Sulfurtransferases and Cyanide Detoxification in Mouse Liver, Kidney, and Brain

Abstract

The activity of rhodanese, 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase (MPST) and cystathionase in mouse liver, kidney, and four brain regions: tele-, meso-, di- and rhombencephalon was studied 30 min and 2 h following a sublethal dose of cyanide (4 mg/ kg body weight) intraperitoneal injection. Simultaneously, sulfane sulfur levels and total sulfur content, a direct or indirect source of sulfur for CN(-) conversion to SCN(-), were also investigated in these tissues. In the liver this dose of cyanide seemed to impair the process of cyanide detoxification by MPST, as well as rhodanese inhibition. The effects of cyanide administration to mice proved to be totally different in the liver and kidney. In the kidney, a significant increase in the rhodanese activity was observed as early as 30 min following cyanide intoxication, and an elevated cystathionase activity after 2 h was detected. This suggests the involvement of cystathionase in cyanide detoxification in the kidney. The activity of MPST remained at the same level as in the control group. In the rhombencephalon, similarly as in the kidney, L-cysteine desulfuration pathways, which generate sulfane sulfur and sulfurtransferases that transfer sulfane sulfur atoms to CN(-), seemed to play an important role as a defense system against cyanide. The stable level of sulfane sulfur and total sulfur content was accompanied in the rhombencephalon by an increased activity of MPST, cystathionase and rhodanese. In other brain regions the role of these three sulfurtransferases was not so clear and it seemed that in the telencephalon, where the total sulfur content, but not the sulfane sulfur level, was significantly increased, some sulfur-containing compounds, such as GSH and/or cysteine, appeared in response to cyanide.

Histopathological evaluation of tumor necrosis and volume after cyanogenic chemotherapy

“…The cyanide poisoning can cause reactions such as seizures, tachycardia followed by prostration 14 ; similar reactions were observed in this experiment after the animals were exposed to cyanogenic chemotherapy, showing once again the ability of cyanide to diffuse through the tissues, promoting its toxic action in the brain of these animals which are more susceptible tissues to the action of cyanide 1 .…”

Primary hepatocytes from mice lacking cysteine dioxygenase show increased cysteine concentrations and higher rates of metabolism of cysteine to hydrogen sulfide and thiosulfate

“…After centrifugation at 1,600× g for 10 min, the supernatant was used for the determination of the activity of sulfurtransferases (mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase or MPST, CTH and TST). The activity of MPST was assayed according to method of Valentine and Frankenfeld (1974) with some modifications described by Wróbel et al (2004). CTH activity was determined according to Matsuo and Greenberg (1958) as modified by Czubak et al (2002).…”

“…CTH activity was determined according to Matsuo and Greenberg (1958) as modified by Czubak et al (2002). TST (rhodanese) activity was assayed by the method of Sörbo (1957) as described by Wróbel et al (2004).…”

Noninvasive monitoring of treatment response in a rabbit cyanide toxicity model reveals differences in brain and muscle metabolism

“…23 Wrobel et al showed that there is difference in 3-MPST activity amongst liver, kidney and brain in mice. 31,32 However, there are no published reports showing the 3-MPST activity in different organs from human or rabbit. One of us (SP) at University of Minnesota measured the specific activity of 3-MPST from liver, kidney, and blood in human and rabbit and found that the 3-MPST activity in rabbit is close to that in humans (unpublished).…”