Meta-iodobenzylguanidine inhibits complex I and III of the respiratory chain in the human cell line Molt-4

In this paper we report the effects of meta-iodobenzylguanidine (MIBG), a structural analogue of norepinephrine, on cell proliferation and several parameters related to mitochondrial respiration in Molt-4 cells. In micromolar concentrations, MIBG completely inhibited the proliferation of Molt-4 cells. In intact Molt-4 cells, a progressive increase in the lactate to pyruvate ratio was observed after incubation of these cells with glucose and increasing concentrations of MIBG. In Molt-4 cells permeabilized with digitonin, MIBG inhibited mitochondrial ATP synthesis when malate was used as a substrate. Succinate-driven synthesis of ATP was also inhibited by MIBG, although higher concentrations were required. These results indicate that apart from inhibition of complex I, MIBG inhibits at least one other complex of the respiratory chain. Measurement of the activities of the individual enzyme complexes in the presence of MIBG revealed that complex III is the other enzyme complex susceptible to inhibition by MIBG. Although maximal inhibition of ATP synthesis was observed at a concentration of 10 microM, maximal inhibition of cell proliferation was observed at a concentration of 50 microM of MIBG. This suggests that MIBG also influences other cellular processes apart from mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation, resulting in additional inhibition of cell proliferation.

Meta-iodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) inhibits malate and succinate driven mitochondrial ATP synthesis in the human neuroblastoma cell line SK-N-BE(2c)

In this paper, we report on our studies of the effects of MIBG, a structural analogue of norepinephrine, on SK-N-BE(2c) cells. In micromolar concentrations, MIBG caused almost complete inhibition of the proliferation of SK-N-BE(2c) cells. In intact SK-N-BE(2c) cells, addition of MIBG led to a decrease of the ATP to ADP ratio. A progressive increase of the lactate to pyruvate ratio (due to increased lactate production) was observed after incubation of the cells with glucose and increasing concentrations of MIBG. In cells treated with digitonin, MIBG inhibited malate driven ATP synthesis. Comparable inhibition of ATP synthesis with succinate as a substrate required higher concentrations of MIBG. These results indicate that, apart from inhibition of complex I, MIBG was capable of inhibiting at least one other complex of the respiratory chain. Although maximal inhibition of ATP synthesis was observed at a concentration of 10 microM, optimal inhibition of cell proliferation occurred at a MIBG concentration > 25 microM. This suggests that MIBG also influences other cellular processes apart from mitochondrial ATP synthesis, resulting in additional inhibition of cell proliferation.

Molecular analysis of selection for benzimidazole resistance in the sheep parasite Haemonchus contortus

The molecular basis for the resistance of the sheep parasitic nematode Haemonchus contortus to the benzimidazole (BZ) group of anthelmintics was investigated. Three BZ-susceptible and three resistant populations from different geographical locations were characterized with respect to the egg-hatch assay with thiabendazole (TBZ), mebendazole (MBZ) binding tests and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) after Southern blotting. Cloned H. contortus alpha- and beta-tubulin genes were used as probes to analyze the RFLPs of genomic DNA prepared from mixtures of infectious larvae (L3) or adults. The susceptible populations showed, with both alpha- and beta-tubulin probes, 2 to 6 different fragments, depending on the restriction enzyme used. The three resistant populations showed as many fragments with the alpha-tubulin probe as the susceptible populations, but when probed with beta-tubulin only 1 or 2 fragments were visible, but always less than in the susceptible populations. An in vitro selection experiment was carried out using a susceptible population that was isolated in the laboratory before BZ came on the market. The results showed that after two selections with increasing amounts of TBZ, the population had become resistant, according to the egg-hatch assay values and MBZ binding assay. Using RFPL, the number of beta-tubulin probe reactive DNA fragments was reduced from 5 to 1. Analysis of the DNA of individual male adults of susceptible populations indicated a heterogeneity among the individual worms regarding the number of beta-tubulin probe reactive fragments (1 to 4) and frequency of the specific fragments. Usually, only one specific fragment (9 kb) was found in the resistant individuals. This 9-kb fragment was already present in some individuals in the susceptible population although it was in combination with other fragments. This would imply that genes conferring BZ resistance were present in H. contortus populations before BZ came on the market, and could explain the fast selection for BZ resistance in the field.