Purified acetaminophen-glutathione conjugate is able to induce oxidative stress in rat liver mitochondria

Physiol Res. 2012;61(Suppl 2):S103-9. doi: 10.33549/physiolres.932427.

Abstract

Acetaminophen overdose is the most often cause of acute liver injury. The toxic mechanism is linked to formation of an active metabolite that reacts with glutathione generating acetaminophen-glutathione conjugate (APAP-SG). This compound has been recognized to be non-toxic generally. Our preliminary results showed, however, that APAP-SG could possess a toxic effect too. Therefore, the aim of our study was to prepare, purify and to test possible toxicity of APAP-SG. We prepared APAP-SG using organic synthesis. The conjugate was purified by preparative HPLC and its structure was confirmed using mass spectrometry. Final purity of APAP-SG was >98 %. We estimated a toxic effect of APAP-SG in isolated rat liver mitochondria using a fluorescent ROS probe. We assessed ROS production in presence of complex I or complex II substrates. The increase of ROS-dependent fluorescence in presence of glutamate/malate was 104 ± 13 % and 130 ± 10 % in 1 mM and 5 mM APAP-SG, respectively, in comparison with controls. ROS production related to presence of complex II substrate was enhanced 4-times in APAP-SG (5 mM) treated mitochondria (compared to controls). We conclude, we proved our hypothesis that APAP-SG conjugate is able to induce a mitochondrial impairment leading to enhanced ROS production.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acetaminophen / analogs & derivatives*
  • Acetaminophen / chemical synthesis
  • Acetaminophen / isolation & purification
  • Acetaminophen / toxicity
  • Animals
  • Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / metabolism
  • Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / pathology
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Glutamic Acid / metabolism
  • Liver / metabolism
  • Malates / metabolism
  • Male
  • Mitochondria, Liver / drug effects*
  • Mitochondria, Liver / metabolism
  • Oxidative Stress*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Reactive Oxygen Species / metabolism

Substances

  • Malates
  • Reactive Oxygen Species
  • Acetaminophen
  • Glutamic Acid
  • malic acid
  • 3-(glutathion-S-yl)acetaminophen