title: Functional and cellular consequences of covalent target protein modification by furan in rat liver.
abstract: Furan hepatotoxicity is thought to be linked to covalent binding of its reactive metabolite, cis-2-butene-1,4-dial, to hepatic proteins critical for cell homeostasis and survival. We previously identified 61 putative furan target proteins, which participate in various cellular processes including carbohydrate metabolism, fatty acid β-oxidation, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthesis, protein folding and maintenance of redox homeostasis. To further investigate the biological significance of target protein modification, this study was designed to determine the impact of furan on the activity of key target enzymes involved in glycolysis, β-oxidation, ATP synthesis, and redox regulation in rat liver, and to link these functional changes to alterations in cellular processes. While cis-2-butene-1,4-dial inhibited thioredoxin 1 (Txn1) in a cell-free assay, in livers of rats treated with a single high dose of furan Txn1 activity was markedly increased due to rapid up-regulation of Txn1 mRNA expression. Significant inhibition of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase and metabolic changes consistent with blocked glycolytic breakdown of glucose were observed in rat liver in response to a single high dose of furan. In contrast, furan treatment resulted in increased activity of enoyl-CoA hydratase and enhanced production of ketone bodies, indicative of increased utilization of fatty acids as energy source. Consistent with changes in TCA cycle metabolites, furan treatment resulted in a reduction of succinate dehydrogenase activity, supporting mitochondrial dysfunction as a critical event in furan toxicity. No significant changes in target protein function were observed following repeated administration of furan at lower dose (0.1 and 0.5mg/kg bw for 4 weeks) closer to estimated human exposure to furan via food. Although the relative contribution of furan mediated alterations in metabolic pathways and antioxidant defense to the overall toxic response to furan, including considerations of dose and time, remains to be established, our work contributes to mapping biological processes and toxicity pathways modulated by reactive electrophiles.
authors.affiliation: Department of Toxicology, University of Würzburg, 97078 Würzburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ramm
authors.affiliation: Department of Toxicology, University of Würzburg, 97078 Würzburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Limbeck
authors.affiliation: Department of Toxicology, University of Würzburg, 97078 Würzburg, Germany. Electronic address: mally@toxi.uni-wuerzburg.de.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mally
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D005663:Furans / Q000633:toxicity*; D006019:Glycolysis / Q000187:drug effects; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D053858:Metabolic Networks and Pathways / Q000187:drug effects; D055432:Metabolomics; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational / Q000187:drug effects; D011506:Proteins / Q000187:drug effects*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D013385:Succinate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005663:Furans; D011506:Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D013385:Succinate Dehydrogenase; C039281:furan
keywords: Covalent protein binding; Enzyme activity; Furan; Liver toxicity; Metabolic pathways