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Differential modulation of gamma-aminobutyric acid receptors by caprolactam derivatives with central nervous system depressant or convulsant activity.

The effects of a series of caprolactam derivatives with central depressant, convulsant or muscle relaxant activity were investigated upon gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor-ionophore binding to rat brain membranes using [3H]GABA, [3H]GABA, [3H]muscimol and [35S]-tert.-butylbicyclophophorothionate ([35S]TBPS) as ligands, and GABA responses in mouse spinal cord neurones in dissociated cell culture. Some caprolactams produced a picrotoxin-like chloride-dependent partial inhibition of muscimol binding and were potent inhibitors of TBPS binding. One compound that was further investigated (4,4,6,6-tetramethylhexahydro-2H-azepin-2-one), inhibited GABA responses and increased the frequency of paroxysmal depolarizations in cultured neurones. Other caprolactams enhanced muscimol binding and were relatively weak inhibitors of TBPS binding, and one (3,3-diallyl-6,6-dimethylhexahydro-2H-azepin-2,4-dione) was shown to enhance GABA responses and produced quiescence of activity in cultured neurones. There was a direct correlation between caprolactam effects on muscimol binding in the presence of chloride ions and their effects on TBPS binding suggesting a similar site of action for the caprolactams influencing the binding of these two ligands. For the two classes of caprolactams, with respect to inhibition or enhancement of muscimol binding, there appeared to be a relationship between in vitro effects and their convulsant or depressant activity in mice. Caprolactams may be useful low molecular weight probes for the study of GABA receptor-ionophore complexes.

Animals

Developmental toxicity studies of caprolactam in the rat and rabbit.

Caprolactam was evaluated for developmental toxicity potential in both rats and rabbits by the oral route. In rats dosed on days 6-15 of gestation with 100, 500 or 1000 mg/kg/day of caprolactam, the maternal survival rate was significantly lower in the high-dose group and implantation efficiencies were slightly lower in the 100 and 1000 mg/groups (but not the 500 mg/kg) than in the control. The incidence of fetal death was comparable for all groups, and the incidence of fetal viability was considerably lower in the high-dose group (but not the mid or low) than in the control group. Visceral anomalies and one visceral variant were observed in one 100 mg/kg and one 500 mg/kg pup, respectively. The anomalies included exencephaly, an incomplete left eyelid, microphthalmia (right), and a protruding tongue. No skeletal anomalies were observed. It was concluded that caprolactam at levels up to at least 500 mg/kg of body weight produced no teratogenic effects in the Fischer 344 rats. In rabbits receiving 50, 150 or 250 mg/kg caprolactam on days 6-28 of gestation, the pregnancy rate in all groups was at least 80%. The numbers of corpora lutea, live and dead fetuses, resorptions, the sex ratio and the pre- and post-implantation losses were not significantly different among the test and control groups. The incidence of major malformations and of minor skeletal anomalies was unaffected by treatment with caprolactam. Maternal weights were depressed in the group receiving 250 mg/kg. Treatment of a separate group with a positive control substance (6-aminonicotinamide) resulted in significantly (P less than 0.001) increased incidences of major malformations, minor visceral anomalies and minor skeletal anomalies. Maternal toxicity in terms of mortality was observed in pregnant rabbits treated with caprolactam at a dose of 250 mg/kg/day. Fetotoxicity was evidenced by lower fetal weights at the 150 and 250 mg/kg/day levels, and an increased incidence of thirteenth ribs was observed at the 250 mg/kg/day dose level. Neither embryotoxicity nor teratogenicity occurred at any dose level.

Animals

Mechanism of alpha-amino-epsilon-caprolactam racemase reaction.

alpha-Amino-epsilon-caprolactam racemase catalyzes the exchange of the alpha-hydrogen of the substrate with deuterium during racemization in deuterium oxide. The rate of the hydrogen exchange measured by 1H NMR is lower than that of racemization in deuterium oxide for both the enantiomers. Both the enantiomers of alpha-amino-epsilon-caprolactam show an overshoot of the optical rotation during the enzymatic racemization in deuterium oxide (but not in water). This phenomenon may be attributable to a primary deuterium isotope effect at the alpha-position: alpha-deuterium isotope effects of 3.6 and 2.0 were observed for the racemization of the D and L enantiomers of alpha-amino-epsilon-caprolactam, respectively. Results of tritium-labeling experiments showed that the enzyme catalyzes both retention and inversion of configuration of the substrate with a similar probability in each turnover. Conversion of [alpha-2H]-D-alpha-amino-epsilon-caprolactam in water and unlabeled D-alpha-amino-epsilon-caprolactam in deuterium oxide into the L isomer under nearly single turnover conditions with the enzyme showed significant internal return of the alpha-hydrogen. These results support a single base mechanism for the racemization reaction catalyzed by the enzyme.

Alcaligenes

[Plasmids controlling biodegradation of epsilon-caprolactam].

Bacterial strains (190) capable of growth on epsilon-caprolactam as a sole source of carbon and nitrogen were isolated from epsilon-caprolactam industrial sewage. Most of the strains (90%) were found to contain plasmids. Some of the strains (36.8%) assigned provisionally to the genus Pseudomonas contained plasmids controlling epsilon-caprolactam catabolism. The plasmids had a molecular mass from 50 to 300 MDa. Certain plasmids differed in the frequency of conjugation transfer and in the presence of other genetic determinants (resistance against heavy metal ions) and also determined the different character of bacterial growth on epsilon-caprolactam and on its intermediate catabolites.

Bacteria

[Influence of clay minerals on the oxidative activity of the caprolactam destructors Bacillus subtilis 6 and 21].

By the Warburg manometric method the respiratory activity of the caprolactam destructors--Bacillus subtilis strains 6 and 21 was measured. The bacteria grown on the synthetic nutrient medium with caprolactam as the sole source of carbon and nitrogen oxidized that substrate more intensively than the cells grown on meat-peptone agar. The activity of caprolactam oxidation by the cultures showed strain differences. Clay minerals--montmorillonit, palygorskit, bentonit and vermiculit--stimulated the glucose and caprolactam oxidation by the above bacteria. The highest stimulating effect was produced by montmorillonit.

Bacillus subtilis

A spectrophotometric assay for meso-diaminopimelate decarboxylase and L-alpha-amino-epsilon-caprolactam hydrolase.

A spectrophotometric assay for the activities of mesodiaminopimelate decarboxylase and L-alpha-amino-epsilon-caprolactam hydrolase is described. With the commercially available enzyme saccharopine dehydrogenase lysine formed either by decarboxylation of meso-diaminopimelate or by hydrolysis of L-alpha-amino-epsilon-caprolactam is converted to saccharopine with the concomitant oxidation of NADH, which is monitored by the decrease in absorbance at 340 nm. For meso-diaminopimelate decarboxylase this assay can be performed either as an endpoint determination, when working with crude extracts, or as a continuous spectrophotometric assay of partially purified enzyme preparations. The activity of L-alpha-amino-epsilon-caprolactam hydrolase can only be assayed by the endpoint method because of the great differences in the pH optima of the hydrolase and the saccharopine dehydrogenase.

Azepines

Abnormal sperm assay tests on benzoin and caprolactam.

Benzoin and caprolactam, two noncarcinogenic chemicals found in association with consumer products, were tested in the mammalian in vivo abnormal spermhead assay. Each chemical was dissolved in a pharmaceutical grade corn oil and administered by gavage. Toxic effects were observed only with caprolactam-treated mice. Neither benzoin nor caprolactam induced a significant increase in the frequency of abnormal sperm as compared to that for animals treated only with the corn oil.

Animals

Identification of ninhydrin-positive caprolactam metabolites in the rat.

Caprolactam (2-oxohexamethylenimine) is metabolized in the rat partly to 4-hydroxycaprolactam or the corresponding free acid. The 4-hydroxy metabolite rearranges spontaneously in acidic aqueous medium to an equilibrium mixture of which 6-amino-gamma-caprolactone is the major component and 6-amino-4-hydroxyhexanoic acid is a minor component. Approximately 16% of the caprolactam ingested daily by rats fed a diet containing 3% caprolactam was excreted as the 4-hydroxy metabolite and a small amount was excreted as the non-hydroxylated acid, 6-aminohexanoic acid. The metabolites were isolated by ion-exchange chromatography and identified by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy and infra-red and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

Amino Acids

[Regulation of the expression of plasmid determination responsible for caprolactam degradation by bacteria of the genus Pseudomonas].

On the basis of the study of some Tn5 induced mutants in Pseudomonas putida strain BS836 containing the plasmid pBS268 coding caprolactam degradation, growth on caprolactam and its intermediates, and the data on the induction of oxidative activities in plasmid containing P. putida strain BS831 it was shown that plasmid and chromosome genes regulated the expression of CAP-determinants. The regulation has some elements of the negative control mechanism. Caprolactam is the inducer of the synthesis of key enzymes cleaving it and its intermediates (aminocaproic and adipic acids). At the same time each of its intermediates induced the synthesis of enzymes responsible for its cleavage.

Caprolactam

[Methods for the sampling and tracing of caprolactam monomer dispersed in the air].

The problem of hygiene in the production of epsilon-caprolactam is very important; pollution of work room air is possible when the substance is stored, transported or packed in bags. In this work toxic and irritant properties of epsilon-caprolactam are described. Infrared spectroscopic, gas chromatrographic and spectrophotometric methods used by us, for the determination of epsilon-caprolactam traces, are also described.

Air Pollutants

[Determination of epsilon-caprolactam in food media by thin-layer chromatography].

The method for thin-layer chromatography has been developed for determination of epsilon-caprolactam in food media: fats, dry products. The method sensitivity is 0.01 mg/kg (mg/1) for fats and 0,005 mg/kg for dry products. The method error is 20%. epsilon-Caprolactam was extracted from fats by water, from dry products by ethyl alcohol. The extracts were evaporated and chromatographed in a thin layer of silica gel. epsilon-Caprolactam was determined on the plates from the spot area. The method was used for hygienic evaluation of polyamide-6 film intended for packing fats and dry products.

Azepines

Three-generation reproduction study with caprolactam in rats.

In a three-generation reproduction study, rats were given caprolactam in the diet of 0, 1000, 5000 and 10,000 ppm. No treatment-related effects were observed in the parental animals with respect to mortality, clinical signs, reproductive performance or gross pathology findings. Consistently lower body weights were noted in the P2 and P3 mid- and high-dose males and females. Consistently lower mean food consumption values were noted in the P2 and P3 mid- and high-dose males and the high-dose females. These differences were generally significant (P less than or equal to 0.05) in the high-dose group of both sexes. Compound-related histopathologic findings noted in the high-dose P1 males consisted of a slight increase in the severity of spontaneous nephropathies, occasionally accompanied by granular casts. The offspring data revealed no treatment-related effect with respect to gross appearance, gross pathology, survival, number of pups, percentage of male pups or kidney weight. Analysis of the offspring body weights on Days 1, 7 and 21 of lactation revealed consistently and generally significant lower mean values in the high-dose male and female animals of all filial generations. The mean body weights of both sexes in the mid-dose group were generally lower than those of the controls. The effects on mean body weight, mean food consumption and the group increases in the severity of nephropathy, accompanied by the presence of granular casts in some animals, are considered to be related to the administration of caprolactam.

Animals

Chromosomal damage induced by caprolactam in human lymphocytes.

Caprolactam was tested in the in vitro human lymphocyte cytogenetic assay both in the presence and absence of S9 mix at dose levels up to 5500 micrograms/ml using lymphocytes obtained from a male donor and in the presence of S9 mix using lymphocytes obtained from a female donor. Statistically significant increases in chromosomal damage were observed at 5500 micrograms/ml dose level in cells from both donors. This positive response was enhanced by the inclusion of chromosomal gaps in the calculations. It was concluded that caprolactam induces chromosomal damage in human lymphocytes in vitro albeit at comparatively high dose levels.

Azepines

Chromosomal analyses of human lymphocytes exposed in vitro to caprolactam.

Caprolactam was tested for the induction of chromosomal aberrations in cultured human lymphocytes from one male donor and one female donor. At 7.5 mg/ml, caprolactam-treated cells from the male showed a small but significant increase in the frequency of aberrations. No effect was observed in cells from the female if gaps are excluded.

Adult

An evaluation of caprolactam and benzoin in the mouse micronucleus test.

Caprolactam (CAP) and benzoin (ZOIN) were tested in the mouse micronucleus test at two dose levels, one of which was the maximum tolerated dose. The compounds were administered by the oral route to groups of 5 male and 5 female mice. No statistical significant increase over control values of the frequency of PCE-containing micronuclei was observed at any dose level or sampling time, with the exception of CAP at a dose level of 700 mg/kg at the 24-h sampling time, where a small statistically significant effect was observed both when the sexes were analysed combined and separately. Due to this observation a limited repeat was carried out on CAP at the 700 mg/kg dose level at the 24-h sampling time. In the repeat study similar trends were observed even following the analysis of 5000 cells per animal. However, when these data were compared with historical control data no such effects were observed, the effects were therefore considered to be of questionable validity. Throughout the study the positive control (cyclophosphamide) gave an elevated biologically and statistically significant increase at all sampling times, thus verifying the sensitivity of the test system. It was therefore concluded that caprolactam and benzoin are not clastogenic in the mouse micronucleus test.

Animals

DNA damage in mouse and rat liver by caprolactam and benzoin, evaluated with three different methods.

Benzoin and caprolactam were examined for their capability of inducing alkaline DNA fragmentation in mouse and rat liver DNA after treatment in vivo. Three different methods were used. With the alkaline elution technique we measured an effect presumably related to the conformation of the DNA coil. With a viscometric and a fluorometric unwinding method we measured an effect presumably related to the number of unwinding points in DNA. For both compounds only the alkaline elution technique was clearly positive. The results suggest that both caprolactam and benzoin can induce an important change in the conformation of the DNA coil without inducing true breaks in DNA.

Animals