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H Kappus

Publications and source records attributed to H Kappus.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1998

Changes in the classification of carcinogenic chemicals in the work area. Section III of the German List of MAK and BAT Values.

Carcinogenic chemicals in the work area are currently classified into three categories in section III of the German List of MAK and BAT Values (list of values on maximum workplace concentrations and biological tolerance for occupational exposures). This classification is based on qualitative criteria and reflects essentially the weight of evidence available for judging the carcinogenic potential of the chemicals. It is proposed that these categories - IIIA1, IIIA2, IIIB - be retained as Categories 1, 2, and 3, to correspond with European Union regulations. On the basis of our advancing knowledge of reaction mechanisms and the potency of carcinogens, these three categories are supplemented with two additional categories. The essential feature of substances classified in the new categories is that exposure to these chemicals does not contribute significantly to risk of cancer to man, provided that an appropriate exposure limit (MAK value) is observed. Chemicals known to act typically by nongenotoxic mechanisms and for which information is available that allows evaluation of the effects of low-dose exposures, are classified in Category 4. Genotoxic chemicals for which low carcinogenic potency can be expected on the basis of dose-response relationships and toxicokinetics, and for which risk at low doses can be assessed are classified in Category 5. The basis for a better differentiation of carcinogens is discussed, the new categories are defined, and possible criteria for classification are described. Examples for Category 4 (1,4-dioxane) and Category 5 (styrene) are presented.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Changes in the classification of carcinogenic chemicals in the work area. (Section III of the German List of MAK and BAT values).

Carcinogenic chemicals in the work area were previously classified into three categories in section III of the German List of MAK and BAT values (the list of values on maximum workplace concentrations and biological tolerance for occupational exposures). This classification was based on qualitative criteria and reflected essentially the weight of evidence available for judging the carcinogenic potential of the chemicals. In the new classification scheme the former sections IIIA1, IIIA2, and IIIB are retained as categories 1, 2, and 3, to correspond with European Union regulations. On the basis of our advancing knowledge of reaction mechanisms and the potency of carcinogens, these three categories are supplemented with two additional categories. The essential feature of substances classified in the new categories is that exposure to these chemicals does not contribute significantly to the risk of cancer to man, provided that an appropriate exposure limit (MAK value) is observed. Chemicals known to act typically by non-genotoxic mechanisms, and for which information is available that allows evaluation of the effects of low-dose exposures, are classified in category 4. Genotoxic chemicals for which low carcinogenic potency can be expected on the basis of dose/response relationships and toxicokinetics and for which risk at low doses can be assessed are classified in category 5. The basis for a better differentiation of carcinogens is discussed, the new categories are defined, and possible criteria for classification are described. Examples for category 4 (1,4-dioxane) and category 5 (styrene) are presented.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Proposed changes in the classification of carcinogenic chemicals in the work area.

Carcinogenic chemicals in the work area are currently classified into three categories in Section III of the German List of MAK and BAT Values. This classification is based on qualitative criteria and reflects essentially the weight of evidence available for judging the carcinogenic potential of the chemicals. It is proposed that these Categories--IIIA1, IIIA2, and IIIB--be retained as Categories 1, 2, and 3, to conform with EU regulations. On the basis of our advancing knowledge of reaction mechanisms and the potency of carcinogens, it is now proposed that these three categories be supplemented with two additional categories. The essential feature of substances classified in the new categories is that exposure to these chemicals does not convey a significant risk of cancer to man, provided that an appropriate exposure limit (MAK value) is observed. It is proposed that chemicals known to act typically by nongenotoxic mechanisms and for which information is available that allows evaluation of the effects of low-dose exposures be classified in Category 4. Genotoxic chemicals for which low carcinogenic potency can be expected on the basis of dose-response relationships and toxicokinetics and for which risk at low doses can be assessed will be classified in Category 5. The basis for a better differentiation of carcinogens is discussed, the new categories are defined, and possible criteria for classification are described. Examples for Category 4 (1,4-dioxane) and Category 5 (styrene) are presented. The proposed changes in classifying carcinogenic chemicals in the work area are presented for further discussion.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Heavy metal-induced cytotoxicity to cultured human epidermal keratinocytes and effects of antioxidants.

Human epidermal keratinocytes which have been cultured were treated with the heavy metal ions of cadmium, mercury, copper and zinc. Cytotoxicity was measured either by protein estimation or by using the neutral red assay. Antioxidants were added in order to find out whether heavy metal-induced cytotoxicity is related to oxidative stress. All metals used showed considerable cytotoxic effects within 24 h in moderate concentrations. None of the antioxidants vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol), pyrogallol, propyl gallate, BHT or ebselen showed any protective or preventive effect. This indicates that oxidative stress may not be involved in the cytotoxicity induced by heavy metals in human epidermal keratinocytes. The cells used are, however, a valuable tool to study mechanisms of cytotoxicity.

Antioxidants↗
PubMed1993

[Toxicology of the synthetic antioxidants BHA and BHT in comparison with the natural antioxidant vitamin E].

The toxicology of the food preservatives butylhydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylhydroxytoluene (BHT) as well as the naturally occurring vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) is described. In high dosages all three compounds induce in animals impairment of blood clotting, which can be explained by an antagonism with vitamin K. Specific toxic effects to the lung have only been observed with BHT. The other described toxic effects of BHA and BHT are less characteristic and often occur only after high dosage and long-term treatment. However, BHA induces in animals tumours of the forestomach, which are dose dependent, whereas BHT induces liver tumours in long-term experiments. Because there is no indication of genotoxicity of BHA and BHT, all published findings agree with the fact that BHA and BHT are tumour promoters. In contrast to BHA and BHT, vitamin E is not carcinogenic. On the other hand, all three antioxidants have also anticarcinogenic properties. The intake of the necessary high doses as for these effects are, however, contraindicated with BHA and BHT because of their carcinogenic effects. The present overview concludes that the concentrations of BHA and BHT nowadays used in food, drugs and cosmetics are probably harmless. In addition, vitamin E can also be used in higher doses without the occurrence of adverse effects.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Tolerance and safety of vitamin E: a toxicological position report.

From numerous publications on the "prophylactic" and "therapeutic" use of vitamin E, it may be concluded that the toxicity of vitamin E is very low. It has been demonstrated in animal experiments that vitamin E has neither mutagenic, teratogenic nor carcinogenic properties. Based on studies in humans, a daily dosage of 100-300 mg vitamin E can be considered harmless from a toxicological point of view. Using double-blind studies involving a large number of subjects, it has been demonstrated that large oral doses of up to 3,200 USP-Units/day led to no consistent adverse effects. From a large body of published data, dosage ranges have been deduced which can be characterized as safe for human subjects even where their use extends over a long period of time. It should, however, be noted that oral intake of high levels of vitamin E can exacerbate the blood coagulation defect of vitamin K deficiency caused by malabsorption or anticoagulant therapy. High levels of vitamin E intake are, therefore, contraindicated in these subjects.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

The role of reactive oxygen species in the antitumor activity of bleomycin.

Calf thymus DNA was incubated with bleomycin and FeCl3 in the presence of isolated rat liver microsomal NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase, cytochrome b5 and NADH which catalyze redox cycling of the bleomycin-Fe-complex. Furthermore, isolated rat liver nuclei were incubated with bleomycin, FeCl3 and NADH, a system in which redox cycling of bleomycin-Fe leads to DNA damage. In both systems free bases from DNA were released. Furthermore, 8-hydroxy-guanine was also found in the supernatant. On the other hand, 8-hydroxy-deoxyguanosine was detected in DNA of cell nuclei indicating that hydroxylation of the guanine molecule occurred in intact DNA. The release of bases correlated with the release of malondialydehyde as well as with NADH and oxygen consumption. These results indicate that NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase catalyzes redox cycling of the bleomycin-Fe-complex which results in the formation of reactive oxygen species which oxidize deoxyribose as well as bases of DNA. Both mechanisms may contribute to the cytotoxic and cytostatic effects of bleomycin observed in intact cells.

8-Hydroxy-2'-Deoxyguanosine↗
PubMed1989

Production of reactive oxygen species due to metabolic activation of butylated hydroxyanisole.

The synthetic antioxidant butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) stimulates superoxide formation in rat liver microsomes up to 10-fold. This stimulation is prevented by the monooxygenase inhibitor metyrapone and does not occur when NADH is consumed instead of NADPH indicating that metabolic activation is required for superoxide production. The BHA metabolite tert-butylhydroquinone (TBHQ) is much more active than BHA in stimulating superoxide production, and the amounts of TBHQ and formaldehyde formed from BHA in microsomes are sufficient to explain the effect of BHA. In buffer and in a xanthine oxidase system, superoxide production by TBHQ also takes place. TBHQ autoxidizes to tert-butylquinone (TBQ) and TBQ exceeds TBHQ by far in its capacity for superoxide production in microsomes. Thus, a 30-fold increase of basal superoxide production is induced by 5 microM TBQ. In rat forestomach, the target organ of BHA carcinogenicity in rodents, stimulation of superoxide production by BHA and more markedly by TBHQ and TBQ is also observed. Excess production of superoxide in microsomes by TBHQ is accompanied by excess production of hydrogen peroxide and of hydroxyl radicals. It is concluded that TBQ undergoes redox cycling leading to an oxidative burst in the presence of enzymes capable of one electron reduction of TBQ and that the BHA metabolite TBHQ enters the redox cycle by autoxidation. No oxygen activating properties can be ascribed to BHA itself.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Studies on acute toxic effects to keratinocytes induced by hematoporphyrin derivatives and laser light.

Human epidermal keratinocytes were grown in culture and the uptake of hematoporphyrin derivatives (HPDs) used in photodynamic therapy was estimated. Keratinocytes loaded with HPDs were irradiated with laser light of 632 nm generated by a helium-neon laser and cell toxicity was determined by the trypan blue exclusion test and the measurement of enzyme release. With increasing intracellular concentration of HPDs and with increasing intensity of the laser light, an increasing number of cells took up trypan blue and released the cytosolic enzyme lactate dehydrogenase and the lysosomal enzyme acid phosphatase after 1 h incubation of the irradiated cells at 37 degrees C. Cytotoxicity was less pronounced when the irradiated cells were incubated at 0 degree C indicating the involvement of enzyme reactions in cell death. No lipid peroxidation as measured by malondialdehyde and ethane formation was detectable. Our results suggest that during photodynamic therapy with HPDs and laser light epidermal keratinocytes may be seriously damaged. The data indicate that not lipid peroxidation but rather the activation of lysosomal enzymes is responsible for the cytotoxicity observed.

Acid Phosphatase↗
PubMed1988

Hydroxyl radical formation by dithranol.

Ethene formation from 2-keto-thiomethyl-butyric acid (KMBA) was used to measure hydroxyl radical generation from the antipsoriatic drug dithranol in phosphate buffer pH 7.8. Because the singlet oxygen (1O2) sensitizer, rose bengale, showed enlarged production of ethene when irradiated in the presence of KMBA, experiments were performed in the dark in order to avoid 1O2 production by dithranol. KMBA was converted to ethene by dithranol under aerobic conditions, whereas ethene formation was negligible in the absence of oxygen. Addition of catalytic amounts of FeCl3 resulted in increased ethene formation, indicating the catalysis of a superoxide-driven Fenton-reaction. O2- - and .OH-scavengers such as rutin, catechin, dimethyl sulfoxide, mannitol, ethanol, sodium salicylate and propyl gallate as well as catalase and superoxide dismutase inhibited ethene formation.

Anthralin↗
PubMed1988

Redox cycling of bleomycin-Fe(III) and DNA degradation by isolated NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase: involvement of cytochrome b5.

Isolated and purified microsomal NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase (EC 1.6.2.2) was incubated with bleomycin (BLM) and FeCl3 in the presence of NADH. Only when purified cytochrome b5 was added could an increased NADH consumption be observed indicating redox cycling of the BLM-Fe(III) complex. In the presence of DNA, BLM-Fe(III)-related NADH consumption was accompanied by malondialdehyde (MDA) formation, further evidence for BLM activation yielding oxidative DNA cleavage. BLM, FeCl3, cytochrome b5 and NADH were absolutely necessary to provide these effects. Addition of DNA changed the initial velocity (V0) and the shape of the NADH consumption curves, both probably due to an interaction between DNA and BLM-Fe(III). Furthermore, DNA effectively protected BLM-Fe(III) from autoxidative degradation during redox cycling. BLM-Fe(III)-related, reductase-catalyzed NADH consumption and MDA formation were also dependent on oxygen, showing the involvement of oxygen in the reduction process and in the action of the drug-metal complex in attacking DNA. However, superoxide dismutase (EC 1.15.1.1) and catalase (EC 1.11.1.6) did not affect NADH consumption. Also, superoxide dismutase and catalase were almost without influence on MDA formation, suggesting that no free (or freely accessible) reactive oxygen species occurred during the redox cycle and DNA damage. The results reveal that the BLM-Fe(III) complex undergoes redox cycling by the microsomal NADH-dependent cytochrome b5 reductase-cytochrome b5 system. The significance of this effect for the action of BLM and the involvement of cytochrome b5 is discussed with regard to the presence of these enzymes in the cell nucleus.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Redox cycling of bleomycin-Fe(III) by an NADH-dependent enzyme, and DNA damage in isolated rat liver nuclei.

Isolated rat liver nuclei were incubated aerobically with bleomycin (BLM) and FeCl3 in the presence of NADH. An increase in NADH and oxygen consumption was observed accompanied by DNA cleavage as shown by gel electrophoresis. Malondialdehyde (MDA) was also formed, which partly derived from DNA indicating an oxidative cleavage mechanism. BLM and NADH were obligatory to provide these effects, whereas FeCl3 could be omitted, without a complete loss of the activities mentioned above. This was explained by the presence of some iron in the nuclei. NADPH was consumed to a lesser extent compared to NADH and was less effective with respect to O2 consumption and MDA formation. It could be excluded that mitochondrial or microsomal contaminations in nuclear preparations were responsible for the effects observed. The results suggest that the BLM-Fe(III)-complex can be repeatedly reduced (redox cycled) by NADH- (and NADPH-) dependent reductases of liver nuclei to BLM-Fe(II) which is known to form reactive oxygen species and to damage DNA. It is concluded that the enzymatic reduction of a BLM-metal complex in the cell nucleus may be an essential step in the cytotoxic activity of bleomycin.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Oxidative stress in chemical toxicity.

The toxic effects of compounds which undergo redox cycling via enzymatic one-electron reduction are reviewed. First of all, the enzymatic reduction of these compounds leads to reactive intermediates, mainly radicals which react with oxygen, whereby superoxide anion radicals are formed. Further oxygen metabolites are hydrogen peroxide, singlet oxygen and hydroxyl radicals. The role of these oxygen metabolites in toxicity is discussed. The occurrence of lipid peroxidation during redox cycling of quinonoide compounds, e.g., adriamycin, and the possible relationship to their toxicity is critically evaluated. It is shown that iron ions play a crucial role in lipid peroxidation induced by redox cycling compounds. DNA damage by metal chelates, e.g., bleomycin, is discussed on the basis of findings that enzymatic redox cycling of a bleomycin-iron complex has been observed. The involvement of hydroxyl radicals in bleomycin-induced DNA damage occurring during redox cycling in cell nuclei is claimed. Redox cycling of other substances, e.g., aromatic amines, is discussed in relation to carcinogenesis. Other chemical groups, e.g., nitroaromatic compounds, hydroxylamines and azo compounds are included. Other targets for oxygen radical attack, e.g., proteins, are also dealt with. It is concluded that oxygen radical formation by redox cycling may be a critical event in toxic effects of several compounds if the protective mechanisms of cells are overwhelmed.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Oxygen radical formation and DNA damage due to enzymatic reduction of bleomycin-Fe(III).

Aerobic incubations of bleomycin, FeCl3, DNA, NADPH, and isolated liver microsomal NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase resulted in NADPH and oxygen consumption and malondialdehyde formation, indicating that the deoxyribose moiety of DNA was split. All parameters measured depended on the active enzyme, bleomycin and FeCl3. In the absence of oxygen malondialdehyde formation was very low. When bleomycin, FeCl3 and the reductase were incubated with methional ethene (ethylene) was formed, suggesting that during the enzyme-catalyzed redox cycle of bleomycin-Fe(III/II) hydroxyl radicals were formed. Ethene formation also depended on oxygen, NADPH, the enzyme, bleomycin, and FeCl3. During aerobic incubations of bleomycin, FeCl3, NADPH, and isolated liver nuclei oxygen and NADPH were consumed and malondialdehyde was formed. Oxygen and NADPH consumption and malondialdehyde formation depended on bleomycin and FeCl3. In the absence of oxygen malondialdehyde was not formed. These results indicate that nuclear NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase redox cycles the bleomycin-Fe(III/II) complex and that the reduced complex activates oxygen, whereby hydroxyl radicals are formed which damage the deoxyribose of nuclear DNA.

Animals↗