Effect of graphene oxide exposure on intestinal Wnt signaling in nematode Caenorhabditis elegans

Exposure to engineered nanomaterials(ENMs), such as graphene oxide(GO), can potentially induce the response of various molecular signaling pathways, which can mediate the protective function or the toxicity induction.Wnt signaling pathway is conserved evolutionarily in organisms.Using Caenorhabditis elegans as an in vivo assay model, we investigated the effect of GO exposure on intestinal Wnt signaling.In the intestine, GO exposure dysregulated Frizzled receptor MOM-5, Disheveled protein DSH-2, GSK-3(a component of APC complex), and two β-catenin proteins(BAR-1 and HMP-2), which mediated the induction of GO toxicity.In GO exposed nematodes, a Hox protein EGL-5 acted as a downstream target of BAR-1, and fatty acid transport ACS-22 acted as a downstream target of HMP-2.Functional analysis on HMP-2 and ACS-22 suggested that the dysregulation of these two proteins provides an important basis for the observed deficit in functional state of intestinal barrier.Our results imply the association of dysregulation in physiological and functional states of intestinal barrier with toxicity induction of GO in organisms.     

A framework for valuing the health benefits of improved bathing water quality in the River Irvine catchment

A simple model predicting bathing water concentrations of Escherichia coli from livestock in the Irvine catchment in SW Scotland has been adapted for intestinal enterococci (IE). This has been used to predict risk of bather illness by extrapolation of published data on bather IE exposure vs incidence of gastro-enteritis. Simulated reduction in the risk of illness by reduced faecal loading was multiplied by a willingness to pay for risk reduction to estimate the annual benefits of mitigation. Health benefits of reducing loading by 75% at Irvine Beach were estimated by a willingness to pay method to be about pound 276k pa. Estimated annualised costs of diffuse pollution mitigation measures across the catchment were higher (> pound 1m), and it is very unlikely that 75% mitigation is achievable with current stocking rates. Further work should explore the influence of uncertainty of model parameters, and use emerging epidemiological information on specific zoonotic pathogens such as E. coli O157 and Cryptosporidium. Other components of the value of clean water should also be included to obtain a complete estimate of the cost:benefit of mitigation.     

Respective contributions of point and non-point sources of E. coli and enterococci in a large urbanized watershed (the Seine river, France)

Because the large rivers of the Seine watershed have a low microbiological water quality, the main sources of fecal contamination were investigated in the present study. The inputs of the point (wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) effluents) and non-point sources (surface runoff and soil leaching) of fecal bacteria were quantified for Escherichia coli and intestinal enteroccoci used as bacterial indicators. In order to assess the contamination through non-point sources, fecal indicators abundance was estimated in samples collected in small streams located in rural areas upstream from all point sources; these small rivers were characterized by the land use of their watershed. Bacterial indicator numbers were also measured in effluents of WWTPs, some using classical treatment (settling followed by activated sludge process) and some using an additional disinfection stage (UV irradiation). These data were used to estimate the respective importance of each type of source at the scale of the whole Seine river watershed taking into account the land use and the population density. It shows the predominant importance of the point sources of fecal indicator bacteria at the scale of the whole watershed. In a scenario in which activated sludge treatment would be complemented with UV in all WWTPs located in this watershed, the non-point sources of fecal indicator bacteria would be dominant.     

Detection and enumeration of colonic mucosal cells in amniotic fluid using a colon epithelial-specific monoclonal antibody

Since its introduction, prenatal diagnosis of chromosomal and metabolic disorder by mid-trimester amniocentesis has relied upon the use of a mixture of fetal cells obtained from amniotic fluid. Little knowledge has been gained in the sorting of these cells for diagnosis of tissue-specific disorders. In an attempt to determine the contribution of fetal colonic mucosal cells to the overall amniocyte population, we used the colonic epithelial-specific monoclonal antibody (MC-Ab) 7E₁₂H₁₂, IgM isotype. Specimens of the small intestine, colon, buccal mucosa, kidney, urinary bladder, and umbilical cord were obtained from electively aborted normal fetuses of 12–28 weeks' gestation. All of these specimens were examined with 7E₁₂H₁₂ by the immunoperoxidase technique. The MC-Ab reacted with the colonic epithelial cells but not with any of the other tissues. In addition, 40 amniotic fluid samples obtained from women between 16 and 18 weeks of gestation, who underwent amniocentesis because of advanced maternal age, were tested using a fluorescent activated cell sorter. Among the amniotic fluid specimens examined, 18·4 ± 10·3 percent cells reacted with 7E₁₂H₁₂. Double immunofluorescence studies revealed that all Mc-Ab-stained cells contained secretory component, confirming that they were epithelial in origin. All fetuses whose amniotic fluid was analysed had normal karyotypes and amniotic fluid alpha-fetoprctein levels that were also normal. This study demonstrates that cell-specific Mc-Ab can be used to detect colon cells in the amniotic fluid and that colon cells contribute significant numbers in the mixture of amniotic fluid cells. This technique could be helpful in the prenatal diagnosis of disorders in which the flow of amniotic fluid through the fetal intestine is impaired, such as cystic fibrosis, imperforate anus, Hirschsprung aganglionic megacolon, and intestinal atresia.     

Toxicological effects involved in risk assessment of rare earth lanthanum on roots of Vicia faba L. seedlings

Combined chemical analyses and biological measurements were utilized to investigate potential toxicological effects and possible mechanisms involved in risk assessment of rare earth elements (REEs) on Vicia faba L. seedlings, which were hydroponically cultivated and exposed to various concentrations of lanthanum (La) for 15 days. The results showed that La contents in both the solution and roots increased with the increase of extraneous La, contributing to hormetic dose responses of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), guaiacol peroxidase (GPX), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and endoprotease (EP) isozymes activities, and HSP 70 production enhanced at low doses but suppressed at higher doses of La. These physiological responses constituted antioxidant and detoxification systems against La-induced oxidative stress. The elevated La levels also contributed to oxidatively modified proteins, which were most responsible for subsequent cell death and growth retardation of the roots. By combination of hormetic and traditional threshold dose levels, the threshold dose range was deduced to be 108-195 μg La/g dry weight in the roots, corresponding to 0.90-3.12 mg/L of soluble La in the culture solution. It suggests that persistent applications of REEs may lead to potential ecological risk in the environment.     

喜旱莲子草对钉螺脂酶同工酶影响的初步研究

用不同浓度的喜旱莲子草水浸液处理钉螺24h,观察其灭螺效果,并用聚丙酰胺凝胶电泳技术比较研究了水浸液对钉螺酯酶同工酶的影响,结果表明:钉螺头足部肌肉的酯酶同工酶在低浓度(0.01g/L)时,活性较强,随水浸液处理浓度升高,活性迅速降低;而肝脏的酯酶同工酶在中等浓度(0.1g/L)时,活性最强,高浓度时(1g/L)有些酶带发生分解、消失。钉螺的死亡率则随着处理浓度的提高,急剧增大。喜旱莲子草干粉水浸液对钉螺酯酶同工酶影响明显,是引起钉螺中毒死亡的原因之一。这为喜旱莲子草作为新型植物灭螺剂的开发打下基础。     

Third trimester ultrasound diagnosis of intestinal atresia following clinical evidence of polyhydramnios

Five cases of intestinal atresia were diagnosed using real-time ultrasonography following clinical evidence of polyhydramnios. No correlation was noted between ultrasound findings and the severity of the lesions. Two of the five babies died at 35 and 77 days respectively. Prematurity and presence of other abnormalities were factors in the deaths.     

联苯胺对线粒体抗氧化酶活性及同工酶的影响

不同浓度联苯胺(0.5,1.0,1.5,2.0mg/mL),以体外染毒方式作用于武昌鱼-团头鲂(Megalobrama amblycephala)肝脏线粒体,研究了武昌鱼肝脏线粒体两种主要抗氧化酶[谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶(GSH-Px)和超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)]活性的变化,用聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳法分析了其同工酶谱.结果显示0.5,1.0mg/mL联苯胺激活GSH-Px, 0.5mg/mL联苯胺激活SOD,而1.5, 2.0mg/mL联苯胺抑制这两种酶的活性;另外,在GSH-Px同工酶谱中呈现出特异性标志酶gsh4.     

Prenatal diagnosis of cystic fibrosis using a monoclonal antibody specific for intestinal alkaline phosphatase

A monoclonal antibody (AAP-1), specific for the intestinal isoenzyme of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), has been used to develop an immunoassay for amniotic fluid samples. Values in the immunoassay correlated closely with those obtained by direct determination of phenylalanine-inhibitable ALP. A panel of 124 control second-trimester amniotic fluids and 21 fluids with a 1 in 4 risk of a cystic fibrosis fetus were examined in the immunoassay. Eight of 10 affected cases had values below an arbitrary cut-off of one third median, while all the non-affected cases were above this level. Almost identical results were obtained by enzymatic determination of phenylalanine-inhibitable ALP. However, in both systems the false positive rate (control fluids with values below one third median), was unacceptably high. It is pointed out that at present the most effective system for the prenatal diagnosis of cystic fibrosis is achieved by measuring the ratio of intestinal to total ALP in amniotic fluid supernatants. This is probably best effected by enzymatic assay in the presence of phenylalanine and homoarginine inhibition.     

Fetal intestinal microvilli in human amniotic fluid

The intestinal microvilli of fetal origin in human amniotic fluid were purified by Ca²⁺ precipitation of contaminating organelles followed by differential centrifugation of microvillar membranes. In the purified preparation, the specific activity of the microvillar marker-enzymes maltase and sucrase increased about 77-fold over that in cell-free amniotic fluid. Significant contamination of the purified preparation by endoplasmic reticulum (microsomes) and lysosomes was ruled out on the basis of a low content of the marker enzymes glucose-6-phosphatase (microsomes) and acid phosphatase (lysosomes). Amniotic fluid microvilli contain typical enzymes of the fetal intestine including maltase, sucrase, trehalase, alkaline phosphatase and γ-glutamyltransferase, and their morphology by electron microscopy resembles that of vesiculated intestinal microvilli. Prenatal detection of genetic diseases due to a deficiency of a protein expressed in these membranes or associated to abnormal microvilli seems feasible.