FISH TUMORS AND ECOLOGICAL SURVEILLANCE: A CAUTIONARY EXAMPLE FROM PORT PHILLIP BAY1

ABSTRACT: Interest in the development of strategies using faunal populations for monitoring chemical contamination of the environment was promoted, in part, by earlier investigations of skin lesions that were mistakenly diagnosed as epidermal papillomas in flatfish from Pacific coastal waters of the northern hemisphere. A survey aimed at exploring chemical pollution effects was also undertaken in the southern hemisphere in Port Phillip Bay, Australia, where over 15,000 fish, involving ten mainly bottom-feeding species, were sampled. Only two cases of true neoplasia (both in the sand flathead) were found, but there was a high prevalence of cancer-like growths in certain species of leatherjacket and a low prevalence in spiky globe fish. Morphological analysis proved these to be subacute inflammatory or chronic granulomatous reactions possibly due to parasitic infestation. These findings were discussed in relation to recent work that shows the epidermal papilloma to be a pseudotumor, and the propensity for fish to develop exuberant inflammatory responses to exogenous stimuli which mimic neoplasia.     

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.     

Rare cell isolation using antibodies covalently linked to slides: application to fetal cells in maternal blood

We describe here a new type of method for isolation of rare cell populations in biological fluids. The method is based on the anthraquinone technology for covalent binding of molecules to a polymer surface. An anthraquinone molecule conjugated via a linker to an electrophilic group (AQ Immobilizer™ reagent, Exiqon A/S) is covalently bound to a polymer surface by UV irradiation. The electrophilic group of this AQ reagent can covalently bind a specific antibody directed against a specific cell marker. Applying a cell sample to the functional surface, the cells having the specific cell marker on the cell surface will bind to the antibody on the functional surface. Using this technique, even extremely small cell populations may be isolated. We succeeded in isolating fetal cells from maternal blood samples in the first trimester for chromosome defects genetic diagnosis. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

上海市若干环境污染物的诱变性

用中国仓鼠肺成纤维细胞(V_(79)),进行次黄嘌呤—鸟嘌呤磷酸核糖转移酶位点(HGPRT Locus)试验,检测了上海市若干环境污染物的诱变性。结果发现,污染物量与诱变性之间呈剂量—反应关系。所有样品经代谢活化后(加S_9),其诱变性均有增高的趋势。卷烟焦油、油烟冷凝物的T/C值均>3,而不加S_9的黄浦江水和自来水样,则对V_(79)细胞可能具有间接的诱变作用(T/C值<3)。     

代森锰及其代谢物的神经毒性影响与机制研究

以SH-SY5Y和PC12细胞为实验模型,深入探讨了代森锰(Maneb)及其代谢产物对多巴胺能神经细胞的毒性影响与机制.结果表明,Maneb的有机部分和金属离子成分单独暴露不具有明显的毒性作用,联合暴露具有协同效应,且对细胞活性的抑制程度与同一浓度水平的Maneb相当,其原因与诱导活性氧自由基生成、细胞凋亡相关.此外,蛋白免疫印迹法发现,Maneb下调Bcl-2的表达、上调Bax、细胞色素C的水平,同时激活Caspase-3,提示线粒体凋亡途径在Maneb诱导多巴胺能神经细胞凋亡过程中的重要作用.     

微生物燃料电池恒电流预培养阳极生物膜分析表征

阳极性能是影响微生物燃料电池(Microbial Fuel Cells,MFCs)性能的关键因素之一,同时阳极的接种挂膜过程是影响微生物燃料电池启动效率的关键因素.因此,本课题组提出了预培养阳极作为微生物燃料电池的一种新型阳极的概念,在三电极体系下,通过外加恒定电流预培养阳极,在不同条件下对阳极表面进行电化学选择和生物膜驯化以丰富生物膜结构和厚度.结果表明,阳极的性能与预培养电流大小密切相关,预培养阳极CF-4i(外加4 A·m-2电流密度)通过循环伏安法、塔菲尔曲线、电化学阻抗谱测试,性能好于其他测试组及对照组,装配阳极CF-4i的微生物燃料电池能实现最大功率密度968.20 m W·m-2,是对照组的2.53倍.同时,通过共聚焦显微镜观察发现,生物膜大体分两层,外层的活细胞及内层的死细胞,外层活细胞长在内层死细胞之上.这种结构分布表明,阳极生物膜中的活细胞部分绝大多数都分布于生物膜的外侧,而不是均布于整个阳极生物膜中;同时这也表明不是整个阳极生物膜都具有新陈代谢活性,但死亡的细胞可以继续积累在电极表面附近,活的外层膜负责电流的产生,而内层的死细胞作为一种导电基质.     

SO2污染对小鼠骨髓细胞微核的诱发作用

在SO2吸入慢性染毒条件下,小鼠骨髓嗜多染红细胞（PCE）的微核细胞率与微核率均显著增加,且雌雄差异显著。结果也表明,SO2对阳性致突变剂乌拉坦航发微核的作用有显著抑制效应。本研究模拟SO2空气污染,从整体水平直接证实了SO2是哺乳类细胞染色体断裂剂、SO2与阳性致突变剂的联合作用是复杂的结论。     

经手口途径摄入室内含PAHs灰尘颗粒的致癌风险评价

为了探究经手口途径摄入被PAHs污染室内灰尘的致癌风险,构建了居民经手口途径摄入被污染室内灰尘颗粒的概率风险模型,运用蒙特卡罗模拟方法评价了中国上海地区居民由PAHs引起的致癌风险,分析了致癌风险的主要来源及手口途径中各参数的重要程度。结果表明:幼儿和儿童所承受的风险最大,婴儿和成年人次之,青少年和老年人较小;对于致癌风险,幼儿和儿童超过10-6的概率都为80%,但超过10-4的概率都小于5%,婴儿和成年人超过10-6的概率都为50%,但婴儿超过10-4的概率小于5%,成年人的小于0.1%,青少年和老年人超过10-6的概率分别为10%和15%,不会高于10-4;室内硬表面灰尘引起的致癌风险远大于软表面灰尘引起的致癌风险;与致癌风险相关性最大的因素为灰尘颗粒中PAHs的等效斜率、灰尘在室内软硬表面的浓度、手到口途径发生的频率和颗粒物从手掌皮肤表面到口腔的转移率。     

Heterogeneity in fetal akinesia deformation sequence (FADS): autopsy confirmation in three 20–21-week fetuses

Fetal akinesia deformation sequence (FADS) is a rare condition characterized by intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR), congenital limb contractures, pulmonary hypoplasia, hydramnios and craniofacial abnormalities. The present report comprises an autopsy study of three fetuses to illustrate the variable clinical manifestations and neuropathological findings. Fetus 1 had arthrogryposis and no movement on fetal ultrasound examination. Aborted at 21 weeks, the fetus showed micrognathia, bilateral joint contracture with pterygia at the elbow and axilla. Growth retardation and pulmonary hypoplasia were not major features. Neuropathologic examination revealed anterior horn cell loss and lateral corticospinal tract degeneration in spinal cord, with marked muscular atrophy. Fetus 2, 20 weeks' gestation, had fetal akinesia, nuchal thickening, left pleural effusion, and Dandy-Walker malformation on ultrasound examination. Autopsy showed low-set ears, ocular hypertelorism, cleft palate, flexion contractures with pterygia over axilla, elbow and groin, pulmonary hypoplasia, Dandy-Walker malformation, unremarkable spinal cord and skeletal muscle. Fetus 3, 21 weeks' gestation, was aborted for fetal akinesia, neck and limb webbing and severe arthrogryposis. At autopsy, similar facial abnormalities, contracture and pterygia in neck and multiple major joints were found. Borderline pulmonary hypoplasia and severe lumbar scoliosis were also present. The brain, spinal cord and muscle were unremarkable. In these three fetuses, the prenatal ultrasound and autopsy findings were characteristic of FADS. Neurogenic spinal muscular atrophy was the basis of fetal akinesia in Case 1. Dandy-Walker malformation was present in Case 2, but the pathogenetic mechanism of fetal akinesia was not clear as spinal cord and muscle histology appeared normal. The etiology of akinesia was undetermined in Case 3; no extrinsic or intrinsic cause was identified. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.