• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Toxicology Conference
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• 2001.05a
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• pp.169-169
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• 2001

The phthalates have been shown to produce hepatic peroxisome proliferation and certain peroxisome proliferators (PPs) are also known to increase the incidence of liver tumors in rodents. In this study we investigated the correlation between oxidative injury, changes in peroxisomal and microsomal enzymes and tumor formation in PP-treated rats.(omitted)

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 1993.04a
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• pp.71-71
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• 1993

Carboxylesterase is widely distributed in the tissues of vertebrates, insects, plants and mycobacteria. Among various tissues of animals and humans, the highest esterase activity with various substrates is found in the liver. Kidney has moderate carboxylesterase activity in the proximal tubules. Considerable esterase activity is also found in the small intestine epithet elial cells and serum of mammals. Besides these tissues, carboxylesterase has been found in the lung, testis, adipose tissue, nasal mucosa and even in the central nervous system. Hepatic microsomal carboxylesterase catalyzes the hydrolysis of a wide variety of endogenous and exogenous compounds such as carboxylester, thioester and aromatic amide. Since carboxylesterases are important for metabolic activation of prodrugs and detoxification of xenobiotics, differences in substrate specificity and immunological properties of this enzyme are important in connection with choosing a suitable laboratory animal for the evaluation of biotransformation and toxicity of drugs. On the other hand, liver, kidney, intestine and serum were found to contain multiple forms of carboxylesterases in animal species and humans. In fact, we have purified more than fifteen isoforms of carboxylesterases from microsomes of liver, kidney and intestinal mucosa of nine animal species and humans. and characteristics of these isoforms were compared each other in terms of their physical and immunochemical properties. On the other hand, we have reported that hepatic microsomal carboxylesterases are induced by many exogenous compounds such as phenobarbital, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, Aroclor 1254, aminopyrine and clofibrate. Later, we showed that some isoforms of hepatic carboxylesterase were induced by glucocorticoids such as dexamethasone and 16 ${\alpha}$-carbonitrile, but other isoforms were rather inhibited by these compounds. These findings indicate that involvement of carboxylesterases in the metabolism and toxicity of drugs should be explained by the isoforms involved. Since 1991, we have carried out detailed research investigating the types of carboxylesterases involved in the metabolic activation of CPT-11, a derivative of camptothecin, to the active metabolite, SN-38. The results obtained strongly suggest that some isoforms of carboxylesterase of liver microsomes and intestinal mucosal membrane are exclusively involved in CPT-11 metabolism. In this symposium, the properties of carboxylesterase isoforms purified from liver, kidney and intestine of animal species and humans are outlined. In addition, metabolism of CPT-11, a novel antitumor agent, by carboxylesterases in relation to the effectiveness will also be discussed.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.363-369
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• 1998

Glutathione S-transferase placental form (GST-P) positive foci development and its expression in liver exposed by nongenotoxic carcinogens phenobarbital (PB) and clofibrate (CF), and genotoxic carcinogen 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f] quinoline (IQ) were investigated as a measure of carcinogenic potential of these chemicals. Male F344 rats were initially given a single intraperitioneal injection of diethyinitrosamine (200 mg/kg), and 2 weeks later, animals were fed diets containing 0.03% IQ or 0.5% CF or 0.05% PB or basal diet as a control for 6 weeks. All rats were subjected to two-thirds partial hepatectomy (PH) at week 3. Sequential sacrifice of rats was performed at 8 weeks or 52 weeks, and liver tissues were examined for immunohistochemical staining of GST-P positive foci. The numbers (No./$cm^2$) and areas ($mm^2$/ $cm^2$) of GST-P positive foci were increased by IQ or PB, but were decreased by CF compare to the control. Consistent with the development of GST-P positive foci, a time-related increase in the expression of GST-P mRNA was found in the rats treated with IQ, whereas CF decreased it. The incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma at 52 weeks was increased by all three chemicals. These results show that PB and IQ induced GST-P positive foci, but the peroxisome proliferator CF did not, which suggest that the prediction of carcinogenic potency based on the development of prenoplastic foci may cause false negative in a particular category compounds like peroxisome proliferators.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.206-212
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• 1998

This study was undertaken to explore the applicability of glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity as a predictable indicator to monitor chemical pollution in shells and fishes utilized for food. There were some variations in the basal level of GST activity depending on species tested. Ark shells, Anadara satowi, showed the highest normal enzyme activity, followed by catfish and marine mussels, Mytilus coruscus. White clams, Meretrix lusoria, Israeli carp and catfish had lower activity. When A. satowi was exposed to 3-methyl-cholanthrene (3-MC), a prototypic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon for 1 week, GST activity decreased by about 30%. This reduction in GST activity induced by 3-MC did not recover until two weeks after the cessation of exposure. GST activity increased in response to 3-MC in most of the other species studied. The GST elevation in M. coruscus attained its maxinum of about 200% at the termination of 3-MC exposure maintaining this level up to 2 weeks, and declined gradually thereafter. 3-MC also induced GST activity in lsraeli carp in a similar fashion to M. coruscus. Phenobarbital induced GST activity both in M. coruscus and lsraeil carp. Other chemicals. such as clofibrate, butylated hydroxyanisole. hexachlorobenzene, and oxolinic acid did not change the enzyme activity significantly in most speciel. Phenol depressed GST activity only in lsraeli carp. These results suggest that the basal level of GST activity is somewhat variable and that the direction of change in response to chemicals seems to be related to its normal activity. The change in enzyme activity can be a preditable indicator of some environmental chemicals such as PAHs and phenol.