2. These experiments demonstrate that ethanol can produce apoptosis in HepG2 cells that express CYP2E1. Increased production of reactive oxygen species and lipid peroxidation can be associated with apoptotic cell death. The prevention of the ethanol-induced apoptosis by 4-methylpyrazole and by trolox suggests that production of a prooxidative state as a consequence of ethanol oxidation by CYP2E1 results in eventual activation of caspases such as caspases 1 and 3, which can trigger the apoptotic process.

Antidotes↗
PubMed1998

Redox-cycling of iron ions triggers calcium release from liver microsomes.

Elevation of cytosolic calcium levels has been shown to occur via oxidation of critical protein thiols in liver microsomes. Elevated cytosolic Ca2+ may also result from activation of calcium releasing channels. In the presence of NADPH or ascorbic acid, iron ions produced a concentration-dependent release of calcium from liver microsomes. Under anaerobic conditions, the iron-induced release of calcium was inhibited, suggesting that a reaction of oxidation triggers the releasing process. The calcium releasing process at pH 7.0 appears to be highly sensitive to activation by iron ions, as effective concentrations (e.g., 2-5 microM) did not alter the Ca2+, Mg2+-ATPase or the phospholipid component of the microsomal membranes. Iron-induced Ca2+-release could occur under conditions in which there was no iron-induced microsomal lipid peroxidation. Under conditions of intense lipid peroxidation, PBN fully prevented the iron-induced accumulation of thiobarbituric reactive reagents without affecting the release of Ca2+, suggesting that lipid peroxidation is not the mechanism by which iron causes release of calcium. Trolox, GSH and high concentrations of ascorbate, however, strongly inhibited the iron-induced calcium release, most likely due to modulation of the Fe2+/Fe3+ ratio. While the IP3 receptor system is considered to be the main regulator of calcium release, liver also contains a ryanodine-sensitive calcium releasing store. The iron-induced calcium release at pH 7.0 was blocked by ruthenium red, a specific inhibitor of the ryanodine receptor, and Fe2+ (but not Fe3+) decreased the binding of ryanodine, a specific ligand for the ryanodine-sensitive calcium channel. These results suggest that redox-cycling of iron ions results in an activation of a ryanodine-sensitive calcium channel. Activation of calcium releasing channels by iron may play a role in the evolution of various hepatic disorders that are associated with chronic iron overload in humans.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Interaction of 1-hydroxyethyl radical with glutathione, ascorbic acid and alpha-tocopherol.

Ethanol has been shown to be oxidized to a free radical metabolite, the 1-hydroxyethyl radical (HER). Interaction of HER with cellular antioxidants may contribute to the known ability of ethanol administration to lower levels of GSH and alpha-tocopherol. Experiments were carried out to establish a model system for the generation of HER and to study its interaction with GSH, ascorbic acid and alpha-tocopherol. A standard reaction for formation of azo-compounds using acetaldehyde and hydroxylamine-O-sulfonic acid was applied for the synthesis of 1,1'-dihydroxyazoethane (CH3CH(OH)-N=N-CH(OH)CH3). Although stable at -70 degrees C, thermal decomposition of this compound at room temperature was shown to produce HER, detected by EPR spectrometry as the PBN/HER or DMPO/HER spin adducts, and validated by computer simulation. GSH, present at the beginning of the experiment, inhibited formation of the PBN/HER signal. However, GSH did not cause any decay of pre-formed PBN/HER spin adduct. GSH was consumed in the presence of the HER-generating system in a reaction largely reversed by addition of NADPH plus glutathione reductase. Ascorbate also inhibited formation of the PBN/HER spin adduct and rapidly reduced the pre-formed adduct. HER amplified the oxidation of ascorbate, which was associated with the formation of the semidehydroascorbyl radical. Alpha-tocopherol was also consumed in the presence of HER. Production of HER in intact HepG2 cells by the redox cycling of 2,3-dimethoxy-1,4-naphthoquinone was associated with consumption of GSH. These data demonstrate the use of a simple chemical system for the controlled, continuous formation of HER and indicate that cellular antioxidants such as GSH, ascorbate, and alpha-tocopherol, interact with HER. The ability of agents such as ascorbate to reduce the PBN/HER spin adduct to EPR-silent product(s) may mask the quantitative detection of HER in biological systems.

Ascorbic Acid↗
PubMed1998

Ethanol-related cytotoxicity catalyzed by CYP2E1-dependent generation of reactive oxygen intermediates in transduced HepG2 cells.

To establish direct linkage between the ethanol-inducible cytochrome P450, CYP2E1, ethanol hepatotoxicity, and lipid peroxidation, a HepG2 cell line which expresses human CYP2E1 was established by retroviral infection. Ethanol produced a time-and concentration-dependent cytotoxicity to HepG2 cells expressing the CYP2E1 but not to control cells. The ethanol toxicity was prevented by inhibitors of CYP2E1 and antioxidants. In a similar manner, addition of a polyunsaturated fatty acid such as arachidonic acid produced toxicity to the cells expressing CYP2E1 but not the control cells. Toxicity was associated with enhanced lipid peroxidation and was prevented by antioxidants. The ethanol and arachidonic acid toxicity was apoptotic in nature and was associated with activation of Caspases I and III. The toxicity and apoptosis could be prevented by peptide inhibitors of ICE and by transfection with a plasmid containing the cDNA for human Bcl-2. These results show that this HepG2 cell model can be used to establish a CYP2E1-dependent ethanol hepatotoxicity system, and that induction of a state oxidative stress appears to play a central role in the CYP2E1-dependent apoptosis and cytotoxicity.

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular↗
PubMed1998

Production of reactive oxygen species by microsomes enriched in specific human cytochrome P450 enzymes.

Few studies have evaluated the production of reactive oxygen intermediates by human microsomes, especially the influence of the specific form of cytochrome P450. Experiments were carried out to evaluate the ability of CYP1A1, 1A2, 2B6, and 3A4 to consume NADPH, reduce iron, and catalyze production of reactive oxygen species. Microsomes enriched in each of these CYPs were obtained from commercial +/- lymphoblast cells that had been transfected with cDNA encoding the specific human CYP. On a per nanomole cytochrome P450 basis, CYP3A4 was the most active P450 evaluated in catalyzing NADPH oxidation, production of superoxide anion radical, NADPH-dependent chemiluminescence, oxidation of dichlorofluorescein diacetate, and reduction of either ferric-EDTA or ferric-citrate. CYP1A1 was the next most reactive CYP, whereas CYP1A2 and 2B6 displayed a comparable, lower activity. Nitric oxide, which reacts with and inactivates hemoproteins, inhibited superoxide production by all the CYPs to a similar extent. Because CYP3A4 is present in high amounts in human liver microsomes and is active in catalyzing the formation of reactive oxygen species, this CYP may make an important contribution in the overall ability of human liver microsomes to generate active oxygen species.

Aryl Hydrocarbon Hydroxylases↗
PubMed1998

ESR and HPLC-EC analysis of ethanol oxidation to 1-hydroxyethyl radical: rapid reduction and quantification of POBN and PBN nitroxides.

Extensive ESR spin-trapping studies have shown that ethanol is oxidized to 1-hydroxyethyl radical (HER) by rat and deer mice liver microsomal systems. The ESR detection of POBN/HER nitroxide in bile, and formation of antibodies, which recognize HER adducts in alcoholics, suggest that HER is produced in vivo. In liver, where ethanol is primarily metabolized, only traces of PBN/HER nitroxide are documented. One limitation of the ESR spin-trapping technique, however, is that the nitroxides formed in the presence of cellular reductants can be metabolized to the corresponding ESR "silent" hydroxylamines. Ascorbate and NADPH plus liver microsomes were found to reduce rapidly both POBN/HER and PBN/HER nitroxides to their ESR "silent" hydroxylamine derivatives. An HPLC method with electrochemical detection was developed for the detection and quantification of both POBN/HER and PBN/HER nitroxides, as well as their hydroxylamines. Both the diastereomers of the POBN/HER nitroxide and hydroxylamine can be detected, as can both isomers of the PBN/HER nitroxide, and it is estimated that the sensitivity of the HPLC procedure is in the nM range when using EC detection. The hydroxylamines are stable in ethanol, while pH-dependent auto-oxidation occurs in aqueous buffers. Some of the characteristics associated with HER formation by microsomes as detected with ESR (e.g., sensitivity to SOD and catalase, increase after induction of CYP2E1) are reproduced with the HPLC method. By quantification of the POBN/HER hydroxylamine, the NADPH-dependent rates of HER formation by microsomes from pyrazole-treated rats are estimated to be about 1-1.5 nmol HER per min per mg microsomal protein. This rate is less, as compared to the two electron-dependent rate of acetaldehyde formation by these microsomes, about 10-15 nmol per min per mg protein. Thus, at first approximation, the one electron-dependent rate of ethanol oxidation is about 10% the two electron-dependent rate by isolated microsomes. The HPLC procedure can readily detect the POBN/HER and PBN/HER nitroxides and their hydroxylamine derivatives in the same sample and may be of value in detecting HER spin-trapped adducts under biological reducing conditions.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Cytotoxicity and apoptosis produced by cytochrome P450 2E1 in Hep G2 cells.

Two Hep G2 subclones overexpressing CYP2E1 were established with the use of transfection and limited dilution screening techniques. The Hep G2-CI2E1-43 and -47 (E47) cells (transduced Hep G2 subclones that overexpress CYP2E1) grew at a slower rate than parental Hep G2 cells or control subclones that do not express CYP2E1, but remained fully viable. When GSH synthesis was inhibited by treatment with buthionine sulfoximine, GSH levels rapidly declined in E47 cells but not control cells, which is most likely a reflection of CYP2E1-catalyzed formation of reactive oxygen species. Under these conditions of GSH depletion, cytotoxicity and apoptosis were found only with the E47 cells. Low levels of lipid peroxidation were found in the E47 cells, which became more pronounced after GSH depletion. The antioxidants vitamin E, vitamin C, or trolox prevented the lipid peroxidation as well as the cytotoxicity and apoptosis, as did transfection with plasmid containing antisense CYP2E1 or overexpression of Bcl-2. Levels of ATP were lower in E47 cells because of damage to mitochondrial complex I. When GSH was depleted, oxygen uptake was markedly decreased with all substrates in the E47 extracts. Vitamin E completely prevented the decrease in oxygen uptake. Under conditions of CYP2E1 overexpression, two modes of CYP2E1-dependent toxicity can be observed in Hep G2 cells: a slower growth rate when cellular GSH levels are maintained and a loss of cellular viability when cellular GSH levels are depleted. Elevated lipid peroxidation plays an important role in the CYP2E1-dependent toxicity and apoptosis. This direct toxicity of overexpressed CYP2E1 may reflect the ability of this enzyme to generate reactive oxygen species even in the absence of added metabolic substrate.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed1998

Oxidative stress and cytotoxicity induced by ferric-nitrilotriacetate in HepG2 cells that express cytochrome P450 2E1.

Iron can potentiate the toxicity of ethanol. Ethanol increases the content of cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1), which generates reactive oxygen species, and transition metals such as iron are powerful catalysts of hydroxyl radical formation and lipid peroxidation. Experiments were carried out to attempt to link CYP2E1, iron, and oxidative stress as a potential mechanism by which iron increases ethanol toxicity. The addition of ferric-nitrilotriacetate (Fe-NTA) to a HepG2 cell line expressing CYP2E1 decreased cell viability, whereas little effect was observed in control cells not expressing CYP2E1. Toxicity in the CYP2E1-expressing cells was markedly enhanced after the depletion of glutathione. Lipid peroxidation was increased by Fe-NTA, especially in cell extracts and medium from the CYP2E1-expressing cells. Toxicity was completely prevented by vitamin E or by 6-hydroxy-2,5,7,8-tetramethylchroman-2-carboxylic acid, which also decreased the lipid peroxidation. Levels of ATP were lowered by Fe-NTA, and this was associated with a decreased rate of oxygen consumption by permeabilized cells with substrates donating electrons to complexes I, II, and IV of the respiratory chain. This mitochondrial damage was prevented by vitamin E. Toxicity was accompanied by DNA fragmentation, and this fragmentation was prevented by antioxidants. Overexpression of bcl-2 decreased the toxicity and DNA fragmentation produced by the combination of CYP2E1 plus Fe-NTA, as did a peptide inhibitor of caspase 3. These results suggest that elevated generation of reactive oxygen species in HepG2 cells expressing CYP2E1 leads to lipid peroxidation in the presence of iron, and the ensuing prooxidative state damages mitochondria, releasing factors that activate caspase 3, leading to a loss in cell viability and DNA fragmentation.

Antioxidants↗