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Sui S, Zhou N, Liu H, Watson P, Yang X. Recognizing high-priority disinfection byproducts based on experimental and predicted endocrine disrupting data: Virtual screening and in vitro study. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 358:142239. [PMID: 38705414 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.142239] [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: 06/08/2023] [Revised: 04/25/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
So far, about 130 disinfection by-products (DBPs) and several DBPs-groups have had their potential endocrine-disrupting effects tested on some endocrine endpoints. However, it is still not clear which specific DBPs, DBPs-groups/subgroups may be the most toxic substances or groups/subgroups for any given endocrine endpoint. In this study, we attempt to address this issue. First, a list of relevant DBPs was updated, and 1187 DBPs belonging to 4 main-groups (aliphatic, aromatic, alicyclic, heterocyclic) and 84 subgroups were described. Then, the high-priority endocrine endpoints, DBPs-groups/subgroups, and specific DBPs were determined from 18 endpoints, 4 main-groups, 84 subgroups, and 1187 specific DBPs by a virtual-screening method. The results demonstrate that most of DBPs could not disturb the endocrine endpoints in question because the proportion of active compounds associated with the endocrine endpoints ranged from 0 (human thyroid receptor beta) to 32% (human transthyretin (hTTR)). All the endpoints with a proportion of active compounds greater than 10% belonged to the thyroid system, highlighting that the potential disrupting effects of DBPs on the thyroid system should be given more attention. The aromatic and alicyclic DBPs may have higher priority than that of aliphatic and heterocyclic DBPs by considering the activity rate and potential for disrupting effects. There were 2 (halophenols and estrogen DBPs), 12, and 24 subgroups that belonged to high, moderate, and low priority classes, respectively. For individual DBPs, there were 23 (2%), 193 (16%), and 971 (82%) DBPs belonging to the high, moderate, and low priority groups, respectively. Lastly, the hTTR binding affinity of 4 DBPs was determined by an in vitro assay and all the tested DBPs exhibited dose-dependent binding potency with hTTR, which was consistent with the predicted result. Thus, more efforts should be performed to reveal the potential endocrine disruption of those high research-priority main-groups, subgroups, and individual DBPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuxin Sui
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, School of Environmental and Biological Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, 210094, China
| | - Nan Zhou
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, School of Environmental and Biological Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, 210094, China
| | - Huihui Liu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, School of Environmental and Biological Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, 210094, China
| | - Peter Watson
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, 87545, New Mexico, United States
| | - Xianhai Yang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, School of Environmental and Biological Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, 210094, China.
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Chen Y, Liang W, Huang M, Li C, Song Z, Zheng Y, Yi Z. Exploring the mechanism of interaction between TBG and halogenated thiophenols: Insights from fluorescence analysis and molecular simulation. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 261:129645. [PMID: 38296143 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.129645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 01/07/2024] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
Thyroxine-binding globulin (TBG) plays a vital role in regulating metabolism, growth, organ differentiation, and energy homeostasis, exerting significant effects in various key metabolic pathways. Halogenated thiophenols (HTPs) exhibit high toxicity and harmfulness to organisms, and numerous studies have demonstrated their thyroid-disrupting effects. To understand the mechanism of action of HTPs on TBG, a combination of competitive binding experiments, multiple fluorescence spectroscopy techniques, molecular docking, and molecular simulations was employed to investigate the binding mechanism and identify the binding site. The competition binding assay between HTPs and ANS confirmed the competition of HTPs with thyroid hormone T4 for the active site of TBG, resulting in changes in the TBG microenvironment upon the binding of HTPs to the active site. Key amino acid residues involved in the binding process of HTPs and TBG were further investigated through residue energy decomposition. The distribution of high-energy contributing residues was determined. Analysis of root-mean-square deviation (RMSD) demonstrated the stability of the HTPs-TBG complex. These findings confirm the toxic mechanism of HTPs in thyroid disruption, providing a fundamental reference for accurately assessing the ecological risk of pollutants and human health. Providing mechanistic insights into how HTPS causes thyroid diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanting Chen
- College of Chemistry and Bioengineering, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin 541004, China
| | - Wenhui Liang
- College of Chemistry and Bioengineering, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin 541004, China
| | - Muwei Huang
- College of Chemistry and Bioengineering, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin 541004, China
| | - Cancan Li
- College of Chemistry and Bioengineering, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin 541004, China
| | - Zeyu Song
- College of Chemistry and Bioengineering, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin 541004, China
| | - Yanhong Zheng
- College of Chemistry and Bioengineering, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin 541004, China
| | - Zhongsheng Yi
- College of Chemistry and Bioengineering, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin 541004, China.
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Huang K, Zhou W, Fu J, Zhang Q, Teng Y, Gu L, Fu Y, Hu B, Mei Y, Zhang H, Zhang A, Fu J, Jiang G. Linking Transthyretin-Binding Chemicals and Free Thyroid Hormones: In Vitro to In Vivo Extrapolation Based on a Competitive Binding Model. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:9130-9139. [PMID: 37261382 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c01094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Large numbers of pollutants competitively inhibit the binding between thyroid hormones and transthyretin (TTR) in vitro. However, the impact of this unintended binding on free thyroid hormones in vivo has not yet been characterized. Herein, we established a quantitative in vitro to in vivo extrapolation (QIVIVE) method based on a competitive binding model to quantify the effect of TTR-binding chemicals on free thyroid hormones in human blood. Twenty-five TTR-binding chemicals including 6 hydroxyl polybromodiphenyl ethers (OH-PDBEs), 6 hydroxyl polychlorobiphenyls (OH-PCBs), 4 halogenphenols, 5 per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFASs), and 4 phenols were selected for investigation. Incorporating the in vitro binding parameters and human exposure data, the QIVIVE model could well predict the in vivo effect on free thyroid hormones. Co-exposure to twenty-five typical TTR-binding chemicals resulted in median increases of 0.080 and 0.060% in circulating levels of free thyroxine (FT4) and free triiodothyronine (FT3) in the general population. Individuals with occupational exposure to TTR-binding chemicals suffered 1.88-32.2% increases in free thyroid hormone levels. This study provides a quantitative tool to evaluate the thyroid-disrupting risks of TTR-binding chemicals and proposes a new framework for assessing the in vivo effects of chemical exposures on endogenous molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Huang
- School of Environment, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, UCAS, Hangzhou 310024, China
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Wei Zhou
- School of Environment, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, UCAS, Hangzhou 310024, China
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Jie Fu
- School of Environment, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, UCAS, Hangzhou 310024, China
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Qun Zhang
- School of Environment, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, UCAS, Hangzhou 310024, China
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Yunhe Teng
- School of Environment, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, UCAS, Hangzhou 310024, China
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Luyao Gu
- School of Environment, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, UCAS, Hangzhou 310024, China
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Yilin Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- Sino-Danish College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Boyuan Hu
- School of Environment, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, UCAS, Hangzhou 310024, China
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Yang Mei
- School of Environment, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, UCAS, Hangzhou 310024, China
| | - Haiyan Zhang
- School of Environment, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, UCAS, Hangzhou 310024, China
| | - Aiqian Zhang
- School of Environment, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, UCAS, Hangzhou 310024, China
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- Institute of Environment and Health, Jianghan University, Wuhan 430056, China
| | - Jianjie Fu
- School of Environment, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, UCAS, Hangzhou 310024, China
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- Institute of Environment and Health, Jianghan University, Wuhan 430056, China
| | - Guibin Jiang
- School of Environment, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, UCAS, Hangzhou 310024, China
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- Institute of Environment and Health, Jianghan University, Wuhan 430056, China
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Zhao S, Yang X, Liu H, Xi Y, Li J. Potential Disrupting Effects of Wastewater-Derived Disinfection Byproducts on Chinese Rare Minnow ( Gobiocypris rarus) Transthyretin: An In Vitro and In Silico Study. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:3228-3237. [PMID: 36780642 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c06192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The available information about whether wastewater-derived disinfection byproducts (DBPs) could elicit potential endocrine-related detrimental effects on aquatic organisms was scarce. Herein, the potential disrupting effects and underlying binding mechanism of 14 wastewater-derived aliphatic and aromatic DBPs and 12 other substances on Chinese rare minnow (Gobiocypris rarus) transthyretin (CrmTTR) were tested and revealed by in vitro and in silico methods. The amino acid sequences of CrmTTR were determined, and the recombinant CrmTTR with a molecular mass of 66.3 kDa was expressed and purified. In vitro assay results indicated that eight selected aromatic DBPs exhibited detectable CrmTTR disrupting ability. Meanwhile, six aliphatic DBPs were not CrmTTR binders. Molecular modeling results implied that hydrophobic hydrogen bonds and/or ionic pair interactions were non-negligible. Four binary classification models with high classification performance were constructed. A significant positive linear relationship was observed for the binding affinity data from CrmTTR and human TTR (n = 18, r = 0.922, p < 0.0001). However, the binding affinity for 13 out of 18 tested compounds with CrmTTR was higher than that with human TTR. All the results highlighted that some wastewater-derived DBPs may be potential disruptors on the aquatic organism endocrine system, and interspecies variation should not be neglected in future determination of the potential endocrine disrupting effects of wastewater-derived DBPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Songshan Zhao
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, School of Environmental and Biological Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094, China
- Center for Molecular Metabolism, School of Environmental and Biological Engineering, Nanjing University of Science & Technology, Nanjing 210094, China
| | - Xianhai Yang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, School of Environmental and Biological Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094, China
| | - Huihui Liu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, School of Environmental and Biological Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094, China
| | - Yue Xi
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, School of Environmental and Biological Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094, China
| | - Jing Li
- Center for Molecular Metabolism, School of Environmental and Biological Engineering, Nanjing University of Science & Technology, Nanjing 210094, China
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