A potential endogenous ligand for the aryl hydrocarbon receptor has potent agonist activity in vitro and in vivo.
The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is best known as a mediator of toxicity of a diverse family of xenobiotic chemicals such as dioxins and PCBs. However, many naturally occurring compounds also activate AhR. One such compound, 2-(1'H-indole-3'-carbonyl)-thiazole-4-carboxylic acid methyl ester (ITE), was isolated from tissue and found to be potent in preliminary tests [J. Song, M. Clagett-Dame, R.E. Peterson, M.E. Hahn, W.M. Westler, R.R. Sicinski, H.F. DeLuca, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 99 (2002) 14694-14699]. We have synthesized ITE and [(3)H]ITE and further evaluated its AhR activity in several in vitro and in vivo assays in comparison with the toxic ligand, TCDD. AhR in Hepa1c1c7 cell cytosol bound [(3)H]ITE with high affinity and the AhR.ITE complex formed in vitro bound dioxin response element (DRE) oligonucleotide as potently as TCDD.AhR. In cells treated with ITE, nuclear translocation of AhR, and induction of CYP1A1 protein and of a DRE-dependent luciferase reporter gene were observed. ITE administered to pregnant DRE-LacZ transgenic mice activated fetal AhR, observed as X-gal staining in the same sites as in TCDD-treated mice. However, unlike TCDD, ITE did not induce cleft palate or hydronephrosis. TCDD but not ITE induced thymic atrophy in young adult mice, but both ITE and TCDD caused similar loss of cells and alterations of cell profiles in cultured fetal thymi. These data demonstrate that ITE is a potent AhR agonist in cell extracts, cultured cells, and intact animals, but does not cause the toxicity associated with the more stable xenobiotic ligand, TCDD.
Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA. ellen_henry@urmc.rochester.edu
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Henry
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Bemis
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Kende
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Gasiewicz
D021581:Active Transport, Cell Nucleus / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D001284:Atrophy / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism; D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism*; D002474:Cell-Free System; D019363:Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A1 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D004147:Dioxins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000378:metabolism; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000187:drug effects; D008024:Ligands; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity; D011247:Pregnancy; D011422:Propionates / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity; D011485:Protein Binding; D011719:Pyrazines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity; D018336:Receptors, Aryl Hydrocarbon / Q000819:agonists* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D015262:Xenobiotics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity
D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins; D019363:Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A1; D004147:Dioxins; D008024:Ligands; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins; D011422:Propionates; D011719:Pyrazines; D018336:Receptors, Aryl Hydrocarbon; D015262:Xenobiotics; C495410:(3,5,6-trimethylpyrazin-2-yl)methyl 2-(4-(2-methylpropyl)phenyl)propanoate; C484722:Ahr protein, mouse; C445379:1,2,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin