An integrated pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic study of arsenite action. 2. Heme oxygenase induction in mice

Heme oxygenase (HO) is the rate-limiting enzyme in heme degradation and its activity has a significant impact on intracellular heme pools. Rat studies indicate that HO induction is a sensitive, dose-dependent response to arsenite (As(III)) exposure in both liver and kidney. The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship of HO induction to administered As(III) dose, and concentrations of inorganic arsenic (iAs) in tissues and urine. Levels of iAs, mono- (MMA) and dimethylated arsenic (DMA) as well as HO activity were determined in liver, lung and kidney over time in female B6C3F1 mice given a single oral dose of 0, 1, 10, 30 or 100 micromol/kg As(III). Increased HO activity was a time and dose-dependent response in liver and kidney, but not in lung. Activity peaked in the 4-6 h time range in liver and kidney with the responsiveness in liver being approximately 2- to 3-fold greater than kidney. The lowest observed effect levels (LOELs) in this study for HO induction are 30 and 100 micromol/kg, respectively, in liver and kidney. The predominant form of arsenic (As) was iAs in liver at all doses, whereas DMA was the predominant form of As in kidney at all doses. Three- to four-fold higher levels of iAs were achieved in liver compared to kidney. MMA was the least abundant form of As in liver and kidney, never exceeding more than 20% of the total As present. The concentration of iAs in tissue or urine demonstrated the strongest correlation with HO activity in both liver and kidney. Results of this study suggest that HO induction is a biomarker of effect that is specific for tissue iAs because a high, but nontoxic, acute dose of DMA (5220 micromol/kg) did not induce HO in mice. Thus, HO induction has potential for use as a biomarker of effect for inorganic arsenic exposure and may be used as an indicator response to further the development of a biologically-based dose response model for As.