title: Calcium transport, thiol status, and hepatotoxicity following N-nitrosodimethylamine exposure in mice.
abstract: The hepatotoxicant N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) is presumed to exert toxicity through reactive metabolites. NDMA is similar in this respect to numerous other hepatotoxicants, for which hepatotoxicity is also associated with a rapid depletion of soluble and/or protein thiols, and an inhibition of calcium transport systems. We examined the hypothesis that hepatotoxicity for NDMA is preceded by thiol depletion and/or inhibition of calcium transport in isolated liver subcellular fractions. Centrizonal liver necrosis in mice was evident at 24 but not at 12 h subsequent to intraperitoneal administration of 40 mg NDMA/kg. Hepatotoxicity was not preceded by depletion of liver protein-free sulfhydryls, nor by protein sulfhydryl depletion in liver whole homogenate, microsomal, or plasma membrane fractions. NDMA-mediated toxicity was also not preceded by inhibition of calcium uptake capability by microsomal, mitochondrial, or plasma membrane fractions. In contrast, carbon tetrachloride produced the expected rapid decrease in microsomal calcium uptake capability, followed by a centrizonal necrosis that was maximal at about 24 h. These studies suggest that the mechanism of NDMA hepatotoxicity may differ from that of a number of other hepatotoxicants (e.g., carbon tetrachloride, acetaminophen, bromobenzene) for which toxicity is also mediated through reactive metabolites.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health, University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Ohio 45267-0056.
authors.forename: F A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Reitman
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Berger
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Minnema
authors.forename: H G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Shertzer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D004128:Dimethylnitrosamine / Q000633:toxicity*; D007700:Kinetics; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D008862:Microsomes, Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008930:Mitochondria, Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds; D004128:Dimethylnitrosamine; D002118:Calcium