Evidence against peroxisome proliferation-induced hepatic oxidative damage

The PPARα-dependent rodent liver tumor response is not relevant to humans: addressing misconceptions

A number of industrial chemicals and therapeutic agents cause liver tumors in rats and mice by activating the nuclear receptor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα). The molecular and cellular events by which PPARα activators induce rodent hepatocarcinogenesis have been extensively studied elucidating a number of consistent mechanistic changes linked to the increased incidence of liver neoplasms. The weight of evidence relevant to the hypothesized mode of action (MOA) for PPARα activator-induced rodent hepatocarcinogenesis is summarized here. Chemical-specific and mechanistic data support concordance of temporal and dose-response relationships for the key events associated with many PPARα activators. The key events (KE) identified in the MOA are PPARα activation (KE1), alteration in cell growth pathways (KE2), perturbation of hepatocyte growth and survival (KE3), and selective clonal expansion of preneoplastic foci cells (KE4), which leads to the apical event-increases in hepatocellular adenomas and carcinomas (KE5). In addition, a number of concurrent molecular and cellular events have been classified as modulating factors, because they potentially alter the ability of PPARα activators to increase rodent liver cancer while not being key events themselves. These modulating factors include increases in oxidative stress and activation of NF-kB. PPARα activators are unlikely to induce liver tumors in humans due to biological differences in the response of KEs downstream of PPARα activation. This conclusion is based on minimal or no effects observed on cell growth pathways and hepatocellular proliferation in human primary hepatocytes and absence of alteration in growth pathways, hepatocyte proliferation, and tumors in the livers of species (hamsters, guinea pigs and cynomolgus monkeys) that are more appropriate human surrogates than mice and rats at overlapping dose levels. Despite this overwhelming body of evidence and almost universal acceptance of the PPARα MOA and lack of human relevance, several reviews have selectively focused on specific studies that, as discussed, contradict the consensus opinion and suggest uncertainty. In the present review, we systematically address these most germane suggested weaknesses of the PPARα MOA.

Mode of action framework analysis for receptor-mediated toxicity: The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) as a case study

Several therapeutic agents and industrial chemicals induce liver tumors in rodents through the activation of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα). The cellular and molecular events by which PPARα activators induce rodent hepatocarcinogenesis has been extensively studied and elucidated. This review summarizes the weight of evidence relevant to the hypothesized mode of action (MOA) for PPARα activator-induced rodent hepatocarcinogenesis and identifies gaps in our knowledge of this MOA. Chemical-specific and mechanistic data support concordance of temporal and dose-response relationships for the key events associated with many PPARα activators including a phthalate ester plasticizer di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and the drug gemfibrozil. While biologically plausible in humans, the hypothesized key events in the rodent MOA, for PPARα activators, are unlikely to induce liver tumors in humans because of toxicodynamic and biological differences in responses. This conclusion is based on minimal or no effects observed on growth pathways, hepatocellular proliferation and liver tumors in humans and/or species (including hamsters, guinea pigs and cynomolgous monkeys) that are more appropriate human surrogates than mice and rats at overlapping dose levels. Overall, the panel concluded that significant quantitative differences in PPARα activator-induced effects related to liver cancer formation exist between rodents and humans. On the basis of these quantitative differences, most of the workgroup felt that the rodent MOA is "not relevant to humans" with the remaining members concluding that the MOA is "unlikely to be relevant to humans". The two groups differed in their level of confidence based on perceived limitations of the quantitative and mechanistic knowledge of the species differences, which for some panel members strongly supports but cannot preclude the absence of effects under unlikely exposure scenarios.

PPARα Agonist-Induced Rodent Tumors: Modes of Action and Human Relevance

Widely varied chemicals--including certain herbicides, plasticizers, drugs, and natural products--induce peroxisome proliferation in rodent liver and other tissues. This phenomenon is characterized by increases in the volume density and fatty acid oxidation of these organelles, which contain hydrogen peroxide and fatty acid oxidation systems important in lipid metabolism. Research showing that some peroxisome proliferating chemicals are nongenotoxic animal carcinogens stimulated interest in developing mode of action (MOA) information to understand and explain the human relevance of animal tumors associated with these chemicals. Studies have demonstrated that a nuclear hormone receptor implicated in energy homeostasis, designated peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARalpha), is an obligatory factor in peroxisome proliferation in rodent hepatocytes. This report provides an in-depth analysis of the state of the science on several topics critical to evaluating the relationship between the MOA for PPARalpha agonists and the human relevance of related animal tumors. Topics include a review of existing tumor bioassay data, data from animal and human sources relating to the MOA for PPARalpha agonists in several different tissues, and case studies on the potential human relevance of the animal MOA data. The summary of existing bioassay data discloses substantial species differences in response to peroxisome proliferators in vivo, with rodents more responsive than primates. Among the rat and mouse strains tested, both males and females develop tumors in response to exposure to a wide range of chemicals including DEHP and other phthalates, chlorinated paraffins, chlorinated solvents such as trichloroethylene and perchloroethylene, and certain pesticides and hypolipidemic pharmaceuticals. MOA data from three different rodent tissues--rat and mouse liver, rat pancreas, and rat testis--lead to several different postulated MOAs, some beginning with PPARalpha activation as a causal first step. For example, studies in rodent liver identified seven "key events," including three "causal events"--activation of PPARalpha, perturbation of cell proliferation and apoptosis, and selective clonal expansion--and a series of associative events involving peroxisome proliferation, hepatocyte oxidative stress, and Kupffer-cell-mediated events. Similar in-depth analysis for rat Leydig-cell tumors (LCTs) posits one MOA that begins with PPARalpha activation in the liver, but two possible pathways, one secondary to liver induction and the other direct inhibition of testicular testosterone biosynthesis. For this tumor, both proposed pathways involve changes in the metabolism and quantity of related hormones and hormone precursors. Key events in the postulated MOA for the third tumor type, pancreatic acinar-cell tumors (PACTs) in rats, also begin with PPARalpha activation in the liver, followed by changes in bile synthesis and composition. Using the new human relevance framework (HRF) (see companion article), case studies involving PPARalpha-related tumors in each of these three tissues produced a range of outcomes, depending partly on the quality and quantity of MOA data available from laboratory animals and related information from human data sources.

Hepatocellular proliferation in response to agonists of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha: a role for Kupffer cells?

Background

It has been proposed that PPARα agonists stimulate Kupffer cells in rodents which in turn, release mitogenic factors leading to hepatic hyperplasia, and eventually cancer. However, Kupffer cells do not express PPARα receptors, and PPARα agonists stimulate hepatocellular proliferation in both TNFα- and TNFα receptor-null mice, casting doubt on the involvement of Kupffer cells in the mitogenic response to PPARα agonists. This study was therefore designed to investigate whether the PPARα agonist PFOA and the Kupffer cell inhibitor methylpalmitate produce opposing effects on hepatocellular proliferation and Kupffer cell activity in vivo, in a manner that would implicate these cells in the mitogenic effects of PPARα agonists.

Methods

Male Sprague-Dawley rats were treated intravenously via the tail vein with methylpalmitate 24 hrs prior to perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), and were sacrificed 24 hrs later, one hr after an intraperitoneal injection of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU). Sera were analyzed for TNFα and IL-1β. Liver sections were stained immunohistochemically and quantified for BrdU incorporated into DNA.

Results

Data show that PFOA remarkably stimulated hepatocellular proliferation in the absence of significant changes in the serum levels of either TNFα or IL-1β. In addition, methylpalmitate did not alter the levels of these mitogens in PFOA-treated animals, despite the fact that it significantly blocked the hepatocellular proliferative effect of PFOA. Correlation between hepatocellular proliferation and serum levels of TNFα or IL-1β was extremely poor.

Conclusion

It is unlikely that mechanisms involving Kupffer cells play an eminent role in the hepatic hyperplasia, and consequently hepatocarcinogenicity attributed to PPARα agonists. This conclusion is based on the above mentioned published data and the current findings showing animals treated with PFOA alone or in combination with methylpalmitate to have similar levels of serum TNFα and IL-1β, which are reliable indicators of Kupffer cell activity, despite a remarkable difference in hepatocellular proliferation.

Modes of action and species-specific effects of di-(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate in the liver

The industrial plasticizer di-(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) is used in manufacturing of a wide variety of polyvinyl chloride (PVC)-containing medical and consumer products. DEHP belongs to a class of chemicals known as peroxisome proliferators (PPs). PPs are a structurally diverse group of compounds that share many (but perhaps not all) biological effects and are characterized as non-genotoxic rodent carcinogens. This review focuses on the effect of DEHP in liver, a primary target organ for the pleiotropic effects of DEHP and other PPs. Specifically, liver parenchymal cells, identified herein as hepatocytes, are a major cell type that are responsive to exposure to PPs, including DEHP; however, other cell types in the liver may also play a role. The PP-induced increase in the number and size of peroxisomes in hepatocytes, so called 'peroxisome proliferation' that results in elevation of fatty acid metabolism, is a hallmark response to these compounds in the liver. A link between peroxisome proliferation and tumor formation has been a predominant, albeit questioned, theory to explain the cause of a hepatocarcinogenic effect of PPs. Other molecular events, such as induction of cell proliferation, decreased apoptosis, oxidative DNA damage, and selective clonal expansion of the initiated cells have been also been proposed to be critically involved in PP-induced carcinogenesis in liver. Considerable differences in the metabolism and molecular changes induced by DEHP in the liver, most predominantly the activation of the nuclear receptor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)alpha, have been identified between species. Both sexes of rats and mice develop adenomas and carcinomas after prolonged feeding with DEHP; however, limited DEHP-specific human data are available, even though exposure to DEHP and other phthalates is common in the general population. This likely constitutes the largest gap in our knowledge on the potential for DEHP to cause liver cancer in humans. Overall, it is believed that the sequence of key events that are relevant to DEHP-induced liver carcinogenesis in rodents involves the following events whereby the combination of the molecular signals and multiple pathways, rather than a single hallmark event (such as induction of PPARalpha and peroxisomal genes, or cell proliferation) contribute to the formation of tumors: (i) rapid metabolism of the parental compound to primary and secondary bioactive metabolites that are readily absorbed and distributed throughout the body; (ii) receptor-independent activation of hepatic macrophages and production of oxidants; (iii) activation of PPARalpha in hepatocytes and sustained increase in expression of peroxisomal and non-peroxisomal metabolism-related genes; (iv) enlargement of many hepatocellular organelles (peroxisomes, mitochondria, etc.); (v) rapid but transient increase in cell proliferation, and a decrease in apoptosis; (vi) sustained hepatomegaly; (vii) chronic low-level oxidative stress and accumulation of DNA damage; (viii) selective clonal expansion of the initiated cells; (ix) appearance of the pre-neoplastic nodules; (x) development of adenomas and carcinomas.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha agonist, clofibrate, has profound influence on myocardial fatty acid composition

The hypolipidemic fibrates have been identified as agonists of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARalpha), which plays a critical role in the regulation of cardiac fatty acid metabolism. Despite the widespread clinical use of fibrates, their role in myocardial oxidative stress and fatty acid composition is less known. In this study, male Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with either vehicle (olive oil, 1 ml/kg) or clofibrate (300 mg/kgday i.p.) for 1-14 days. Lipid peroxidation in heart homogenate was determined by thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) assay. Results show that hearts from clofibrate-treated rats are more susceptible to FeSO(4)-induced TBARS production. The antioxidants including catalase and glutathione-related enzymes were marginally affected. We demonstrated that myocardial fatty acid composition was dramatically altered by clofibrate treatment. In hearts from clofibrate-treated rats, the principal n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), linoleic acid (C18:2 n-6) and arachidonic acid (C20:4 n-6), was significantly reduced, while the content of the principal n-3 PUFA, docosahexaenoic acid (C22:6 n-3), was markedly increased. The overall effect was to reduce n-6/n-3 ratio and increase the unsaturation extent of myocardial fatty acids. Functional study showed that hearts from clofibrate-treated rats had an improved recovery of post-ischemic contractile function and reduced ischemia/reperfusion (I/R)-induced infarct size. The data shows that clofibrate has a profound impact on cardiac fatty acid composition, which may contribute to its cardioprotective effect.

Effects of vitamin E on the NF-κB pathway in rats treated with the peroxisome proliferator, ciprofibrate

Peroxisome proliferators (PPs) are a diverse group of nongenotoxic compounds, which induce hepatic tumors in rodents. The mechanisms leading to hepatic tumors have not been elucidated, but oxidative stress may play a role in the process. Previous studies in our laboratory have shown that peroxisome proliferators activate the transcription factor nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB) and that this activation is mediated at least in part by oxidative stress. We therefore hypothesized that increased dietary vitamin E would decrease NF-kappaB DNA binding in rodents treated with ciprofibrate (CIP). In this study, 36 male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed a purified diet containing varying levels of vitamin E (10, 50, 250 ppm alpha-tocopherol acetate). After 28 days on the purified diet, seven animals per vitamin E group received 0.01% CIP in the diet for 10 days. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSAs) showed that CIP treatment increased DNA binding of NF-kappaB. Increased dietary alpha-tocopherol acetate inhibited CIP-induced NF-kappaB DNA binding. Because NF-kappaB translocates to the nucleus upon the phosphorylation and degradation of inhibitor of IkappaB, we also used Western blots to measure cytosolic protein levels of IkappaBalpha and IkappaBbeta, and the IkappaB kinases, IKKalpha and IKKbeta. IkappaBalpha protein levels were decreased in all three CIP-treated groups, with the 10 ppm vitamin E diet also decreasing IkappaBalpha levels in control rats. No difference in IkappaBbeta protein levels was observed among any of the groups. The CIP-treated rats generally had lower protein levels of IKKalpha and IKKbeta. This study supports our working hypothesis that an increased antioxidant environment can inhibit CIP-mediated NF-kappaB induction.

Comparison of oxidative stress and changes of xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes induced by phthalates in rats

Phthalates are widely used as a plasticizer and cause a peroxisome proliferation. Peroxisome proliferators (PPs), such as di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) and clofibrate (CF) are known to have a hepatocarcinogenic potential in rodents. It has been proposed that these PPs may cause hepatocellular cancer by an oxidative damage-mediated mechanism(s). The primary purpose of this study is to find whether there is a difference between the oxidative damage by hepatocarcinogenic PPs (DEHP and CF) and the oxidative damage by weak PPs [di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) and n-butylbenzyl phthalate (BBP)]. The second purpose is to investigate if phthalates can affect the phase I/phase II enzymes, and if the effect of PPs on metabolizing enzymes correlates with peroxisome proliferation or not. After rats were treated with PPs (DEHP, DBP and BBP; 50, 200, 1000 mg/kg, CF; 100 mg/kg, p.o., for 14 days), the activities of metabolizing enzymes and peroxisomal enzymes were investigated, and the oxidative damage was measured using 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) in the DNA and malonedialdehyde (MDA) in the livers. These four PPs significantly increased the relative liver weights, palmitoyl-CoA oxidation and activity of carnitine acetyltransferase. DEHP was found to be the most potent PP among three phthalates. A dramatic and dose-dependent increase in hepatic MDA levels was observed in CF (100 mg/kg), DEHP (>or=50 mg/kg), DBP and BBP (>or=200 mg/kg) groups. However, the 8-OHdG in hepatic DNA was increased only in DEHP (1000 mg/kg) and CF groups. Activities of cytochrome p4501A1, 1A2, 3A4, UDP-glucuronosyl transferase and glutathione S-transferase were decreased overall by PPs, but there is no correlation between the inhibitory effect on metabolizing enzymes and the peroxisome proliferation. These results indicate that 8-OHdG positively correlates with carcinogenic potential of PPs, but other factors as well as peroxisomal H(2)O(2) could be involved in the generation of 8-OHdG and the carcinogenesis of PPs. The present findings also demonstrate that the effect of PPs on xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes may be independent of the peroxisome proliferation and the oxidative stress. Thus it is possible that the PPs affect the hepatic toxification/detoxification capacity even in humans.

Protection against acetaminophen hepatotoxicity by clofibrate pretreatment: role of catalase induction

Mice pretreated with the peroxisome proliferator clofibrate (CFB) are highly resistant to acetaminophen (APAP)-induced hepatotoxicity. The objective of the present study was to investigate whether the increase in hepatic catalase activity following CFB pretreatment plays a role in this hepatoprotection. An irreversible inhibitor, 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole (3-AT), was used to modulate catalase activity. Hepatic catalase activity in mice pretreated with CFB (500 mg/kg, i.p., for 10 days) was significantly inhibited by 3-AT (100 or 500 mg/kg, i.p.). In addition, the lower dose of 3-AT (100 mg/kg) had minimal effect on biliary and urinary excretion of APAP metabolites generated from a nontoxic dose, suggesting that APAP metabolism was not modulated by this dose of 3-AT. The mortality rate of corn-oil-pretreated mice challenged with APAP (800 mg/kg, p.o.) was significantly increased by 3-AT (100 mg/kg, i.p.) given 1 h before APAP. As expected, CFB pretreatment conferred full protection against APAP-induced hepatotoxicity. The same 3-AT treatment, however, did not abolish hepatoprotection in CFB-pretreated mice, despite the marked inhibition of hepatic catalase activity. In conclusion, these results indicate that elevated catalase activity in mice exposed to CFB does not appear to mediate the hepatoprotection, suggesting that other cellular defense mechanisms are involved.

The peroxisome proliferator phenylbutyric acid (PBA) protects astrocytes from ts1 MoMuLV-induced oxidative cell death

Oxidative stress is involved in the pathogenesis of several neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and HIV neuroAIDS. In this study, we have investigated an agent, phenylbutyric acid, that ameliorates cell death in murine astrocytes infected with ts1 MoMuLV (ts1). Phenylbutyric acid, an aromatic short chain fatty acid, was shown to prevent the loss of catalase that occurs in ts1 infected astrocytes, and to prevent ts1-mediated cell death. Cell cotransfection studies demonstrated that phenylbutyric acid activates peroxisome proliferator receptors (PPARs) in astrocytes, and binds to the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors alpha and gamma. This observation suggests that the effects of PBA may be mediated by PPARs in astrocytes. Phenylbutyric acid also maintained catalase protein levels in brain of ts1-infected mice, and delayed the hindlimb paralysis caused by ts1 infection. Because PBA activates peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors and prevents loss of catalase, we suggest that ts1-induced oxidative stress in infected astrocytes that is alleviated by PBA is mediated via PPARalpha and/or PPARgamma.

Mechanism of clofibrate hepatotoxicity: mitochondrial damage and oxidative stress in hepatocytes

Peroxisome proliferators have been found to induce hepatocarcinogenesis in rodents, and may cause mitochondrial damage. Consistent with this, clofibrate increased hepatic mitochondrial oxidative DNA and protein damage in mice. The present investigation aimed to study the mechanism by which this might occur by examining the effect of clofibrate on freshly isolated mouse liver mitochondria and a cultured hepatocyte cell line, AML-12. Mitochondrial membrane potential (Delta Psi(m)) was determined by using the fluorescent dye 5,5',6,6'-tetrachloro-1,1', 3,3'-tetraethyl-benzimidazolylcarbocyanine iodide (JC-1) and tetramethylrhodamine methyl ester (TMRM). Application of clofibrate at concentrations greater than 0.3 mM rapidly collapsed the Delta Psi(m) both in liver cells and in isolated mitochondria. The loss of Delta Psi(m) occurred prior to cell death and appeared to involve the mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT), as revealed by calcein fluorescence studies and the protective effect of cyclosporin A (CsA) on the decrease in Delta Psi(m). Levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) were measured with the fluorescent probes 5-(and-6)-carboxy-2',7'-dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCFDA) and dihydrorhodamine 123 (DHR123). Treatment of the hepatocytes with clofibrate caused a significant increase in intracellular and mitochondrial ROS. Antioxidants such as vitamin C, deferoxamine, and catalase were able to protect the cells against the clofibrate-induced loss of viability, as was CsA, but to a lesser extent. These results suggest that one action of clofibrate might be to impair mitochondrial function, so stimulating formation of ROS, which eventually contribute to cell death.

Clofibrate pretreatment in mice confers resistance against hepatic lipid peroxidation

Pretreatment with peroxisome proliferators protects mice against various hepatotoxicants. Since our previous work suggested that the hepatoprotection may involve an increased ability to cope with oxidative stress, the present work directly addressed this possibility. Several observations indicated a heightened defense against oxidative stress accompanies the hepatoprotection produced by clofibrate. Firstly, the carbonyl content of hepatic proteins from clofibrate-pretreated mice was 40% lower than those from vehicle-treated controls. Secondly, liver homogenates from clofibrate-pretreated mice produced less thiobarbituric acid reactive substances upon incubation under aerobic conditions or exposure to ferrous sulfate. This effect was not due to lower levels of peroxidation-prone polyunsaturated fatty acids in clofibrate-treated livers. Thirdly, in vitro experiments indicated that the antioxidant factor in liver homogenates from clofibrate-pretreated mice was not glutathione. Rather, since it was inactivated by proteases and heat treatment, we concluded that a protein is involved. Collectively, our results suggest that a resistance to lipid peroxidation develops in mouse liver during exposure to clofibrate. The identity of the putative antioxidant protein and its contribution to the protection against liver toxicity observed in this and other laboratories awaits future investigation.

Induction of IkappaBalpha expression as a mechanism contributing to the anti-inflammatory activities of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha activators

Chronic inflammation is a hallmark of degenerative diseases such as atherosclerosis. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) are transcription factors belonging to the nuclear receptor superfamily, which are expressed in the cells of the atherosclerosic lesion. PPARalpha ligands have been reported to exert anti-inflammatory activities in different cell types by antagonizing the transcriptional activity of NF-kappaB. In the present study, the influence of PPARalpha activators on the NF-kappaB signaling pathway was investigated. Our results show that fibrates, synthetic PPARalpha activators, induced the expression of the inhibitory protein IkappaBalpha in human aortic smooth muscle cells as well as in primary human hepatocytes, whereas neither IkappaB-kinase activity nor the degradation rate of IkappaBalpha were affected. Using PPARalpha-null mice, we demonstrated that fibrates induced IkappaBalpha in liver in vivo and that this action required PPARalpha. Furthermore, fibrate treatment induced IkappaBalpha protein expression in the cytoplasm and also enhanced IL-1beta-induced accumulation of IkappaBalpha protein in the nucleus. These actions of fibrates on IkappaBalpha expression were accompanied by a decrease in NF-kappaB DNA binding activity as demonstrated by electrophoretic mobility shift assays. Taken together, these data provide an additional molecular mechanism for the anti-inflammatory activity of PPARalpha agonists and reinforce their potential use in the treatment of inflammatory diseases.

Mitochondrial damage by the "pro-oxidant" peroxisomal proliferator clofibrate

Clofibrate is a peroxisome proliferator that can cause hepatic cancer in rodents. It has been suggested that oxidative damage is involved in this hepatocarcinogenesis, although the data are conflicting. We confirmed that clofibrate causes oxidative damage in nuclei from the livers of mice treated with this substance, measured both as protein carbonyls and levels of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) in DNA. In addition, clofibrate also affects mitochondria, causing elevated levels of carbonyls and 8-OHdG, increased state 4 respiration and decreased adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) activity. No evidence for clofibrate-induced lipid peroxidation in mitochondria was obtained. We propose that mitochondria may be a major target of injury and a source of oxidative stress in clofibrate-treated animals.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha activation modulates cellular redox status, represses nuclear factor-kappaB signaling, and reduces inflammatory cytokine production in aging

In aged mice, the redox-regulated transcription factor nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) becomes constitutively active in many tissues, as well as in cells of the hematopoietic system. This oxidative stress-induced activity promotes the production of a number of pro-inflammatory cytokines, which can contribute to the pathology of many disease states associated with aging. The administration to aged mice of agents capable of activating the alpha isoform of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPARalpha) was found to restore the cellular redox balance, evidenced by a lowering of tissue lipid peroxidation, an elimination of constitutively active NF-kappaB, and a loss in spontaneous inflammatory cytokine production. Aged animals bearing a null mutation in PPARalpha failed to elicit these changes following treatment with PPARalpha activators, but remained responsive to vitamin E supplementation. Aged C57BL/6 mice were found to express reduced transcript levels of PPARalpha and the peroxisome-associated genes acyl-CoA oxidase and catalase. Supplementation of these aged mice with PPARalpha activators or with vitamin E caused elevations in these transcripts to levels seen in young animals. Our results suggest that PPARalpha and the genes under its control play a role in the evolution of oxidative stress excesses observed in aging.

Mechanism of action of the nongenotoxic peroxisome proliferators: role of the peroxisome proliferator-activator receptor alpha

Peroxisome proliferators are a diverse group of chemicals that include several therapeutically used drugs (e.g., hypolipidemic agents), plasticizers and organic solvents used in the chemical industry, herbicides, and naturally occurring hormones. As the name implies, peroxisome proliferators cause an increase in the number and size of peroxisomes in the liver, kidney, and heart tissue of susceptible species, such as rats and mice. Long-term administration of peroxisome proliferators can cause liver cancer in these animals, a response that has been the central issue of research on peroxisome proliferators for many years. Peroxisome proliferators are representative of the class of nongenotoxic carcinogens that cause cancer through mechanisms that do not involve direct DNA damage. The fact that humans are frequently exposed to these agents makes them of particular concern to government regulatory agencies responsible for assuring human safety. Whether frequent exposure to peroxisome proliferators represents a hazard to humans is unknown; however, increased cancer risk has not been shown to be associated with long-term therapeutic administration of the hypolipidemic drugs gemfibrozil, fenofibrate, and clofibrate. To make sound judgments regarding the safety of peroxisome proliferators, the validity of extrapolating results from rodent bioassays to humans must be based on the agents' mechanism of action and species differences in biologic activity and carcinogenicity. The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARalpha), a member of the nuclear receptor superfamily, has been found to mediate the activity of peroxisome proliferators in mice. Gene-knockout mice lacking PPARalpha are refractory to peroxisome proliferation and peroxisome proliferator-induced changes in gene expression. Furthermore, PPARalpha-null mice are resistant to hepatocarcinogenesis when fed a diet containing a potent nongenotoxic carcinogen WY-14,643. Recent studies have revealed that humans have considerably lower levels of PPARalpha in liver than rodents, and this difference may, in part, explain the species differences in the carcinogenic response to peroxisome proliferators.

Extraperoxisomal targets of peroxisome proliferators: mitochondrial, microsomal, and cytosolic effects. Implications for health and disease

Peroxisome proliferators are a structurally diverse group of compounds that include the fibrate hypolipidemic drugs, the phthalate ester industrial plasticizers, the phenoxy acid herbicides, and the anti-wetting corrosion inhibitors perfluorinated straight-chain monocarboxylic fatty acids. Administration of these chemicals to rodents results in a number of effects, the most prominent being hepatomegaly and induction of peroxisomal enzyme activities. Several of these compounds have also been associated with the production of liver tumors in rodents and are classified as nongenotoxic hepatocarcinogens. Experimental evidence suggests that humans are not susceptible to these effects following exposure to peroxisome-proliferating compounds. This has led to the proposal that an "actual threat to humans" from exposure to one of these compounds seems "rather unlikely". Indeed, recent reports suggest that peroxisome proliferators may prove valuable as antitumor agents in humans. However, this assessment is preliminary given that peroxisome proliferators also produce a myriad of extraperoxisomal effects in livers and other tissues of experimental animals. Such effects include both stimulation and inhibition of mitochondrial and microsomal metabolism and alteration of the activities of various cytosolic enzymes. These responses may be directly or indirectly related to the effects on peroxisomes or may be totally independent of these events. Whether the extraperoxisomal effects of these compounds occur in humans is not known and their potential impact on human health remains to be investigated.