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K Brendel

Publications and source records attributed to K Brendel.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Antineoplastic drugs sulindac sulfide and sulfone inhibit cell growth by inducing apoptosis.

The nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug sulindac is known to inhibit chemical carcinogenesis in rodent models and cause regression of adenomas in patients with adenomatous polyposis coli. Sulindac is a prodrug that is metabolized to a pharmacologically active sulfide derivative that potently inhibits prostaglandin synthesis. Recent studies, however, have shown that a sulfone derivative of sulindac, which essentially lacks prostaglandin synthesis inhibitory activity, also inhibits chemical carcinogenesis, suggesting that reduction of prostaglandin levels is not necessary for the antineoplastic activity of this class of drugs. Both sulindac sulfide and the sulfone inhibit the growth of cultured tumor cells, although the cellular mechanism(s) responsible for the antineoplastic activity of sulindac derivatives is unknown. In this study, we investigated the effects of sulindac sulfide and sulfone on the proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis of HT-29 human colon carcinoma cells. Sulindac sulfide and sulfone significantly reduced cell number in both preconfluent and confluent cultures of HT-29 cells with the sulfide showing approximately 4-fold greater potency. In addition to HT-29 cells, both drugs inhibited the growth of a variety of tumor cell lines derived from other tissues, as well as normal epithelial cells and fibroblasts. Neither sulindac sulfide nor sulfone inhibited cell proliferation under conditions where the drugs were growth inhibitory. Only under specific conditions involving mitogenic stimulation did sulindac sulfide and sulfone cause cell cycle arrest. Neither sulindac sulfide nor the sulfone induced differentiation of HT-29 cells, but both drugs strongly induced apoptosis. The apoptotic response to sulindac sulfide and sulfone was both time- and dose-dependent and involved a mechanism independent of their inhibitory effect on cell cycle progression. These data suggest that apoptosis is responsible for the cell growth inhibitory activity of sulindac sulfide and sulfone and represents a potential mechanism for the antineoplastic activity of these drugs.

Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal

Precision-cut tissue slices: applications in pharmacology and toxicology.

Almost a decade has passed since the first paper describing the isolation and maintenance of precision-cut liver slices produced using a mechanical tissue slicer was published (1). Although tissue slices of various organs have been employed as an in vitro system for several decades, the lack of reproducibility within the slices and the relatively limited viability of the tissue preparations has prevented a widespread acceptance of the technique. The production of an automated slicer, capable of reproducibly producing relatively thin slices of tissue, as well as the development of a dynamic organ culture system, overcame several of these obstacles. Since that time, significant advances in the methods to produce and culture tissue slices have been made, as well as the application of the technique to several other organs, including kidney, lung and heart. This review will i) summarize the historical use of tissue slices prior to the development of the precision-cut tissue slice system; ii) briefly analyze current methods to produce precision-cut liver, kidney, lung and heart slices; and iii) discuss the applications of this powerful in vitro system to the disciplines of pharmacology and toxicology.

Animals

Comparative metabolism and toxicity of dichlorobenzenes in Sprague-Dawley, Fischer-344 and human liver slices.

1. Precision-cut liver slices, prepared from Sprague-Dawley and Fischer-344 rats and donated human liver tissue, were used to identify differences in 1,2-dichlorobenzene (1,2-DCB), 1,3-dichlorobenzene (1,3-DCB) and 1,4-dichlorobenzene (1,4-DCB) metabolism and how it may relate to toxicity. 2. Rat and human liver slices were incubated with 1 mM of either dichlorobenzene to determine metabolism and toxicity, at 2 and 6 h of organ culture. 3. The human liver slices metabolised the dichlorobenzenes to a greater extent than those from either of the rat strains. Liver slices from the Fischer-344 strain had a higher metabolic rate than the slices from the Sprague-Dawley rat strain. 4. The metabolic rate of dichlorobenzene isomers did not consistently correlate with its toxicity. For example, human slices did not exhibit any hepatoxicity, even though they metabolised these compounds to a greater extent than either rat strain. 5. Cross species covalent binding did not correlate with toxicity endpoints measured in this study. 6. The phase two metabolite profiles for each of the isomers in human and rat slices were similar in that the glutathione-cysteine conjugate was the major metabolite. 7. The use of an in vitro system which utilises human liver slices might provide an important bridge between animal derived data and the human situation.

Adolescent

Glutathione effects on toxicity and uptake of mercuric chloride and sodium arsenite in rabbit renal cortical slices.

The mechanism of renal uptake of nephrotoxic heavy metals such as HgCl2 and NaAsO2 is not clear. The metals are known to react with endogenous sulfhydryls such as glutathione (GSH), so metal-GSH conjugates may be delivered to the kidney. To study this possibility, renal cortical slices from male New Zealand white rabbits were incubated with 10(-4) M HgCl2 or 10(-3) M NaAsO2 +/- stoichiometric amounts (1-3x) of GSH; or synthetic metal-GSH conjugates [10(-4) M Hg(SG)2 or 10(-3) M As(SG)3]. Incubations were performed at 37 degrees C in DME-F12 buffer (95/5 O2/CO2) for 8 hr. Hg(SG)2 reduced slice K+/DNA content, as an indicator of viability, significantly less than HgCl2. As(SG)3 exhibited a 2-hr delay in K+/DNA content reduction compared to NaAsO2. This delay in toxicity was not correlated to changes in uptake. Arsenic and mercury accumulation, determined by proton-induced X-ray emission, were also identical between the metal salts and the metal-GSH conjugates. Exogenous GSH decreased HgCl2 cytotoxicity and was correlated to a decrease in Hg accumulation in the slice. Exogenous GSH had limited if any protective effects against cytotoxicity by NaAsO2 and a decrease in As accumulation was not observed. Complex metal-GSH interactions appear to exist and impact on the uptake and toxicity of these metals.

Animals

Biotransformation of sevoflurane by rat neonate liver slices.

Sevoflurane [CF3-CH(OCH2F)-CF3] is biotransformed to inorganic fluoride (F-) and hexafluoroisopropanol, which forms a glucuronide conjugate. Although sevoflurane may be used in newborns without fully developed biotransformation activity, studies were performed using liver slices from rat neonates to determine sevoflurane disposition. Sevoflurane was vaporized in sealed roller culture vials to produce a continuous saturating dose (0.5 mM). After incubation, slices and incubation media were sonicated and centrifuged to remove debris. The supernatant fraction was analyzed for F-, hexafluoroisopropanol, and hexafluoroisopropanol-glucuronide conjugate. The metabolism of sevoflurane by liver slices increased proportionately with time with a stoichiometric production (1:1) of hexafluoroisopropanol and F- in all age groups. Only glucuronide conjugates of hexafluoroisopropanol were found. The rate of sevoflurane biotransformation measured as fluoride production was similar among slices prepared from all neonate age groups. Although no hexafluoroisopropanol-glucuronide was generated by slices from 4-, 6-, and 8-day-old neonates, by day 21, 17% of the total hexafluoroisopropanol is glucuronidated. This contrasts with the lower levels of free hexafluoroisopropanol typically seen in adults liver slices, wherein 51% of the hexafluoroisopropanol was glucuronidated. These studies indicate that sevoflurane is equally metabolized to hexafluoroisopropanol and F-, but a deficiency in glucuronosyltransferase occurs in neonates.

1-Propanol

Sites of biotransformation for the cyclosporin derivative SDZ IMM 125 using human liver and kidney slices and intestine. Comparison with rat liver slices and cyclosporin A metabolism.

SDZ IMM 125 (IMM), the hydroxyethyl derivative of cyclosporin A (CSA), is metabolized by human liver slices to analogous primary metabolites, hydroxylated IMM1 and IMM9 and N-demethylated IMM4N, as for CSA (M17/AM1, M1/AM9, and M21/AM4N), but the rate and extent of IMM biotransformation is less than for CSA. Initial rates of IMM metabolite formation in the human liver slice cultures are 6.6 +/- 2.8 nmol/hr/g liver at 1 microM IMM and 24.3 +/- 22.9 nmol/hr/g liver at 10 microM IMM, whereas the rate of CSA metabolite formation is 1.8-fold faster at both concentrations. The percentage of unchanged IMM is 73% at 1 microM and 80% at 10 microM after 24 hr, reflecting the lower extent of IMM metabolism, about one-third (1 microM) and one-half (10 microM) that of CSA. In rat liver slices, IMM is metabolized to the same primary metabolites as in human liver slices, but more slowly and remains 90% unchanged at 24 hr. Human jejunum formed the same primary metabolites of IMM and CSA as in liver. Upscaling the slice rate of biotransformation revealed that human jejunum would contribute considerably to the first-pass of IMM and CSA, being approximately 2 to 3-fold slower than the rate in liver. The inhibition of both IMM and CSA biotransformation by triacetyloleandomycin implicates the involvement of cytochrome P4503A proteins. Human kidney cortex slices metabolized IMM to IMM1 and IMM9, accounting for approximately 75% of the total metabolites. Total metabolite formation represented approximately 64% of liver metabolite formation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals

Further examination of the selective toxicity of CCl4 in rat liver slices.

Lipid peroxidation and loss of enzymes located predominantly in either periportal or centrilobular hepatocytes were investigated in precision-cut liver slices from male Sprague-Dawley rats. Pretreatment of animals with 80 mg/kg phenobarbital for the site-specific enzyme studies enhanced and accelerated CCl4 toxicity in slices resulting from increased radical formation. Liver slices were exposed to 0.57 mM CCl4 by vaporization using a roller incubation system at 37 degrees C for a total of 9 hr. Conjugated diene formation, an index of lipid peroxidation, was detected 15 min following CCl4 administration and increased over time. Loss of cytochrome P450 occurred in a time-dependent manner relative to controls where levels in treated slices were 42% of controls at 9 hr. A 48-hr fast prior to termination increased intracellular K+ leakage relative to that present in slices from fed animals. Significant leakage of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and beta-glucuronidase from centrilobular hepatocytes occurred 9 hr following CCl4 administration. The content of the periportal enzymes (lactate dehydrogenase and sorbitol dehydrogenase) was unchanged in the same slices over the duration of the experiment. Reduction of 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5- diphenyltetrazolium bromide, a mitochondrial selective dye and indicator of viability, was significantly lower in treated slices from phenobarbital-treated animals at 9 hr relative to controls. These studies demonstrate that precision-cut slices are an ideal in vitro system for mechanistic studies and the investigation of site-specific toxicants since the integral architecture of the liver and cellular identity are maintained.

Animals

The hepatotoxicity of chloroform in precision-cut rat liver slices.

Chloroform hepatotoxicity was investigated in precision-cut liver slices from male Sprague-Dawley rats pretreated with phenobarbital to predispose animals to CHCl3 intoxication. Liver slices were exposed to 0.2, 0.5 and 1.0 mM chloroform for a total of 9 h in a roller culture system. Intracellular K+ loss was found to be concentration- and time-dependent over the duration of the experiment. Histopathological changes were also evident. Glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase and beta-glucuronidase were significantly decreased at 3 h relative to controls where a loss of 61% and 36% occurred, respectively. Enzyme levels of alanine aminotransferase and lactate dehydrogenase, both found predominantly in periportal hepatocytes, remained identical to controls over the duration of the experiment. A significant time-dependent depletion of glutathione occurred as early as 3 h following the administration of 0.5 mM chloroform. Mitochondrial viability, measured by the reduction of a specific dye, was significantly lower than controls in treated slices at 6 h following chloroform administration. Precision-cut liver slices appear to be especially useful for the biochemical and histopathological examination of site-specific hepatotoxicants such as CHCl3.

Animals

Formation and identification of protein adducts to cytosolic proteins in guinea pig liver slices exposed to halothane.

The anesthetic halothane can be bioactivated to the reactive intermediate, trifluoroacetyl chloride, which can covalently bind to liver protein. The product of this reaction is trifluoroacetyl-N-epsilon-lysine which can act as a foreign epitope in altering both protein immunogenicity and antigenicity. An in vitro liver slice system was used to study the formation of protein adducts following exposure to halothane. Liver slices (30-35 mg wet weight, 250-300 microns thick) from adult male Hartley guinea pigs (600-800 g) were exposed to [14C]halothane (0.6-0.9 microCi, 1.0-1.7 mM) in 95% O2/5% CO2 for 1, 6 and 12 h. The slices were homogenized and subcellular fractions prepared. Proteins were resolved by electrophoresis and bound radioactivity was detected by scintillation counting and autoradiography. Greater than 80% of detectable radioactivity to whole liver cell protein was localized in the 20-30-kDa range and increased in a linear fashion over the 12-h incubation period. Covalent binding was localized to two proteins of 27 kDa and 26 kDa present in the cytosolic compartment. Purification followed by N-terminal amino acid sequence analysis of the 27-kDa protein has identified it to be homologous with glutathione-S-transferase b. This cytosolic protein appears to be the major target for trifluoroacetylation in liver slices exposed to halothane.

Amino Acid Sequence

Effects of halothane and other volatile anaesthetics on protein synthesis and secretion in guinea pig liver slices.

We have investigated the effect of volatile anaesthetics on protein synthesis and secretion in Hartley male guinea pig liver slices. The slices (250-300 microns thick) were incubated in sealed roller vials containing Krebs-Henseleit buffer at 37 degrees C under 95% oxygen. Volatile anaesthetics were vaporized in the vials to produce constant concentrations in the medium. Halothane 1-2.1 mmol litre-1 produced a concentration-related decrease in protein synthesis (3H-leucine incorporation) and secretion. Deuterated halothane (d-halothane), which is less biotransformed, was less inhibiting than halothane: uptake of the 3H-leucine was not affected but its incorporation into the nascent peptide was inhibited. Enflurane 2.2 mmol litre-1, isoflurane 2.2 mmol litre-1 and sevoflurane 2.1 mmol litre-1 also inhibited protein synthesis, but to a lesser extent than halothane and d-halothane. We conclude that alterations in protein synthesis and secretion are an early and sensitive indicator of cellular injury by volatile anaesthetics in liver slices.

Anesthetics

Sevoflurane is biotransformed by guinea pig liver slices but causes minimal cytotoxicity.

Guinea pig liver slices were used to evaluate the biotransformation and hepatotoxic potential of sevoflurane. Precision-cut liver slices (250-300 microns thick) were incubated in sealed roller vials in buffer at 37 degrees C under 95% O2. Sevoflurane was added to produce 0.9 or 2.1 mM medium concentrations. After incubation (6-24 h), the intracellular K+ content and protein synthesis were determined, along with the defluorination of sevoflurane. Isoflurane was included for comparative purposes. Sevoflurane (2.1 mM) and isoflurane (2.3 mM) had no effect on slice K+ content, but both anesthetics depressed protein synthesis. The biotransformation of sevoflurane was maximal at 95% O2, with threefold more F- produced from sevoflurane than isoflurane. Sevoflurane appears to have a minimal effect on the guinea pig liver slices, which is consistent with in vivo studies in which minimal or no hepatotoxicity has been observed.

1-Propanol

Metabolism of dichlorobenzenes in organ cultured liver slices.

A novel in vitro system was used to evaluate tissue specific toxicity. This system utilizes precision cut organ slices in dynamic organ culture and is viable for up to 24 hrs. The three isomers of dichlorobenzene were added to liver slices prepared from Sprague Dawley rats or human donors. The precursor dichlorobenzenes were radiolabelled and metabolites were separated by classes (i.e. glucuronides, sulfates and glutathione and cysteine conjugates). Covalent Binding of the dichlorobenzenes was also determined after extensive extraction of the tissue. The total amount of metabolism of the dichlorobenzenes varied depending on the isomer and the type of tissue. For example, the Sprague-Dawley rat liver slices metabolized 1,2-DCB and 1,3-DCB at approximately the same rate while 1,4-DCB was metabolized at a slower rate. This metabolism profile was also seen in the majority of the adult human liver slices. However, the fetal human slices showed that 1,4-DCB was metabolized to a greater extent than 1,3-DCB or 1,2-DCB while 1,3-DCB was metabolized at a faster rate than 1,2-DCB. Our results show that liver slices in organ culture are a suitable system for species comparisons and of structure/activity relationships in xenobiotic metabolism with an emphasis on the fate of reactive intermediates. In addition, this system is suitable for evaluation of hepatotoxic potency.

Animals

Inhibition of protein synthesis and secretion by volatile anesthetics in guinea pig liver slices.

The decrease in protein synthesis and secretion caused by volatile anesthetics was investigated using Hartley male guinea pig liver slices. Precision-cut liver slices (250-300 mM thick) were incubated in sealed roller vials (3 slices/vial) containing Krebs-Hensleit buffer at 37 degrees C under 95% O2 atmosphere. Volatile anesthetics were injected through a teflon septa cap on a filter paper wick and vaporized to produce constant concentration in the medium. A concentration (1-2.1 mM) and time related (0-24) decrease in protein synthesis (3H-leucine incorporation) and secretion by halothane and d-halothane was observed. d-Halothane was less inhibiting than halothane. Inhibition was not on the uptake of the 3H-leucine but with its incorporation in the nascent peptide. The effects of enflurane (2.2 mM), isoflurane (2.2 mM), and sevoflurane (1.3 mM) on protein synthesis and secretion were also studied. The rank order of decrease in protein synthesis caused by the volatile anesthetics studied was halothane greater than isoflurane greater than enflurane greater than sevofluane greater than d-halothane. Enflurane, isoflurane, and sevoflurane increased the protein secretion while halothane and d-halothane caused a pronounced decrease. Alterations in protein synthesis and secretion appears to be an early and sensitive indicator of cytotoxin injury.

Anesthetics

Cryopreservation of pig and human liver slices.

The ability to cryopreserve human liver slices would greatly enhance the opportunities to test potentially hepatotoxic drugs and environmental contaminants as well as the metabolism of these compounds. This study focused on trying to cryopreserve pig and human liver slices. Since the acquisition of human liver tissue is unpredictable and scarce, an animal model was sought to predict problems associated with cryopreservation of human tissue. The pig liver was chosen because of its anatomical and physiological resemblance to human liver. The human liver tissues that did become available were obtained through the Arizona Organ Bank and the National Disease Research Interchange and from surgical liver resections. An in vitro culture system that employed precision-cut liver slices was used in this study. Different types and concentrations of cryoprotectants, cooling rates, and culture media were all tried in an attempt to cryopreserve pig and human liver slices. The viabilities of fresh and cryopreserved liver slices were evaluated using slice K+ retention and protein synthesis. Pig liver slices following cryopreservation retained between 80 and 85% of intracellular K+ content and protein synthesis as compared to controls using 1.4 M Me2SO, a 12 degrees C/min cooling rate, and a rapid rewarming rate of direct submersion of the slice into 37 degrees C fetal calf serum. Human liver slices following cryopreservation retained between 54 and 89% of intracellular K+ content and protein synthesis as compared to controls using the same protocol as for pigs, except that lower cooling rates were giving better results. The large variation seen in cryopreserved human liver slices was due to the length of warm and cold ischemia to which the tissue was exposed before arriving at the laboratory. This study indicated that pig and human liver slices can be cryopreserved and used for future toxicological and metabolic studies.

Animals

Biotransformation activity in vitrified human liver slices.

In vitro testing of human liver for biotransformation or xenobiotic metabolism studies has been limited by unpredictable acquisition of samples. Consequently, it has become necessary to consider methods to cryopreserve and store these samples whenever they do become available for culture of the revived tissue at a more convenient time. Human liver slices were cryopreserved by vitrification, which allows for the transfer of aqueous media to low temperatures (-196 degrees C) without the formation of ice crystals. Human liver slices were exposed to increasing concentrations of 1,2-propanediol up to a final concentration of 4.76 M in fetal calf serum. Slices were then vitrified by direct immersion into liquid nitrogen and warmed by submersion in 37 degrees C fetal calf serum. Warming was done either immediately or after 4 and 8 weeks of storage under liquid nitrogen. The effects of vitrification, storage time, and warming on biotransformation were determined by assessing the integrated metabolism of 7-ethoxycoumarin (7-EC). Vitrified or fresh human liver slices were exposed to 50 microM 7-EC and its primary metabolite 7-hydroxycoumarin (7-HC) in organ culture for up to 6 hr. Metabolite production of both fresh and vitrified liver slices was compared. Retention of the inherent biotransformation rate was usually high and seemed independent of storage time. Integration of both cytochrome P450-mediated and secondary conjugation processes was retained in cryopreserved tissue. Vitrification offers a way to cryopreserve human liver slices for the study of xenobiotic metabolism in humans.

Biotransformation