Analysis of glycerophospholipid metabolism after exposure to PCB153 in PC12 cells through targeted lipidomics by UHPLC-MS/MS

A comparative study on the antipyretic effect and underlying mechanisms of different bile-fermented Arisaemas

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Cattle bile Arisaema (CBA) and Pig bile Arisaema (PBA) are both processed products fermented from Arisaema erubescens (Wall.) Schott and animal bile, which are recorded in China Pharmacopoeia. Traditionally, bile Arisaema was often used for clearing heat and eliminating phlegm, calming wind and calming panic. Modern pharmacological researches suggest that both two drugs exert an antipyretic effect, while there is lack of the systematical and comparative evidence on underlying mechanism.

AIM OF THE STUDY

To comprehensively clarify the differences and underlying mechanisms of antipyretic effect of the two drugs.

METHODS

In this study, an accurate and reliable detection method based on ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (UPLC-TQ MS) for comparing the content difference of bile acids from the two drugs was successfully established and applied. Besides, a dry yeast-induced fever rat model was established, and rectal temperature and content of pyrogenic cytokines were conducted to evaluate the antipyretic effect of CBA and PBA. Serum and hypothalamus untargeted metabolomics analysis based on ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole-time of flight-mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS) technology were performed for elucidating the changes of metabolic profile.

RESULTS

The results indicated that CBA and PBA both exerted a significantly antipyretic effect, but CBA showed the characteristic of quicker onset and longer duration than that of PBA. The ELISA and western blotting analysis exhibited that the underlying antipyretic mechanism of the two drugs was closely associated with inhibiting inflammation through regulating TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway. Moreover, the metabolism pathway analysis revealed that lipid metabolism and amino acid metabolism were greatly disturbed, which showed a certain correlation with antipyretic effect of two drugs.

CONCLUSION

Collectively, our results delineate a potential mechanism of two different bile Arisaemas against febrile via regulating metabolic disorders and targeting inhibition of inflammation for the improvement of fever symptom of the body. Notably, our current study suggested that CBA might be a better choice for suppressing fever clinically.

Untargeted metabolomics combined with pseudotargeted lipidomics revealed the metabolite profiles of blood-stasis syndrome in type 2 diabetes mellitus

Objective

Blood-stasis syndrome (BSS), an important syndrome in Type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM), is associated with the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying diabetic vascular complications. However, BSS has not been fully characterized as of yet. Due to the strong correlation between BSS and vasculopathy, we hypothesized that the metabolic characteristics of BSS in T2DM (T2DM BSS) are highly specific. By combining untargeted metabolomics and pseudotargeted lipidomics approaches, this study aimed to comprehensively elucidate the metabolic traits of T2DM BSS, thereby providing novel insights into the vascular complications of diabetes and establishing a foundation for precision medicine.

Methods

The survey was conducted in Haidian District of Beijing from October 2021 to November 2021, and data collection was completed in January 2022. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) based untargeted metabolomics and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) based pseudotargeted lipidomics were performed to detect metabolites and lipids. Multivariate, univariate, and pathway analyses were utilized to investigate metabolic changes. The unique metabolites of BSS were obtained by inter-group comparisons and screening. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of metabolites.

Results

A total of 1189 participants completed the survey, of which 120 participants were recruited in this study and further divided into a discovery cohort (n = 90) and a validation cohort (n = 30). Among these, 21 participants were selected for psuedotargeted lipidomics analysis. 81 metabolites, mainly involving glycerophospholipids, were identified as unique metabolites of T2DM BSS, while fatty acyls (FAs) were identified as unique lipids. T2DM BSS was associated with significant dysregulation in glycerophospholipid metabolism and choline metabolism within cancer pathways as major metabolic disturbances. Furthermore, analyses of both the discovery and validation cohorts, indicated that LysoPC (20:5(5Z,8Z,11Z,14Z,17Z)/0:0) and LysoPC (15:0) had the greatest impact on distinguishing BSS.

Conclusion

Altered levels of glycerophospholipids and FAs have been associated with T2DM BSS. These results provide valuable mechanistic insights linked with the development of BSS in T2DM subjects.

Metabolic perturbation and oxidative damage induced by tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TDCIPP) and tris(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate (TEHP) on Escherichia coli through integrative analyses of metabolome

Organophosphate esters (OPEs) are one of the emerging environmental threats, causing the hazard to ecosystem safety and human health. Yet, the toxic effects and metabolic response mechanism after Escherichia coli (E.coli) exposed to TDCIPP and TEHP is inconclusive. Herein, the levels of SOD and CAT were elevated in a concentration-dependent manner, accompanied with the increase of MDA contents, signifying the activation of antioxidant response and occurrence of lipid peroxidation. Oxidative damage mediated by excessive accumulation of ROS decreased membrane potential and inhibited membrane protein synthesis, causing membrane protein dysfunction. Integrative analyses of GC-MS and LC-MS based metabolomics evinced that significant perturbation to the carbohydrate metabolism, nucleotide metabolism, lipids metabolism, amino acid metabolism, organic acids metabolism were induced following exposure to TDCIPP and TEHP in E.coli, resulting in metabolic reprogramming. Additionally, metabolites including PE(16:1(5Z)/15:0), PA(17:0/15:1(9Z)), PC(20:2(11Z,14Z)/12:0), LysoPC(18:3(6Z,9Z,12Z)/0:0) were significantly upregulated, manifesting that cell membrane protective molecule was afforded by these differential metabolites to improve permeability and fluidity. Overall, current findings generate new insights into the molecular toxicity mechanism by which E.coli respond to TDCIPP and TEHP stress and supply valuable information for potential ecological risks of OPEs on aquatic ecosystems.

Transcriptome response of a marine copepod in response to environmentally-relevant concentrations of saxitoxin

Paralytic shellfish toxins (PSTs) can pose a serious threat to human health. Among them, saxitoxin (STX) is one of the most potent natural neurotoxins. Here, the copepod Tigriopus japonicus, was exposed to environmentally relevant concentrations (2.5 and 25 μg/L) STX for 48 h. Although no lethal effects were observed at both concentrations, the transcriptome was significantly altered, and displayed a concentration-dependent response. STX exposure decreased the copepod's metabolism and compromised immune defense and detoxification. Additionally, STX disturbed signal transduction, which might affect other cellular processes. STX exposure could inhibit the copepod's chitin metabolism, disrupting its molting process. Also, the processes related to damage repair and protection were up-regulated to fight against high concentration exposure. Collectively, this study has provided an early warning of PSTs for coastal ecosystem not only because of their potent toxicity effect but also their bioaccumulation that can transfer up the food chain after ingestion by copepods.

Ecotoxicological impact of naproxen on Eisenia fetida: Unraveling soil contamination risks and the modulating role of microplastics

Soils represent crucial sinks for pharmaceuticals and microplastics, making them hotspots for pharmaceuticals and plastic pollution. Despite extensive research on the toxicity of pharmaceuticals and microplastics individually, there is limited understanding of their combined effects on soil biota. This study focused on the earthworm Eisenia fetida as test organism to evaluate the biotoxicity and bioaccumulation of the typical pharmaceutical naproxen and microplastics in earthworms. Results demonstrated that high concentrations of naproxen (100 mg kg-1) significantly increased the malondialdehyde (MDA) content, inducing lipid peroxidation. Even though the low exposure of naproxen exhibits no significant influence to Eisenia fetida, the lipid peroxidation caused by higher concentration than environmental relevant concentrations necessitate attention due to temporal and spatial concentration variability found in the soil environment. Meanwhile, microplastics caused oxidative damage to antioxidant enzymes by reducing the superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and MDA content in earthworms. Metabolome analysis revealed increased lipid metabolism in naproxen-treated group and reduced lipid metabolism in the microplastic-treated group. The co-exposure of naproxen and microplastics exhibited a similar changing trend to the microplastics-treated group, emphasizing the significant influence of microplastics. The detection of numerous including lipids like 17-Hydroxyandrostane-3-glucuronide, lubiprostone, morroniside, and phosphorylcholine, serves to identify potential biomarkers for naproxen and microplastics exposure. Additionally, microplastics increased the concentration of naproxen in earthworms at sub-organ and subcellular level. This study contributes valuable insights into the biotoxicity and distribution of naproxen and microplastics in earthworms, enhancing our understanding of their combined ecological risk to soil biota.

Global responses to tris(1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate and tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate in Escherichia coli: Evidences from biomarkers, and metabolic disturbance using GC-MS and LC-MS metabolomics analyses

Tris(1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TCPP) and tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate (TBEP) as pollutants of emerging concern have aroused the rising attention due to their potential risks on aquatic ecosystem and public health. Nevertheless, there is a lack of toxicological mechanisms exploration of TCPP and TBEP at molecular levels. Herein, the toxicity effects and molecular mechanism of them were fully researched and summarized on Escherichia coli (E.coli). Acute exposure to them significantly activated antioxidant defense system and caused lipid peroxidation, as proved by the changes of antioxidant enzymes and MDA. The ROS overload resulted in the drop of membrane potential as well as the downregulated synthesis of ATPase, endorsing that E. coli cytotoxicity was ascribed to oxidative stress damage induced by TCPP and TBEP. The combination of GC-MS and LC-MS based metabolomics validated that TCPP and TBEP induced metabolic reprogramming in E.coli. More specifically, the responsive metabolites in carbohydrate metabolism, lipids metabolism, nucleotide metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and organic acids metabolism were significantly disturbed by TCPP and TBEP, confirming the negative effects on metabolic functions and key bioprocesses. Additionally, several biomarkers including PE(16:1(5Z)/15:0), PA(17:1(9Z)/18:2(9Z,12Z)), PE(19:1(9Z)/0:0), and LysoPE(0:0/18:1(11Z)) were remarkably upregulated, verifying that the protection of cellular membrane was conducted by regulating the expression of lipids-associated metabolites. Collectively, this work sheds new light on the potential molecular toxicity mechanism of TCPP and TBEP on aquatic organisms, and these findings using GC-MS and LC-MS metabolomics generate a fresh insight into assessing the effects of OPFRs on target and non-target aquatic organisms.

Multi-Omics Analysis Reveals the Toxicity of Polyvinyl Chloride Microplastics toward BEAS-2B Cells

Polyvinyl chloride microplastics (PVC-MPs) are microplastic pollutants widely present in the environment, but their potential risks to human lung health and underlying toxicity mechanisms remain unknown. In this study, we systematically analyzed the effects of PVC-MPs on the transcriptome and metabolome of BEAS-2B cells using high-throughput RNA sequencing and untargeted metabolomics technologies. The results showed that exposure to PVC-MPs significantly reduced the viability of BEAS-2B cells, leading to the differential expression of 530 genes and 3768 metabolites. Further bioinformatics analyses showed that PVC-MP exposure influenced the expression of genes associated with fluid shear stress, the MAPK and TGF-β signaling pathways, and the levels of metabolites associated with amino acid metabolism. In particular, integrated pathway analysis showed that lipid metabolic pathways (including glycerophospholipid metabolism, glycerolipid metabolism, and sphingolipid metabolism) were significantly perturbed in BEAS-2B cells following PVC-MPs exposure. This study provides new insights and targets for a deeper understanding of the toxicity mechanism of PVC-MPs and for the prevention and treatment of PVC-MP-associated lung diseases.

Understanding PFAS toxicity through cell culture metabolomics: Current applications and future perspectives

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), ubiquitous environmental contaminants, pose significant challenges to ecosystems and human health. While cell cultures have emerged as new approach methodologies (NAMs) in ecotoxicity research, metabolomics is an emerging technique used to characterize the small-molecule metabolites present in cells and to understand their role in various biological processes. Integration of metabolomics with cell cultures, known as cell culture metabolomics, provides a novel and robust tool to unravel the complex molecular responses induced by PFAS exposure. In vitro testing also reduces reliance on animal testing, aligning with ethical and regulatory imperatives. The current review summarizes key findings from recent studies utilizing cell culture metabolomics to investigate PFAS toxicity, highlighting alterations in metabolic pathways, biomarker identification, and the potential linkages between metabolic perturbations. Additionally, the paper discusses different types of cell cultures and metabolomics methods used for studies of environmental contaminants and particularly PFAS. Future perspectives on the combination of metabolomics with other advanced technologies, such as single-cell metabolomics (SCM), imaging mass spectrometry (IMS), extracellular flux analysis (EFA), and multi-omics are also explored, which offers a holistic understanding of environmental contaminants. The synthesis of current knowledge and identification of research gaps provide a foundation for future investigations that aim to elucidate the complexities of PFAS-induced cellular responses and contribute to the development of effective strategies for mitigating their adverse effects on human health.

The serum lipidomics reveal the action mechanism of Danggui-Yimucao herbal pair in abortion mice

Medical abortion is a common medical procedure that women choose to terminate an unwanted pregnancy, but it often brings post-abortion complications. Danggui (Angelica sinensis Radix)-Yimucao (Leonuri Herba), as a herbal pair (DY) in clinical prescriptions of traditional Chinese medicine, is often used in the treatment of gynecological diseases and has the traditional functions of tonifying the blood, promoting blood circulation, removing blood stasis and regulating menstruation. In this study, serum lipidomics were adopted to dissect the mechanism of DY in promoting recovery after medical abortion. A total of 152 differential metabolites were screened by lipidomics. All metabolites were imported into MetaboAnalyst for analysis, and finally key metabolic pathways such as glycerophospholipid metabolism, linoleic acid metabolism and pentose and glucuronate interconversions were enriched. Our results indicated that metabolic disorders in abortion mice were alleviated by DY through glycerophospholipid metabolism, while prostaglandin and leukotriene metabolites might be the key targets of DY to promote post-abortion recovery.

Transcriptomic analysis of the antioxidant responses and immunomodulatory effects of dietary melatonin in red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii)

This study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary melatonin (MT) levels on the antioxidant capacity, immunomodulatory, and transcriptional regulation of red swamp crayfish. Six experimental diets with different levels of MT (0, 22.5, 41.2, 82.7, 165.1, and 329.2 mg/kg diet) were fed to juvenile crayfish for 60 d. The transcriptome data of the control group and the group supplemented with dietary MT at 165.1 mg/kg were obtained using RNA-seq. In total, 3653 differentially expressed genes (2082 up-regulated and 1571 down-regulated) were identified. Pathways and genes related to antioxidant immune and growth performance were verified by qRT-PCR. The total hemocyte count, phagocytosis rate, and respiratory burst were significantly increased in the MT (165.1 mg/kg) group compared to the control group. Analysis of antioxidant immune-related enzymes in the hepatopancreas demonstrated that dietary MT (165.1 mg/kg) significantly increased activities of catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione reductase, and glutathione peroxidase and significantly decreased aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase activity. At the transcriptional level, dietary MT up-regulated expression levels of genes associated with antioxidant immune and development, which included toll-like receptors, Crustin, C-type lectin, and so on. To conclude, MT could be used as a supplement in crayfish feed to increase immunity and antioxidant capacity and according to the broken line regression, the ideal MT concentration was the 159.02 mg/kg. Overall, this study demonstrates the role of melatonin in the antioxidant responses and immunomodulatory of Procambarus clarkii, laying the foundation for the development of melatonin as a feed additive in the aquaculture of this species.

Lipid metabolic links between serum pyrethroid levels and the risk of incident type 2 diabetes: A mediation study in the prospective design

Emerging evidence revealed that pyrethroids and circulating lipid metabolites are involved in incident type 2 diabetes (T2D). However, the pyrethroid-associated lipid profile and its potential role in the association of pyrethroids with T2D remain unknown. Metabolome-wide association or mediation analyses were performed among 1006 pairs of T2D cases and matched controls nested within the prospective Dongfeng-Tongji cohort. We identified 59 lipid metabolites significantly associated with serum deltamethrin levels, of which eight were also significantly associated with serum fenvalerate (false discovery rate [FDR] < 0.05). Pathway enrichment analysis showed that deltamethrin-associated lipid metabolites were significantly enriched in the glycerophospholipid metabolism pathway (FDR = 0.02). Furthermore, we also found that several deltamethrin-associated lipid metabolites (i.e., phosphatidylcholine [PC] 32:0, PC 34:4, cholesterol ester 20:0, triacylglycerol 52:5 [18:2]), and glycerophosphoethanolamine-enriched latent variable mediated the association between serum deltamethrin levels and T2D risk, with the mediated proportions being 44.81%, 15.92%, 16.85%, 16.66%, and 22.86%, respectively. Serum pyrethroids, particularly deltamethrin, may lead to an altered circulating lipid profile primarily in the glycerophospholipid metabolism pathway represented by PCs and lysophosphatidylcholines, potentially mediating the association between serum deltamethrin and T2D. The study provides a new perspective in elucidating the potential mechanisms through which pyrethroid exposure might induce T2D.

Investigation of the potential ameliorative effects of DHA-enriched phosphatidylserine on bisphenol A-induced murine nephrotoxicity

In order to investigate the amelioration of docosahexaenoic acid-enriched phosphatidylserine (DHA-PS) on bisphenol A (BPA)-induced nephrotoxicity, the murine nephrotoxicity model was established by intragastric administration of BPA (5 mg/kg/B.W.) for 6 weeks. The biochemical indices, hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining, kidney metabolomics, and related protein expression levels of SIRT1-AMPK pathway were then determined. Our results indicated that DHA-PS (100 mg/kg/B.W.) ameliorated the BPA-induced nephrotoxicity after 6 weeks of intragastric administration, primarily by decreasing the serum creatinine (CRE) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN), renal inflammatory cytokines and lipid levels, and increasing the antioxidant enzyme activities. In addition, the untargeted metabolomics of the kidney indicated that BPA perturbed the tryptophan metabolism, pyridine metabolism, and valine, leucine, and isoleucine biosynthesis, while DHA-PS administration significantly affected the glycerophospholipid metabolism, valine, leucine, and isoleucine biosynthesis to ameliorate the BPA-induced metabolic disorder. Moreover, DHA-PS administration could ameliorate the BPA-induced lipid disturbance by upregulating the expressions of AMPKα1, SIRT1, and PPARα while downregulating the expression of SREBP-1c through the SIRT1-AMPK pathway. This is the first time that the amelioration effects of DHA-PS on BPA-induced nephrotoxicity have been investigated from multiple perspectives, suggesting that DHA-PS might be a potential dietary supplement for reducing BPA-induced nephrotoxicity.

Lipidomics reveals the lipid metabolism disorders in Fructus Psoraleae-induced hepatotoxicity in rats with kidney-yin deficiency syndrome

Fructus Psoraleae (FP), one of the important traditional Chinese medicines, is widely used in clinic and has been reported to be hepatotoxic. However, there is no report on the mechanism of FP-induced hepatotoxicity based on the theory of You Gu Wu Yun. In this study, plasma samples of rats with different kidney deficiency syndromes were investigated using a lipidomics approach based on UPLC/Q-TOF-MS technique. Firstly, multivariate statistical analysis, VIP value test, statistical test and other methods were used to find the lipid metabolites in the two syndrome model groups that were different from the normal group. The screening of differential lipid metabolites revealed that there were 12 biomarkers between the blank group and the kidney-yang deficiency model group as well as 16 differential metabolites between the kidney-yin deficiency model group, and finally a total of 17 relevant endogenous metabolites were identified, which could be used as differential lipid metabolites to distinguish between kidney-yin deficiency and kidney-yang deficiency evidence. Secondly, the relative content changes of metabolites in rats after administration of FP decoction were further compared to find the substances associated with toxicity after administration, and the diagnostic ability of the identified biomarkers was evaluated using a receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC). Results a total of 14 potential differential lipid metabolites, including LysoPC(20:0/0:0) and LysoPC(16:0/0:0), which may be related to hepatotoxicity in rats with kidney-yin deficiency syndrome were further screened, namely, the potential active lipid metabolites related to hepatotoxicity in rats induced by FP. Finally, cluster analysis, MetPA analysis and KEGG database were used to analyze metabolic pathways. It was discovered that the metabolism of glycerophospholipid and sphingolipid may be strongly related to the mechanism of hepatotoxicity brought on by FP. Overall, we described the lipidomics changes in rats treated with FP decoction and screened out 14 lipid metabolites related to hepatotoxicity in rats with kidney-yin deficiency, which served as a foundation for the theory of "syndrome differentiation and treatment" in traditional Chinese medicine and a guide for further investigation into the subsequent mechanism.

Maternal Magnolol Supplementation during Pregnancy and Lactation Promotes Antioxidant Capacity, Improves Gut Health, and Alters Gut Microbiota and Metabolites of Weanling Piglets

Maternal nutrition exerts a profound effect on the postnatal performance of offspring, especially during the weaning period. The multifunctional bioactive component magnolol (MAG) has shown promise as a dietary supplement. This study aimed to explore the effects of maternal MAG supplementation on the antioxidant capacity, gut health, gut microbiome, and metabolome composition of weanling piglets. Fifty pregnant sows were randomly divided into two equally sized groups, the control group and the group supplemented with 100 g/t MAG during the gestation and lactation periods, and 7 days postweaning, the pups were euthanized. The microbiome and metabolome features of weanling piglet colons were compared. Our results revealed that maternal MAG supplementation modified the serum redox status of weanling piglets by decreasing malondialdehyde concentration and increasing superoxide dismutase activity and total antioxidant capacity. Moreover, the decreased indicators of diarrhea were accompanied by improved gut barrier function, in which serum diamine oxidase concentration was decreased, and expressions of zona occludens-1, claudin-1, and intestinal alkaline phosphatase were increased in the colon of weanling piglets from sows supplemented with MAG. Further analysis of the gut microbiota indicated that maternal MAG supplementation significantly increased the relative abundance of beneficial bacteria in the colon of weanling piglets, including Faecalibacterium prausnitzii and Oscillospira. Metabolome analysis identified 540 differential metabolites in the colon of piglets from MAG-fed dams, of which glycerophospholipid classes were highly correlated with progeny gut health and key beneficial bacteria. Our findings indicated that maternal MAG supplementation can improve the oxidative status and gut health of weanling piglets, possibly due to alterations in the gut microbiota and metabolites.

Plasma Metabolomic Profiling after Feeding Dried Distiller's Grains with Solubles in Different Cattle Breeds

Dried distiller's grains with solubles (DDGS) are rich in nutrients and can enhance animals' growth and immunity. However, there are few reports on the effects of a diet of DDGS on plasma metabolism and the related action pathways in domestic animals. In this study, groups of Guanling yellow cattle (GY) and Guanling crossbred cattle (GC) having a basal diet served as the control groups (GY-CG and GC-CG), and DDGS replacing 25% of the diet of GY and GC served as the replacement groups (GY-RG and GC-RG), with three cattle in each group. Plasma samples were prepared for metabolomic analysis. Based on multivariate statistical and univariate analyses, differential metabolites and metabolic pathways were explored. Twenty-nine significantly different metabolites (p < 0.05) were screened in GY-RG compared with those in GY-CG and were found to be enriched in the metabolic pathways, including choline metabolism in cancer, linolenic acid metabolism, and amino acid metabolism. Nine metabolites showed significant differences (p < 0.05) between GC-RG and GC-CG and were mainly distributed in the metabolic pathways of choline metabolism in cancer, glycerophospholipid metabolism, prostate cancer metabolism, and gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) secretion. These results suggest that a DDGS diet may promote healthy growth and development of experimental cattle by modulating these metabolic pathways. Our findings not only shed light on the nutritional effects of the DDGS diet and its underlying mechanisms related to metabolism but also provide scientific reference for the feed utilization of DDGS.

Responses and detoxification mechanisms of earthworm Amynthas hupeiensis to metal contaminated soils of North China

Metal contamination is widespread, but only a few studies have evaluated the toxicological risks of metals (Cd, Cu, and Pb) in earthworms from farmlands in North China (Hebei province). Amynthas hupeiensis, the dominant species in the study area, was used to determine the responses and detoxification mechanisms of uncontaminated (CK), and low (LM)-, and high (HM)-metal-contaminated soils following 7-, 14-, and 28-days exposure. Metal toxicity in LM and HM soils inhibited the biomass of A. hupeiensis. The concentrations of Cd in A. hupeiensis bodies indicated accumulated Cd appeared to remain steady with prolonged exposure, while Cu/Pb increased significantly with soil levels. Bioaccumulation occurred in the order Cd > Pb > Cu in LM soil, and in the order Cd > Cu ≈ Pb in HM soil, which was attributed to differences in available fractions between LM and HM soils. Physiological levels of biomarkers in A. hupeiensis were determined, including total protein (TP), glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), acetylcholinesterase (AChE), and malondialdehyde (MDA). Deviations in GSH, GPx, and AChE were considered to denote sensitive biomarkers using the IBRv2 index. Metabolomics data (1H nuclear magnetic resonance-based) revealed changes in metabolites following 28-days exposure to LM and HM soils. Differences in metabolism in A. hupeiensis following exposure to LM and HM were related to energy metabolism, amino acid biosynthesis, glycerophospholipid metabolism, inositol phosphate metabolism, and glutathione metabolism. Metal stress from LM and HM soils disturbed osmoregulation, resulting in oxidative stress, destruction of cell membranes and inflammation, and altered levels of amino acids required for energy by A. hupeiensis. These findings provide biochemical insights into the physiological and metabolic mechanisms underlying the ability of A. hupeiensis to resist metal stress, and for assessing the environmental risks of metal-contaminated soils in farmland in North China.

Nanoplastics potentiate mercury toxicity in a marine copepod under multigenerational exposure

The continuous fragmentation of plastics and release of synthetic nanoplastics from products have been aggravating nanoplastic pollution in the marine ecosystem. The carrier role of nanoplastics may increase the bioavailability and toxicity effects of toxic metals, e.g., mercury (Hg), which is of growing concern. Here, the copepod Tigriopus japonicus was exposed to polystyrene nanoplastics (PS NPs) and Hg (alone or combined) at environmental realistic concentrations for three generations (F0-F2). Then, Hg accumulation, physiological endpoints, and transcriptome were analyzed. The results showed that the copepod's reproduction was significantly inhibited under PS NPs or Hg exposure. The presence of PS NPs caused significantly higher Hg accumulation, lower survival, and lower offspring production in copepods relative to Hg exposure, suggesting an increased threat to the copepod's survivorship and health. From the molecular perspective, combined PS NPs and Hg caused a graver effect on the DNA replication, cell cycle, and reproduction pathways relative to Hg exposure, linking to lower levels of survivorship and reproduction. Taken together, this study provides an early warning of nanoplastic pollution for the marine ecosystem not only because of their adverse effect per se but also their carrier role for increasing Hg bioaccumulation and toxicity in copepods.

Norgestrel causes digestive gland injury in the clam Mactra veneriformis: An integrated histological, transcriptomics, and metabolomics study

The potential adverse effects of progestins on aquatic organisms, especially non-target species, are of increasing concern worldwide. However, the effect and mechanism of progestin toxicity on aquatic invertebrates remain largely unexplored. In the present study, clams Mactra veneriformis were exposed to norgestrel (NGT, 0, 10, and 1000 ng/L), the dominant progestin detected in the aquatic environment, for 21 days. NGT accumulation, histology, transcriptome, and metabolome were assessed in the digestive gland. The bioconcentration factor (BCF) was 386 and 268 in the 10 ng/L NGT group and 1000 ng/L NGT group, respectively, indicating efficient accumulation of NGT in the clams. Histological analysis showed that NGT led to the swelling of epithelial cells and blurring of the basement membrane in the digestive gland. Differentially-expressed genes and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis using a transcriptomic approach suggested that NGT primarily disturbed the detoxification system, antioxidant defense, carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism, and steroid hormone metabolism, which was consistent with the metabolites analyzed using a metabolomic approach. Furthermore, we speculated that the oxidative stress caused by NGT resulted in histological damage to the digestive gland. This study showed that NGT caused adverse effects in the clams and sheds light on the mechanisms of progestin interference in aquatic invertebrates.

Metabolomic analysis of bone-derived exosomes in osteonecrosis of the femoral head based on UPLC-MS/MS

INTRODUCTION

Osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) is a disorder that causes a collapse of the femoral head, requiring subsequent total hip replacement. However, the pathogenesis of ONFH remains largely unclear. Herein, exosome metabolomics analyses were conducted to explore the pathophysiology of ONFH.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to conduct metabolic profiling of bone-derived exosomes of ONFH.

METHODS

30 ONFH patients and 30 femoral neck fracture (FNF) patients were included in this study. Exosomes were harvested from the femoral head by using ultracentrifugation. Ultraperformance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) was performed in combination with multivariate statistical analysis to reveal and provided new insight into identify the global metabolic profile of ONFH.

RESULTS

The results of transmission electron microscope (TEM), nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA), and Western blots indicated that the microvesicles isolated from the femoral head were exosomes. Several compounds were identified, including lipids and lipid-like molecules, amino acids, peptides, organooxygen compounds. 44 differential metabolites were screened between ONFH and FNF patients. The up-and down-regulation of Riboflavin metabolism, Pantothenate and CoA biosynthesis, Glycerophospholipid metabolism, and Sphingolipid metabolism were associated with ONFH pathophysiology.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that metabolomics has huge prospects for elucidating pathophysiology of ONFH.

Multi-Costimulatory Pathways Drive the Antagonistic Pseudoalteromonas piscicida against the Dominant Pathogenic Vibrio harveyi in Mariculture: Insights from Proteomics and Metabolomics

Vibrio harveyi is the dominant pathogen in mariculture, and biocontrol of this pathogen using antagonistic probiotics is a long-standing biological challenge. Here, Pseudoalteromonas piscicida WCPW15003 as a probiotic effectively antagonized dominant pathogenic V. harveyi in a mariculture, with a growth-of-inhibition ratio of 6.3 h-1. The antagonistic activities of cells and intracellular components of WCPW15003 made a greater contribution to the antagonistic process than did extracellular metabolites and caused the dominance of WCPW15003 during the antagonistic process in vitro. WCPW15003 was safe for the pearl gentian grouper (♀ Epinephelus fuscoguttatus × ♂ Epinephelus lanceolatus) and, as a consequence of the antagonistic effect on V. harveyi, protected the fish from an immune response in vivo. A comprehensive combined proteomics and metabolomics analysis of antagonistic WCPW15003 and pathogenic V. harveyi in a coculture compared to a monoculture was performed to investigate the antagonistic molecular mechanisms. The results showed that during the antagonistic process, WCPW15003 in a coculture had significantly downregulated metabolic pathways for histidine metabolism, arginine biosynthesis, and phenylalanine metabolism, and upregulated glycerophospholipid metabolism, leading to a competitive advantage against the co-occurring species, V. harveyi. This defined a mechanism by which multi-costimulatory pathways drove P. piscicida WCPW15003 against V. harveyi. IMPORTANCE V. harveyi as a dominant pathogen has become a major hazard in mariculture development and seafood safety, and biocontrol of this pathogen using antagonistic probiotic agents is a long-standing biological challenge. P. piscicida WCPW15003 has promise as a novel, safe, and effective bioagent for specifically inhibiting dominant pathogenic V. harveyi and protects mariculture animals from infection by this pathogen by moderating the host immune response, which is heavily driven by multi-costimulatory pathways in a coculture of WCPW15003 and V. harveyi. This work identified a direction for comprehensively elucidating the molecular mechanism of WCPW15003 antagonism against the dominant pathogen in mariculture using modern molecular biology techniques and provided deep insights into the advantages and potential of this antagonistic probiotic against V. harveyi for the construction of an environmentally friendly, recirculating mariculture system.

Vitamin E supplementation improves post-transportation systemic antioxidant capacity in yak

This study was aimed to evaluate the effects of post-transportation vitamin E (VE) supplementation on health condition, blood biochemical parameters, blood antioxidant indices and blood metabolomics in yak. Five yaks were used in this study. After 2100 km of highway transportation from Riwoqe county to Rongchang County, Chongqing, blood was collected immediately after arrival and these samples served as the baseline (control, CON_VE). A VE injection (40 mg/kg) was then performed and blood samples were collected 10 days later. Injection of VE led to lower serum VE concentration. Relative to the CON_VE, VE injection led to greater concentrations of creatinine and lower concentrations of glutamate pyruvic transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, aspartate aminotransferase, total bilirubin, indirect bilirubin, direct bilirubin, UREA and glucose. Compared with CON_VE, VE injection led the lower serum level of malondialdehydeand greater serum level of glutathione s-transferase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase and glutathione peroxidase 4. Based on metabolomics analysis, 119 differentially altered serum metabolites (P<0.05 and VIP>1.0) were identified with VE injection relative to CON_VE. VE injection resulted in changes of lysophosphatidylethanolamine, lysophosphatidylcholine, phosphocholine, choline, malate, citrate, α-Oxo-glutarate, phenylalanine, 3-Phenylpropanoic acid and 3-(3-Hydroxyphenyl) propanoic acid. These metabolites are associated with lipid metabolism, tricarboxylic acid cycle and oxidative stress. Overall, our study indicates that VE injection can alleviate transportation stress in yak partly through protecting liver and kidney, and improving antioxidant defense systems.

Landscape of lipidomic metabolites in gut-liver axis of Sprague-Dawley rats after oral exposure to titanium dioxide nanoparticles

Background

The application of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO₂ NPs) as food additives poses a risk of oral exposure that may lead to adverse health effects. Even though the substantial evidence supported liver as the target organ of TiO₂ NPs via oral exposure, the mechanism of liver toxicity remains largely unknown. Since the liver is a key organ for lipid metabolism, this study focused on the landscape of lipidomic metabolites in gut-liver axis of Sprague Dawley (SD) rats exposed to TiO₂ NPs at 0, 2, 10, 50 mg/kg body weight per day for 90 days.

Results

TiO₂ NPs (50 mg/kg) caused slight hepatotoxicity and changed lipidomic signatures of main organs or systems in the gut-liver axis including liver, serum and gut. The cluster profile from the above biological samples all pointed to the same key metabolic pathway and metabolites, which was glycerophospholipid metabolism and Phosphatidylcholines (PCs), respectively. In addition, absolute quantitative lipidomics verified the changes of three PCs concentrations, including PC (16:0/20:1), PC (18:0/18:0) and PC (18:2/20:2) in the serum samples after treatment of TiO₂ NPs (50 mg/kg). The contents of malondialdehyde (MDA) in serum and liver increased significantly, which were positively correlated with most differential lipophilic metabolites.

Conclusions

The gut was presumed to be the original site of oxidative stress and disorder of lipid metabolism, which resulted in hepatotoxicity through the gut-liver axis. Lipid peroxidation may be the initial step of lipid metabolism disorder induced by TiO₂ NPs. Most nanomaterials (NMs) have oxidation induction and antibacterial properties, so the toxic pathway revealed in the present study may be primary and universal.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12989-022-00484-9.

Different cellular mechanism of imidacloprid and acetamiprid by a combined targeted lipidomics and metabolomics approach in Neuro-2a cells

As commonly used neonicotinoid insecticides for pest control, imidacloprid (IMI) and acetamiprid (ACE) posed neurotoxicity effects on living organisms. However, researches of the differences in toxicity mechanism between these two neonicotinoid insecticides are still limited. In this study, different cellular metabolism perturbations and redox homeostasis damages induced by IMI and ACE exposure in Neuro-2a cells were investigated. Distinct elevation of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity and caspase 7 level demonstrated the influences on necrosis and apoptosis. There were 21 and 12 metabolites screened out as potential biomarkers after IMI and ACE exposure, including lipids and amino acids. Remarkable decrease of lipid hydroperoxides (LOOH) and increase of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation were found only in the ACE20 group. Interference with glutathione metabolism pathway was further validated by detecting GPx (glutathion peroxidase), GSH (reduced glutathione) and GSSG (oxidized glutathione) levels. Taken together, the metabolic interferences and oxidative damages in ACE20 group were significantly different from the other three exposure groups. These results help to explore the toxicity mechanism of neonicotinoid insecticides from multiple perspectives. This study provides scientific basis for evaluating toxicity of different neonicotinoid insecticides.

Metabolomics and lipidomics to identify biomarkers of effect related to exposure to non-dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls in pigs

Recent epidemiological studies show that current levels of exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) remain of great concern, as there is still a link between such exposures and the development of chronic environmental diseases. In this sense, most studies have focused on the health effects caused by exposure to dioxin-like PCBs (DL-PCBs), although chemical exposure to non-dioxin-like PCB (NDL-PCB) congeners is more significant. In addition, adverse effects of PCBs have been documented in humans after accidental and massive exposure, but little is known about the effect of chronic exposure to low-dose PCB mixtures. In this work, exposure to Aroclor 1260 (i.e. a commercially available mixture of PCBs consisting primarily of NDL-PCB congeners) in pigs is investigated as new evidence in the risk assessment of NDL-PCBs. This animal model has been selected due to the similarities with human metabolism and to support previous toxicological studies carried out with more frequently used animal models. Dietary exposure doses in the order of few ng/kg body weight (b.w.) per day were applied. As expected, exposure to Aroclor 1260 led to the bioaccumulation of NDL-PCBs in perirenal fat of pigs. Metabolomics and lipidomics have been applied to reveal biomarkers of effect related to Aroclor 1260 exposure, and by extension to NDL-PCB exposure, for 21 days. In the metabolomics analysis, 33 metabolites have been identified (level 1 and 2) as significantly altered by the Aroclor 1260 administration, while in the lipidomics analysis, 39 metabolites were putatively annotated (level 3) and associated with NDL-PCB exposure. These biomarkers are mainly related to the alteration of fatty acid metabolism, glycerophospholipid metabolism and tryptophan-kynurenine pathway.

Effects of Nongxiangxing baijiu (Chinese liquor) on mild alcoholic liver injury revealed by non-target metabolomics using ultra-performance liquid chromatography quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry

Nongxiangxing baijiu (Chinese liquor) is one of the most widely consumed beverages in China. This liquor has been shown to contain large quantities of various bioactive ingredients that are beneficial to health. The goals of the present study were to examine the effects of moderate dose Nongxiangxing baijiu on alcoholic liver injury in rats, and to explore the mechanism of action of Nongxiangxing baijiu on alcoholic liver injury. To accomplish these goals, we developed a metabolomic analysis method based on ultra-performance liquid chromatography quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF/MS) analysis and multivariate statistical analysis. Our serum lipid and hepatic histopathology results demonstrate that ethanol administration induced mild alcoholic liver injury in rats. However, these ethanol-induced changes were significantly alleviated in the Nongxiangxing baijiu group. These results suggest that moderate dose Nongxiangxing baijiu might have a preventive effect on mild alcoholic liver injury. Using our metabolomics method, we were able to identify 45 differential metabolites in serum and urine which could be used to characterize mild alcoholic liver injury in rats. Of these, 15 differential metabolites, including four Lysophosphatidylethanolamines, two phosphatidylcholines, four long-chain fatty acids, one porphyrin, two esters, one ceramide, and one triol, were regulated by Nongxiangxing baijiu. KEGG metabolic pathway analysis revealed that the main metabolic pathway regulated by Nongxiangxing baijiu was the glycerolipid pathway. Together, these findings provide evidence that moderate dose Nongxiangxing baijiu can reduce mild alcoholic liver injury (including metabolic disorders). Our study also provides preliminary data on the mechanism of action of Nongxiangxing baijiu in liver injury.

Lactiplantibacillus plantarum-12 Alleviates Inflammation and Colon Cancer Symptoms in AOM/DSS-Treated Mice through Modulating the Intestinal Microbiome and Metabolome

In our previous research, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum-12 alleviated inflammation in dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced mice by regulating intestinal microbiota and preventing colon shortening (p < 0.05). The purpose of the present study was to evaluate whether L. plantarum-12 could ameliorate the colon cancer symptoms of azoxymethane (AOM)/DSS-treated C57BL/6 mice. The results showed that L. plantarum-12 alleviated colonic shortening (from 7.43 ± 0.15 to 8.23 ± 0.25) and weight loss (from 25.92 ± 0.21 to 27.75 ± 0.88) in AOM/DSS-treated mice. L. plantarum-12 oral administration down-regulated pro-inflammatory factors TNF-α (from 350.41 ± 15.80 to 247.72 ± 21.91), IL-8 (from 322.19 ± 11.83 to 226.08 ± 22.06), and IL-1β (111.43 ± 8.14 to 56.90 ± 2.70) levels and up-regulated anti-inflammatory factor IL-10 (from 126.08 ± 24.92 to 275.89 ± 21.87) level of AOM/DSS-treated mice. L. plantarum-12 oral administration restored the intestinal microbiota dysbiosis of the AOM/DSS treated mice by up-regulating beneficial Muribaculaceae, Lactobacillaceae, and Bifidobacteriaceae levels and down-regulating pathogenic Proteobacteria, Desulfovibrionaceae, and Erysipelotrichaceae levels. As a result, the fecal metabolites of the AOM/DSS-treated mice were altered, including xanthosine, uridine, 3,4-methylenesebacic acid, 3-hydroxytetradecanedioic acid, 4-hydroxyhexanoylglycine, beta-leucine, and glycitein, by L. plantarum-12 oral administration. Furthermore, L. plantarum-12 oral administration significantly ameliorated the colon injury of the AOM/DSS-treated mice by enhancing colonic tight junction protein level and promoting tumor cells death via down-regulating PCNA (proliferating cell nuclear antigen) and up-regulating pro-apoptotic Bax. (p < 0.05). Taken together, L. plantarum-12 oral administration could ameliorate the colon cancer burden and inflammation of AOM-DSS-treated C57BL/6 mice through regulating the intestinal microbiota, manipulating fecal metabolites, enhancing colon barrier function, and inhibiting NF-κB signaling. These results suggest that L. plantarum-12 might be an excellent probiotic candidate for the prevention of colon cancer.

Transcriptomic and metabolic responses of earthworms to contaminated soil with polypropylene and polyethylene microplastics at environmentally relevant concentrations

Examining transcriptomic and metabolic responses of earthworms to microplastic-contaminated soil is critical for understanding molecular-level toxicity of microplastics; yet very little research on this topic exists. We investigated influences of environmentally relevant concentrations (ERC) of polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE) microplastic-contaminated soil on earthworms at the transcriptomic, metabolic, tissue and whole-body levels to study their molecular toxicity. The addition of PP and PE at ERC induced oxidative stress on earthworms, as indicated by the high enrichment of glutathione metabolism and increased glutamine at the transcriptomic and metabolic levels. Digestive and immune systems of earthworms were damaged according to the injuries of the intestinal epithelium, partial shedding of chloragogenous tissues and unclear structure of coelom tissues, which were confirmed by pathway analysis at the transcriptomic level. Significant enrichment of arachidonic acid and glycerolipid metabolisms indicated that PP and PE disturbed the lipid metabolism in earthworms. Significantly increased betaine and myo-inositol, and decreased 2-hexyl-5-ethyl-3-furansulfonate suggested that PP and PE caused differences in osmoregulation extent. In conclusion, most similar responses of earthworm might result from special size rather than type effects of PP and PE microplastics. Contamination of soils with microplastics even at ERC has health risks to earthworms; therefore, proper management of microplastics to reduce their input to the environment is key to reducing the health risks to soil fauna.

[Lipid metabolomic analysis in exosomes of osteonecrosis of the femoral head based on ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry]

Osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) can lead to its collapse which requires total hip arthroplasty. Exosomes, which are important for intercellular communication are involved in a series of physiological and pathological processes, and therefore play a unique role in disease diagnosis and treatment. In this study, untargeted metabolomics was used to investigate the metabolic characteristics of lipids in exosomes of femoral head tissue with osteonecrosis and to explain the metabolic changes that occur in the body during this disease. Ultracentrifugation was used to separate and enrich exosomes from femoral head tissue with osteonecrosis. Exosomes were identified using dynamic light scattering (DLS), Western blotting, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Gradient elution was performed with ultrapure water and acetonitrile as mobile phases using a Kinetex XB-C18 column (100 mm×2.1 mm, 2.6 μm). The column oven temperature, flow rate of the mobile phase, and duration were 30 ℃, 300 μL/min, and 15 min, respectively. A triple TOF 4600 high resolution mass spectrometry system was used, and the mass scan range of m/z was set at 100 -1000. Other conditions were as follows: sheath gas, 380 kPa; auxiliary gas, 380 kPa; curtain gas, 170 kPa; and atomization temperature, 600 ℃. Ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) combined with multivariate statistical analysis was used to identify the lipid metabolic profile of ONFH-derived exosomes. The exosome metabolites were characterized in detail, which enables their identification and provided a reliable method for quality evaluation. After transforming the obtained original data using MarkView software, peak identification, peak alignment, subtraction of solvent peak, impurity peak, noise filtering, and other treatments, a three-dimensional matrix was obtained from the exported data table. Principal component analysis (PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares discrimination analysis (OPLS-DA) in the SIMCA-P14.1 software were used for multivariate statistical analysis of differentially expressed exosome lipid metabolites. This strategy was validated using lipid metabolites from patients with ONFH and healthy controls. The correlation distribution was shown according to the point dispersion of the PCA score plot, and lipid metabolites from the same disease showed ideal clustering. This result indicates a small difference between the groups. A good clustering effect is also obtained using OPLS-DA, and the statistical model has high reliability. A total of 18 significantly altered lipid metabolites were detected in the exosomes, including acrylolipids, fatty acid esters, glycerides, and their derivatives. The pathway analysis was conducted with MetaboAnalyst (https://www.metaboanalyst.ca/) via database source including the HMDB (http://www.hmdb.ca/) and MMCD (http://mmcd.nmrfam.wisc.edu/) for confirming the impacted metabolic pathways and visualization. Metabolic pathway analysis showed that glycerophospholipid and sphingolipid metabolism were the most significantly altered in exosomes. An imbalance between sphingolipids and glycerophospholipids leads to lipotoxic damage, which is implicated in the pathophysiology of common metabolic diseases. Furthermore, glycerophospholipids are correlated with cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis, and the change in glycerophospholipid ratio can reflect the disturbance in lipid metabolism. The metabolic changes in exosomes may reflect the metabolic changes in ONFH. In this study, lipid metabolomics analysis based on UPLC-MS/MS was used to determine metabolic differences between exosomes extracted from ONFN and femoral neck fracture (FNF). Metabolomic analysis of necrotic femoral head tissue-derived exosomes can help explore the most relevant pathways for assessing the changes in exosome metabolism that affect exosome metabolism in necrotic bone tissue.

Lipidomic analysis of single and combined effects of polyethylene microplastics and polychlorinated biphenyls on human hepatoma cells

Microplastics are an emerging environmental issue as a result of their ubiquity, persistence, and intrinsic toxic potential. In addition, their ability to sorb and transport a wide variety of environmental pollutants (i.e. "Trojan Horse" effect) exerts significant adverse impacts upon ecosystems. The toxicological evaluation of the single and combined effects produced by polyethylene microplastics and two polychlorinated biphenyl congeners was performed on the human hepatoma cell line HepG2 by cell viability assessment and an untargeted lipidomic study. The cell lethality evaluation evinced that MPs did not induce relevant cell lethality at any of the concentration range tested, while both PCBs presented a hormetic behavior. The lipidomic analysis suggested that both single PCB exposures induced significant lipidomic changes, especially for glycerophospholipids and glycerolipids. In contrast, for MPs single exposure, the most remarkable change was the substantial enhancement of triglyceride content. Regarding combined exposures, results showed that MPs could induce even more harmful effects than those produced intrinsically as a result of desorbing previously sorbed toxic pollutants. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study assessing the toxicity of microplastics and their possible "Trojan Horse" effect by applying an untargeted lipidomic methodology.

Internal extractive electrospray ionization mass spectrometry for investigating the phospholipid dysregulation induced by perfluorooctanoic acid in Nile tilapia

Direct profiling of endogenous biomolecules in tissue samples is considered to be a promising approach to investigate metabolic-related toxicity in organisms induced by emerging pollutants.

Metabolomic Study of Zuojin Pill in Relieving 1-Methyl-3-nitro-1-nitrosoguanidine-Induced Chronic Atrophic Gastritis

The classic prescription Zuojin Pill (ZJP) shows a good therapeutic effect on chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG); it is of great significance to clarify its specific mechanism. Therefore, we explore the mechanism of ZJP on MNNG-induced CAG by integrating approaches. First of all, through the pathological changes of gastric tissue and the expression level of PGI and PGI/II in serum, the expression of inflammation-related factors was determined by RT-PCR to determine the efficacy. Then, UPLC-Q-TOF/MS was used for plasma and urine metabolomic analysis to screen the specific potential biomarkers and metabolic pathway of ZJP in ameliorating CAG and to explore its possible mechanism. ZJP significantly ameliorate the pathological injury of gastric tissue, increase levels of PGI and PGI/II, and reduce the expression level of proinflammatory factors. Through metabolomic analysis, 9 potential metabolic differences were identified and 6 related metabolic pathways were enriched. These findings indicate for the first time the potential mechanism of ZJP in improving CAG induced by MNNG and are of great significance to the clinical development and application of ZJP-related drugs.

Danggui-Yimucao Herb Pair Can Protect Mice From the Immune Imbalance Caused by Medical Abortion and Stabilize the Level of Serum Metabolites

Unintended pregnancy is a situation that every woman may encounter, and medical abortion is the first choice for women, but abortion often brings many sequelae. Angelica sinensis Radix (Danggui) and Leonuri Herba (Yimucao) are widely used in the treatment of gynecological diseases, which can regulate menstrual disorders, amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, and promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis, but the mechanism for the treatment of abortion is not clear. We determined the ability of Danggui and Yimucao herb pair (DY) to regulate the Th1/Th2 paradigm by detecting the level of progesterone in the serum and the expression of T-bet and GATA-3 in the spleen and uterus. Then, we detected the level of metabolites in the serum and enriched multiple metabolic pathways. The arachidonic acid pathway can directly regulate the differentiation of Th1/Th2 cells. This may be one of the potential mechanisms of DY in the treatment of abortion.

Integrated non-targeted lipidomics and metabolomics analyses for fluctuations of neonicotinoids imidacloprid and acetamiprid on Neuro-2a cells

Neonicotinoid insecticides are widely used for pest control. However, they are highly water-soluble and easily ingested by organisms, posing potential health risks. In this study, cytotoxicity evaluations of imidacloprid and acetamiprid were conducted in Neuro-2a cells by obtaining their half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀ values) (1152.1 and 936.5 μM, respectively). The toxic effects at the IC₁₀ and IC₂₀ on cell metabolism were determined by integrated non-targeted lipidomics and metabolomics analyses. Changes in the concentration of acetamiprid caused the most drastic perturbations of metabolism in Neuro-2a cells. Altogether, the detected lipids were mainly attributed to triglyceride, phosphatidylcholine (PC), and diglyceride. These three categories of lipids accounted for more than 67% of the sum in Neuro-2a cells. A total of 14 lipids and other 40 metabolites were screened as differential metabolites based on multivariate data analysis, and PCs were most frequently observed with a proportion of 25.9%. The results demonstrated that lipid metabolism should be paid considerable attention after imidacloprid and acetamiprid exposure. Pathway analysis showed that the metabolisms of glycerophospholipid, sphingolipid, and glutathione were the dominant pathways that were interfered. The present study is the first to investigate the cellular toxic mechanisms after separate imidacloprid and acetamiprid exposure by using lipidomics and metabolomics simultaneously. This research also provides novel insights into the evaluation of the ecological risk of imidacloprid and acetamiprid and contribute to the study of toxicity mechanism of these neonicotinoid insecticides to animals and humans in the future.

Metabolomics Reveals the Mechanisms for the Pulmonary Toxicity of Siegesbeckia orientalis L. and the Toxicity-Reducing Effect of Processing

Siegesbeckia orientalis L. (SO) is a commonly used Chinese medicinal herb. It has long been used as a remedy in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for symptoms that resemble inflammatory joint disorders. However, it is slightly toxic. According to the TCM theory, processing can reduce the toxicity of the herbs. Here, we performed metabolomics to determine whether processing with rice wine reduces the toxicity of raw SO, and to explore the mechanisms underlying the raw SO–induced toxicity and the toxicity-reducing effect of processing. Our results showed that raw SO has long-term toxicity in rats. It significantly elevated the serum level of LDH and caused histopathological damages in the lung tissues. It is worth noting that the LDH level in the PSO group was lower than that in the raw SO group, and the damages in lung tissues were relatively mild in PSO-treated rats, suggesting that processing reduces the pulmonary toxicity of the raw. Moreover, a total of 32 significantly changed metabolites were identified. Based on the MetaboAnalyst pathway analysis, we found that two characteristic metabolic pathways including alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism and glycerophospholipid metabolism were only changed in the raw SO group, while histidine metabolism was only changed in the PSO group, which suggests that induction of oxidative stress contributes to raw SO–induced pulmonary toxicity, and free radical scavenging might be responsible for the toxicity-reducing effect of processing. Our data shed new light on how raw SO induces pulmonary toxicity and how the toxicity can be reduced by processing. This study not only provides scientific justifications for the traditional processing theory of SO, but also helps to optimize the processing protocol and the clinical drug combination of SO.

Toxic effects of fipronil and its metabolites on PC12 cell metabolism

Fipronil and its metabolites (fipronil sulfone, fipronil sulfide and fipronil desulfinyl) adversely affect the environment and human health. Targeted metabolomics and lipidomics based on ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) was used to analyse the alterations of glycerophospholipids and amino acids after exposure to fipronil and its metabolites at dosages of 0.5, 12.5 and 50 μM for 72 h and to evaluate their different toxic effects. Results showed that fipronil sulfone and fipronil desulfinyl are more toxic than their parent compound, with fipronil desulfinyl as the most toxic and fipronil sulfide as the least toxic. Fipronil and its metabolites affected the metabolism of PC18:1/16:0, PI18:0/20:4, arginine, leucine and tyrosine and the "phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan biosynthesis" pathway, indicating their possible inducing role in cellular macromolecule damage, nerve signal transmission disturbance and energy metabolism disruption caused by oxidative stress. Importantly, fipronil sulfone and fipronil desulfinyl more strongly influenced lipid and amino acid metabolism, mainly reflected in the number of changed glycerophospholipids and differential metabolites associated with oxidative stress, including PS18:0/20:4, glutamate, phenylalanine and histidine for fipronil sulfone and PS18:0/20:4, glutamate, phenylalanine, serine and aspartic acid for fipronil desulfinyl. Therefore, the higher toxicity of fipronil desulfinyl and fipronil sulfone may be also related to oxidative stress. This study provides implications for risk assessment and toxic mechanism research on fipronil and its metabolites.

Lactobacillus plantarum Y44 alleviates oxidative stress by regulating gut microbiota and colonic barrier function in Balb/C mice with subcutaneous d-galactose injection

Probiotics have been proved to ameliorate the symptoms of the host induced by oxidative stress. In this study, the protective effects of Lactobacillus plantarum Y44 on Balb/C mice injured by d-galactose (d-gal)-injection were examined. Six weeks of continuous subcutaneous d-gal injection caused liver and colon injury of the Balb/C mice. L. plantarum Y44 administration significantly reversed the injury by modulating hepatic protein expressions related to the Nrf-2/Keap-1 pathway, and enhancing expressions of colonic tight junction proteins. L. plantarum Y44 administration restored the d-gal injection-induced gut microbiota imbalance by manipulating the ratio of Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes (F/B) and Proteobacteria relative abundance at the phylum level, and manipulating relative abundances of Lactobacillaceae, Muribaculaceae, Ruminococcaceae, Desulfovibrionaceae, and Prevotellaceae at the family level. Moreover, the d-gal injection-induced glycerophospholipid metabolism disorder was ameliorated, evidenced by the decline of phosphatidyl ethanolamine (PE), phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidyl serine (PS), and lysophosphatidyl choline (LysoPC) levels in the serum of the mice after the L. plantarum Y44 administration. Spearman correlation analysis revealed a significant correlation between changes in gut microbiota composition, glycerophospholipid levels, and oxidative stress-related indicators. In summary, L. plantarum Y44 administration ameliorated d-gal injection-induced oxidative stress in Balb/C mice by manipulating gut microbiota and intestinal barrier function, and further influenced the glycerophospholipid metabolism and hepatic Nrf-2/Keap-1 pathway-related protein expressions.

Metabolic Signatures of the Exposome-Quantifying the Impact of Exposure to Environmental Chemicals on Human Health

Human health and well-being are intricately linked to environmental quality. Environmental exposures can have lifelong consequences. In particular, exposures during the vulnerable fetal or early development period can affect structure, physiology and metabolism, causing potential adverse, often permanent, health effects at any point in life. External exposures, such as the “chemical exposome” (exposures to environmental chemicals), affect the host’s metabolism and immune system, which, in turn, mediate the risk of various diseases. Linking such exposures to adverse outcomes, via intermediate phenotypes such as the metabolome, is one of the central themes of exposome research. Much progress has been made in this line of research, including addressing some key challenges such as analytical coverage of the exposome and metabolome, as well as the integration of heterogeneous, multi-omics data. There is strong evidence that chemical exposures have a marked impact on the metabolome, associating with specific disease risks. Herein, we review recent progress in the field of exposome research as related to human health as well as selected metabolic and autoimmune diseases, with specific emphasis on the impacts of chemical exposures on the host metabolome.

Advances in lipidomics

The present article examines recently published literature on lipids, mainly focusing on research involving glycero-, glycerophospho- and sphingo-lipids. The primary aim is identification of distinct profiles in biologic lipidomic systems by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) coupled with mass spectrometry (MS, tandem MS) with multivariate data analysis. This review specifically targets lipid biomarkers and disease pathway mechanisms in humans and artificial targets. Different specimen matrices such as primary blood derivatives (plasma, serum, erythrocytes, and blood platelets), faecal matter, urine, as well as biologic tissues (liver, lung and kidney) are highlighted.

Pulsatilla chinensis saponins cause liver injury through interfering ceramide/sphingomyelin balance that promotes lipid metabolism dysregulation and apoptosis

BACKGROUND

P. chinensis saponins (PRS) are pentacyclic triterpenoid bioactive constituents from Pulsatilla chinensis (Bunge) Regel. In our previous study, PRS caused chronic liver injury (CLI) with the significant changes of lipid metabolites including sphingomyelin (SM) in serum after long-term administration. The SM in the hepatocytes membrane plays an indispensable role in maintaining cell membrane stability and regulating the extracellular and intracellular signal transduction. However, it is still unknown the pathway related to SM and the mechanism of CLI on hepatocyte.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to explore the hepatotoxicity mechanism of PRS in vivo and in vitro, to reveal the action of mechanism of SM and the pathway related to liver injury.

METHODS

SD rats were orally administered with PRS for 240 days and liver injury was evaluated by histological examinations. Metabolomics analysis was used to explore the liver metabolic pathway affected by PRS, and the expressions of related proteins were evaluated by western blots. To discover and elucidate the underlying mechanisms of metabolites changes induced by PRS at the cellular level, cellular morphology, MTT assays, western blots and cell membrane potential measurements were carried out using LO2 cells. Furthermore, the roles of SM and cholesterol (Chol) in hepatocyte injury were investigated individually in overload Chol and SM groups. Sphingolipid metabolic pathway related with ceramide/sphingomyelin (Cer/SM) balance was explored using cellular lipidomics and RT-PCR.

RESULTS

PRS gradually damaged the rat's liver in a time-dependent manner. The analysis of liver metabolism profiles showed that lipids metabolites were changed, including sphingolipid, bile acid, linoleic acid and fatty acid. We found that PRS induced apoptosis by interfering with bile acid-mediated sphingolipid metabolic pathway and Cer/SM balance in CLI. In in vitro experiments, PRS led to the increase of LDH leakage, depolarized cell membrane potential and caused cell membrane toxicity. Furthermore, PRS inducedG0/G1 phase cell cycle arrest in LO2 cells, simultaneously activated cellular extrinsic and intrinsic apoptosis pathways. PRS acted on SM and interfered with Cer/SM balance, which promote lipid metabolism dysregulation and apoptosis.

CONCLUSION

PRS acted on SM to interfere Cer/SM balance on LO2 cell. Both in vivo and in vitro, PRS induced Cer/SM imbalance which promoted lipid metabolism disorder and apoptosis. Apoptosis and lipids changes gradually damaged the rats liver, and ultimately developed into CLI.

Exploring the Lipidome: Current Lipid Extraction Techniques for Mass Spectrometry Analysis

In recent years, high-throughput lipid profiling has contributed to understand the biological, physiological and pathological roles of lipids in living organisms. Across all kingdoms of life, important cell and systemic processes are mediated by lipids including compartmentalization, signaling and energy homeostasis. Despite important advances in liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry, sample extraction procedures remain a bottleneck in lipidomic studies, since the wide structural diversity of lipids imposes a constrain in the type and amount of lipids extracted. Differences in extraction yield across lipid classes can induce a bias on down-stream analysis and outcomes. This review aims to summarize current lipid extraction techniques used for untargeted and targeted studies based on mass spectrometry. Considerations, applications, and limitations of these techniques are discussed when used to extract lipids in complex biological matrices, such as tissues, biofluids, foods, and microorganisms.

Cytotoxicity of 2,2',3,5',6-Pentachlorobiphenyl (PCB95) and its metabolites in the chicken embryo liver cells of laying hens

2,2',3,5',6-Pentachlorobiphenyl (PCB95) is known as a persistent pollutant that was found in eggs in China. PCB 95 can be metabolized into OH-PCB95 and MeO-PCB95 in liver microsomes. However, the toxicity and its mechanism of PCB95 or its metabolites have been little studied on laying hens. Herein, chicken embryo liver cells of laying hens were selected and treated with different levels of PCB95 and its two metabolites, and the EC₅₀ of PCB95, OH-PCB95, MeO-PCB95 was 80.85, 4.81 and 107.04 μg/mL respectively, indicating that OH-PCB95 is much more cytotoxic than PCB95 or MeO-PCB95. Targeted metabolomics was further used to study the effects of the parent compound and its metabolites on cell metabolism. The results showed that four primary types of glycerophospholipids were down-regulated after exposure to PCB95 and its metabolites, especially PE and PS (60% more than the control for PCB95, 40% for OH-PCB95, and less than 40% for MeO-PCB95). KEGG pathway analysis based on amino acid metabolism showed that PCB95 may mainly interfere with the amino acids involved in immune regulation (phenylalanine and tyrosine), and OH-PCB95 may be associated with genetic disoders (cysteine, methionine and purine metabolism). However, the metabolic pathways induced by MeO-PCB95 are quite different from those induced by PCB95 and OH-PCB95, affecting mainly D-glutamine and D-glutamate metabolism, alanine and glutamate metabolism, and arginine and proline metabolism; these pathways mainly regulate the elimination of excess purines and are involved in the synthesis of the amino acids required by cells. These results showed that OH-PCB95 has the highest toxicity on chicken embryo liver cells and MeO-PCB95 could be a detoxification product of PCB95 and OH-PCB95. This study contributes to the understanding of the different effects of PCB95 and its metabolites on cellular metabolism, and the data are helpful in evaluating the hepatotoxic effects of these compounds.

Cell metabolomics to study the cytotoxicity of carbon black nanoparticles on A549 cells using UHPLC-Q/TOF-MS and multivariate data analysis

Carbon black nanoparticles (CBNPs) are core component of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in the atmosphere. It was reported that the particle in the atmosphere with smaller size and the larger the specific surface area are easier to reach the deep respiratory tract or even the alveoli through the respiratory barrier and cause lung injury. Therefore, it has been believed that ultrafine or nanometer particles with more toxic than those with larger particle sizes. Moreover, it was confirmed that CBNPs could induce inflammation, oxidative stress and changes in cell signaling and gene expression in mammalian cells and organs. However, the cytotoxicity mechanism of them has been uncertain so far. The aim of the present study was to explore the underlying mechanism of cytotoxicity induced by CBNPs on A549 cells. In the current research, the viabilities of A549 cells were detected by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. The further metabolomics studies were conducted to detect the cytotoxic effect of CBNPs on A549 cells with an IC50 value of 70 μg/mL for 48 h. Potential differential compounds were identified and quantified using a novel on-line acquisition method based on ultra-liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry(UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS). The cytotoxicity mechanism of CBNPs on A549 cells was evaluated by multivariate data analysis and statistics. As a result, a total of 32 differential compounds were identified between CBNPs exposure and control groups. In addition, pathway analysis showed the metabolic changes were involved in the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism, histidine metabolism and so on. It is also suggested that CBNPs may induce cytotoxicity by affecting the normal process of energy metabolism and disturbing several vital signaling pathways and finally induce cell apoptosis.