Perhexiline maleate-induced lipidosis in cultured human fibroblasts: cell kinetics, ultrastructural and biochemical studies

Calmodulin antagonists chlorpromazine and W-7 inhibit exogenous cholesterol esterification and sphingomyelinase activity in human skin fibroblast cultures. Similarities between drug-induced and Niemann-Pick type C lipidoses

In this report we showed that calmodulin antagonists chlorpromazine (CPZ) and W-7 (N-[6-aminohexyl]-5-chloro-1-naphtalenesulfonamide), when added to fibroblast cell cultures, gave rise to a time- and dose-dependent decrease of sphingomyelinase activity. CPZ and W-7 also significantly inhibited LDL- and non-LDL-dependent cholesterol esterification. Addition of these drugs to cell culture medium mimicked what is observed in the genetic disease Niemann-Pick type C. H-7 (1-[5-isoquinonylsulfonyl]-2-methylpiperazine), an inhibitor of protein kinase C and cyclic nucleotide-dependent kinases, had no effect on sphingomyelinase and cholesterol ester formation. Thus the possibility of a modulation of cell sphingomyelin and cholesterol esters by a calmodulin-dependent second messenger system must be considered.

Improved synthesis of [1-14C]acyl-sphingosine-galactose-3-sulfate (sulfatide) for diagnosis of metachromatic leukodystrophy: usefulness of radioscanning

We report an improved method for the radiolabelling of [1-14C 00acyl-sphingosine-galactose-3-sulfate (sulfatide), requiring preparation of lysosulfatide (sulfogalactosyl-sphingosine) by alkaline hydrolysis of sulfatide and reacylation of the sphingosine amino group with a [1-14C]stearoyl chloride. We found that the yield of labeled sulfatide could be considerably increased using stringent chromatographic conditions for the preparation of lysosulfatide and strict anhydrous conditions for the formation of the acylchloride and its coupling to lysosulfatide. Radioscanning was used at different steps to check the purity of the labeled compounds. Radioscanning was also used to determine the formation of cerebroside when measuring cerebroside sulfate sulfatase activity and sulfatide metabolism in intact fibroblasts in controls and patients with metachromatic leukodystrophy. It could demonstrate and measure with accuracy the cerebroside sulfate storage characteristic of the disease.

Circumvention of multidrug-resistance in P388 cells is associated with a rise in the cellular content of phosphatidylcholine

In fura-2 stained drug-sensitive and multidrug-resistant P388 cells, 50 mM KCl failed to provoke an increase in the fluorescent signal, indicating that potential-dependent Ca2+ channels are not present in either cell line. Therefore the circumvention of drug-resistance by verapamil must be related to some other mechanism. In the present study, verapamil and two other circumventors of drug-resistance, tamoxifen and dipyridamole were found to induce an increase in the synthesis of phosphatidylcholine in multidrug-resistant but not in drug-sensitive cells. The relative resistance of multidrug resistance cells to permeabilization by digitonin indicates that the organization of the plasma membrane lipids in these cells must be different from the one occurring in drug-sensitive cells. Extended exposure of multidrug-resistant cells to verapamil negates the resistance to digitonin. This effect of verapamil reflects its ability to modify the lipid organization of the plasma membrane of multidrug-resistant cells. It is suggested that if the lipid composition of the cell membrane is altered by these drugs as was found for whole cells, the change could explain the increase in drug permeability.

Peripheral neuropathy induced by amiodarone chlorhydrate. A clinicopathological study

Four cases of amiodarone neuropathy are reported. Patients presented a sensorimotor neuropathy with distal predominance. Improvement occurred after drug discontinuation. Nerve conduction velocities were significantly decreased. Other secondary effects of amiodarone were noted in two cases. In one case serum levels of amiodarone and N-monodesethylamiodarone were evaluated during and after treatment. Pathological study of nerve with morphometric evaluation was performed. Axonal degeneration changes were predominant in 3 cases. Aspects of segmental demyelination and remyelination were noted in one case and related to secondary demyelination. Numerous lysosomal inclusions were present in Schwann cells, fibroblasts, capillary endothelial and perithelial cells and in perineural cells. Similar inclusions have been observed in other drug-induced lipidosis. The factors responsible for this neuropathy are unknown. In one case, amiodarone-induced hepatic failure might explain the persisting high serum levels of the drug.

Lipid and lysosomal enzymes in human fibroblasts cultured with perhexiline maleate

To understand the mechanism of the lysosomal lipid storage induced by perhexiline maleate, we performed simultaneous lipid analysis and lysosomal enzymes determinations. Human fibroblasts were cultured for 5 days in the presence of perhexiline maleate at a concentration of 2 micrograms/ml of culture medium. Lipid analysis showed that those non toxic levels determined the same changes as seen with higher concentrations of the drug (Hauw et al. 1980) i. e. increase of cholesterol and of all major phospholipids. Qualitative phospholipid pattern was not markedly changed. Lysosomal enzymes activities were not modified with the exception of sphingomyelinase which was reduced to 12% of its normal level.