Phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC), a constituent of cruciferous vegetables, has been shown to inhibit chemical carcinogenesis, possibly due to its ability to block the activation or to enhance the detoxification of chemical carcinogens. The present study was conducted to elucidate the biochemical mechanisms involved by characterizing the effects of PEITC on phase I and phase II xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes. A single dose of PEITC to F344 rats (1 mmol/kg) decreased the liver N-nitrosodimethylamine demethylase (NDMAd) activity (mainly due to P450 2E1) by 80% at 2 h and the activity of NDMAd remained decreased by 40% at 48 h after treatment. The liver pentoxyresorufin O-dealkylase (PROD) activity and P450 2B1 protein level were elevated 10- and 7-fold at 24 h after treatment respectively. The liver microsomal ethoxyresorufin O-dealkylase (EROD) (mainly due to P450 1A) and erythromycin N-demethylase (mainly due to P450 3A) activities were decreased at 2-12 h after treatment and recovered afterwards. The lung microsomal PROD and EROD activities were not significantly affected; whereas, the nasal microsomal PROD and EROD activities were decreased by 40-50%. After a treatment with PEITC, the rates of oxidative metabolism of 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) were decreased in liver microsomes by 40-60% at 2 h and recovered gradually; the rates in lung microsomes were markedly decreased by 60-70% at 2 h and remained at the decreased level at 24 h; and the rates in nasal mucosa microsomes were decreased gradually with the lowest activities observed at 18 h (50%) followed by a gradual recovery. Furthermore, the treatment with PEITC resulted in a maximal 5-fold increase of NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase and 1.5-fold increase of glutathione S-transferase activities in the liver, but the activities of these two enzymes were not significantly affected in the lung and nasal mucosa. The sulfotransferase activity in the liver was decreased by 32-48% at 24-48 h after treatment; the nasal activity was increased by 1.8- to 2.5-fold, but the lung activity was not significantly changed. The hepatic UDP glucuronosyltransferase activity was slightly decreased at 2 h but slightly increased at 48 h after treatment, but no changes were observed for the lung and nasal activities. The study demonstrates that PEITC selectively affects xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes in the liver, lung and nasal mucosa and it is especially effective in inhibiting the P450-dependent oxidation of NNK in the lung and of NDMA in the liver.

Many arylalkyl isothiocyanates are potent inhibitors of 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK)-induced lung tumorigenesis in rats and mice. In the mouse, 4-phenylbutyl isothiocyanate (PBITC) and 6-phenylhexyl isothiocyanate (PHITC) exhibited greater inhibition than benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC) and phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC). The present study was conducted to investigate the structure-activity relationships of these four arylalkyl isothiocyanates for their inhibition of NNK oxidation and effects on xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes in rats and mice. A single dose (0.25 or 1.00 mmol/kg) of each isothiocyanate was given to F344 rats 6 or 24 h before death. The rates of NNK oxidation were decreased in microsomes from the liver, lung and nasal mucosa of rats. Generally, PEITC was more potent than BITC but less potent than PBITC and PHITC. The rates in rat liver microsomes were decreased at 6 h but recovered or increased at 24 h; the rates in rat lung microsomes were markedly decreased at both 6 and 24 h; and the rates in rat nasal mucosa microsomes were also significantly decreased. The same treatment decreased the rat liver N-nitrosodimethylamine demethylase activity dramatically and ethoxyresorufin O-dealkylase and erythromycin N-demethylase activities moderately. However, the rat liver microsomal pentoxy-resorufin O-dealkylase activity was decreased at 6 h but increased at 24 h, with PEITC showing the most marked induction. The rat liver NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase activity was increased 1.4- to 3.3-fold, with PEITC being most effective; and the glutathione S-transferase activity was increased slightly. Similarly, at a single dose of 0.25 mmol/kg (5 mumol/mouse) 24 h before death, PEITC, PBITC, PHITC but not BITC, decreased NNK oxidation in mouse lung microsomes by 40-85%, with PBITC and PHITC showing greater inhibition. Furthermore, all four isothiocyanates extensively inhibited NNK oxidation in rat lung and nasal mucosa microsomes as well as mouse lung microsomes in vitro, with PEITC (IC50 of 120-300 nM) being more potent than BITC (IC50 of 500-1400 nM) but less potent than PBITC and PHITC (IC50 of 15-180 nM). PHITC was a very potent competitive inhibitor of NNK oxidation in mouse lung microsomes with apparent K(i) values of 11-16 nM. These results indicate that PBITC and PHITC are more potent inhibitors of NNK bioactivation in rats and mice than PEITC. In addition, these arylalkyl isothiocyanates could be effective in protecting against the actions of a broad spectrum of carcinogenic or toxic compounds.

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Epidemiologic studies have suggested that fresh garlic has lipid-lowering activity. Because the microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (MTP) plays a pivotal role in the assembly and secretion of apolipoprotein B (apoB)-containing lipoproteins, we evaluated the effect of garlic on the expression of the MTP gene in vitro in cell lines and in vivo in rats. Fresh garlic extract (FGE) reduced MTP mRNA levels in both the human hepatoma HepG2 and intestinal carcinoma Caco-2 cells in dose-dependent fashion; significant reductions were detected with 3 g/L FGE. Maximal 72 and 59% reductions, respectively, were observed with 6 g/L FGE. To evaluate the in vivo effect of garlic on MTP gene expression, rats were given a single oral dose of fresh garlic homogenate (FGH), with hepatic and intestinal MTP mRNA measured 3 h after dosing. Rats fed FGH had significantly (46% of the control) lower intestinal MTP mRNA levels compared with the control rats, whereas hepatic MTP mRNA levels were not affected. These results suggest a new mechanism for the hypolipidemic effect of fresh garlic. Long-term dietary supplementation of fresh garlic may exert a lipid-lowering effect partly through reducing intestinal MTP gene expression, thus suppressing the assembly and secretion of chylomicrons from intestine to the blood circulation.

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