Exposure to cyclic volatile methylsiloxanes (cVMS) causes anchorage-independent growth and reduction of BRCA1 in non-transformed human breast epithelial cells

Dimethylcyclosiloxanes in Mobile Smart Terminal Devices: Concentrations, Distributions, Profiles, and Environmental Emissions

Dimethylcyclosiloxanes (DMCs) are utilized as vital monomers in the synthesis of organosilicon compounds, integral to the manufacture of mobile smart terminal devices. Toxicological studies have revealed potential endocrine-disrupting activity, reproductive toxicity, neurotoxicity, and other toxicities of the DMCs. This study investigated the concentrations and composition profiles of seven DMCs, including hexamethylcyclotrisiloxane (D3), octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D4), decamethylcyclopentasiloxane (D5), dodecamethylcyclohexasiloxane (D6), and tetradecamethylcycloheptasiloxane (D7), hexadecamethylcyclooctasiloxane (D8), and octadecamethylcyclononasiloxane (D9) in three types of mobile smart terminal device components (silicone rubber, adhesive, and plastics). Environmental emissions of DMCs from silicone rubber materials were also estimated to improve the recognition of their potential fate within the environment. D5-D9 were widely present in silicone rubber and adhesives with detection rates ranging from 91-95.5% and 50-100%, respectively, while D3 and D4 were more frequently detected in plastics, both showing a detection rate of 61.1%. Silicone rubber had the highest total DMCs (∑7DMCs) and a concentration of 802.2 mg/kg, which were dominated by D7, D8, and D9. DMCs detected in adhesives were dominated by D4, D5, and D6. The estimated emission of ∑DMCs released into the environment in China from silicone rubber used in mobile smart terminal devices exceeds 5000 tons per year. Further studies are needed on the presence of DMCs in various commodities and environmental media to assess their ecological and human health impacts, as well as the toxicological effects of D7-D9 for the appropriate regulation of these chemicals.

Progress in research on the safety of silicone rubber products in food processing

Silicone rubber (SR) is widely used in the food processing industry due to its excellent physical and chemical properties. However, due to the differences in SR product production formulas and processes, the quality of commercially available SR products varies greatly, with chemical and biological hazard potentials. Residual chemicals in SR, such as siloxane oligomers and 2,4-dichlorobenzoic acid, are non-intentionally added substances, which may migrate into food during processing so the safe use of SR must be guaranteed. Simultaneously, SR in contact with food is susceptible to pathogenic bacteria growing and biofilm formation, like Cronobacter sakazakii, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella enteritidis, and Listeria monocytogenes, posing a food safety risk. Under severe usage scenarios such as high-temperature, high-pressure, microwave, and freezing environments with long-term use, SR products are more prone to aging, and their degradation products may pose potential food safety hazards. Based on the goal of ensuring food quality and safety to the greatest extent possible, this review suggests that enterprises need to prepare high-quality food-contact SR products by optimizing the manufacturing formula and production process, and developing products with antibacterial and antiaging properties. The government departments should establish quality standards for food-contact SR products and conduct effective supervision. Besides, the reusable SR products should be cleaned by consumers immediately after use, and the deteriorated products should be replaced as soon as possible.

LC-HR/MS Analysis of Lipophilic Extracts from Calendula arvensis (Vaill.) L. Organs: An Unexplored Source in Cosmeceuticals

As part of a project aimed at promoting the use of Calendula arvensis (Vaill.) L. (field marigold, Asteraceae) phytocomplexes in cosmeceutical formulations, the chemical composition in apolar specialized metabolites is herein elucidated. Furthermore, the screening of the cytotoxicity of the apolar extracts was evaluated in order to underline their safety as functional ingredients for cosmetics. After dissection of Calendula organs (florets, fruits, leaves, bracts, stems, and roots), ultrasound-assisted maceration in n-hexane as an extracting solvent allowed us to obtain oil-like mixtures, whose chemical composition has been highlighted through a UHPLC-ESI-QqTOF-MS/MS approach. Twenty-nine metabolites were tentatively identified; different compounds, among which the well-known poly-unsaturated fatty acids, and oxylipins and phosphatides were detected for the first time in Calendula genus. The screening of the dose-response cytotoxicity of the apolar extracts of C. arvensis highlighted the concentration of 10 μg/mL as the most suitable for the formulation of cosmeceutical preparations. Sera enriched with leaf and fruit apolar extracts turned out to have the best activity, suggesting it can be used as a new source in skin care thanks to their higher content in fatty acids.

Endocrine disrupting chemicals and breast cancer cells

Many hundreds of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) have been measured as entering human breast tissue from a range of environmental sources, and this review focuses on discussion of mechanisms by which such EDCs may be contributing to the globally rising incidence of breast cancer. Many of the distinguishing features of breast cancer may be accounted for by EDC exposure, including, but not limited to, the fact that many EDCs possess estrogenic activity and exposure to estrogen is a main risk factor for breast cancer. Studies of the actions of EDCs in human breast cancer cells are aided by use of the conceptual framework of the hallmarks of cancer, and, acting by a variety of genomic and nongenomic mechanisms, EDCs have now been shown to enable all the hallmarks of cancer to develop in human breast cancer cells. Many studies report that hallmarks can develop at concentrations which are within the range of those measured in human breast tissues, especially when added as mixtures. The varied levels of different EDCs measured in individual breast tissue samples together with the overlapping and complementary mechanisms of action of the EDCs imply that thematic mechanisms will be driven inevitably by different chemical mixtures. Despite the complexity, EDCs do need to now be acknowledged as a risk factor for breast cancer in order for preventative strategies to include reduction in EDC exposure.

Environmental Distribution of Personal Care Products and Their Effects on Human Health

Personal care products (PCPs) are generally used for personal hygiene, cleaning, grooming, and beautification. These include hair and skin care products, baby care products, UV blocking creams, facial cleansers, insect repellents, perfumes, fragrances, soap, detergents, shampoos, conditioners, toothpaste, etc., thus exposing humans easily. Personal preferences related to PCPs usage frequency are highly variable and depend on socioeconomic status and lifestyle factors. The increasing availability and diversity of PCPs from the retailer outlets consequently result in higher loading of PCPs into wastewater systems and, therefore, the environment. These compounds persistently and continuously release biologically active and inactive ingredients in the atmosphere, biosphere, geosphere, and demonstrating adverse effects on human, wild, and marine life. Advanced techniques such as granular activated carbon filtration and algae-based system may help biotransformation and remove PCP contaminants from water with improved efficiency. Additionally, harmony among PCPs related regulations of different countries may encourage standard checks to control their manufacturing, sale, and distribution across the borders to ensure consumers' safety. Furthermore, all intended ingredients, their concentrations, and instructions for frequency of use as per age groups may be clearly labeled on packages of PCPs. In conclusion, the emerging environmental contaminants of PCPs and their association with the growing risks of negative effects on human health and globally on the environment emphasize the chemical-free simple lifestyle.

Paraben Toxicology

Parabens now being formally declared as the American Contact Dermatitis Society (non)allergen of the year, the allergologic concerns regarding parabens raised during the past century are no longer a significant issue. The more recent toxicological concerns regarding parabens are more imposing, stemming from the gravity of the noncutaneous adverse health effects for which they have been scrutinized for the past 20 years. These include endocrine activity, carcinogenesis, infertility, spermatogenesis, adipogenesis, perinatal exposure impact, and nonallergologic cutaneous, psychologic, and ecologic effects. To assert that parabens are safe for use as currently used in the cosmetics, food, and pharmaceutical industries, all toxicological end points must be addressed. We seek to achieve perspective through this exercise: perspective for the professional assessing systemic risk of parabens by all routes of exposure. The data reviewed in this article strive to provide a balanced perspective for the consumer hopefully to allay concerns regarding the safety of parabens and facilitate an informed decision-making process. Based on currently available scientific information, claims that parabens are involved in the genesis or propagation of these controversial and important health problems are premature. Haste to remove parabens from consumer products could result in their substitution with alternative, less proven, and potentially unsafe alternatives, especially given the compelling data supporting the lack of significant dermal toxicity of this important group of preservatives.

Determination of volatile organic compounds in SW620 colorectal cancer cells and tumor-bearing mice

Early diagnosis and early treatment are important factors in reducing colorectal cancer (CRC) metastasis and mortality. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released by the human body have great potential for use in clinical diagnosis and therapeutic monitoring for CRC. The aim of our study was to identify VOCs with high specificity and high sensitivity for CRC and to provide a method for early diagnosis of CRC. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was utilized to analyze metabolites in both the in vivo and in vitro experimental groups. In vivo, VOCs were analyzed in the blood of mice after cell inoculation and tumor resection. In vitro experiments were performed by comparing changes in VOCs in an HCoEpiC cell group, control group, SW620 cell group and Arsenic trioxide + SW620 group. We observed changes in VOCs in a series of CRC SW620 cells in vivo and in vitro. Among these changes, we found that the concentrations of 8 substances, including acetone, increased with tumor growth. Nine substances were found to be significantly elevated in the SW620 cancer cell group compared with the other groups. Only one substance was consumed by the tumor in both the in vivo and in vitro experiments. Our study showed that alkanes, lipids, alcohols, ketones, aldehyde, butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and hexamethylcyclotrisiloxane all existed at different levels in SW620 CRC cells compared to those in normal cells. We need more research to further confirm this hypothesis.

Gallic acid induces G1 phase arrest and apoptosis of triple-negative breast cancer cell MDA-MB-231 via p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase/p21/p27 axis

Gallic acid (GA) possesses potential antitumoral activity on different types of malignancies. In this study, we aimed to explore the antitumoral effects of GA on triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells, the breast cancer cells showing resistance to hormonal therapy or HER2 receptor targeting therapy. We observed that GA treatment significantly decreased the cell viability of human TNBC cell line MDA-MB-231 and HS578T in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, GA exerted a relative lower cytotoxicity on noncancer breast fibroblast MCF-10F. Next, we analyzed the changes of cell-cycle distribution in response to GA treatment and found that GA led to an increase of G0/G1 and sub-G1 phase ratio in MDA-MB-231 cells. We further explored the crucial mediators controlling cell cycle and inducing apoptotic signaling, and the findings showed that GA downregulated cyclin D1/CDK4 and cyclin E/CDK2, upregulated p21and p27, and induced activation of caspase-9 and caspase-3. In addition, we demonstrated that p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase was involved in the GA-mediated cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis. Collectively, our findings indicate that GA inhibits the cell viability of TNBC cells, which may attribute to the G1 phase arrest and cellular apoptosis via p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase/p21/p27 axis. Thus, we suggest that GA could be beneficial to TNBC treatment.