title: Effects of a novel hepatoprotective drug, ZNC-2381, on fas-induced hepatocellular caspase-3 activity and apoptosis in mice.
abstract: We examined the effects of ZNC-2381 (1-(4-aminophenyl)methyl-3-(3-nitrophenyl)-1,3-dihydroimidazo[4,5-b] pyridine-2-one), a new oral hepatoprotective agent, on hepatocellular caspase-3 activity and apoptosis induced by anti-mouse Fas antibody (anti-Fas ab) in mice. Oral ZNC-2381, administered at doses of 10, 30 and 100 mg/kg 1 h before inducing hepatic injury with anti-Fas ab, dose-dependently inhibited the increase in serum alanine aminotransferase (s-ALT) activity 8 h after injection of anti-Fas ab. Increases in DNA fragmentation (nucleosome assay) and caspase-3 activity in the liver 2 h after injection of anti-Fas ab were also inhibited by ZNC-2381 in a dose-dependent manner. As shown by histopathological examination, ZNC-2381 dose-dependently inhibited the appearance of TUNEL-positive apoptotic cells in the liver. Moreover, in studies in vitro, ZNC-2381 (1- 100 micromol/l) concentration-dependently inhibited increases in DNA fragmentation and caspase-3 activity caused by anti-Fas ab in isolated mouse hepatocytes. N- Acetyl-Asp-Glu-Val-Asp aldehyde (Ac-DEVD-cho), a caspase-3-specific inhibitor, inhibited hepatocellular apoptosis caused by anti-Fas ab both in vivo and in vitro, as well as the increase in s-ALT activity in vivo. These results demonstrate that orally administered ZNC-2381 inhibits hepatocellular apoptosis induced by anti-Fas ab and presents the progression of hepatic injury. We propose that the mechanism of action of ZNC-2381 may involve blockade of the signal transduction pathway (caspase-3) of apoptosis mediated by anti-Fas ab.
authors.affiliation: Central Research Laboratories, Zeria Pharmaceutical Co., Kohnan-machi, Ohsato-gun, Saitama, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Segawa
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tsuzuike
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Itokazu
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Omata
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nagasawa
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nishioka
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakano
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kanda
mesh_terms: D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects*; D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D015853:Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D053938:DNA Fragmentation / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011725:Pyridines / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: C414810:1-(4-aminophenyl)methyl-3-(3-nitrophenyl)-1,3-dihydroimidazo(4,5-b)pyridine-2-one; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D015853:Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors; D009842:Oligopeptides; D011725:Pyridines; C099158:acetyl-aspartyl-glutamyl-valyl-aspartal; C411023:anti-Fas monoclonal antibody; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; C505409:Casp3 protein, mouse; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases