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Onofre-Camarena DB, Elizalde-Velázquez GA, Gómez-Oliván LM, García-Medina S, Galar-Martínez M, Jerónimo Juárez JR, Herrera-Vázquez SE. Assessing the impact of COVID-19 era drug combinations on hepatic functionality: A thorough investigation in adult Danio rerio. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 349:123997. [PMID: 38636837 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.123997] [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: 02/29/2024] [Revised: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
Current and thorough information on the ecotoxicological consequences of pharmaceuticals is accessible globally. However, there remains a substantial gap in knowledge concerning the potentially toxic effects of COVID-19 used drugs, individually and combined, on aquatic organisms. Given the factors above, our investigation assumes pivotal importance in elucidating whether or not paracetamol, dexamethasone, metformin, and their tertiary mixtures might prompt histological impairment, oxidative stress, and apoptosis in the liver of zebrafish. The findings indicated that all treatments, except paracetamol, augmented the antioxidant activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAD), along with elevating the levels of oxidative biomarkers such as lipid peroxidation (LPX), hydroperoxides (HPC), and protein carbonyl content (PCC). Paracetamol prompted a reduction in the activities SOD and CAT and exhibited the most pronounced toxic response when compared to the other treatments. The gene expression patterns paralleled those of oxidative stress, with all treatments demonstrating overexpression of bax, bcl2, and p53. The above suggested a probable apoptotic response in the liver of the fish. Nevertheless, our histological examinations revealed that none of the treatments induced an apoptotic or inflammatory response in the hepatocytes. Instead, the observed tissue alterations encompassed leukocyte infiltration, sinusoidal dilatation, pyknosis, fatty degeneration, diffuse congestion, and vacuolization. In summary, the hepatic toxicity elicited by COVID-19 drugs in zebrafish was less pronounced than anticipated. This attenuation could be attributed to metformin's antioxidant and hormetic effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Belen Onofre-Camarena
- Laboratorio de Toxicología Ambiental, Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Paseo Colón Intersección Paseo Tollocan, Colonia Residencial Colón, CP, 50120, Toluca, Estado de México, Mexico
| | - Gustavo Axel Elizalde-Velázquez
- Laboratorio de Toxicología Ambiental, Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Paseo Colón Intersección Paseo Tollocan, Colonia Residencial Colón, CP, 50120, Toluca, Estado de México, Mexico
| | - Leobardo Manuel Gómez-Oliván
- Laboratorio de Toxicología Ambiental, Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Paseo Colón Intersección Paseo Tollocan, Colonia Residencial Colón, CP, 50120, Toluca, Estado de México, Mexico.
| | - Sandra García-Medina
- Laboratorio de Toxicología Acuática, Departamento de Farmacia, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional. Unidad Profesional Adolfo López Mateos, Av. Wilfrido Massieu s/n y cerrada Manuel Stampa, Col. Industrial Vallejo, Ciudad de México, CP, 07700, Mexico
| | - Marcela Galar-Martínez
- Laboratorio de Toxicología Acuática, Departamento de Farmacia, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional. Unidad Profesional Adolfo López Mateos, Av. Wilfrido Massieu s/n y cerrada Manuel Stampa, Col. Industrial Vallejo, Ciudad de México, CP, 07700, Mexico
| | - José Roberto Jerónimo Juárez
- Laboratorio de Toxicología Ambiental, Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Paseo Colón Intersección Paseo Tollocan, Colonia Residencial Colón, CP, 50120, Toluca, Estado de México, Mexico
| | - Selene Elizabeth Herrera-Vázquez
- Laboratorio de Toxicología Ambiental, Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Paseo Colón Intersección Paseo Tollocan, Colonia Residencial Colón, CP, 50120, Toluca, Estado de México, Mexico
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Tassoulas LJ, Rankin JA, Elias MH, Wackett LP. Dinickel enzyme evolved to metabolize the pharmaceutical metformin and its implications for wastewater and human microbiomes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2312652121. [PMID: 38408229 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2312652121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Metformin is the first-line treatment for type II diabetes patients and a pervasive pollutant with more than 180 million kg ingested globally and entering wastewater. The drug's direct mode of action is currently unknown but is linked to effects on gut microbiomes and may involve specific gut microbial reactions to the drug. In wastewater treatment plants, metformin is known to be transformed by microbes to guanylurea, although genes encoding this metabolism had not been elucidated. In the present study, we revealed the function of two genes responsible for metformin decomposition (mfmA and mfmB) found in isolated bacteria from activated sludge. MfmA and MfmB form an active heterocomplex (MfmAB) and are members of the ureohydrolase protein superfamily with binuclear metal-dependent activity. MfmAB is nickel-dependent and catalyzes the hydrolysis of metformin to dimethylamine and guanylurea with a catalytic efficiency (kcat/KM) of 9.6 × 103 M-1s-1 and KM for metformin of 0.82 mM. MfmAB shows preferential activity for metformin, being able to discriminate other close substrates by several orders of magnitude. Crystal structures of MfmAB show coordination of binuclear nickel bound in the active site of the MfmA subunit but not MfmB subunits, indicating that MfmA is the active site for the MfmAB complex. Mutagenesis of residues conserved in the MfmA active site revealed those critical to metformin hydrolase activity and its small substrate binding pocket allowed for modeling of bound metformin. This study characterizes the products of the mfmAB genes identified in wastewater treatment plants on three continents, suggesting that metformin hydrolase is widespread globally in wastewater.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lambros J Tassoulas
- Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Molecular Biology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455
- BioTechnology Institute, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108
| | - Joel A Rankin
- Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Molecular Biology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455
- BioTechnology Institute, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108
| | - Mikael H Elias
- Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Molecular Biology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455
- BioTechnology Institute, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108
| | - Lawrence P Wackett
- Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Molecular Biology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455
- BioTechnology Institute, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108
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Barbieri PA, Lupepsa L, Paupitz BR, de Andrade CO, Gigliolli AAS, de Brito Portela-Castro AL, Ribeiro RP, Fernandes CA, Borin-Carvalho LA. Erythrocyte alterations in specimens of Danio rerio caused by exposure to metformin. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND PHARMACOLOGY 2024; 106:104373. [PMID: 38244880 DOI: 10.1016/j.etap.2024.104373] [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: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 01/22/2024]
Abstract
The antidiabetic drug metformin is widely prescribed around the world. However, its permanence in different environmental concentrations has been associated with adverse toxicological effects in organisms that do not target its therapeutic action. In the aquatic environment, fish such as the Zebrafish (Danio rerio) have been considered potential bioindicators of environmental impacts and used as experimental models in toxicological studies due to the sensitivity of these species to different types of contaminants, including pharmaceuticals. Thus, this study aimed to analyze metformin's cytotoxic effects on Danio rerio erythrocytes. The animals were submitted to different concentrations of the drug (50 µg/L, 100 µg/L, 150 µg/L, and 10000 µg/L) for 365 days and subsequently observed employing light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to evaluate the alterations that occurred. Exposure of animals to metformin led to significant erythrocyte cell abnormalities across all tested concentrations, with a particularly pronounced effect at the higher concentration previously defined as the NOEC (No Observed Effect Concentration). Remarkable abnormalities included cytoplasmic vacuoles, echinocytes, and vesicle-like cytoplasmic fragments. These findings suggest that metformin, even at concentrations similar to those found in nature and at the NOEC level, exhibits cytotoxic potential in D. rerio, raising concerns about its potential health impacts.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Luara Lupepsa
- Biological Sciences Postgraduate Program, State University of Maringá, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Ana Luiza de Brito Portela-Castro
- Department of Biotechnology, Genetics and Cellular Biology, State University of Maringá, Brazil; Research Center in Limnology, Ichthyology and Aquaculture (Nupélia), State University of Maringá, Brazil
| | | | - Carlos Alexandre Fernandes
- Department of Biotechnology, Genetics and Cellular Biology, State University of Maringá, Brazil; Research Center in Limnology, Ichthyology and Aquaculture (Nupélia), State University of Maringá, Brazil
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Luo Q, Wei Y, Lv X, Chen W, Yang D, Tuo Q. The Effect and Mechanism of Oleanolic Acid in the Treatment of Metabolic Syndrome and Related Cardiovascular Diseases. Molecules 2024; 29:758. [PMID: 38398510 PMCID: PMC10892503 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29040758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 02/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Metabolic syndromes (MetS) and related cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) pose a serious threat to human health. MetS are metabolic disorders characterized by obesity, dyslipidemia, and hypertension, which increase the risk of CVDs' initiation and development. Although there are many availabile drugs for treating MetS and related CVDs, some side effects also occur. Considering the low-level side effects, many natural products have been tried to treat MetS and CVDs. A five-cyclic triterpenoid natural product, oleanolic acid (OA), has been reported to have many pharmacologic actions such as anti-hypertension, anti-hyperlipidemia, and liver protection. OA has specific advantages in the treatment of MetS and CVDs. OA achieves therapeutic effects through a variety of pathways, attracting great interest and playing a vital role in the treatment of MetS and CVDs. Consequently, in this article, we aim to review the pharmacological actions and potential mechanisms of OA in treating MetS and related CVDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quanye Luo
- Key Laboratory of Vascular Biology and Translational Medicine, Medical School, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha 410208, China; (Q.L.); (Y.W.); (W.C.)
| | - Yu Wei
- Key Laboratory of Vascular Biology and Translational Medicine, Medical School, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha 410208, China; (Q.L.); (Y.W.); (W.C.)
| | - Xuzhen Lv
- Key Laboratory for Quality Evaluation of Bulk Herbs of Hunan Province, The School of Pharmacy, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha 410208, China;
| | - Wen Chen
- Key Laboratory of Vascular Biology and Translational Medicine, Medical School, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha 410208, China; (Q.L.); (Y.W.); (W.C.)
| | - Dongmei Yang
- Key Laboratory of Vascular Biology and Translational Medicine, Medical School, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha 410208, China; (Q.L.); (Y.W.); (W.C.)
| | - Qinhui Tuo
- Key Laboratory of Vascular Biology and Translational Medicine, Medical School, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha 410208, China; (Q.L.); (Y.W.); (W.C.)
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