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Hombrecher K, Quass U, Sievering S, Schöppe A, Rauchfuss K. Contamination of food crops by unintentionally released PCB 47, PCB 51 and PCB 68 in the vicinity of silicone production sites and their relevance for human health assessment. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 308:136392. [PMID: 36096305 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.136392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Revised: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Since it was shown that silicone rubber production can unintentionally release PCBs, these production sites have become a focus of investigation. The use of the cross-linking agent bis(2,4)-dichlorobenzoylperoxide (2,4-DCBP) can lead to emissions of the PCB congeners PCB 47, PCB 51 and PCB 68 into the environment and cause their accumulation e. g. in food crops. To determine the presence and extent of this uptake, we used the newly developed method dandelion screening. Samples were taken from wild dandelion plants near nine production sites in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, and analysed for PCBs. In some cases, the regional orientation values for the maximum background level (OMB) were exceeded by up to nine times. Overall, background levels were exceeded at seven of the nine sites investigated and mitigation measures were initiated at the production sites. In order to validate the dandelion screening results, kale was exposed, which allowed for a health assessment. A wide-ranging consumption recommendation was then issued in four out of nine study areas. At this point in the investigations, risk reduction measures had already been implemented at all production sites investigated, so it can be assumed that the exposures at sites not yet in focus are significantly greater. This is a globally relevant problem, as 2,4-DCBP is used in many countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katja Hombrecher
- North Rhine-Westphalia State Agency for Nature, Environment and Consumer Protection (LANUV NRW), Wallneyer Str. 6, Essen, 45133, Germany.
| | - Ulrich Quass
- North Rhine-Westphalia State Agency for Nature, Environment and Consumer Protection (LANUV NRW), Wallneyer Str. 6, Essen, 45133, Germany
| | - Silvia Sievering
- North Rhine-Westphalia State Agency for Nature, Environment and Consumer Protection (LANUV NRW), Wallneyer Str. 6, Essen, 45133, Germany
| | - Angelika Schöppe
- North Rhine-Westphalia State Agency for Nature, Environment and Consumer Protection (LANUV NRW), Wallneyer Str. 6, Essen, 45133, Germany
| | - Knut Rauchfuss
- North Rhine-Westphalia State Agency for Nature, Environment and Consumer Protection (LANUV NRW), Wallneyer Str. 6, Essen, 45133, Germany
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2
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Bou Zerdan M, Moussa S, Atoui A, Assi HI. Mechanisms of Immunotoxicity: Stressors and Evaluators. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:8242. [PMID: 34361007 PMCID: PMC8348050 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22158242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2021] [Revised: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The immune system defends the body against certain tumor cells and against foreign agents such as fungi, parasites, bacteria, and viruses. One of its main roles is to distinguish endogenous components from non-self-components. An unproperly functioning immune system is prone to primary immune deficiencies caused by either primary immune deficiencies such as genetic defects or secondary immune deficiencies such as physical, chemical, and in some instances, psychological stressors. In the manuscript, we will provide a brief overview of the immune system and immunotoxicology. We will also describe the biochemical mechanisms of immunotoxicants and how to evaluate immunotoxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maroun Bou Zerdan
- Department of Internal Medicine, Naef K. Basile Cancer Institute, American University of Beirut Medical Center, 1107 2020 Beirut, Lebanon; (M.B.Z.); (A.A.)
| | - Sara Moussa
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Balamand, 1100 Beirut, Lebanon;
| | - Ali Atoui
- Department of Internal Medicine, Naef K. Basile Cancer Institute, American University of Beirut Medical Center, 1107 2020 Beirut, Lebanon; (M.B.Z.); (A.A.)
| | - Hazem I. Assi
- Department of Internal Medicine, Naef K. Basile Cancer Institute, American University of Beirut Medical Center, 1107 2020 Beirut, Lebanon; (M.B.Z.); (A.A.)
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Brinkmann M, Ouellet JD, Zennegg M, Buchinger S, Reifferscheid G, Hollert H. Combined sediment desorption and bioconcentration model to predict levels of dioxin-like chemicals in fish. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 758:143891. [PMID: 33338786 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Revised: 11/17/2020] [Accepted: 11/18/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Flooding and other sediment disturbances can lead to increases in sediment resuspension. In this context, it is of central importance to understand the kinetics of release from these sediments and the uptake of pollutants, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polychlorinated dioxins and furans (PCDD/Fs), into aquatic organisms. In the present study, we parameterized a sediment desorption model based on experimentally determined rapidly-desorbing fractions of dioxin-like chemicals (DLCs). We coupled this desorption model with a physiologically-based toxicokinetic model for rainbow trout. This combined model was used to predict DLC concentrations in the muscle of exposed fish. The performance of this model was evaluated using a previously published dataset on DLC uptake from sediment suspensions during simulated re-suspension events. Predictions generally differed less than 10-fold from measured values, and the model showed a good global coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.95. The root mean squared error (RMSE) for PCBs was 0.31 log units and 0.53 log units for PCDD/Fs. The results of our study demonstrate that the prediction of bioconcentration and related risk to fish resulting from sediment resuspension can be accurately predicted using coupled desorption and toxicokinetic models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus Brinkmann
- School of Environment and Sustainability, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada; Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada; Global Institute for Water Security, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada.
| | - Jacob D Ouellet
- Goethe University Frankfurt, Department of Evolutionary Ecology and Environmental Toxicology, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Markus Zennegg
- Swiss Federal Institute for Materials Science and Technology, Laboratory for Advanced Analytical Technologies, Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Sebastian Buchinger
- Federal Institute of Hydrology, Department G3: Biochemistry and Ecotoxicology, Koblenz, Germany
| | - Georg Reifferscheid
- Federal Institute of Hydrology, Department G3: Biochemistry and Ecotoxicology, Koblenz, Germany
| | - Henner Hollert
- Goethe University Frankfurt, Department of Evolutionary Ecology and Environmental Toxicology, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China; Key Laboratory of Yangtze Water Environment, Ministry of Education, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
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4
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Hernández CS, Pardo O, Corpas-Burgos F, Fernández SF, López A, Coscollà C, Vento M, Yusà V. Biomonitoring of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (dl-PCBs) in human milk: Exposure and risk assessment for lactating mothers and breastfed children from Spain. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 744:140710. [PMID: 32712415 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2020] [Revised: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 07/01/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The main objective of the present research was to evaluate the levels of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (dl-PCBs) in the human milk of Spanish lactating women who participated in the BETTERMILK project so that exposure and risk could be assessed for these mothers and their breastfed children. The total ∑PCDD/Fs + dl-PCBs TEQ2005 concentrations in the upper-bound (UB) ranged from 1.29 to 13.48 pgTEQ2005 g-1 lipid. The estimated geometric mean level for the sum of PCDD/F and dl-PCBs was 4.10 and 4.42 pgTEQ2005 g-1 lipid, lower-bound (LB) and UB respectively and were below the reference level reported by EFSA, which is associated with adverse effects in boys of 9 years and related to lactating mothers' exposure values of the tolerable weekly intake (TWI) of around 2 pgTEQ2005 kg-1 bw per week. Nevertheless, it was exceeded when the 95th percentile (8.31 pgTEQ2005 g-1 lipid, as UB) was considered. Results from a multiple regression analysis showed that age has a significant impact on milk ∑PCDD/Fs + dl-PCBs levels, with higher concentrations observed in the milk from older mothers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina S Hernández
- Foundation for the Promotion of Health and Biomedical Research of the Valencia Region, FISABIO-Public Health, Av. Catalunya, 21, 46020 Valencia, Spain; Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of Valencia, Doctor Moliner 50, 46100 Burjassot, Spain
| | - Olga Pardo
- Foundation for the Promotion of Health and Biomedical Research of the Valencia Region, FISABIO-Public Health, Av. Catalunya, 21, 46020 Valencia, Spain; Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of Valencia, Doctor Moliner 50, 46100 Burjassot, Spain; Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Food Sciences, Toxicology and Forensic Medicine Department, University of Valencia, Doctor Moliner 50, 46100 Burjassot, Spain.
| | - Francisca Corpas-Burgos
- Foundation for the Promotion of Health and Biomedical Research of the Valencia Region, FISABIO-Public Health, Av. Catalunya, 21, 46020 Valencia, Spain
| | - Sandra F Fernández
- Foundation for the Promotion of Health and Biomedical Research of the Valencia Region, FISABIO-Public Health, Av. Catalunya, 21, 46020 Valencia, Spain; Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of Valencia, Doctor Moliner 50, 46100 Burjassot, Spain
| | - Antonio López
- Foundation for the Promotion of Health and Biomedical Research of the Valencia Region, FISABIO-Public Health, Av. Catalunya, 21, 46020 Valencia, Spain
| | - Clara Coscollà
- Foundation for the Promotion of Health and Biomedical Research of the Valencia Region, FISABIO-Public Health, Av. Catalunya, 21, 46020 Valencia, Spain
| | - Máximo Vento
- Neonatal Research Group, Health Research Institute La Fe, Av. Abril Martorell, 106, 46026 Valencia, Spain
| | - Vicent Yusà
- Foundation for the Promotion of Health and Biomedical Research of the Valencia Region, FISABIO-Public Health, Av. Catalunya, 21, 46020 Valencia, Spain; Public Health Laboratory of Valencia, Av. Catalunya, 21, 46020 Valencia, Spain
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5
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Bianchi S, Bernardi S, Belli M, Varvara G, Macchiarelli G. Exposure to persistent organic pollutants during tooth formation: molecular mechanisms and clinical findings. REVIEWS ON ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH 2020; 35:303-310. [PMID: 32304316 DOI: 10.1515/reveh-2019-0093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2019] [Accepted: 03/09/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) constitute a relevant part of environmental pollution. POPs are chemical compounds that persist for a long time in the environment, bio-accumulate in the human body and determine significant adverse consequences to human health. The characteristics of these substances are lipo-affinity, semi-volatility and resistance to the degradation processes. Results deriving from several different studies attest that exposure to the main classes of POPs results in multiple toxic effects on humans and experimental animal models. Among the various alterations caused by exposition to and bio-accumulation of POPs, there are abnormalities in tooth formation and related hard dental tissue structure, especially enamel. This review aimed to describe the close association between the exposure of these compounds during the development of the tooth germ and the occurrence of tooth structural anomalies. Indeed, structural defects of the enamel have as possible consequences higher susceptibility of the tooth to caries disease and higher fragility of the crown to the occlusal trauma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena Bianchi
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Sara Bernardi
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
- Microscopy Centre, Universiyt of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Manuel Belli
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Varvara
- Department of Medical, Oral and Biotechnological Sciences, 'G. d'Annunzio' University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Guido Macchiarelli
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
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6
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Schönlau C, Larsson M, Lam MM, Engwall M, Giesy JP, Rochman C, Kärrman A. Aryl hydrocarbon receptor-mediated potencies in field-deployed plastics vary by type of polymer. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2019; 26:9079-9088. [PMID: 30715715 PMCID: PMC6469617 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-019-04281-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2018] [Accepted: 01/16/2019] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Plastic is able to sorb environmental pollutants from ambient water and might act as a vector for these pollutants to marine organisms. The potential toxicological effects of plastic-sorbed pollutants in marine organisms have not been thoroughly assessed. In this study, organic extracts from four types of plastic deployed for 9 or 12 months in San Diego Bay, California, were examined for their potential to activate the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) pathway by use of the H4IIE-luc assay. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), including the 16 priority PAHs, were quantified. The AhR-mediated potency in the deployed plastic samples, calculated as bio-TEQ values, ranged from 2.7 pg/g in polyethylene terephthalate (PET) to 277 pg/g in low-density polyethylene (LDPE). Concentrations of the sum of 24 PAHs in the deployed samples ranged from 4.6 to 1068 ng/g. By use of relative potency factors (REP), a potency balance between the biological effect (bio-TEQs) and the targeted PAHs (chem-TEQs) was calculated to 24-170%. The study reports, for the first time, in vitro AhR-mediated potencies for different deployed plastics, of which LDPE elicited the greatest concentration of bio-TEQs followed by polypropylene (PP), PET, and polyvinylchloride (PVC).
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Schönlau
- MTM Research Centre, School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden.
| | - Maria Larsson
- MTM Research Centre, School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Monika M Lam
- MTM Research Centre, School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Magnus Engwall
- MTM Research Centre, School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - John P Giesy
- Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences and Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Chelsea Rochman
- University of California, Davis, 1089 Veterinary Medicine Dr, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Anna Kärrman
- MTM Research Centre, School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
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Weng R, Lou S, Li L, Zhang Y, Qiu J, Su X, Qian Y, Walter NG. Single-Molecule Kinetic Fingerprinting for the Ultrasensitive Detection of Small Molecules with Aptasensors. Anal Chem 2019; 91:1424-1431. [PMID: 30562003 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.8b04145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Aptamers have emerged as promising molecular tools for small-molecule analyte sensing. However, the performance of such aptasensors is generally limited by leakage since it has been difficult to completely suppress signal in the absence of analyte, resulting in a compromise between sensitivity and specificity. Here, we describe a methodology for the ultrasensitive detection of analytes combining aptasensors with single-molecule kinetic fingerprinting. A short, fluorescently labeled DNA probe is utilized to detect the structural changes upon ligand binding to the designed hairpin-shaped aptasensor probe. The Poisson statistics of binding and dissociation events of the DNA probe to single surface-immobilized aptasensor molecules is monitored by total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy, permitting the high-accuracy discrimination of the ligand bound and ligand-free states, resulting in zero background. The programmable dynamics of the hairpin enables fine-tuning of the hybridization kinetics of the fluorescent probe, rendering the acquisition time sufficiently flexible to optimize discrimination. Remarkable detection limits are achieved for a diverse set of analytes when spiked into chicken meat extract: the nucleotide adenosine (0.3 pM), the insecticide acetamiprid (0.35 pM), and the dioxin-like toxin PCB-77 (0.72 pM), which is superior to recently reported aptasensors. Our generalizable method significantly improves the performance of aptasensors, with the potential to extend to other molecular biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Weng
- Key Laboratory of Agro-food Safety and Quality of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Quality Standards and Testing Technology for Agro-Products , Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences , Beijing 100081 , China
| | - Shengting Lou
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Bioprocess, College of Life Science and Technology , Beijing University of Chemical Technology , Beijing 100029 , China
| | - Lidan Li
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Bioprocess, College of Life Science and Technology , Beijing University of Chemical Technology , Beijing 100029 , China
| | - Yi Zhang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Bioprocess, College of Life Science and Technology , Beijing University of Chemical Technology , Beijing 100029 , China
| | - Jing Qiu
- Key Laboratory of Agro-food Safety and Quality of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Quality Standards and Testing Technology for Agro-Products , Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences , Beijing 100081 , China
| | - Xin Su
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Bioprocess, College of Life Science and Technology , Beijing University of Chemical Technology , Beijing 100029 , China
| | - Yongzhong Qian
- Key Laboratory of Agro-food Safety and Quality of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Quality Standards and Testing Technology for Agro-Products , Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences , Beijing 100081 , China
| | - Nils G Walter
- Single Molecule Analysis Group, Department of Chemistry , University of Michigan , Ann Arbor , Michigan 48109 , United States
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Eguchi A, Hanazato M, Suzuki N, Matsuno Y, Todaka E, Mori C. Maternal-fetal transfer rates of PCBs, OCPs, PBDEs, and dioxin-like compounds predicted through quantitative structure-activity relationship modeling. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2018; 25:7212-7222. [PMID: 26396019 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-015-5436-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2015] [Accepted: 09/15/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
The present study aims to predict the maternal-fetal transfer rates of the polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and dioxin-like compounds using a quantitative structure-activity relationship model. The relation between the maternal-fetal transfer rate and the contaminants' physicochemical properties was investigated by multiple linear regression (MLR), partial least square regression (PLS), and random forest regression (RF). The 10-fold cross-validation technique estimated low predictive performances for both MLR and PLS models (R 2CV = 0.425 ± 0.0964 for MLR and R 2CV = 0.492 ± 0.115 for PLS) and is in agreement with an external test (R 2pred = 0.129 for MLR and R 2pred = 0.123 for PLS). In contrast, the RF model exhibits good predictive performance, estimated through 10-fold cross-validation (R 2CV = 0.566 ± 0.0885) and an external test set (R 2pred = 0.519). Molecular weight and polarity were selected in all models as important parameters that may predict the ability of a molecule to cross the placenta to the fetus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akifumi Eguchi
- Clinical Cell Biology and Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chuo-ku Inohana 1-8-1, Chiba City, Japan.
| | - Masamichi Hanazato
- Center for Preventive Medical Sciences, Chiba University, Inage-ku Yayoi-cho 1-33, Chiba City, Japan
| | - Norimichi Suzuki
- Center for Preventive Medical Sciences, Chiba University, Inage-ku Yayoi-cho 1-33, Chiba City, Japan
| | - Yoshiharu Matsuno
- Center for Preventive Medical Sciences, Chiba University, Inage-ku Yayoi-cho 1-33, Chiba City, Japan
| | - Emiko Todaka
- Center for Preventive Medical Sciences, Chiba University, Inage-ku Yayoi-cho 1-33, Chiba City, Japan
| | - Chisato Mori
- Center for Preventive Medical Sciences, Chiba University, Inage-ku Yayoi-cho 1-33, Chiba City, Japan
- Department of Bioenvironmental Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chuo-ku Inohana 1-8-1, Chiba City, Japan
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Filser JG, Baur C, Csan Ädy A, Kessler W, Kreuzer PE. Toxicokinetic Modeling as a Tool for Risk Estimation: 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-P-Dioxin. Int J Toxicol 2016. [DOI: 10.1080/109158197227053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Concepts of toxicokinetic modeling and the relevance of toxicokinetics for understanding dose-response relationships, species scaling, and risk estimation are broached. A physiological one-compartment model for 2,3,7,8-tetra-chlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) is presented in detail. It describes the TCDD burden of the human body, which results from TCDD-contaminated food, in dependence of age. The model was validated using a series of measured values obtained by other authors and this group. They represent lipid-based concentrations of TCDD in liver, blood, adipose tissue, feces, and mother's milk in dependence of age. Special attention was paid to the TCDD burden in infants resulting from feeding with mother's milk or formula. Model simulations demonstrate that TCDD burden can amount to 10 mg/kg of lipids after nursing for 6 months with mother's milk exclusively This is still within the range of the concentrations found in adults. After the nursing period, TCDD burden declines. From the age of 7 years on, there is no longer a difference in the TCDD burden, independently of the food they had received as infants. According to the model, elimination half-life of TCDD from the body is not constant but increases during life starting from a few months in newborns to several years in adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. G. Filser
- GSF—Institut für Toxikologie, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - C. Baur
- Institut für Gerichtsmedizin, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, München, Germany
| | - A. Csan Ädy
- GSF—Institut für Toxikologie, Neuherberg, Germany, and Central Research Institute of Chemistry, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - W. Kessler
- GSF—Institut für Toxikologie, Neuherberg, Germany
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Hui LL, Lam HS, Lau EYY, Nelson EAS, Wong TW, Fielding R. Prenatal dioxin exposure and neurocognitive development in Hong Kong 11-year-old children. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2016; 150:205-212. [PMID: 27295410 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2016.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2015] [Revised: 05/30/2016] [Accepted: 06/02/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES In utero exposure to dioxins and related compounds have been associated with adverse neurocognitive development in infants. It is unclear whether neurodevelopmental deficits persist to childhood. We assessed the association of prenatal dioxin exposure with neurocognitive function in 11-year-old children, and to test whether the association is modified by duration of breastfeeding. METHODS In this prospective study of 161 children born in Hong Kong in 2002, prenatal dioxin exposure was proxied by the dioxin toxicity equivalence (TEQ) in breast milk collected during the early postnatal period as determined by the Chemical-Activated LUciferase gene eXpression (CALUX) bioassay. We used multivariate linear regression analyses to assess the association of prenatal dioxin exposure with the performance on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-IV, Hong Kong, the Hong Kong List Learning Test, the Tests for Everyday Attention for Children and the Grooved Pegboard Test, adjusting for child's sex, mother's place of birth, mother's habitual seafood consumption, mother's age at delivery and socioeconomic position. RESULTS Measures of neurocognitive and intellectual function, including full-scale IQ, fine motor coordination, verbal and non-verbal reasoning, learning ability and attention at 11 years old did not show significant variations with prenatal dioxin exposures (proxied by CALUX-TEQ total dioxin load in early breast milk). None of these associations varied by breastfeeding duration or sex. CONCLUSIONS Neurocongitive function, as measured with psychological tests, in 11-year-old children was not associated with prenatal dioxin exposure to background levels of dioxins in the 2000s in Hong Kong.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lai Ling Hui
- School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
| | - Hugh Simon Lam
- Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
| | - Esther Yuet Ying Lau
- Department of Psychological Studies, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; Centre for Psychosocial Health, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; Department of Psychiatry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
| | - Edmund Anthony Severn Nelson
- Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
| | - Tze Wai Wong
- School of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
| | - Richard Fielding
- School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
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de Oliveira MR. The Effects of Ellagic Acid upon Brain Cells: A Mechanistic View and Future Directions. Neurochem Res 2016; 41:1219-28. [PMID: 26846140 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-016-1853-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2015] [Revised: 01/18/2016] [Accepted: 01/27/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Ellagic acid (EA, 2,3,7,8-tetrahydroxy-chromeno; C14H6O8) is a polyphenol derived from fruits (pomegranates, berries) and nuts. EA exhibits antioxidant capacity and induces anti-inflammatory actions in several mammalian tissues. EA has been characterized as a possible neuroprotective agent, but the number of reports is still limited to conclude whether and how EA exerts neuroprotection in humans. In this regard, performing additional studies considering the potential beneficial and/or toxicological roles for EA on brain cells would be an important step towards fully understanding of when and how EA may be securely utilized by humans as a neuroprotective agent. The aim of the present work is to discuss data related to the neuronal and glial effects of EA and the mechanisms underlying such events. Moreover, future directions are suggested as a potential guide to be utilized by researchers interested in investigating the neuronal and glial actions of EA hereafter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcos Roberto de Oliveira
- Department of Chemistry/ICET, Postgraduate Program in Chemistry (PPGQ), Federal University of Mato Grosso (UFMT), Av. Fernando Corrêa da Costa, 2367, Cuiaba, MT, 78060-900, Brazil.
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Schiwy A, Brinkmann M, Thiem I, Guder G, Winkens K, Eichbaum K, Nüßer L, Thalmann B, Buchinger S, Reifferscheid G, Seiler TB, Thoms B, Hollert H. Determination of the CYP1A-inducing potential of single substances, mixtures and extracts of samples in the micro-EROD assay with H4IIE cells. Nat Protoc 2015; 10:1728-41. [DOI: 10.1038/nprot.2015.108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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13
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Brinkmann M, Eichbaum K, Reininghaus M, Koglin S, Kammann U, Baumann L, Segner H, Zennegg M, Buchinger S, Reifferscheid G, Hollert H. Towards science-based sediment quality standards-Effects of field-collected sediments in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2015; 166:50-62. [PMID: 26232131 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2015.07.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2015] [Revised: 07/10/2015] [Accepted: 07/15/2015] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Sediments can act as long-term sinks for environmental pollutants. Within the past decades, dioxin-like compounds (DLCs) such as polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have attracted significant attention in the scientific community. To investigate the time- and concentration-dependent uptake of DLCs and PAHs in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and their associated toxicological effects, we conducted exposure experiments using suspensions of three field-collected sediments from the rivers Rhine and Elbe, which were chosen to represent different contamination levels. Five serial dilutions of contaminated sediments were tested; these originated from the Prossen and Zollelbe sampling sites (both in the river Elbe, Germany) and from Ehrenbreitstein (Rhine, Germany), with lower levels of contamination. Fish were exposed to suspensions of these dilutions under semi-static conditions for 90 days. Analysis of muscle tissue by high resolution gas chromatography and mass spectrometry and of bile liquid by high-performance liquid chromatography showed that particle-bound PCDD/Fs, PCBs and PAHs were readily bioavailable from re-suspended sediments. Uptake of these contaminants and the associated toxicological effects in fish were largely proportional to their sediment concentrations. The changes in the investigated biomarkers closely reflected the different sediment contamination levels: cytochrome P450 1A mRNA expression and 7-ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase activity in fish livers responded immediately and with high sensitivity, while increased frequencies of micronuclei and other nuclear aberrations, as well as histopathological and gross pathological lesions, were strong indicators of the potential long-term effects of re-suspension events. Our study clearly demonstrates that sediment re-suspension can lead to accumulation of PCDD/Fs and PCBs in fish, resulting in potentially adverse toxicological effects. For a sound risk assessment within the implementation of the European Water Framework Directive and related legislation, we propose a strong emphasis on sediment-bound contaminants in the context of integrated river basin management plans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus Brinkmann
- Department of Ecosystem Analysis, Institute for Environmental Research, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 1, 52074 Aachen, Germany.
| | - Kathrin Eichbaum
- Department of Ecosystem Analysis, Institute for Environmental Research, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 1, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Mathias Reininghaus
- Department of Ecosystem Analysis, Institute for Environmental Research, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 1, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Sven Koglin
- Department of Ecosystem Analysis, Institute for Environmental Research, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 1, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Ulrike Kammann
- Thünen-Institute of Fisheries Ecology, Palmaille 9, 22767 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Lisa Baumann
- Centre for Fish and Wildlife Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Länggassstr. 122, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Helmut Segner
- Centre for Fish and Wildlife Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Länggassstr. 122, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Markus Zennegg
- Swiss Federal Institute for Materials Science and Technology (Empa), Laboratory for Advanced Analytical Technologies, Überlandstrasse 129, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Sebastian Buchinger
- Department G3: Biochemistry, Ecotoxicology, Federal Institute of Hydrology (BFG), Am Mainzer Tor 1, 56068 Koblenz, Germany
| | - Georg Reifferscheid
- Department G3: Biochemistry, Ecotoxicology, Federal Institute of Hydrology (BFG), Am Mainzer Tor 1, 56068 Koblenz, Germany
| | - Henner Hollert
- Department of Ecosystem Analysis, Institute for Environmental Research, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 1, 52074 Aachen, Germany; College of Resources and Environmental Science, Chongqing University, 1 Tiansheng Road Beibei, Chongqing 400715, China; College of Environmental Science and Engineering and State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, Tongji University, 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai, China; State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, China.
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Alshehri B, D'Souza DG, Lee JY, Petratos S, Richardson SJ. The diversity of mechanisms influenced by transthyretin in neurobiology: development, disease and endocrine disruption. J Neuroendocrinol 2015; 27:303-23. [PMID: 25737004 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2014] [Revised: 02/23/2015] [Accepted: 02/24/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Transthyretin (TTR) is a protein that binds and distributes thyroid hormones (THs). TTR synthesised in the liver is secreted into the bloodstream and distributes THs around the body, whereas TTR synthesised in the choroid plexus is involved in movement of thyroxine from the blood into the cerebrospinal fluid and the distribution of THs in the brain. This is important because an adequate amount of TH is required for normal development of the brain. Nevertheless, there has been heated debate on the role of TTR synthesised by the choroid plexus during the past 20 years. We present both sides of the debate and how they can be reconciled by the discovery of TH transporters. New roles for TTR have been suggested, including the promotion of neuroregeneration, protection against neurodegeneration, and involvement in schizophrenia, behaviour, memory and learning. Recently, TTR synthesis was revealed in neurones and peripheral Schwann cells. Thus, the synthesis of TTR in the central nervous system (CNS) is more extensive than previously considered and bolsters the hypothesis that TTR may play wide roles in neurobiological function. Given the high conservation of TTR structure, function and tissue specificity and timing of gene expression, this implies that TTR has a fundamental role, during development and in the adult, across vertebrates. An alarming number of 'unnatural' chemicals can bind to TTR, thus potentially interfering with its functions in the brain. One role of TTR is delivery of THs throughout the CNS. Reduced TH availability during brain development results in a reduced IQ. The combination of the newly discovered sites of TTR synthesis in the CNS, the increasing number of neurological diseases being associated with TTR, the newly discovered functions of TTR and the awareness of the chemicals that can interfere with TTR biology render this a timely review on TTR in neurobiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Alshehri
- School of Medical Sciences, RMIT University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia
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15
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Frye CA. Endocrine-disrupting chemicals: elucidating our understanding of their role in sex and gender-relevant end points. VITAMINS AND HORMONES 2014; 94:41-98. [PMID: 24388187 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-800095-3.00003-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are diverse and pervasive and may have significant consequence for health, including reproductive development and expression of sex-/gender-sensitive parameters. This review chapter discusses what is known about common EDCs and their effects on reproductively relevant end points. It is proposed that one way that EDCs may exert such effects is by altering steroid levels (androgens or 17-estradiol, E₂) and/or intracellular E₂ receptors (ERs) in the hypothalamus and/or hippocampus. Basic research findings that demonstrate developmentally sensitive end points to androgens and E₂ are provided. Furthermore, an approach is suggested to examine differences in EDCs that diverge in their actions at ERs to elucidate their role in sex-/gender-sensitive parameters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheryl A Frye
- Department of Psychology, The University at Albany-SUNY, Albany, New York, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, The University at Albany-SUNY, Albany, New York, USA; The Center for Neuroscience Research, The University at Albany-SUNY, Albany, New York, USA; The Center for Life Sciences Research, The University at Albany-SUNY, Albany, New York, USA; Department of Chemistry, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, Alaska, USA; IDeA Network of Biomedical Excellence (INBRE), University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, Alaska, USA; Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, Alaska, USA.
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16
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Neal-Kluever A, Aungst J, Gu Y, Hatwell K, Muldoon-Jacobs K, Liem A, Ogungbesan A, Shackelford M. Infant toxicology: State of the science and considerations in evaluation of safety. Food Chem Toxicol 2014; 70:68-83. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2014.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2014] [Revised: 05/02/2014] [Accepted: 05/03/2014] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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17
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Eichbaum K, Brinkmann M, Buchinger S, Reifferscheid G, Hecker M, Giesy JP, Engwall M, van Bavel B, Hollert H. In vitro bioassays for detecting dioxin-like activity--application potentials and limits of detection, a review. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2014; 487:37-48. [PMID: 24762647 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.03.057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2014] [Revised: 03/14/2014] [Accepted: 03/14/2014] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Use of in vitro assays as screening tool to characterize contamination of a variety of environmental matrices has become an increasingly popular and powerful toolbox in the field of environmental toxicology. While bioassays cannot entirely substitute analytical methods such as gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), the increasing improvement of cell lines and standardization of bioassay procedures enhance their utility as bioanalytical pre-screening tests prior to more targeted chemical analytical investigations. Dioxin-receptor-based assays provide a holistic characterization of exposure to dioxin-like compounds (DLCs) by integrating their overall toxic potential, including potentials of unknown DLCs not detectable via e.g. GC-MS. Hence, they provide important additional information with respect to environmental risk assessment of DLCs. This review summarizes different in vitro bioassay applications for detection of DLCs and considers the comparability of bioassay and chemical analytically derived toxicity equivalents (TEQs) of different approaches and various matrices. These range from complex samples such as sediments through single reference to compound mixtures. A summary of bioassay derived detection limits (LODs) showed a number of current bioassays to be equally sensitive as chemical methodologies, but moreover revealed that most of the bioanalytical studies conducted to date did not report their LODs, which represents a limitation with regard to low potency samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathrin Eichbaum
- Institute for Environmental Research, Department of Ecosystem Analysis, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 1, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Markus Brinkmann
- Institute for Environmental Research, Department of Ecosystem Analysis, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 1, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Sebastian Buchinger
- Federal Institute of Hydrology (BFG), Department G3: Biochemistry, Ecotoxicology, Am Mainzer Tor 1, 56068 Koblenz, Germany
| | - Georg Reifferscheid
- Federal Institute of Hydrology (BFG), Department G3: Biochemistry, Ecotoxicology, Am Mainzer Tor 1, 56068 Koblenz, Germany
| | - Markus Hecker
- School of the Environment & Sustainability and Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, 44 Campus Drive, SK S7N 5B3 Saskatoon, Canada
| | - John P Giesy
- School of the Environment & Sustainability and Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, 44 Campus Drive, SK S7N 5B3 Saskatoon, Canada; Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences and Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, 44 Campus Drive, SK S7N 5B3 Saskatoon, Canada; Department of Zoology and Center for Integrative Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA; Department of Biology and Chemistry, State Key Laboratory in Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, SAR, China; School of Biological Sciences, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Magnus Engwall
- Man-Technology-Environment Research Centre, Deptartment of Natural Sciences, Örebro University, 70182 Örebro, Sweden
| | - Bert van Bavel
- Man-Technology-Environment Research Centre, Deptartment of Natural Sciences, Örebro University, 70182 Örebro, Sweden
| | - Henner Hollert
- Institute for Environmental Research, Department of Ecosystem Analysis, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 1, 52074 Aachen, Germany; Key Laboratory of Yangtze River Environment of Education Ministry of China, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, China; College of Resources and Environmental Science, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400030, China; School of Environment, Nanjing University, China.
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18
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Muusse M, Christensen G, Langford K, Tollefsen KE, Thomas KV. Aryl hydrocarbon receptor agonists in European herring gull (Larus argentatus) eggs from Norway. JOURNAL OF TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. PART A 2014; 77:550-556. [PMID: 24754391 DOI: 10.1080/15287394.2014.887419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Herring gull eggs from two locations in Norway, an island situated in the north (Musvær, 69.88° N, 18.55° E) and an island in the southeast (Reiaren, 59.15° N, 10.46° E) of the country, were analyzed for the presence of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) agonists. AhR agonist activity was determined using the dioxin-responsive chemically activated luciferase expression (DR-CALUX) assay to calculate the toxic equivalent quotient (TEQ)CALUX. TEQCALUX ranged from 16 to 401 pg TEQ/g lipid in the samples from the north (n = 11) and between 6 and 360 pg TEQ/g lipid (n = 12) in the southeastern samples. The large variance between the individual samples is postulated to be due to different feeding habits of individual birds. The levels of AhR agonists detected might lead to adverse effects for the developing embryo or to a significant increase of contaminant load for human consumers of eggs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martine Muusse
- a Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA) , Oslo , Norway
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Lilienthal H, Heikkinen P, Andersson PL, Viluksela M. Sexually dimorphic behavior after developmental exposure to characterize endocrine-mediated effects of different non-dioxin-like PCBs in rats. Toxicology 2013; 311:52-60. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tox.2013.01.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2012] [Revised: 01/15/2013] [Accepted: 01/30/2013] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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20
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Zhang GL, Zhang XF, Feng YM, Li L, Huynh E, Sun XF, Sun ZY, Shen W. Exposure to bisphenol A results in a decline in mouse spermatogenesis. Reprod Fertil Dev 2013; 25:847-59. [DOI: 10.1071/rd12159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2012] [Accepted: 07/19/2012] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical used in many consumer products, interferes with the endocrine system of mammals, including humans. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of BPA on spermatogenesis and semen quality. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of BPA on mouse spermatogenesis. CD1 mice were used in all experiments. Mice were treated with different doses of BPA (0, 20 and 40 μg kg–1 day–1from postnatal Day (PND) 3 to PND21, PND 35 or PND49. After 5 weeks BPA treatment, oestrogen receptor α expression was increased in mouse testis, whereas the meiotic progression of germ cells was slowed. Thus, both the quality and quantity of spermatozoa were decreased in 7-week-old mice. However, BPA had no effect on DNA methylation of imprinted genes such as Igf2, Igf2r, Peg3 and H19, in germ cells. In addition, exposure of male mice to BPA resulted in abnormal offspring that were smaller with a low-quality pelage when they were 35 days old. In conclusion, BPA hampers spermatogenesis and the subsequent development of offspring.
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21
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Characterization of AhR agonist compounds in roadside snow. Anal Bioanal Chem 2012; 403:2047-56. [DOI: 10.1007/s00216-012-6000-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2012] [Revised: 03/23/2012] [Accepted: 03/30/2012] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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22
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Bytingsvik J, Lie E, Aars J, Derocher AE, Wiig Ø, Jenssen BM. PCBs and OH-PCBs in polar bear mother-cub pairs: a comparative study based on plasma levels in 1998 and 2008. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2012; 417-418:117-128. [PMID: 22264925 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2011.12.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2011] [Revised: 12/14/2011] [Accepted: 12/15/2011] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to examine the plasma concentrations and prevalence of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and hydroxylated PCB-metabolites (OH-PCBs) in polar bear (Ursus maritimus) mothers (n=26) and their 4 months old cubs-of-the-year (n=38) from Svalbard to gain insight into the mother-cub transfer, biotransformation and to evaluate the health risk associated with the exposure to these contaminants. As samplings were performed in 1997/1998 and 2008, we further investigated the differences in levels and pattern of PCBs between the two sampling years. The plasma concentrations of Σ(21)PCBs (1997/1998: 5710 ± 3090 ng/g lipid weight [lw], 2008: 2560 ± 1500 ng/g lw) and Σ(6)OH-PCBs (1997/1998: 228 ± 60 ng/g wet weight [ww], 2008: 80 ± 38 ng/g ww) in mothers were significantly lower in 2008 compared to in 1997/1998. In cubs, the plasma concentrations of Σ(21)PCBs (1997/1998: 14680 ± 5350 ng/g lw, 2008: 6070 ± 2590 ng/g lw) and Σ(6)OH-PCBs (1997/1998: 98 ± 23 ng/g ww, 2008: 49 ± 21 ng/g ww) were also significantly lower in 2008 than in 1997/1998. Σ(21)PCBs in cubs was 2.7 ± 0.7 times higher than in their mothers. This is due to a significant maternal transfer of these contaminants. In contrast, Σ(6)OH-PCBs in cubs were approximately 0.53 ± 0.16 times the concentration in their mothers. This indicates a lower maternal transfer of OH-PCBs compared to PCBs. The majority of the metabolite/precursor-ratios were lower in cubs compared to mothers. This may indicate that cubs have a lower endogenous capacity to biotransform PCBs to OH-PCBs than polar bear mothers. Exposure to PCBs and OH-PCBs is a potential health risk for polar bears, and the levels of PCBs and OH-PCBs in cubs from 2008 were still above levels associated with health effects in humans and wildlife.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenny Bytingsvik
- Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Department of Biology, Høgskoleringen 5, NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway.
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Xu S, Yuan H, Chen S, Xu A, Wang J, Wu L. Selection of DNA aptamers against polychlorinated biphenyls as potential biorecognition elements for environmental analysis. Anal Biochem 2012; 423:195-201. [PMID: 22369896 DOI: 10.1016/j.ab.2012.01.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2011] [Revised: 01/13/2012] [Accepted: 01/13/2012] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have been of major concerns for decades due to their potential toxicity to human health. To trace the PCBs efficiently and sensitively, many detection methods have been developed. Aptamers, a new class of diagnostic tools, are considered to be such additional candidates for detection of pollutants. In the current study, we report the DNA aptamers, isolated by FluMag-SELEX (a modified SELEX [systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment] technology), that recognize PCBs with the dissociation constants (Kd values) down to the micromolar range. Using the selected aptamers, a highly sensitive aptamer-based fluorescent assay for detection of PCBs was established using gold nanoparticles, with a widely linear range from 0.1 to 100 ng/ml. Moreover, our aptamer-based gold nanoprobe displays specificity toward 3,3',4,4'-tetrachlorobiphenyl (PCB77) compared with a few common PCB77 structural analogs. These results open the possibility of using aptamers as biorecognition elements for easy and fast environmental monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengmin Xu
- Key Laboratory of Ion Beam Bioengineering, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui 230031, People's Republic of China
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Pocar P, Fiandanese N, Secchi C, Berrini A, Fischer B, Schmidt JS, Schaedlich K, Rhind SM, Zhang Z, Borromeo V. Effects of Polychlorinated Biphenyls in CD-1 Mice: Reproductive Toxicity and Intergenerational Transmission. Toxicol Sci 2011; 126:213-26. [DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfr327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
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Gray L, Ostby J, Furr J, Wolf C, Lambright C, Parks L, Veeramachaneni D, Wilson V, Price M, Hotchkiss A, Orlando E, Guillette L. Effects of environmental antiandrogens on reproductive development in experimental animals. APMIS 2011. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0463.2001.tb05780.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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Abstract
Dioxins and Human ToxicityThe term dioxins usually refers to polychlorinated dibenzo-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs). As 2,3,7,8-tetrachloro-dibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) has the highest toxic potential, the toxic potentials of other PCDDs and PCDFs are defined in comparison with it. Human exposure to dioxins can be environmental (background), occupational, or accidental pollution. In the human body, dioxins are in part metabolised and eliminated, and the rest is stored in body fat. People vary in their capacity to eliminate TCDD, but it is also dose-dependent; the elimination rate is much faster at higher than lower levels. The liver microsomal P4501A1 enzyme oxygenates lipophilic chemicals such as dioxins. It is encoded by the CYP1A1 gene. Cytosolic aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) mediates their carcinogenic action. It binds to dioxin, translocates to nucleus and together with hydrocarbon nuclear translocator (ARNT) and xenobiotic responsive element (XRE) increases the expression of CYP1A1.Dioxins are classified as known human carcinogens, but they also cause noncancerous effects like atherosclerosis, hypertension, and diabetes. Long-term exposures to dioxins cause disruption of the nervous, immune, reproductive, and endocrine system. Short-term exposure to high levels impairs the liver function and causes chloracne. The most sensitive population to dioxin exposure are the foetuses and infants.A large number of health effects have been documented in the scientific literature, and they all place dioxins among the most toxic chemicals known to man.
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Nakagami A, Koyama T, Kawasaki K, Negishi T, Ihara T, Kuroda Y, Yoshikawa Y. Maternal plasma polychlorinated biphenyl levels in cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) affect infant social skills in mother-infant interaction. Dev Psychobiol 2010; 53:79-88. [DOI: 10.1002/dev.20493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
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Soffientino B, Nacci DE, Specker JL. Effects of the dioxin-like PCB 126 on larval summer flounder (Paralichthys dentatus). Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol 2010; 152:9-17. [PMID: 20170748 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpc.2010.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2009] [Revised: 02/10/2010] [Accepted: 02/11/2010] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Little is known about the sensitivity of teleost post-embryonic developmental stages (larval and metamorphic) to dioxin-like compounds. Larval and metamorphosing summer flounder (Paralichthys dentatus) were exposed to the dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyl congener PCB 126, to compare their sensitivity to other fish species early life stages, and to document effects on metamorphic development, including degree of eye migration and gastric maturation. Median lethal doses (LD 50s) ranged between 30 and 220 ng/g wet mass, indicating that pre- and early-metamorphic stages of summer flounder are equally sensitive to the embryos of some of the most vulnerable fish species tested. Consistent with the presence of a functional aryl hydrocarbon receptor pathway, dose-dependent induction of cytochrome P-4501A (CYP1A) at four days post-exposure was observed in liver, stomach, intestine, and kidney of metamorphosing larvae. Stage-dependent differences in the epithelial distribution of CYP1A immunoreactivity were observed in the developing stomach of fish exposed to relatively high PCB 126 doses. A single sublethal dose (15 ng/g) delayed metamorphic progress (determined by the degree of eye migration), and resulted in abnormally high levels of cell proliferation and abnormal gastric gland morphology in late metamorphic stages. These results suggest that the post-embryonic larval and metamorphic stages of summer flounder, and potentially other fish species with complex life histories, are vulnerable to the effects of dioxin-like compounds, including lethality, developmental delay, and malformations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Soffientino
- Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island, 218 South Ferry Rd, Narragansett, RI 02882, USA.
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Bonefeld-Jørgensen EC, Long M. Dioxin-like activity in the blood of Greenlandic Inuit and Danish women: a pilot study. Int J Circumpolar Health 2010; 69:181-94. [PMID: 20356465 DOI: 10.3402/ijch.v69i2.17434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES (1) To determine whether plasma dioxin-like (DL) bioactivity differs between Inuit living in different Greenlandic districts, (2) to compare the DL activity of the Inuit having high burdens of POPs with a low-burden study group (Danish volunteers), and (3) to evaluate DL activity associations to POP exposure biomarkers and/or lifestyle factors. STUDY DESIGN The study was a cross-sectional survey, including randomized inhabitants (70) from 6 different Greenlandic districts and young Danish volunteers (22). METHODS POPs and fatty acids profiles were analysed. Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) mediated DL-activity was determined by exposure of Hepa1.12cR AhR-CALUX reporter cell line to hexane: ethanol plasma extracts. RESULTS The sum PCBs/POPs level of Inuit was more than 10 times higher than the levels found in Danish volunteers, and for both study groups the level was positively associated with age. The TCDD equivalent of the determined DL-activity, AhR-TEQ, differed between the Greenlandic districts. The AhR-TEQ data of the combined Inuit was significantly higher compared with the Danish women. AhR-TEQ of Inuit were positively associated with plasma POPs after adjustment for age and/or the ratio of n-3 to n-6 fatty acids, whereas no correlations were found for the Danish samples. CONCLUSIONS AhR-TEQ differs between Inuit and Danish plasma samples. Plasma POP levels alone cannot be used as a biomarker for DL-activity. We suggest that the profile and level of plasma POPs, geographical location and diet have the greatest impact on plasma dioxin activity. Further studies are needed to elucidate the differences in geographical determinants of blood DL-activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva C Bonefeld-Jørgensen
- Unit of Cellular & Molecular Toxicology, Centre of Arctic Environmental Medicine, Institute of Public Health, University of Aarhus, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark.
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Dallaire R, Dewailly É, Pereg D, Dery S, Ayotte P. Thyroid function and plasma concentrations of polyhalogenated compounds in Inuit adults. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2009; 117:1380-6. [PMID: 19750101 PMCID: PMC2737013 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.0900633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 162] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2009] [Accepted: 05/12/2009] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Several ubiquitous polyhalogenated compounds (PHCs) have been shown to alter thyroid function in animal and in vitro studies. So far, epidemiologic studies have focused on the potential effect of a small number of them, namely, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and some organochlorines (OCs), without paying attention to other important PHCs. OBJECTIVES We investigated the relationship between exposure to several PHCs and thyroid hormone homeostasis in Inuit adults from Nunavik. METHODS We measured thyroid parameters [thyroid-stimulating-hormone (TSH), free thyroxine (fT(4)), total triiodothyronine (tT(3)), and thyroxine-binding globulin (TBG)] and concentrations of 41 contaminants, including PCBs and their metabolites, organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS), and a measure of dioxin-like compounds, detected in plasma samples from Inuit adults (n = 623). RESULTS We found negative associations between tT(3) concentrations and levels of 14 PCBs, 7 hydroxylated PCBs (HO-PCBs), all methylsulfonyl metabolites of PCBs (MeSO(2)-PCBs), and 2 OCPs. Moreover, we found negative associations between fT(4) levels and hexachlorobenzene concentrations. TBG concentrations were inversely related to 8 PCBs, 5 HO-PCBs, and 3 OCPs. Exposure to BDE-47 was positively related to tT (3), whereas PFOS concentrations were negatively associated with TSH, tT(3,) and TBG and positively with fT(4) concentrations. CONCLUSION Exposure to several PHCs was associated with modifications of the thyroid parameters in adult Inuit, mainly by reducing tT(3) and TBG circulating concentrations. The effects of PFOS and BDE-47 on thyroid homeostasis require further investigation because other human populations display similar or higher concentrations of these chemicals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renée Dallaire
- Public Health Research Unit, Centre hospitalier universitaire de Québec-CHUL, Québec, Canada
| | - Éric Dewailly
- Public Health Research Unit, Centre hospitalier universitaire de Québec-CHUL, Québec, Canada
| | - Daria Pereg
- Public Health Research Unit, Centre hospitalier universitaire de Québec-CHUL, Québec, Canada
| | - Serge Dery
- Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services, Kuujjuaq, Canada
| | - Pierre Ayotte
- Public Health Research Unit, Centre hospitalier universitaire de Québec-CHUL, Québec, Canada
- Address correspondence to P. Ayotte, Unité de recher-che en santé publique, Centre hospitalier universitaire de Québec-CHUL, 2875 boulevard Laurier Édifice Delta, 2 bureau 600, Québec, G1V 2M2 Canada. Telephone: (418) 656-4141 ext. 46519. Fax: (418) 654-2726. E-mail:
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Eisenreich KM, Kelly SM, Rowe CL. Latent mortality of juvenile snapping turtles from the Upper Hudson River, New York, exposed maternally and via the diet to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2009; 43:6052-6057. [PMID: 19731717 DOI: 10.1021/es9008344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
We conducted a factorial experiment to compare sublethal and lethal responses of juvenile snapping turtles exposed maternally and/or through the diet to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) over 14 months posthatching. Maternal exposure did not affect embryonic development or hatching success. Thyrosomatic indices were not influenced by treatments, although hepatosomatic indices were lower in animals having been exposed to PCBs maternally relative to those having been exposed both maternally and via the diet. Dietary PCB exposure reduced metabolic rates of juveniles in two of three assays conducted. Approximately eight months after hatching, high rates of mortality began to emerge in individuals having been exposed maternally to PCBs, and mortality rate correlated with [PCB](total) in eggs. Prior to death, individuals that died experienced lower growth rates than those that survived, suggesting chronic effects prior to death. By 14 months posthatching, only 40% of juveniles derived from females in the contaminated area had survived, compared to 90% from the reference area. Such latent effects of maternally derived contaminants suggest that assessments of environmental impacts based upon shorter-term studies may provide very conservative estimates of the severity of effects, as they cannot capture responses that may emerge later in the life cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen M Eisenreich
- University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Chesapeake Biological Laboratory, PO Box 38, Solomons, Maryland 20688, USA
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Endocrine disrupting polyhalogenated organic pollutants interfere with thyroid hormone signalling in the developing brain. THE CEREBELLUM 2009; 7:26-37. [PMID: 18418666 DOI: 10.1007/s12311-008-0004-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Persistent polyhalogenated organic pollutants are present worldwide and accumulate along the food chain. They interfere with human and animal health and are particularly harmful for pre- and perinatal neurodevelopment. The mechanisms behind the observed effects vary depending on the specific compound investigated. Co-planar polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) can act via the arylhydrocarbon receptor while many ortho-substituted PCBs disrupt intracellular Ca(2+) homeostasis. A common mechanism for a wide variety of PCBs is interference with thyroid hormone (TH) signalling in developing brain, by changing intracellular TH availability or by interacting directly at the level of the TH receptors. Studies on gene expression in cortex and cerebellum revealed both hypothyroid- and hyperthyroid-like effects. However, since THdependent gene expression plays a crucial role in the coordination of neuronal proliferation, migration, synaptogenesis, myelination, etc., both reduced/delayed and increased/premature expression may result in permanent structural changes in neuronal communication networks, leading to lifelong deficits in cognitive performance, motor functions, and psychobehavior. In a similar way, PCBs are able to interfere with estrogen- and androgen-dependent brain development and in some studies neurobehavioral outcome was shown to be gender-specific. Other persistent organohalogens like polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) also act as endocrine disrupters in the developing brain. Several of the mechanisms involved are similar to those of PCBs, but each group also works via own specific pathways. The fact that persistent organohalogens can amplify the neurotoxic effects of other environmental pollutants, such as heavy metals, further increases their risk for human and animal neurodevelopment.
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Dallaire R, Muckle G, Dewailly É, Jacobson SW, Jacobson JL, Sandanger TM, Sandau CD, Ayotte P. Thyroid hormone levels of pregnant inuit women and their infants exposed to environmental contaminants. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2009; 117:1014-20. [PMID: 19590699 PMCID: PMC2702396 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.0800219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2008] [Accepted: 01/28/2009] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND An increasing number of studies have shown that several ubiquitous environmental contaminants possess thyroid hormone-disrupting capacities. Prenatal exposure to some of them, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), has also been associated with adverse neurodevelopmental effects in infants. OBJECTIVES In this study we examined the relationship between exposure to potential thyroid hormone-disrupting toxicants and thyroid hormone status in pregnant Inuit women from Nunavik and their infants within the first year of life. METHODS We measured thyroid hormone parameters [thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxine (fT(4)), total triiodothyronine (T(3)), thyroxine-binding globulin (TBG)] and concentrations of several contaminants [PCB-153, hydroxylated metabolites of PCBs (HO-PCBs), pentachlorophenol (PCP) and hexachlorobenzene (HCB)] in maternal plasma at delivery (n = 120), in umbilical cord plasma (n = 95), and in infant plasma at 7 months postpartum (n = 130). RESULTS In pregnant women, we found a positive association between HO-PCBs and T(3) concentrations (beta = 0.57, p = 0.02). In umbilical cord blood, PCB-153 concentrations were negatively associated with TBG levels (beta = -0.26, p = 0.01). In a subsample analysis, a negative relationship was also found between maternal PCP levels and cord fT(4) concentrations in neonates (beta = -0.59, p = 0.02). No association was observed between contaminants and thyroid hormones at 7 months of age. CONCLUSION Overall, there is little evidence that the environmental contaminants analyzed in this study affect thyroid hormone status in Inuit mothers and their infants. The possibility that PCP may decrease thyroxine levels in neonates requires further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renée Dallaire
- Public Health Research Unit, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec-CHUL, Québec City, Québec, Canada
- Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Laval University, Québec City, Québec, Canada
| | - Gina Muckle
- Public Health Research Unit, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec-CHUL, Québec City, Québec, Canada
- School of Psychology, Laval University, Québec City, Québec, Canada
| | - Éric Dewailly
- Public Health Research Unit, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec-CHUL, Québec City, Québec, Canada
- Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Laval University, Québec City, Québec, Canada
| | - Sandra W. Jacobson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Joseph L. Jacobson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Psychology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Torkjel M. Sandanger
- Norwegian Institute for Air Research, The Polar Environmental Centre, Tromsø, Norway
| | | | - Pierre Ayotte
- Public Health Research Unit, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec-CHUL, Québec City, Québec, Canada
- Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Laval University, Québec City, Québec, Canada
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Li B, Wang C, Ye K, Yu A, Chen Y, Zuo Z. Differential gene expression in the brain of Sebastiscus marmoratus in response to exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2008; 66:548-552. [PMID: 18952277 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2008.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2008] [Revised: 07/30/2008] [Accepted: 09/05/2008] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Effects of exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) on Sebastiscus marmoratus were investigated using a suppression subtractive hybridization method. A total of 108 gene sequences were identified as having the potential for being differentially expressed, and 45 could be identified with homologous database sequences. Functions with which they were associated included long-term potentiation and neurotransmitter release, neuroendocrine, mitosis and cell proliferation, energy-related metabolism, general metabolism, signal protein, hemopoiesis system, immune system, and structure. The expression of 17 of these genes was analyzed in the brain using real time fluorescent quantitative PCR. The present study provided a basis for studying the response of fish to PCB exposure and allowed the characterization of new potential neurotoxicol biomarkers of PCB contamination in seawater.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bowen Li
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Cell Biology and Tumor Cell Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen City 361005, P R China
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Foekema EM, Deerenberg CM, Murk AJ. Prolonged ELS test with the marine flatfish sole (Solea solea) shows delayed toxic effects of previous exposure to PCB 126. AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2008; 90:197-203. [PMID: 18945500 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2008.08.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2008] [Revised: 08/28/2008] [Accepted: 08/29/2008] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
The effect of the dioxin-like PCB 126 (3,3',4,4',5-pentachlorobiphenyl) on the early development of the marine flatfish sole (Solea solea) was tested in a newly developed early life stage (ELS) test that includes the metamorphosis of the symmetric larvae into an asymmetrical flatfish. Early life stages of sole were exposed to a concentration series of PCB 126 in seawater until 4, 8, 10 and 15 days post fertilisation (dpf). Subsequently the development of the larvae was registered under further unexposed conditions. The LC50s at the start of the free-feeding stage (12 dpf) ranged between 39 and 83 ng PCB 126/l depending on exposure duration. After the fish had completed the metamorphosis, the LC50 values ranged between 1.7 and 3.7 ng PCB 126/l for the groups exposed for 4, 8 and 10 dpf, respectively. Thus exposure for only 4 days, covering only the egg stage, was sufficient to cause adverse effects during a critical developmental phase two weeks later. The internal dosages of these larvae, determined by means of an in vitro gene reporter assay as dioxin-equivalent values (TEQ), revealed a LD50 of 1ng TEQ/g lipid, which is within the same order of magnitude as TEQ levels found in fish from highly polluted areas. This study indicates that ELS fish tests that are terminated shortly after the fish becomes free-feeding, underestimate the toxic potential of compounds with low acute toxicity such as PCBs. Our prolonged ELS with this native marine flatfish suggests that reproductive success of fish populations at contaminated sites can be affected by persistent compounds that are accumulated by the female fish and passed on to the eggs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edwin M Foekema
- Wageningen IMARES, Department of Environment, PO Box 57, 1780 AB Den Helder, The Netherlands.
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Hirako M. Transfer and accumulation of persistent organochlorine compounds from bovine dams to newborn and suckling calves. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2008; 56:6768-6774. [PMID: 18616264 DOI: 10.1021/jf8010118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
The maternal-fetal and neonatal transfers of polychlorinated dibenzo- p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were measured in the blood and milk of dams and in the blood of newborn and suckling calves. Calf blood toxic equivalent quantities (TEQs) were drastically increased by suckling. Blood concentrations of individual congeners were greater in suckling calves than in newborn calves, excluding octachlorodibenzo- p-dioxin (O 8CDD); O 8CDD did not readily transfer to milk but was readily absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract and remained in systemic circulation longer than other congeners. Congener concentrations in milk were correlated with maternal blood levels, and those in suckling calf blood were dependent on their concentrations in milk. These results suggest that neonatal calves absorb more lipophilic organochlorine compounds than prenatal fetuses, that those compounds that are transferred from dams to calves are associated not only with lipid transport but also with other carriers, and that the distribution of congeners is structure-dependent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Makoto Hirako
- Reproductive Biology and Technology Research Team, National Institute of Livestock and Grassland Science, 2 Ikenodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0901, Japan.
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Axmon A, Rylander L, Rignell-Hydbom A. Reproductive toxicity of seafood contaminants: prospective comparisons of Swedish east and west coast fishermen's families. Environ Health 2008; 7:20. [PMID: 18507855 PMCID: PMC2438351 DOI: 10.1186/1476-069x-7-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2007] [Accepted: 05/28/2008] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Cohorts comprising fishermen's families on the east coast of Sweden have been found to have a high consumption of contaminated fish as well as high body burdens of persistent organochlorine pollutants (POPs). Their west coast correspondents are socio-economically similar, but with considerably lower POP exposure since the fish caught on the west coast is far less contaminated. The rationale for this was that the cohorts residing on the east coast of Sweden have been found to have a high consumption of contaminated fish as well as high body burdens of POPs, whereas their west coast correspondents are socio-economically similar, but with considerably lower POP exposure since the fish caught on the west coast is far less contaminated. Among the reproductive outcomes investigated are included both male and female parameters, as well as couple fertility and effects on the fetus. A range of exposure measures, including both questionnaire assessments of fish consumption and biomarkers, have been used. The most consistent findings of the studies are those related to the fetus, where a decreased birth weight was found across all measures of exposure, which is in agreement with studies from other populations. Some markers for male reproduction function, i.e. sperm motility, sperm chromatin integrity, and Y:X chromosome ratio, were associated with POP exposure, whereas others, such as sperm concentration and semen volume, were not. With respect to couple fertility and female reproductive parameters, no support was given for associations with POP exposure. Although some associations may have been affected by beneficial effects of essential nutrients in seafood, the overall findings are meaningful in the context of reproductive toxicity and support the usefulness of the epidemiological design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Axmon
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, University Hospital, SE-221 85 Lund, Sweden
| | - Lars Rylander
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, University Hospital, SE-221 85 Lund, Sweden
| | - Anna Rignell-Hydbom
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, University Hospital, SE-221 85 Lund, Sweden
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Wigle DT, Arbuckle TE, Turner MC, Bérubé A, Yang Q, Liu S, Krewski D. Epidemiologic evidence of relationships between reproductive and child health outcomes and environmental chemical contaminants. JOURNAL OF TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. PART B, CRITICAL REVIEWS 2008; 11:373-517. [PMID: 18074303 DOI: 10.1080/10937400801921320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 281] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
This review summarizes the level of epidemiologic evidence for relationships between prenatal and/or early life exposure to environmental chemical contaminants and fetal, child, and adult health. Discussion focuses on fetal loss, intrauterine growth restriction, preterm birth, birth defects, respiratory and other childhood diseases, neuropsychological deficits, premature or delayed sexual maturation, and certain adult cancers linked to fetal or childhood exposures. Environmental exposures considered here include chemical toxicants in air, water, soil/house dust and foods (including human breast milk), and consumer products. Reports reviewed here included original epidemiologic studies (with at least basic descriptions of methods and results), literature reviews, expert group reports, meta-analyses, and pooled analyses. Levels of evidence for causal relationships were categorized as sufficient, limited, or inadequate according to predefined criteria. There was sufficient epidemiological evidence for causal relationships between several adverse pregnancy or child health outcomes and prenatal or childhood exposure to environmental chemical contaminants. These included prenatal high-level methylmercury (CH(3)Hg) exposure (delayed developmental milestones and cognitive, motor, auditory, and visual deficits), high-level prenatal exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), and related toxicants (neonatal tooth abnormalities, cognitive and motor deficits), maternal active smoking (delayed conception, preterm birth, fetal growth deficit [FGD] and sudden infant death syndrome [SIDS]) and prenatal environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure (preterm birth), low-level childhood lead exposure (cognitive deficits and renal tubular damage), high-level childhood CH(3)Hg exposure (visual deficits), high-level childhood exposure to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) (chloracne), childhood ETS exposure (SIDS, new-onset asthma, increased asthma severity, lung and middle ear infections, and adult breast and lung cancer), childhood exposure to biomass smoke (lung infections), and childhood exposure to outdoor air pollutants (increased asthma severity). Evidence for some proven relationships came from investigation of relatively small numbers of children with high-dose prenatal or early childhood exposures, e.g., CH(3)Hg poisoning episodes in Japan and Iraq. In contrast, consensus on a causal relationship between incident asthma and ETS exposure came only recently after many studies and prolonged debate. There were many relationships supported by limited epidemiologic evidence, ranging from several studies with fairly consistent findings and evidence of dose-response relationships to those where 20 or more studies provided inconsistent or otherwise less than convincing evidence of an association. The latter included childhood cancer and parental or childhood exposures to pesticides. In most cases, relationships supported by inadequate epidemiologic evidence reflect scarcity of evidence as opposed to strong evidence of no effect. This summary points to three main needs: (1) Where relationships between child health and environmental exposures are supported by sufficient evidence of causal relationships, there is a need for (a) policies and programs to minimize population exposures and (b) population-based biomonitoring to track exposure levels, i.e., through ongoing or periodic surveys with measurements of contaminant levels in blood, urine and other samples. (2) For relationships supported by limited evidence, there is a need for targeted research and policy options ranging from ongoing evaluation of evidence to proactive actions. (3) There is a great need for population-based, multidisciplinary and collaborative research on the many relationships supported by inadequate evidence, as these represent major knowledge gaps. Expert groups faced with evaluating epidemiologic evidence of potential causal relationships repeatedly encounter problems in summarizing the available data. A major driver for undertaking such summaries is the need to compensate for the limited sample sizes of individual epidemiologic studies. Sample size limitations are major obstacles to exploration of prenatal, paternal, and childhood exposures during specific time windows, exposure intensity, exposure-exposure or exposure-gene interactions, and relatively rare health outcomes such as childhood cancer. Such research needs call for investments in research infrastructure, including human resources and methods development (standardized protocols, biomarker research, validated exposure metrics, reference analytic laboratories). These are needed to generate research findings that can be compared and subjected to pooled analyses aimed at knowledge synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donald T Wigle
- McLaughlin Centre for Population Health Risk Assessment, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
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Pang PH, Lin YH, Lee YH, Hou HH, Hsu SP, Juan SH. Molecular mechanisms of p21 and p27 induction by 3-methylcholanthrene, an aryl-hydrocarbon receptor agonist, involved in antiproliferation of human umbilical vascular endothelial cells. J Cell Physiol 2008; 215:161-71. [PMID: 18022818 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.21299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
We previously reported that 3-methylcholanthrene (3MC), an aryl-hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) agonist, inhibits the proliferation of human umbilical vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs; Juan et al., 2006, Eur J Pharmacol 530: 1-8). Herein, pretreatment of HUVECs with p21 or p27 small interfering (si)RNA reduced 3MC-induced elimination of [(3)H]thymidine incorporation, demonstrating their essential roles in the antiproliferation of HUVECs. The molecular mechanisms of p21 and p27 involved in the antiproliferative effects of 3MC were elucidated in this study. 3MC time- and concentration-dependently increased p21 and p27 levels, and decreased the protein level of CDK2 with no apparent alteration of p53. Interestingly, 3MC-mediated p21 and p27 inductions were eliminated by resveratrol, an AhR antagonist, suggesting their AhR dependency, further confirmed by AhR siRNA. Among the relevant pathways, p38MAPK activation sustained the levels of p21 and p27 induced by 3MC, which was eliminated by AhR antagonists and N-acetylcysteine (NAC), an antioxidant. 3MC concentration-dependently enhanced not only the consensus dioxin-responsive element (DRE)-driven luciferase activity, but also the binding activity of the AhR to the putative DRE derived from the p21 and p27 promoters. A deletion of the DRE (-285/-270) in p21 (-2,300/+8) only partially alleviated the 3MC-induced luciferase activity unless NAC was added, suggesting that there may be a DRE-independent mechanism associated with oxidative stress. However, a deletion of the DRE (-660/-645) in p27 (-1,358/-100) almost completely abrogated the activation. Our study demonstrated that both the functional DRE and the phosphorylation of p38MAPK are essential for the induction of p21 and p27, resulting in the antiproliferative action of 3MC in HUVECs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pai-Huei Pang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shin-Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
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Giwercman A, Rylander L, Lundberg Giwercman Y. Influence of endocrine disruptors on human male fertility. Reprod Biomed Online 2008; 15:633-42. [PMID: 18062860 DOI: 10.1016/s1472-6483(10)60530-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
It has been suggested that during the past five decades human sperm counts have declined and the incidence of testicular cancer, hypospadias and cryptorchidism has increased. Furthermore, geographical differences, with respect to these markers of male reproductive function, have been reported. According to a recent hypothesis, all these abnormalities of the male genital system do have a common cause, namely exposure to endocrine disruptors affecting the male in early fetal life. Reduced sperm production as well as congenital abnormalities of male genitalia can be evoked in laboratory animals by exposing them to chemicals with endocrine-disrupting effect, and in humans similar effects have been seen following accidental exposures to very high concentrations of these environmental toxicants. However, the evidence for association between levels of exposure found in the general population and serious adverse effects on male reproduction, including fertility, is still lacking. A recent European Union-supported study, on the effect of persistent organohalogen pollutants on human reproduction, failed to show any correlation between post-natal exposure levels and fertility. Future studies will reveal whether prenatal exposure does more strongly affect male fertility and whether genetic predisposition regulates the susceptibility of an individual to the adverse effects of endocrine disruptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksander Giwercman
- Reproductive Medicine Centre and Molecular Reproductive Research Group, Lund University, Malmö University Hospital, SE 205 02 Malmö, Sweden.
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Long M, Deutch B, Bonefeld-Jorgensen EC. AhR transcriptional activity in serum of Inuits across Greenlandic districts. Environ Health 2007; 6:32. [PMID: 17956617 PMCID: PMC2173889 DOI: 10.1186/1476-069x-6-32] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2006] [Accepted: 10/23/2007] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Human exposure to lipophilic persistent organic pollutants (POPs) including polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/furans (PCDDs/PCDFs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticide is ubiquitous. The individual is exposed to a complex mixture of POPs being life-long beginning during critical developmental windows. Exposure to POPs elicits a number of species- and tissue-specific toxic responses, many of which involve the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR). The aim of this study was to compare the actual level of integrated AhR transcriptional activity in the lipophilic serum fraction containing the actual POP mixture among Inuits from different districts in Greenland, and to evaluate whether the AhR transactivity is correlated to the bio-accumulated POPs and/or lifestyle factors. METHODS The study included 357 serum samples from the Greenlandic districts: Nuuk and Sisimiut (South West Coast), Qaanaaq (North Coast) and Tasiilaq (East Coast). The bio-accumulated serum POPs were extracted by ethanol: hexane and clean-up on Florisil columns. Effects of the serum extract on the AhR transactivity was determined using the Hepa 1.12cR mouse hepatoma cell line carrying an AhR-luciferase reporter gene, and the data was evaluated for possible association to the serum levels of 14 PCB congeners, 10 organochlorine pesticide residues and/or lifestyle factors. RESULTS In total 85% of the Inuit samples elicited agonistic AhR transactivity in a district dependent pattern. The median level of the AhR-TCDD equivalent (AhR-TEQ) of the separate genders was similar in the different districts. For the combined data the order of the median AhR-TEQ was Tasiilaq > Nuuk > or = Sisimiut > Qaanaaq possibly being related to the different composition of POPs. In overall, the AhR transactivity was inversely correlated to the levels of sum POPs, age and/or intake of marine food. CONCLUSION i) We observed that the proportion of dioxin like (DL) compounds in the POP mixture was the dominating factor affecting the level of serum AhR transcriptional activity even at very high level of non DL-PCBs; ii) The inverse association between the integrated serum AhR transactivity and sum of POPs might be explained by the higher level of compounds antagonizing the AhR function probably due to selective POP bioaccumulation in the food chain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manhai Long
- Unit of Cellular and Molecular Toxicology, Department of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Institute of Public Health, University of Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Bente Deutch
- Centre for Arctic Environmental Medicine, Department of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Institute of Public Health, University of Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Eva C Bonefeld-Jorgensen
- Unit of Cellular and Molecular Toxicology, Department of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Institute of Public Health, University of Aarhus, Denmark
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Kunisue T, Sakiyama T, Yamada TK, Takahashi S, Tanabe S. Occurrence of hydroxylated polychlorinated biphenyls in the brain of cetaceans stranded along the Japanese coast. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2007; 54:963-73. [PMID: 17445835 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2007.02.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2006] [Revised: 02/19/2007] [Accepted: 02/19/2007] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Levels of hydroxylated polychlorinated biphenyls (OH-PCBs) and PCBs were measured in the brain of melon-headed whales (MW: Peponocephala electra), striped dolphins (SD: Stenella coeruleoalba) and finless porpoises (FP: Neophocaena phocaenoides) stranded along the Japanese coast during 2002-2003. Levels of OH-PCBs (including identified and unknown OH-P(5)CB, -H(6)CB, -H(7)CB and O(8)CB congeners) in the brain of MW, SD and FP were in the range of 20-290, 21-330 and 170-240pg/g wet wt., respectively. Observed OH-PCB levels were 2-3 orders of magnitude lower than PCBs in the same individuals. OH-PCBs/PCBs ratios in MW, SD and FP brain were lower than those in blood of humans and wildlife and in the brain of polar bears reported previously. OH-PCBs were also detected in maternal and fetal brain of SD (1 pair), suggesting transfer of OH-PCBs into the fetal brain of odontocete cetaceans. When fetus/dam concentration ratios of OH-PCB congeners detected in maternal and fetal brain were estimated, the values were higher than those of PCB congeners, implying that OH-PCBs in maternal blood could be more easily transferred into fetal brain via placenta than PCBs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatsuya Kunisue
- Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Ehime University, Bunkyo-cho 2-5, Matsuyama 790-8577, Japan
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Rignell-Hydbom A, Axmon A, Lundh T, Jönsson BA, Tiido T, Spano M. Dietary exposure to methyl mercury and PCB and the associations with semen parameters among Swedish fishermen. Environ Health 2007; 6:14. [PMID: 17488503 PMCID: PMC1871583 DOI: 10.1186/1476-069x-6-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2006] [Accepted: 05/08/2007] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Dietary POP exposure have shown negative effects on sperm motility and sperm chromatin integrity, as well as an increased proportion of Y-chromosome bearing sperms. However, it has been suggested that in epidemiological studies investigating persistent organochlorine pollutant (POP)-toxicity, other pollutants occurring simultaneously may carry an increased risk of effects, which may obscure a clear interpretation of the role of POP toxicity. One such pollutant is methyl mercury (MeHg), which has been found in fatty fish from the Baltic Sea and as a consequence men with a high consumption of such fish has been found to have twice the MeHg levels compared to men with a low fish consumption. The aim of the present study was to assess if exposure to MeHg affects male reproductive function, assessed by measuring human sperm motility, sperm concentration, total sperm count, sperm chromatin integrity and the proportion of Y-chromosome bearing sperms. Secondly we also investigated a possible interaction between MeHg and 2, 2', 4, 4', 5, 5'-hexachlorobiphenyl (CB-153), a biomarker for POP exposure, with respect to sperm outcome measures. Blood and semen samples were collected from 195 Swedish fishermen with a mean age of 47 (range 24-67 years). Blood levels of MeHg ranged from 0.11 to 16.59 microg/L (median 2.25 microg/L) and serum levels of CB-153 from 37 to 1460 ng/g lipid (median 190 ng/g lipid). The analyses revealed no association between MeHg and any of the outcomes investigated. Although men with low MeHg and high CB-153 had slightly higher DNA Fragmentation Index and fraction of Y-chromosome bearing sperms than men with low levels of both compounds, the effects were not statistically significant. In conclusion, we did not find any associations between MeHg exposure and semen quality or quantity in the dose range observed neither was any synergistic effects between MeHg and CB-153 noted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Rignell-Hydbom
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine and Psychiatric Epidemiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University Hospital, SE-221 85 Lund, Sweden
| | - Anna Axmon
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine and Psychiatric Epidemiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University Hospital, SE-221 85 Lund, Sweden
| | - Thomas Lundh
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine and Psychiatric Epidemiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University Hospital, SE-221 85 Lund, Sweden
| | - Bo A Jönsson
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine and Psychiatric Epidemiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University Hospital, SE-221 85 Lund, Sweden
| | - Tarmo Tiido
- Fertility Centre, Scanian Andrology Centre, Malmö University Hospital, Lund University, SE-205 02 Malmö, Sweden
| | - Marcello Spano
- Section of Toxicology and Biomedical Sciences, ENEA CR Casaccia, Rome, Italy
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Jan J, Sovcikova E, Kocan A, Wsolova L, Trnovec T. Developmental dental defects in children exposed to PCBs in eastern Slovakia. CHEMOSPHERE 2007; 67:S350-4. [PMID: 17250867 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2006.05.148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/26/2006] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
The effects of long-term exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) on developmental dental defects of deciduous and permanent teeth in children in eastern Slovakia, where PCBs from a chemical plant manufacturing Delors contaminated the surrounding district were evaluated. Four hundred and thirtytwo children, lifelong residents, aged 8-9 years were examined. Children's caries susceptibility and gingival health was assessed by standard dental indices, and developmental enamel defects by the FDI index. Data from the PCBRISK project data set and questionnaires completed by the parents provided information on exposure and various confounding factors. The proportion of teeth with different types and extensions of developmental enamel defects correlated with serum PCB concentration. The proportion of deciduous teeth affected with enamel defects was significantly higher in higher exposed children (chi(2)=8.35; p=0.03) according to their serum PCB concentration (group 0: <200; group 1: 200-600; group 2: >600 ng PCBs g(-1) serum lipids). The proportion of permanent teeth affected with any enamel defect was significantly higher in higher exposed children (chi2=7.237; p=0.027). Furthermore, the extent of the enamel defects was also greater (chi2=10.714; p=0.005). In multivariate linear regression analysis PCB exposure was significantly related to developmental enamel defects of permanent teeth only. No associations between PCB exposure and caries susceptibility, gingival health or number of teeth were observed. This study demonstrated a dose-response relationship between PCB exposure and developmental enamel defects of permanent teeth in children, the evidence for deciduous teeth was not conclusive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janja Jan
- Department of Cariology and Dental Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Hrvatski trg 6, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
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Hokanson R, Hanneman W, Hennessey M, Donnelly KC, McDonald T, Chowdhary R, Busbee DL. DEHP, bis(2)-ethylhexyl phthalate, alters gene expression in human cells: possible correlation with initiation of fetal developmental abnormalities. Hum Exp Toxicol 2007; 25:687-95. [PMID: 17286146 DOI: 10.1177/0960327106071977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Diethylhexylphthalate (DEHP) is a widely distributed phthalate, to which humans are exposed to due to its variety of commercial and manufacturing uses. As a plasticiser, it is found in a wide number of products, and metabolites of DEHP have been detected in urine samples from a high percentage of the people screened for phthalates. We utilised DNA microarray analysis to evaluate DEHP for gene expression disrupting activity using the human cell line MCF-7, and found that DEHP significantly dysregulated approximately 34% of the 2400 genes spotted on the NEN2400 chip we used. The results suggest that DEHP, a known estrogen agonist and probable androgen antagonist, alters the expression of a number of genes, many of which are critical for fetal development. Down-regulation of two genes, FGD1 and PAFAH1B1, related in that both are essential for fetal brain development, was corroborated using quantitative real time PCR. These studies show DEHP to be a highly effective human gene expression-altering chemical, and that, at appropriate concentrations, it has the possibility of altering fetal central nervous system development, resulting in the birth defects lissencephaly and/or faciodigitogenital dysplasia.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Hokanson
- Department of Integrative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
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McDowell MA, Brody DJ, Hughes JP. Has age at menarche changed? Results from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999-2004. J Adolesc Health 2007; 40:227-31. [PMID: 17321422 DOI: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2006.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 149] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2006] [Revised: 10/03/2006] [Accepted: 10/04/2006] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To examine self-reported age at menarche in U.S. adults and the associations between age at menarche and race/ethnicity. METHODS Data from 1999-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) for 6788 females 20 years and over were analyzed. Self-reported age at first menses (in years) by birth year groups is reported overall and for Mexican Americans, non-Hispanic whites, and non-Hispanic blacks. RESULTS Mean age at menarche in the United States declined over time from 13.3 years (95% CI: 13.2-13.5) in the oldest age group, those born prior to 1920, to 12.4 years (95% C.I. 12.2-12.5 years) in the youngest group, born between 1980 and 1984. Declines in age at menarche were observed for all race/ethnicity groups. Non-Hispanic black females had the largest decline in mean age at menarche from 13.6 years (95% CI: 13.1-14.1) in women born prior to 1920, to 12.2 years (95% CI: 11.8-12.6) in the 1980-84 birth cohort. Mean age at menarche among non-Hispanic white females declined from 13.3 years (13.1-13.6) in the pre-1920 birth cohort to 12.5 years (12.3-12.8) in the 1980-84 birth cohort. CONCLUSIONS Significant declines in the mean age of menarche for U.S. females occurred overall and for all race/ethnic groups examined. Mean age of menarche declined by .9 year overall in women born before 1920 compared to women born in 1980-84; the declines in the mean age at menarche ranged from .7 to 1.4 years depending on the race/ethnicity group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret A McDowell
- National Center for Health Statistics, Division of Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Hyattsville, Maryland 20782, USA.
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Long M, Stronati A, Bizzaro D, Krüger T, Manicardi GC, Hjelmborg PS, Spanò M, Giwercman A, Toft G, Bonde JP, Bonefeld-Jorgensen EC. Relation between serum xenobiotic-induced receptor activities and sperm DNA damage and sperm apoptotic markers in European and Inuit populations. Reproduction 2007; 133:517-30. [PMID: 17307920 DOI: 10.1530/rep-06-0195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) can interfere with hormone activities and are suspected as endocrine disrupters involved in disorders, e.g. reproductive disorders. We investigated the possible relation between the actual integrated serum xenoestrogenic, xenoandrogenic and aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) activities, and the sperm DNA damage and sperm apoptotic markers of 262 adult males (54 Inuits from Greenland, 69 from Warsaw (Poland), 81 from Sweden, and 58 from Kharkiv (Ukraine)) exposed to different levels of POPs. Xenobiotic-induced receptor activities were determined by receptor-mediated luciferase reporter gene expression. Sperm DNA damage was measured using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-driven dUTP nick labeling assay (TUNEL) and pro- (Fas) and anti-apoptotic (Bcl-xL) markers were determined by immune methods. Different features of xenobiotic-induced receptor activity in serum and sperm DNA fragmentation and apoptotic markers existed between the Inuits and the European Caucasians. Negative correlations between xenobiotic-induced receptor activities and DNA damage were found for Inuits having relatively lower xenoestrogenic, lower dioxin-like activity, and lower sperm DNA damage, but higher xenoandrogenic activity. In contrast, in the European groups, xenobiotic-induced receptor activities were found to be positively correlated with the DNA damage. Further research must elucidate whether altered receptor activities in concerted action with genetic and/or nutrient factors may have protecting effect on sperm DNA damage of the Inuit population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manhai Long
- Unit of Cellular and Molecular Toxicology (CMT), Department of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Institute of Public Health, University of Aarhus, Vennelyst Boulevard 6, Build 1260, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
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Glynn A, Aune M, Darnerud PO, Cnattingius S, Bjerselius R, Becker W, Lignell S. Determinants of serum concentrations of organochlorine compounds in Swedish pregnant women: a cross-sectional study. Environ Health 2007; 6:2. [PMID: 17266775 PMCID: PMC1797162 DOI: 10.1186/1476-069x-6-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2006] [Accepted: 02/01/2007] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND We performed a cross-sectional study of associations between personal characteristics and lipid-adjusted serum concentrations of certain PCB congeners and chlorinated pesticides/metabolites among 323 pregnant primiparous women from Uppsala County (age 18-41 years) sampled 1996-1999. METHODS Extensive personal interviews and questionnaires about personal characteristics were performed both during and after pregnancy. Concentrations of organochlorine compounds in serum lipids in late pregnancy were analysed by gas chromatography. Associations between personal characteristics and serum levels of organochlorine compounds were analysed by multiple linear regression. RESULTS Participation rate was 82% (325 of 395 women). Serum concentrations of PCB congeners IUPAC no. 28, 52, 101, 105 and 167, and o, p'-DDT and -DDE, p, p'-DDT and -DDD, oxychlordane, and gamma- and alpha-HCH were in many cases below the limit of quantification (LOQ). No statistical analysis of associations with personal characteristics could be performed for these substances. Concentrations of PCB congeners IUPAC no. 118, 138, 153, 156 and 180, HCB, beta-HCH, trans-nonachlor and p, p'-DDE increased with increased age and were highest in women sampled early during the 4 year study period. This shows that older women and women sampled early in the study had experienced the highest life-time exposure levels, probably mainly during childhood and adolescence. The importance of early exposures was supported by lower PCB concentrations and higher beta-HCH and p, p'-DDE concentrations among women born in non-Nordic countries. Moreover, serum concentrations of certain PCBs and pesticide/metabolites were positively associated with consumption of fatty fish during adolescence, and concentrations of CB 156, CB 180 and p, p'-DDE increased significantly with number of months women had been breast-fed during infancy. Short-term changes in bodily constitution may, however, also influence serum concentrations, as suggested by negative associations between concentrations of organochlorine compounds and BMI before pregnancy and weight change during pregnancy. CONCLUSION Although some of the associations could be caused by unknown personal characteristics confounding the results, our findings suggest that exposures to organochlorine compounds during childhood and adolescence influence the body burdens of the compounds during pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anders Glynn
- Swedish National Food Administration, P.O. Box 622, SE-751 26 Uppsala, Sweden
- Department of Environmental Toxicology, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18A, SE-752 36 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Marie Aune
- Swedish National Food Administration, P.O. Box 622, SE-751 26 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Per Ola Darnerud
- Swedish National Food Administration, P.O. Box 622, SE-751 26 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Sven Cnattingius
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Rickard Bjerselius
- Swedish National Food Administration, P.O. Box 622, SE-751 26 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Wulf Becker
- Swedish National Food Administration, P.O. Box 622, SE-751 26 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Sanna Lignell
- Swedish National Food Administration, P.O. Box 622, SE-751 26 Uppsala, Sweden
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Wigle DT, Arbuckle TE, Walker M, Wade MG, Liu S, Krewski D. Environmental hazards: evidence for effects on child health. JOURNAL OF TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. PART B, CRITICAL REVIEWS 2007; 10:3-39. [PMID: 18074303 DOI: 10.1080/10937400601034563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
The human fetus, child, and adult may experience adverse health outcomes from parental or childhood exposures to environmental toxicants. The fetus and infant are especially vulnerable to toxicants that disrupt developmental processes during relatively narrow time windows. This review summarizes knowledge of associations between child health and development outcomes and environmental exposures, including lead, methylmercury, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxins and related polyhalogenated aromatic hydrocarbons (PHAHs), certain pesticides, environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), aeroallergens, ambient air toxicants (especially particulate matter [PM] and ozone), chlorination disinfection by-products (DBPs), sunlight, power-frequency magnetic fields, radiofrequency (RF) radiation, residential proximity to hazardous waste disposal sites, and solvents. The adverse health effects linked to such exposures include fetal death, birth defects, being small for gestational age (SGA), preterm birth, clinically overt cognitive, neurologic, and behavioral abnormalities, subtle neuropsychologic deficits, childhood cancer, asthma, other respiratory diseases, and acute poisoning. Some environmental toxicants, notably lead, ionizing radiation, ETS, and certain ambient air toxicants, produce adverse health effects at relatively low exposure levels during fetal or child developmental time windows. For the many associations supported by limited or inadequate epidemiologic evidence, major sources of uncertainty include the limited number of studies conducted on specific exposure-outcome relationships and methodologic limitations. The latter include (1) crude exposure indices, (2) limited range of exposure levels, (3) small sample sizes, and (4) limited knowledge and control of potential confounders. Important knowledge gaps include the role of preconceptual paternal exposures, a topic much less studied than maternal or childhood exposures. Large longitudinal studies beginning before or during early pregnancy are urgently needed to accurately measure and assess the relative importance of parental and childhood exposures and evaluate relatively subtle health outcomes such as neuropsychologic and other functional deficits. Large case-control studies are also needed to assess the role of environmental exposures and their interactions with genetic factors in relatively uncommon outcomes such as specific types of birth defects and childhood cancers. There is also an urgent need to accelerate development and use of biomarkers of exposure and genetic susceptibility in epidemiologic studies. This review supports the priority assigned by international agencies to relationships between child health and air quality (indoor and outdoor), lead, pesticides, water contaminants, and ETS. To adequately address such priorities, governments and agencies must strengthen environmental health research capacities and adopt policies to reduce parental and childhood exposures to proven and emerging environmental threats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donald T Wigle
- McLaughlin Centre for Population Health Risk Assessment, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario.
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