In Vitro Biotransformation Assays Using Liver S9 Fractions and Hepatocytes from Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss): Overcoming Challenges with Difficult to Test Fragrance Chemicals

Comparative in vitro hepatic clearances of commonly used antidepressants, antipsychotics, and anti-inflammatory agents in rainbow trout liver S9 fractions

Residues of human pharmaceuticals are widely detected in surface waters and can be taken up by and bioaccumulate in aquatic organisms, especially fish. One of the key challenges in assessing the bioaccumulation potential of ionizable organic compounds, such as the pharmaceuticals, is the lack of empirical data for biotransformation. In the present study, we assessed the in vitro intrinsic clearances (CLINT) of twelve pharmaceuticals, individually and some additionally as mixtures, in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) liver S9 fractions (RT-S9) adhering to the OECD test guidance 319B. The test substances included four anti-inflammatory agents (diclofenac, ibuprofen, ketoprofen, naproxen), seven antidepressants/antipsychotics (citalopram, haloperidol, levomepromazine, mirtazapine, risperidone, sertraline, venlafaxine) and the O-desmethyl metabolite of venlafaxine. Quantifiable intrinsic clearances were detected for diclofenac, ibuprofen, naproxen, levomepromazine, and sertraline. Apart from diclofenac, the in vitro clearances of the other four pharmaceuticals were shown to be critically dependent on the cytochrome P450 (CYP) metabolism. Therefore, we also determined the half-maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC50) of the same twelve pharmaceuticals toward CYP1A-like (7-ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylation, EROD) and CYP3A-like (benzyloxy-4-trifluoromethylcoumarin-O-debenzyloxylation, BFCOD) activities in RT-S9 using IC50 shift assay. As a result, levomepromazine and sertraline were identified as the most potent inhibitors of both EROD and BFCOD activity (unbound IC50 < 10 µM each), followed by citalopram and haloperidol (10 µM < IC50 < 100 µM). Additionally, mirtazapine was a selective EROD inhibitor (IC50 ∼ 30 µM). The inhibitory impacts of haloperidol and sertraline were indicatively time dependent. Finally, we carried out intrinsic clearance assays with mixtures of diclofenac, ibuprofen, naproxen, levomepromazine, and sertraline to examine the impacts of EROD and BFCOD inhibitions on their in vitro CLINT in RT-S9. Our in vitro data suggests that the intrinsic clearances of ibuprofen, levomepromazine, and sertraline in rainbow trout can be significantly reduced as the result of P450 inhibition by pharmaceutical mixtures, whereas the clearances of diclofenac and naproxen are less impacted.

A Comparison of In Vitro Metabolic Clearance of Various Regulatory Fish Species Using Hepatic S9 Fractions

Bioaccumulation predictions can be substantially improved by combining in vitro metabolic rate measurements derived from rainbow trout hepatocytes and/or hepatic S9 fractions with quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) modeling approaches. Compared with in vivo testing guidelines Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) 305 and Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP; an office of the US Environmental Protection Agency) 850.1730, the recently adopted OECD test guidelines 319A and 319B are in vitro approaches that have the potential to provide a time- and cost-efficient, humane solution, reducing animal use while addressing uncertainties in bioaccumulation across species. The present study compares the hepatic clearance of the S9 subcellular fraction of rainbow trout, bluegill, common carp, fathead minnow, and largemouth bass, discerning potential differences in metabolism between different warm- and cold-water species. With refinements to the in vitro metabolic S9 assay for high-throughput analysis, we measured in vitro clearance rates of seven chemicals crossing multiple classes of chemistry and modes of action. We confirmed that data from rainbow trout liver S9 fraction metabolic rates can be utilized to predict rainbow trout bioconcentration factors using an in vitro to in vivo extrapolation model, as intended in the OECD 319B applicability domain per the bioaccumulation prediction. Also, we determined that OECD 319B can be applied to other species, modified according to their habitat, adaptations to feeding behavior, and environmental conditions (e.g., temperature). Once toxicokinetics for each species is better understood and appropriate models are developed, this method can be an excellent tool to determine hepatic clearance and potential bioaccumulation across species. The present study could be leveraged prior to or in place of initiating in vivo bioconcentration studies, thus optimizing selection of appropriate fish species. Environ Toxicol Chem 2024;43:1390-1405. © 2024 SETAC.

Big Question to Developing Solutions: A Decade of Progress in the Development of Aquatic New Approach Methodologies from 2012 to 2022

In 2012, 20 key questions related to hazard and exposure assessment and environmental and health risks of pharmaceuticals and personal care products in the natural environment were identified. A decade later, this article examines the current level of knowledge around one of the lowest-ranking questions at that time, number 19: "Can nonanimal testing methods be developed that will provide equivalent or better hazard data compared with current in vivo methods?" The inclusion of alternative methods that replace, reduce, or refine animal testing within the regulatory context of risk and hazard assessment of chemicals generally faces many hurdles, although this varies both by organism (human-centric vs. other), sector, and geographical region or country. Focusing on the past 10 years, only works that might reasonably be considered to contribute to advancements in the field of aquatic environmental risk assessment are highlighted. Particular attention is paid to methods of contemporary interest and importance, representing progress in (1) the development of methods which provide equivalent or better data compared with current in vivo methods such as bioaccumulation, (2) weight of evidence, or (3) -omic-based applications. Evolution and convergence of these risk assessment areas offer the basis for fundamental frameshifts in how data are collated and used for the protection of taxa across the breadth of the aquatic environment. Looking to the future, we are at a tipping point, with a need for a global and inclusive approach to establish consensus. Bringing together these methods (both new and old) for regulatory assessment and decision-making will require a concerted effort and orchestration. Environ Toxicol Chem 2024;43:559-574. © 2023 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.

Bioconcentration Assessment in Fish Based on In Vitro Intrinsic Clearance: Predictivity of an Empirical Model Compared to In Vitro-In Vivo Extrapolation Models

To estimate the bioconcentration factor (BCF), the in vitro intrinsic clearance (CLIN VITRO,INT) from rainbow trout liver S9 fractions (RT-S9) can be applied to in vitro-in vivo extrapolation (IVIVE) models, yet uncertainties remain in model parameterization. An alternative model approach is evaluated: a regression model was built in the form log BCF = a × log Kow + b × log CLIN VITRO,INT. The coefficients a and b were fitted based on a training set of 40 chemicals. A high robustness of the coefficients and good accuracy of BCF prediction were found on independent datasets of neutral organic chemicals (measured log Kow 3.3-6.2). BCF predictions were similar to or in better agreement with in vivo BCFs compared to IVIVE models (2.4- to 2.9- vs 2.8- to 3.6-fold misprediction) for training and test sets. Species-matched models (trout, carp) did not result in improvements. This study presents the largest dataset on CLIN VITRO,INT and BCFs to assess predictivity of the RT-S9 assay. The robustness of the regression statistics on different datasets and the high statistical weight of the CLIN VITRO,INT term illustrate the predictive power of the RT-S9 assay as an important step toward regulatory acceptance to replace animal experiments.

Trophodynamic of endocrine disrupting compounds in the aquatic food webs: Association with hydrophobicity and biota metabolic rate

Increasing concentration of endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) are released into the aquatic environment, resulting in irreversible effects on the endocrine and reproductive systems of biota. How the liver enzymes affect metabolic rate of these compounds and thus their structure-related trophic transfer in aquatic food webs remains largely unknown. In this study, the concentrations of seven common EDCs were measured in 15 species of fish, 7 invertebrate species and plankton collected from Liuxi River to Pearl River, South China. The mean ΣEDC concentrations generally were found to increase as follows: plankton (29.59 ng g^-1 dw) < invertebrate species (50.69 ng g^-1 dw) < fish (122.56 ng g^-1 dw), with 4-nonylphenol (4-NP) and bisphenol S (BPS) as the predominant components. Trophic magnification factors (TMFs) values were >1.0 ranged from 1.30 (BPS) to 4.07 (4-NP), indicating trophic magnification potential. Measurement of metabolism and activities of microsomal CYP450 enzymes were performed in the fish liver microsomes of Hypophthalmichthys molitrix ([TL] = 2.27), Cirrhinus mrigala (TL = 3.87) and Odontamblyopus rubicundus (TL = 4.73). TMFs were significantly negatively correlated with the obtained in vitro biotransformation clearance rates (CL _{in vitro}) of EDCs and CYP450 enzymes activities. A multiple linear regression model indicated that biotransformation clearance is a more powerful predictor for TMFs than the hydrophobicity (Kow) to drive changes in the studied aquatic food web trophodynamics.

Review of ecologically relevant in vitro bioassays to supplement current in vivo tests for whole effluent toxicity testing - Part 2: Non-apical endpoints

Whole effluent toxicity (WET) testing uses whole animal exposures to assess the toxicity of complex mixtures, like wastewater. These assessments typically include four apical endpoints: mortality, growth, development, and reproduction. In the last decade, there has been a shift to alternative methods that align with the 3Rs to replace, reduce, and refine the use of animals in research. In vitro bioassays can provide a cost-effective, high-throughput, ethical alternative to in vivo assays. In addition, they can potentially include additional, more sensitive, environmentally relevant endpoints than traditional toxicity tests. However, the ecological relevance of these endpoints must be established before they are adopted into regulatory frameworks. This is Part 2 of a two-part review that aims to identify in vitro bioassays that are linked to ecologically relevant endpoints that could be included in WET testing. Part 2 of this review focuses on non-apical endpoints that should be incorporated into WET testing. In addition to the four apical endpoints addressed in Part 1, this review identified seven additional toxic outcomes: endocrine disruption, xenobiotic metabolism, carcinogenicity, oxidative stress, inflammation, immunotoxicity and neurotoxicity. For each, the response at the molecular or cellular level measured in vitro was linked to the response at the organism level through a toxicity pathway. Literature from 2015 to 2020 was used to identify suitable bioassays that could be incorporated into WET testing.

Establishing brown trout primary hepatocyte spheroids as a new alternative experimental model-Testing the effects of 5α-dihydrotestosterone on lipid pathways

Three-dimensional (3D) fish liver cultures mimic the in vivo cellular microenvironment, which is ideal for ecotoxicological research. Despite that, the application of these cultures to evaluate toxic effects in fish is scarce. A 3D model of brown trout (Salmo trutta f. fario) primary hepatocyte spheroids was optimized in this study by using DMEM/F-12 with 15 mM of HEPES, 10 mL/L of an antibiotic and antimycotic solution and FBS 10% (v/v), at 18 °C with ∼100 rpm. The selection of optimal conditions was based on a multiparametric characterization of the spheroids, including biometry, viability, microanatomy and immunohistochemistry. Biometric and morphologic stabilization of spheroids was reached within 12-16 days of culture. To our knowledge, this study is the first to culture and characterize viable spheroids from brown trout primary hepatocytes for over 30 days. Further, the 3D model was tested to explore the androgenic influences on lipidic target genes after 96 h exposures to control, solvent control, 10 and 100 µM of 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a non-aromatizable androgen. Spheroids exposed to 100 µM of DHT had decreased sphericity. DHT at 100 µM also significantly down-regulated Acox1-3I, PPARγ and fatty acid synthesis targets (i.e., ACC), and significantly up-regulated Fabp1. Acsl1 was significantly up-regulated after exposure to both 10 and 100 µM of DHT. The results support that DHT modulates distinct lipidic pathways in brown trout and show that this 3D model is a new valuable tool for physiological and toxicological mechanistic studies.

Predicting Hepatic Clearance of Psychotropic Drugs in Isolated Perfused Fish Livers Using a Combination of Two In Vitro Assays

In vitro biotransformation assays with primary trout hepatocytes (RT-HEP) or liver subcellular fractions (RT-S9) have been proposed as valuable tools to help scientists and regulators better understand the toxicokinetics of chemicals. While both assays have been applied successfully to a diversity of neutral organic chemicals, only the RT-S9 assay has been applied to a large number of ionizable organic chemicals. Here, a combination of an in vitro biotransformation assay with RT-HEP with an active transport assay based on the permanent rainbow trout liver cell line RTL-W1 was used to qualitatively predict the potential hepatic clearance of nine psychotropic drugs with various degrees of ionization. Predictions were compared with rates of clearance measured in isolated perfused rainbow trout livers, and the importance of active transport was verified in the presence of the active transport inhibitor cyclosporin A. For the first time, it was demonstrated that a combination of biotransformation and active transport assays is powerful for the prediction of rates of hepatic clearance of ionizable chemicals. Ultimately, it is expected that this approach will allow for use of fewer animals while at the same time improving our confidence in the use of data from in vitro assays in chemical risk assessment.

Bioaccumulation Screening of Neutral Hydrophobic Organic Chemicals in Air-Breathing Organisms Using In Vitro Rat Liver S9 Biotransformation Assays

To advance methods for bioaccumulation assessment of organic substances in air-breathing organisms, the present study developed an in vitro approach for screening neutral hydrophobic organic substances for their bioaccumulation potential in air-breathing organisms consisting of (1) depletion assays for chemicals in rat liver S9 subcellular fractions, (2) in vitro-in vivo extrapolation, and (3) whole-organism bioaccumulation modeling to assess the biomagnification potential of neutral organic substances in the rat. Testing of the in vitro method on 14 test chemicals of potentially biomagnifying substances showed that the bioassays could be conducted with a high level of reproducibility and that in vitro-derived elimination rate constants were in good agreement with in vivo-determined elimination rate constants in the rat. Exploring the potential of the in vitro approach for screening organic chemicals for bioaccumulation in air-breathing organisms indicated that chemical substances that exhibit a depletion rate constant in the S9 in vitro bioassay ≥0.3 h^-1 are not expected to biomagnify in rats independent of their octanol-water partitioning coefficient (K_OW ) or octanol-air partitioning coefficient (K_OA ). The high level of reproducibility achieved in the test, combined with the good agreement between in vitro-derived and in vivo-determined depuration rates, suggests that the in vitro approach in combination with a K_OA - and K_OW -based screening approach has good potential for screening chemicals in commerce for their bioaccumulation potential in air-breathing organisms in a cost-effective and expedient manner, especially if the bioassay can be automated. Environ Toxicol Chem 2022;41:2565-2579. © 2022 SETAC.

In vitro biotransformation assays using fish liver cells: Comparing rainbow trout and carp hepatocytes

Biotransformation assays using primary hepatocytes from rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, were validated as a reliable in vitro tool to predict in vivo bioconcentration factors (BCF) of chemicals in fish. Given the pronounced interspecies differences of chemical biotransformation, the present study aimed to compare biotransformation rate values and BCF predictions obtained with hepatocytes from the cold-water species, rainbow trout, to data obtained with hepatocytes of the warm-water species, common carp (Cyprinus carpio). In a first step, we adapted the protocol for the trout hepatocyte assay, including the cryopreservation method, to carp hepatocytes. The successful adaptation serves as proof of principle that the in vitro hepatocyte biotransformation assays can be technically transferred across fish species. In a second step, we compared the in vitro intrinsic clearance rates (CL_{in vitro, int}) of two model xenobiotics, benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) and methoxychlor (MXC), in trout and carp hepatocytes. The in vitro data were used to predict in vivo biotransformation rate constants (k_B) and BCFs, which were then compared to measured in vivo k_B and BCF values. The CL_{in vitro, int} values of BaP and MXC did not differ significantly between trout and carp hepatocytes, but the predicted BCF values were significantly higher in trout than in carp. In contrast, the measured in vivo BCF values did not differ significantly between the two species. A possible explanation of this discrepancy is that the existing in vitro-in vivo prediction models are parameterized only for trout but not for carp. Therefore, future research needs to develop species-specific extrapolation models.

Validation of Methods for in Vitro-in Vivo Extrapolation Using Hepatic Clearance Measurements in Isolated Perfused Fish Livers

In vitro biotransformation assays using hepatocytes or liver subcellular fractions, combined with in vitro-in vivo extrapolation (IVIVE) models, have been proposed as an alternative to live fish bioconcentration studies. The uncertainty associated with IVIVE approaches to date has been attributed to assay protocols, model assumptions, or variability of in vivo data. An isolated perfused trout liver model that measures hepatic clearance has been proposed for validating IVIVE predictions in the absence of other confounding factors. Here, we investigated the hepatic clearances of five chemicals (pyrene, phenanthrene, 4-n-nonlyphenol, deltamethrin, and methoxychlor) in this model and compared measured rates to values predicted from published in vitro intrinsic clearances for validation of IVIVE models. Additionally, we varied protein concentrations in perfusates to test binding assumptions of these models. We found that measured and predicted hepatic clearances were in very good agreement (root mean squared error 16.8 mL h^-1 g^-1) across three levels of protein binding and across a more diverse chemical space than previously studied within this system. Our results show that current IVIVE methods can reliably predict in vivo clearance rates and indicate that discrepancies from measured bioconcentration factors might be driven by other processes, such as extrahepatic biotransformation, etc., and help streamline optimization efforts to the processes that truly matter.

A QSAR-ICE-SSD Model Prediction of the PNECs for Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances and Their Ecological Risks in an Area of Electroplating Factories

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are a class of highly fluorinated aliphatic compounds that are persistent and bioaccumulate, posing a potential threat to the aquatic environment. The electroplating industry is considered to be an important source of PFASs. Due to emerging PFASs and many alternatives, the acute toxicity data for PFASs and their alternatives are relatively limited. In this study, a QSAR–ICE–SSD composite model was constructed by combining quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR), interspecies correlation estimation (ICE), and species sensitivity distribution (SSD) models in order to obtain the predicted no-effect concentrations (PNECs) of selected PFASs. The PNECs for the selected PFASs ranged from 0.254 to 6.27 mg/L. The ΣPFAS concentrations ranged from 177 to 983 ng/L in a river close to an electroplating industry in Shenzhen. The ecological risks associated with PFASs in the river were below 2.97 × 10⁻⁴.

Bioavailability and toxicity of silver nanoparticles: Determination based on toxicokinetic-toxicodynamic processes

Determining the bioavailability and toxicity mechanism of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) is challenging as Ag⁺ is continuously released by external or internal AgNP dissolution in the actual exposure system (regardless of the laboratory or the natural environment). Here a novel pulsed-gradient Ag⁺ (AgNO₃) exposure was conducted with zebrafish (Danio rerio) larvae to simulate dissolved gradient concentrations of Ag⁺ from polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)-coated AgNPs. The accumulation and toxicity of the pulsed-gradient Ag⁺ (AgNO₃) and, in the meantime, the released Ag⁺ from PVP-AgNPs were predicted using a toxicokinetic-toxicodynamic (TK-TD) model with obtained Ag⁺ parameters. In order to further understand the possible mechanism of PVP-AgNP releasing Ag⁺ in the body, subcellular fractions (S9) of zebrafish were also used to incubate with AgNPs in vitro to mimic the realistic in vivo scenarios. In the TK process, in vivo analysis showed that AgNPs released around twice as many Ag⁺ into the body than were detected with a single Ag⁺ pulse-exposure system; this was supported by evidence that subcellular S9 fractions might cause the PVP-AgNPs to lose the capping agent and favor Ag⁺ release. In the TD process, toxicity (survival rate) was predicted by the total bodily Ag(I) concentration, suggesting that AgNP toxicity in larvae was mainly due to gradually released Ag⁺ rather than AgNPs themselves. This study helps clarify the role of Ag⁺ in AgNP toxicity and offers a novel framework by which to investigate the toxicity of metal nanoparticles and corresponding metal ions in biological systems.

Rapid in-plate screening of biotransformation products in single zebrafish embryos

A procedure was developed for rapid screening of xenobiotic biotransformation products (bioTPs) in single zebrafish (ZF; Danio rerio) embryos. Exposure was carried out from 0–120 hours post fertilization (hpf) to 6 different concentrations of the model compound propranolol (PPL). Following in-plate extraction and non-target instrumental analysis by high resolution mass spectrometry, suspected bioTPs were identified using custom data filtration scripts and matching to in silico structural predictions. A total of eight PPL bioTPs were identified (five at a level 1 confidence and one at a level 2–3 confidence). These findings supplement previously generated toxicometabolomic models derived from the same dataset, and were obtained without conducting additional exposure experiments. In addition to facilitating assessments of inter-individual variability in bioTP production in ZF embryos, we demonstrate that bioTPs can be elucidated using extremely small quantities of biomass (i.e. ∼200 μg). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time bioTP elucidation has been carried out in single ZF embryos.

A procedure was developed for rapid screening of xenobiotic biotransformation products (bioTPs) in single zebrafish (ZF; Danio rerio) embryos.