pyrimidinones and divicine

As discussed above, the process by which normal senescent red cells are selected for removal from the circulation is the subject of much ongoing research and is not yet well understood. This in turn creates a problem for studies on the enhanced removal that occurs in xenobiotic-induced hemolytic states; specifically, whether the enhanced removal should be considered as an increase in rate of the normal sequestration mechanism or as an unrelated process, in part or in whole. This difficulty bears directly on the interpretation of much of the mechanistic hemolytic literature. Because of its dual in vivo and in vitro hemolytic capability, and because of its capacity to induce frank lysis in the incubation mixture, phenylhydrazine has been used extensively as a model compound for mechanistic studies. These data have contributed heavily to our current concepts of how chemicals induce damage in the red cell. The comparison studies presented above cast doubt on the relevance of many of these phenylhydrazine studies for the in vivo hemolytic response. Phenylhydrazine, like divicine and DDS-NOH, shows an overwhelming predominance of uptake into the spleen, as distinct from removal by the RES system in general, as evidenced by relatively low liver uptake. This suggests strongly that damaged cells are removed intact by the spleen and do not lyse or fragment in the general circulation, at least to any significant extent. The studies with DDS-NOH indicate that neither Heinz body formation nor lipid peroxidation per se are essential steps in the process by which damaged red cells are removed from the circulation in the rat. It is not yet clear whether this lack of obligatory involvement of Heinz bodies and lipid peroxidation is peculiar to the arylhydroxylamine-induced hemolytic state or whether it will prove to be of general applicability. On the other hand, cysteamine failed to reverse the hemolytic damage caused by phenylhydrazine. Since cysteamine "rescued" DDS-NOH treated cells under the same experimental conditions, this observation raises the possibility that protein-thiol oxidation per se is also not an obligatory step in the sequence of events leading to premature sequestration. Clearly, the ratio of lipid to protein oxidation is markedly different in these three examples of hemotoxic compounds. DDS-NOH showed high protein oxidation with no discernible lipid oxidation, divicine showed both high protein and high lipid oxidation, and phenylhydrazine showed high

Topics: Dapsone; Erythrocytes; Free Radicals; Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase; Humans; Oxidants; Oxidative Stress; Phenylhydrazines; Pyrimidinones

The aglycones of vicine and convicine, divicine and isouramil, are the causative agents of favism and, therefore, should be analysed along with vicine and convicine in research seeking to eliminate them. This study investigated the stability of the aglycones produced by hydrolysis with β-glucosidase. Reversed-phase, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with UV detection was shown to be able to observe both aglycone formation and further reactions in isolated fractions and extract made from faba bean and in faba bean suspension. Divicine and isouramil were unstable and degraded almost completely in extract in 60min and completely in fractions in 120min at a pH of 5 at 37°C. Adding sodium ascorbate delayed degradation of divicine. Divicine was more stable at 20°C than at 37°C. Being able to show formation and degradation of the aglycones, the proposed method allows monitoring of the vicine and convicine detoxification process.

Topics: Barbiturates; beta-Glucosidase; Favism; Glucosides; Hydrolysis; Pyrimidinones; Uridine; Vicia faba

In spite of its positive repercussions on nutrition and environment, faba bean still remains an underutilized crop due to the presence of some undesired compounds. The pyrimidine glycosides vicine and convicine are precursors of the aglycones divicine and isouramil, the main factors of favism, a genetic condition which may lead to severe hemolysis after faba bean ingestion. The reduction of vicine and convicine has been targeted in several studies but little is known about their degradation. In this study, the hydrolysis kinetics of vicine and convicine and their derivatives during fermentation with L. plantarum DPPMAB24W was investigated. In particular, a specific HPLC method coupled to ESI-MS and MS/MS analysis, including the evaluation procedure of the results, was set up as the analytical approach to monitor the compounds. The degradation of the pyrimidine glycosides in the fermented flour was complete after 48 h of incubation and the aglycone derivatives could not be detected in any of the samples. The toxicity of the fermented faba bean was established through ex-vivo assays on human blood, confirming the experimental findings. Results indicate that mild and cost effective bioprocessing techniques can be applied to detoxify faba bean also for industrial applications.

Topics: Barbiturates; Biotransformation; Fermentation; Flour; Food Technology; Glucosides; Humans; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Hydrolysis; Lactobacillus plantarum; Pyrimidinones; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization; Uridine; Vicia faba

Lipid peroxidation and the accompanying translocation of phosphatidylserine (PS) from the inner to the outer leaflet of the lipid bilayer have recently been identified as key components of a signaling pathway for phagocytosis of apoptotic cells by macrophages. Drug-induced hemolytic anemia has long been known to be caused by an accelerated uptake of damaged (but intact) erythrocytes by macrophages in the spleen, and this process has been associated with enhanced formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). However, the role of lipid peroxidation in hemolytic injury has remained unclear, and the effect of hemolytic agents on the distribution of PS in the erythrocyte membrane is unknown. The present studies were undertaken to determine whether lipid peroxidation and PS translocation could be detected in rat and human erythrocytes by three types of direct-acting hemolytic agents--dapsone hydroxylamine, divicine hydroquinone, and phenylhydrazine. 2',7'-Dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate was employed as a probe for intracellular ROS formation; lipid peroxidation was assessed by GC/MS analysis of F2-isoprostanes; and PS externalization was measured by annexin V labeling and the prothrombinase assay. The data confirmed that all three hemolytic agents generate ROS within erythrocytes under hemolytic conditions; however, no evidence for lipid peroxidation or PS translocation was detected. Instead, ROS production by these hemolytic agents was associated with extensive binding of oxidized and denatured hemoglobin to the membrane cytoskeleton. The data suggest that the transmembrane signal for macrophage recognition of hemolytic injury may be derived from oxidative alterations to erythrocyte proteins rather than to membrane lipids.

Topics: Animals; Dapsone; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Erythrocytes; Hemoglobins; Hemolysis; Humans; In Vitro Techniques; Lipid Peroxidation; Lipids; Phenylhydrazines; Phosphatidylserines; Proteins; Pyrimidinones; Rats; Reactive Oxygen Species

Favism is an acute anemic crisis that can occur in susceptible individuals who ingest fava beans. The fava bean pyrimidine aglycone divicine has been identified as a hemotoxic constituent; however, its mechanism of toxicity remains unknown. We have shown recently that divicine can induce a favic-like response in rats and that divicine is directly toxic to rat red cells. In the present study, we have examined the effect of hemotoxic concentrations of divicine on rat erythrocyte sulfhydryl status, hexose monophosphate (HMP) shunt activity, morphology, and membrane skeletal proteins. In vitro exposure of rat red cells to divicine markedly stimulated HMP shunt activity and resulted in depletion of reduced glutathione with concomitant formation of glutathione-protein mixed-disulfides. Examination of divicine-treated red cells by scanning electron microscopy revealed transformation of the cells to an extreme echinocytic morphology. SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting analysis of the membrane skeletal proteins indicated that hemotoxicity was associated with the apparent loss of skeletal protein bands 2.1, 3, and 4.2, and the appearance of membrane-bound hemoglobin. Treatment of divicine-damaged red cells with dithiothreitol reversed the protein changes, which indicated that the observed alterations were due primarily to the formation of disulfide-linked hemoglobin-skeletal protein adducts. The data suggest that oxidative modification of hemoglobin and membrane skeletal proteins by divicine may be key events in the mechanism underlying favism.

Topics: Animals; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; Erythrocytes; Favism; Male; Membrane Proteins; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; Pentose Phosphate Pathway; Pyrimidinones; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Sulfhydryl Compounds

Divicine is an aglycone derived from vicine, a glucosidic compound contained in fava beans (Vicia faba major or broad beans). In this study, we investigated the effect of divicine on cultured human myoblasts from normal subjects, in order to see if the drug may induce signs of oxidant stress in these cells. Myoblasts incubated 24 hours in the presence of 1 mM divicine, showed an increase of carbonyl groups and 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) bound to cell proteins, as well as a significant release of iron and lactate dehydrogenase in the culture medium. Desferrioxamine (DFO), an iron chelator, significantly prevented protein oxidation and formation 4-HNE adducts. Our results can be interpreted as indicating that divicine autooxidizes both at extracellular level and into myoblasts thus inducing the release of free iron, which initiates oxidation of cellular proteins and lipids. DFO protects the cells by subtracting the free iron both at intracellular and extracellular level.

Topics: Aldehydes; Cells, Cultured; Deferoxamine; Humans; Iron; Muscle, Skeletal; Oxidative Stress; Pyrimidinones

Favism is an acute hemolytic anemia known to occur in susceptible individuals who ingest fava beans. Susceptibility to favism is conferred by a genetic deficiency in erythrocytic glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) activity. Although the fava bean pyrimidine aglycones, divicine and isouramil, have been implicated in the onset of favism in humans, the lack of a well-defined experimental animal model for favism has hampered progress in elucidating the mechanism underlying hemotoxicity. We have examined whether a favic-like response could be provoked in G6PD-normal rats treated with synthetic divicine. Intraperitoneal administration of divicine to rats preloaded with 51Cr-tagged erythrocytes resulted in a severe, dose-dependent decrease in blood radioactivity (TD50 approximately 0.5 mmol/kg) within 24 h. The increased rate of removal of blood radioactivity was accompanied by a rapid decline in reduced glutathione levels in the blood, decreased hematocrits, marked hemoglobinuria, splenic enlargement, and reticulocytosis. In vitro exposure of 51Cr-tagged red cells to divicine before their re-administration to isologous rats also resulted in a sharp, concentration-dependent decrease in erythrocyte survival in vivo (TC50 approximately 1.5 mM), and these divicine-damaged red cells were removed from the circulation by the spleen. These data demonstrate that a favic response can be induced in G6PD-normal rats treated with divicine, and that hemolytic activity can be reproduced in isolated red cells under conditions that will allow a direct examination of the mechanism underlying this hemotoxicity.

Topics: Animals; Chromium; Chromium Radioisotopes; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Erythrocytes; Fabaceae; Favism; Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase; Glutathione; Hemoglobins; Hemolysis; Lethal Dose 50; Male; Plants, Medicinal; Plants, Toxic; Pyrimidinones; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Incubation of glutathione (GSH) depleted mouse erythrocytes with the oxidants phenylhydrazine, acrolein, divicine and isouramil resulted in the release of free iron and in lipid peroxidation and hemolysis. The addition of the flavonoid quercetin, which chelates iron and penetrates erythrocytes, resulted in remarkable protection against lipid peroxidation and hemolysis. The protection seems to be due to intracellular chelation of iron, since a semi-stoichiometric ratio between released iron and the amount of quercetin necessary to prevent lipid peroxidation and hemolysis was found. Incubation of GSH depleted human erythrocytes with divicine and isouramil did not induce lipid peroxidation and hemolysis in spite of a substantial release of iron. However, divicine and isouramil produced alterations of membrane proteins, such as spectrin and band 3, as well as formation of senescent cell antigen. The addition of quercetin prevented these alterations.

Topics: Acrolein; Animals; Barbiturates; Chelating Agents; Erythrocyte Membrane; Erythrocytes; Flavonoids; Glutathione; Hemolysis; Humans; Iron; Iron Chelating Agents; Kinetics; Lipid Peroxidation; Male; Malondialdehyde; Methemoglobin; Mice; Pyrimidinones; Quercetin

The endemic occurrence of favism in certain Mediterranean regions provided an investigative opportunity for testing in vivo the validity of claims as to the role of catalase in protecting human erythrocytes against peroxidative injury. Reduced activity of catalase was found in the erythrocytes of six boys who were deficient in erythrocytic glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) and who were studied while suffering hemolysis after ingesting fava beans. Activity of catalase was further reduced when their red blood cells were incubated with aminotriazole. In contrast, minimal reduction of catalase activity was found, both with and without incubation with aminotriazole, in erythrocytes of a G6PD-deficient boy who had ingested fava beans 7 days earlier and in erythrocytes of seven G6PD-deficient men with a past history of favism. These results confirmed earlier studies in vitro indicating that catalase is a major disposer of hydrogen peroxide in human erythrocytes and, like the glutathione peroxidase/reductase pathway, is dependent on the availability of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH). The effect of divicine on purified catalase and on the catalase of intact G6PD-deficient erythrocytes was similar to the previously demonstrated effect on catalase of a known system for generating hydrogen peroxide. This effect of divicine strengthens earlier arguments that divicine is the toxic peroxidative component of fava beans.

Topics: Catalase; Child; Child, Preschool; Enzyme Inhibitors; Erythrocytes; Favism; Hemolysis; Humans; Hydrogen Peroxide; Male; NADP; Oxidative Stress; Pyrimidinones

Carboplatin (CBDCA) and the pyrimidine aglycone divicine displayed cytotoxic effects of murine erythroleukemic cells (MELC), with ID50 values of 158 and 37 microM, respectively. Combination of CBDCA and divicine, at a 2:1 ratio, increased cytotoxicity considerably. Under specific conditions of time schedule of administration, the association of CBDCA and divicine resulted in a clear synergistic activity. Alkaline elution studies on both unirradiated and gamma-irradiated MELC demonstrated opposite patterns of DNA damage with the two molecules. Thus, CBDCA elicited DNA interstrand crosslinks (ISC), while divicine resulted in DNA single strand breaks (SSB). Association of both molecules led in the unirradiated cells to a higher SSB frequency than recorded with divicine alone. Accordingly, intracellular activation of CDBCA by redox cycling of divicine seems not to be involved. Rather, intracellular platinum appears to enhance cytotoxicity of divicine.

Topics: Animals; Antineoplastic Agents; Carboplatin; Cell Line; Cell Survival; DNA Damage; DNA, Neoplasm; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drug Synergism; Gamma Rays; Kinetics; Leukemia, Erythroblastic, Acute; Mice; Pyrimidinones; Tumor Cells, Cultured

Favism is an acute hemolytic anemia triggered by ingestion of fava beans in genetically susceptible subjects with severe deficiency of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) activity. Erythrocytes from 10 favic patients had constantly and markedly increased calcium levels, as compared with values detected in 4 asymptomatic G6PD-deficient controls. Correspondingly, the calcium permeability of erythrocytes, estimated as the fraction of intracellular calcium exchangeable with externally added 45Ca2+, was invariably enhanced in favism and returned to normal patterns after several months from the acute hemolytic crisis. In favic patients, the levels of erythrocyte calcium ATPase activities showed wide variability, ranging from 2.0-12.9 mumol Pi/ml RBC/h, while control values in asymptomatic G6PD-deficient subjects were 10.62 +/- 2.03 mumol Pi/ml RBC/h. Analysis of the calcium ATPase in situ in erythrocyte membranes from favic patients showed the same molecular mass of 134 kD as observed in the control subjects. Exposure of G6PD-deficient erythrocytes in vitro to autoxidizing divicine, a pyrimidine aglycone strongly implicated in the pathogenesis of favism which leads to late accumulation of intracellular calcium, caused: (i) a marked inactivation of calcium ATPase, without changes in the molecular mass of 134 kD; and (ii) the concomitant loss of spectrin, band 3 and band 4.1, all known substrates of the calcium activated procalpain-calpain proteolytic system. Thus, the increased intraerythrocytic calcium apparently results in the degradation of calcium ATPase observed in some favic patients. It is proposed that both enhanced calcium permeability and a calcium-stimulated degradation of the calcium pump are the mechanisms responsible for the perturbation of erythrocyte calcium homeostasis in favism.

Topics: Calcimycin; Calcium; Calcium-Transporting ATPases; Calpain; Erythrocytes; Favism; Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase; Homeostasis; Humans; Male; Oxidation-Reduction; Pyrimidinones

Studies were carried out to characterize further the cytoplasmic ATP- and ubiquitin-independent proteolytic system in red blood cells that degrades hemoglobin damaged by exposure to oxidants (Fagan, J. M., Waxman, L., and Goldberg, A. L. (1986) J. Biol. Chem. 261, 5705-5713). Several proteases were ruled out as having a major role in the degradation of oxidant-treated hemoglobin (Ox-Hb). Acid hydrolases are not active in this process since the degradation of Ox-Hb has a pH optimum between 6 and 8. The calpains are also not involved since inhibitors of cysteine proteases (leupeptin and trans-epoxysuccinyl-L-leucylamido-(3-methyl)butane) did not diminish the increased proteolysis in intact erythrocytes treated with oxidants or in lysates to which Ox-Hb was added. The degradation of Ox-Hb was unaffected by inhibitors of serine and aspartic proteases. Removal of the high M(r) multicatalytic proteinase by immunoprecipitation also did not significantly affect the degradation of Ox-Hb in erythrocyte lysates. The degradation of Ox-Hb was sensitive to metal chelators and sulfhydryl-modifying reagents but not to specific inhibitors of known metalloproteases. Insulin, which is rapidly degraded in lysates, completely blocked the degradation of Ox-Hb. Insulin- and Ox-Hb-hydrolyzing activity was also inhibited following immunoprecipitation of the 100-kDa metalloinsulinase. The metalloinsulinase, which is inhibited by sulfhydryl-modifying reagents and which requires divalent metals, may therefore participate in the degradation of hemoglobin damaged by oxidants in erythrocytes.

Topics: Adenosine Triphosphate; Animals; Azides; Calcimycin; Cations, Divalent; Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors; Edetic Acid; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; Erythrocytes; Hemoglobins; Hydrogen Peroxide; Ionomycin; Kinetics; Leucine; Male; Oxidants; Phenylhydrazines; Pyrimidinones; Rabbits; Rats

Mouse erythrocytes were incubated with oxidizing agents, phenylhydrazine, divicine and isouramil. With all the oxidants a rapid release of iron in a desferrioxamine (DFO)-chelatable form was seen and it was accompanied by methaemoglobin formation. If the erythrocytes were depleted of GSH by a short preincubation with diethyl maleate, the release of iron was accompanied by lipid peroxidation and, subsequently, haemolysis. GSH depletion by itself did not induce iron release, methaemoglobin formation, lipid peroxidation or haemolysis. Rather, the fate of the cell in which iron is released depended on the intracellular availability of GSH. In addition, iron release was higher in depleted cells than in native ones, suggesting a role for GSH in preventing iron release when oxidative stress is imposed by the oxidants. Iron release preceded lipid peroxidation. The latter was prevented when the erythrocytes were preloaded with DFO in such a way (preincubation with 10 mM-DFO) that the intracellular concentration was equivalent to that of the released iron, but not when the intracellular DFO was lower (preincubation with 0.1 mM-DFO). Extracellular DFO did not affect lipid peroxidation and haemolysis, suggesting again that the observed events occur intracellularly (intracellular chelation of released iron). The relevance of iron release from iron complexes in the mechanisms of cellular damage induced by oxidative stress is discussed.

Topics: Animals; Barbiturates; Deferoxamine; Erythrocyte Membrane; Glutathione; Hemolysis; Iron; Lipid Peroxidation; Male; Methemoglobin; Mice; Oxidants; Phenylhydrazines; Pyrimidinones

In the present study we have assayed the effect of divicine in G6PD-deficient red blood cells in the presence of deferoxamine (iron-chelating drug) and NaN3 (inhibitor of catalase). The effect of divicine has been compared to oxidative stress by H2O2; haemolysis is regarded as an index of cellular toxicity. In addition, we have tested antioxidant enzymatic systems. No significant change in antioxidant enzymatic systems was found in RBCs from subjects with G6PD deficiency when compared to the control group, either in oxidative haemolysis by divicine or by H2O2; a significant decrease in oxidative haemolysis by H2O2 was observed in the presence of deferoxamine, whereas no change was found in oxidative haemolysis by divicine. The replacement of incubation medium by homologous plasma or the supplementation with bovine serum albumin resulted in a marked decrease of percentage of haemolysis by divicine.

Topics: Adult; Catalase; Deferoxamine; Erythrocytes; Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency; Glutathione Peroxidase; Glutathione Reductase; Hemolysis; Humans; Hydrogen Peroxide; In Vitro Techniques; Male; Oxidation-Reduction; Pyrimidinones

Dialuric Acid, the reduced form of the beta-cell toxin alloxan, and the related fava bean derivatives divicine and isouramil, autoxidize rapidly in neutral solution by a radical mechanism. GSH promotes redox cycling of each compound, with concomitant GSH oxidation and H2O2 production. With superoxide dismutase present, there is a lag period in which little oxidation occurs, followed by rapid oxidation. GSH extends this lag and decreases the subsequent rate of oxidation, so that with superoxide dismutase and a sufficient excess of GSH, coupled oxidation of GSH and each pyrimidine is almost completely suppressed. This mechanism may be a means whereby GSH in combination with superoxide dismutase protects against the cytotoxic effects of these reactive pyrimidines. Superoxide dismutase may also protect cells against oxidative stress in other situations where GSH acts as a radical scavenger, and we propose that the concerted action of GSH and superoxide dismutase constitutes an important antioxidant defence.

Topics: Antioxidants; Barbiturates; Chemical Phenomena; Chemistry; Glutathione; Oxidation-Reduction; Pyrimidinones; Superoxide Dismutase

The toxicity of dialuric acid to pancreatic beta cells, and the haemolytic action of divicine and isouramil involve auto-oxidation and redox cycling reactions. Divicine and isouramil are produced on hydrolysis of the fava bean glycosides, vicine and convicine. The mechanism of auto-oxidation of the three compounds as well as the acid hydrolysis product of vicine (provisionally assigned the structure 2-amino-4,5,6-trihydroxypyrimidine) has been studied. All four pyrimidines auto-oxidized rapidly at neutral pH, generating H2O2 by an O2-dependent chain mechanism. Superoxide dismutase inhibited the initial oxidation, but inhibition was transitory, and after a lag period rapid oxidation occurred. The lag period varied with pH, temperature and pyrimidine concentration, and was much shorter for isouramil and divicine than for dialuric acid and acid-hydrolysed vicine. The initial rate of dialuric acid oxidation was greater and the acceleration less pronounced than with the other pyrimidines. A mechanism common to all four pyrimidines has been shown by kinetic analysis to account for nearly all the observations in the presence and absence of superoxide dismutase. Autocatalysis in the latter case is attributed mainly to the reactions reduced pyrimidine + oxidized pyrimidine in equilibrium 2 pyrimidine radical pyrimidine radical + O2----oxidized pyrimidine + O2- Rate constants for these and other reactions are reported. At pH 7.4 and 37 degrees the lag period before 100 microM acid-hydrolysed vicine underwent rapid oxidation was approx. 15 min. Isouramil and divicine at an equivalent concentration gave lags of less than 1 min, which became less at higher concentrations. Thus intracellular superoxide dismutase should provide only transitory protection against the oxidation products of dialuric acid, divicine or isouramil. Prolonged protection should only be achieved if accumulation of oxidized pyrimidine is also prevented.

Topics: Alloxan; Barbiturates; In Vitro Techniques; Kinetics; Oxidation-Reduction; Pyrimidinones; Superoxides

The effects of GSH on the autoxidation of the fava bean pyrimidine aglycones, divicine and isouramil, and on acid-hydrolyzed vicine (provisional identification 2-amino-4,5,6-trihydroxypyrimidine) have been studied. GSH alone promoted redox cycling of each compound, with concomitant GSH oxidation and H2O2 production. In the presence of superoxide dismutase, there is a lag period during which little pyrimidine oxidation occurs, followed by a period of accelerated oxidation. With the three pyrimidines, increasing concentrations of GSH extended this lag period and progressively decreased subsequent rates of both pyrimidine oxidation and O2 uptake. No GSH oxidation or O2 uptake occurred during the lag. These results show that the combination of GSH and superoxide dismutase is able to inhibit redox cycling of the pyrimidines. With a 10-fold excess of GSH over isouramil or acid-hydrolyzed vicine (20-fold with divicine) this coupled oxidation of GSH and the pyrimidine is almost completely suppressed. This mechanism may be a means whereby GSH in combination with superoxide dismutase protects against the cytotoxic effects of these reactive pyrimidines.

Topics: Barbiturates; Catalase; Glucosides; Glutathione; Hydrogen Peroxide; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Kinetics; Oxidation-Reduction; Oxygen Consumption; Pyrimidinones; Superoxide Dismutase

Release of iron from ferritin by the polyhydroxypyrimidines, dialuric acid, isouramil, divicine, and acid-hydrolyzed vicine, was measured. Iron was released at fast initial rates which gradually declined to zero in 10 min. All the compounds were better reductants for ferritin-iron under nitrogen than in air. The effects of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione on both initial rates and total iron released over 30 min in air were determined. Major effects were inhibition by superoxide dismutase for divicine and isouramil and enhancement for dialuric acid and acid-hydrolyzed vicine. Glutathione promoted increased iron release that was further enhanced by superoxide dismutase. These increases were particularly striking over the longer time period. Catalase, in all cases, gave modest enhancement. Enhanced iron release correlated with inhibition of pyrimidine oxidation. The results indicate that the reduced form of each pyrimidine releases ferritin iron directly, and the effects of the antioxidants are mainly to maintain or regenerate the reduced pyrimidines. A combination of each pyrimidine and ferritin caused peroxidation of phopholipid liposomes, above that seen with the pyrimidines and adventitious iron. Glutathione, superoxide dismutase, and catalase modulated lipid peroxidation in a way consistent with their effects being mainly on ferritin-iron release. On the basis of our findings, we propose that the release and subsequent reactions of ferritin-iron may contribute to the toxicity of these compounds. Although glutathione and superoxide dismutase together efficiently inhibit redox cycling and H2O2 production from the pyrimidines, this combination maximized iron release from ferritin and ferritin-dependent lipid peroxidation.

Topics: Barbiturates; Catalase; Ferritins; Glucosides; Glutathione; Iron; Kinetics; Lipid Peroxidation; Liposomes; Oxidation-Reduction; Oxygen Consumption; Pyrimidines; Pyrimidinones; Superoxide Dismutase

Vicine is a glucoside from broad beans (Vicia faba) that is hydrolyzed upon ingestion to the unstable aglycon divicine, the autoxidation of which has been implicated in the onset of hemolysis in favism,possibly via production of superoxide and hydrogen peroxide. The autoxidation of divicine proceeds through a series of reactions involving the formation of a radical species. In this study divicine radicals were produced either by incubation of vicine with beta-glucosidase or by boiling vicine in hydrochloric acid. On the basis of electron spin resonance spectra, it was shown that the two treatments produce different radicals. By spectral simulation the acid-produced radical was demonstrated to be a deaminodivicine. The autoxidation rates of the two radicals were determined from the disappearence of their electron spin resonance signals in the presence of air: at physiological pH the enzymatically produced divicine radical was much more stable to oxygen than the chemically produced radical. The two radicals may thus be expected to behave differently in a biological system. The repercussions of these findings could be considerable, given that most of the pharmacological and biochemical studies on vicine action have been done with the chemically produced compound, which is shown here to be an unphysiological intermediate.

Topics: Cellulases; Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy; Free Radicals; Glucosides; Hydrolysis; Pyrimidinones; Vicia faba

Topics: Animals; Erythrocyte Membrane; Erythrocytes; Heme; Hemolysis; Male; Methemoglobin; Oxidation-Reduction; Pyrimidinones; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Reference Values; Vitamin E; Vitamin E Deficiency

The formation of the superoxide anion radical (O2-) during the autoxidation of divicine, an unstable aglycone involved in the hemolytic anemia occurring in favism, has been demonstrated by EPR with two different procedures. In the first case (chemical method) an O2--mediated reduction of a nitroxide by cysteine was shown to occur when divicine was allowed to cycle between the oxidized and the reduced form. In the second case (enzymatic method) the specific reaction between superoxide and superoxide dismutase was used as superoxide detector. It was shown that the enzyme attained a steady-state condition when mixed with divicine in the presence of air, as monitored by EPR evaluation of the oxidation state of the catalytic copper: this result is a direct, specific indicator of an O2- flux.

Topics: Cyclic N-Oxides; Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy; Oxidation-Reduction; Pentetic Acid; Pyrimidinones; Superoxides

Damaged RBC drawn from favic patients during acute hemolysis showed marked alterations in their two major proteolytic systems. Cytosolic procalpain (i.e., the proenzyme species of Ca2+-activated neutral proteinase, or calpain) had considerably lower activity than in matched RBC from asymptomatic G6PD-deficient subjects. The total RBC activity of the three acid endopeptidases that are normally membrane-bound was not reduced in favism, but its subcellular distribution was mostly cytosolic, suggesting quantitative release from membranes. Changes in procalpain activity are the result of both autoxidation of divicine and of the intracellular elevation of Ca2+ that is found in favism. Changes in acid endopeptidase activity are the consequence of perturbed Ca2+ homeostasis. Overall, the picture shows a marked impairment of the RBC proteolytic machinery that in turn may worsen cellular damage.

Topics: Calcium; Calpain; Endopeptidases; Enzyme Precursors; Erythrocytes; Favism; Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency; Hemolysis; Humans; Male; Peptide Hydrolases; Pyrimidinones

The effects of divicine (DV), one of its degradation products ("blue DV"), and H2O2 on normal and pre-treated rat erythrocyte (RBC) reduced glutathione (GSH) content, spontaneous hemolysis at different tonicity levels, optical absorption spectrum of the hemolysate, as well as on their morphology were investigated. The influence of experimental conditions (temperature, pre- and post-treatment incubation period, presence and absence of glucose in the medium, aerobic and anaerobic conditions and levels of DV and "blue DV") were also studied. Only DV caused a marked decrease in GSH, which is regenerated when the DV level is below 4mM, and in the absence of glucose the regenerating capacity is abolished. DV and "blue DV" not only failed to induce hemolysis but they actually increased the cells' resistance to it; especially "blue DV", which probably lacked GSH-depressing effect. DV caused changes in the absorption spectrum of the hemolysate and to some extent in that of a purified hemoglobin solution, whereas "blue DV" and H2O2 did not. DV also produced profound and long-lasting morphologic changes in the RBC.

Topics: Animals; Erythrocytes; Glutathione; Hemolysis; Hydrogen Peroxide; Male; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; Pyrimidinones; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Spectrophotometry; Time Factors

Topics: Ascorbic Acid; Carbon Monoxide; Erythrocytes; Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency; Hemolysis; Humans; Oxidation-Reduction; Peroxides; Plasma; Pyrimidinones; tert-Butylhydroperoxide

The influence of O2-, H2O2 and metal ions on the auto-oxidation of divicine, a pyrimidine aglycone, was studied. In air at pH 7.4, the hydroquinonic form oxidized within a few minutes. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) markedly decreased the initial rate, giving a lag phase followed by rapid oxidation. Although catalase or diethylenetriamine-penta-acetic acid (DTPA) alone had little effect, each in the presence of SOD further slowed the initial rate and increased the lag. H2O2 decreased the lag time, as did Cu2+, Fe2+ or haemoglobin. GSH substantially increased the lag phase, but it eventually reacted with the divicine to form a 305 nm-absorbing adduct. These results indicate that an O2(-)-dependent mechanism of divicine auto-oxidation normally predominates. Auto-oxidation can also occur by a mechanism involving H2O2 and transition metal ions or haemoglobin, and if both these reactions are prevented by SOD and DTPA or catalase, a third mechanism, requiring build-up of an autocatalytic intermediate, becomes operative. Oxyhaemoglobin did not react directly with divicine, but reacted with the H2O2 produced by divicine auto-oxidation to give mainly an oxidized derivative presumed to be ferrylhaemoglobin. Divicine was shown to reduce ferylhaemoglobin to methaemoglobin, and this reaction was probably responsible for the acceleratory effect of haemoglobin on divicine oxidation. These results indicate that O2 rather than oxyhaemoglobin is likely to initiate divicine oxidation in the erythrocyte. Haemolytic crises, which are thought to result from this oxidation, occur only sporadically in glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficient individuals following ingestion of fava beans. A characteristic of the crises is acute depletion of erythrocyte GSH, and the vulnerability of these cells could relate to the ability of GSH, in combination with SOD, to protect against the autocatalytic mechanism of divicine auto-oxidation. Our demonstration of a variety of auto-oxidation pathways also suggests possible areas of individual variation.

Topics: Catalase; Erythrocytes; Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency; Glutathione; Hemoglobins; Humans; Hydrogen Peroxide; Metals; Methemoglobin; Oxidation-Reduction; Oxyhemoglobins; Pentetic Acid; Pyrimidinones; Superoxide Dismutase; Superoxides

Human red cells were treated with 100 microM Ca2+ and ionophore A 23187. This treatment induces remarkable changes in the activities of the two major proteolytic systems of red cells, i.e. Ca2+-dependent neutral proteinase and acid endopeptidases. Ca2+-dependent neutral proteinase undergoes intracellularly preliminary activation of the inactive proenzyme species, followed by eventual inactivation through self-proteolysis. Transient activation is shown by selective degradation of cytoskeletal proteins known to be targets of this enzyme system. Concomitantly, acid endopeptidase activity is substantially released from the membrane into the cytosol. Preliminary inactivation of the Ca2+-dependent neutral proteinase by exposure of Glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase-deficient red cells to auto-oxidizing divicine prevents alterations induced by Ca2+ loading on cytoskeletal membrane proteins, while leaving solubilization of acid endopeptidase activity unaffected. The two events, although dependent on Ca2+ loading, are therefore unrelated to each other.

Topics: Calcimycin; Calcium; Calpain; Cytoskeletal Proteins; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; Endopeptidases; Enzyme Precursors; Erythrocytes; Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase; Humans; Pyrimidinones; Solubility; Subcellular Fractions

Calpain, the micromolar Ca2+-requiring form of Ca2+-stimulated neutral proteinase purified from human red cells, is remarkably inactivated during autoxidation of divicine (2,6-diamino-4,5-dihydroxypyrimidine), an aglycone implicated in the pathogenesis of favism. Inactivation of purified calpain is produced, in decreasing order of efficiency, by transient, probably semiquinonic species arising from autoxidation of divicine, by the H2O2 that is formed upon autoxidation itself, and by quinonic divicine, respectively. Purified procalpain, the millimolar Ca2+-requiring form that can be converted to the fully active calpain form by a variety of mechanisms, is less susceptible than calpain itself to inactivation by the same by-products of divicine autoxidation. When intact red cells are exposed to autoxidizing divicine, procalpain undergoes a significant loss of activity. At 1 mM divicine, intracellular inactivation is observed with procalpain only, while the activity of a number of red cell enzymes is unaffected. Inactivation of procalpain is consistently greater in red cells from glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase-deficient subjects than in normal cells. Restoration of normal levels of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity by means of entrapment of homogeneous human glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase in the deficient red cells results in normal stability of intracellular reduced glutathione; decreased susceptibility of procalpain to inactivation by autoxidizing divicine. These findings suggest that in the glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase-deficient red cells the procalpain-calpain system is a major target of divicine cytotoxicity.

Topics: Calpain; Enzyme Precursors; Erythrocytes; Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency; Glutathione; Humans; Oxidation-Reduction; Pyrimidinones

The redox state of red blood cell components was found to have profound effects on the specific inactivation of erythrocyte glutathione (GSH) peroxidase by divicine, a hydroquinone imine molecule of fava beans likely to be responsible, through redox cycling, of the oxidative damage of red blood cells ultimately resulting in the hemolysis of favism. Oxidation of hemoglobin is a necessary step for the inactivation to take place, apparently as a H2O2-MetHb adduct. On the other hand, the presence of either reduced NADP or glutathione enhances the inactivating effect although NADPH inhibits the oxidation of hemoglobin, and this suggests a catalytic role for MetHb in the inactivation process.

Topics: Ascorbic Acid; Catalase; Cell-Free System; Erythrocytes; Glutathione; Glutathione Peroxidase; Humans; In Vitro Techniques; Methemoglobin; NADP; Oxidation-Reduction; Pyrimidinones

Lymphoid and liver damage does not usually occur in Plasmodium vinckei-infected mice until parasitaemias reach 70-80 per cent and the mice are showing signs of illness. We report here that these changes can be induced in mice of healthy appearance and lower parasitaemia by injecting divicine or tertiary-butyl hydroperoxide, two generators of free oxygen radicals. The same or larger doses of these radical generators did not induce this tissue damage in normal mice. Phagocytic leukocytes are activated in P. vinckei-infected mice, and secretion by these cells of toxic oxygen metabolites has been suggested to be part of this process. Additive effects of these free radicals and those generated from divicine and t-butyl hydroperoxide could account for the increased susceptibility of parasitized mice to tissue damage by these agents.

Topics: Animals; Female; Liver; Lymphoid Tissue; Malaria; Male; Mice; Peroxides; Plasmodium; Pyrimidinones; tert-Butylhydroperoxide

The biochemical events that take place during acute hemolysis of G6PD-deficient subjects in favism are far from being elucidated. Evidence is here reported for a constantly and heavily disordered calcium homeostasis in the erythrocytes from seven favic patients. The abnormality, ie, a significantly impaired calcium ATPase activity and a parallel marked increase of intracellular calcium levels, was characteristic of the acute hemolytic crisis although unrelated to the attendant reticulocytosis. Concomitantly, a remarkable decrease of intracellular potassium was also observed. The mean +/- SD Ca2+-ATPase activity in the favic patients was 20.8 +/- 7.8 mumol Pi/g Hb/h compared with 37.2 +/- 8.5 in the matched controls represented by 12 healthy G6PD-deficient subjects (P less than .001). The mean +/- SD intraerythrocytic calcium content was 288 +/- 158 mumol/L of erythrocytes in the favic patients as compared with 22.0 +/- 8.2 in the G6PD-deficient controls (P less than .001). The intraerythrocytic potassium content was 76.6 +/- 19.3 mmol/L of erythrocytes in the favic patients and 106.6 +/- 8.2 in the G6PD-deficient controls (P less than .001). In vitro incubation of normal and G6PD-deficient erythrocytes with divicine, a pyrimidine aglycone present in fava beans and strongly implicated in the pathogenesis of favism, reproduces most of these events, including drop of calcium ATPase, increased intracellular calcium, and leakage of erythrocyte potassium.

Topics: Acute Disease; Calcium; Calcium-Transporting ATPases; Cell Separation; Erythrocyte Count; Erythrocytes; Favism; Homeostasis; Humans; In Vitro Techniques; Ion Channels; Male; Methemoglobin; Potassium; Pyrimidinones

Divicine (2,6-diamino-4,5-dihydroxypyrimidine), an aglycone implicated in the pathogenesis of favism, produces a remarkable and consistent inactivation of the Ca2+-ATPase activity of the erythrocyte calcium pump. The patterns of inactivation are similar in normal and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD)-deficient erythrocytes. Inactivation of Ca2+-ATPase is apparently unrelated to the cellular GSH system, to the proteolytic machinery of mature erythrocytes, and to calmodulin, and also occurs in hemoglobin-free, unsealed erythrocytes membranes at 50-100 microM concentrations of divicine. Analysis of erythrocytes that have escaped destruction during the acute hemolytic crisis of a number of favic patients revealed a dramatic elevation of erythrocyte calcium and a significant decrease of Ca2+-ATPase activity. These results support the view that divicine plays a toxic role in the pathogenesis of favism and suggest that acute electrolyte imbalances, mostly affecting calcium homeostasis, are involved in the mechanisms of erythrocyte damage and destruction in this hemolytic disease.

Topics: Calcium; Calcium-Transporting ATPases; Calmodulin; Erythrocyte Membrane; Erythrocytes; Favism; Humans; Male; Membrane Proteins; Potassium; Pyrimidinones

Red cells of G6PD (D-glucose-6-phosphate:NADP+ 1-oxidoreductase; G6PD) deficient (Mediterranean variant) subjects were studied during a fava bean haemolytic crisis. Two representative cases are described. In Case 1, haemolysis was still going on. In more than 50% of the red cells the Hb was confined to one part of the cell, leaving the other part as transparent as a Hb-free ghost. In this part the membranes appeared tightly bonded because swelling did not peel apart the bonded membrane areas. This feature is defined as membrane cross bonding (MCB). In Case 2, haemolysis had terminated and MCB-cells were less than 1%. MCB was reproduced in vitro by incubating G6PD-deficient whole blood with 1 mM divicine for up to 10 h. Subsequent shrinkage of red cells in hypertonic plasma (400 mOsm) resulted in the rapid formation of MCB. Membrane modifications by divicine, contained in fava beans, followed by osmotic shrinkage in the kidney and/or squeezing in the microcirculation are proposed as the cause of MCB during the favic crisis. MCB reduces the effective surface area of red cells. This is a plausible cause for sequestration by the reticulo-endothelial system. Intravascular haemolysis observed in favic crisis cannot be explained by mechanical forces, but it is possible that the effective surface area is reduced by MCB to such an extent that red cells lyse osmotically.

Topics: Child; Child, Preschool; Erythrocyte Membrane; Erythrocytes; Favism; Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency; Heinz Bodies; Hemolysis; Humans; Male; Pyrimidinones

Divicine, a pyrimidine aglycone strongly implicated in the pathogenesis of favism, induces calcium release from intact rat liver mitochondria. Divicine-dependent calcium release is accompanied by oxidation and hydrolysis of intramitochondrial pyridine nucleotides. Inhibition of both mitochondrial glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase slows down divicine-induced calcium release. Cyanide-insensitive respiration indicates redox cycling of divicine in mitochondria. The results suggest that attention should be paid to the action of divicine in cells other than red blood cells.

Topics: Animals; Calcium; Carmustine; Glutathione Peroxidase; Glutathione Reductase; Hydrogen Peroxide; Membrane Potentials; Mitochondria, Liver; Oxygen Consumption; Pyrimidinones; Rats

Reduced divicine (2,6-diamino-4,5-dihydroxypyrimidine), an aglycone implicated in the pathogenesis of favism, reduces methemoglobin efficiently in intact erythrocytes and in hemolysates. Oxidized divicine produces the same effect when glucose or an NADPH-generating system is added to intact erythrocytes or to hemolysates. Although NADPH, NADH, and GSH have no direct methemoglobin-reducing activity in vitro, they convert oxidized divicine to the reduced hydroquinone species, which is responsible for the electron transfer to methemoglobin. Reduction of methemoglobin is optimally observed under nitrogen since, in the presence of oxygen, reduced divicine undergoes autoxidation. Several lines of evidence rule out the reduction of methemoglobin by divicine through an enzyme-catalyzed process, although it is certainly sustained by the hexose monophosphate shunt activity of erythrocytes through the generation of both NADPH and GSH. Thus, the strong enhancing effect that glucose produces on the divicine-dependent methemoglobin reduction within intact normal erythrocytes is completely absent in erythrocytes from glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase-deficient subjects. This distinctive behavior might account for the enhanced methemoglobin levels that are found both in vitro in glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase-deficient erythrocytes exposed to divicine and in vivo as a typical feature of the acute hemolytic crisis of favic patients.

Topics: Catalase; Erythrocytes; Hexosephosphates; Humans; Kinetics; Methemoglobin; NAD; NADP; Oxidation-Reduction; Pyrimidinones

A significant inactivation of red blood cell glutathione peroxidase (25% less than the physiological value) was observed after exposure of intact erythrocytes to 2 mM divicine (an autoxidizable aminophenol from Vicia faba seeds) and 2 mM ascorbate for 3 h at 37 degrees C. Addition of catalase and conversion of Hb to the carbomonoxy derivative resulted in protection against enzyme inactivation. Oxidation of Hb was a concurrent phenomenon, and augmented the inactivating effect. In hemolysates, much stronger effects were observed at shorter times (2 h); divicine was effective also without ascorbate, and the presence of reductants (ascorbate or glutathione or NADPH) enhanced its inactivating power. Of the other antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase was unaffected under the same experimental conditions. Catalase was found to be much less sensitive to the inactivation; it was almost unaffected in experiments with intact erythrocytes and specifically protected by NADPH in experiments with hemolysates. This specific damage of glutathione peroxidase, apparently involving interaction of H2O2 and HbO2, may be related to the pathogenesis of hemolysis in favism.

Topics: Adult; Carboxyhemoglobin; Erythrocytes; Favism; Glutathione Peroxidase; Hemolysis; Humans; Methemoglobin; Pyrimidinones

Favism is an acute hemolysis occurring in glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD)-deficient (Mediterranean variant) individuals after intake of fava beans. Divicine (D), 2,6-diamino-4,5-dihydroxypyrimidine, is present in high amounts in the beans, and is suspected to play a role in hemolysis. Its mechanism of action was studied in a cell-free system and in G6PD (Mediterranean variant)-deficient red cells (RBC). Upon hydrolysis of the inactive beta-glucoside vicine, reduced divicine is formed. Oxygen acts as a one- or two-electron acceptor; superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide are formed, respectively, together with the semiquinoid free-radical form of D. This free radical gives an electron spin resonance (ESR) signal, which is similar to that of the alloxan free radical. Added reduced glutathione (GSH) is rapidly oxidized with a stoichiometry of one to one, and the ESR signal is abolished. Additional GSH is oxidized by hydrogen peroxide and by a slow redox cycle which continuously regenerates oxidized D. The fast-direct and the slow-indirect oxidation result in nonstoichiometric oxidation of GSH. D added to G6PD-deficient RBC rapidly oxidizes GSH with an end point kinetics and a stoichiometry of one to one. Hydrogen peroxide and superoxide anion are scavenged in the RBC and no redox cycling is taking place. No GSH is regenerated even after long incubation periods. After the primary event, i.e., oxidation of GSH and--SH groups, a number of metabolic, rheologic, and membrane modifications, together with increased erythrophagocytosis take place in G6PD-deficient, D-treated RBC only.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Topics: Ascorbic Acid; Cell-Free System; Cytochrome c Group; Erythrocytes; Favism; Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency; Glutathione; Hemolysis; Humans; Hydrogen Peroxide; In Vitro Techniques; Kinetics; Male; Oxidation-Reduction; Pyrimidinones; Superoxides

Topics: Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy; Free Radicals; Oxidation-Reduction; Pyrimidinones

Enzymatic activity of purified or membrane-bound acetylcholine esterase was lost when incubated aerobically in the presence of both favism-inducing agent (isouramil or divicine) and copper ions. The requirement for oxygen could be substituted by hydrogen peroxide. Chelating agents provided total protection to the proteins. The suggested mechanism of enzymatic inactivation is analogous to that suggested earlier for the effects of superoxide and ascorbate, and involves the site-specific formation of hydroxyl radicals in the metal-mediated Haber-Weiss reaction. These findings may be relevant to the understanding of the pathogenesis of favism.

Topics: Ascorbic Acid; Barbiturates; Cholinesterase Inhibitors; Copper; Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy; Favism; Humans; In Vitro Techniques; Oxidation-Reduction; Pyrimidinones

Complete removal of leucocytes and platelets from erythrocytes and the development of a sensitized procedure for the assay of G6PD activity allowed the biochemical mechanisms of the Mediterranean variety of G6PD deficiency to be re-evaluated. Activity in the young erythrocytes from 9 G6PD-deficient subjects averaged 0.1% of the levels observed in the corresponding erythrocyte fraction from normal individuals: moreover, the decline of activity during aging of the G6PD-deficient erythrocytes was comparable with that observed for the normal enzyme. Mutant G6PD purified from granulocytes of a G6PD-deficient subject and entrapped within the corresponding erythrocytes was remarkably stable. Exposure of native erythrocytes to an oxidative stress (divicine plus ascorbate) resulted in a decrease of G6PD activity that was significantly more rapid and extensive in control than in G6PD-deficient cells. These results seem to exclude enhanced intracellular breakdown of the mutant protein within the circulating erythrocytes.

Topics: Ascorbic Acid; Erythrocyte Aging; Erythrocytes; Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase; Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency; Hemolysis; Humans; Male; Mediterranean Islands; Mutation; Pyrimidinones

Red blood cells of favism patients with acute hemolytic crisis have markedly more superoxide dismutase (superoxide:superoxide oxidoreductase, EC 1.15.1.1) and less glutathione peroxidase (glutathione:hydrogenperoxide oxidoreductase, EC 1.11.1.9) than either normal controls, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase-deficient subjects or favism patients outside hemolytic crisis. This altered value of the two enzyme activities is not due to increased reticulocyte content of blood. The electrophoretic triplet pattern of superoxide dismutase is also changed, with significant increase of the most positively charged band. Similar modifications of the two enzyme activities are observed after treatment of normal red blood cells with high concentrations of divicine and ascorbate, which are redox compounds that are contained in fava seeds. This treatment produces no hemolysis, but leads to hemolysis if the treated cells are resuspended in the homologous plasma. These results suggest a possible role of active oxygen species in the development of favism.

Topics: Ascorbic Acid; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; Erythrocyte Aging; Erythrocytes; Favism; Glutathione Peroxidase; Hemolysis; Humans; Oxidation-Reduction; Pyrimidinones; Reticulocytes; Superoxide Dismutase

Native divicine , a pyrimidine aglycone strongly implicated in the pathogenesis of favism, undergoes rapid auto-oxidation according to a 1:1 stoichiometry with respect to the oxygen disappeared. In the presence of oxygen divicine re-oxidizes both NADPH and NADH, whereby a red-ox cycling is perpetuated between hydroquinonic and quinonic species of divicine itself. The oxygen-dependent interaction of divicine with GSH involves a 90% oxidation to GSSG and the parallel formation of two distinct adducts. Both adducts have been isolated by means of HPLC and characterized in their spectral properties. The one having maximum absorption at 305 nm is susceptible of reduction by glutathione reductase, while the adduct with maximum absorption at 320 nm is stable and is likely to represent a dead-end complex of divicine .

Topics: Chemical Phenomena; Chemistry; Glutathione; Glutathione Reductase; NAD; NADP; Oxidation-Reduction; Oxygen Consumption; Pyrimidinones

Intravenous injection of divicine into mice infected with Plasmodium vinckei rapidly killed the parasites and caused haemolysis. Degenerating parasites were observed frequently inside intact circulating erythrocytes, implying that parasite death was not a passive consequence of haemolysis. Both parasite death and haemolysis were prevented by the iron chelator desferrioxamine. In vitro, divicine caused the accumulation of malonyldialdehyde and the depletion of reduced glutathione in normal mouse erythrocytes. Desferrioxamine inhibited the former event, but not the latter. These observations support the hypothesis advanced by Huheey & Martin (Experientia, 31, 1145, 1975) to explain the patchy geographical distribution of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency in historic malarial areas and also suggest that desferrioxamine, a drug already in clinical use, is a potential treatment for favism and other examples of oxidative haemolysis.

Topics: Animals; Deferoxamine; Erythrocytes; Favism; Female; Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency; Glutathione; Hemolysis; Malaria; Male; Malondialdehyde; Mice; Mice, Inbred CBA; Microscopy, Electron; Pyrimidinones

A combination of divicine (an aglycone from the fava bean beta-glucoside vicine) and ascorbate results in a marked production of ethylene from methional, as a probable indication of OH radical formation. Addition of iron-EDTA to this oxidising system enhances the ethylene production significantly. The enhancing effect of iron-EDTA is also observed when both normal and Glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD)-deficient red cells are exposed to the divicine-ascorbate system. Moreover, iron-EDTA magnifies other consequences of oxidant damage afforded by divicine-ascorbate or by ascorbate alone on the target red cells, such as depletion of reduced glutathione, formation of methemoglobin, stimulation of hexose monophosphate shunt activity and lipid peroxidation. Although the biochemical changes induced by this oxidative system are not remarkably different in normal and in G6PD-deficient red cells, the extra-damaging effect of chelated iron might be important in the mechanism of hemolysis.

Topics: Ascorbic Acid; Catalase; Edetic Acid; Erythrocytes; Ferric Compounds; Free Radicals; Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency; Glutathione; Humans; Hydroxides; Hydroxyl Radical; Iron; Male; Oxygen; Pyrimidinones

Divicine (2,6-diamino-4,5-dihydroxypyrimidine) is a quinoid compound contained in high amounts in all fava bean strains. It elicits a number of metabolic and rheological modifications in G6PD-deficient RBC. Besides this, it stimulates erythrophagocytosis by mouse peritoneal macrophages and formation of crossbonded red cells. The latter are intracellularly membrane-bonded red cells, which form during hypertonic incubation and subsequent swelling. All effects observed in vitro were also observed in vivo in the early phases of fabic hemolysis. In particular, phagocytosis and crossbonding offer a basis for understanding extravasal hemolysis.

Topics: Animals; Erythrocytes; Favism; Glutathione; Humans; Macrophages; Male; Membrane Lipids; Membrane Proteins; Mice; Phagocytosis; Phospholipids; Pyrimidinones; Rheology

A new method for the quantitation of the favism-inducing agents in legumes is described. The procedure involves differential extraction of the glucosides vicine and convicine with acetic acid (25%), followed by an enzymatic hydrolysis by beta-glucosidase under anaerobic conditions. Each of the aglycone moieties, isouramil and divicine, anaerobically reduces two molecules of o-ferriphenanthroline to o-ferrophenanthroline. This reaction is readily followed spectrophotometrically at 515 nm. Using this procedure, it was found that in various strains of Vicia faba, the level of these two glucosides comprises approximately 0.5% of the wet weight of the seeds. In contrast, these glucosides could not be detected in either green peas or chick peas.

Topics: Barbiturates; Fabaceae; Favism; Glucosidases; Glucosides; Oxidation-Reduction; Phenanthrolines; Plants, Medicinal; Pyrimidinones; Spectrophotometry; Uracil; Uridine

Topics: Absorption; Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Cecum; Chickens; Glucosides; Glycosides; Half-Life; Hydrolysis; Intestines; Male; Pyrimidinones; Tissue Distribution; Uracil; Uridine

The 5-amino substituents of two pyrimidine cofactors of rat liver phenylalanine hydroxylase, 2,5,6-triamino-4-pyrimidinone (TP) and 5-benzylamino-2,6-diamino-4-pyrimidinone (BDP), have been shown to be cleaved quantitatively by enzyme (Bailey, S. W., and Ayling, J. E. (1980) J. Biol. Chem. 255, 7774-7781). That the pyrimidine product of this process (when carried out in the presence of 2-mercaptoethanol) is 2,6-diamino-5-hydroxy-4-pyrimidinone (divicine) is further confirmed by mass spectrometry of an isolated t-butyldimethylsilyl derivative. The origin of the oxygens in this divicine was studied with enzyme reactions containing 18O2. Corrected for the loss in the controls, the divicine generated by phenylalanine hydroxylase from TP and BDP incorporated one atom of 18O with an efficiency of 98 +/- 5% and 100 +/- 3%, respectively, even though these reactions are partially uncoupled. The position of the isotope was unambiguously assigned to the 5-hydroxyl group by the simultaneous use of [18O] TP and 18O2, the divicine from which was found to be doubly labeled. o-Methylphenylalanine stimulates a rate of cofactor oxidation at least 10-fold greater than its own rate of hydroxylation. The majority of divicine isolated from phenylalanine hydroxylase incubations with o-methyl substrate analog was labeled with oxygen from 18O2. The demonstration, with phenylalanine hydroxylase, that one atom of molecular oxygen remains attached to position 5 of pyrimidine cofactor, provides the first strong evidence for activation of oxygen by aromatic amino acid monooxygenases via covalent addition to C4a of tetrahydrobiopterin.

Topics: Animals; Liver; Mass Spectrometry; Oxygen; Oxygen Consumption; Oxygen Isotopes; Phenylalanine Hydroxylase; Pyrimidines; Pyrimidinones; Rats

Isouramil and divicine are pyrimidine aglycones of two glucosides found in broad beans. They have been shown to be strong reducing agents. Their reaction with oxygen in a (gas) saturated solution, 26 degrees C, is characterized by tau 1/2 = 1 min and 3 min respectively. Hydrogen peroxide is formed in this reaction stoichiometrically (1:1). The pyrimidines lose two hydrogen and form an intermediate that is structurally analogues to alloxan. This intermediate is not stable, and in the absence of reducing agents it decomposes, possibly by ring-cleavage. In the presence of reduced glutathione the intermediate is reduced and can now react with oxygen once again. Thus, the pyrimidines cycle between the two states and the net reaction is the catalytic oxidation of glutathione by molecular oxygen; in each cycle 4 molecules of glutathione are dissipated. The possible involvement of these pyrimidines in the pathogenesis of favism may be in a similar mechanism. Red blood cells deficient in glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase cannot cope with such an oxidative challenge exerted by the pyrimidines. Consequently an irreversible cellular damage can take place leading to the enhanced sequestration of these red blood cells by the reticuloendothelial system.

Topics: Animals; Barbiturates; Chemical Phenomena; Chemistry; Erythrocytes; Favism; Free Radicals; Glutathione; Humans; Oxidation-Reduction; Pyrimidinones

Fava beans contain high amounts (up to 6.7 g/100 g dry weight) vicine and convicine. Their active aglycones divicine and isouramil have equivalent metabolic effects. They rapidly oxidize GSH to GSSG in normal and G6PD-deficient red cells. No regeneration of GSH occurs in deficient cells. The stoichiometry of the divicine oxidation of GSH is 1:1. Ascorbic acid is quickly oxidized by isouramil in both normal and deficient cells but regenerates only in normal cells. Isouramil oxidizes NADH at a much lesser extent than NADPH. Glycolysis is activated at the glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase step. Divicine strongly stimulates hexone monophosphate shunt only in normal red cells. Divicine alone or associated with ascorbic acid has almost no effect in deficient red cells. Malonyl dialdehyde production is slight and virtually the same in normal and deficient cells treated with 5 mM isouramil. Large polypeptide aggregates are formed after 12 and 24 hours incubation with 1 mM divicine in deficient cells only. Divicine (0.25 mM) markedly decreases the filterability of deficient cells. The results are consistent with a causal role of divicine/isouramil in the genesis of the hemolytic crisis occurring in G6PD-deficient subjects after fava bean ingestion.

Topics: Ascorbic Acid; Barbiturates; Erythrocytes; Favism; Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency; Glucosides; Glutathione; Humans; Kinetics; Pyrimidinones; Reference Values; Species Specificity; Toxins, Biological; Uracil; Uridine

Topics: Animals; Dihydropteridine Reductase; Liver; Mercaptoethanol; NAD; Oxidation-Reduction; Phenylalanine Hydroxylase; Pyrimidines; Pyrimidinones; Rats

Topics: Chemistry, Pharmaceutical; Glucosides; Humans; Pyrimidines; Pyrimidinones