DEHP暴露对鲤鱼肾脑生物标志物的影响

为探讨邻苯二甲酸二乙基己酯(DEHP)对鱼类肾、脑组织生物标志物的影响,将鲤鱼分别在浓度为5、20、80、160 mg·L~(-1)的DEHP水体,暴露20 d,以水和吐温-80为对照,测定肾脑组织中多种酶活性和丙二醛(MDA)含量的变化。结果表明:与水对照组相比,吐温-80组所测各项指标,差异均不显著。与水和吐温-80对照组相比,各染毒组,肾脏中超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、过氧化氢酶(CAT)活性和抗羟自由基、抗超氧阴离子的活力均显著降低(P0.05或P0.01)。谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶(GSH-Px)酶活性呈现先升高后降低,在5、20、80 mg·L~(-1)浓度组显著升高(P0.05)。丙二醛(MDA)含量在80、160 mg·L~(-1)浓度下,显著升高(P0.05),但脑组织中变化不显著。脑中一氧化氮合酶(NOS)在各浓度组显著升高(P0.05或P0.01);乙酰胆碱酯酶(ACh E)在80、160 mg·L~(-1)时降低显著(P0.05);钙调神经磷酸酶(CaN)呈先升高后降低的趋势,在20 mg·L~(-1)下,升高显著(P0.01),在80、160 mg·L~(-1)浓度组,降低极显著(P0.01);抗羟自由基、抗超氧阴离子活性均显著下降(P0.05或P0.01)。可见,在实验浓度范围内,DEHP对鲤鱼具有一定免疫毒性和神经毒性,进一步的机理有待研究。     

纳米硫化镉对A549细胞的损伤研究

研究纳米硫化镉(Nano-Cd S)材料对肺癌细胞系A549的毒性及氧化损伤作用。培养A549细胞,经传代后接种于6孔板中,每孔2 m L完全培养基,接种次日进行染毒。用直径20~30 nm、长度80~100 nm的Nano-Cd S进行染毒,染毒浓度分别为0、5、10、20、40和80 mg·L~(-1)。染毒24 h后用MTT检测细胞存活率,以存活率在80%左右的浓度为后续实验染毒浓度。应用流式细胞技术,用荧光探针法检测A549细胞的活性氧(reactive oxygen species,ROS)含量,PI-Annexin-V法检测细胞凋亡情况;用试剂盒检测细胞中超氧化物岐化酶(superoxide dismutase,SOD)和过氧化氢酶(catalase,CAT)活性以及丙二醛(malondialdehyde,MDA)含量,判断细胞氧化损伤情况。不同浓度Nano-Cd S处理细胞24 h之后,细胞存活率随剂量的增加而下降,浓度为10、20、40和80μg·L~(-1)时,存活率分别为(88.71%±0.80%)、(81.93%±3.06%)、(75.23%±1.13%)和(70.66%±5.63%),且各组间差异均具有统计学意义(P0.05)。以浓度为10和20 mg·L~(-1)的Nano-Cd S染毒24 h后,胞内ROS含量和细胞凋亡率随染毒剂量的增加而增加(P0.05);浓度为10 mg·L~(-1)时,细胞凋亡率为(6.26%±0.44%)。与对照相比,各染毒组SOD和CAT活性和MDA含量升高,20 mg·L~(-1)染毒组SOD和CAT活性和MDA含量高于10 mg·L~(-1)染毒组(P0.05)。研究表明,纳米硫化镉能引起A549细胞的氧化损伤和细胞凋亡,具有明显的细胞毒性。     

铜绿微囊藻与藻际细菌Ma-B1菌株的相互作用

藻与细菌通常共生于淡水生境,形成藻-菌共生体系,藻际细菌是水体生态系统中的重要组成部分,对藻的消长起重要的调控作用,但有关藻际微环境中藻与细菌的互作机制还不清楚. 采用传统的细菌平板培养方法,从太湖优势水华藻——铜绿微囊藻(Microcystis aeruginosa)细胞表面分离出一株藻际细菌Ma-B1,基于生理、生化试验和16S rRNA基因序列分析,初步鉴定为甲基营养芽孢杆菌(Bacillus methylotrophicus). 通过测定细胞生长,分析藻-菌相互作用机理. 结果表明:一定浓度(＞60 μg/mL)的Ma-B1的胞外代谢物可显著抑制铜绿微囊藻的生长(培养基为BG11,28 ℃/日,22 ℃/夜,3 000 lx,光暗比为14 h∶10 h);铜绿微囊藻的胞外滤液(500 μL/mL)对Ma-B1的生长有一定的促进作用,但其总滤液(500 μL/mL)显著促进Ma-B1的生长;Ma-B1细胞对铜绿微囊藻的生长没有显著影响,而高浓度(藻菌比10∶1)的铜绿微囊藻细胞则可显著抑制Ma-B1的生长. 铜绿微囊藻与Ma-B1之间存在复杂的相互抑制或促进关系,共同影响着藻、菌在自然水体生态系统中的消长.      

Royal jelly inhibited N-acetylation and metabolism of 2-aminofluorene in human liver tumor cells (J5)

The present study was carried out to evaluate the question of whether or not royal jelly affects N-acetylation and metabolism of 2-aminofluorene (2-AF) in the human liver tumor cell line (J 5). N-acetylation and metabolism of 2-AF in intact J5 cells was determined by using high performance liquid chromatography for the amounts of acetylated and nonacetylated 2-AF and profile of 2-AF metabolism. The results indicated that royal jelly displayed a dose-dependent inhibition of N-acetylation of 2-AF in J5 cells. Royal jelly also decreased the profile of 2-AF metabolites in J5 cells. This report is the first demonstration which showed that royal jelly affects N-acetylation of 2-AF in human liver tumor cells (J5).     

Role of GSH in the amelioration of chromium-induced membrane damage

Membrane damage is one of the important consequences of chromium (Cr), an environmental toxicant, induced cytotoxicity. Reduced glutathione (GSH), a membrane protectant may be used to reduce the Cr-induced membrane damage. In the present study, the impact of Cr in presence and absence of GSH was studied on plasma membrane of the liver and kidneys in male Wistar rats. Significant increases in membrane cholesterol levels as well as significant decreases in membrane phospholipid levels in Cr exposed (0.8 mg per 100 g body weight, i.p., for 28 days) animals suggest structural alterations in both the liver and kidney plasma membranes. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total ATPase, and Na⁺–K⁺–ATPase activities of plasma membrane were significantly decreased in both the liver and kidneys after Cr treatment. This treatment also produced significant weight loss and increased Cr content in the liver and kidneys. However, GSH (8 mg per 100g body weight, i.p., daily at an interval of 6 h after injection of Cr for a period of 28 days) supplementation restored alterations induced by Cr in plasma membrane of both the liver and kidneys but was not able to eliminate the deposited Cr from the liver and kidney tissues.     

Determination of F2-isoprostanes in cultured human lung epithelial cells after exposure to metal oxide and silica nanoparticles by high-performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry

The environmental impact of nanotechnology has caused a great concern. Many in vitro studies showed that many types of nanoparticles were cytotoxic. However, whether these nanoparticles caused cell membrane damage was not well studied. F₂-isoprostanes are specific products of arachidonic acid peroxidation by nonenzymatic reactive oxygen species and are considered as reliable biomarkers of oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation. In this article, we investigated the cytotoxicity of different nanoparticles and the degree of cellular membrane damage by using F₂-isoprostanes as biomarkers after exposure to nanoparticles. The human lung epithelial cell line A549 was exposed to four silica and metal oxide nanoparticles: SiO₂ (15 nm), CeO₂ (20 nm), Fe₂O₃ (30 nm), and ZnO (70 nm). The levels of F₂-isoprostanes were determined by using high-performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. The F₂-isoprostanes’ peak was identified by retention time and molecular ion m/z at 353. Oasis HLB cartridge was used to extract F₂-isoprostanes from cell medium. The results showed that SiO₂, CeO₂, and ZnO nanoparticles increased F₂-isoprostanes levels significantly in A549 cells. Fe₂O₃ nanoparticle also increased F₂-isoprostanes level, but was not significant. This implied that SiO₂, CeO₂, ZnO, and Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles can cause cell membrane damage due to the lipid peroxidation. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the investigation of effects of cellular exposure to metal oxide and silica nanoparticles on the cellular F₂-isoprostanes levels.     

Protective role of epigallocatechin 3-gallate against lead-induced toxicity in human neuroblastoma cells

Lead (Pb) is a heavy metal, known to induce oxidative stress and produce damage to the antioxidant defence system ultimately leading to cell death. Antioxidants such as epigallocatechin 3-gallate (EGCG), a green tea polyphenol, was shown to play a protective role during Pb-exposure. In this study, human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells were exposed to different concentrations (0.01–10?µM) of Pb for 48?h to determine effects on the viability of cells. It was observed that IC₅₀ was at 5?µM and at this concentration the cells exhibited a significant increase in caspase-3 activity, an indicator of apoptosis at least by 10-fold and the decrease of 59.4% in glutathione (GSH) content. The total cellular prostaglandin-E₂ (PGE₂) level was found to be elevated at least 10-fold upon Pb exposure. However, the effects of Pb on cells pre-incubated with 50?µM EGCG followed by 5?µM Pb showed 40% inhibition in cell viability, 17.3% decrease in caspase-3 activity, 23% increase in GSH content, and 11.4% fall in PGE₂ levels when compared with cells exposed to Pb only. Data suggest that EGCG exerted a significant protection to cell viability in preventing cell death and elevation in levels of GSH in cells exposed to Pb. However, EGCG did not elicit any significant effect on release of PGE₂ indicating the nature of EGCG as an effective anti-apoptotic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory agent.     

Liver and renal lesions in mercury-contaminated narwhals (Monodon monoceros) from North West Greenland

Narwhals (Monodon monoceros) from North West Greenland are known to bioaccumulate mercury (Hg) in tissues and internal organs. This is postulated to be a health concern and therefore studies were undertaken to conduct a screening study of Hg concentrations and histopathology of liver and renal tissues in a total of 12 specimens. The sample consisted of two sub-adults (one male, one female) and 10 adult (six males, four females) collected in Qaanaaq (Thule) 2010. In liver, Hg mean ± SD was 11.88 ± 10.47 μg/g ww (range: 0.39?31.8 μg/g ww) while the concentrations in kidneys were 1.85 ± 1.20 μg/g ww (range: 0.41?4.03 μg/g ww). There was no marked difference in Hg concentrations between males and females while sub-adults had significantly lower concentrations. The histological examinations of renal tissue showed glomerular capillary dilatation and basement membrane thickening, dilatation, and hyalinization of Bowman's space/capsule and tubular lesions with hyaline casts accompanied by interstitial fibrosis in the kidneys. In liver tissue, portal cell infiltrates and fibrosis, bile duct proliferation, lipid-filled Ito cells, and steatosis were found. There was no marked difference in histological prevalence between males and females and in Hg concentrations in individuals with or without lesions. Four of seven renal lesions and one liver lesion were found in the two sub-adult whales. Based upon these findings, as well as the nature of the lesions, evidence suggests that histopathological alterations were a result of age but that Hg might be an aggravating co-factor in development of renal lesions in particular.     

Pesticide-induced alterations of hemopoietic functions in Anabas testudineus inhabiting wetlands in agricultural landscape

The unrestricted use of agrochemicals in crop fields lowers the overall prospects of survival and yield of wetland fish species like Anabas testudineus. In the present study, the impact of different doses of SUMIDON-40, an organophosphate (OP) pesticide on the hematopoiesis of Anabas testudineus has been examined. The small lymphoid hemoblast and consequently the polychromatophilic erythroblasts decreased significantly at both sublethal and LC₅₀ dose-treated fish. The percentage of mature erythrocyte also fell significantly in the pesticide-treated groups. The erythropoietic efficiency was increased in fish exposed to sublethal dose but fell in fish exposed to LC50 dose. Among leucocytes, the percentage of neutrophils rose in Anabas testudineus in both treatment groups and percentage of macrophage decreased significantly only in LC₅₀ dose-treated group. The percentage of lymphocyte increased significantly in sublethal dose-treated groups. The overall leukopoietic efficiency, however, was elevated significantly in both treatment groups. These facts clearly indicated that pesticides affected the overall process of hematopoiesis in this fish species. Flow cytometric analysis of cell cycle in pronephric kidney cells confirmed changes in percentage of cell death and DNA synthesis following pesticide exposure. Data indicate that habitat deterioration from agrochemicals impedes the hematopoiesis in this species resulting in reduced tolerance in their usually hypoxic habitat environment.     

Single walled carbon nanotubes induce cytotoxicity and oxidative stress in HEK293 cells

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the potential toxicity and general mechanisms involved in single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs)-induced cytotoxicity using human embryonic kidney cell line (HEK293) cells. Carbon nanotubes (coded as CNT) used in this study were synthesized by the chemical vapor deposition method. To elucidate the possible mechanisms underlying SWCNT-induced cytotoxicity, cell viability, cell membrane damage (lactate dehydrogenase activity (LDH) assay), reduced glutathione (GSH), interleukin-8 (IL-8) and lipid peroxidation products levels were quantitatively assessed following SWCNT exposure for 48 hr using HEK293 cells. Exposure of cells to SWCNT at 3–300 μg/ml produced significant reduction in cell viability in a concentration-dependent manner. The IC₅₀ value of SWCNT was found to be 87.58 μg/ml. Exposure of HEK cells to SWCNT at 10–100 μg/ml resulted in concentration-dependent cell membrane damage, increased production of IL-8, elevated levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances like malondialdehyde and decreased intracellular GSH levels. In summary, exposure to SWCNT resulted in a concentration-dependent cytotoxicity in cultured HEK293 cells that was associated with increased oxidative stress.