Effect of Heavy Metals on the Blood Protein Biochemistry of the Fish CYPRINUS CARPIO AND ITS USE AS A BIO-INDICATOR OF POLLUTION STRESS

Cyprinus carpio were exposed to two non-essential (Hg and Pb)and two essential (Cu and Ni) heavy metal salts at lethal andsub-lethal concentrations. Blood serum total protein, serum globulinand serum albumin was analysed every 2 hr for 24 hrs andagain at 48 and 72 hrs. Serum protein and globulin level showedan intial sharp increase from 2 to 20 hrs, followed by decline thatextend over a period of 72 hrs. Serum albumin showed an initialimmediate decline from 2 to 4 hrs, followed by an intermittent period of recovery and decline that extend over a period of 72hrs. Both lethal and sub-lethal concentrations of metal salts elicited asimilar pattern of response varying only in magnitude. The use offish blood serum protein, albumin and globulin measurements as general indicators of pollutant stress response isdiscussed.     

In vitro fluorescence displacement investigation of thyroxine transport disruption by bisphenol A

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical with high production volume and wide applications in many industries. Although BPA is known as an endocrine disruptor, its toxic mechanisms have not been fully characterized. Due to its structural similarity to thyroid hormones thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3), one possible mechanism of BPA toxicity is disruption of hormone transport by competitive binding with the transport proteins. In this study, the binding interactions of BPA, T4, and T3 with three thyroid hormone transport proteins, human serum albumin (HSA), transthyretin (TTR), and thyroxine-binding globulin (TBG) were investigated by fluorescence measurement. Using two site-specific fluorescence probes dansylamide and dansyl-L-proline, the binding constants of BPA with HSA at drug site I and site II were determined as 2.90 104 and 3.14 104 L/mol, respectively. By monitoring the intrinsic fluorescence of tryptophan, a binding constant of 4.70 103 L/mol was obtained. Similarly, by employing 8-anilino-1-naphthalenesulfonic acid as fluorescence probe, the binding a nity of BPA with TTR and TBG was measured to be 3.10 105 and 5.90 105 L/mol, respectively. In general, BPA showed lower binding a nity with the proteins than T3 did, and even lower a nity than T4. Using these binding constants, the amount of BPA which would bind to the transport proteins in human plasma was estimated. These results suggest that the concentrations of BPA commonly found in human plasma are probably not high enough to interfere with T4 transport.     

羟基多溴代二苯醚与甲状腺素运载蛋白相互作用的3D-QSAR研究

近年来,羟基多溴代二苯醚(OH-PBDEs)的类甲状腺素效应逐渐引起人们的关注,然而其结构效应关系和致毒机制尚不清楚。甲状腺激素结合球蛋白(TBG)和运甲状腺素蛋白(TTR)是人体转运甲状腺素的重要蛋白,通过计算毒理学手段可以揭示OH-PBDEs的微观毒理机制。利用分子对接技术研究OH-PBDEs与TBG、TTR的结合模式和构象特征,识别关键氢键氨基酸为赖氨酸Lys270(TBG),亮氨酸Leu110(TTR)和丝氨酸Ser117(TTR)。基于活性构象特征,构建14种典型OH-PBDEs的3D-QSAR模型,定量预测OH-PBDEs与TBG、TTR的结合亲和力。最佳预测模型的相关系数r2分别为0.966(TBG)和0.961(TTR),抽一法交叉验证相关系数q2分别为0.560(TBG)和0.525(TTR)。研究发现,OH-PBDEs的静电和氢键作用可增强结合亲和力,分别贡献65.4%(TBG)和68.7%(TTR)。研究结果为揭示OH-PBDEs与甲状腺素转运蛋白的相互作用提供新视角,有助于全面评价OH-PBDEs对人体甲状腺素调节功能的损伤。