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Biomonitoring methylene dipheny diisocyanate (MDI) in urine may be useful in industrial hygiene and exposure surveillance approaches toward disease (occupational asthma) prevention, and in understanding pathways by which internalized chemical is excreted. We explored possible urine biomarkers of MDI exposure in mice after respiratory tract exposure to MDI, as glutathione (GSH) reaction products (MDI-GSH), and after skin exposure to MDI dissolved in acetone. LC-MS analyses of urine identified a unique 543.29 m/z [M+H](+) ion from MDI exposed mice, but not controls. The 543.29 m/z [M+H](+) ion was detectable within 24 hours of a single MDI skin exposure and following multiple respiratory tract exposures to MDI-GSH reaction products. The 543.29 m/z [M+H](+) ion possessed properties of di-lysine-MDI, including (a) an isotope distribution pattern for a molecule with the chemical formula C(27)H(38)N(6)O(6), (b) expected collision induced dissociation (CID) fragmentation pattern upon MS/MS, and (c) a retention time in reverse phase LC-MS identical to synthetic di-lysine-MDI. Further MDI-specific western blot studies suggest albumin (which contains multiple di-lysine sites susceptible to MDI carbamylation) as a possible source for di-lysine-MDI, and the presence of MDI conjugated albumin in urine up to 6 days post respiratory tract exposure. Two additional [M+H](+) ions (558.17 and 863.23 m/z) were found exclusively in urine of mice exposed to MDI-GSH via the respiratory tract and possessed characteristics of previously described cyclized MDI-GSH and oxidized glutathione (GSSG)-MDI conjugates respectively. Together the data identify urinary biomarkers of MDI exposure in mice and possible guidance for future translational investigation. more...

Glutathione has previously been identified as a reaction target for toluene diisocyanate (TDI) in vitro and in vivo, and has been suggested to contribute to toxic and allergic reactions to exposure. In this study, the reactivity of reduced glutathione (GSH) with TDI in vitro was further investigated using a mixed phase (vapor/liquid) exposure system to model the in vivo biophysics of exposure in the lower respiratory tract. HPLC/MS/MS was used to characterize the observed reaction products. Under the conditions tested, the major reaction products between TDI vapor and GSH were S-linked bis(GSH)-TDI and to a lesser extent mono(GSH)-TDI conjugates (with one N═C═O hydrolyzed). The vapor-phase-generated GSH-TDI conjugates were capable of transcarbamoylating human albumin in a pH-dependent manner, resulting in changes in the self-protein's conformation/charge, on the basis of electrophoretic mobility under native conditions. Specific sites of human albumin-TDI conjugation, mediated by GSH-TDI, were identified (Lys(73), Lys(159), Lys(190), Lys(199), Lys(212), Lys(351), Lys(136/137), Lys(413/414), and Lys(524/525)) along with overlap with those susceptible to direct conjugation by TDI. Together, the data extend the proof-of-principle for GSH to act as a "shuttle" for a reactive form of TDI, which could contribute to clinical responses to exposure. more...

Isocyanates have been a leading chemical cause of occupational asthma since their utility for generating polyurethane was first recognized over 60 years ago, yet the mechanisms of isocyanate asthma pathogenesis remain unclear. The present study provides in vivo evidence that a GSH mediated pathway underlies asthma-like eosinophilic inflammatory responses to respiratory tract isocyanate exposure. In naïve mice, a mixture of GSH reaction products with the chemical allergen, methylene-diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI), induced innate immune responses, characterized by significantly increased airway levels of Chitinase YM-1 and IL-12/IL-23β (but not α) subunit. However, in mice immunologically sensitized to MDI via prior skin exposure, identical GSH-MDI doses induced substantially greater inflammatory responses, including significantly increased airway eosinophil numbers and mucus production, along with IL-12/IL-23β, chitinases, and other indicators of alternative macrophage activation. The "self"-protein albumin in mouse airway fluid was uniquely modified by GSH-MDI at position (414)K, a preferred site of MDI reactivity on human albumin. The (414)K-MDI conjugation appears to covalently cross-link GSH to albumin via GSH's NH2-terminus, a unique conformation possibly resulting from cyclized mono(GSH)-MDI or asymmetric (S,N'-linked) bis(GSH)-MDI conjugates. Together, the data support a possible thiol mediated transcarbamoylating mechanism linking MDI exposure to pathogenic eosinophilic inflammatory responses. more...