Adriamycin induces protein oxidation in erythrocyte membranes

Cardiopreventive effects of camel milk against carbon tetrachloride induced oxidative stress, biochemical and histological alterations in mice

The present study was designed to examine the preventive effects of camel milk (CM) against the toxic effects of acute exposure to carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) on the heart tissue of mice. Administration of a single dose of CCl₄ caused cardio toxicity as monitored by an increase in lipid peroxidation (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances), protein carbonyl level and antioxidant markers (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione and vitamin C) in the heart tissue. Moreover, CCl₄ caused a distinguished rise of plasma aspartate aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, troponin I, and creatine kinase activities. Furthermore, CM ameliorated biochemical and histological parameters as compared to CCl₄-treated group. Overall, this study indicates that CM is efficient in inhibiting oxidative stress induced by CCl₄ and suggests that the administration of this milk may be helpful in the prevention of cardio-toxicity complications.

Rutin protects against neuronal damage in vitro and ameliorates doxorubicin-induced memory deficits in vivo in Wistar rats

Doxorubicin (DOX) is the most widely used broad-spectrum anticancer agent, either alone or in combination, for most cancers including breast cancer. Long-term use of chemotherapeutic agents to treat breast cancer patients results in cognitive complications with a negative impact on survivors’ quality of life. The study objective was to evaluate rutin (RUT) for its neuroprotective effect against DOX in human neuroblastoma (IMR32) cells in vitro and study its potential to ameliorate DOX-induced cognitive dysfunction in Wistar rats. Cell viability assay (3-[4,5 dimethyl thiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide), neurite growth assay, detection of apoptosis by (acridine orange/ethidium bromide) staining, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) assay, and flowcytometric analysis were carried out to assess neuroprotective potential against DOX. An in vivo study was conducted for assessing protective effect of RUT against memory deficit associated with DOX-induced chemobrain using object recognition task (ORT). Locomotion was assessed using open field test. Serum biochemistry, acetylcholinesterase, oxidative stress markers in hippocampus, and frontal cortex were assessed. Histopathological analysis of major organ systems was also carried out. Prior exposure to RUT at 100 µM protected IMR32 cells from DOX (1 µM) neurotoxicity. DOX exposure resulted in increased cellular death, apoptosis, and intracellular ROS generation with inhibition of neurite growth in differentiated IMR32 cells, which was significantly ameliorated by RUT. Cognitive dysfunction was induced in Wistar rats by administering ten cycles of DOX (2.5 mg/kg, intra-peritoneal, once in 5 days), as we observed significant impairment of episodic memory in ORT. Coadministration with RUT (50 mg/kg, per os) significantly prevented memory deficits in vivo without any confounding influence on locomotor activity. RUT also offered protection against DOX-induced myelosuppression, cardiotoxicity, and nephrotoxicity. In conclusion, RUT may be a possible adjuvant therapeutic intervention to alleviate cognitive and other complications associated with DOX chemotherapy.

Advanced oxidation protein products induce apoptosis of human chondrocyte through reactive oxygen species-mediated mitochondrial dysfunction and endoplasmic reticulum stress pathways

Advanced oxidation production products (AOPPs) have been confirmed to accumulate in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Previous study demonstrated that AOPPs could accelerate cartilage destruction in rabbit arthritis model. However, the effect of AOPP stimulation on apoptosis of human chondrocyte and the underlying mechanisms remains unclear. This study demonstrated that exposure of chondrocyte to AOPPs resulted in cell apoptosis. AOPP stimulation triggered reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, which induced mitochondrial dysfunction and endoplasmic reticulum stress (ER stress) resulted in caspase activation. Furthermore, an antioxidant, N-acetylcysteine, markedly blocked these signals. Our study demonstrated that AOPPs induce apoptosis via ROS-related mitochondria- and ER-dependent signals in human chondrocyte. Targeting AOPP-triggered ROS generation might be as a promising option for patients with RA.

Advanced Oxidation Protein Products as a Novel Marker of Oxidative Stress in Postmenopausal Osteoporosis

BACKGROUND

Advanced oxidation protein products (AOPPs) are acknowledged as a novel marker of oxidation-mediated protein damage. This study aimed to investigate the plasma levels of AOPPs in postmenopausal osteoporotic women, and to determine the relationship between AOPPs accumulation and lumbar bone mineral destiny (BMD) or bone turnover markers.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Lumbar BMD was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Plasma AOPPs levels as a marker of protein oxidation damage and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels as a marker of lipid peroxidation were measured by spectrophotometry. The concentrations of 2 specific markers of bone turnover, bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BALP) and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase5b, (TRACP 5b) were quantified using ELISA kits.

RESULTS

We recruited 60 postmenopausal women meeting osteoporosis (OP) diagnostic criteria of World Health Organization (WHO) and 60 postmenopausal women without OP. Plasma levels of AOPPs (P<0.001), BALP (P<0.001) and TRACP 5b (P<0.001) were statistically significantly increased in the postmenopausal osteoporotic women compared with controls, but there was no statistically significant difference in MDA (P=0.124) between the 2 groups. Plasma AOPPs levels were negatively correlated with lumbar BMD and positively correlated with bone turnover markers both in postmenopausal osteoporotic women and in all subjects. However, plasma MDA levels were not correlated with lumbar BMD or bone turnover markers.

CONCLUSIONS

In postmenopausal osteoporotic women elevated AOPPs is associated with reduced BMD and increased bone turnover markers. Because AOPPs is stable and easy to detect it may be used as a simple plasma marker to predict the severity of postmenopausal OP.

Global effects of adriamycin treatment on mouse splenic protein levels

Adriamycin (ADR) is a potent anticancer drug used to treat a variety of cancers. Patients treated with ADR have experienced side effects such as heart failure, cardiomyopathy, and "chemobrain", which have been correlated to changes in protein expression in the heart and brain. In order to better understand cellular responses that are disrupted following ADR treatment in immune tissues, this work focuses on spleen. Significantly reduced spleen sizes were found in ADR-treated mice. Global isotopic labeling of tryptic peptides and nanoflow reversed-phase liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) were employed to determine differences in the relative abundances of proteins from ADR-treated mice relative to controls. Fifty-nine proteins of the 388 unique proteins identified showed statistically significant differences in expression levels following acute ADR treatment. Differentially expressed proteins are involved in processes such as cytoskeletal structural integrity, cellular signaling and transport, transcription and translation, immune response, and Ca(2+) binding. These are the first studies to provide insight to the downstream effects of ADR treatment in a peripheral immune organ such as spleen using proteomics.

Alterations in brain antioxidant enzymes and redox proteomic identification of oxidized brain proteins induced by the anti-cancer drug adriamycin: implications for oxidative stress-mediated chemobrain

Adriamycin (ADR) is a chemotherapeutic for the treatment of solid tumors. This quinone-containing anthracycline is well known to produce large amounts of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in vivo. A common complaint of patients undergoing long-term treatment with ADR is somnolence, often referred to as "chemobrain." While ADR itself does not cross the blood brain barrier (BBB), we recently showed that ADR administration causes a peripheral increase in tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), which migrates across the BBB and leads to inflammation and oxidative stress in brain, most likely contributing to the observed decline in cognition. In the current study, we measured levels of the antioxidant glutathione (GSH) in brains of mice injected intraparitoneally (i.p.) with ADR, as well as the levels and activities of several enzymes involved in brain GSH metabolism. We observed significantly decreased GSH levels, as well as altered GSH/GSSG ratio in brains of ADR treated mice relative to saline-treated controls. Also observed in brains of ADR treated mice were increased levels of glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), and glutathione reductase (GR). We also observed increased activity of GPx, but a significant reduction in GST and GR activity in mice brain, 72 h post i.p. injection of ADR (20 mg/kg body weight). Furthermore, we used redox proteomics to identify specific proteins that are oxidized and/or have differential levels in mice brains as a result of a single i.p. injection of ADR. Visinin like protein 1 (VLP1), peptidyl prolyl isomerase 1 (Pin1), and syntaxin 1 (SYNT1) showed differential levels in ADR treated mice relative to saline-treated controls. Triose phosphate isomerase (TPI), enolase, and peroxiredoxin 1 (PRX-1) showed significantly increased specific carbonylation in ADR treated mice brain. These results further support the notion ADR induces oxidative stress in brain despite not crossing the BBB, and that antioxidant intervention may prevent ADR-induced cognitive dysfunction.

Chemo brain (chemo fog) as a potential side effect of doxorubicin administration: role of cytokine-induced, oxidative/nitrosative stress in cognitive dysfunction

Doxorubicin (ADRIAMYCIN, RUBEX) is a chemotherapeutic agent that is commonly administered to breast cancer patients in standard chemotherapy regimens. As true of all such therapeutic cytotoxic agents, it can damage normal, noncancerous cells and might affect biochemical processes in a manner that might lead to, or contribute to, chemotherapy-induced cognitive deficits when administered either alone or in combination with other agents.

Concurrent decline of several antioxidants and markers of oxidative stress during combination chemotherapy for small cell lung cancer

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the oxidant effects of adriamycin-containing chemotherapy (CT), we evaluated various antioxidants, total antioxidant capacity (TRAP) and different parameters of oxidative and nitrosative stress during combination CT.

DESIGN AND METHODS

Blood samples were obtained from 16 small cell lung cancer patients at baseline and several times during the first, second and sixth CT cycles.

RESULTS

There were significant decreases in serum urate and serum proteins during all cycles, serum TRAP during the first two cycles, plasma ascorbic acid and serum TBARS during the first cycle, and serum conjugated dienes and plasma alphatocopherol during the last cycle. The baseline levels of tocopherols increased significantly between the first and sixth CT cycles. Higher levels of baseline plasma thiols were associated with better overall survival (p=0.008).

CONCLUSIONS

Adriamycin-containing CT causes significant oxidative stress as implied by reduced levels of protective antioxidants. Long-term CT treatment seems to enhance lipid peroxidation.

In vivo amelioration of adriamycin induced oxidative stress in plasma by gamma-glutamylcysteine ethyl ester (GCEE)

Adriamycin (ADR) is a common chemotherapeutic known to generate significant amounts of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Although ROS generation is one of several means by which ADR attacks cancerous tissues, oxidative stress-related toxicity has been documented in several non-targeted organs as a result of anthracycline chemotherapy. Oxidative damage to tissues has been shown in the past to be minimized with co-administration of various antioxidants. Gamma-glutamylcysteine ethyl ester (GCEE) is an antioxidant and precursor to glutathione that has been shown to successfully defend brain against ADR-induced oxidative stress. The current study shows ADR in vivo also causes oxidative stress in plasma in the form of protein oxidation [indexed by protein carbonyls and protein bound 3-nitrotyrosine] and lipid peroxidation [indexed by protein-bound-4-hydroxynonenal]. All three markers of oxidative stress are significantly suppressed with in vivo co-administration of GCEE. This work further supports the concept that administration of GCEE can protect patients undergoing anthracycline chemotherapy from non-targeted oxidative damage.

Glutathione elevation by γ-glutamyl cysteine ethyl ester as a potential therapeutic strategy for preventing oxidative stress in brain mediated by in vivo administration of adriamycin: Implication for chemobrain

Oxidative stress in heart and brain by the cancer chemotherapeutic drug adriamycin (ADR), used for treating solid tumors, is well established. Long-term treatment with ADR in breast cancer patients has led to symptoms of cardiomyopathy. Less well recognized, but increasingly well documented, is cognitive dysfunction. After chemotherapy, free radical-mediated oxidative stress has been reported in both heart and brain. We recently showed a significant increase in protein oxidation and lipid peroxidation in brain isolated from mice injected intraperitonially (i.p) with ADR. Systemic administration of ADR also induces tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), which leads to production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) in brain. Circulating TNF also causes mitochondrial dysfunction, leading to apoptotic pathways in brain. Inducible nitric oxide synthase also plays a role in ADR-induced TNF-mediated neurotoxicity. In addition, we previously showed a significant decrease in glutathione (GSH) levels in brain isolated from ADR injected mice, along with increased expression of multidrug-resistant protein-1 (MRP-1), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and glutathione reductase (GR). There was a significant decrease in activity of brain GST. The present study was designed to test the hypothesis that, by elevating brain levels of GSH, the brain would be protected against oxidative stress in ADR-injected mice. gamma-Glutamyl cysteine ethyl ester (GCEE), a precursor of glutathione, injected i.p. (150 mg/ kg body weight) 4 hr prior ADR injection (20 mg/kg body weight) led to significantly decreased protein oxidation and lipid peroxidation in subsequently isolated mice brain compared with brain isolated from ADR-injected mice without GCEE. The GSH levels were restored to the level of brain isolated from saline-injected mice. Furthermore, the enzyme activity of GST was increased in brain isolated from ADR-injected mice previously injected with GCEE compared with the brain isolated from ADR-injected mice previously injected with saline. These results are discussed with regard to potential pharmacological prevention of brain cognitive dysfunction in patients receiving ADR chemotherapy.

Free radical mediated oxidative stress and toxic side effects in brain induced by the anti cancer drug adriamycin: insight into chemobrain

Adriamycin (ADR) is a chemotherapeutic agent useful in treating various cancers. ADR is a quinone-containing anthracycline chemotherapeutic and is known to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) in heart. Application of this drug can have serious side effects in various tissues, including brain, apart from the known cardiotoxic side effects, which limit the successful use of this drug in treatment of cancer. Neurons treated with ADR demonstrate significant protein oxidation and lipid peroxidation. Patients under treatment with this drug often complain of forgetfulness, lack of concentration, dizziness (collectively called somnolence or sometimes called chemobrain). In this study, we tested the hypothesis that ADR induces oxidative stress in brain. Accordingly, we examined the in vivo levels of brain protein oxidation and lipid peroxidation induced by i.p. injection of ADR. We also measured levels of the multidrug resistance-associated protein (MRP1) in brain isolated from ADR- or saline-injected mice. MRP1 mediates ATP-dependent export of cytotoxic organic anions, glutathione S-conjugates and sulphates. The current results demonstrated a significant increase in levels of protein oxidation and lipid peroxidation and increased expression of MRP1 in brain isolated from mice, 72 h post i.p injection of ADR. These results are discussed with reference to potential use of this redox cycling chemotheraputic agent in the treatement of cancer and its chemobrain side effect in brain.

Effect of lipoic acid on the oxidoreductive status of red blood cells in rats subject to oxidative stress by chronic administration of adriamycin

One of the most intriguing phenomena observed during adriamycin (ADR) toxicity has been attributed to ADR-induced oxidative stress. The study was aimed to assess the protective effect of lipoic acid (LA) against ADR-induced damage to erythrocytes. Male albino rats (Wistar strain) were subjected to ADR (1 mg/kg body weight/day i.v.) once a week for a period of 12 weeks. Haematological indices like haemoglobin levels (Hb) and haematocrit (Ht) were also lowered along with a marked increase in the activities of serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase (SGPT) and serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (SGOT). These rats demonstrated enhanced erythrocyte membrane lipid peroxidation (LPO) and an onslaught in the antioxidant defence armoury, witnessed by lowered activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin E. Rats administered with ADR showed a marked decline in the activities of membrane-bound ATPases. Abnormal LPO and decreased deformability led to increased osmotic fragility of the red blood cells. Pretreatment with LA (35 mg/kg body weight/day i.p.) 24 hours prior to the administration of ADR once a week for a period of 12 weeks was effective in counteracting these biochemical disturbances, thereby minimizing the toxic side effects of ADR.

The secondary alcohol and aglycone metabolites of doxorubicin alter metabolism of human erythrocytes

Anthracyclines, a class of antitumor drugs widely used for the treatment of solid and hematological malignancies, cause a cumulative dose-dependent cardiac toxicity whose biochemical basis is unclear. Recent studies of the role of the metabolites of anthracyclines, i.e., the alcohol metabolite doxorubicinol and aglycone metabolites, have suggested new hypotheses about the mechanisms of anthracycline cardiotoxicity. In the present study, human red blood cells were used as a cell model. Exposure (1 h at 37 C) of intact human red blood cells to doxorubicinol (40 M) and to aglycone derivatives of doxorubicin (40 M) induced, compared with untreated red cells: i) a ~2-fold stimulation of the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) and ii) a marked inhibition of the red cell antioxidant enzymes, glutathione peroxidase (~20%) and superoxide dismutase (~60%). In contrast to doxorubicin-derived metabolites, doxorubicin itself induced a slighter PPP stimulation (~35%) and this metabolic event was not associated with any alteration in glutathione reductase, glutathione peroxidase, catalase or superoxide dismutase activity. Furthermore, the interaction of hemoglobin with doxorubicin and its metabolites induced a significant increase (~22%) in oxygen affinity compared with hemoglobin incubated without drugs. On the basis of the results obtained in the present study, a new hypothesis, involving doxorubicinol and aglycone metabolites, has been proposed to clarify the mechanisms responsible for the doxorubicin-induced red blood cell toxicity.

Effect of glutathione S-transferases on the survival of patients with acute myeloid leukaemia

The objective of the study was to investigate the effect of genetic polymorphisms in glutathione S-transferases (GST) on the survival of acute myeloid leukaemia patients receiving adriamycin induction therapy. A total of 89 patients were included in the study. Patients who carried at least one GSTM1 allele had trend towards a better survival (mortality rate ratio (RR) 0.588; 95% CI 0.334-1.036) than GSTM1*0/0 patients. However, at low accumulated adriamycin dose, GSTM1*0/0 cases had a better survival than people expressing the gene (RR=6.1; 95% CI=1.2-11.0). The GSTT1 and GSTP1 genotype did not influence the survival in any of the groups.

Correlation between serum levels of cardiac troponin-T and the severity of the chronic cardiomyopathy induced by doxorubicin

PURPOSE

To investigate, over a wide range of cumulative doxorubicin doses, the feasibility of using serum concentrations of cardiac troponin-T (cTnT) as a biomarker for doxorubicin-induced myocardial damage.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Groups of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) were given 1 mg/kg doxorubicin weekly for 2 to 12 weeks. Cardiomyopathy scores were assessed according to the method of Billingham and serum levels of cTnT were quantified by a noncompetitive immunoassay. Myocardial localization of cTnT was studied by immunohistochemical staining and confocal microscopy.

RESULTS

Increases in serum levels of cTnT (0.03 to 0.05 ng/mL) and myocardial lesions (cardiomyopathy scores of 1 or 1.5) were found in one out of five and two out of five SHR given 2 and 4 mg/kg doxorubicin, respectively. All animals given 6 mg/kg or more of doxorubicin had increases in serum cTnT and myocardial lesions. The average cTnT levels and the cardiomyopathy scores correlated with the cumulative dose of doxorubicin (0.13 v 0.4 ng/mL cTnT and scores of 1.4 v 3.0 in SHR given 6 and 12 mg/kg doxorubicin, respectively). Decreased staining for cTnT was observed in cardiac tissue from SHR receiving cumulative doses that caused only minimal histologic alterations (scores of 1 to 1.5). Staining for cTnT decreased simultaneously with increases in the severity of the cardiomyopathy scores.

CONCLUSION

cTnT is released from doxorubicin-damaged myocytes. Measurements of serum levels of this protein seem to provide a sensitive means for assessing the early cardiotoxicity of doxorubicin.

Adriamycin-induced changes of creatine kinase activity in vivo and in cardiomyocyte culture

Adriamycin (ADM) is an anthracycline anti-neoplastic agent, whose clinical effectiveness is limited by severe side effects, including cardiotoxicity. The toxic effects of ADM are likely to be the consequence of the generation of free radicals. This study demonstrates that ADM induces significant changes in the activity of the oxidative sensitive enzyme creatine kinase (CK) in the heart in vivo and in a cardiomyocyte culture model. The changes observed are likely to reflect the ability of ADM to damage the plasma membrane of cardiac cells and to induce the direct inactivation of CK. The role for ADM-derived free radicals is one of the possible mechanisms for the CK inactivation observed during the ADM treatment.

Antioxidants protect against reactive oxygen species associated with adriamycin-treated cardiomyocytes

Adriamycin (ADM) is a broad-spectrum antineoplastic antibiotic used to treat cancer patients. However, the usefulness of this drug is presently limited by the development of a dose-dependent cardiotoxicity. A current hypothesis for the ADM-induced cardiotoxicity is the production of reactive oxygen radicals by the drug. We utilized the fluorescent indicator 2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (DCFH/DA), in which fluorescence appears if reactive oxygen species (ROS) are present, to investigate the ability of ADM to generate reactive oxygen species and the potential protective effect of antioxidants in a cultured cardiomyocyte model. All three of the antioxidants (alpha-phenyl-tert-butyl nitrone (PBN), trolox, and 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA)) tested in our ADM-treated myocytes provided protection against the oxidative stress induced by the drug. These findings suggest that antioxidants modulate ADM-induced oxidative stress, and they are discussed in terms of a possible therapeutic strategy in the prevention of cardiotoxicity resulting from ADM administration.