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Corton JC, Matteo G, Chorley B, Liu J, Vallanat B, Everett L, Atlas E, Meier MJ, Williams A, Yauk CL. A 50-gene biomarker identifies estrogen receptor-modulating chemicals in a microarray compendium. Chem Biol Interact 2024; 394:110952. [PMID: 38570061 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbi.2024.110952] [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: 01/16/2024] [Revised: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 03/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
High throughput transcriptomics (HTTr) profiling has the potential to rapidly and comprehensively identify molecular targets of environmental chemicals that can be linked to adverse outcomes. We describe here the construction and characterization of a 50-gene expression biomarker designed to identify estrogen receptor (ER) active chemicals in HTTr datasets. Using microarray comparisons, the genes in the biomarker were identified as those that exhibited consistent directional changes when ER was activated (4 ER agonists; 4 ESR1 gene constitutively active mutants) and opposite directional changes when ER was suppressed (4 antagonist treatments; 4 ESR1 knockdown experiments). The biomarker was evaluated as a predictive tool using the Running Fisher algorithm by comparison to annotated gene expression microarray datasets including those evaluating the transcriptional effects of hormones and chemicals in MCF-7 cells. Depending on the reference dataset used, the biomarker had a predictive accuracy for activation of up to 96%. To demonstrate applicability for HTTr data analysis, the biomarker was used to identify ER activators in a set of 15 chemicals that are considered potential bisphenol A (BPA) alternatives examined at up to 10 concentrations in MCF-7 cells and analyzed by full-genome TempO-Seq. Using benchmark dose (BMD) modeling, the biomarker genes stratified the ER potency of BPA alternatives consistent with previous studies. These results demonstrate that the ER biomarker can be used to accurately identify ER activators in transcript profile data derived from MCF-7 cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Christopher Corton
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27711, USA.
| | - Geronimo Matteo
- Environmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0K9, Canada; Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N5, Canada.
| | - Brian Chorley
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27711, USA.
| | - Jie Liu
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27711, USA.
| | - Beena Vallanat
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27711, USA.
| | - Logan Everett
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27711, USA.
| | - Ella Atlas
- Environmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0K9, Canada.
| | - Matthew J Meier
- Environmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0K9, Canada.
| | - Andrew Williams
- Environmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0K9, Canada.
| | - Carole Lyn Yauk
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N5, Canada.
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Robarts DR, Dai J, Lau C, Apte U, Corton JC. Hepatic Transcriptome Comparative In Silico Analysis Reveals Similar Pathways and Targets Altered by Legacy and Alternative Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Mice. TOXICS 2023; 11:963. [PMID: 38133364 PMCID: PMC10748317 DOI: 10.3390/toxics11120963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large class of fluorinated carbon chains that include legacy PFAS, such as perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), and perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS). These compounds induce adverse health effects, including hepatotoxicity. Potential alternatives to the legacy PFAS (HFPO-DA (GenX), HFPO4, HFPO-TA, F-53B, 6:2 FTSA, and 6:2 FTCA), as well as a byproduct of PFAS manufacturing (Nafion BP2), are increasingly being found in the environment. The potential hazards of these new alternatives are less well known. To better understand the diversity of molecular targets of the PFAS, we performed a comparative toxicogenomics analysis of the gene expression changes in the livers of mice exposed to these PFAS, and compared these to five activators of PPARα, a common target of many PFAS. Using hierarchical clustering, pathway analysis, and predictive biomarkers, we found that most of the alternative PFAS modulate molecular targets that overlap with legacy PFAS. Only three of the 11 PFAS tested did not appreciably activate PPARα (Nafion BP2, 6:2 FTSA, and 6:2 FTCA). Predictive biomarkers showed that most PFAS (PFHxS, PFOA, PFOS, PFNA, HFPO-TA, F-53B, HFPO4, Nafion BP2) activated CAR. PFNA, PFHxS, PFOA, PFOS, HFPO4, HFPO-TA, F-53B, Nafion BP2, and 6:2 FTSA suppressed STAT5b, activated NRF2, and activated SREBP. There was no apparent relationship between the length of the carbon chain, type of head group, or number of ether linkages and the transcriptomic changes. This work highlights the similarities in molecular targets between the legacy and alternative PFAS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dakota R. Robarts
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Therapeutics, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, USA
| | - Jiayin Dai
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Health Impact Assessment of Emerging Contaminants, School of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Christopher Lau
- Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, USA
| | - Udayan Apte
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Therapeutics, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
| | - J. Christopher Corton
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, USA
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Hong L, Xu Y, Wang D, Zhang Q, Li X, Xie C, Wu J, Zhong C, Fu J, Geng S. Sulforaphane ameliorates bisphenol A-induced hepatic lipid accumulation by inhibiting endoplasmic reticulum stress. Sci Rep 2023; 13:1147. [PMID: 36670177 PMCID: PMC9859828 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-28395-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in bisphenol A (BPA) - induced hepatic lipid accumulation as well as the protective effects of Sulforaphane (SFN) in this process. Human hepatocyte cell line (LO2) and C57/BL6J mice were used to examine BPA-triggered hepatic lipid accumulation and the underlying mechanism. Hepatic lipid accumulation, triglycerides (TGs) levels, the expression levels of lipogenesis-related genes and proteins in the ER stress pathway were measured. It was revealed that BPA treatment increased the number of lipid droplets, the levels of TG and mRNAs expression of lipogenesis-related genes, and activated the ER stress pathway. These changes were inhibited by an ER stress inhibitor 4-phenylbutyric acid. SFN treatment abrogated BPA-altered hepatic lipid metabolism and ameliorated BPA-induced ER stress-related markers. Together, these findings suggested that BPA activated ER stress to promote hepatic lipid accumulation, and that SFN reversed those BPA effects by alleviating ER stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lixia Hong
- Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, 101 Longmian Avenue, Jiangning District, Nanjing, 211166, China
| | - Yide Xu
- Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, 101 Longmian Avenue, Jiangning District, Nanjing, 211166, China
| | - Dongdong Wang
- Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, 101 Longmian Avenue, Jiangning District, Nanjing, 211166, China
| | - Qi Zhang
- Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, 101 Longmian Avenue, Jiangning District, Nanjing, 211166, China
| | - Xiaoting Li
- Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, 101 Longmian Avenue, Jiangning District, Nanjing, 211166, China
| | - Chunfeng Xie
- Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, 101 Longmian Avenue, Jiangning District, Nanjing, 211166, China
| | - Jieshu Wu
- Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, 101 Longmian Avenue, Jiangning District, Nanjing, 211166, China
| | - Caiyun Zhong
- Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, 101 Longmian Avenue, Jiangning District, Nanjing, 211166, China.
| | - Jinyan Fu
- Department of Nutrition, Wuxi Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Wuxi, 214002, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Shanshan Geng
- Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, 101 Longmian Avenue, Jiangning District, Nanjing, 211166, China.
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Christopher Corton J, Mitchell CA, Auerbach S, Bushel JP, Ellinger-Ziegelbauer H, Escobar PA, Froetschl R, Harrill AH, Johnson K, Klaunig JE, Pandiri AR, Podtelezhnikov AA, Rager JE, Tanis KQ, van der Laan JW, Vespa A, Yauk CL, Pettit SD, Sistare FD. A Collaborative Initiative to Establish Genomic Biomarkers for Assessing Tumorigenic Potential to Reduce Reliance on Conventional Rodent Carcinogenicity Studies. Toxicol Sci 2022; 188:4-16. [PMID: 35404422 PMCID: PMC9238304 DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfac041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
There is growing recognition across broad sectors of the scientific community that use of genomic biomarkers has the potential to reduce the need for conventional rodent carcinogenicity studies of industrial chemicals, agrochemicals, and pharmaceuticals through a weight-of-evidence approach. These biomarkers fall into 2 major categories: (1) sets of gene transcripts that can identify distinct tumorigenic mechanisms of action; and (2) cancer driver gene mutations indicative of rapidly expanding growth-advantaged clonal cell populations. This call-to-action article describes a collaborative approach launched to develop and qualify biomarker gene expression panels that measure widely accepted molecular pathways linked to tumorigenesis and their activation levels to predict tumorigenic doses of chemicals from short-term exposures. Growing evidence suggests that application of such biomarker panels in short-term exposure rodent studies can identify both tumorigenic hazard and tumorigenic activation levels for chemical-induced carcinogenicity. In the future, this approach will be expanded to include methodologies examining mutations in key cancer driver gene mutation hotspots as biomarkers of both genotoxic and nongenotoxic chemical tumor risk. Analytical, technical, and biological validation studies of these complementary genomic tools are being undertaken by multisector and multidisciplinary collaborative teams within the Health and Environmental Sciences Institute. Success from these efforts will facilitate the transition from current heavy reliance on conventional 2-year rodent carcinogenicity studies to more rapid animal- and resource-sparing approaches for mechanism-based carcinogenicity evaluation supporting internal and regulatory decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Christopher Corton
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | | | - Scott Auerbach
- Division of the National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - J Pierre Bushel
- Biostatistics and Computational Biology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | - Patricia A Escobar
- Safety Assessment and Laboratory Animal Resources, Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp, West Point, PA, USA
| | - Roland Froetschl
- BfArM-Bundesinstitut für Arzneimittel und Medizinprodukte, Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices, Kurt-Georg-Kiesinger-Allee 3, Bonn, Germany
| | - Alison H Harrill
- Division of the National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | | | - James E Klaunig
- Laboratory of Investigative Toxicology and Pathology, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Indiana School of Public Health, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | - Arun R Pandiri
- Division of the National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | | | - Julia E Rager
- The Institute for Environmental Health Solutions, Gillings School of Global Public Health, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Keith Q Tanis
- Safety Assessment and Laboratory Animal Resources, Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp, West Point, PA, USA
| | - Jan Willem van der Laan
- Section on Pharmacology, Toxicology and Kinetics, Medicines Evaluation Board, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Alisa Vespa
- Therapeutic Products Directorate, Health Canada, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Carole L Yauk
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Syril D Pettit
- Health and Environmental Sciences Institute, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Frank D Sistare
- Division of Pharmacotherapy and Experimental Therapeutics, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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Allard J, Bucher S, Massart J, Ferron PJ, Le Guillou D, Loyant R, Daniel Y, Launay Y, Buron N, Begriche K, Borgne-Sanchez A, Fromenty B. Drug-induced hepatic steatosis in absence of severe mitochondrial dysfunction in HepaRG cells: proof of multiple mechanism-based toxicity. Cell Biol Toxicol 2021; 37:151-175. [PMID: 32535746 PMCID: PMC8012331 DOI: 10.1007/s10565-020-09537-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2020] [Accepted: 06/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Steatosis is a liver lesion reported with numerous pharmaceuticals. Prior studies showed that severe impairment of mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation (mtFAO) constantly leads to lipid accretion in liver. However, much less is known about the mechanism(s) of drug-induced steatosis in the absence of severe mitochondrial dysfunction, although previous studies suggested the involvement of mild-to-moderate inhibition of mtFAO, increased de novo lipogenesis (DNL), and impairment of very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) secretion. The objective of our study, mainly carried out in human hepatoma HepaRG cells, was to investigate these 3 mechanisms with 12 drugs able to induce steatosis in human: amiodarone (AMIO, used as positive control), allopurinol (ALLO), D-penicillamine (DPEN), 5-fluorouracil (5FU), indinavir (INDI), indomethacin (INDO), methimazole (METHI), methotrexate (METHO), nifedipine (NIF), rifampicin (RIF), sulindac (SUL), and troglitazone (TRO). Hepatic cells were exposed to drugs for 4 days with concentrations decreasing ATP level by less than 30% as compared to control and not exceeding 100 × Cmax. Among the 12 drugs, AMIO, ALLO, 5FU, INDI, INDO, METHO, RIF, SUL, and TRO induced steatosis in HepaRG cells. AMIO, INDO, and RIF decreased mtFAO. AMIO, INDO, and SUL enhanced DNL. ALLO, 5FU, INDI, INDO, SUL, RIF, and TRO impaired VLDL secretion. These seven drugs reduced the mRNA level of genes playing a major role in VLDL assembly and also induced endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Thus, in the absence of severe mitochondrial dysfunction, drug-induced steatosis can be triggered by different mechanisms, although impairment of VLDL secretion seems more frequently involved, possibly as a consequence of ER stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julien Allard
- INSERM, Univ Rennes, INRAE, Institut NUMECAN (Nutrition Metabolisms and Cancer) UMR_A 1341, UMR_S 1241, F-35000 Rennes, France
| | - Simon Bucher
- INSERM, Univ Rennes, INRAE, Institut NUMECAN (Nutrition Metabolisms and Cancer) UMR_A 1341, UMR_S 1241, F-35000 Rennes, France
| | - Julie Massart
- INSERM, Univ Rennes, INRAE, Institut NUMECAN (Nutrition Metabolisms and Cancer) UMR_A 1341, UMR_S 1241, F-35000 Rennes, France
| | - Pierre-Jean Ferron
- INSERM, Univ Rennes, INRAE, Institut NUMECAN (Nutrition Metabolisms and Cancer) UMR_A 1341, UMR_S 1241, F-35000 Rennes, France
- HCS Pharma, 250 rue Salvador Allende, 59120 Loos, France
| | - Dounia Le Guillou
- INSERM, Univ Rennes, INRAE, Institut NUMECAN (Nutrition Metabolisms and Cancer) UMR_A 1341, UMR_S 1241, F-35000 Rennes, France
| | - Roxane Loyant
- MITOLOGICS S.A.S, Faculté de Médecine, rue du Général Sarrail, 94000 Créteil, France
| | - Yoann Daniel
- INSERM, Univ Rennes, INRAE, Institut NUMECAN (Nutrition Metabolisms and Cancer) UMR_A 1341, UMR_S 1241, F-35000 Rennes, France
| | - Youenn Launay
- INSERM, Univ Rennes, INRAE, Institut NUMECAN (Nutrition Metabolisms and Cancer) UMR_A 1341, UMR_S 1241, F-35000 Rennes, France
| | - Nelly Buron
- MITOLOGICS S.A.S, Faculté de Médecine, rue du Général Sarrail, 94000 Créteil, France
| | - Karima Begriche
- INSERM, Univ Rennes, INRAE, Institut NUMECAN (Nutrition Metabolisms and Cancer) UMR_A 1341, UMR_S 1241, F-35000 Rennes, France
| | - Annie Borgne-Sanchez
- MITOLOGICS S.A.S, Faculté de Médecine, rue du Général Sarrail, 94000 Créteil, France
| | - Bernard Fromenty
- INSERM, Univ Rennes, INRAE, Institut NUMECAN (Nutrition Metabolisms and Cancer) UMR_A 1341, UMR_S 1241, F-35000 Rennes, France
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Mining a human transcriptome database for chemical modulators of NRF2. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0239367. [PMID: 32986742 PMCID: PMC7521735 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0239367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Nuclear factor erythroid-2 related factor 2 (NRF2) encoded by the NFE2L2 gene is a transcription factor critical for protecting cells from chemically-induced oxidative stress. We developed computational procedures to identify chemical modulators of NRF2 in a large database of human microarray data. A gene expression biomarker was built from statistically-filtered gene lists derived from microarray experiments in primary human hepatocytes and cancer cell lines exposed to NRF2-activating chemicals (oltipraz, sulforaphane, CDDO-Im) or in which the NRF2 suppressor Keap1 was knocked down by siRNA. Directionally consistent biomarker genes were further filtered for those dependent on NRF2 using a microarray dataset from cells after NFE2L2 siRNA knockdown. The resulting 143-gene biomarker was evaluated as a predictive tool using the correlation-based Running Fisher algorithm. Using 59 gene expression comparisons from chemically-treated cells with known NRF2 activating potential, the biomarker gave a balanced accuracy of 93%. The biomarker was comprised of many well-known NRF2 target genes (AKR1B10, AKR1C1, NQO1, TXNRD1, SRXN1, GCLC, GCLM), 69% of which were found to be bound directly by NRF2 using ChIP-Seq. NRF2 activity was assessed across ~9840 microarray comparisons from ~1460 studies examining the effects of ~2260 chemicals in human cell lines. A total of 260 and 43 chemicals were found to activate or suppress NRF2, respectively, most of which have not been previously reported to modulate NRF2 activity. Using a NRF2-responsive reporter gene in HepG2 cells, we confirmed the activity of a set of chemicals predicted using the biomarker. The biomarker will be useful for future gene expression screening studies of environmentally-relevant chemicals.
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Christopher Corton J. Integrating gene expression biomarker predictions into networks of adverse outcome pathways. CURRENT OPINION IN TOXICOLOGY 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cotox.2019.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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