concanavalin-a and sporidesmin

Incubation of 48 h concanavalin A stimulated spleen cells (T blasts) and murine peritoneal macrophages with the mycotoxin sporidesmin results in DNA fragmentation characteristic of apoptosis. Morphological changes, particularly condensed chromatin, observed following incubation of these cells with sporidesmin and the immunotoxin gliotoxin and related epipolythiodioxopiperazines (ETP) also show changes characteristic of apoptosis. The presence of Zn2+ salts in the culture medium at concentrations non toxic to the cells over the time period studied protects against DNA damage and morphological change. Interaction between Zn2+ and the reduced form of a simple ETP compound assessed by spectral changes demonstrated the formation of a weak complex between the two molecules. Complex formation between zinc and thiol however was insufficient to prevent oxidative damage to plasmid DNA in vitro by inhibiting auto-oxidation of the reduced ETP compound because of the looseness of the interaction. Cd2+, which appears to form a tighter complex with the dithiol does inhibit cleavage of plasmid DNA. These results establish that the toxicity of sporidesmin may be due in part to its ability to induce apoptosis or programmed cell death in sensitive cells. In addition the immunotoxin gliotoxin and related compounds have now been shown to induce the same characteristic morphological changes in cells of haemopoietic origin. The inhibition of apoptosis induced by ETP compounds by Zn2+ appears to be due to direct inhibition of apoptosis rather than Zn2+ acting as an antioxidant. These results demonstrate the inhibition of apoptosis induced by ETP compounds by Zn2+ and suggest an alternate explanation for the known prophylactic effect of Zn2+ on sporidesmin induced tissue damage.

Topics: Animals; Cadmium; Cell Survival; Concanavalin A; DNA Damage; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; Gliotoxin; Indoles; Lymphocyte Activation; Lymphocytes; Macrophages; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Piperazines; Plasmids; Sporidesmins; Zinc

Epipolythiodioxopiperazines were tested for their immunoregulatory activity in vitro. Using the macrophage adherence test as a measure of inhibition of phagocytosis, their effect on stimulator cells in mixed lymphocyte cultures and their ability to inhibit mitogen stimulation of T lymphocytes, a hierarchy of activity was observed, with sporidesmin being the most active, followed by gliotoxin and 1,4-dimethyl-3,6-epidithio-2,5-dioxopiperazine. Derivatives of gliotoxin such as dehydro-, trisulfide and tetrasulfide gliotoxin have activities comparable to gliotoxin. The dimethylthioether derivative of gliotoxin was devoid of activity. The presence of reducing agents abrogated the activity of epipolythiodioxopiperazines. This suggests that the bridged disulfide moiety is the single most important chemical entity for their activity. The differential activities of the active compounds may be attributable to their variations in lipophilic properties.

Topics: Animals; Concanavalin A; Gliotoxin; Lymphocyte Activation; Lymphocyte Culture Test, Mixed; Macrophages; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Mice, Inbred CBA; Phagocytosis; Piperazines; Sporidesmins; Structure-Activity Relationship; T-Lymphocytes; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic