Evaluation of the fish short term reproduction assay for detecting endocrine disrupters

In a fish testing strategy, positive results of the fish short term reproduction assay (FSTR), often trigger a definitive test like the fish sexual development test (FSDT) or the fish full life cycle test (FFLC), entailing ethical and economic problems. This study analysed 137 studies encompassing 35 chemicals with different modes of actions (MOAs). Variability is quantified for MOA endpoints vitellogenin (VTG) and secondary sex characteristics (SSCs) as well as for apical endpoints. Two MOA endpoints could indicate estrogenic, anti-estrogenic, androgenic, anti-androgenic and steroidogenesis activities. Great variability, however, has been observed for chemicals with anti-androgenic and steroidogenesis activities, suggesting that TG229/230 may not be sensitive enough to detect these types of chemicals and may produce false negatives. Changes in apical endpoints like fecundity are not limited to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). Non-EDCs could induce the similar effects on these apical endpoints. If elucidating MOA is needed, targeted in vitro MOA tests are suggested. Positive in vitro MOA results trigger a definitive test, which could be used for confirmation of the MOA in vivo and for deriving a no observed effect concentration (NOEC). Based on positive MOA results of TG229, a definitive test such as the FSDT or the FFLC is still needed, because the current TG229 has limitation on the derivation of a NOEC. An extended TG229 with more power to detect reproduction effects, as recently proposed in the OECD test guideline program, would improve the possibility to derive a NOEC and increase its usefulness in risk assessment.     

耐盐类固醇激素降解菌交替赤杆菌MH-B5的降解特性、降解途径及其固定化

从咸水湖中分离得到1株具有类固醇激素降解能力的耐盐菌株,利用16S rRNA基因序列同源性分析确定菌株MH-B5属于交替赤杆菌属(Altererythrobacter),其可生长p H范围为5.5~9.0,可耐受盐度生长范围为0~7%,单碳降解实验表明该菌可以利用雌酮、雌二醇、雌三醇和睾酮.应用超高压液相色谱串联四级杆飞行时间质谱分析得出菌株降解睾酮的过程中主要中间代谢产物为4-雄烯二酮、宝丹酮和雄二烯二酮.应用单一载体和复合载体两种方法分别制备的菌株MH-B5固定化颗粒均可降解雌二醇,批次降解实验表明菌株MH-B5固定化颗粒可有效降解2 mg·L~(-1)雌二醇及其初级代谢产物雌酮.上述研究结果表明菌株MH-B5可在海水中生长良好,其能降解典型雌激素及雄激素睾酮,且经过微生物固定化过程后依然具有类固醇激素的降解特性,因此对类固醇激素污染的咸水环境修复,具有潜在应用前景.     

二月桂酸二丁基锡对大鼠睾酮及合成关键酶的影响

用玉米油或二月桂酸二丁基锡[DBTD0.01,0.1,1mg/(kg·d)体重]对新生雄性Wistar大鼠连续5d注射染毒.至大鼠出生后第49d,检测其血清睾酮,细胞色素胆固醇侧链裂解酶(P450scc)、3β-羟基类固醇脱氢酶(3β-HSD)和细胞色素P450 17-α脱羟基酶(Cyp17)这3种睾酮合成关键酶mRNA表达及脏器系数.结果表明,大鼠血清睾酮随DBTD剂量升高呈上升趋势,1mg/(kg·d)组与对照组比较有显著性差异;P450scc和3β-HSD mRNA相对表达无显著性变化,Cyp17在0.1mg/(kg·d)组的相对表达有显著性升高;1mg/(kg·d)组大鼠睾丸脏器系数有显著性升高,而各DBTD处理组附睾和肝脏脏器系数与对照组比较无显著性变化.     

Antioxidant and modulatory role of Chlorophytum borivilianum against arsenic induced testicular impairment

Arsenic has a suppressive influence on spermatogenesis and induces impairment in male reproductive system due to oxidative stress. The present study was aimed to test the arsenic induced toxicity and protection by Chlorophytum borivilianum. The effect of sodium arsenite (4 mg/(kg body weight (bw). day)) via double distilled water without or with C. borivilianum (800 mg/(kg bw. day)) was evaluated in Swiss albino mice for 30 days. The radical scavenging activity of the aqueous C. borivilianum root extract was measured using DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrayzyl) radical. Qualitative assessment of various cell types in the testis, sperm count and motility, testicular activity of lipid peroxidation (LPO), reduced glutathione (GSH), acid and alkaline phosphatase, cholesterol and serum testosterone were monitored. Arsenic treatment showed a significant increase in LPO, acid and alkaline phosphatase, cholesterol and decrease in sperm count, sperm motility, GSH and serum testosterone. Combined treatment showed significant decrease in LPO, acid and alkaline phosphatase, cholesterol and elevation in sperm count, sperm motility, GSH and serum testosterone. Testicular histopathology showed that C. borivilianum had reduced degeneration of germ cell in the seminiferous tubules and loss of sperms induced by arsenic intoxication. The results thus led us to conclude that administration of C. borivilianum root extract is found to be protective against arsenic induced toxicity.     

低剂量全氟辛酸对雄性黑斑蛙生殖毒效应及机理研究

针对新型环境有机污染物全氟辛酸(PFOA)对两栖动物的毒效应问题,以黑斑蛙(Rana nigromaculata)为实验对象,研究了低剂量PFOA暴露对雄性黑斑蛙生殖毒效应及机理.结果表明,在0.001～1mg.L-1低剂量体外暴露20d条件下,PFOA能够显著诱导黑斑蛙精子发生畸形,相对于对照组,精子畸形率呈现明显的剂量-效应关系.酶联免疫试剂盒检测发现,除0.001mg.L-1诱导组外,0.01、0.1和1mg.L-1暴露组的血清雄性激素睾酮和雌性激素雌二醇含量分别显著降低(p<0.01,F=288.7)和上升(p<0.01,F=289.0),说明PFOA作用下黑斑蛙体内性激素水平受到改变.采用荧光定量PCR技术进行进一步的分子生物学检测,发现与性激素水平密切相关的两个基因P450芳香化酶和类固醇激素合成因子(SF-1)均增强表达(0.001mg.L-1诱导组,p<0.05;0.01、0.1和1mg.L-1暴露组,p<0.01,F=140.8).全氟辛酸对两栖类动物的雄性生殖毒效应机理主要是通过介导与性激素分泌相关的两个重要基因P450芳香化酶和类固醇激素合成因子,使其表达上调,从而一方面抑制睾酮的产生,另一方面促进性激素雌二醇的分泌.在0.001mg.L-1的体外暴露剂量下,PFOA就能够明显诱导黑斑蛙精子产生畸形毒性及增强P450芳香化酶和SF-1基因的表达(p<0.05),因此,为保护两栖动物种群,在制订PFOA地表水环境质量标准时应当考虑其下限不能低于0.001mg.L-1.     

Hormonal response to conspecific chemical signals as an indicator of seasonal reproduction dynamics in the desert hamster, Phodopus roborovskii

Changes in male blood plasma testosterone and cortisol in response to exposure to scent marks (urine and midventral gland secretion, MVGS) of conspecific males and diestrous females in different seasons have been studied in the desert hamster (Phodopus roborovskii), a species whose ecological features are poorly known. The results show that a significant increase in the plasma testosterone level is observed in winter (only to female MVGS), spring (to female MVGS and urine), and summer (to female urine), but not in autumn. The level of plasma cortisol significantly increases only in response to female urine in spring and male MVGS in summer.     

Testosterone levels in midtrimester maternal and fetal plasma and amniotic fluid

Testosterone was measured in maternal plasma (58 samples), amniotic fluid (71 samples) and fetal plasma (55 samples) in 79 patients between 15 and 23 weeks' gestation. Maternal plasma testosterone levels were unrelated to fetal sex. Amniotic fluid testosterone was significantly higher in male than female fetuses but did not reliably predict fetal sex. A correct diagnosis of fetal sex was made by testosterone assay of pure fetal plasma in 39 out of 40 males and in 15 out of 15 females using 1.70 nmol/1 as the cut-off value. This investigation is not the method of choice for routine fetal sexing but may be of value in fetuses suspected of having certain endocrine disorders.     

The OECD Validation Program of the H295R Steroidogenesis Assay for the Identification of In Vitro Inhibitors and Inducers of Testosterone and Estradiol Production. Phase 2: Inter-Laboratory Pre-Validation Studies (8 pp)

Background, Goals and Scope In response to concerns that have been raised about chemical substances that may alter the function of endocrine systems and result in adverse effects on human health, an OECD initiative was undertaken to develop and validate in vitro and in vivo assays to identify chemicals that may interfere with endocrine systems of vertebrates. Here we report on studies that were conducted to develop and standardize a cell-based screening assay using the H295R cell line to prioritize chemicals that may act on steroidogenic processes in humans and wildlife. These studies are currently ongoing as part of the ‘Special Activity on the Testing and Assessment of Endocrine Disruptors’ within the OECD Test Guidelines Program to review, develop, standardize, and validate a number of in vitro and in vivo toxicological assays for testing and assessment of chemicals concerning their potential to interact with the endocrine system of vertebrates. Study Design Six laboratories from five countries participated in the pre-validation studies. Each laboratory tested the effects of three model chemicals on the production of testosterone (T) and estradiol (E2) using the H295R Steroidogenesis Assay. Chemicals tested were well described inducers or inhibitors of steroidogenic pathways (forskolin, prochloraz and fadrozole). All experiments were conducted in 24 well plates following standard protocols. Six different doses per compound were analyzed in triplicate per plate. A quality control (QC) plate was run in conjunction with the chemical exposure plate to account for inter-assay variation. Each chemical exposure was conducted two or three times. Results All laboratories successfully detected increases and/or decreases in hormone production by H295R cells after exposure to the different model compounds and there was good agreement in the pattern of response for all groups. Forskolin increased both T and E2 while fadrozole and prochloraz decreased production of both hormones. All chemicals affected hormone production in a dose-dependent manner with the exception of fadrozole which caused maximum inhibition of E2 at the two least concentrations tested. Some inter-laboratory differences were noted in the alteration of hormone production measured in chemically exposed cells. However, with the exception of the production of T measured at one laboratory in cells exposed to forskolin, the EC₅₀s calculated were comparable (coefficients of variation 34–49%) for all hormones. Discussion and Perspectives The results indicated that the H295R Steroidogenesis Assay protocol was robust, transferable and reproducible among all laboratories. However, in several instances that were primarily related to one laboratory there were unexplained minor uncertainties related to the inter-laboratory hormone production variation. Based on the findings from this Phase 2 prevalidation study, the H295R Steroidogenesis Assay protocol is currently being refined. The next phase of the OECD validation program will test the refined protocol among the same group of laboratories using an extended set of chemicals (∼30) that will include positive and negative chemical controls as well as a broad spectrum of different potential inducers and inhibitors of steroidogenic pathways. Submission Editor: Dr. Carsten Brühl (bruehl@uni-landau.de)     

甲基叔丁基醚（MTBE）降解菌株的分离鉴定及降解动力学研究

从银杏根部土壤中分离驯化出1株能以MTBE为唯一碳源生长的菌株A1,经过16S rDNA序列分析后,初步鉴定该菌株为睾酮丛毛单胞菌（Comamonas testosterone）;进一步试验研究了微生物接种量、pH值、温度、MTBE初始浓度等环境因素对MTBE降解的影响.结果表明,菌A1降解MTBE的最佳条件为：pH值7.0,温度25℃,接种量2　mL（D₆₀₀=2.523 A）,初始MTBE浓度50 mg/L.在此降解条件下,7　d后MTBE去除率最高可达98.89%（与空白实验对比,MTBE挥发量占46.55%）.菌A1降解MTBE符合高浓度底物抑制的酶促反应类型,其基本降解动力学参数rmax=0.872　d^－1,Km=7.832 mg·L^－１,Ks=130.75 mg·L^－１.