磷酸活化石墨的氧还原特性以及用于微生物燃料电池阴极

研究了磷酸活化对石墨电极上氧还原反应的影响,并考察了磷酸活化石墨材料应用于微生物燃料电池阴极的可行性。首先以循环伏安和电化学阻抗谱等电化学方法考察了经磷酸活化的石墨材料的氧还原能力,发现经质量分数为85%磷酸活化12 h后其氧还原能力最强;然后将活化石墨材料应用于微生物燃料电池的阴极,进行极化曲线和功率密度曲线的测定。结果表明,磷酸活化阴极微生物燃料电池的最大功率密度可达7.92 W/m3,为未活化石墨阴极微生物燃料电池的3.4倍;同时进行了电化学比表面积的测定及FTIR的分析测定,结果表明,磷酸活化石墨颗粒的比表面积(7.716m2/g)较未活化颗粒(10.940 m2/g)略有减小,但其表面官能团的数量和种类发生了很大变化。表面官能团的变化可能是导致石墨材料氧还原能力增强及MFCs产电性能提高的重要原因。     

Effects of chitosan on growth of an aquatic plant (Hydrilla verticillata) in polluted waters with different chemical oxygen demands

Effects of chitosan on a submersed plant, Hydrilla verticillata, were investigated. Results indicated that H. venicillata could prevent ultrastructure phytotoxicities and oxidativereaction from polluted water with high chemical oxygen demand (COD). Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents in H. verticillata treated with 0.1% chitosan in wastewater increased with high COD (980 mg/L) and decreased with low COD (63 mg/L), respectively. Ultrastructural analysis showed that the stroma and grana of chloroplast basically remained normal. However, plant cells from the control experiment (untreated with chitosan) were vacuolated and the cell interval increased. The relict of protoplast moved to the center, with cells tending to disjoint. Our findings indicate that wastewater with high COD concentration can cause a substantial damage to submersed plant, nevertheless, chitosan probably could alleviate the membrane lipid peroxidization and ultrastructure phytotoxicities, and protect plant cells from stress of high COD concentration polluted water.     

Cytotoxic activity of the bioactive principles from Ficus burtt-davyi

Ficus burtt-davyi (Moraceae) is a medicinal plant species indigenous to Southern Africa. In this study, a phytochemical and cytotoxic investigation on F. burtt-davyi was conducted to evaluate its ethno-medicinal use. The phytochemical study of the fruits yielded triterpenoids (lupeol and α-amyrin). The cytotoxic evaluation was done on the methanolic extracts and selected compounds, lupeol, α-amyrin, lupeol acetate and (+)-catechin isolated from F. burtt-davyi stem bark and fruits. The 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) cell viability assay was carried out against two human cancer cell lines, breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7) and colorectal adenocarcinoma (Caco-2), and normal human embryonic kidney cells (HEK293). The methanol extract from the stem bark was significantly cytotoxic to MCF-7 and Caco-2 cell lines (p < 0.05) in a concentration-dependent manner with IC₅₀ values of 6.6 and 8.1 µg mL^?1, respectively relative to the control. Lupeol and (+)-catechin showed cytotoxic activity against MCF-7 cell lines with IC₅₀ values of 22.6 and 29.8 µg mL^?1, respectively and greater cytotoxic activity against Caco-2 cell lines with IC₅₀ values of 10.7 and 9.0 µg mL^?1, respectively. Data from this study suggests that F. burtt-davyi exhibits cytotoxicity with no significant inhibitory effects against HEK293. The results also indicate that (+)-catechin and lupeol, the most abundant bioactive principles in the stem bark, are responsible for the synergistic cytotoxic effects against tested human cancer cell lines. This study provides evidence on the pharmaceutical potential of the medicinal plant, F. burtt-davyi, as a chemotherapeutic agent against cancer.     

Fluoride induces DNA damage and cytotoxicity in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells

Humans are primarily exposed to fluoride (Fl), a widespread environmental pollutant, via contaminated drinking water and foodstuffs. The aim of this study was to examine whether sodium fluoride (NaF) exerted cytotoxic effects in human hepatocarcinoma (HepG2) cells. HepG2 cells were incubated with different concentrations of NaF and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, cell cycle, apoptosis, and DNA damage determined. Concentration-dependent studies showed that exposure to HepG2 cells with different concentrations of NaF for 24 hr significantly decreased cell viability and intracellular antioxidant capacity. Furthermore, NaF exposure increased lipid peroxidation levels and accumulation of intracellular ROS; and lowered antioxidant glutathione concentrations. In addition to oxidative impairments, NaF treatment enhanced HepG2 cell death via apoptotic pathway as evidenced by DNA fragmentation and cell cycle arrest. Sodium fluoride treatment unregulated p53 level, and Bax and Bcl2 expression. Diminished cell viability and changes in cell cycle accompanied a rise in p53 expression.     

Involvement of mitochondrial dysfunction in nanosized lead oxide induced cellular damage in human lung alveolar epithelial cells

High levels of industrial lead (Pb) exposure have decreased in the last 10 years as an outcome of removal of the metal from gasoline and paints. However, environmental Pb exposures remain extensive and may be correlated with adverse human health outcomes. The present study was designed to examine molecular mechanisms underlying cytotoxicity of lead oxide nanoparticles (PbONPs) on human lung alveolar epithelial (A549) cells. When A549 cells were incubated with PbONPs, the production of reactive oxygen species was enhanced as observed by 2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate. PbONPs significantly reduced proliferation of A549 cells and increased caspase3 activity. In addition, exposure of PbONPs decreased levels of glutathione, and increased lipid peroxide levels and activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase. Exposure of PbONPs enhanced DNA damage as evidenced by tail DNA (%) and olive tail moment. Taken together, these finding indicated that PbONPs diminished cell proliferation and increased apoptotic cell death of A549 cells.     

In vitro assessment of corticosteroid effects of eight chiral herbicides

Abstract

Information regarding the enantioselective endocrine disruption of chiral herbicides is scarce. This study assessed the disrupting effects of eight typical chiral herbicides on corticosteroids (including glucocorticoids and mineralocorticoids). Enantioselectivity of eight chiral herbicides were evaluated for their agonistic/antagonistic effects on glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) with CHOK1 cell line using reporter gene assay. Their influence on the production of corticosteroids were further investigated in H295R cell line using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). None of the racemates or enantiomers of eight chiral herbicides exhibited GR or MR agonistic activity at non-cytotoxic concentrations. However, rac-propisochlor and S-imazamox antagonized cortisol-induced transactivation of GR by 21.79% and 38.73% at the concentration of 1.0?×?10^?7 M and 1.0?×?10^?6 M, respectively, and R-napropamide remarkably attenuated aldosterone-induced MR transactivation by 68.78% at 1.0?×?10^?6 M. The secretion of cortisol was significantly restrained after treated with 1.0?×?10^?6 M rac-propisochlor and rac-/R-napropamide at the concentration of 1.0?×?10^?6 M by 26.49%, 30.10% and 35.27%, respectively, while this glucocorticoid was remarkably induced by 1.0?×?10^?5 M rac-diclofop-methyl and its two enantiomers at the concentration of 1.0?×?10^?5 M by 75.60%, 100.1% and 68.78%, respectively. Exposure to rac-propisochlor (1.0?×?10^?6 M), S-diclofop-methyl (1.0?×?10^?5 M) or rac-/S-/R- acetochlor (1.0?×?10^?6 M) and rac-/S-/R-lactofen (1.0?×?10^?6 M) inhibited the secretion of aldosterone by approximately 40%. Our findings suggested that chiral herbicides disrupted corticosteroid homeostasis in an enantioselective way. Therefore, more comprehensive screening is required to better understand the ecological and health risks of chiral pesticides.     

五氯酚(PCP)对鸡肝癌细胞(LMH)毒性效应的机制研究

五氯酚(pentachlorophenol,PCP)是一种持久性有机污染物,广泛用于灭钉螺、木材防腐、除草剂等方面,由于PCP在环境中的持久性和生物累积性,其对生态环境和人类健康造成潜在危害。本文以鸡肝癌细胞系(chicken hepatoma cells,LMH)为受试对象,探讨了PCP对细胞色素P450(CYP450)和抗氧化系统的影响。MTT结果显示LMH细胞经不同浓度PCP暴露后,呈现出先促进细胞增殖后抑制的J-型曲线,PCP对LMH细胞24 h的半数效应浓度(24 h-EC50)为427.52μmol·L~(-1)。LMH细胞在1.56、6.25、25、100μmol·L~(-1)PCP染毒条件下可增加细胞EROD、MROD、PROD和BFC活性,并可使CYP1A、1B、1C、2H及3A家族基因mRNA表达水平升高。LMH细胞在0.4~100μmol·L~(-1)PCP染毒下可显著降低硫酸基转移酶(SULT1B1和SULT 1C1)基因mRNA水平。此外,LMH细胞在6.25、25、100μmol·L~(-1)PCP染毒下可引起细胞内ROS升高,同时PCP(1.56~100μmol·L~(-1))可显著增加细胞内MDA含量和降低GSH/GSSH比值。这些结果表明细胞色素P450(CYP450)基因及酶活性的变化、细胞内ROS和MDA含量及GSH/GSSH可作为评价LMH细胞PCP毒性效应的敏感性生物标志物。此研究在细胞水平上利用多个评价指标研究PCP对细胞的毒性效应,为PCP环境风险评价提供依据。     

Evaluation of potential genotoxicity of five food dyes using the somatic mutation and recombination test

In this study, different concentrations of five food dyes (amaranth, patent blue, carminic acid, indigotine and erythrosine) have been evaluated for genotoxicity in the Somatic Mutation and Recombination Test (SMART) of Drosophila melanogaster. Standard cross was used in the experiment. Larvae including two linked recessive wing hair mutations were chronically fed at different concentrations of the test compounds in standard Drosophila Instant Medium. Feeding ended with pupation of the surviving larvae. Wings of the emerging adult flies were scored for the presence of spots of mutant cells which can result from either somatic mutation or somatic recombination. For the evaluation of genotoxic effects, the frequencies of spots per wing in the treated series were compared to the control group, which was distilled water. The present study shows that carminic acid and indigotine demonstrated negative results while erythrosine demonstrated inconclusive results. In addition 25 mg mL⁻¹ concentration of patent blue and 12.5, 25 and 50 mg mL⁻¹ concentrations of amaranth demonstrated positive results in the SMART.     

Coupled mother-child model for bioaccumulation of POPs in nursing infants

Bioaccumulation of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) leads to high levels in human milk and high doses of POPs for nursing infants. This is currently not considered in chemical risk assessment. A coupled model for bioaccumulation of organic chemicals in breast-feeding mother and nursing infant was developed and tested for a series of organic compounds. The bioaccumulation factors (BAFs) in mother, breast milk and child were predicted to vary with log K_OW and, for volatile compounds, with K_AW and concentration in air. The concentrations of POPs in the infant body increase the first half year to about factor 3 above mother and decline thereafter to lower levels. The predicted results are close to empirical data and to an empirical regression. The new mother–child model is compact due to its easy structure and the analytical matrix solution. It could be added to existing exposure and risk assessment systems, such as EUSES.     

纳米氧化锌颗粒对大鼠气管上皮细胞动态变化的影响及毒性机理

纳米氧化锌(Zn O NPs)对呼吸道的毒性损伤作用备受关注,但有关其对呼吸道上皮细胞动态变化的影响机理还有待深入研究.因此,本研究通过将大鼠气管上皮细胞(RTE)暴露于不同浓度(1和10 mg·L~(-1))和不同粒径(50和200 nm)的Zn O NPs中,利用细胞电阻抗检测技术(ECIS)检测细胞动态变化,采用CCK8法检测细胞生长抑制效应,并通过胞内ROS和MDA含量变化探讨其影响机制.ECIS检测结果显示,Zn O NPs暴露下,RTE细胞生长和增殖受到明显抑制,且具有浓度依赖效应.当暴露浓度为1 mg·L~(-1)时,与对照组相比,50 nm暴露组细胞电阻抗值的下调幅度为18%,为200 nm暴露组的1.2倍.Zn O NPs诱导的RTE细胞增殖抑制率具有浓度依赖效应,当暴露浓度为10 mg·L~(-1)时,50和200 nm暴露组细胞增殖抑制率分别为暴露浓度为1 mg·L~(-1)时的2.9和1.4倍.Zn O NPs诱导的RTE细胞氧化应激结果显示,胞内ROS和MDA含量随着纳米颗粒暴露浓度的增加而增加,随着纳米颗粒粒径的减小而增加,具有显著的浓度-和剂量-依赖效应.当Zn O NPs浓度分别为1和10 mg·L~(-1)时,ROS含量分别是对照组的2.8和3.7倍;当暴露浓度为10 mg·L~(-1)时,50 nm暴露组细胞内ROS含量是200 nm暴露组的1.7倍;暴露浓度为1和10 mg·L~(-1)时,50 nm氧化锌处理组诱导的细胞内MDA含量分别是对照组的5.4和7.9倍.Zn O NPs能够影响呼吸道上皮细胞动态变化,从而破环RTE细胞屏障并进入细胞,诱导胞内ROS和MDA水平升高,进而抑制细胞的生长与增殖.研究表明,影响Zn O NPs诱导的RTE细胞动态变化和氧化应激的关键因素是颗粒粒径与暴露浓度.