Human small bowel as model for poisoning with organophosphorus compounds

Katharina Marquart, Olga Prokopchuk, Dirk Wilhelm, Franz Worek, Horst Thiermann, Marc E. Martignoni, Timo Wille

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

7 Scopus citations

Abstract

In previous experiments, human and rat small bowel samples have been successfully used to study the spasmolytic effect of (potential) therapeutics in carbamate-constricted bowel specimens. Additionally, transferability from rat to human data was shown in the previous study. In the present study, the effects of atropine, scopolamine, MB327, HI-6 as well as obidoxime were examined in organophosphorus-poisoned human small bowel specimens. All substances were tested with at least seven concentrations in samples previously exposed to the nerve agent sarin. Furthermore, the cholinesterase reactivation potential of all substances was investigated. The test substances displayed a spasmolytic effect allowing the calculation of dose-response curves and EC 50 s. The parasympatholytic compound scopolamine had the strongest relaxing effect (EC 50 = 0.05 μM) followed by atropine (EC 50 = 0.07 μM). HI-6 and obidoxime were capable to reactivate the sarin-inhibited cholinesterase activity in small bowel samples. Both substances restored AChE activity in a dose-dependent way, with HI-6 being more potent (HI-6 EC 50 = 3.8 μM vs obidoxime EC 50 = 197.8 μM). Summarizing, our isolated human small bowel setup is a suitable tool to investigate the smooth muscle relaxing effect of (candidate) therapeutics for organophosphorus compound poisoning i.e. sarin exposure in a complex 3D tissue model.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)76-80
Number of pages5
JournalToxicology in Vitro
Volume57
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 2019

Keywords

  • Antidotes
  • Cholinesterase activity
  • Human
  • Isolated organ
  • Nerve agent
  • Organophosphorus compound
  • Smooth muscle function

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Human small bowel as model for poisoning with organophosphorus compounds'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this