Toxicology Letters, 57 (1991) 319-328 @ 1991 Elsevier Science Publishers
319
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ADON1~0378427491000914 TOXLET
02596
Trichloroaniline in vitro
effects on renal function in vivo and
Herng-Hsiang Lol, Patrick I. Brown2 and Gary 0. Rankin] Departments qf
‘Pharmacologyand 2Anatomy. Marshall University School of Medicine, Huntington, WV
(U.S.A.) (Received
22 December
1990)
(Accepted
15 February
199 1)
Keq’ words: Anilines;
Halogenated
hydrocarbons;
Kidney
SUMMARY Previous
studies have demonstrated
failure in vivo and altering study was to determine
organic
the nephrotoxic
ine their effects on organic (4 rats/group)
Renal function
2,3,4- and 3,4,5-TCA
effect on renal function nephrotoxic
of 4 trichloroaniline
in vitro.
was monitored
are capable
of inducing
the greatest
in vitro,
acute renal
slices in vitro. The purpose
In the in vivo experiments, intraperitoneally
male Fischer-344
reductions.
but that the isomers
tested are less potent
marked
tetraethylammon-
slices at bath concentrations
These results indicate
rats
(i.p.) or vehicle (sesame
at 24 and 48 h. None of the TCA isomers induced
by renal cortical
of this
(TCA) isomers in vivo and to exam-
In vitro, all TCA isomers were effective in decreasing
accumulation
inducing
by renal cortical
a TCA (0.8 or 1.5 mmol/kg)
renal effects at either time point. ium and p-aminohippurate
potential
ion accumulation
were administered
oil, 2.5 ml/kg).
that mono- and dichloroanilines ion accumulation
of lo-’ M with
that TCA can have a direct nephrotoxicants
than
the
mono- and dichloroanilines.
JNTRODUCTJON
Chlorinated aniline derivatives are commonly used for the manufacture of numerous dyes, drugs, pesticides, herbicides and a wide range of chemical intermediates [l&4]. Human exposure to chloroanilines occurs primarily in the industrial setting, but chloroanilines also are released following biotransformation of parent com-
Address.for correspondence: Gary School of Medicine,
Huntington,
0. Rankin,
Ph.D.,
WV 2575559310,
Department
U.S.A.
of Pharmacology,
Marshall
University
320
pounds in mammals or in the environment moved into the environment from industrial
[5-71. In addition, waste sites [S].
chloroanilines
have
In man, the most common acute toxicities following exposure to chloroanilines are methemoglobinemia and anemia [9,10], while chronic exposure in animals may result in neoplastic
and non-neoplastic
lesions in the spleen [I 1,121. Previous
studies in our
laboratory have demonstrated that mono- and dichloroanilines also induce acute nephrotoxicity in vivo and reduce organic anion and cation accumulation by renal cortical slices in vitro [13-l 51. Nephrotoxicity in vivo was characterized by oliguria, proteinuria, hematuria, decreased kidney weight and p-aminohippurate (PAH) accumulation by renal cortical slices, increased blood urea nitrogen (BUN) concentrations and tubular necrosis. Dichloroanilines (DCA) generally induced renal effects at lower doses in vivo or lower concentrations in vitro than the monochloroanilines (MCA). Also, the MCA possessed greater nephrotoxic potential than aniline, suggesting that increasing the number of chloro-groups on the aniline nucleus could result in aniline derivatives with enhanced nephrotoxic potential. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of 4 trichloroaniline (TCA) isomers on renal function in vivo and in vitro using Fischer-344 rats as the animal model. Fischer-344 rats were selected because this rat strain is frequently more sensitive to nephrotoxicants than other rat strains [ 16.171. The TCA isomers were studied in vivo to monitor renal effects of the compounds in whole animals and in vitro to determine the nephrotoxic potential of each isomer in the absence of hepatic metabolism and methemoglobinemia-induced hypoxia. The four TCA isomers studied (2,3,4-TCA; 2,4,5-TCA; 2,4,6-TCA; and 3,4,5-TCA) were chosen based on their commerical availability. MATERIALS
AND METHODS
Male Fischer-344 rats (220-275 g) from Hilltop Lab Animals, Inc. (Scottdale, PA) were allowed a l-week acclimatization period and maintained in standard plastic cages until use. After the acclimatization period, rats (4 rats/group) were placed singly in stainless-steel metabolism cages for the in vivo studies and control data obtained as previously described [13]. Following the control day. rats received a single intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of a TCA isomer (0.8 or 1.5 mmol/kg) or vehicle (sesame oil, 2.5 ml/kg). Urine volume was measured at 24 and 48 h. Urine contents were semiquantitatively analyzed at 6 and 30 h for the presence of protein, glucose and blood using Multistix’K’ (Ames Division, Miles Laboratories, Inc.). Food and water intake and body weight also were measured daily. At 48 h rats were killed by cervical dislocation. The left kidney was removed, renal cortical slices prepared freehand, and the accumulation of “C-labelled PAH and tetraethylammonium (TEA) by these slices determined [13]. The right kidney also was rapidly removed, weighed, cut into quarters and fixed in 10% neutral-buffered formalin solution for histological examination using light microscopy [I 31.
321
Prior to placing
the rats in metabolism
cages and again prior to killing,
sample was taken from the tail of each rat for the determination tration (Kit No. 640, Sigma Chemical Co.) In all in vivo experiments control rats were pair-fed
a blood
of the BUN concen-
to appropriate
treatment
groups to assure that renal effects were chemically-induced and not due to decreased food consumption. In the in vitro experiments, untreated rats were killed by cervical dislocation, both kidneys were removed, and renal cortical slices prepared. The accumulation of PAH and TEA was determined as previously described [13]. TCA solutions were prepared from the appropriate free bases in acetone such that the addition of 30 ~1 of the TCA solution would yield the desired final concentration in the 3 ml of incubation media. TCA or control solutions were added 30 min before the addition of PAH or TEA. Control samples had 30 ~1 of acetone only added to the incubation media. The data from the in vivo experiments were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance and/or Student’s t-tests. Data from the in vitro studies were analyzed using
2.3.4-TCA
DAY.9 POST-TREATYEM
2.4.5-TCA
3.4,5-TCA
DAYSPOST-TREATMENT
Fig. 1. Effect of TCA (treated) as means
DAYS POST-TREATYENT
or vehicle (control)
+ SE for n = 4 rats per group.
corresponding
An asterisk
day 0 value within a group. pair-fed
control
A dagger
administration indicates indicates
on urine volume. significantly
significantly
different different
group value for that day’s measurement.
Data (Pi
are expressed 0.05) from the
from the appropriate
322
one-way analysis of variance followed as the criterion for significance.
by a Dunnett’s
test. The 0.05 level was used
RESULTS
vivo renal ejjects Low-dose (0.8 mmol/kg) TCA treatment did not alter urine volume at 24 h in any treatment group, while 2,4,5-, 2,4,6- and 3,4,5-TCA injection reduced urine volume In
TABLE
I
EFFECT
OF TCA ADMINISTRATION
ON BUN CONCENTRATION
AND
KIDNEY
WEIGHT
AT 48 ha TCA
Dose
isomer
(mmol/kg)
Grouph
BUN concentration
(mgs)
Kidney (g/l00
0h
weight g body wt.)
4X h
___ 2.3.4
2.4. 5
2.4. 6
3,4. 5
rl Values are means h Control
Control
332 I
25*1*
Treated
295 i*
25*3
Control
26&l
23i1*
0.38*0.01
Treated
28k2
23*2*
0.36&0.01
Control
34* I
27+ 1*
0.38~0.01
Treated
32+2
26i
0.38t0.01
I*
Control
2x*3
Treated
x+2
22+1 _ 21*1
Control
24& I
23k I
0.37&0.01
Treated
23*4
75+1
0.36&0.01
0.36&0.01 0.38~0.01
Control
251 I
23&l
0.37*0.01
Treated
23&Z
24k2
0.38*0.01
Control
25+ I
25il
0.36kO.01
Treated
2813
24+2
0.39+0.01t
Control
26,
Treated
24* I
I
zl*l* 24i
0.37jo.01 l’r
0.42kO.Olt
+ SE for n = 4 rats per group
rats received
sesame oil (2.5 ml/kg)
dose indicated. *Significantly different
from 0 h value, P ~0.05.
t Significantly
from appropriate
different
only, while treated
pair-fed
control
rats received
value, P~0.05.
the test compound
at the
323
at 48 h (Fig. 1). High-dose (1.5 mmol/kg) TCA treatment induced mixed responses. 2,3,4-TCA treatment induced diuresis at 24 h and oliguria at 48 h, while 3,4,5-TCA only induced oliguria at 48 h (Fig. 1). Urine contents were not altered by high- or low-dose TCA treatment. BUN concentration was not increased at 48 h in any treatment group, although BUN concentration decreased in several groups (Table I). Kidney weight was increased at 48 h only in the 3,4,5-TCA (0.8 and 1.5 mmol/kg) groups and decreased in the 2,3,4-TCA (1.5 mmol/kg) group (Table I). In addition, few effects were induced by TCA on organic ion accumulation (Fig. 2). Basal and lactate-stimulated PAH accumulation were increased following 2,4,5- and 3,4,5-TCA (1.5 mmol/kg), while TEA uptake was decreased in the 2,4,5-TCA (0.8 mmol/kg), 2,4,6-TCA (1.5 mmol/kg) and 3,4,5-TCA (1.5 mmol/kg) treatment groups. None of the TCA isomers induced significant changes in renal morphology at 48 h with the doses tested. The results described above indicate that few renal effects are noted at 48 h following TCA administration at dose levels of 0.8 or 1.5 mmol/kg. To ascertain if renal
2,4,6GTCA
2.3,4-TCA
PAH
PAH + LACTATE
:m PAH
TEA
TEA
PAH + L4CTATE
slices at 48 h. Data significantly
Control
0 8 mmol/kg. I 5 mmol/kg. 1 5 mmol/kg.
Treated Control Treated
3,4,5STCA
Fig. 2. Effect of TCA (treated) cortical
0 6 rnrnol/kg,
m I [xl
PAH + LACTATE
2,4.5-TCA
PAH
0
or vehicle (control)
are expressed
different
TEA
PAH + LACTATE
as means
administration
on organic
_+ SE for n=4
(P < 0.05) from the appropriate
ion accumulation
rats per group.
pair-fed
control
A dagger
group value.
by renal indicates
324
toxicity Groups
had occurred earlier than 48 h, a second set of experiments was conducted. of rats were treated as described earlier, but only the 1.5 mmol/kg dose of
a TCA
isomer
changes
in kidney weight, BUN concentrations,
morphology.
or vehicle
was administered
In these animals,
no changes
and rats were evaluated organic in renal
at 24 h for
ion accumulation
function
and renal
or morphology
were
noted in the 2,3,4-, 2,4,5- or 2,4,6-TCA treatment groups (data not shown). The only changes in renal function noted were in the 3,4,5-TCA treatment group where lactate-stimulated PAH accumulation was increased (14.2 f 0.5, treated; 12.2 + 0.7, control) and TEA uptake was decreased (21.6 f 0.2, treated; 24.8 f 0.8, control). No change in BUN concentration or kidney weight was observed in the 3,4,5-TCA treatment group. In vitro @ects on PAH and TEA accumulation All four isomers markedly reduced basal and lactate-stimulated PAH and TEA accumulation at a TCA bath concentration of 10-s M with the 2,3,4- and 3,4,5-TCA isomers inducing the greatest reductions in uptake (Fig. 3). In addition, lactate-stimulated PAH accumulation was reduced by 2,4,5-TCA at a bath concentration of IO-”
MOLAR CONCENTRATION
MOLAR CONCENTRATION
MOLAR CONCENTRATION
MOLAR CONCENTRATION
Fig. 3. Effect of incubating TEA accumulation. slice to medium
TCA with renal cortical
Data are expressed (S/M) ratio.
A diamond
as means
slices from untreated
Fischer-344
* S.E. for at least 4 experiments
indicates significantly control value.
different
(P
rats on PAH and
and expressed
as the
from the appropriate
325
M, and TEA uptake
was reduced
by 3,4,5-TCA
at a bath concentration
of 10e6 M
or greater. DISCUSSION
Previous studies from our laboratory have demonstrated that MCA and DCA were capable of inducing acute nephrotoxicity in male Fischer-344 rats [13-151. In those studies, nephrotoxicity was evident at lower doses with nephrotoxicant DCA (0.8 mmol/kg or higher) than with aniline or its MCA isomers (1.0 mmol/kg or higher). In addition, several investigators have reported that increasing the number of chloro-groups on aniline from O-3 resulted in an increase in lethality or toxicity as the number of chloro-groups increased [16-181. These results might suggest that increasing the number of chloro-groups from 2 on the DCA to 3 on the TCA would also increase the nephrotoxic potential of this group of compounds. However, the results of the present study demonstrate that the TCA isomers tested in vivo in Fischer-344 rats do not exhibit an enhanced nephrotoxic potential when compared to DCA, since none of the TCA isomers was a nephrotoxicant at doses of 0.8 mmol/ kg and induced only minor changes in renal function at doses of 1.5 mmol/kg. The lack of nephrotoxic potential of the TCA as compared to the DCA could be due to a number of factors. One possible explanation for the lack of nephrotoxicity induced by the TCA might be that the addition of a third chloro-group retards formation of phenolic metabolites. Previous studies have demonstrated that p-aminophenol, a metabolite of aniline [19] and acetaminophen [20], is a nephrotoxicant in rats [21-231. However, Newton et al. also showed that or?ho- and meta-aminophenol were not nephrotoxicants in Fischer-344 rats [20]. The 4 TCA isomers examined in this study all contain a chloro-group in the para-position which would retard formation of potentially nephrotoxic para-aminophenol derivatives but, with the exception of 2,4,6-TCA, allow the formation of ordzoor meta-aminophenol metabolites. Therefore, one explanation for the lack of nephrotoxicity induced by the TCA isomers studied would be the inability of these compounds to be biotransformed to 4-aminophenol metabolites. A second possible explanation for the lack of nephrotoxic potential of the 4 TCA isomers might be related to the chemical form in which the TCA isomers were administered. In our previous studies [13-l 51 aniline, MCA and DCA isomers were administered as hydrochloride salts. The lack of basicity exhibited by the amino groups of the TCA isomers hampered efforts to prepare hydrochloride salts of these compounds and, as a consequence, the TCA isomers were administered in their free base form. Under these conditions, rats would not be exposed to the release of millimolar amounts of hydrochloric acid which occurs with MCA or DCA hydrochloride salts. This acid might be expected to potentiate the hemoglobin-induced acute renal failure associated with exposure to anilines, since hemoglobin alone does not seem to induce acute renal failure but requires acidosis, dehydration, shock or other conditions
326
which could lead to a reduction in renal blood flow [24]. Under these additional conditions, the hemoglobin released by aniline-induced hemolysis [25] could both exert a direct toxic effect on the tubules and alter renal hemodynamics [24]. These observations suggest that since acid would be expected to potentiate aniline-induced nephrotoxicity, exposure to TCA in the absence of added acid might not result in renal toxicity. Studies are currently underway to define more clearly the role of acid in the nephrotoxicity observed following intraperitoneal administration of hydrochloride salts of nephrotoxicants. In vitro, the DCA [ 151 and TCA isomers decrease organic ion transport at similar concentrations and exhibit similar structure-activity relationships. For example, among the DCA isomers, 3,4- and 3,5-DCA were the most potent isomers for decreasing TEA and basal and lactate-stimulated PAH accumulation. In the present study, the two isomers capable of inducing the largest decreases in organic ion accumulation contained the 3,4- and/or 3,5-dichloro substitution (2,3,4- and 3,4,5-TCA) (Fig. 3). In addition, the least effective DCA isomer at decreasing organic ion accumulation was 2,6-DCA [15], while the least effective TCA isomer was 2.4,6-TCA. Therefore, these results suggest that, like the DCA, the TCA have direct effects on renal function. It is also likely that in vitro aniline-compound-induced effects on organic ion accumulation represents a toxic response, since recent evidence has shown that 3,4- and 3,5-DCA, the most effective DCA isomers as inhibitors of organic ion accumulation in vitro, also markedly inhibit gluconeogenesis in vitro at concentrations capable of reducing organic ion transport (unpublished data). In summary, the 4 TCA isomers tested induced only minor renal effects in vivo. However, all TCA isomers were capable of reducing organic ion accumulation in vitro. These results demonstrate that addition of a third chloro-group does not enhance the nephrotoxic potential observed with the DCA isomers. The lack of nephrotoxic potential observed with the TCA isomers tested compared to the DCA isomers could be due to a lack of biotransformation of TCA to p-aminophenolic metabolites and/or the administration of the TCA in the free base form. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This study was supported would like to thank
by NIH Grants
DK 31210 and ES 04954. The authors
Joyce Miner for her excellent
ryla for her help in the preparation
technical
assistance
and Darla Ku-
of this manuscript.
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