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Biomedical subjects

J Seidegård

Publications and source records attributed to J Seidegård.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Regulation of rat glutathione S-transferase A5 by cancer chemopreventive agents: mechanisms of inducible resistance to aflatoxin B1.

The rat can be protected against aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) hepatocarcinogenesis by being fed on a diet containing the synthetic antioxidant ethoxyquin. Evidence suggests that chemoprotection against AFB1 is due to increased detoxification of the mycotoxin by one or more inducible drug-metabolising enzymes. The glutathione S-transferase (GST) isoenzymes in rat liver that contribute to ethoxyquin-induced chemoprotection against AFB1 have been identified by protein purification. This approach resulted in the isolation of several heterodimeric class alpha GST, all of which contained the A5 subunit and possessed at least 50-fold greater activity towards AFB1-8,9-epoxide than previously studied transferases. Molecular cloning and heterologous expression of rat GSTA5-5 has led to the demonstration that it exhibits substantially greater activity for AFB1-8,9-epoxide than other rat transferases. The A5 homodimer can also catalyse the conjugation of glutathione with other epoxides, such as trans-stilbene oxide and 1,2-epoxy-3-(4'-nitrophenoxy)propane, and possesses high catalytic activity for the reactive aldehyde 4-hydroxynonenal. Western blotting has shown that the A5 subunit is not only induced by ethoxyquin but that it is also induced by other cancer chemopreventive agents, such as butylated hydroxyanisole, oltipraz, benzyl isothiocyanate, indole-3-carbinol and coumarin. In addition to GSTA5, we have identified a novel aflatoxin-aldehyde reductase (AFAR) that is similarly induced by ethoxyquin. However, immunoblotting has shown that GSTA5 and AFAR are not always co-ordinately regulated by chemoprotectors. In order to gain a better understanding of the mechanisms responsible for the induction of GSTA5 protein, the GSTA5 gene has been cloned. It was isolated on two overlapping bacteriophage lambda clones and found to be approximately 12 kb in length. The transcriptional start site of GSTA5 has been identified 228 bp upstream from the ATG translational initiation codon. Computer-assisted analysis of the upstream sequence has indicated the presence of a putative antioxidant responsive element (located between -421 and -429 bp) which may be responsible for the induction of GSTA5 by chemopreventive agents.

Aflatoxin B1

Effect of grapefruit juice on urinary 6 beta-hydroxycortisol/cortisol excretion.

1. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of grapefruit juice on urinary 6 beta-hydroxycortisol and cortisol excretion in healthy subjects. 2. The ratio of 6 beta-hydroxycortisol/cortisol was significantly decreased (P = 0.036) in the 0-4 h fraction of urine after ingestion of grapefruit juice, but not in the 4-24 h fraction (P = 0.218) or for the compiled data, fraction 0-24 h (P = 0.114). 3. These results indicate that endogenous cortisol metabolism may not only be of hepatic origin, but may also be dependent on the metabolic capacity of cytochrome P450 IIIA (CYP3A) in the gut mucosa. 4. This finding may cast further doubts of the usefulness of the 6 beta-hydroxycortisol/cortisol ratio as an indicator of hepatic CYP3A activity.

Adult

Frequent occurrence of CYP2D6 gene duplication in Saudi Arabians.

The polymorphic cytochrome P450 2D6 (CYP2D6) causing poor, extensive or ultrarapid metabolism of several clinically important drugs exhibits pronounced interethnic variation. Ultrarapid metabolism is caused by multiple copies of active CYP2D6 genes and recently 29% of an Ethiopian population has been shown to carry duplicated or multiduplicated CYP2D6 genes, whereas the corresponding frequency in other black, Oriental and European populations investigated is 1-2%. In order to characterize the distribution of alleles with multiple CYP2D6 copies in a neighbouring population and to characterize the CYP2D locus in general among Saudi Arabians, the CYP2D6 genotype of a Saudi Arabian population was examined using restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis and allele-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification. Of 101 Saudi Arabians studied, 21 subjects had an EcoRI fragment indicative of CYP2D6 gene duplication. In contrast, only two individuals were heterozygous for a deletion of the whole gene (CYP2D6*5). The allele frequency of CYP2D6*4, the most common defective allele among Caucasians, was only 3.5% in the Saudi population. Two other alleles, CYP2D6*10 and *17, common in certain populations and which cause diminished enzyme activity, were found only at low allele frequencies of 3.0% each. These findings are in agreement with earlier Saudi Arabian phenotyping studies which reported a low frequency (1-2%) of poor metabolizers for CYP2D6 probe drugs. In conclusion, the Saudi Arabian population studied exhibited very few defective alleles and a large number of subjects carried duplicated CYP2D6 genes, implying a high conservation on functional CYP2D6 genes possibly due to dietary reasons and reveal the Saudi Arabians as an unique population in comparison with others examined.

Adult

Characterization of a human glutathione S-transferase mu cluster containing a duplicated GSTM1 gene that causes ultrarapid enzyme activity.

The mu class glutathione S-transferase gene GSTM1 is polymorphic in humans, with approximately half of the Caucasian population being homozygous deleted for this gene. GSTM1 enzyme deficiency has been suggested to predispose people to lung and bladder cancer. Some people in a Saudi Arabian population, however, have been described previously with ultrarapid GSTM1 enzyme activity. Here we have evaluated the molecular genetic basis for this observation. Genomic DNA from two Saudi Arabian subjects exhibiting ultrarapid enzyme activity and from 13 Swedish subjects having null, one, or two GSTM1 genes were subjected to restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis using the restriction enzymes EcoRI, EcoRV, and HindIII and combinations thereof. Hybridization was carried out using a full-length GSTM1 cDNA or the 5' and 3' parts of the cDNA. The restriction mapping data revealed the presence of a GST mu cluster with two GSTM1 genes in tandem situated between the GSTM2 and GSTM5 genes. A quantitative multiplex polymerase chain reaction method, which simultaneously amplified a fragment of the GSTM1 gene and the beta-globin gene, was developed, and the genomic GSTM1 copy number was determined from the GSTM1/beta-globin ratio. This method clearly separated GSTM1 +/- subjects (ratios between 0.4 and 0.7) from GSTM1 +/+ subjects (ratios between 0.8 and 1.2). The two Saudi Arabians with ultrarapid GSTM1 activities had ratios of approximately 1.5, indicating that they carried three GSTM1 genes. These results demonstrate the existence of a novel mu class GST cluster containing a duplicated active GSTM1 gene causing ultrarapid enzyme activity.

Binding Sites

The role of human glutathione transferases and epoxide hydrolases in the metabolism of xenobiotics.

Human glutathione transferases (GSTs) are a multigene family of enzymes that are involved in the metabolism of a wide range of electrophilic compounds of both exogenous and endogenous origin. GSTs are generally recognized as detoxifying enzymes by catalyzing the conjugation of these compounds with glutathione, but they may also be involved in activation of some carcinogens. The memmalian GSTs can be differentiated into four classes of cytosolic enzymes and two membrane bound enzymes. Human epoxide hydrolases (EHs) catalyze the addition of water to epoxides to form the corresponding dihydrodiol. The enzymatic hydration is essentially irreversible and produces mainly metabolites of lower reactivity that can be conjugated and excreted. The reaction of EHs is therefore generally regarded as detoxifying. The mammalian EHs can be distinguished by their physical and enzymatic properties. Microsomal EH (mEH) exhibits a broad substrate specificity, while the soluble EH (sEH) is an enzyme with a "complementary" substrate specificity to mEH. Cholesterol EH and leukotriene A4 hydrolase are two EHs with very limited substrate specificity. The activities of either GSTs or EHs expressed in vivo exhibit a relatively large interindividual variation, which might be explained by induction, inhibition, or genetic factors. These variations in levels or activities of individual isoenzymes are of importance with respect to an individual's susceptibility to genotoxic effects. This article gives a general overview of GSTs and EHs, discussing the modulation of activities, determination of these enzymes ex vivo, and the polymorphic expression of some isoenzymes.

Epoxide Hydrolases

Glutathione and phospholipid depletion of liver tumors after arterial ischemia.

Breakdown of membrane phospholipids is a causative event leading to irreversible cell injury after ischemia and reperfusion insults, which might be one mechanism leading to liver tumor cell death after repeated arterial ischemia as well. After 2 hr of hepatic dearterialization followed by 30 min of reperfusion tumor phospholipid was measured chromatographically, glutathione (GSH) analyzed by determining nonprotein sulfhydryl and activity of glutathione-S-transferase (GST) determined spectrophotometrically using 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB) as the substrate. A transient, arterial ischemia for 2 hr induced a substantial decrease of phosphatidylserine (PS) and phosphatidylinosital (PI) compared with sham treatment (P < 0.01). Although phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) did not significantly decline after a single arterial ischemia for 2 hr, they dropped dramatically following repeated arterial ischemia for 2 hr during 5 days (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05 respectively). GSH was depleted in tumors after both a single (P < 0.01) and repeated arterial ischemia (P < 0.05) and GST was inactivated as well (P < 0.001). By contrast, neither liver phospholipid nor liver GSH or GST was significantly changed. Tumor growth was significantly retarded in rats subjected to repeated arterial ischemia compared with sham treatment (P < 0.01). Repeated arterial ischemia facilitated degradation of tumor membrane phospholipids and induced depletion of GSH and inactivation of GST without affecting the normal liver. Thus, ischemia/reperfusion induced depletion of membrane phospholipids and of GSH might represent two mechanisms by which repeated arterial ischemia led to tumor growth delay.

Animals

P53 polymorphisms and haplotypes in lung cancer.

An association between the BstU I 1-1 (Pro-Pro) genotype of the p53 codon 72 polymorphism and lung cancer has previously been reported by Kawajiri et al. A reanalysis of the data by Kawajiri et al. revealed no significant difference between patients and controls with respect to allele frequencies, and the increased frequency of BstU I 1-1 homozygotes was mostly ascribable to a deviation from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. In an attempt to replicate the results by Kawajiri et al. we have studied three p53 polymorphisms (BstU I and Msp I RFLPs in exon 4 and intron 6 respectively and a 16 bp duplication in intron 3) and their haplotypes in Swedish lung cancer patients and controls. The results concerning the codon 72 polymorphism were largely negative. Thus there was no significant association between lung cancer and the BstU I 1-1 type, and only a marginal difference (P = 0.044) with respect to the BstU I allele frequency when lung cancer patients were compared with patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, when the analysis was based on haplotype frequencies larger differences appeared and it was found that only BstU I 1 (pro) alleles linked to 16 bp 1 alleles were associated with lung cancer. Pro alleles linked to the 16 bp duplication appeared instead to confer some protection against cancer. Thus the codon 72 alleles need not be functionally involved in lung cancer, but may rather be markers in linkage disequilibrium with other cancer susceptibility sites on p53.

Alleles

Genetic susceptibility to lung cancer with special emphasis on CYP1A1 and GSTM1: a study on host factors in relation to age at onset, gender and histological cancer types.

Genetically based differences in metabolism, related to MspI restriction site and Ile-Val polymorphisms of the cytochrome P450 (CYP) 1A1 gene and the null genotype of glutathione transferase class mu (GSTM1), have been reported to be associated with lung cancer susceptibility. The present study was set up to establish the frequencies of the polymorphic genotypes of CYP1A1 and GSTM1 in Sweden, to evaluate a possible increased incidence of the genotypes associated with higher lung cancer risks among Swedish lung cancer patients and to try to make a combined risk estimate for carriers of multiple risk alleles. In a healthy control group, all under 66 years of age, 53% (174/329) of the subjects were of the GSTM1(-) genotype, while in a hospital control group 49% (39/79) carried the GSTM1(-) genotype. In the investigated lung cancer patients this genotype was found in 56% (165/296) and among those patients diagnosed before 66 years of age the deficient genotype was found in 60% (78/131). The highest proportion of the GSTM1(-) genotype was found in patients diagnosed with adenocarcinoma (63%, 29/46) and small cell carcinoma (72%, 21/29) before 66 years of age and among female squamous cell carcinoma patients (79%, 15/19). The allelic variants in CYP1A1 were equally distributed in lung cancer patients and controls. The m1/m2 and m2/m2 genotypes of the MspI site and the Ile/Val genotype were, however, slightly over-represented in squamous cell carcinoma patients. Among patients with squamous cell carcinoma diagnosed before 66 years of age the m1/m2 genotype was found in 28% (10/36), whereas the same genotype was observed in 16% (52/329) of healthy control subjects. A combined risk of squamous cell carcinoma was indicated for patients, diagnosed before 66 years of age, carrying both GSTM1(-) and m2 alleles (OR = 3.0, 95% CI = 1.2-7.2).

Adenocarcinoma

The expression of glutathione transferase mu in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

BACKGROUND: Glutathione transferases (GST) are a group of multifunctional enzymes important in the detoxification of many electrophiles and, in addition, fatty acid hydroperoxides, thus limiting tissue damage from oxidative free radical attack. Of the four classes of GST (alpha, mu, pi, and theta), a class mu isoenzyme, GST mu, is dominantly inherited and is expressed in approximately half of the population. GST mu expression was examined in patients with inflammatory bowel disease and correlated to clinical course, extension, and age of onset of the diseases. METHODS: GST mu can be measured as GST activity against trans-stilbene oxide. This GST activity was measured in whole blood in 179 patients with ulcerative colitis, 109 patients with Crohn's disease, and 449 age-matched controls. RESULTS: Frequencies of GST mu expression were as follows: controls (n = 449, 51.2%), mild ulcerative colitis (n = 76, 47.3%), moderate ulcerative colitis (n = 43, 46.5%), and severe ulcerative colitis (characterized by colectomy) (n = 60, 36.7%). This trend was, however, not significant (p = 0.094). Patients with onset of the colitis before the age of 30 years (n = 91) had a lower frequency of GST mu expression (35.2%) than patients with a later onset (n = 88, 52.3%) (p < 0.05). This difference was more pronounced among the colectomized patients (19.4% versus 55.2%) (p < 0.01). In Crohn's disease, patients with colitis had a lower frequency of GST mu expression (n = 29, 31.0%) than controls; however, this was not statistically significant (p = 0.055). No difference was found with regard to age of onset. CONCLUSION: We conclude that in patients with ulcerative colitis, lack of GST mu is related to early age of onset and a more severe clinical course leading to colectomy.

Adult

Genetic polymorphism of cytochrome P4502E1 in a Swedish population. Relationship to incidence of lung cancer.

Genetic polymorphism of CYP2E1 was investigated among 195 Swedish patients with lung cancer and 206 controls. Three different polymorphic sites were found, all in introns, using RFLP and the restriction enzymes DraI, RsaI and TaqI. The frequencies of the rare alleles were 0.08-0.18 and much lower than previously described among Japanese. No significant difference in distribution of the polymorphic alleles between controls and lung cancer patients was evident, in contrast to results of a previous Japanese study. However, examination of a polymorphic site in the 5'-flanking region, within a putative binding motif for the hepatic transcription factor HNF-1, revealed a significantly less frequent distribution of the mutated allele (c2) among the lung cancer patients as compared to controls. It is concluded that major interethnic differences exist in the genetic polymorphism of CYP2E1 and that people carrying the c2 allele might be at lower risk for developing lung cancer.

Base Sequence

Measurement and characterization of the denitrosation of tauromustine and related nitrosoureas by glutathione transferases in liver cytosol from various species.

The denitrosation of a novel nitrosourea, 1-(2-chloroethyl)-3-[(2-dimethylaminosulfonyl)-ethyl]-1-nitrosoure a, tauromustine (TCNU), has been investigated in liver cytosol from various species and with a pool of cytosolic rat liver glutathione transferases (GSTs). In addition, the denitrosation of related nitrosoureas, 1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea (BCNU) and 1-(2-chloroethyl)-3-cyclohexyl-1-nitrosourea (CCNU) have been investigated. By using radioactive nitrosoureas as substrates and HPLC to detect the denitrosated products, a sensitive assay has been developed. The activities towards additional substrates, 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB) and trans-stilbene oxide (tSBO) were also measured in the various cytosol fractions. The apparent Vmax and Km values for the denitrosation of TCNU in rat liver cytosol were calculated to be 830 pmol/min/mg protein and 8.4 mM respectively. The rate of denitrosation of TCNU was found to be highest in the mouse, followed by the rat and the dog. The induction of GSTs by phenobarbital in rats increased the denitrosation of TCNU similar to the activities found towards CDNB and tSBO as substrates. The highest denitrosation activity by GST was determined towards BCNU, followed by CCNU and TCNU. Our results suggest that the denitrosation of various nitrosoureas via GST may play an important role in the deactivating process occurring in vivo and for the efficacy of nitrosoureas used in chemotherapy.

Animals

The Malmö biomarker programme.

Evaluation of pro-oxidant/antioxidant dietary factors in relation to individual susceptibility to cancer and cardiovascular disease is justified based on a review of the literature. This working hypothesis is amendable to further scientific validation from biomarkers with end-point sensitivity to oxygen radicals. So far, the biomarker programme developed around this theme may be divided into three distinct classes: (1) Markers of genotoxic exposure estimate DNA damage either directly as a biologically effective dose, or indirectly by estimating aberrant cellular functions that lead to accumulation of DNA damage. The examples included are ADP-ribosylation in mononuclear leucocytes (R. Pero, A. Olsson), oxidative DNA damage (K. Frenkel), gene expression in lymphocytes (S. Garte, G. Cosma), serum alpha macroglobulin (W. Troll) and oxidized DNA damage and repair (N. Christie). (2) Markers of genetic predisposition have been shown to have genetic inheritance patterns that relate to individual susceptibility to cancer or cardiovascular disease. The examples included are glutathione transferase mu phenotyping (R. Pero, J. Seidegård) and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase pseudogene polymorphism (M. Smulson). (3) Markers of dietary status have been validated to estimate the amount of a particular nutrient or xenobiotic in the diet that has been taken up and metabolized or distributed to body fluids or tissues. The example included here is niacin nutriture (E. Jacobson, M. Jacobson). This biomarker is presented in Section 5 (pp. 59-62) of the Malmö Diet and Cancer Programme Minisymposium reported in this issue of the journal.

Animals

Glutathione transferase activity in human vessels and in cultured arterial smooth muscle cells.

Glutathione transferases play an important role in the detoxification of many different endogeneous and exogenous compounds such as metabolites of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) of cigarette tar. There is evidence that PAH may be atherogenic. The glutathione transferase activity towards trans-stilbene oxide (GST-tSBO) can be separated in blood in GST-positive and GST-negative phenotypes. We have previously suggested that the GST-negative phenotype may be associated with a higher morbidity in intermittent claudication among middle aged smokers. In the present study, GST-tSBO could easily be measured in human, rabbit and bovine arterial smooth muscle cells (SMC) in culture. The level of GST-tSBO was higher in rabbit than in bovine SMC. It was stable in bovine SMC during 5 cell passages and it could be induced twofold by long-time incubation with dimethylsulfoxide-soluble particulate matter from cigarette smoke or 3,4-benzo(a)pyrene. There was a positive correlation between the level of GST-tSBO in blood and in "healthy" arterial and venous tissue from individuals operated with coronary bypass. The enzyme levels in arterial tissue were lower than in venous tissue. GST-tSBO in atherosclerotic segments of human arteries was lower than in "healthy" segments from the same artery. These findings suggest that the arterial wall may have a low defense against toxic compounds that may decrease further as atherosclerosis proceeds. It is concluded that SMC are suitable for the study of the effects of PAH in relation to GST-tSBO and that the enzyme activity in blood will reflect the individual GST-tSBO phenotype also in vascular tissues.

Adult

Human fibroblasts lacking trans-stilbene oxide active glutathione transferase exhibit increased cell death when exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

Glutathione transferases (GST) are detoxifying enzymes who act with many endogenous and exogenous substances such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). The GST activity towards trans-stilbene oxide (GST-tSBO) is inherited in an autosomal dominant fashion and can be separated in high (GST-positive) and low (GST-negative) phenotypes when measured in blood. Human fibroblast cultures were established from males matched for age, smoking habits and clinical manifestations of atherosclerosis. Matched pairs of GST-negative and GST-positive fibroblasts were studied. There was a very strong correlation between the levels of GST-tSBO in peripheral blood and in cultured fibroblasts within the same individual. When fibroblasts were exposed to benzo(a)pyrene (BP) or dimethylbenzanthracene (DMBA) GST-negative cells produced relatively more collagen than GST-positive cells. GST-negative fibroblasts showed a greater cell death than GST-positive fibroblasts as well among controls as after exposure to PAH. It is concluded that lack of GST-tSBO is easily discriminated in cultured skin fibroblasts. GST-negative and GST-positive fibroblasts showed different susceptibility towards some toxic stimuli that might be of importance in atherogenesis.

Aged

Metabolism of a novel nitrosourea, tauromustine, in the rat.

A novel nitrosourea, 1-(2-chloroethyl)-3-[2-(dimethylaminosulphonyl)ethyl]1-nitrosourea , tauromustine (TCNU), has been investigated for in vitro metabolism by different rat organs. Two kinds of reactions were seen, demethylation and denitrosation, both reactions required NADPH. These reactions were achieved by the liver microsomes and to a much lesser extent by lung microsomes. Induction of cytochrome P450 system with phenobarbital resulted in increased demethylation (10 times) and denitrosation (6 times) of tauromustine while induction with 3-methylcholanthrene did not have any significant effect on these reactions. Known inhibitors of different cytochrome P450 activities inhibited the demethylation and denitrosation of tauromustine to different levels. After oral administration of [14C]tauromustine a metabolic pattern similar to that observed in vitro experiments, was seen in the urine. The demethylated compound, which has alkylating cytotoxic activity, could be detected in the urine up to 8 hr after oral administration.

Animals

Isoenzyme(s) of glutathione transferase (class Mu) as a marker for the susceptibility to lung cancer: a follow up study.

Glutathione transferase are divided into three classes: Alpha, Mu and Pi. Isoenzyme(s) from one of these classes, class Mu, is dominantly inherited and can be determined by activity measurements directed towards the substrate trans-stilbene oxide. The frequency of this phenotype has been measured in patients with bronchial carcinoma and in control subjects matched for age and smoking history. After combining an earlier study from our laboratory (Carcinogenesis, 7, 751-753, 1986) with the additional material presented here (control smokers, n = 114, lung cancers, n = 125) non-cancer smokers had an increased number of subjects who expressed class Mu isoenzymes (58.3% of total n = 192) compared with lung cancer patients (36.6% of total n = 191; P less than 0.0001). The pathology of lung tumors related to the lack of class Mu isoenzymes which occurred most frequently in patients with adenocarcinomas. It is concluded that the gene expressing class Mu isoenzymes may be a host determinant of genetic susceptibility to lung cancer among smokers.

Adenocarcinoma