1
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Choi J, Rotter S, Ritz V, Kneuer C, Marx-Stoelting P, de Lourdes Marzo Solano M, Oertel A, Rudzok S, Ziková-Kloas A, Tralau T, Hensel A. Thresholds of adversity for endocrine disrupting substances: a conceptual case study. Arch Toxicol 2024; 98:2019-2045. [PMID: 38704806 DOI: 10.1007/s00204-024-03748-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
For endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDC) the existence of "safe exposure levels", that is exposure levels that do not present an appreciable risk to human health is most controversially discussed, as is the existence of health-based reference values. Concerns have been especially raised that EDCs might not possess a threshold level such that no exposure level to EDCs can be considered safe. To explore whether or not threshold levels can be identified, we performed a screening exercise on 14 pesticidal and biocidal active substances previously identified as EDCs in the European Union. The respective substances are ideal subjects for case studies to review for endocrine activity and disruptive potential following well-defined regulatory assessment based on solid data to effectually establish adversity as consequence of endocrine disruption. Dimethomorph, metiram and propiconazole for which the weight of evidence demonstrating endocrine disruption was the strongest were used as subjects for further study. Epoxiconazole was additionally selected as its effects on the endocrine system are extensive. For all four substances, analysis of the toxicological data clearly indicated thresholds of adversity below which no adverse effects mediated through an endocrine mechanism were observed. Particular emphasis was placed on mechanistic considerations including homeostasis and the concept of adversity. As a proof of concept this study provides evidence that like other substances of toxicological concern EDCs have threshold levels for adversity. While for some EDCs the respective thresholds might indeed be very low this shows that, data allowing, for other EDCs sufficiently protective reference values can be derived.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judy Choi
- German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Max-Dohrn-Straße 8-10, 10589, Berlin, Germany
| | - Stefanie Rotter
- German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Max-Dohrn-Straße 8-10, 10589, Berlin, Germany
| | - Vera Ritz
- German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Max-Dohrn-Straße 8-10, 10589, Berlin, Germany
| | - Carsten Kneuer
- German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Max-Dohrn-Straße 8-10, 10589, Berlin, Germany
| | - Philip Marx-Stoelting
- German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Max-Dohrn-Straße 8-10, 10589, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Angelika Oertel
- German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Max-Dohrn-Straße 8-10, 10589, Berlin, Germany
| | - Susanne Rudzok
- German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Max-Dohrn-Straße 8-10, 10589, Berlin, Germany
| | - Andrea Ziková-Kloas
- German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Max-Dohrn-Straße 8-10, 10589, Berlin, Germany
| | - Tewes Tralau
- German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Max-Dohrn-Straße 8-10, 10589, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Andreas Hensel
- German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Max-Dohrn-Straße 8-10, 10589, Berlin, Germany
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2
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Wood A, Breffa C, Chaine C, Cubberley R, Dent M, Eichhorn J, Fayyaz S, Grimm FA, Houghton J, Kiwamoto R, Kukic P, Lee M, Malcomber S, Martin S, Nicol B, Reynolds J, Riley G, Scott S, Smith C, Westmoreland C, Wieland W, Williams M, Wolton K, Zellmann T, Gutsell S. Next generation risk assessment for occupational chemical safety - A real world example with sodium-2-hydroxyethane sulfonate. Toxicology 2024; 506:153835. [PMID: 38857863 DOI: 10.1016/j.tox.2024.153835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2024] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024]
Abstract
Next Generation Risk Assessment (NGRA) is an exposure-led approach to safety assessment that uses New Approach Methodologies (NAMs). Application of NGRA has been largely restricted to assessments of consumer use of cosmetics and is not currently implemented in occupational safety assessments, e.g. under EU REACH. By contrast, a large proportion of regulatory worker safety assessments are underpinned by toxicological studies using experimental animals. Consequently, occupational safety assessment represents an area that would benefit from increasing application of NGRA to safety decision making. Here, a workflow for conducting NGRA under an occupational safety context was developed, which is illustrated with a case study chemical; sodium 2-hydroxyethane sulphonate (sodium isethionate or SI). Exposures were estimated using a standard occupational exposure model following a comprehensive life cycle assessment of SI and considering factory-specific data. Outputs of this model were then used to estimate internal exposures using a Physiologically Based Kinetic (PBK) model, which was constructed with SI specific Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism and Excretion (ADME) data. PBK modelling indicated a worst-case plasma maximum concentration (Cmax) of 0.8 μM across the SI life cycle. SI bioactivity was assessed in a battery of NAMs relevant to systemic, reproductive, and developmental toxicity; a cell stress panel, high throughput transcriptomics in three cell lines (HepG2, HepaRG and MCF-7 cells), pharmacological profiling and specific assays relating to developmental toxicity (Reprotracker and devTOX quickPredict). Points of Departure (PoDs) for SI ranged from 104 to 5044 µM. Cmax values obtained from PBK modelling of occupational exposures to SI were compared with PoDs from the bioactivity assays to derive Bioactivity Exposure Ratios (BERs) which demonstrated the safety for workers exposed to SI under current levels of factory specific risk management. In summary, the tiered and iterative workflow developed here represents an opportunity for integrating non animal approaches for a large subset of substances for which systemic worker safety assessment is required. Such an approach could be followed to ensure that animal testing is only conducted as a "last resort" e.g. under EU REACH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Wood
- Unilever Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire MK44 1LQ, UK.
| | - Catherine Breffa
- Clariant Produkte (Deutschland) GmbH, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Caroline Chaine
- Vantage Specialty Chemicals, 3 rue Jules Guesde, Ris Orangis 91130, France
| | - Richard Cubberley
- Unilever Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire MK44 1LQ, UK
| | - Matthew Dent
- Unilever Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire MK44 1LQ, UK
| | - Joachim Eichhorn
- Clariant Produkte (Deutschland) GmbH, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Susann Fayyaz
- Clariant Produkte (Deutschland) GmbH, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Fabian A Grimm
- Clariant Produkte (Deutschland) GmbH, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Jade Houghton
- Unilever Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire MK44 1LQ, UK
| | - Reiko Kiwamoto
- Unilever, Bronland 14, Wageningen 6708 WH, the Netherlands
| | - Predrag Kukic
- Unilever Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire MK44 1LQ, UK
| | - MoungSook Lee
- Clariant Produkte (Deutschland) GmbH, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Sophie Malcomber
- Unilever Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire MK44 1LQ, UK
| | - Suzanne Martin
- Unilever Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire MK44 1LQ, UK
| | - Beate Nicol
- Unilever Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire MK44 1LQ, UK
| | - Joe Reynolds
- Unilever Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire MK44 1LQ, UK
| | - Gordon Riley
- Unilever Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire MK44 1LQ, UK
| | - Sharon Scott
- Unilever Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire MK44 1LQ, UK
| | - Colin Smith
- ERM Ireland Limited, Ardilaun Court, St Stephen's Green, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Carl Westmoreland
- Unilever Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire MK44 1LQ, UK
| | | | - Mesha Williams
- Unilever Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire MK44 1LQ, UK
| | - Kathryn Wolton
- Unilever Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire MK44 1LQ, UK
| | | | - Steve Gutsell
- Unilever Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire MK44 1LQ, UK
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3
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Huang S. Analysis of environmental pollutant Bisphenol F elicited prostate injury targets and underlying mechanisms through network toxicology, molecular docking, and multi-level bioinformatics data integration. Toxicology 2024; 506:153847. [PMID: 38830480 DOI: 10.1016/j.tox.2024.153847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2024] [Revised: 05/18/2024] [Accepted: 05/26/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024]
Abstract
Bisphenol F (BPF) has gained prominence as an alternative to bisphenol A (BPA) in various manufacturing applications, yet being detected in diverse environments and posed potential public health risk. This research aims to elucidate the putative toxic targets and underlying molecular mechanisms of prostate injury induced by exposure to BPF through multi-level bioinformatics data, integrating network toxicology and molecular docking. Systematically leveraging multilevel databases, we determined 276 targets related to BPF and prostate injury. Subsequent screenings through STRING and Cytoscape tool highlighted 27 key targets, including BCL2, HSP90AA1, MAPK3, ESR1, and CASP3. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses demonstrated enrichment of targets involved in apoptosis, abnormal hormonal activities, as well as cancer-related signal transduction cascades, ligand-receptor interaction networks, and endocrine system signaling pathways. Molecular docking simulations conducted via Autodock corroborated high-affinity binding interaction between BPF and key targets. The results indicate that BPF exposure can contribute to the initiation and progression of prostate cancer and prostatic hyperplastic by modulating apoptosis and proliferation, altering nerve function in blood vessel endothelial cells, and disrupting androgen metabolism. This study offers theoretical underpinnings for comprehending the molecular mechanisms implicated in BPF-elicited prostatic toxicity, while concomitantly establishing foundational framework for the development of prophylactic and therapeutic strategies for prostatic injuries related to polycarbonate and epoxy resin plastics incorporated with BPF, as well as environments afflicted by elevated levels of these compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shujun Huang
- West China School of Public Health, West China Medical Center, Sichuan University, China.
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4
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Nicol B, Vandenbossche-Goddard E, Thorpe C, Newman R, Patel H, Yates D. A workflow to practically apply true dose considerations to in vitro testing for next generation risk assessment. Toxicology 2024; 505:153826. [PMID: 38719068 DOI: 10.1016/j.tox.2024.153826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2024] [Revised: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024]
Abstract
With the move away from safety testing assessment based on data generated in experimental animals the concept of Next Generation Risk Assessment (NGRA) has arisen which instead uses data from in silico and in vitro models. A key uncertainty in risk assessment is the actual dose of test chemical at the target site, and therefore surrogate dose metrics, such as nominal concentration in test media are used to describe in vitro effect (or no-effect) doses. The reliability and accuracy of the risk assessment therefore depends largely on our ability to understand and characterise the relationship between the dose metrics used and the actual biologically effective dose at the target site. The objective of this publication is to use 40 case study chemicals to illustrate how in vitro dose considerations can be applied to characterise the "true dose" and build confidence in the understanding of the biologically effective dose in in vitro test systems for the determination e.g. points of departure (PoDs) for NGRA. We propose a workflow that can be applied to assess whether the nominal test concentration can be considered a conservative dose metric for use in NGRA. The workflow examines the implications of volatility, stability, hydrophobicity, binding to plastic and serum, solubility, and the potential use of in silico models for some of these parameters. For the majority of the case study chemicals we found that the use of nominal concentrations in risk assessment would result in conservative decision making. However, for serval chemicals a potential for underestimation of the risk in humans in vivo based on in vitro nominal effect concentrations was identified, and approaches for refinement by characterisation of the actual effect concentration are proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beate Nicol
- Unilever Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, Bedford, Bedfordshire MK44 1LQ, UK
| | - Evita Vandenbossche-Goddard
- Unilever Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, Bedford, Bedfordshire MK44 1LQ, UK.
| | - Charlotte Thorpe
- Unilever Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, Bedford, Bedfordshire MK44 1LQ, UK
| | | | - Hiral Patel
- Charles River Laboratories, Cambridgeshire CB10 1XL, UK
| | - Dawn Yates
- Charles River Laboratories, Cambridgeshire CB10 1XL, UK
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5
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Chauhan V, Beaton D, Tollefsen KE, Preston J, Burtt JJ, Leblanc J, Hamada N, Azzam EI, Armant O, Bouffler S, Azimzadeh O, Moertl S, Yamada Y, Tanaka IB, Kaiser JC, Applegate K, Laurier D, Garnier-Laplace J. Radiation Adverse Outcome pathways (AOPs): examining priority questions from an international horizon-style exercise. Int J Radiat Biol 2024:1-14. [PMID: 38718325 DOI: 10.1080/09553002.2024.2348072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) Development Programme is being explored in the radiation field, as an overarching framework to identify and prioritize research needs that best support strengthening of radiation risk assessment and risk management strategies. To advance the use of AOPs, an international horizon-style exercise (HSE) was initiated through the Radiation/Chemical AOP Joint Topical Group (JTG) formed by the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) High-Level Group on Low Dose Research (HLG-LDR) under the auspices of the Committee on Radiological Protection and Public Health (CRPPH). The intent of the HSE was to identify key research questions for consideration in AOP development that would help to reduce uncertainties in estimating the health risks following exposures to low dose and low dose-rate ionizing radiation. The HSE was conducted in several phases involving the solicitation of relevant questions, a collaborative review of open-ended candidate questions and an elimination exercise that led to the selection of 25 highest priority questions for the stated purpose. These questions were further ranked by over 100 respondents through an international survey. This final set of questions was judged to provide insights into how the OECD's AOP approach can be put into practice to meet the needs of hazard and risk assessors, regulators, and researchers. This paper examines the 25 priority questions in the context of hazard/risk assessment framework for ionizing radiation. CONCLUSION By addressing the 25 priority questions, it is anticipated that constructed AOPs will have a high level of specificity, making them valuable tools for simplifying and prioritizing complex biological processes for use in developing revised radiation hazard and risk assessment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vinita Chauhan
- Consumer and Clinical Radiation Protection Bureau, Health Canada, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Danielle Beaton
- Isotopes, Radiobiology and Environment Directorate, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, Chalk River, Canada
| | - Knut Erik Tollefsen
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), Oslo, Norway
- Centre for Environmental Radioactivity, Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), Ås, Norway
| | - Julian Preston
- Office of Air and Radiation, Radiation Protection Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Julie J Burtt
- Directorate of Environmental and Radiation Protection and Assessment, Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Julie Leblanc
- Directorate of Environmental and Radiation Protection and Assessment, Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Nobuyuki Hamada
- Biology and Environmental Chemistry Division, Sustainable System Research Laboratory, Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry (CRIEPI), Chiba, Japan
| | - Edouard I Azzam
- Isotopes, Radiobiology and Environment Directorate, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, Chalk River, Canada
| | - Olivier Armant
- Institut de Radioprotection Et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PSE-ENV/SERPEN/LECO, Cadarache, France
| | | | - Omid Azimzadeh
- Federal Office of Radiation Protection, Oberschleissheim, Germany
| | - Simone Moertl
- Federal Office of Radiation Protection, Oberschleissheim, Germany
| | - Yutaka Yamada
- Department of Radiation Effects Research, Institute for Radiological Science, National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, Chiba, Japan
| | - Ignacia B Tanaka
- Department of Radiobiology, Institute for Environmental Sciences, Aomori, Japan
| | | | - Kimberly Applegate
- Department of Radiology, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, USA (retired)
| | - Dominique Laurier
- Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN), Fontenay aux Roses, France
| | - Jacqueline Garnier-Laplace
- On secondment from IRSN to the Committee on Radiological Protection and Public Health's secretariat, Paris, France
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6
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Flynn K, Le M, Hazemi M, Biales A, Bencic DC, Blackwell BR, Bush K, Flick R, Hoang JX, Martinson J, Morshead M, Rodriguez KS, Stacy E, Villeneuve DL. Comparing Transcriptomic Points of Departure to Apical Effect Concentrations For Larval Fathead Minnow Exposed to Chemicals with Four Different Modes Of Action. ARCHIVES OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY 2024; 86:346-362. [PMID: 38743081 DOI: 10.1007/s00244-024-01064-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
It is postulated that below a transcriptomic-based point of departure, adverse effects are unlikely to occur, thereby providing a chemical concentration to use in screening level hazard assessment. The present study extends previous work describing a high-throughput fathead minnow assay that can provide full transcriptomic data after exposure to a test chemical. One-day post-hatch fathead minnows were exposed to ten concentrations of three representatives of four chemical modes of action: organophosphates, ecdysone receptor agonists, plant photosystem II inhibitors, and estrogen receptor agonists for 24 h. Concentration response modeling was performed on whole body gene expression data from each exposure, using measured chemical concentrations when available. Transcriptomic points of departure in larval fathead minnow were lower than apical effect concentrations across fish species but not always lower than toxic effect concentrations in other aquatic taxa like crustaceans and insects. The point of departure was highly dependent on measured chemical concentration which were often lower than the nominal concentration. Differentially expressed genes between chemicals within modes of action were compared and often showed statistically significant overlap. In addition, reproducibility between identical exposures using a positive control chemical (CuSO4) and variability associated with the transcriptomic point of departure using in silico sampling were considered. Results extend a transcriptomic-compatible fathead minnow high-throughput assay for possible use in ecological hazard screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Flynn
- Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, US Environmental Protection Agency, US EPA GLTED, 6201 Congdon Blvd, Duluth, MN, 55804, USA.
| | - Michelle Le
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) Research Participant, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, US Environmental Protection Agency, Duluth, MN, 55804, USA
| | - Monique Hazemi
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) Research Participant, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, US Environmental Protection Agency, Duluth, MN, 55804, USA
| | - Adam Biales
- Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, US Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, OH, 45220, USA
| | - David C Bencic
- Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, US Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, OH, 45220, USA
| | - Brett R Blackwell
- Biochemistry and Biotechnology Group, Bioscience Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, 87545, USA
| | - Kendra Bush
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) Research Participant, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, US Environmental Protection Agency, Duluth, MN, 55804, USA
| | - Robert Flick
- Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, US Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, OH, 45220, USA
| | - John X Hoang
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) Research Participant, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, US Environmental Protection Agency, Duluth, MN, 55804, USA
| | - John Martinson
- Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, US Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, OH, 45220, USA
| | - Mackenzie Morshead
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) Research Participant, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, US Environmental Protection Agency, Duluth, MN, 55804, USA
| | - Kelvin Santana Rodriguez
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) Research Participant, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, US Environmental Protection Agency, Duluth, MN, 55804, USA
| | - Emma Stacy
- Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, US Environmental Protection Agency, US EPA GLTED, 6201 Congdon Blvd, Duluth, MN, 55804, USA
| | - Daniel L Villeneuve
- Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, US Environmental Protection Agency, US EPA GLTED, 6201 Congdon Blvd, Duluth, MN, 55804, USA
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7
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Bedrossiantz J, Goyenechea J, Prats E, Gómez-Canela C, Barata C, Raldúa D, Cachot J. Cardiac and neurobehavioral impairments in three phylogenetically distant aquatic model organisms exposed to environmentally relevant concentrations of boscalid. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 347:123685. [PMID: 38460591 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.123685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/11/2024]
Abstract
Boscalid (2-Chloro-N-(4'-chlorobiphenyl-2-yl) nicotinamide), a pyridine carboxamide fungicide, is an inhibitor of the complex II of the respiration chain in fungal mitochondria. As boscalid is only moderately toxic for aquatic organisms (LC50 > 1-10 mg/L), current environmental levels of this compound in aquatic ecosystems, in the range of ng/L-μg/L, are considered safe for aquatic organisms. In this study, we have exposed zebrafish (Danio rerio), Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes) and Daphnia magna to a range of concentrations of boscalid (1-1000 μg/L) for 24 h, and the effects on heart rate (HR), basal locomotor activity (BLA), visual motor response (VMR), startle response (SR), and habituation (HB) to a series of vibrational or light stimuli have been evaluated. Moreover, changes in the profile of the main neurotransmitters have been determined. Boscalid altered HR in a concentration-dependent manner, leading to a positive or negative chronotropic effect in fish and D. magna, respectively. While boscalid decreased BLA and increased VMR in Daphnia, these behaviors were not altered in fish. For SR and HB, the response was more species- and concentration-specific, with Daphnia exhibiting the highest sensitivity. At the neurotransmission level, boscalid exposure decreased the levels of L-aspartic acid in fish larvae and increased the levels of dopaminergic metabolites in D. magna. Our study demonstrates that exposure to environmental levels of boscalid alters cardiac activity, impairs ecologically relevant behaviors, and leads to changes in different neurotransmitter systems in phylogenetically distinct vertebrate and invertebrate models. Thus, the results presented emphasize the need to review the current regulation of this fungicide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliette Bedrossiantz
- Institute for Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), Jordi Girona, 18, 08034, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Júlia Goyenechea
- Department of Analytical Chemistry and Applied (Chromatography Section), IQS School of Engineering, Ramon Llull University, Via Augusta 390, 08017, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Eva Prats
- Research and Development Center (CID-CSIC), Jordi Girona 18, 08034, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Cristián Gómez-Canela
- Department of Analytical Chemistry and Applied (Chromatography Section), IQS School of Engineering, Ramon Llull University, Via Augusta 390, 08017, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Carlos Barata
- Institute for Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), Jordi Girona, 18, 08034, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Demetrio Raldúa
- Institute for Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), Jordi Girona, 18, 08034, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jérôme Cachot
- University of Bordeaux, CNRS, Bordeaux INP, EPOC, UMR 5805, F-33600, Pessac, France
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8
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Rodríguez-Belenguer P, Mangas-Sanjuan V, Soria-Olivas E, Pastor M. Integrating Mechanistic and Toxicokinetic Information in Predictive Models of Cholestasis. J Chem Inf Model 2024; 64:2775-2788. [PMID: 37660324 PMCID: PMC11005038 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.3c00945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
Drug development involves the thorough assessment of the candidate's safety and efficacy. In silico toxicology (IST) methods can contribute to the assessment, complementing in vitro and in vivo experimental methods, since they have many advantages in terms of cost and time. Also, they are less demanding concerning the requirements of product and experimental animals. One of these methods, Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationships (QSAR), has been proven successful in predicting simple toxicity end points but has more difficulties in predicting end points involving more complex phenomena. We hypothesize that QSAR models can produce better predictions of these end points by combining multiple QSAR models describing simpler biological phenomena and incorporating pharmacokinetic (PK) information, using quantitative in vitro to in vivo extrapolation (QIVIVE) models. In this study, we applied our methodology to the prediction of cholestasis and compared it with direct QSAR models. Our results show a clear increase in sensitivity. The predictive quality of the models was further assessed to mimic realistic conditions where the query compounds show low similarity with the training series. Again, our methodology shows clear advantages over direct QSAR models in these situations. We conclude that the proposed methodology could improve existing methodologies and could be suitable for being applied to other toxicity end points.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Rodríguez-Belenguer
- Research
Programme on Biomedical Informatics (GRIB), Department of Medicine
and Life Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra,
Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
- Department
of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology and Parasitology, Universitat de València, 46100 Valencia, Spain
| | - Victor Mangas-Sanjuan
- Department
of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology and Parasitology, Universitat de València, 46100 Valencia, Spain
- Interuniversity
Research Institute for Molecular Recognition and Technological Development, Universitat Politècnica de València, 46100 Valencia, Spain
| | - Emilio Soria-Olivas
- IDAL,
Intelligent Data Analysis Laboratory, ETSE, Universitat de València, 46100 Valencia, Spain
| | - Manuel Pastor
- Research
Programme on Biomedical Informatics (GRIB), Department of Medicine
and Life Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra,
Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
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9
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Ankley GT, Berninger JP, Maloney EM, Olker JH, Schaupp CM, Villeneuve DL, LaLone CA. Linking Mechanistic Effects of Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products to Ecologically Relevant Outcomes: A Decade of Progress. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2024; 43:537-548. [PMID: 35735070 PMCID: PMC11036122 DOI: 10.1002/etc.5416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Revised: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
There are insufficient toxicity data to assess the ecological risks of many pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs). While data limitations are not uncommon for contaminants of environmental concern, PPCPs are somewhat unique in that an a priori understanding of their biological activities in conjunction with measurements of molecular, biochemical, or histological responses could provide a foundation for understanding mode(s) of action and predicting potential adverse apical effects. Over the past decade significant progress has been made in the development of new approach methodologies (NAMs) to efficiently quantify these types of endpoints using computational models and pathway-based in vitro and in vivo assays. The availability of open-access knowledgebases to curate biological response (including NAM) data and sophisticated bioinformatics tools to help interpret the information also has significantly increased. Finally, advances in the development and implementation of the adverse outcome pathway framework provide the critical conceptual underpinnings needed to translate NAM data into predictions of the ecologically relevant outcomes required by risk assessors and managers. The evolution and convergence of these various data streams, tools, and concepts provides the basis for a fundamental change in how ecological risks of PPCPs can be pragmatically assessed. Environ Toxicol Chem 2024;43:537-548. © 2022 SETAC. This article has been contributed to by U.S. Government employees and their work is in the public domain in the USA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerald T Ankley
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, Duluth, Minnesota, USA
| | - Jason P Berninger
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, Duluth, Minnesota, USA
| | - Erin M Maloney
- University of Minnesota-Duluth, Integrated Biological Sciences Program, Duluth, Minnesota, USA
| | - Jennifer H Olker
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, Duluth, Minnesota, USA
| | | | - Daniel L Villeneuve
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, Duluth, Minnesota, USA
| | - Carlie A LaLone
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, Duluth, Minnesota, USA
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10
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Yu M, Yang Z, Zhou Y, Guo W, Tian L, Zhang L, Li X, Chen J. Mode of action exploration of reproductive toxicity induced by bisphenol S using human normal ovarian epithelial cells through ERβ-MAPK signaling pathway. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2024; 272:116037. [PMID: 38301581 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2024.116037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2023] [Revised: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In the plastics production sector, bisphenol S (BPS) has gained popularity as a replacement for bisphenol A (BPA). However, the mode of action (MOA) of female reproductive toxicity caused by BPS remains unclear and the safety of BPS is controversial. METHODS Human normal ovarian epithelial cell line, IOSE80, were exposed to BPS at human-relevant levels for short-term exposure at 24 h or 48 h, or for long-term exposure at 28 days, either alone or together with five signaling pathway inhibitors: ICI 18,2780 (estrogen receptor [ER] antagonist), G15 (GPR30 specific inhibitor), U0126 (extracellular regulated protein kinase [ERK] 1/2 inhibitor), SP600125 (c-Jun N-terminal kinase [JNK] inhibitor) or SB203580 (p38 mitogen‑activated protein kinase [p38MAPK] inhibitor). MOA through ERβ-MAPK signaling pathway interruption was explored, and potential thresholds were estimated by the benchmark dose method. RESULTS For short-term exposure, BPS exposure at human-relevant levels elevated the ESR2 and MAPK8 mRNA levels, along with the percentage of the G0/G1 phase. For long-term exposure, BPS raised the MAPK1 and EGFR mRNA levels, the ERβ, p-ERK, and p-JNK protein levels, and the percentage of the G0/G1 phase, which was partly suppressed by U0126. The benchmark dose lower confidence limit (BMDL) of the percentage of the S phase after 24 h exposure was the lowest among all the BMDLs of a good fit, with BMDL5 of 9.55 μM. CONCLUSIONS The MOA of female reproductive toxicity caused by BPS at human-relevant levels might involve: molecular initiating event (MIE)-BPS binding to ERβ receptor, key event (KE)1-the interrupted expression of GnRH, KE2-the activation of JNK (for short-term exposure) and ERK pathway (for long-term exposure), KE3-cell cycle arrest (the increased percentage of the G0/G1 phase), and KE4-interruption of cell proliferation (only for short-term exposure). The BMDL of the percentage of the S phase after 24 h exposure was the lowest among all the BMDLs of a good fit, with BMDL5 of 9.55 μM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengqi Yu
- Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, West China School of Public Health/West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Food Safety Monitoring and Risk Assessment Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, China
| | - Zhirui Yang
- Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, West China School of Public Health/West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Food Safety Monitoring and Risk Assessment Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, China
| | - Yongru Zhou
- Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, West China School of Public Health/West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Food Safety Monitoring and Risk Assessment Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, China
| | - Wanqing Guo
- Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, West China School of Public Health/West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Food Safety Monitoring and Risk Assessment Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, China
| | - Lin Tian
- Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, West China School of Public Health/West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Food Safety Monitoring and Risk Assessment Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, China
| | - Lishi Zhang
- Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, West China School of Public Health/West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Food Safety Monitoring and Risk Assessment Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiaomeng Li
- Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, West China School of Public Health/West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Food Safety Monitoring and Risk Assessment Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, China.
| | - Jinyao Chen
- Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, West China School of Public Health/West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Food Safety Monitoring and Risk Assessment Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, China.
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11
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Bhagat J, Singh N, Shimada Y. Southeast Asia's environmental challenges: emergence of new contaminants and advancements in testing methods. FRONTIERS IN TOXICOLOGY 2024; 6:1322386. [PMID: 38469037 PMCID: PMC10925796 DOI: 10.3389/ftox.2024.1322386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Emerging contaminants, including pharmaceuticals, personal care products, microplastics, and per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances, pose a major threat to both ecosystems and human health in Southeast Asia. As this region undergoes rapid industrialization and urbanization, the increasing presence of unconventional pollutants in water bodies, soil, and various organisms has become an alarming concern. This review comprehensively examines the environmental challenges posed by emerging contaminants in Southeast Asia and recent progress in toxicity testing methods. We discuss the diverse range of emerging contaminants found in Southeast Asia, shedding light on their causes and effects on ecosystems, and emphasize the need for robust toxicological testing methods. This review is a valuable resource for researchers, policymakers, and environmental practitioners working to mitigate the impacts of emerging contaminants and secure a sustainable future for Southeast Asia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacky Bhagat
- Graduate School of Regional Innovation Studies, Mie University, Tsu, Mie, Japan
- Mie University Zebrafish Research Center, Tsu, Mie, Japan
| | - Nisha Singh
- Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Yokosuka, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Yasuhito Shimada
- Mie University Zebrafish Research Center, Tsu, Mie, Japan
- Department of Bioinformatics, Mie University Advanced Science Research Promotion Center, Tsu, Mie, Japan
- Department of Integrative Pharmacology, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsu, Mie, Japan
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12
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Wang M, Cheng Q, Wu Z, Fan L, Zeng L, Chen H. Multidimensional assessment of the biological effects of electronic cigarettes on lung bronchial epithelial cells. Sci Rep 2024; 14:4445. [PMID: 38396087 PMCID: PMC10891173 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-55140-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Cigarette smoke (CS) exposure is known to cause injury to respiratory tract epithelial cells and is a contributing factor in the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer. Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are gaining popularity as a potential substitute for conventional cigarettes due to their potential for aiding smoking cessation. However, the safety of e-cigarettes remains uncertain, and scientific evidence on this topic is still limited. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of CS and e-cigarette smoke (ECS) of different flavors on human lung bronchial epithelial cells. Real-time smoke exposure was carried out using an air-liquid interface system, and cell viability was assessed. RNA-Seq transcriptome analysis was performed to compare the differences between CS and ECS. The transcriptome analysis revealed a significantly higher number of differentially expressed genes in CS than in ECS. Moreover, the impact of mint-flavored e-cigarettes on cells was found to be greater than that of tobacco-flavored e-cigarettes, as evidenced by the greater number of differentially expressed genes. These findings provide a reference for future safety research on traditional cigarettes and e-cigarettes, particularly those of different flavors. The use of omics-scale methodologies has improved our ability to understand the biological effects of CS and ECS on human respiratory tract epithelial cells, which can aid in the development of novel approaches for smoking cessation and lung disease prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Wang
- Hangzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou, 31021, China
| | - Qing Cheng
- Institute of Bioinformatics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Zehong Wu
- RELX Science Center, Shenzhen RELX Tech. Co. Ltd., Shenzhen, 518101, China
| | - Longjiang Fan
- Institute of Bioinformatics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- School of Medicine, Hangzhou City University, Hangzhou, 310015, China
| | - Linghui Zeng
- School of Medicine, Hangzhou City University, Hangzhou, 310015, China
| | - Hongyu Chen
- Institute of Bioinformatics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
- School of Medicine, Hangzhou City University, Hangzhou, 310015, China.
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13
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Kaplan BLF, Hoberman AM, Slikker W, Smith MA, Corsini E, Knudsen TB, Marty MS, Sobrian SK, Fitzpatrick SC, Ratner MH, Mendrick DL. Protecting Human and Animal Health: The Road from Animal Models to New Approach Methods. Pharmacol Rev 2024; 76:251-266. [PMID: 38351072 PMCID: PMC10877708 DOI: 10.1124/pharmrev.123.000967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Revised: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Animals and animal models have been invaluable for our current understanding of human and animal biology, including physiology, pharmacology, biochemistry, and disease pathology. However, there are increasing concerns with continued use of animals in basic biomedical, pharmacological, and regulatory research to provide safety assessments for drugs and chemicals. There are concerns that animals do not provide sufficient information on toxicity and/or efficacy to protect the target population, so scientists are utilizing the principles of replacement, reduction, and refinement (the 3Rs) and increasing the development and application of new approach methods (NAMs). NAMs are any technology, methodology, approach, or assay used to understand the effects and mechanisms of drugs or chemicals, with specific focus on applying the 3Rs. Although progress has been made in several areas with NAMs, complete replacement of animal models with NAMs is not yet attainable. The road to NAMs requires additional development, increased use, and, for regulatory decision making, usually formal validation. Moreover, it is likely that replacement of animal models with NAMs will require multiple assays to ensure sufficient biologic coverage. The purpose of this manuscript is to provide a balanced view of the current state of the use of animal models and NAMs as approaches to development, safety, efficacy, and toxicity testing of drugs and chemicals. Animals do not provide all needed information nor do NAMs, but each can elucidate key pieces of the puzzle of human and animal biology and contribute to the goal of protecting human and animal health. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Data from traditional animal studies have predominantly been used to inform human health safety and efficacy. Although it is unlikely that all animal studies will be able to be replaced, with the continued advancement in new approach methods (NAMs), it is possible that sometime in the future, NAMs will likely be an important component by which the discovery, efficacy, and toxicity testing of drugs and chemicals is conducted and regulatory decisions are made.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara L F Kaplan
- Center for Environmental Health Sciences, Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, Mississippi (B.L.F.K.); Charles River Laboratories, Inc., Horsham, Pennsylvania (A.M.H.); Retired, National Center for Toxicological Research, Jefferson, Arkansas (W.S.); University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia (M.A.S.); Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, 'Rodolfo Paoletti' Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy (E.C.); US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina (T.B.K.); Dow, Inc., Midland, Michigan (M.S.M.); Howard University College of Medicine, Washington DC (S.K.S.); Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, US Food and Drug Administration, College Park, Maryland (S.C.F.); Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts (M.H.R.); and National Center for Toxicological Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland (D.L.M.)
| | - Alan M Hoberman
- Center for Environmental Health Sciences, Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, Mississippi (B.L.F.K.); Charles River Laboratories, Inc., Horsham, Pennsylvania (A.M.H.); Retired, National Center for Toxicological Research, Jefferson, Arkansas (W.S.); University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia (M.A.S.); Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, 'Rodolfo Paoletti' Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy (E.C.); US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina (T.B.K.); Dow, Inc., Midland, Michigan (M.S.M.); Howard University College of Medicine, Washington DC (S.K.S.); Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, US Food and Drug Administration, College Park, Maryland (S.C.F.); Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts (M.H.R.); and National Center for Toxicological Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland (D.L.M.)
| | - William Slikker
- Center for Environmental Health Sciences, Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, Mississippi (B.L.F.K.); Charles River Laboratories, Inc., Horsham, Pennsylvania (A.M.H.); Retired, National Center for Toxicological Research, Jefferson, Arkansas (W.S.); University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia (M.A.S.); Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, 'Rodolfo Paoletti' Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy (E.C.); US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina (T.B.K.); Dow, Inc., Midland, Michigan (M.S.M.); Howard University College of Medicine, Washington DC (S.K.S.); Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, US Food and Drug Administration, College Park, Maryland (S.C.F.); Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts (M.H.R.); and National Center for Toxicological Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland (D.L.M.)
| | - Mary Alice Smith
- Center for Environmental Health Sciences, Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, Mississippi (B.L.F.K.); Charles River Laboratories, Inc., Horsham, Pennsylvania (A.M.H.); Retired, National Center for Toxicological Research, Jefferson, Arkansas (W.S.); University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia (M.A.S.); Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, 'Rodolfo Paoletti' Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy (E.C.); US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina (T.B.K.); Dow, Inc., Midland, Michigan (M.S.M.); Howard University College of Medicine, Washington DC (S.K.S.); Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, US Food and Drug Administration, College Park, Maryland (S.C.F.); Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts (M.H.R.); and National Center for Toxicological Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland (D.L.M.)
| | - Emanuela Corsini
- Center for Environmental Health Sciences, Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, Mississippi (B.L.F.K.); Charles River Laboratories, Inc., Horsham, Pennsylvania (A.M.H.); Retired, National Center for Toxicological Research, Jefferson, Arkansas (W.S.); University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia (M.A.S.); Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, 'Rodolfo Paoletti' Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy (E.C.); US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina (T.B.K.); Dow, Inc., Midland, Michigan (M.S.M.); Howard University College of Medicine, Washington DC (S.K.S.); Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, US Food and Drug Administration, College Park, Maryland (S.C.F.); Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts (M.H.R.); and National Center for Toxicological Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland (D.L.M.)
| | - Thomas B Knudsen
- Center for Environmental Health Sciences, Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, Mississippi (B.L.F.K.); Charles River Laboratories, Inc., Horsham, Pennsylvania (A.M.H.); Retired, National Center for Toxicological Research, Jefferson, Arkansas (W.S.); University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia (M.A.S.); Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, 'Rodolfo Paoletti' Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy (E.C.); US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina (T.B.K.); Dow, Inc., Midland, Michigan (M.S.M.); Howard University College of Medicine, Washington DC (S.K.S.); Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, US Food and Drug Administration, College Park, Maryland (S.C.F.); Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts (M.H.R.); and National Center for Toxicological Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland (D.L.M.)
| | - M Sue Marty
- Center for Environmental Health Sciences, Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, Mississippi (B.L.F.K.); Charles River Laboratories, Inc., Horsham, Pennsylvania (A.M.H.); Retired, National Center for Toxicological Research, Jefferson, Arkansas (W.S.); University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia (M.A.S.); Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, 'Rodolfo Paoletti' Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy (E.C.); US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina (T.B.K.); Dow, Inc., Midland, Michigan (M.S.M.); Howard University College of Medicine, Washington DC (S.K.S.); Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, US Food and Drug Administration, College Park, Maryland (S.C.F.); Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts (M.H.R.); and National Center for Toxicological Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland (D.L.M.)
| | - Sonya K Sobrian
- Center for Environmental Health Sciences, Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, Mississippi (B.L.F.K.); Charles River Laboratories, Inc., Horsham, Pennsylvania (A.M.H.); Retired, National Center for Toxicological Research, Jefferson, Arkansas (W.S.); University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia (M.A.S.); Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, 'Rodolfo Paoletti' Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy (E.C.); US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina (T.B.K.); Dow, Inc., Midland, Michigan (M.S.M.); Howard University College of Medicine, Washington DC (S.K.S.); Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, US Food and Drug Administration, College Park, Maryland (S.C.F.); Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts (M.H.R.); and National Center for Toxicological Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland (D.L.M.)
| | - Suzanne C Fitzpatrick
- Center for Environmental Health Sciences, Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, Mississippi (B.L.F.K.); Charles River Laboratories, Inc., Horsham, Pennsylvania (A.M.H.); Retired, National Center for Toxicological Research, Jefferson, Arkansas (W.S.); University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia (M.A.S.); Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, 'Rodolfo Paoletti' Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy (E.C.); US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina (T.B.K.); Dow, Inc., Midland, Michigan (M.S.M.); Howard University College of Medicine, Washington DC (S.K.S.); Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, US Food and Drug Administration, College Park, Maryland (S.C.F.); Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts (M.H.R.); and National Center for Toxicological Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland (D.L.M.)
| | - Marcia H Ratner
- Center for Environmental Health Sciences, Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, Mississippi (B.L.F.K.); Charles River Laboratories, Inc., Horsham, Pennsylvania (A.M.H.); Retired, National Center for Toxicological Research, Jefferson, Arkansas (W.S.); University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia (M.A.S.); Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, 'Rodolfo Paoletti' Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy (E.C.); US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina (T.B.K.); Dow, Inc., Midland, Michigan (M.S.M.); Howard University College of Medicine, Washington DC (S.K.S.); Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, US Food and Drug Administration, College Park, Maryland (S.C.F.); Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts (M.H.R.); and National Center for Toxicological Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland (D.L.M.)
| | - Donna L Mendrick
- Center for Environmental Health Sciences, Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, Mississippi (B.L.F.K.); Charles River Laboratories, Inc., Horsham, Pennsylvania (A.M.H.); Retired, National Center for Toxicological Research, Jefferson, Arkansas (W.S.); University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia (M.A.S.); Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, 'Rodolfo Paoletti' Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy (E.C.); US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina (T.B.K.); Dow, Inc., Midland, Michigan (M.S.M.); Howard University College of Medicine, Washington DC (S.K.S.); Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, US Food and Drug Administration, College Park, Maryland (S.C.F.); Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts (M.H.R.); and National Center for Toxicological Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland (D.L.M.)
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14
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Roell MS, Ott MC, Mair MM, Pamminger T. Missing Genomic Resources for the Next Generation of Environmental Risk Assessment. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:1877-1881. [PMID: 38245867 PMCID: PMC10832041 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c08701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Revised: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2024]
Abstract
Environmental risk assessment traditionally relies on a wide range of in vivo testing to assess the potential hazards of chemicals in the environment. These tests are often time-consuming and costly and can cause test organisms' suffering. Recent developments of reliable low-cost alternatives, both in vivo- and in silico-based, opened the door to reconsider current toxicity assessment. However, many of these new approach methodologies (NAMs) rely on high-quality annotated genomes for surrogate species of regulatory risk assessment. Currently, a lack of genomic information slows the process of NAM development. Here, we present a phylogenetically resolved overview of missing genomic resources for surrogate species within a regulatory ecotoxicological risk assessment. We call for an organized and systematic effort within the (regulatory) ecotoxicological community to provide these missing genomic resources. Further, we discuss the potential of a standardized genomic surrogate species landscape to enable a robust and nonanimal-reliant ecotoxicological risk assessment in the systems ecotoxicology era.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc-Sven Roell
- R&D
Bayer AG, Crop Science Division, Monheim am Rhein 40789, Germany
| | | | - Magdalena M. Mair
- Bayreuth
Center for Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), Bayreuth 95447, Germany
- Statistical
Ecotoxicology, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth 95447, Germany
| | - Tobias Pamminger
- R&D
Bayer AG, Crop Science Division, Monheim am Rhein 40789, Germany
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15
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Ukpai OM, Ijioma SN, Kanu K, Orieke D, Chinedu-Ndukwe PA, Ugwuanyi KC, Ugbogu EA. Phytochemical composition, toxicological profiling and effect on pup birth weight of Corchorus olitorius leaf extract in rats: Implications for fetal macrosomia control. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 319:117170. [PMID: 37704120 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2023.117170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/10/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Corchorus olitorius is used in ethnomedicine to arrest threatened miscarriage, ease labour, and promote smooth childbirth. AIM OF THE STUDY To evaluate the phytochemical composition, toxicity profile, and effect of Corchorus olitorius L. leaf extract (COLE) on fetal macrosomia control in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS The chemical constituents of COLE were determined using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). A single dose of up to 5000 mg/kg was administered in the acute toxicity test, and the rats were monitored for 14 days. In the sub-acute toxicity study, rats were treated with the extract for 28 days, and liver function, renal function, lipid profile, and serum antioxidant parameters, coupled with liver and kidney histology, were used to assess the toxicity potential of the extract. In the pup birth weight study, treatment of pregnant rats lasted until the birth of pups and continued for an extra 4 weeks. Rats in group 1 served as a control, whereas rats in groups 2, 3, and 4 received daily doses of 200, 400, and 800 mg/kg body weight of COLE, respectively, via oral gavage. RESULTS Bioactive compounds such as D-limonene, phytol, hexadecanoic acid, 9-octadecenoic acid (Z), dodecanoic acid, and ethyl 9,12,15-octadecatrienoate with well-known pharmacological activities were detected. LD50 of COLE was >5000 mg/kg. COLE decreased body weight and increased red blood cell, packed cell volume, and haemoglobin values when compared with the control (p < 0.05). COLE significantly decreased alkaline phosphatase, alanine aminotransferase, and aspartate aminotransferase but did not cause any significant (p > 0.05) changes in other biochemical (liver and kidney) parameters when compared to control. COLE decreased total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and increased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol when compared with the control (p < 0.05). Birth weights of pups were significantly decreased in the COLE-treated groups when compared with the control (p < 0.05), but the observed difference terminated by the fourth week of weaning. CONCLUSION The results showed that COLE is not toxic but has several bioactive compounds with known pharmacological activities and therefore may be a safe oral agent for fetal macrosomia control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Onyinye Mkpola Ukpai
- Department of Zoology and Environmental Biology, College of Natural Sciences, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria
| | - Solomon Nnah Ijioma
- Department of Zoology and Environmental Biology, College of Natural Sciences, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria
| | - Kingsley Kanu
- Department of Environmental Management and Toxicology, College of Natural Resources and Environmental Management, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria
| | - Daniel Orieke
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria
| | - Peace Amarachi Chinedu-Ndukwe
- Department of Zoology and Environmental Biology, College of Natural Sciences, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria
| | - Kingsley Chijioke Ugwuanyi
- Department of Zoology and Environmental Biology, College of Natural Sciences, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria
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16
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Collins SP, Mailloux B, Kulkarni S, Gagné M, Long AS, Barton-Maclaren TS. Development and application of consensus in silico models for advancing high-throughput toxicological predictions. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1307905. [PMID: 38333007 PMCID: PMC10850302 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1307905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Computational toxicology models have been successfully implemented to prioritize and screen chemicals. There are numerous in silico (quantitative) structure-activity relationship ([Q]SAR) models for the prediction of a range of human-relevant toxicological endpoints, but for a given endpoint and chemical, not all predictions are identical due to differences in their training sets, algorithms, and methodology. This poses an issue for high-throughput screening of a large chemical inventory as it necessitates several models to cover diverse chemistries but will then generate data conflicts. To address this challenge, we developed a consensus modeling strategy to combine predictions obtained from different existing in silico (Q)SAR models into a single predictive value while also expanding chemical space coverage. This study developed consensus models for nine toxicological endpoints relating to estrogen receptor (ER) and androgen receptor (AR) interactions (i.e., binding, agonism, and antagonism) and genotoxicity (i.e., bacterial mutation, in vitro chromosomal aberration, and in vivo micronucleus). Consensus models were created by combining different (Q)SAR models using various weighting schemes. As a multi-objective optimization problem, there is no single best consensus model, and therefore, Pareto fronts were determined for each endpoint to identify the consensus models that optimize the multiple-criterion decisions simultaneously. Accordingly, this work presents sets of solutions for each endpoint that contain the optimal combination, regardless of the trade-off, with the results demonstrating that the consensus models improved both the predictive power and chemical space coverage. These solutions were further analyzed to find trends between the best consensus models and their components. Here, we demonstrate the development of a flexible and adaptable approach for in silico consensus modeling and its application across nine toxicological endpoints related to ER activity, AR activity, and genotoxicity. These consensus models are developed to be integrated into a larger multi-tier NAM-based framework to prioritize chemicals for further investigation and support the transition to a non-animal approach to risk assessment in Canada.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean P. Collins
- Existing Substances Risk Assessment Bureau, Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
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17
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Fan D, Xue K, Zhang R, Zhu W, Zhang H, Qi J, Zhu Z, Wang Y, Cui P. Application of interpretable machine learning models to improve the prediction performance of ionic liquids toxicity. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 908:168168. [PMID: 37918734 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2023] [Revised: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
With the wide application prospect of ionic liquids (ILs) as solvent in the future industry, in order to promote green and sustainable chemical engineering, the toxicity problem of common concern has been systematically modeled. Machine learning has promoted the development of chemical property prediction model with its powerful data processing ability. Two typical ensemble learning models, Random Forest (RF) and eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), were used to model the toxicity of ILs to Vibrio fischeri in this work. The model's hyperparameters were fine-tuned using Bayesian optimization, and its robustness was enhanced through the 5-fold cross validation. The results of the model comparison showed that the XGBoost model exhibited good generalization ability. In addition, the SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) method was used to explain the model in more detail and the XGBoost model was used to supplement the toxicity value matrix of 1590 ILs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dingchao Fan
- College of Chemical Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, 53Zhengzhou Road, Qingdao 266042, People's Republic of China
| | - Ke Xue
- College of Chemical Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, 53Zhengzhou Road, Qingdao 266042, People's Republic of China
| | - Runqi Zhang
- College of Chemical Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, 53Zhengzhou Road, Qingdao 266042, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenguang Zhu
- College of Chemical Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, 53Zhengzhou Road, Qingdao 266042, People's Republic of China
| | - Hongru Zhang
- College of Chemical Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, 53Zhengzhou Road, Qingdao 266042, People's Republic of China
| | - Jianguang Qi
- College of Chemical Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, 53Zhengzhou Road, Qingdao 266042, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhaoyou Zhu
- College of Chemical Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, 53Zhengzhou Road, Qingdao 266042, People's Republic of China
| | - Yinglong Wang
- College of Chemical Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, 53Zhengzhou Road, Qingdao 266042, People's Republic of China.
| | - Peizhe Cui
- College of Chemical Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, 53Zhengzhou Road, Qingdao 266042, People's Republic of China
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18
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Russell AJ, Vincent M, Buerger AN, Dotson S, Lotter J, Maier A. Establishing short-term occupational exposure limits (STELs) for sensory irritants using predictive and in silico respiratory rate depression (RD 50) models. Inhal Toxicol 2024; 36:13-25. [PMID: 38252504 DOI: 10.1080/08958378.2023.2299867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
Sensory irritation is a health endpoint that serves as the critical effect basis for many occupational exposure limits (OELs). Schaper 1993 described a significant relationship with high correlation between the measured exposure concentration producing a 50% respiratory rate decrease (RD50) in a standard rodent assay and the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH®) Threshold Limit Values (TLVs®) as time-weighted averages (TWAs) for airborne chemical irritants. The results demonstrated the potential use of the RD50 values for deriving full-shift TWA OELs protective of irritant responses. However, there remains a need to develop a similar predictive model for deriving workplace short-term exposure limits (STELs) for sensory irritants. The aim of our study was to establish a model capable of correlating the relationship between RD50 values and published STELs to prospectively derive short-term exposure OELs for sensory irritants. A National Toxicology Program (NTP) database that included chemicals with both an RD50 and established STELs was used to fit several linear regression models. A strong correlation between RD50s and STELs was identified, with a predictive equation of ln (STEL) (ppm) = 0.86 * ln (RD50) (ppm) - 2.42 and an R2 value of 0.75. This model supports the use of RD50s to derive STELs for chemicals without existing exposure recommendations. Further, for data-poor sensory irritants, predicted RD50 values from in silico quantitative structure activity relationship (QSAR) models can be used to derive STELs. Hence, in silico methods and statistical modeling can present a path forward for establishing reliable OELs and improving worker safety and health.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Melissa Vincent
- Stantec (ChemRisk), Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Tox Strategies, Ashville, NC, USA
| | - Amanda N Buerger
- Stantec (ChemRisk), Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Tox Strategies, Ashville, NC, USA
| | - Scott Dotson
- Stantec (ChemRisk), Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Insight Exposure and Risk Sciences Group, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Jason Lotter
- Insight Exposure and Risk Sciences Group, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Stantec (ChemRisk), Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Andrew Maier
- Stantec (ChemRisk), Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Occupational Alliance for Risk Science, Cincinnati, OH, USA
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19
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Huang S. A novel strategy for the study on molecular mechanism of prostate injury induced by 4,4'-sulfonyldiphenol based on network toxicology analysis. J Appl Toxicol 2024; 44:28-40. [PMID: 37340727 DOI: 10.1002/jat.4506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2023] [Revised: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2023]
Abstract
The study aimed to investigate the underlying molecular mechanisms of prostate injury induced by 4,4'-sulfonyldiphenol (BPS) exposure and propose a novel research strategy to systematically explore the molecular mechanisms of toxicant-induced adverse health effects. By utilizing the ChEMBL, STITCH, and GeneCards databases, a total of 208 potential targets associated with BPS exposure and prostate injury were identified. Through screening the potential target network in the STRING database and Cytoscape software, we determined 21 core targets including AKT1, EGFR, and MAPK3. Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses conducted through the DAVID database illustrated that the potential targets of BPS in prostatic toxicity were primarily enriched in cancer signaling pathways and calcium signaling pathways. These findings suggest that BPS may actively participate in the occurrence and development of prostate inflammation, prostatic hyperplasia, prostate cancer, and other aspects of prostate injury by regulating prostate cancer cell apoptosis and proliferation, activating inflammatory signaling pathways, and modulating prostate adipocytes and fibroblasts. This research provides a theoretical basis for understanding the molecular mechanism of underlying BPS-induced prostatic toxicity and establishes a foundation for the prevention and treatment of prostatic diseases associated with exposure to plastic products containing BPS and certain BPS-overwhelmed environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shujun Huang
- West China Medical Center, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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20
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Ni M, Deepika D, Li X, Xiong W, Zhang L, Chen J, Kumar V. IVIVE-PBPK based new approach methodology for addressing early life toxicity induced by Bisphenol A. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 240:117343. [PMID: 37858691 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.117343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2023] [Revised: 10/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
Bisphenol A (BPA) is a known endocrine disruptor mimicking natural estrogens with the potential to affect human health, especially during prenatal and postnatal exposure at or below current acceptable daily intake levels. Different adverse effects of BPA are still under investigation, and multiple mechanisms of action remain unexplored. This may be one of the reasons for the continuously changing tolerable daily intake (TDI) of BPA with the emergence of new adverse health effects over time. In addition, translational modelling through in vitro-in vivo extrapolation (IVIVE) can act as prerequisite bridge for translating in-vitro finding into human risk assessment. The objective of this study was to conduct in-vitro experiments and utilize an IVIVE-pregnancy physiologically based pharmacokinetic (P-PBPK) modeling to investigate developmental neurotoxicity and embryotoxicity in humans. The data obtained from human embryonic stem cells-based assays (study conducted between October 2020-2021) were used for the IVIVE-P-PBPK models to obtain the human equivalent doses (HEDs) which were further extrapolated to reference doses (RfDs). The results showed that simulated mean RfDs (μg/kg/day) derived from the HSD3B1 and NFATC2 gene of embryotoxicity and neurodevelopmental toxicity tests, respectively, were 4.94 and 5.18. The simulated RfDs were close to the temporary-tolerable daily intake (t-TDI) recommended by European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in 2015 (t-TDI: 4 μg/kg·bw) and higher than the TDI of 2023 (0.2 ng/kg·bw). In conclusion, in-vitro toxicogenomics dose-response data combined with PBPK modeling can become a promising alternative new approach methodology (NAM) to support decision-making in chemical risk assessment. Based on the simulated RfDs derived from this NAM, the t-TDI set by EFSA in 2015 may be considered a safe exposure limit for mothers and fetuses at the current BPA intake levels in Chinese mothers. This study provided an animal-free new strategy for NAMs based risk assessment by combining toxicogenomics and computational toxicology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengmei Ni
- West China School of Public Health/West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Environmental Engineering Laboratory, Departament d' Enginyeria Quimica, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Av. Països Catalans 26, 43007, Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Deepika Deepika
- Environmental Engineering Laboratory, Departament d' Enginyeria Quimica, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Av. Països Catalans 26, 43007, Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain; IISPV, Hospital Universitari Sant Joan de Reus, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Reus, Spain
| | - Xiaomeng Li
- West China School of Public Health/West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Wei Xiong
- West China School of Public Health/West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Lishi Zhang
- West China School of Public Health/West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jinyao Chen
- West China School of Public Health/West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
| | - Vikas Kumar
- Environmental Engineering Laboratory, Departament d' Enginyeria Quimica, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Av. Països Catalans 26, 43007, Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain; IISPV, Hospital Universitari Sant Joan de Reus, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Reus, Spain; German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Max-Dohrn-Str. 8-10, 10589, Berlin, Germany.
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21
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Battaglin W, Bradley P, Weissinger R, Blackwell B, Cavallin J, Villeneuve D, DeCicco L, Kinsey J. Changes in chemical occurrence, concentration, and bioactivity in the Colorado River before and after replacement of the Moab, Utah wastewater treatment plant. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 904:166231. [PMID: 37586530 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Revised: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
Long-term (2010-19) water-quality monitoring on the Colorado River downstream from Moab Utah indicated the persistent presence of Bioactive Chemicals (BC), such as pesticides and pharmaceuticals. This stream reach near Canyonlands National Park provides critical habitat for federally endangered species. The Moab wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) outfall discharges to the Colorado River and is the nearest potential point-source to this reach. The original WWTP was replaced in 2018. In 2016-19, a study was completed to determine if the new plant reduced BC input to the Colorado River at, and downstream from, the outfall. Water samples were collected before and after the plant replacement at sites upstream and downstream from the outfall. Samples were analyzed for as many as 243 pesticides, 109 pharmaceuticals, 20 hormones, 51 wastewater indicator chemicals, 20 metals, and 8 nutrients. BC concentrations, hazard quotients (HQs), and exposure activity ratios (EARs) were used to identify and prioritize contaminants for their potential to have adverse biological effects on the health of native and endangered wildlife. There were 22 BC with HQs >1, mostly metals and hormones; and 23 BC with EARs >0.1, mostly hormones and pharmaceuticals. Most high HQs or EARs were associated with samples collected at the WWTP outfall site prior to its replacement. Discharge from the new plant had reduced concentrations of nutrients, hormones, pharmaceuticals, and other BC. For example, all 16 of the hormones detected at the WWTP outfall site had maximum concentrations in samples collected prior to the WWTP replacement. The WWTP replacement had less effect on instream concentrations of metals and pesticides, BC whose sources are less directly tied to domestic wastewater. Study results indicate that improved WWTP technology can create substantial reductions in concentrations of non-regulated BC such as pharmaceuticals, in addition to regulated contaminants such as nutrients.
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22
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Liao Y, Deng Y, Yu X, Zhang P, Liu R. The mediating role of AKT/ERK/JNK signaling on the malignant phenotype of microcystin-LR in gastric adenocarcinoma cells. Food Chem Toxicol 2023; 182:114174. [PMID: 37949205 DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2023.114174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2023] [Revised: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
Microcystin-leucine arginine (MC-LR), a widely distributed and highly toxic environmental pollutant, plays crucial roles in cancer malignancy by activating characteristically toxic signaling pathways. Traditional animal-based toxicity evaluation methods have proven insufficient for identifying the specific role of these signaling pathways. Therefore, this study aimed to uncover the regulatory relationship between the toxic pathways and the progression of gastric cancer (GC). The findings provide novel avenues for conducting in vitro toxicity tests based on the investigated pathways. We found that MC-LR promoted the migration and invasion of SGC-7901 cells while simultaneously inhibiting their apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. This observed cytotoxicity was primarily mediated through the AKT, JNK, and ERK signaling pathways. By using a mediation analysis model, we determined that AKT and ERK exhibited competitive effects in MC-LR-treated GC malignancy, while AKT and JNK acted independently from one another. This study establishes an in vitro toxicity test model of MC-LR based on toxicity-related pathways and underscores the pivotal roles of AKT, ERK, and JNK signaling in MC-LR toxicity. The findings offer a novel, fundamental framework for conducting chemical toxicity risk assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinghao Liao
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Yali Deng
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China; Center for Disease Control and Prevention of Huizhou, No. 10, Fumin Road, Huizhou, 516003, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiaojin Yu
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Peng Zhang
- Huzhou Center for Disease Prevention and Control, Huzhou, 313000, China.
| | - Ran Liu
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China.
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23
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Arturi K, Hollender J. Machine Learning-Based Hazard-Driven Prioritization of Features in Nontarget Screening of Environmental High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry Data. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:18067-18079. [PMID: 37279189 PMCID: PMC10666537 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c00304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Nontarget high-resolution mass spectrometry screening (NTS HRMS/MS) can detect thousands of organic substances in environmental samples. However, new strategies are needed to focus time-intensive identification efforts on features with the highest potential to cause adverse effects instead of the most abundant ones. To address this challenge, we developed MLinvitroTox, a machine learning framework that uses molecular fingerprints derived from fragmentation spectra (MS2) for a rapid classification of thousands of unidentified HRMS/MS features as toxic/nontoxic based on nearly 400 target-specific and over 100 cytotoxic endpoints from ToxCast/Tox21. Model development results demonstrated that using customized molecular fingerprints and models, over a quarter of toxic endpoints and the majority of the associated mechanistic targets could be accurately predicted with sensitivities exceeding 0.95. Notably, SIRIUS molecular fingerprints and xboost (Extreme Gradient Boosting) models with SMOTE (Synthetic Minority Oversampling Technique) for handling data imbalance were a universally successful and robust modeling configuration. Validation of MLinvitroTox on MassBank spectra showed that toxicity could be predicted from molecular fingerprints derived from MS2 with an average balanced accuracy of 0.75. By applying MLinvitroTox to environmental HRMS/MS data, we confirmed the experimental results obtained with target analysis and narrowed the analytical focus from tens of thousands of detected signals to 783 features linked to potential toxicity, including 109 spectral matches and 30 compounds with confirmed toxic activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Arturi
- Department
of Environmental Chemistry, Swiss Federal
Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag), Ueberlandstrasse 133, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Juliane Hollender
- Department
of Environmental Chemistry, Swiss Federal
Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag), Ueberlandstrasse 133, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
- Institute
of Biogeochemistry and Pollution Dynamics, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich (ETH Zurich), Rämistrasse 101, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
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24
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Jia X, Wang T, Zhu H. Advancing Computational Toxicology by Interpretable Machine Learning. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:17690-17706. [PMID: 37224004 PMCID: PMC10666545 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c00653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Revised: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Chemical toxicity evaluations for drugs, consumer products, and environmental chemicals have a critical impact on human health. Traditional animal models to evaluate chemical toxicity are expensive, time-consuming, and often fail to detect toxicants in humans. Computational toxicology is a promising alternative approach that utilizes machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) techniques to predict the toxicity potentials of chemicals. Although the applications of ML- and DL-based computational models in chemical toxicity predictions are attractive, many toxicity models are "black boxes" in nature and difficult to interpret by toxicologists, which hampers the chemical risk assessments using these models. The recent progress of interpretable ML (IML) in the computer science field meets this urgent need to unveil the underlying toxicity mechanisms and elucidate the domain knowledge of toxicity models. In this review, we focused on the applications of IML in computational toxicology, including toxicity feature data, model interpretation methods, use of knowledge base frameworks in IML development, and recent applications. The challenges and future directions of IML modeling in toxicology are also discussed. We hope this review can encourage efforts in developing interpretable models with new IML algorithms that can assist new chemical assessments by illustrating toxicity mechanisms in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuelian Jia
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Rowan University, Glassboro, New Jersey 08028, United States
| | - Tong Wang
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Rowan University, Glassboro, New Jersey 08028, United States
| | - Hao Zhu
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Rowan University, Glassboro, New Jersey 08028, United States
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25
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Yang D, Yang H, Shi M, Jia X, Sui H, Liu Z, Wu Y. Advancing food safety risk assessment in China: development of new approach methodologies (NAMs). FRONTIERS IN TOXICOLOGY 2023; 5:1292373. [PMID: 38046399 PMCID: PMC10690935 DOI: 10.3389/ftox.2023.1292373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Novel techniques and methodologies are being developed to advance food safety risk assessment into the next-generation. Considering the shortcomings of traditional animal testing, new approach methodologies (NAMs) will be the main tools for the next-generation risk assessment (NGRA), using non-animal methodologies such as in vitro and in silico approaches. The United States Environmental Protection Agency and the European Food Safety Authority have established work plans to encourage the development and application of NAMs in NGRA. Currently, NAMs are more commonly used in research than in regulatory risk assessment. China is also developing NAMs for NGRA but without a comprehensive review of the current work. This review summarizes major NAM-related research articles from China and highlights the China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment (CFSA) as the primary institution leading the implementation of NAMs in NGRA in China. The projects of CFSA on NAMs such as the Food Toxicology Program and the strategies for implementing NAMs in NGRA are outlined. Key issues and recommendations, such as discipline development and team building, are also presented to promote NAMs development in China and worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Haixia Sui
- NHC Key Laboratory of Food Safety Risk Assessment, China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, Beijing, China
| | - Zhaoping Liu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Food Safety Risk Assessment, China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, Beijing, China
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26
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Kwon H, Ali ZA, Wong BM. Harnessing Semi-Supervised Machine Learning to Automatically Predict Bioactivities of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs). ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY LETTERS 2023; 10:1017-1022. [PMID: 38025956 PMCID: PMC10653214 DOI: 10.1021/acs.estlett.2c00530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
Many per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) pose significant health hazards due to their bioactive and persistent bioaccumulative properties. However, assessing the bioactivities of PFASs is both time-consuming and costly due to the sheer number and expense of in vivo and in vitro biological experiments. To this end, we harnessed new unsupervised/semi-supervised machine learning models to automatically predict bioactivities of PFASs in various human biological targets, including enzymes, genes, proteins, and cell lines. Our semi-supervised metric learning models were used to predict the bioactivity of PFASs found in the recent Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) report list, which contains 4730 PFASs used in a broad range of industries and consumers. Our work provides the first semi-supervised machine learning study of structure-activity relationships for predicting possible bioactivities in a variety of PFAS species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyuna Kwon
- Department
of Chemical & Environmental Engineering, University of California-Riverside, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Zulfikhar A. Ali
- Department
of Physics & Astronomy, University of
California-Riverside, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Bryan M. Wong
- Department
of Chemical & Environmental Engineering, University of California-Riverside, Riverside, California 92521, United States
- Department
of Physics & Astronomy, University of
California-Riverside, Riverside, California 92521, United States
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27
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Monroe LK, Truong DP, Miner JC, Adikari SH, Sasiene ZJ, Fenimore PW, Alexandrov B, Williams RF, Nguyen HB. Conotoxin Prediction: New Features to Increase Prediction Accuracy. Toxins (Basel) 2023; 15:641. [PMID: 37999504 PMCID: PMC10675404 DOI: 10.3390/toxins15110641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Conotoxins are toxic, disulfide-bond-rich peptides from cone snail venom that target a wide range of receptors and ion channels with multiple pathophysiological effects. Conotoxins have extraordinary potential for medical therapeutics that include cancer, microbial infections, epilepsy, autoimmune diseases, neurological conditions, and cardiovascular disorders. Despite the potential for these compounds in novel therapeutic treatment development, the process of identifying and characterizing the toxicities of conotoxins is difficult, costly, and time-consuming. This challenge requires a series of diverse, complex, and labor-intensive biological, toxicological, and analytical techniques for effective characterization. While recent attempts, using machine learning based solely on primary amino acid sequences to predict biological toxins (e.g., conotoxins and animal venoms), have improved toxin identification, these methods are limited due to peptide conformational flexibility and the high frequency of cysteines present in toxin sequences. This results in an enumerable set of disulfide-bridged foldamers with different conformations of the same primary amino acid sequence that affect function and toxicity levels. Consequently, a given peptide may be toxic when its cysteine residues form a particular disulfide-bond pattern, while alternative bonding patterns (isoforms) or its reduced form (free cysteines with no disulfide bridges) may have little or no toxicological effects. Similarly, the same disulfide-bond pattern may be possible for other peptide sequences and result in different conformations that all exhibit varying toxicities to the same receptor or to different receptors. We present here new features, when combined with primary sequence features to train machine learning algorithms to predict conotoxins, that significantly increase prediction accuracy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lyman K. Monroe
- Bioscience Division, MS M888, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA
| | - Duc P. Truong
- Theoretical Division, MS M888, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA
| | - Jacob C. Miner
- Bioscience Division, MS M888, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA
| | - Samantha H. Adikari
- Bioscience Division, MS M888, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA
| | - Zachary J. Sasiene
- Bioscience Division, MS M888, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA
| | - Paul W. Fenimore
- Theoretical Division, MS M888, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA
| | - Boian Alexandrov
- Theoretical Division, MS M888, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA
| | - Robert F. Williams
- Bioscience Division, MS M888, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA
| | - Hau B. Nguyen
- Bioscience Division, MS M888, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA
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Elkaeed EB, Alsfouk BA, Ibrahim TH, Arafa RK, Elkady H, Ibrahim IM, Eissa IH, Metwaly AM. Computer-assisted drug discovery of potential natural inhibitors of the SARS-CoV-2 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase through a multi-phase in silico approach. Antivir Ther 2023; 28:13596535231199838. [PMID: 37669909 DOI: 10.1177/13596535231199838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic has led to significant loss of life and economic disruption worldwide. Currently, there are limited effective treatments available for this disease. SARS-CoV-2 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (SARS-CoV-2 RdRp) has been identified as a potential target for drug development against COVID-19. Natural products have been shown to possess antiviral properties, making them a promising source for developing drugs against SARS-CoV-2. OBJECTIVES The objective of this study is to identify the most effective natural inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 RdRp among a set of 4924 African natural products using a multi-phase in silico approach. METHODS The study utilized remdesivir (RTP), the co-crystallized ligand of RdRp, as a starting point to select compounds that have the most similar chemical structures among the examined set of compounds. Molecular fingerprints and structure similarity studies were carried out in the first part of the study. The second part of the study included molecular docking against SARS-CoV-2 RdRp (PDB ID: 7BV2) and Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations including the calculation of RMSD, RMSF, Rg, SASA, hydrogen bonding, and PLIP. Moreover, the calculations of Molecular mechanics with generalised Born and surface area solvation (MM-GBSA) Lennard-Jones and Columbic electrostatic interaction energies have been conducted. Additionally, in silico ADMET and toxicity studies were performed to examine the drug likeness degrees of the selected compounds. RESULTS Eight compounds were identified as the most effective natural inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 RdRp. These compounds are kaempferol 3-galactoside, kaempferol 3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, mangiferin methyl ether, luteolin 7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, quercetin-O-β-D-3-glucopyranoside, 1-methoxy-3-indolylmethyl glucosinolate, naringenin, and asphodelin A 4'-O-β-D-glucopyranoside. CONCLUSION The results of this study provide valuable information for the development of natural product-based drugs against COVID-19. However, the elected compounds should be further studied in vitro and in vivo to confirm their efficacy in treating COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eslam B Elkaeed
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, AlMaarefa University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Bshra A Alsfouk
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Tuqa H Ibrahim
- Drug Design and Discovery Lab, Zewail City of Science and Technology, Cairo, Egypt
- Biomedical Sciences Program, University of Science and Technology, Zewail City of Science and Technology, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Reem K Arafa
- Drug Design and Discovery Lab, Zewail City of Science and Technology, Cairo, Egypt
- Biomedical Sciences Program, University of Science and Technology, Zewail City of Science and Technology, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Hazem Elkady
- Pharmaceutical Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Design Department, Faculty of Pharmacy (Boys), Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Ibrahim M Ibrahim
- Biophysics Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt
| | - Ibrahim H Eissa
- Pharmaceutical Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Design Department, Faculty of Pharmacy (Boys), Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Ahmed M Metwaly
- Pharmacognosy and Medicinal Plants Department, Faculty of Pharmacy (Boys), Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt
- Biopharmaceutical Products Research Department, Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Research Institute, City of Scientific Research and Technological Applications (SRTA-City), Alexandria, Egypt
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29
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Seo JE, Yu JZ, Xu H, Li X, Atrakchi AH, McGovern TJ, Bruno KLD, Mei N, Heflich RH, Guo X. Genotoxicity assessment of eight nitrosamines using 2D and 3D HepaRG cell models. Arch Toxicol 2023; 97:2785-2798. [PMID: 37486449 DOI: 10.1007/s00204-023-03560-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
N-nitrosamine impurities have been increasingly detected in human drugs. This is a safety concern as many nitrosamines are mutagenic in bacteria and carcinogenic in rodent models. Typically, the mutagenic and carcinogenic activity of nitrosamines requires metabolic activation by cytochromes P450 enzymes (CYPs), which in many in vitro models are supplied exogenously using rodent liver homogenates. There are only limited data on the genotoxicity of nitrosamines in human cell systems. In this study, we used metabolically competent human HepaRG cells, whose metabolic capability is comparable to that of primary human hepatocytes, to evaluate the genotoxicity of eight nitrosamines [N-cyclopentyl-4-nitrosopiperazine (CPNP), N-nitrosodibutylamine (NDBA), N-nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA), N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), N-nitrosodiisopropylamine (NDIPA), N-nitrosoethylisopropylamine (NEIPA), N-nitroso-N-methyl-4-aminobutyric acid (NMBA), and N-nitrosomethylphenylamine (NMPA)]. Under the conditions we used to culture HepaRG cells, three-dimensional (3D) spheroids possessed higher levels of CYP activity compared to 2D monolayer cells; thus the genotoxicity of the eight nitrosamines was investigated using 3D HepaRG spheroids in addition to more conventional 2D cultures. Genotoxicity was assessed as DNA damage using the high-throughput CometChip assay and as aneugenicity/clastogenicity in the flow-cytometry-based micronucleus (MN) assay. Following a 24-h treatment, all the nitrosamines induced DNA damage in 3D spheroids, while only three nitrosamines, NDBA, NDEA, and NDMA, produced positive responses in 2D HepaRG cells. In addition, these three nitrosamines also caused significant increases in MN frequency in both 2D and 3D HepaRG models, while NMBA and NMPA were positive only in the 3D HepaRG MN assay. Overall, our results indicate that HepaRG spheroids may provide a sensitive, human-based cell system for evaluating the genotoxicity of nitrosamines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji-Eun Seo
- Division of Genetic and Molecular Toxicology, National Center for Toxicological Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, AR, 72079, USA
| | - Joshua Z Yu
- Division of Genetic and Molecular Toxicology, National Center for Toxicological Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, AR, 72079, USA
- Wiess School of Natural Sciences, Rice University, Houston, TX, 77005, USA
| | - Hannah Xu
- Division of Genetic and Molecular Toxicology, National Center for Toxicological Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, AR, 72079, USA
| | - Xilin Li
- Division of Genetic and Molecular Toxicology, National Center for Toxicological Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, AR, 72079, USA
| | - Aisar H Atrakchi
- Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, 20993, USA
| | - Timothy J McGovern
- Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, 20993, USA
| | - Karen L Davis Bruno
- Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, 20993, USA
| | - Nan Mei
- Division of Genetic and Molecular Toxicology, National Center for Toxicological Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, AR, 72079, USA
| | - Robert H Heflich
- Division of Genetic and Molecular Toxicology, National Center for Toxicological Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, AR, 72079, USA
| | - Xiaoqing Guo
- Division of Genetic and Molecular Toxicology, National Center for Toxicological Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, AR, 72079, USA.
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30
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Schaupp CM, Maloney EM, Mattingly KZ, Olker JH, Villeneuve DL. Comparison of in silico, in vitro, and in vivo toxicity benchmarks suggests a role for ToxCast data in ecological hazard assessment. Toxicol Sci 2023; 195:145-154. [PMID: 37490521 DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfad072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Large repositories of in vitro bioactivity data such as US EPA's Toxicity Forecaster (ToxCast) provide a wealth of publicly accessible toxicity information for thousands of chemicals. These data can be used to calculate point-of-departure (POD) estimates via concentration-response modeling that may serve as lower bound, protective estimates of in vivo effects. However, the data are predominantly based on mammalian models and discussions to date about their utility have largely focused on potential integration into human hazard assessment, rather than application to ecological risk assessment. The goal of the present study was to compare PODs based on (1) quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSARs), (2) the 5th centile of the activity concentration at cutoff (ACC), and (3) lower-bound cytotoxic burst (LCB) from ToxCast, with the distribution of in vivo PODs compiled in the Ecotoxicology Knowledgebase (ECOTOX). While overall correlation between ToxCast ACC5 and ECOTOX PODs for 649 chemicals was weak, there were significant associations among PODs based on LCB and ECOTOX, LCB and QSARs, and ECOTOX and QSARs. Certain classes of compounds showed moderate correlation across datasets (eg, antimicrobials/disinfectants), while others, such as organophosphate insecticides, did not. Unsurprisingly, more precise classifications of the data based on ECOTOX effect and endpoint type (eg, apical vs biochemical; acute vs chronic) had a significant effect on overall relationships. Results of this research help to define appropriate roles for data from new approach methodologies in chemical prioritization and screening of ecological hazards.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher M Schaupp
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Duluth, Minnesota 55804, USA
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830, USA
| | - Erin M Maloney
- Integrated Biological Sciences Program, University of Minnesota-Duluth, Duluth, Minnesota 55804, USA
| | | | - Jennifer H Olker
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Duluth, Minnesota 55804, USA
| | - Daniel L Villeneuve
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Duluth, Minnesota 55804, USA
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31
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Lysak DH, Bermel W, Moxley-Paquette V, Michal C, Ghosh-Biswas R, Soong R, Nashman B, Lacerda A, Simpson AJ. Cutting without a Knife: A Slice-Selective 2D 1H- 13C HSQC NMR Sequence for the Analysis of Inhomogeneous Samples. Anal Chem 2023; 95:14392-14401. [PMID: 37713676 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.3c02756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/17/2023]
Abstract
Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is a powerful technique with applications ranging from small molecule structure elucidation to metabolomics studies of living organisms. Typically, solution-state NMR requires a homogeneous liquid, and the whole sample is analyzed as a single entity. While adequate for homogeneous samples, such an approach is limited if the composition varies as would be the case in samples that are naturally heterogeneous or layered. In complex samples such as living organisms, magnetic susceptibility distortions lead to broad 1H line shapes, and thus, the additional spectral dispersion afforded by 2D heteronuclear experiments is often required for metabolite discrimination. Here, a novel, slice-selective 2D, 1H-13C heteronuclear single quantum coherence (HSQC) sequence was developed that exclusively employs shaped pulses such that only spins in the desired volume are perturbed. In turn, this permits multiple volumes in the tube to be studied during a single relaxation delay, increasing sensitivity and throughput. The approach is first demonstrated on standards and then used to isolate specific sample/sensor elements from a microcoil array and finally study slices within a living earthworm, allowing metabolite changes to be discerned with feeding. Overall, slice-selective NMR is demonstrated to have significant potential for the study of layered and other inhomogeneous samples of varying complexity. In particular, its ability to select subelements is an important step toward developing microcoil receive-only arrays to study environmental toxicity in tiny eggs, cells, and neonates, whereas localization in larger living species could help better correlate toxin-induced biochemical responses to the physical localities or organs involved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel H Lysak
- Environmental NMR Center, Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, ON M1C 1A4, Canada
| | - Wolfgang Bermel
- Bruker BioSpin GmbH, Rudolf-Plank-Str. 23, 76275 Ettlingen, Germany
| | - Vincent Moxley-Paquette
- Environmental NMR Center, Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, ON M1C 1A4, Canada
| | - Carl Michal
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia, 6224 Agricultural Road, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1, Canada
| | - Rajshree Ghosh-Biswas
- Environmental NMR Center, Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, ON M1C 1A4, Canada
| | - Ronald Soong
- Environmental NMR Center, Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, ON M1C 1A4, Canada
| | - Ben Nashman
- Synex Medical, 2 Bloor Street E, Suite 310, Toronto, ON M4W 1A8,Canada
| | - Andressa Lacerda
- Synex Medical, 2 Bloor Street E, Suite 310, Toronto, ON M4W 1A8,Canada
| | - Andre J Simpson
- Environmental NMR Center, Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, ON M1C 1A4, Canada
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32
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Scott J, Mortensen S, Minghetti M. Alternatives to Fish Acute Whole Effluent Toxicity (WET) Testing: Predictability of RTgill-W1 Cells and Fathead Minnow Embryos with Actual Wastewater Samples. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:13721-13731. [PMID: 37672649 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c02067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/08/2023]
Abstract
Toxicity assays using fish cells and embryos continue to gain momentum as a more ethical and informative alternative to fish acute toxicity testing. The goal of our study was to test the accuracy of RTgill-W1 cells and the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) embryos to predict actual whole effluent toxicity (WET) in the fathead minnow larvae. The three models were compared concurrently using samples of various origins and treatment types. Additionally, the toxicity of reference toxicants (Cd, Cu, NH3-N, 3,4-dichloraniline, and benzalkonium chloride) spiked into a nontoxic wastewater was compared. The toxicity of reference toxicants was tested in isosmotic and hypoosmotic exposure media in RTgill-W1 cells. Of the 28 wastewater samples, 14 induced a toxic response in fish larvae. Embryos predicted 11 of the 14 wastewater samples toxic to the larvae, whereas RTgill-W1 cells predicted the toxicity of all 14 toxic samples to the larvae. In addition, embryos and RTgill-W1 cells predicted toxicity in two and six additional samples, respectively, that were nontoxic to larvae. Exposures in hypoosmotic medium significantly increased sensitivity of RTgill-W1 cells to all reference toxicants, excluding benzalkonium chloride, compared to exposures in isosmotic medium and showed toxicity levels similar to that in larvae. Thus, hypoosmotic exposure medium should be considered for aquatic toxicity testing applications. Overall, both gill cell and embryo models predicted toxicity in the majority of wastewater samples toxic to larvae and demonstrated their applicability for regulatory WET testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin Scott
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oklahoma State University, 501 Life Sciences West, Stillwater, Oklahoma 74078, United States
- Cove Environmental, 3400 W. Lakeview Rd. Stillwater, Oklahoma 74075, United States
| | - Shannon Mortensen
- Cove Environmental, 3400 W. Lakeview Rd. Stillwater, Oklahoma 74075, United States
| | - Matteo Minghetti
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oklahoma State University, 501 Life Sciences West, Stillwater, Oklahoma 74078, United States
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33
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Myden A, Stalford SA, Fowkes A, White E, Hirose A, Yamada T. Enhancing developmental and reproductive toxicity knowledge: A new AOP stemming from glutathione depletion. Curr Res Toxicol 2023; 5:100124. [PMID: 37808440 PMCID: PMC10556594 DOI: 10.1016/j.crtox.2023.100124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Revised: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Integrated approaches to testing and assessments (IATAs) have been proposed as a method to organise new approach methodologies in order to replace traditional animal testing for chemical safety assessments. To capture the mechanistic aspects of toxicity assessments, IATAs can be framed around the adverse outcome pathway (AOP) concept. To utilise AOPs fully in this context, a sufficient number of pathways need to be present to develop fit for purpose IATAs. In silico approaches can support IATA through the provision of predictive models and also through data integration to derive conclusions using a weight-of-evidence approach. To examine the maturity of a developmental and reproductive toxicity (DART) AOP network derived from the literature, an assessment of its coverage was performed against a novel toxicity dataset. A dataset of diverse compounds, with data from studies performed according to OECD test guidelines TG-421 and TG-422, was curated to test the performance of an in silico model based on the AOP network - allowing for the identification of knowledge gaps within the network. One such gap in the knowledge was filled through the development of an AOP stemming from the molecular initiating event 'glutathione reaction with an electrophile' leading to male fertility toxicity. The creation of the AOP provided the mechanistic rationale for the curation of pre-existing structural alerts to relevant key events. Integrating this new knowledge and associated alerts into the DART AOP network will improve its coverage of DART-relevant chemical space. In addition, broadening the coverage of AOPs for a particular regulatory endpoint may facilitate the development of, and confidence in, robust IATAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alun Myden
- Lhasa Limited, Granary Wharf House, 2 Canal Wharf, Leeds LS11 5PS, United Kingdom
| | - Susanne A. Stalford
- Lhasa Limited, Granary Wharf House, 2 Canal Wharf, Leeds LS11 5PS, United Kingdom
| | - Adrian Fowkes
- Lhasa Limited, Granary Wharf House, 2 Canal Wharf, Leeds LS11 5PS, United Kingdom
| | - Emma White
- Lhasa Limited, Granary Wharf House, 2 Canal Wharf, Leeds LS11 5PS, United Kingdom
| | - Akihiko Hirose
- Division of Risk Assessment, Center for Biological Safety and Research, National Institute of Health Sciences, 3-25-26 Tonomachi, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki 210-9501, Japan
| | - Takashi Yamada
- Division of Risk Assessment, Center for Biological Safety and Research, National Institute of Health Sciences, 3-25-26 Tonomachi, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki 210-9501, Japan
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34
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Ruan T, Li P, Wang H, Li T, Jiang G. Identification and Prioritization of Environmental Organic Pollutants: From an Analytical and Toxicological Perspective. Chem Rev 2023; 123:10584-10640. [PMID: 37531601 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.3c00056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/04/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to environmental organic pollutants has triggered significant ecological impacts and adverse health outcomes, which have been received substantial and increasing attention. The contribution of unidentified chemical components is considered as the most significant knowledge gap in understanding the combined effects of pollutant mixtures. To address this issue, remarkable analytical breakthroughs have recently been made. In this review, the basic principles on recognition of environmental organic pollutants are overviewed. Complementary analytical methodologies (i.e., quantitative structure-activity relationship prediction, mass spectrometric nontarget screening, and effect-directed analysis) and experimental platforms are briefly described. The stages of technique development and/or essential parts of the analytical workflow for each of the methodologies are then reviewed. Finally, plausible technique paths and applications of the future nontarget screening methods, interdisciplinary techniques for achieving toxicant identification, and burgeoning strategies on risk assessment of chemical cocktails are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Ruan
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Pengyang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Haotian Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Tingyu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Guibin Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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35
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Reddy N, Lynch B, Gujral J, Karnik K. Regulatory landscape of alternatives to animal testing in food safety evaluations with a focus on the western world. Regul Toxicol Pharmacol 2023; 143:105470. [PMID: 37591329 DOI: 10.1016/j.yrtph.2023.105470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Revised: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
Traditional animal models are increasingly being replaced by new approach methodologies (NAMs) which focus on predicting toxicity of chemicals based on mechanistic data rather than apical endpoint data usually obtained from animal models. Beyond in vitro genetic tests, however, only a handful of NAMs have been successfully implemented in regulatory decision-making processes, mostly in the cosmetics and chemicals sector. Regulatory guidance on food safety testing in many jurisdictions still relies on data obtained from animal studies. This is due to the lack of validated models to predict systemic toxicity, which is essential to develop health-based guidance values for food additives. Other factors limiting the adoption of NAMs into food safety assessment include sector legislation lagging behind scientific progress, and lack of training and expertise to use the new models. While regulatory and industry bodies are working to combat these challenges, more needs to be done before these models can be used as standalone tools for regulatory decision-making. This review summarizes the current state and challenges of regulatory acceptance of NAMs for decision-making, and the efforts by governing bodies and industry to transition from animal testing for food safety assessments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Navya Reddy
- Intertek Health Sciences Inc., 2233 Argentia Rd., Suite 201, Mississauga, ON, L5N 2X7, Canada
| | - Barry Lynch
- Intertek Health Sciences Inc., 2233 Argentia Rd., Suite 201, Mississauga, ON, L5N 2X7, Canada.
| | - Jaspreet Gujral
- Tate & Lyle, 5450 Prairie Stone Pkwy, Hoffman Estates, IL, 60192, USA
| | - Kavita Karnik
- Tate & Lyle PLC, 5 Marble Arch, London, W1H 7EJ, United Kingdom
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36
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Stanic B, Milošević N, Sukur N, Samardzija Nenadov D, Fa Nedeljkovic S, Škrbić S, Andric N. An in silico toxicogenomic approach in constructing the aflatoxin B1-mediated regulatory network of hub genes in hepatocellular carcinoma. Toxicol Mech Methods 2023; 33:552-562. [PMID: 36978281 DOI: 10.1080/15376516.2023.2196686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2023] [Revised: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023]
Abstract
Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) can cause hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) through a mutagenic mode of action but can also lead to global changes in gene expression; however, the AFB1 network of molecular pathways involved in HCC is not known. Here, we used toxicogenomic data from human liver cells exposed to AFB1 to infer the network of AFB1-responsive molecular pathways involved in HCC. The following computational tools: STRING, MCODE, cytoHubba, iRegulon, kinase enrichment tool KEA3, and DAVID were used to identify protein-protein interaction network, hub genes, transcription factors (TFs), upstream kinases, and biological processes (BPs). Predicted molecular events were validated with an external dataset, whereas the hub genes in HCC were validated using the UALCAN database. The results revealed an association between AFB1 and the hub genes involved in the cell cycle. We identified TFs that regulate the hub genes and linked them with upstream kinases including cyclin-dependent kinases, mitogen-activated protein kinase 1, and AKT. This approach enabled the construction of the AFB1-mediated regulatory network consisting of upstream kinases, TFs, hub genes, and BPs, thus revealing the signaling hierarchy and information flow that may contribute to AFB1-induced HCC. This could be a useful tool in predicting the molecular mechanisms involved in chemical-induced diseases when available toxicogenomic data exist.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bojana Stanic
- Department of Biology and Ecology, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Nemanja Milošević
- Department of Mathematics and Informatics, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Nataša Sukur
- Department of Mathematics and Informatics, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
| | | | | | - Srđan Škrbić
- Department of Mathematics and Informatics, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Nebojsa Andric
- Department of Biology and Ecology, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
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37
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Pedroni L, Dorne JLCM, Dall'Asta C, Dellafiora L. An in silico insight on the mechanistic aspects of gelsenicine toxicity: A reverse screening study pointing to the possible involvement of acetylcholine binding receptor. Toxicol Lett 2023; 386:1-8. [PMID: 37683806 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxlet.2023.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Revised: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023]
Abstract
Gelsedine-type alkaloids are highly toxic plant secondary metabolites produced by shrubs belonging to the Gelsemium genus. Gelsenicine is one of the most concerning gelsedine-type alkaloids with a lethal dose lower than 1 mg/Kg in mice. Several reported episodes of poisoning in livestock and fatality cases in humans due to the usage of Gelsemium plants extracts were reported. Also, gelsedine-type alkaloids were found in honey constituting a potential food safety issue. However, their toxicological understanding is scarce and the molecular mechanism underpinning their toxicity needs further investigations. In this context, an in silico approach based on reverse screening, docking and molecular dynamics successfully identified a possible gelsenicine biological target shedding light on its toxicodynamics. In line with the available crystallographic data, it emerged gelsenicine could target the acetylcholine binding protein possibly acting as a partial agonist against α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (AChR). Overall, these results agreed with evidence previously reported and prioritized AChR for further dedicated analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenzo Pedroni
- Department of Food and Drug, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 27/A, 43124 Parma, Italy
| | - Jean Lou C M Dorne
- Scientific Committee and Emerging Risks Unit, European Food Safety Authority, Via Carlo Magno 1A, Parma 43124, Italy
| | - Chiara Dall'Asta
- Department of Food and Drug, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 27/A, 43124 Parma, Italy
| | - Luca Dellafiora
- Department of Food and Drug, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 27/A, 43124 Parma, Italy.
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Seixas ML, Bartolomeo CS, Lemes R, Nicoliche T, Okuda LH, Martins L, Ureshino R, Prado CM, Liguori TTA, Liguori GR, Stilhano RS. Disruptive 3D in vitro models for respiratory disease investigation: A state-of-the-art approach focused on SARS-CoV-2 infection. BIOMATERIALS AND BIOSYSTEMS 2023; 11:100082. [PMID: 37534107 PMCID: PMC10391659 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbiosy.2023.100082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Revised: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023] Open
Abstract
COVID-19, along with most respiratory diseases in the medical field, demonstrates significant ability to take its toll on global population. There is a particular difficulty in studying these conditions, which stems especially from the short supply of in vitro models for detailed investigation, the specific therapeutic knowledge required for disease scrutinization and the occasional need of BSL-3 [Biosafety Level 3] laboratories for research. Based on this, the process of drug development is hampered to a great extent. In the scenario of COVID-19, this difficulty is even more substantial on account of the current undefinition regarding the exact role of the ACE2 [Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2] receptor upon SARS-CoV-2 kinetics in human cells and the great level of demand in the investigation process of ACE2, which usually requires the laborious and ethically complicated usage of transgenic animal models overexpressing the receptor. Moreover, the rapid progression of the aforementioned diseases, especially COVID-19, poses a crucial necessity for adequate therapeutic solutions emergence. In this context, the work herein presented introduces a groundbreaking set of 3D models, namely spheroids and MatriWell cell culture inserts, whose remarkable ability to mimic the in vivo environment makes them highly suitable for respiratory diseases investigation, particularly SARS-CoV-2 infection. Using MatriWells, we developed an innovative platform for COVID-19 research: a pulmonary air-liquid interface [ALI] associated with endothelial (HUVEC) cells. Infection studies revealed that pulmonary (BEAS-2B) cells in the ALI reached peak viral load at 24h and endothelial cells, at 48h, demonstrating lung viral replication and subsequent hematogenous dissemination, which provides us with a unique and realistic framework for studying COVID-19. Simultaneously, the spheroids were used to address the understudied ACE2 receptor, aiming at a pronounced process of COVID-19 investigation. ACE2 expression not only increased spheroid diameter by 20% (p<0.001) and volume by 60% (p≤0.0001) but also led to a remarkable 640-fold increase in intracellular viral load (p≤0.01). The previously mentioned finding supports ACE2 as a potential target for COVID-19 treatment. Lastly, we observed a higher viral load in the MatriWells compared to spheroids (150-fold, p<0.0001), suggesting the MatriWells as a more appropriate approach for COVID-19 investigation. By establishing an advanced method for respiratory tract conditions research, this work paves the way toward an efficacious process of drug development, contributing to a change in the course of respiratory diseases such as COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Luiza Seixas
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Santa Casa de São Paulo School of Medical Sciences, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Cynthia Silva Bartolomeo
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Santa Casa de São Paulo School of Medical Sciences, São Paulo, Brazil
- Department of Biosciences, Federal University of São Paulo, Santos, Brazil
| | - Robertha Lemes
- Department of Biological Sciences, Federal University of São Paulo, Diadema, Brazil
- Laboratory of Molecular and Translational Endocrinology, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Tiago Nicoliche
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Santa Casa de São Paulo School of Medical Sciences, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Liria Hiromi Okuda
- Biological Institute, Agriculture and Supply Department, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Leonardo Martins
- Division of Medical Sciences, Laboratory of Transcriptional Regulation, Institute of Medical Biology of Polish Academy of Sciences (IMB-PAN), Poland
| | - Rodrigo Ureshino
- Department of Biological Sciences, Federal University of São Paulo, Diadema, Brazil
- Laboratory of Molecular and Translational Endocrinology, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
- Post-graduation Program in Chemistry-Biology, Federal University of São Paulo, Diadema, Brazil
| | - Carla Maximo Prado
- Department of Biosciences, Federal University of São Paulo, Santos, Brazil
| | | | | | - Roberta Sessa Stilhano
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Santa Casa de São Paulo School of Medical Sciences, São Paulo, Brazil
- Post-graduation Program in Chemistry-Biology, Federal University of São Paulo, Diadema, Brazil
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39
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Reddy N, Lynch B, Gujral J, Karnik K. Alternatives to animal testing in toxicity testing: Current status and future perspectives in food safety assessments. Food Chem Toxicol 2023; 179:113944. [PMID: 37453475 DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2023.113944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
The development of alternative methods to animal testing has gained great momentum since Russel and Burch introduced the "3Rs" concept of Reduction, Refinement, and Replacement of animals in safety testing in 1959. Several alternatives to animal testing have since been introduced, including but not limited to in vitro and in chemico test systems, in silico models, and computational models (e.g., [quantitative] structural activity relationship models, high-throughput screens, organ-on-chip models, and genomics or bioinformatics) to predict chemical toxicity. Furthermore, several agencies have developed robust integrated testing strategies to determine chemical toxicity. The cosmetics sector is pioneering the adoption of alternative methodologies for safety evaluations, and other sectors are aiming to completely abandon animal testing by 2035. However, beyond the use of in vitro genetic testing, agencies regulating the food industry have been slow to implement alternative methodologies into safety evaluations compared with other sectors; setting health-based guidance values for food ingredients requires data from systemic toxicity, and to date, no standalone validated alternative models to assess systemic toxicity exist. The abovementioned models show promise for assessing systemic toxicity with further research. In this paper, we review the current alternatives and their applicability and limitations in food safety evaluations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Navya Reddy
- Intertek Health Sciences Inc., 2233 Argentia Rd, Suite 201, Mississauga, ON, L5N 2X7, Canada
| | - Barry Lynch
- Intertek Health Sciences Inc., 2233 Argentia Rd, Suite 201, Mississauga, ON, L5N 2X7, Canada.
| | - Jaspreet Gujral
- Tate & Lyle, 5450 Prairie Stone Pkwy, Hoffman Estates, IL, 60192, USA
| | - Kavita Karnik
- Tate & Lyle PLC, 5 Marble Arch, London, W1H 7EJ, United Kingdom
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40
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Shi CF, Han F, Jiang X, Zhang Z, Li Y, Wang J, Sun S, Liu JY, Cao J. Benzo[b]fluoranthene induces male reproductive toxicity and apoptosis via Akt-Mdm2-p53 signaling axis in mouse Leydig cells: Integrating computational toxicology and experimental approaches. Food Chem Toxicol 2023; 179:113941. [PMID: 37473983 DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2023.113941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
This study aims to explore the male reproductive toxicity of Benzo[b]fluoranthene (BbF) and related mechanisms. The results of computational toxicology analysis indicated male reproductive toxicity of BbF was related to apoptosis of Leydig cells and that Akt/p53 pathway might play a key role. In experiments, BbF induced testosterone decline, decreased concentration and motility of sperm and aggravated testicular pathological injury in mice. Besides, BbF led to apoptosis in Leydig cells, and decreased expressions of p-Akt and Bcl2, while improving the expressions of p53, Bax and Cleaved Caspase-3 in vivo and in vitro. Further, compared with BbF group, Akt activator SC79 significantly reduced cell apoptosis rate, improved cell viability, promoted the expressions of p-Akt and p-Mdm2, and reversed the above molecular expressions. Similarly, p53 inhibitor Pifithrin-α also significantly enhanced the cell vitality, alleviated the apoptosis of TM3 cells induced by BbF, and decreased the expressions of Bax and Cleaved Caspase-3, with the up-regulation of Bcl2. To sum up, by inhibiting Akt-Mdm2 signaling, BbF activated the p53-mediated mitochondrial apoptosis pathway, further inducing the apoptosis of Leydig cells, therefore resulting in testosterone decline and male reproductive damage. Besides, this study provided a valid mode integrating computational toxicology and experimental approaches in toxicity testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao-Feng Shi
- Institute of Toxicology, College of Preventive Medicine, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Fei Han
- Institute of Toxicology, College of Preventive Medicine, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Xiao Jiang
- Institute of Toxicology, College of Preventive Medicine, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Zhonghao Zhang
- Institute of Toxicology, College of Preventive Medicine, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Yingqing Li
- Institute of Toxicology, College of Preventive Medicine, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Jiankang Wang
- Institute of Toxicology, College of Preventive Medicine, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Shengqi Sun
- Institute of Toxicology, College of Preventive Medicine, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Jin-Yi Liu
- Institute of Toxicology, College of Preventive Medicine, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, 400038, China.
| | - Jia Cao
- Institute of Toxicology, College of Preventive Medicine, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, 400038, China.
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41
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Teng S, Yin C, Wang Y, Chen X, Yan Z, Cui L, Wei L. MolFPG: Multi-level fingerprint-based Graph Transformer for accurate and robust drug toxicity prediction. Comput Biol Med 2023; 164:106904. [PMID: 37453376 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2023.106904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Revised: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Drug toxicity prediction is essential to drug development, which can help screen compounds with potential toxicity and reduce the cost and risk of animal experiments and clinical trials. However, traditional handcrafted feature-based and molecular-graph-based approaches are insufficient for molecular representation learning. To address the problem, we developed an innovative molecular fingerprint Graph Transformer framework (MolFPG) with a global-aware module for interpretable toxicity prediction. Our approach encodes compounds using multiple molecular fingerprinting techniques and integrates Graph Transformer-based molecular representation for feature learning and toxic prediction. Experimental results show that our proposed approach has high accuracy and reliability in predicting drug toxicity. In addition, we explored the relationship between drug features and toxicity through an interpretive analysis approach, which improved the interpretability of the approach. Our results highlight the potential of Graph Transformers and multi-level fingerprints for accelerating the drug discovery process by reliably, effectively alarming drug safety. We believe that our study will provide vital support and reference for further development in the field of drug development and toxicity assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saisai Teng
- School of Software, Shandong University, Jinan, China; Joint SDU-NTU Centre for Artificial Intelligence Research (C-FAIR), Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Chenglin Yin
- School of Software, Shandong University, Jinan, China; Joint SDU-NTU Centre for Artificial Intelligence Research (C-FAIR), Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Yu Wang
- School of Software, Shandong University, Jinan, China; Joint SDU-NTU Centre for Artificial Intelligence Research (C-FAIR), Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | | | - Zhongmin Yan
- School of Software, Shandong University, Jinan, China; Joint SDU-NTU Centre for Artificial Intelligence Research (C-FAIR), Shandong University, Jinan, China.
| | - Lizhen Cui
- School of Software, Shandong University, Jinan, China; Joint SDU-NTU Centre for Artificial Intelligence Research (C-FAIR), Shandong University, Jinan, China.
| | - Leyi Wei
- School of Software, Shandong University, Jinan, China; Joint SDU-NTU Centre for Artificial Intelligence Research (C-FAIR), Shandong University, Jinan, China.
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42
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Russo D, Aleksunes LM, Goyak K, Qian H, Zhu H. Integrating Concentration-Dependent Toxicity Data and Toxicokinetics To Inform Hepatotoxicity Response Pathways. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:12291-12301. [PMID: 37566783 PMCID: PMC10448720 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c02792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 07/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023]
Abstract
Failure of animal models to predict hepatotoxicity in humans has created a push to develop biological pathway-based alternatives, such as those that use in vitro assays. Public screening programs (e.g., ToxCast/Tox21 programs) have tested thousands of chemicals using in vitro high-throughput screening (HTS) assays. Developing pathway-based models for simple biological pathways, such as endocrine disruption, has proven successful, but development remains a challenge for complex toxicities like hepatotoxicity, due to the many biological events involved. To this goal, we aimed to develop a computational strategy for developing pathway-based models for complex toxicities. Using a database of 2171 chemicals with human hepatotoxicity classifications, we identified 157 out of 1600+ ToxCast/Tox21 HTS assays to be associated with human hepatotoxicity. Then, a computational framework was used to group these assays by biological target or mechanisms into 52 key event (KE) models of hepatotoxicity. KE model output is a KE score summarizing chemical potency against a hepatotoxicity-relevant biological target or mechanism. Grouping hepatotoxic chemicals based on the chemical structure revealed chemical classes with high KE scores plausibly informing their hepatotoxicity mechanisms. Using KE scores and supervised learning to predict in vivo hepatotoxicity, including toxicokinetic information, improved the predictive performance. This new approach can be a universal computational toxicology strategy for various chemical toxicity evaluations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel
P. Russo
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Rowan University, Glassboro, New Jersey 08028, United States
| | - Lauren M. Aleksunes
- Department
of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, United States
| | - Katy Goyak
- ExxonMobil
Biomedical Sciences, Inc., Annandale, New Jersey 08801, United States
| | - Hua Qian
- ExxonMobil
Biomedical Sciences, Inc., Annandale, New Jersey 08801, United States
| | - Hao Zhu
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Rowan University, Glassboro, New Jersey 08028, United States
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Reddy Ramireddy VS, Kurakula R, Velayudhaperumal Chellam P, James A, van Hullebusch ED. Systematic computational toxicity analysis of the ozonolytic degraded compounds of azo dyes: Quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) and adverse outcome pathway (AOP) based approach. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 231:116142. [PMID: 37217122 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.116142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Revised: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
The present study identifies and analyses the degraded products of three azo dyes (Reactive Orange 16, Reactive Red 120, and Direct Red 80) and proffers their in silico toxicity predictions. In our previously published work, the synthetic dye effluents were degraded using an ozonolysis-based Advanced Oxidation Process. In the present study, the degraded products of the three dyes were analysed using GC-MS at endpoint strategy and further subjected to in silico toxicity analysis using Toxicity Estimation Software Tool (TEST), Prediction Of TOXicity of chemicals (ProTox-II), and Estimation Programs Interface Suite (EPI Suite). Several physiological toxicity endpoints, such as hepatotoxicity, carcinogenicity, mutagenicity, cellular and molecular interactions, were considered to assess the Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationships (QSAR) and adverse outcome pathways. The environmental fate of the by-products in terms of their biodegradability and possible bioaccumulation was also assessed. Results of ProTox-II suggested that the azo dye degradation products are carcinogenic, immunotoxic, and cytotoxic and displayed toxicity towards Androgen Receptor and Mitochondrial Membrane Potential. TEST results predicted LC50 and IGC50 values for three organisms Tetrahymena pyriformis, Daphnia magna, and Pimephales promelas. EPISUITE software via the BCFBAF module surmises that the degradation products' bioaccumulation (BAF) and bioconcentration factors (BCF) are high. The cumulative inference of the results suggests that most degradation by-products are toxic and need further remediation strategies. The study aims to complement existing tests to predict toxicity and prioritise the elimination/reduction of harmful degradation products of primary treatment procedures. The novelty of this study is that it streamlines in silico approaches to predict the nature of toxicity of degradation by-products of toxic industrial affluents like azo dyes. These approaches can assist the first phase of toxicology assessments for any pollutant for regulatory decision-making bodies to chalk out appropriate action plans for their remediation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rakshitha Kurakula
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Technology Andhra Pradesh, India
| | | | - Anina James
- Department of Zoology, Deen Dayal Upadhyaya College, New Delhi, India.
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Del Giudice G, Serra A, Saarimäki LA, Kotsis K, Rouse I, Colibaba SA, Jagiello K, Mikolajczyk A, Fratello M, Papadiamantis AG, Sanabria N, Annala ME, Morikka J, Kinaret PAS, Voyiatzis E, Melagraki G, Afantitis A, Tämm K, Puzyn T, Gulumian M, Lobaskin V, Lynch I, Federico A, Greco D. An ancestral molecular response to nanomaterial particulates. NATURE NANOTECHNOLOGY 2023; 18:957-966. [PMID: 37157020 PMCID: PMC10427433 DOI: 10.1038/s41565-023-01393-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
The varied transcriptomic response to nanoparticles has hampered the understanding of the mechanism of action. Here, by performing a meta-analysis of a large collection of transcriptomics data from various engineered nanoparticle exposure studies, we identify common patterns of gene regulation that impact the transcriptomic response. Analysis identifies deregulation of immune functions as a prominent response across different exposure studies. Looking at the promoter regions of these genes, a set of binding sites for zinc finger transcription factors C2H2, involved in cell stress responses, protein misfolding and chromatin remodelling and immunomodulation, is identified. The model can be used to explain the outcomes of mechanism of action and is observed across a range of species indicating this is a conserved part of the innate immune system.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Del Giudice
- FHAIVE, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - A Serra
- FHAIVE, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
- Tampere Institute for Advanced Study, Tampere, Finland
| | - L A Saarimäki
- FHAIVE, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - K Kotsis
- School of Physics, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - I Rouse
- School of Physics, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - S A Colibaba
- School of Physics, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - K Jagiello
- Group of Environmental Chemoinformatics, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
- QSAR Lab Ltd, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - A Mikolajczyk
- Group of Environmental Chemoinformatics, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
- QSAR Lab Ltd, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - M Fratello
- FHAIVE, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - A G Papadiamantis
- School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
- Novamechanics Ltd, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - N Sanabria
- National Institute for Occupational Health, National Health Laboratory Services, Johannesburg, South Africa
- School of Health Systems and Public Health, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - M E Annala
- FHAIVE, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - J Morikka
- FHAIVE, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - P A S Kinaret
- FHAIVE, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
- Institute of Biotechnology, Helsinki Institute of Life Sciences (HiLife), University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | | | - G Melagraki
- Division of Physical Sciences and Applications, Hellenic Military Academy, Vari, Greece
| | | | - K Tämm
- Institute of Chemistry, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - T Puzyn
- Group of Environmental Chemoinformatics, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
- QSAR Lab Ltd, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - M Gulumian
- National Institute for Occupational Health, National Health Laboratory Services, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Haematology and Molecular Medicine Department, School of Pathology, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Water Research Group, Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa
| | - V Lobaskin
- School of Physics, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - I Lynch
- School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - A Federico
- FHAIVE, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
- Tampere Institute for Advanced Study, Tampere, Finland
| | - D Greco
- FHAIVE, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.
- Institute of Biotechnology, Helsinki Institute of Life Sciences (HiLife), University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
- Division of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
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Liang J, Wei HX, Zhou YY, Hao LL, Ning JY, Zhang L. Investigation on the potential adverse outcome pathway of the sensitive endpoint for nephrotoxicity induced by gardenia yellow based on an integrated strategy using bioinformatics analysis and in vitro testing validation. Food Chem Toxicol 2023:113930. [PMID: 37406755 DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2023.113930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2023] [Revised: 06/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/01/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023]
Abstract
To explore the potential the adverse outcome pathway of Gardenia Yellow (GY)-induced sensitive endpoint for nephrotoxicity, an integrated strategy was applied in the present study. Using bioinformatic analysis, based on the constructed Protein-protein interaction networks, Gene Ontology function and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analysis on the core target network were performed to illustrate the potential gene targets and signal pathways. Then, the most enriched pathway was validated with Cell counting kit-8 assays and Western blot analysis in embryonic kidney epithelial 293 cell models. According to the findings, GY may interact with 321 targets related to the endpoint. The five targets on the top ranking in the PPI network were STAT3, SRC, HRAS, AKT1, EP300. Among them, PI3K/Akt was the most enriched pathway. In vitro testing showed that GY exerted a proliferative effect on the cell variability in a dose-dependent manner. GY at concentration of 1000 μg/ml and stimulation for 30 min can significantly enhance the expression of phosphorylated Akt. Thus, after the quantitative weight of evidence evaluation, Akt phosphorylation induced PI3K/Akt activation was speculated as a molecular initiating event leading to a proliferative and inflammatory response in renal tubular epithelial cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiang Liang
- China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, Beijing, 100022, China
| | - Hong-Xin Wei
- Beijing Centers for Disease Prevention and Control /Beijing Research Center for Prevention Medicine, Beijing Key Laboratory of Diagnostic and Tracebility Technologies for Food Poisoning, Beijing, 100013, China
| | - Ying-Ying Zhou
- China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, Beijing, 100022, China
| | - Li-Li Hao
- China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, Beijing, 100022, China
| | - Jun-Yu Ning
- Beijing Centers for Disease Prevention and Control /Beijing Research Center for Prevention Medicine, Beijing Key Laboratory of Diagnostic and Tracebility Technologies for Food Poisoning, Beijing, 100013, China
| | - Lei Zhang
- China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, Beijing, 100022, China.
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Lysak DH, Grisi M, Marable K, Conley GM, Michal CA, Moxley-Paquette V, Wolff WW, Downey K, Kock FVC, Costa PM, Ronda K, Moraes TB, Steiner K, Colnago LA, Simpson AJ. Exploring the Potential of Broadband Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor Micro-Coil Nuclear Magnetic Resonance for Environmental Research. Molecules 2023; 28:5080. [PMID: 37446742 PMCID: PMC10343494 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28135080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
With sensitivity being the Achilles' heel of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), the superior mass sensitivity offered by micro-coils can be an excellent choice for tiny, mass limited samples such as eggs and small organisms. Recently, complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS)-based micro-coil transceivers have been reported and demonstrate excellent mass sensitivity. However, the ability of broadband CMOS micro-coils to study heteronuclei has yet to be investigated, and here their potential is explored within the lens of environmental research. Eleven nuclei including 7Li, 19F, 31P and, 205Tl were studied and detection limits in the low to mid picomole range were found for an extended experiment. Further, two environmentally relevant samples (a sprouting broccoli seed and a D. magna egg) were successfully studied using the CMOS micro-coil system. 13C NMR was used to help resolve broad signals in the 1H spectrum of the 13C enriched broccoli seed, and steady state free precession was used to improve the signal-to-noise ratio by a factor of six. 19F NMR was used to track fluorinated contaminants in a single D. magna egg, showing potential for studying egg-pollutant interactions. Overall, CMOS micro-coil NMR demonstrates significant promise in environmental research, especially when the future potential to scale to multiple coil arrays (greatly improving throughput) is considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel H. Lysak
- Environmental NMR Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M1C 1A4, Canada
| | - Marco Grisi
- Annaida Technologies, Innovation Park, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Kathryn Marable
- Annaida Technologies, Innovation Park, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | | | - Carl A. Michal
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1, Canada
| | | | - William W. Wolff
- Environmental NMR Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M1C 1A4, Canada
| | - Katelyn Downey
- Environmental NMR Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M1C 1A4, Canada
| | - Flavio V. C. Kock
- Environmental NMR Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M1C 1A4, Canada
| | - Peter M. Costa
- Environmental NMR Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M1C 1A4, Canada
| | - Kiera Ronda
- Environmental NMR Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M1C 1A4, Canada
| | - Tiago B. Moraes
- Departamento Engenharia de Biossistemas, Universidade de São Paulo/ESALQ, Av. Páduas Dias, 11, Piracicaba 13418-900, SP, Brazil
| | - Katrina Steiner
- Environmental NMR Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M1C 1A4, Canada
| | - Luiz A. Colnago
- Embrapa Instrumentação, Rua XV de Novembro 1452, São Carlos 13560-970, SP, Brazil
| | - Andre J. Simpson
- Environmental NMR Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M1C 1A4, Canada
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Obrecht M, Zurbruegg S, Accart N, Lambert C, Doelemeyer A, Ledermann B, Beckmann N. Magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasound elastography in the context of preclinical pharmacological research: significance for the 3R principles. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1177421. [PMID: 37448960 PMCID: PMC10337591 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1177421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The 3Rs principles-reduction, refinement, replacement-are at the core of preclinical research within drug discovery, which still relies to a great extent on the availability of models of disease in animals. Minimizing their distress, reducing their number as well as searching for means to replace them in experimental studies are constant objectives in this area. Due to its non-invasive character in vivo imaging supports these efforts by enabling repeated longitudinal assessments in each animal which serves as its own control, thereby enabling to reduce considerably the animal utilization in the experiments. The repetitive monitoring of pathology progression and the effects of therapy becomes feasible by assessment of quantitative biomarkers. Moreover, imaging has translational prospects by facilitating the comparison of studies performed in small rodents and humans. Also, learnings from the clinic may be potentially back-translated to preclinical settings and therefore contribute to refining animal investigations. By concentrating on activities around the application of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasound elastography to small rodent models of disease, we aim to illustrate how in vivo imaging contributes primarily to reduction and refinement in the context of pharmacological research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Obrecht
- Diseases of Aging and Regenerative Medicines, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Stefan Zurbruegg
- Neurosciences Department, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Nathalie Accart
- Diseases of Aging and Regenerative Medicines, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Christian Lambert
- Diseases of Aging and Regenerative Medicines, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Arno Doelemeyer
- Diseases of Aging and Regenerative Medicines, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Birgit Ledermann
- 3Rs Leader, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Nicolau Beckmann
- Diseases of Aging and Regenerative Medicines, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
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Zhang J, Li Y, Li H, Liu A, Cao J, Li X, Xia N, Zhang Z, Bai J, Zhang H. Aspirin ameliorates the neurotoxicity of benzo[a]pyrene in mice and HT22 cells: Possible role of miRNA-mRNA network. Food Chem Toxicol 2023:113919. [PMID: 37364758 DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2023.113919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
Benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) is neurotoxic, however, the mechanism and potential prevention are yet not clear. This study explored the miRNA-mRNA network in the B[a]P-induced neurotoxicity in mice and HT22 cells and the intervention of aspirin (ASP). HT22 cells were treated for 48 h with DMSO, B[a]P (20 μM), or both B[a]P (20 μM) and ASP (4 μM). Following B[a]P treatment, compared to the DMSO controls, HT22 cells showed injured cell morphology, reduced cell viability and neurotrophic factor concentrations, and increased LDH leakage, Aβ1-42, and inflammatory factor concentrations, which were improved by ASP. RNA sequencing and qPCR verified the significant differences of miRNA and mRNA profiles following B[a]P treatment, which were rescued by ASP. Bioinformatics analysis suggested the miRNA-mRNA network could be involved in the neurotoxicity of B[a]P and the intervention of ASP. The neurotoxicity and neuroinflammation were induced in mice's brains by B[a]P, and the target miRNA and mRNA were proved to be consistent with in vitro, which were ameliorated by ASP. The findings demonstrate a possible role of miRNA-mRNA network in the B[a]P-induced neurotoxicity. If this is confirmed by additional experiments, it will provide a promising pathway of intervention against B[a]P, using ASP or other agents with fewer toxic effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinfeng Zhang
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, Shanxi, China; Key Laboratory of Coal Environmental Pathogenicity and Prevention (Shanxi Medical University), Ministry of Education, China
| | - Yangyang Li
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, Shanxi, China; Key Laboratory of Coal Environmental Pathogenicity and Prevention (Shanxi Medical University), Ministry of Education, China
| | - Huan Li
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, Shanxi, China; Key Laboratory of Coal Environmental Pathogenicity and Prevention (Shanxi Medical University), Ministry of Education, China
| | - Aixiang Liu
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, Shanxi, China; Key Laboratory of Coal Environmental Pathogenicity and Prevention (Shanxi Medical University), Ministry of Education, China
| | - Jingjing Cao
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, Shanxi, China; Key Laboratory of Coal Environmental Pathogenicity and Prevention (Shanxi Medical University), Ministry of Education, China
| | - Xin Li
- Center of Disease Control and Prevention, Taiyuan Iron and Steel Company, Taiyuan, 030003, Shanxi, China
| | - Na Xia
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, Shanxi, China; Key Laboratory of Coal Environmental Pathogenicity and Prevention (Shanxi Medical University), Ministry of Education, China
| | - Zhihong Zhang
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, Shanxi, China; Key Laboratory of Coal Environmental Pathogenicity and Prevention (Shanxi Medical University), Ministry of Education, China
| | - Jianying Bai
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, Shanxi, China; Key Laboratory of Coal Environmental Pathogenicity and Prevention (Shanxi Medical University), Ministry of Education, China
| | - Hongmei Zhang
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, Shanxi, China; Key Laboratory of Coal Environmental Pathogenicity and Prevention (Shanxi Medical University), Ministry of Education, China; Key Laboratory of Cellular Physiology (Shanxi Medical University), Ministry of Education, Taiyuan, 030001, Shanxi, China; Key Laboratory of Cellular Physiology, Taiyuan, 030001, Shanxi, China; Department of Physiology, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, Shanxi, China.
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49
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Adegoke EO, Rahman MS, Amjad S, Pang WK, Ryu DY, Park YJ, Pang MG. Environmentally relevant doses of endocrine disrupting chemicals affect male fertility by interfering with sertoli cell glucose metabolism in mice. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 337:139277. [PMID: 37364641 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.139277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
The growing global deterioration in several aspects of human health has been partly attributed to hazardous effects of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) exposure. Therefore, experts and government regulatory agencies have consistently advocated for studies on the combined effects of EDCs that model human exposure to multiple environmental chemicals in real life. Here, we investigated how low concentrations of bisphenol A (BPA), and phthalates compounds affect the Sertoli cell glucose uptake/lactate production in the testis and male fertility. An EDC mixture containing a detected amount of each chemical compound in humans, called daily exposure (DE), and DE increased in magnitude by 25 (DE25), 250 (DE250), and 2500 (DE2500), and corn oil (control) were administered for six weeks to male mice. We found that DE activated estrogen receptor beta (Erβ) and glucose-regulated protein 78 (Grp 78) and disrupted the estradiol (E2) balance. In addition, DE25, DE250, and DE2500 doses of the EDC mixture via binding with Sertoli cells' estrogen receptors (ERs) inhibited the glucose uptake and lactate production processes by downregulating glucose transporters (GLUTs) and glycolytic enzymes. As a result, endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS), marked by unfolded protein response (UPR) activation, was induced. The accompanying upregulation of activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4), inositol requiring enzyme-1 (IRE1), C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP), and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling promoted antioxidant depletion, testicular cell apoptosis, abnormal regulation of the blood-testis barrier, and decreased sperm count. Therefore, these findings suggest that human and wildlife exposure to multiple environmental chemicals can produce a wide range of reproductive health complications in male mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elikanah Olusayo Adegoke
- Department of Animal Science & Technology and BET Research Institute, Chung-Ang University, Anseong, Gyeonggi-do, 17546, Republic of Korea
| | - Md Saidur Rahman
- Department of Animal Science & Technology and BET Research Institute, Chung-Ang University, Anseong, Gyeonggi-do, 17546, Republic of Korea
| | - Shehreen Amjad
- Department of Animal Science & Technology and BET Research Institute, Chung-Ang University, Anseong, Gyeonggi-do, 17546, Republic of Korea
| | - Won-Ki Pang
- Department of Animal Science & Technology and BET Research Institute, Chung-Ang University, Anseong, Gyeonggi-do, 17546, Republic of Korea
| | - Do-Yeal Ryu
- Department of Animal Science & Technology and BET Research Institute, Chung-Ang University, Anseong, Gyeonggi-do, 17546, Republic of Korea
| | - Yoo-Jin Park
- Department of Animal Science & Technology and BET Research Institute, Chung-Ang University, Anseong, Gyeonggi-do, 17546, Republic of Korea
| | - Mung-Geol Pang
- Department of Animal Science & Technology and BET Research Institute, Chung-Ang University, Anseong, Gyeonggi-do, 17546, Republic of Korea.
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50
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Ronda K, Downey K, Jenne A, Bastawrous M, Wolff WW, Steiner K, Lysak DH, Costa PM, Simpson MJ, Jobst KJ, Simpson AJ. Exploring Proton-Only NMR Experiments and Filters for Daphnia In Vivo: Potential and Limitations. Molecules 2023; 28:4863. [PMID: 37375418 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28124863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Environmental metabolomics provides insight into how anthropogenic activities have an impact on the health of an organism at the molecular level. Within this field, in vivo NMR stands out as a powerful tool for monitoring real-time changes in an organism's metabolome. Typically, these studies use 2D 13C-1H experiments on 13C-enriched organisms. Daphnia are the most studied species, given their widespread use in toxicity testing. However, with COVID-19 and other geopolitical factors, the cost of isotope enrichment increased ~6-7 fold over the last two years, making 13C-enriched cultures difficult to maintain. Thus, it is essential to revisit proton-only in vivo NMR and ask, "Can any metabolic information be obtained from Daphnia using proton-only experiments?". Two samples are considered here: living and whole reswollen organisms. A range of filters are tested, including relaxation, lipid suppression, multiple-quantum, J-coupling suppression, 2D 1H-1H experiments, selective experiments, and those exploiting intermolecular single-quantum coherence. While most filters improve the ex vivo spectra, only the most complex filters succeed in vivo. If non-enriched organisms must be used, then, DREAMTIME is recommended for targeted monitoring, while IP-iSQC was the only experiment that allowed non-targeted metabolite identification in vivo. This paper is critically important as it documents not just the experiments that succeed in vivo but also those that fail and demonstrates first-hand the difficulties associated with proton-only in vivo NMR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiera Ronda
- Department of Physical & Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, ON M1C 1A4, Canada
| | - Katelyn Downey
- Department of Physical & Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, ON M1C 1A4, Canada
| | - Amy Jenne
- Department of Physical & Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, ON M1C 1A4, Canada
| | - Monica Bastawrous
- Department of Physical & Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, ON M1C 1A4, Canada
| | - William W Wolff
- Department of Physical & Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, ON M1C 1A4, Canada
| | - Katrina Steiner
- Department of Physical & Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, ON M1C 1A4, Canada
| | - Daniel H Lysak
- Department of Physical & Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, ON M1C 1A4, Canada
| | - Peter M Costa
- Department of Physical & Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, ON M1C 1A4, Canada
| | - Myrna J Simpson
- Department of Physical & Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, ON M1C 1A4, Canada
| | - Karl J Jobst
- Department of Chemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, 45 Arctic Ave., St. John's, NL A1C 5S7, Canada
| | - Andre J Simpson
- Department of Physical & Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, ON M1C 1A4, Canada
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