Oxidized metabolites of oltipraz exert cytoprotective effects against arachidonic acid through AMP-activated protein kinase-dependent cellular antioxidant effect and mitochondrial protection.
Oltipraz protects cells from chemical-induced carcinogenesis partly because of phase 2 enzyme induction. Certain oltipraz metabolites also induce phase 2 enzymes. This study investigated the cytoprotective effects of the oxidized metabolites of oltipraz against arachidonic acid (AA), a proinflammatory fatty acid that causes cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and mitochondrial impairment, and the mechanistic basis of their action in HepG2 cells. Treatment with 4-methyl-5-(pyrazin-2-yl)-3H-1,2-dithiol-3-one (M1) or 7-methyl-6,8-bis(methylthio)H-pyrrolo[1,2-a]-pyrazine (M2), but not 7-methyl-8-(methylsulfinyl)-6-(methylthio)H-pyrrolo[1,2-a]pyrazine (M3) or 7-methyl-6,8-bis(methylsulfinyl)H-pyrrolo[1,2-a]pyrazine (M4), enabled cells to protect against AA-induced apoptosis. M1 and M2 treatment protected cells from ROS produced by AA and inhibited AA-induced glutathione depletion. Moreover, both M1 and M2 effectively inhibited mitochondrial dysfunction induced by AA, although M2 alone slightly elicited it at a relatively high concentration. M1 and M2 activated AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), but M3 and M4 failed to do so. AMPK activation by M1 and M2 contributed to cell survival against AA through a decrease in cellular ROS production and prevention of mitochondrial dysfunction, as shown by the reversal of the metabolites' restoration of mitochondrial membrane potential by compound C treatment or overexpression of a dominant-negative mutant AMPK. Consistently, 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-beta-d-ribofuranoside, an AMPK activator, also had a cytoprotective and antioxidant effect against AA. Our results demonstrate that, of the major metabolites of oltipraz, M1 and M2 are capable of protecting cells from AA-induced ROS production and mitochondrial dysfunction, which may be associated with AMPK activation.
Kwon
Young Nam
YN
Innovative Drug Research Center for Metabolic and Inflammatory Disease, College of Pharmacy and Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea.
Shin
Sang Mi
SM
Cho
Il Je
IJ
Kim
Sang Geon
SG
D055372:AMP-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D016718:Arachidonic Acid / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000494:pharmacology; D019610:Cytoprotection; D004336:Drug Antagonism; D053078:Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D011719:Pyrazines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D013871:Thiones; D013876:Thiophenes; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D000975:Antioxidants; D011719:Pyrazines; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D013871:Thiones; D013876:Thiophenes; D016718:Arachidonic Acid; C026209:oltipraz; D055372:AMP-Activated Protein Kinases