Polychlorinated-biphenyl-induced oxidative stress and cytotoxicity can be mitigated by antioxidants after exposure

N-acetylcysteine (NAC) diminishes the severity of PCB 126-induced fatty liver in male rodents

Potent aryl hydrocarbon receptor agonists like PCB 126 (3,3',4,4',5-pentachlorobiphenyl) cause oxidative stress and liver pathology, including fatty liver. Our question was whether dietary supplementation with N-acetylcysteine (NAC), an antioxidant, can prevent these adverse changes. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed a standard AIN-93G diet (sufficient in cysteine) or a modified diet supplemented with 1.0% NAC. After one week, rats on each diet were exposed to 0, 1, or 5μmol/kg body weight PCB 126 by i.p. injection (6 rats per group) and euthanized two weeks later. PCB-treatment caused a dose-dependent reduction in growth, feed consumption, relative thymus weight, total glutathione and glutathione disulfide (GSSG), while relative liver weight, glutathione transferase activity and hepatic lipid content were dose-dependently increased with PCB dose. Histologic examination of liver tissue showed PCB 126-induced hepatocellular steatosis with dose dependent increase in lipid deposition and distribution. Dietary NAC resulted in a reduction in hepatocellular lipid in both PCB groups. This effect was confirmed by gravimetric analysis of extracted lipids. Expression of CD36, a scavenger receptor involved in regulating hepatic fatty acid uptake, was reduced with high dose PCB treatment but unaltered in PCB-treated rats on NAC-supplemented diet. These results demonstrate that NAC has a protective effect against hepatic lipid accumulation in rats exposed to PCB 126. The mechanism of this protective effect appears to be independent of NAC as a source of cysteine/precursor of glutathione.

Analysis of the toxicogenomic effects of exposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in Slovakian girls: correlations between gene expression and disease risk

The chemical composition of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the environment is not uniform throughout the world, and these contaminants contain many structurally different lipophilic compounds. In a well-defined study cohort in the Slovak Republic, the POP chemicals present in the peripheral blood of exposed children were chemically analyzed. The chemical analysis data revealed that the relative concentration and profile of structurally different organic pollutants, including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), 2,2'-bis(4-chlorophenyl)-1,1-dichloroethylene (p,p'-DDE), 2,2'-bis(4-chlorophenyl)-1,1,1-trichloro-ethane (p,p'-DDT), hexachlorobenzene (HCB) and β-hexachlorocyclohexane (β-HCH), may vary from individual to individual, even within the same exposure area. These chemicals can be broadly classified into two groups. The first group, the PCB congeners, primarily originated from industrial compounds and their byproducts. The second group of compounds originated from or was commonly used in the agricultural sector (e.g., DDT, HCB). The objective of this study was to examine the effects of the two POP exposure profiles on gene expression. For the study population, we selected pre-pubertal girls (mean age of 46.2±1.4 months) with high POP concentrations in their blood (>75% tile of total POP) and classified them in the high 'PCB' group when the total PCB concentration was significantly higher than the total concentration of other POP components and in the 'Other Than PCB' (OTP) group, when the total PCB concentration was significantly lower than the concentration of the other major POP constituents. A matched control group of girls (<25% tile of total POP) was selected for comparison purpose (n=5 per group). Our aims were to determine whether there were any common effects of high POP exposure at a toxicogenomic level and to investigate how exposure may affect physiological functions of the children in two different exposure scenarios. Global gene expression analysis using a microarray (Affymetrix Gene Chip Human genome U133 Plus 2.0 Array) platform was conducted on the total RNA of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from the girls. The results were analyzed by Partek GS, Louis, MI, which identified twelve genes (ATAD2B, BIVM, CD96, CXorf39, CYTH1 ETNK1, FAM13A, HIRA, INO80B, ODG1, RAD23B, and TSGA14) and two unidentified probe sets, as regulated differentially in both the PCB and OTP groups against the control group. The qRT-PCR method was used to validate the microarray results. The Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) software package identified the possible molecular impairments and disease risks associated with each gene set. Connective tissue disorders, genetic disorders, skeletal muscular disorders and neurological diseases were associated with the 12 common genes. The data therefore identified the potential molecular effects of POP exposure on a genomic level. This report underscores the importance of further study to validate the results in a random population and to evaluate the use of the identified genes as biomarkers for POP exposure.

PCB153 reduces telomerase activity and telomere length in immortalized human skin keratinocytes (HaCaT) but not in human foreskin keratinocytes (NFK)

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), ubiquitous environmental pollutants, are characterized by long term-persistence in the environment, bioaccumulation, and biomagnification in the food chain. Exposure to PCBs may cause various diseases, affecting many cellular processes. Deregulation of the telomerase and the telomere complex leads to several biological disorders. We investigated the hypothesis that PCB153 modulates telomerase activity, telomeres and reactive oxygen species resulting in the deregulation of cell growth. Exponentially growing immortal human skin keratinocytes (HaCaT) and normal human foreskin keratinocytes (NFK) were incubated with PCB153 for 48 and 24days, respectively, and telomerase activity, telomere length, superoxide level, cell growth, and cell cycle distribution were determined. In HaCaT cells exposure to PCB153 significantly reduced telomerase activity, telomere length, cell growth and increased intracellular superoxide levels from day 6 to day 48, suggesting that superoxide may be one of the factors regulating telomerase activity, telomere length and cell growth compared to untreated control cells. Results with NFK cells showed no shortening of telomere length but reduced cell growth and increased superoxide levels in PCB153-treated cells compared to untreated controls. As expected, basal levels of telomerase activity were almost undetectable, which made a quantitative comparison of treated and control groups impossible. The significant down regulation of telomerase activity and reduction of telomere length by PCB153 in HaCaT cells suggest that any cell type with significant telomerase activity, like stem cells, may be at risk of premature telomere shortening with potential adverse health effects for the affected organism.

Dexamethasone-induced oxidative stress enhances myeloma cell radiosensitization while sparing normal bone marrow hematopoiesis

Dexamethasone (Dex) and radiation therapy are established modalities in multiple myeloma. In this study, we propose a novel combination of Dex plus radiation that shows superior clonogenic cell killing and apoptosis of myeloma cells and selectively eliminates myeloma cells when cocultured with bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs). Dex was found to inhibit the release of interleukin-6 from irradiated BMSCs, which is an established myeloma cell proproliferative cytokine. In 5TGM1 model, the combination of Dex with skeletal targeted radiotherapy (153-Sm-EDTMP) prolonged median survival time and inhibited radiation-induced myelosuppression. A two-cycle treatment of Dex plus 153-Sm-EDTMP was well tolerated and further improved median survival time. Mechanistically, Dex increased superoxide and hydrogen peroxide production and augmented radiation-induced oxidative stress and cell death of myeloma cells. In contrast, Dex inhibited radiation-induced increase in pro-oxidant levels and enhanced the clonogenic survival in normal hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. Treatment with either N-acetylcysteine or the combination of polyethylene glycol (PEG)-conjugated copper, zinc-superoxide dismutase, and PEG-catalase significantly protected myeloma cells from Dex-induced clonogenic death. Overall, these results demonstrate that Dex in combination with radiotherapy enhances the killing of myeloma cells while protecting normal bone marrow hematopoiesis through a mechanism that involves selective increases in oxidative stress.

2-(4-Chlorophenyl)benzo-1,4-quinone induced ROS-signaling inhibits proliferation in human non-malignant prostate epithelial cells

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and their metabolites are environmental chemical contaminants which can produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) by auto-oxidation of di-hydroxy PCBs as well as the reduction of quinones and redox-cycling. We investigate the hypothesis that 2-(4-chlorophenyl)benzo-1,4-quinone (4-Cl-BQ), a metabolite of 4-chlorobiphenyl (PCB3), induced ROS-signaling inhibits cellular proliferation. Monolayer cultures of exponentially growing asynchronous human non-malignant prostate epithelial cells (RWPE-1) were incubated with 0-6 μM of 4-Cl-BQ and harvested at the end of 72 h of incubation to assess antioxidant enzyme expression, cellular ROS levels, cell growth, and cell cycle phase distributions. 4-Cl-BQ decreased manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) activity, protein, and mRNA levels. 4-Cl-BQ treatment increased dihydroethidium (DHE) fluorescence, which was suppressed in cells pretreated with polyethylene glycol conjugated superoxide dismutase (PEG-SOD). The increase in ROS levels was associated with a decrease in cell growth, and an increase in the percentage of S-phase cells. These effects were suppressed in cells pretreated with PEG-SOD. 4-Cl-BQ treatment did not change the protein levels of phosphorylated H2AX at the end of 72 h of incubation, suggesting that the inhibition in cell growth and accumulation of cells in S-phase at the end of the treatments were probably not due to 4-Cl-BQ induced DNA double strand break. These results demonstrate that MnSOD activity and ROS-signaling perturb proliferation in 4-Cl-BQ treated in vitro cultures of human prostate cells.

Polychlorinated biphenyl induced ROS signaling delays the entry of quiescent human breast epithelial cells into the proliferative cycle

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are environmental chemical contaminants that can produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) by autoxidation of dihydroxy-PCBs and redox-cycling. We investigate the hypothesis that PCB induced perturbations in ROS signaling regulate the entry of quiescent cells into the proliferative cycle. Quiescent MCF-10A human breast epithelial cells were incubated with 0-3 micromolar of 2-(4-chlorophenyl)benzo-1,4-quinone (4-Cl-BQ), 2, 2', 4, 4', 5, 5'-hexachlorobiphenyl (PCB 153), and Aroclor 1254 for 4 days. Cells were replated at a lower density and analyzed for cell cycle phase distributions, ROS levels, MnSOD expression, and cyclin D1 protein levels. Quiescent cells incubated with 4-Cl-BQ showed the maximal delay in entering S phase. This delay was associated with a decrease in MnSOD activity, protein and mRNA levels, and an increase in cellular ROS levels. Results from the mRNA turnover assay showed that the 4-Cl-BQ treatment selectively enhanced the degradation of the 4.2kb MnSOD transcript, while the half-life of the 1.5 kb transcript did not change. Accumulation of cyclin D1 protein levels in replated cells was suppressed in cells treated with 4-Cl-BQ. Pretreatment of quiescent cells with polyethylene glycol-conjugated superoxide dismutase and catalase suppressed 4-Cl-BQ induced increase in ROS levels, which was consistent with an increase in cyclin D1 accumulation, and entry into S phase. These results showed 4-Cl-BQ induced perturbations in ROS signaling inhibit the entry of quiescent cells into S phase.

Induction of oxidative stress and cytotoxicity by PCB126 in JEG-3 human choriocarcinoma cells

The compound 3,3',4,4',5-pentachlorobiphenyl (PCB126) exists in various environmental media, which may have adverse effects on human health. In the present study, induction of the oxidative stress and cytotoxicity by PCB126 were investigated in the human choriocarcinoma cell line JEG-3 cells. Both the reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and lipid peroxidation production of malondialdehyde (MDA) were obviously increased. Whereas the activity of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase [SOD] and catalase [CAT]) and glutathione (GSH) content were declined with dose-dependent manners. Furthermore, the result of the cytotoxicity assay showed a clear, dose-dependent growth inhibition effect of PCB126 in JEG-3 cells. Our present results revealed that PCB126 exhibited significant oxidative stress and cytotoxicity in human trophoblast. Given the widespread use of PCBs, a more comprehensive understanding of the significance of reproductive toxicity of PBCs is imperative for improving risk assessment and regulation of these chemicals.