Low or absent unconjugated estriol in pregnancy: an indicator for steroid sulfatase deficiency detectable by fluorescence in situ hybridization and biochemical analysis

It has been previously reported that a low or absent maternal serum unconjugated estriol (uE3) level is associated with placental steroid sulfatase (STS) deficiency. Here we report a correlation between patients who present with a very low or absent maternal serum uE3 and a deletion of the STS gene as assessed by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). We studied nine prenatal cases that presented to the clinical laboratory with an abnormal triple screen, specifically low or absent maternal serum uE3 and a 46,XY karyotype. FISH analysis showed complete deletion of a probe containing the STS gene in six cases and one case had a partial deletion (reduced but not absent signal). The remaining two cases were not deleted for the STS probe. All mothers tested whose fetus showed a deletion were shown to be STS deletion carriers using FISH. Biochemical analysis was performed on 7/9 prenatal specimens. All fetuses deleted for the STS probe were also found to be deficient for STS by biochemical analysis of cultured amniotic fluid (5/5). Of the two fetuses not deleted for the STS probe, one was deficient for STS activity, while the other had a normal result. The abnormal result of enzyme deficiency by biochemical analysis in a non-deletion case likely represents a mutation in the STS gene, not detectable by this FISH assay. Postnatal FISH confirmation of the STS deletion was performed in 1/7 cases. Clinical follow-up was available for 4/9 cases following birth. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Spatial and Temporal Patterns of Endocrine Active Chemicals in Small Streams Indicate Differential Exposure to Aquatic Organisms

Alkylphenolic chemicals (APCs) and hormones were measured six times from February through October 2007 in three Minnesota streams receiving wastewater to identify spatial and temporal patterns in concentrations and in estrogen equivalency. Fish were collected once during the study to evaluate endpoints indicative of endocrine disruption. The most commonly detected APCs were 4‐tert‐octylphenol and 4‐nonylphenol and the most commonly detected hormones were estrone and androstenedione. Chemical concentrations were greatest for nonylphenol ethoxycarboxylates (NPECs) (5,000‐140,000 ng/l), followed by 4‐nonlylphenol and 4‐nonylphenolethoxylates (50‐880 ng/l), 4‐tert‐octylphenol and 4‐tert‐octylphenolethoxylates with concentrations as great as 130 ng/l, and hormones (0.1‐54 ng/l). Patterns in chemicals and estrogen equivalency indicated that wastewater effluent is a pathway of APCs and hormones to downstream locations in this study. However, upstream contributions can be equally or more important indicating alternative sources. This study indicates that aquatic organisms experience both spatially and temporally variable exposures in the number of compounds, total concentrations, and estrogenicity. This variability was evident in fish collected from the three rivers as no clear upstream to downstream pattern of endocrine disruption endpoints emerged.     

Occurrence of endocrine disruptor compounds in the estuary of the Iberian Douro River and nearby Porto Coast (NW Portugal)

Previous studies in the Douro River estuary, based on occasional sampling, showed the presence of several estrogenic disrupting chemicals (EDCs). In sequence, we hypothesized that such type of pollution was more likely an enduring issue than an occasional phenomenon, and that it may even affect recreational beaches in each side of the estuarine mouth. Thus to conclude about the continuous influx of EDCs, water samples were taken twice a day, once per a week, from March to May of 2009, at four sites within the estuary and at two sites in the coastline. After solid-phase extraction, the extracts were prepared for GC-MS analysis of 11 reference EDCs. These embraced natural and pharmaceutical estrogens (17β-estradiol, estrone and 17α-ethynylestradiol) and xenoestrogenic industrial pollutants (4-octylphenol, 4-nonylphenol, and their mono and diethoxylates and bisphenol A). Data showed the ubiquitous presence of potentially hazardous amounts of natural estrogens (particularly of estradiol, ca 5.5?ng?L^?1) and persistent organic pollutants such as nonylphenol mono (up to 550?ng?L^?1) and diethoxylate (up to 2000?ng?L^?1). It was concluded that the targeted area is continuously polluted by the assayed EDCs, and as a consequence, conditions exist for endocrine disturbance in the biota by chronic exposure to EDCs.     

邻苯二甲酸丁基苄酯在鼠肝匀浆中的生物降解及代谢产物鉴定

应用HPLC及HPLC MS方法,研究了邻苯二甲酸丁基苄酯在小鼠肝匀浆中的代谢动力学、酶动力学特征并进行了代谢产物鉴定.测得邻苯二甲酸丁基苄酯在雄性小鼠肝匀浆中的t1 2为73 72min,Km为(73 52±24 11)μmol·L-1,Vmax为(2 85±0 62)μmol·g-1·min-1);在小鼠雌性肝匀浆中t1 2为144 37min,Km为(275 02±64 97)μmol·L-1,Vmax为(6 18±2 30)μmol·g-1·min-1).实验鉴定出邻苯二甲酸丁基苄酯在肝脏中的代谢产物为邻苯二甲酸单丁酯及邻苯二甲酸甲丁酯.实验结果表明,邻苯二甲酸丁基苄酯在肝脏中代谢有明显的性别差异.     

Determination of phenolic and steroid endocrine disrupting compounds in environmental matrices

BACKGROUND, AIM AND SCOPE: Many pollutants have received significant attention due to their potential estrogenic effect and are classified as endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs). EDCs comprise many classes of organic compounds. The development or optimization of analytical protocols for the simultaneous determination of EDCs in environmental samples is an analytical challenge because these compounds exhibit different physicochemical characteristics, they occur in the aquatic environment in relatively low concentrations and, furthermore, environmental samples are considered as complex matrices. The aim of this study is the development of analytical methods for the simultaneous determination of phenolic and steroid EDCs in aqueous and solid samples. The target compounds are 4-nonylphenol, 4-octylphenol, their ethoxylate oligomers (mono- and di-ethoxylates of nonylphenol and octylphenol), bisphenol A, the estrogens (estriol, estrone, 17beta-estradiol, 17alpha-estradiol) and the synthetic steroids (mestranol and 17alpha-ethynylestradiol). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Solid phase extraction employing Oasis HLB cartridges and different elution solvents was used for the recovery studies of the target compounds from various types of water samples (ultrapure water, artificial seawater, river water and seawater). Ultrasonic assisted extraction was applied for the recovery of the target EDCs from the solid samples. The recoveries were assessed using various solvents for the extraction and the elution of EDCs from different SPE cartridges used for clean up. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry after derivatization with N,O-bis(trimethylsilyl)-trifluoroacetamide was employed for the determination of these compounds. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The recovery rates of three elution solvents (methanol, acetone and ethylacetate) for the extraction of target EDCs from artificial seawater were assessed after preconcentration on SPE cartridges. Acetone showed better recoveries and was further tested for its extraction efficiency in different water types (river water, seawater). Ultrasonic assisted extraction was used for the recovery of target EDCs from solid matrices. Acetone, methanol, mixture of acetone-methanol (1:1) and ethylacetate were used as extraction solvents. Ethylacetate and the mixture of acetone-methanol (1:1) exhibited better extraction efficiencies. An additional clean up step was necessary for sediment samples. Different SPE cartridges were employed for clean up of the extracts (Oasis HLB, C18, Florisil, silica, combination of silica and alumina). Florisil cartridges were finally used. The proposed methods were further validated on the determination of target EDCs in field collected samples (river water, seawater, wastewater, total suspended solids and sediments) from the major area of Thessaloniki, Greece. CONCLUSIONS: Efficient and accurate integrated methods for the simultaneous determination of alkylphenols (nonylphenol, octylphenol), their ethoxylate oligomers (mono- and di-ethoxylate of nonylphenol and octylphenol), bisphenol A and steroids (estriol, estrone, 17beta-estradiol, 17alpha-estradiol, mestranol and 17alpha-ethynylestradiol) in aqueous and solid samples were developed. The proposed methods were applied for the determination of the target compounds in representative environmental samples in the area of Thessaloniki, Northern Greece. RECOMMENDATIONS AND PERSPECTIVES: This study confirms the occurrence of selected EDCs in inland and marine waters in the area of Thessaloniki, Northern Greece. Since there is no previous data on the occurrence of the target EDCs in the major area, an extended survey is in progress to evaluate the occurrence and fate of these compounds.     

4种环境雌激素对淡水鱼卵黄蛋白原诱导的混合物效应研究

在个体水平上阐明环境雌激素类化合物对易受影响生物的联合毒性作用,探讨混合污染物联合作用和环境风险评价的研究方法.通过对鲫鱼血清卵黄蛋白原含量的相对变化和暴露浓度的非线性回归分析得出17α-乙炔基雌二醇(EE2)、17β-雌二醇(E2)、双酚A(BPA)、辛基苯酚(OP)及其等毒性混合物产生雌激素效应的剂量-反应关系,应用联合作用指数和相加作用模型研究4种环境雌激素的联合作用.各化合物非线性回归分析结果均以Weibull函数拟合效果最好,决定系数R2≥0.92;效应浓度值及其95%置信限通过自举抽样法得出,其中半效应浓度值EC50及其95%置信区间分别为0.0079(0.0068～0.0100)、0.0987(0.0900～0.1110)、63.50(56.58～70.62)和250.59(228.46～271.99)μg·L-1.4种环境雌激素混合物效应通过相加作用模型预测在全剂量范围内与实验结果相一致,呈现相似联合作用.相加作用模型是在各个浓度反应水平上展示化合物联合作用的性质,是切实可行的联合作用研究方法,而混合物效应通过联合作用指数评价存在许多不确定性.     

固相萃取-液相色谱-串联质谱法测定水中5种雌激素

建立了固相萃取-液相色谱-串联质谱组合联用技术同时测定地表水、饮用水和污水处理厂出厂水中的5种雌激素(17β-雌二醇、雌三醇、雌酮、17α-炔雌醇、己烯雌酚)的方法。水样经过全自动固相萃取仪富集,以OASIS HLB柱为萃取柱,甲醇为洗脱剂,用液相色谱-串联四极杆质谱联用仪分析定量。分别在0.5~8、5~80μg/L范围内线性良好,相关系数为0.995~0.998。17β-雌二醇、雌三醇、17α-炔雌醇的检出限均为5μg/L,雌酮与己烯雌酚的检出限为0.5μg/L。5种雌激素的纯水加标回收率为63.6%~120.2%,地表水加标回收率为59.8%~91.5%,自来水加标回收率为55.3%~92.1%,精密度为3.7%~10.7%,该方法简单、可靠,可用于水中雌激素类污染物的同时测定。     

环境雌激素及其降解途径

结合近期国内外以及作者对环境雌激素降解的研究,指出环境雌激素可以通过多种途径迁移、降解,环境雌激素主要降解途径为生物降解和光解;一般情况下多数不易降解,易富集,研究其降解具有重要的意义。     

环境内分泌干扰物研究进展

环境内分泌干扰物（EEDs)问题已成为全球性的焦点问题。文章从多个方面较详细地综述了环境内分泌干扰物问题及其研究进展。已有研究表明，环境内分泌干扰物大都为环境雌激素，其来源有 天然和人工合成的化合物：环境内分泌干扰物与人类的生殖障碍、发育异常、某些免疫系统和神经系统疾病有关。详细剖析了环境内分泌干扰物对内分泌系统产生的有害影响及机理，概述了其活性的鉴别方法和以色谱为主的检测分析方法。最后，结合雌激素降解的研究，对环境内分泌干扰物的迁移、转化及降解等进行分析，指出环境内分泌物可以通过多种途径迁移、降解；一般情况下多数不易降解、易富集；研究其降解具有重要的意义。     

二噁英暴露对成年男性血清类固醇激素的影响

为了解二噁英（PCDD/DFs）对成年男性类固醇激素水平的影响,采用高分辨气相色谱法/高分辨质谱联用法（HRGC/HRMS）及液相色谱-质谱联用法（LC-MS/MS）分析二噁英污染地区成年男性（n=50）及非污染地区成年男性（n=48）血清中9种类固醇激素水平和17种二噁英同类物浓度.结果显示成年男性血清中双氢睾酮、睾酮、雌二醇的水平与部分二噁英同类物浓度存在显著性相关.污染地区成年男性双氢睾酮、睾酮、雌二醇的水平与年龄呈显著性正相关.以上结果表明二噁英暴露导致成年男性类固醇激素中的性激素变化异常.