title: Sub-acute administration of (S)-dimethyl 2-(3-(phenyltellanyl) propanamido) succinate induces toxicity and oxidative stress in mice: unexpected effects of N-acetylcysteine.
abstract: The organic tellurium compound (S)-dimethyl 2-(3-(phenyltellanyl) propanamide) succinate (TeAsp) exhibits thiol-peroxidase activity that could potentially offer protection against oxidative stress. However, data from the literature show that tellurium is a toxic agent to rodents. In order to mitigate such toxicity, N-acetylcysteine (NAC) was administered in parallel with TeAsp during 10 days. Mice were separated into four groups receiving daily injections of (A) vehicle (PBS 2.5 ml/kg, i.p. and DMSO 1 ml/kg, s.c.), (B) NAC (100 mg/kg, i.p. and DMSO s.c.), (C) PBS i.p. and TeAsp (92.5 μmol/kg, s.c), or (D) NAC plus TeAsp. TeAsp treatment started on the fourth day. Vehicle or NAC-treated animals showed an increase in body weight whereas TeAsp caused a significant reduction. Contrary to expected, NAC co-administration potentiated the toxic effect of TeAsp, causing a decrease in body weight. Vehicle, NAC or TeAsp did not affect the exploratory and motor activity in the open-field test at the end of the treatment, while the combination of NAC and TeAsp produced a significant decrease in these parameters. No DNA damage or alterations in cell viability were observed in leukocytes of treated animals. Treatments produced no or minor effects on the activities of antioxidant enzymes catalase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase, whereas the activity of the thioredoxin reductase was decreased in the brain and increased the liver of the animals in the groups receiving TeAsp or TeAsp plus NAC. In conclusion, the toxicity of TeAsp was potentiated by NAC and oxidative stress appears to play a central role in this process.
authors: Departamento de Química, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Exatas, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS CEP 97105-900 Brazil.
authors: Daiane F
authors: DF
authors: Meinerz
authors: Bruna
authors: B
authors: Comparsi
authors: Josiane
authors: J
authors: Allebrandt
authors: Douglas Oscar Ceolin
authors: DO
authors: Mariano
authors: Danúbia B
authors: DB
authors: Dos Santos
authors: Ana Paula Pegoraro
authors: AP
authors: Zemolin
authors: Marcelo
authors: M
authors: Farina
authors: Luiz Alcir
authors: LA
authors: Dafre
authors: João B T
authors: JB
authors: Rocha
authors: Thaís
authors: T
authors: Posser
authors: Jeferson L
authors: JL
authors: Franco
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