DNA-Protein Crosslinks Induced by Microcystin-LR in Hepatic Cells of Mice

为探讨微囊藻毒素-LR致小鼠肝细胞的DNA-蛋白质交联作用,将20只昆明雄性小鼠随机分为4组：1个对照组和3个染毒组,采用腹腔注射进行染毒7d,染毒剂量分别为3.0、6.0和12.0μg·kg-1,检测小鼠肝细胞DNA-蛋白质交联程度. 结果显示,3.0、6.0和12.0μg·kg-1微囊藻毒素-LR均可导致小鼠肝细胞显著的DNA-蛋白质交联作用（与对照组相比,p<0.01,p<0.01,p<0.05）,当微囊藻毒素为6.0μg·kg-1时,这种作用最明显.     

生物脱氮除磷工艺中的丝状菌

在生物脱氮除磷工艺中,污泥膨胀是运行管理的难题。介绍了生物脱氮除磷工艺中丝状菌的种类和数量的变化,数据表明,生物脱氮除磷工艺中的丝状菌主要是微丝菌,其次是0675型和0914型菌。经分析认为,污泥龄的增加会促进丝状菌长度的明显增长并导致污泥膨胀,生物残渣的浓度是造成长泥龄污泥膨胀的原因之一。厌氧阶段有分解生物残渣的功能,可改善菌胶团菌的微环境,从而抑制丝状菌的过剩生长,控制污泥膨胀。     

采用电芬顿-磁固定化菌株耦合体系治理苯酚废水的研究

为实现对苯酚废水治理工艺的优化,针对传统包埋法制备固定化细胞的工艺方法进行改进,选用磁性纳米颗粒制备磁固定化细胞,将其与电芬顿法结合构建耦合体系,利用耦合协同作用实现催化剂的重复利用,并依托微生物的良好降解性能与稳定性提高苯酚降解率,进一步实现对苯酚废水治理工艺的系统优化。     

Mitochondrial toxicity and in vitro biological effects of ambient PM2.5 from an urban site in China

Abstract

The roles of PM_2.5-induced mitochondrial damage and oxidative stress on mast cell degranulation were examined in vitro. Mast cells were treated with suspensions of PM_2.5 in Dulbecco’s modified Eagle’s medium at concentrations from 25 to 200?mg/L in the absence or presence of 10?mmol/L N-acetyl-L-cysteine. Biological effects and mitochondrial function were assessed by determining cell viability, β-hexosaminidase release, interleukin-4 secretion, reactive oxygen species generation, adenosine triphosphate production, potential alteration of mitochondrial membrane, and activities of mitochondrial electron transport chain complexes I and III. Exposure of mast cells to PM_2.5 induced reduction of adenosine triphosphate production, collapse of mitochondrial membrane potential, and inhibition of the activity of complex III. Co-treatment of mast cells exposed to PM_2.5 with N-acetyl-L-cysteine attenuated cytotoxicity and the production of reactive oxygen species, and decreased the release of β-hexosaminidase and interleukin-4. Evidently, PM_2.5-induced oxidative stress plays an essential role in mitochondrial toxicity and mast cell activation.     

An LC-MS/MS method for creatine and creatinine analysis in paraquat-intoxicated patients

Abstract

A sudden increase in serum creatinine after paraquat intoxication has been reported in several clinical studies. However, this dramatic change of creatinine may be possibly due to an interconversion of creatine-creatinine in relation to paraquat toxicity. In order to investigate the creatine-creatinine relationship, a liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry in combination with electrospray ionization was developed and validated for simultaneous determination of creatine and creatinine in the serum. The chromatographic separation was achieved on a Gemini® C₆-Phenyl column with a gradient elution consisting of 0.1% formic acid in ultrapure water and methanol as the mobile phase. The method yielded suitable levels of specificity and selectivity, and calibration curves of creatine and creatinine in serum were linear over the concentration range of 0.5–200?µg mL^?1. The limit of quantification of both compounds was 0.5?µg mL^?1, and the method was accurate within the recovery range of 96.23–102.75%, indicating the robustness of the method. The method was successfully applied to toxicological samples from paraquat-intoxicated patients, and the concentrations of creatine and creatinine were quantified. High creatine concentrations in serum samples were observed which may lead to high serum creatinine despite normal kidney function as creatine is converted to creatinine in proportion to its concentration.     

Hydroxytyrosol, the phenolic compound of olive oil protects human PBMC against oxidative stress and DNA damage mediated by 2,3,7,8-TCDD

The protective effect of hydroxytyrosol (HT), a strong antioxidant compound from extra virgin olive oil, against TCDD induced toxicity was investigated in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). PBMC (1 × 10⁶ cells mL⁻¹) were divided into four groups and were incubated in a CO₂ incubator (5% CO₂) for 12 h with vehicle, TCDD (10 nM), TCDD + HT (10 nM + 100 μM) and HT alone (100 μM) respectively. To clarify the role of HT against TCDD induced cytotoxicity, oxidative stress and the levels of antioxidant enzymes were assessed. Incubation of PBMC with TCDD significantly decreased cell viability, catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and increased the levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione reductase (GR) and oxidative stress markers such as lipid peroxidation products (LPO), protein carbonyl content (PCC) and reactive oxygen species (ROS). Whereas, HT had an effective antioxidant property as observed by the increased cell viability, normalization of antioxidant enzymes and decreased levels of LPO, PCC and ROS in PBMC co-treated with HT and TCDD. Apoptosis detection and comet assay results shows that HT, by acting as an antioxidant, prevents the damage to DNA induced by TCDD. In addition light microscopic and histopathological observations revealed that the cells are apoptotic and degenerated during TCDD treatment, whereas cells showed intact morphology during co-treatment with HT. On the whole, the results reveal that HT exerts a promising antioxidant potential in protecting the PBMC against TCDD induced oxidative stress, which might be due to the presence of catechol moiety in its structure.     

Microbial fuel cells: Advances in electrode modifications for improvement of system performance

There is an increasing trend to conduct the researches related to Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs) in the recent years. Limited power output has been the major obstacle for the practical application and upscaling of MFCs. Attempts have been made on electrode modifications such as anode treatments, cathode modifications with catalysts and bio cathodes developments to produce varying degrees of improved output current depending upon the types of modifications. Power density and Coulombic efficiency have been considered as the important parameters to analyze the system performances. This paper overviews on the advances made in MFCs’ researches focusing on different types of electrodes modifications along with the involved methodology. Furthermore, the system performances of different modified MFCs are compared in terms of the power density and the Coulombic efficiency.     

Food chain transfer of cadmium and lead to cattle in a lead–zinc smelter in Guizhou, China

Cadmium (Cd) and Lead (Pb) are environmental pollutants. Environmental samples and bovine tissues were collected from the areas around a lead–zinc smelter in Guizhou, China for Cd, Pb, zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) analysis. Cd in soil (10 mg/kg) and feed (6.6 mg/kg) from the polluted areas was 10 times higher than the Chinese Standards, resulting in higher Cd in bovine kidney (38 mg/kg) and liver (2.5 mg/kg). Pb in feed (132 mg/kg) from the polluted area was much higher than unpolluted areas, causing higher Pb levels in bovine tissues. Environmental Zn was elevated, but bovine tissue Zn was normal. Cu in bovine liver decreased with increased Cd and Pb. Metals in drinking water and in bovine muscle were within the Standard range. Thus, in the areas of this lead–zinc smelter, the environment has been contaminated with Cd and Pb, which has been transferred to cattle through the food chain.     

三氯卡班可以影响肾小管上皮细胞的屏障功能

三氯卡班(TCC)是一种被广泛应用于个人护理用品中的广谱型亲脂性杀菌剂,已在多种环境介质和生物体中检出。因其潜在的环境蓄积、生物累积和生物毒性效应,日益受到学者们的关注。借助TCC对NRK-52E(大鼠肾小管上皮细胞)的毒性暴露实验,通过检测细胞活力、以及与跨膜电阻和紧密连接相关的连接黏附分子1(JAM~(-1),junctional adhesion molecule 1)的蛋白表达水平,研究了TCC潜在的肾脏毒性效应。结果显示,10μmol·L~(-1)TCC处理48 h时培养细胞呈现不规则的集落;10μmol·L~(-1)和20μmol·L~(-1)TCC处理NRK-52E 24 h、48 h和72 h后可以显著抑制细胞生长;3.57μmol·L~(-1)TCC(生长抑制的48 hIC20)处理NRK-52E 48 h可以显著抑制细胞间紧密连接蛋白JAM~(-1)的表达量,并降低跨膜电阻,影响肾脏的屏障功能。本研究的结果能够为进一步揭示TCC对动物的毒害机制、评估其对动物的健康风险提供数据支持。     

邻苯二甲酸酯类雌激素活性联合作用模型分析

环境雌激素对生命健康影响受到广泛关注,现行污染物环境标准制订和风险评价只针对单一化合物而非混合物效应,不足以保护生命安全与人类健康。为探讨环境雌激素的混合物效应,选择对雌激素敏感的人乳腺癌MCF-7细胞增殖实验,检测雌二醇(E2)、邻苯二甲酸酯类化合物(DBP和DEHP)的单一及其联合雌激素活性;基于单一化合物的浓度-反应曲线,运用浓度相加(CA)和独立作用(IA)模型对混合物的毒性进行预测,并将模型预测结果与混合物实验数据进行比较分析。结果表明,E2、DBP、DEHP对MCF-7细胞的单一作用数据可通过Weibull方程拟合,由拟合方程得到的半数效应浓度(EC50)及95%置信区间分别为3.450×10-6(2.373×10-6~1.675×10-5)、5.138(1.489~1.082×10)、1.186(4.478×10-1~2.24)μmol·L-1;3种化合物的混合物数据亦可通过Weibull、Logistic和Exp Gro1方程进行有效拟合,混合物效应与化合物单独作用产生的效应具有显著性差异;3种化合物表现非相似联合作用,利用独立作用(IA)模型预测混合物效应较为可靠,外源性环境雌激素与内源性雌激素联合作用产生的混合效应显著。环境雌激素混合物毒性可以通过相加作用模型预测,为环境复合污染的风险评价和管理提供基础数据。