naphthoquinones and 2-amino-3-chloro-1-4-naphthoquinone

Pesticide exposure during fetal life can lead to low birth weight and is commonly observed in reproductive toxicology studies. Associations have also been found in low birth weight babies born from pesticide-exposed gardeners. Since low birth weight is also linked to metabolic disorders, it can be speculated that early life exposure to pesticides could increase the risk of becoming obese or developing diabetes later in life. We have analyzed potential long-term effects of gestational and lactational exposure to a low dose mixture of six pesticides that individually can cause low birth weight: Cyromazine, MCPB, Pirimicarb, Quinoclamine, Thiram, and Ziram. Exposed male offspring, who were smaller than controls, displayed some degree of catch-up growth. Insulin and glucagon regulation was not significantly affected, and analyses of liver and pancreas did not reveal obvious histopathological effects. Efforts towards identifying potential biomarkers of metabolic disease-risk did not result in any strong candidates, albeit leptin levels were altered in exposed animals. In fat tissues, the key genes Lep, Nmb and Nmbr were altered in high dosed offspring, and were differentially expressed between sexes. Our results suggest that early-life exposure to pesticides may contribute to the development of metabolic disorders later in life.

Topics: 2-Methyl-4-chlorophenoxyacetic Acid; Adipose Tissue; Animals; Butyrates; Carbamates; Diabetes Mellitus; Female; Fetal Growth Retardation; Infant, Low Birth Weight; Naphthoquinones; Pesticides; Pregnancy; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; Pyrimidines; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Thiram; Triazines; Ziram

Paddy herbicides are a high-risk concern for aquatic plants, including algae, because they easily flow out from paddy fields into rivers, with toxic effects. The effect on algal population dynamics, including population recovery after timed exposure, must be assessed. Therefore, we demonstrated concentration-response relationships of four paddy herbicides for algal growth inhibition and mortality, and the relationship between the effect on algal cell viability and population recovery following exposure. We used SYTOX Green dye assay and flow cytometry to assess cell viability of the alga Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata. Live cells could be clearly distinguished from dead cells during herbicide exposure. Our results showed that pretilachlor and quinoclamine had both algicidal and algistatic effects, whereas bensulfuron-methyl only had an algistatic effect, and pentoxazone only had an algicidal effect. Then, a population recovery test following a 72-h exposure was conducted. The algal population recovered in all tests, but the periods required for recovery differed among exposure concentrations and herbicides. The periods required for recovery were inconsistent with the dead cell ratio at the beginning of the recovery test; that is, population recovery could not be described only by cell viability. Consequently, the temporal effect of herbicides and subsequent recovery of the algal population could be described not only by the toxicity characteristics but also by toxicokinetics, such as rate of uptake, transport to the target site, and elimination of the substance from algal cells.

Topics: Acetanilides; Cell Survival; Chlorophyta; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Herbicides; Naphthoquinones; Oryza; Population Dynamics; Sulfonylurea Compounds; Water Pollutants, Chemical

The transcription factor nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) has been linked to the cell growth, apoptosis and cell cycle progression. NF-kappaB blockade induces apoptosis of cancer cells. Therefore, NF-kappaB is suggested as a potential therapeutic target for cancer. Here, we have evaluated the anti-cancer potential of a novel NF-kappaB inhibitor, quinoclamine (2-amino-3-chloro-1,4-naphthoquinone).. In a large-scale screening test, we found that quinoclamine was a novel NF-kappaB inhibitor. The global transcriptional profiling of quinoclamine in HepG2 cells was therefore analysed by transcriptomic tools in this study.. Quinoclamine suppressed endogenous NF-kappaB activity in HepG2 cells through the inhibition of IkappaB-alpha phosphorylation and p65 translocation. Quinoclamine also inhibited induced NF-kappaB activities in lung and breast cancer cell lines. Quinoclamine-regulated genes interacted with NF-kappaB or its downstream genes by network analysis. Quinoclamine affected the expression levels of genes involved in cell cycle or apoptosis, suggesting that quinoclamine exhibited anti-cancer potential. Furthermore, quinoclamine down-regulated the expressions of UDP glucuronosyltransferase genes involved in phase II drug metabolism, suggesting that quinoclamine might interfere with drug metabolism by slowing down the excretion of drugs.. This study provides a comprehensive evaluation of quinoclamine by transcriptomic analysis. Our findings suggest that quinoclamine is a novel NF-kappaB inhibitor with anti-cancer potential.

Topics: Antineoplastic Agents; Apoptosis; Cell Cycle; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Survival; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Gene Expression Profiling; Gene Expression Regulation; Gene Regulatory Networks; Glucuronosyltransferase; Humans; I-kappa B Proteins; Naphthoquinones; NF-kappa B; NF-KappaB Inhibitor alpha; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; Phosphorylation; Protein Transport; Transcription Factor RelA; Transfection

Malaria is a major tropical disease, which kills two million people annually. The population at risk from this disease has increased because of the difficulties in eradicating the mosquito vector in the endemic regions and the emergence and spread of parasite resistance to all the commonly used antimalarials. Since antimalarials are the major arsenal for treatment of the disease, there is an urgent need for newer drugs with novel mechanisms of action, which will be effective against all strains of the parasite. As a part of our anti-infective drug discovery program, we have investigated 18 compounds including several synthetic and natural naphthoquinones as potential antimalarial agents. We have identified aminonaphthoquinones, as a class of antimalarial compounds with antimalarial activity against Plasmodium falciparum. Among these compounds, 2-amino-3-chloro-1,4-naphthoquinone is the most potent. It had an IC(50)of 0.18 micro M (37.3 ng ml(-1)) against the W2 clone, and is more potent than chloroquine, which had an IC(50)of 0.23 micro M (72 ng ml(-1)). It was also active against the D6 clone. In general, 2-amino-1,4-naphthoquinone analogs and the 4-amino-1,2-napthoquinone analog showed promising antimalarial activity in the bioassay. In contrast, a number of 2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinones and dimeric quinones were less active.

Topics: Animals; Antimalarials; Chloroquine; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; Inhibitory Concentration 50; Malaria; Naphthoquinones; Plasmodium falciparum; Structure-Activity Relationship