Modulation of rat pulmonary carcinogen-metabolising enzyme systems by the isothiocyanates erucin and sulforaphane.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential of the structurally related aliphatic isothiocyanates erucin and sulforaphane to modulate the pulmonary carcinogen-metabolising enzyme systems in rat lung, a target organ of their chemopreventive activity. Precision-cut rat lung slices were prepared and incubated for 24 h with a range of concentrations of either erucin or sulforaphane, up to 50microM. Neither compound modulated the O-deethylation of ethoxyresorufin whereas they elevated markedly CYP1A1 and, to a lesser extent, CYP1B1 apoprotein levels. Neither compound influenced the O-depentylation of pentoxyresorufin or CYP2B apoprotein levels, but sulforaphane caused a modest increase in CYP3A2 apoprotein levels. Pulmonary quinone reductase activity, monitored using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazo-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide as substrate, was markedly up-regulated by both compounds and was paralleled by a similar rise in protein levels. Both compounds increased cytosolic glutathione S-transferase activity, measured using 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene as the accepting substrate; a modest rise was seen in GSTalpha protein levels, determined immunologically, whereas GSTpi levels were un-affected by the same treatment. Finally, both erucin and sulforaphane increased total glutathione concentration in lung cytosol. It is concluded that these aliphatic isothiocyanates have the potential to antagonise the carcinogenicity of pulmonary carcinogens by stimulating the in situ detoxication of their DNA-binding genotoxic metabolites.