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D'Souza LC, Kuriakose N, Raghu SV, Kabekkodu SP, Sharma A. ROS-directed activation of Toll/NF-κB in the hematopoietic niche triggers benzene-induced emergency hematopoiesis. Free Radic Biol Med 2022; 193:190-201. [PMID: 36216301 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2022.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Revised: 09/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Hematopoietic stem cells/progenitor cells (HSC/HPCs) orchestrate the hematopoietic process, effectively regulated by the hematopoietic niche under normal and stressed conditions. The hematopoietic niche provides various soluble factors which influence the differentiation and self-renewal of HSC/HSPs. Unceasing differentiation/proliferation/high metabolic activity of HSC/HPCs makes them susceptible to damage by environmental toxicants like benzene. Oxidative stress, epigenetic modifications, and DNA damage in the HSC/HPCs are the key factors of benzene-induced hematopoietic injury. However, the role of the hematopoietic niche in benzene-induced hematopoietic injury/response is still void. Therefore, the current study aims to unravel the role of the hematopoietic niche in benzene-induced hematotoxicity using a genetically tractable model, Drosophila melanogaster. The lymph gland is a dedicated hematopoietic organ in Drosophila larvae. A group of 30-45 cells called the posterior signaling center (PSC) in the lymph gland acts as a niche that regulates Drosophila HSC/HPCs maintenance. Benzene exposure to Drosophila larvae (48 h) resulted in aberrant hemocyte production, especially hyper-differentiation of lamellocytes followed by premature lymph gland dispersal and reduced adult emergence upon developmental exposure. Subsequent genetic experiments revealed that benzene-induced lamellocyte production and premature lymph gland dispersal were PSC mediated. The genetic experiments further showed that benzene generates Dual oxidase (Duox)-dependent Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) in the PSC, activating Toll/NF-κB signaling, which is essential for the aberrant hemocyte production, lymph gland dispersal, and larval survival. Together, the study establishes a functional perspective of the hematopoietic niche in a benzene-induced hematopoietic emergency in a genetic model, Drosophila, which might be relevant to higher organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonard Clinton D'Souza
- Nitte (Deemed to be University), Nitte University Centre for Science Education and Research (NUCSER), Division of Environmental Health and Toxicology, Kotekar-Beeri Road, Deralakatte, Mangaluru, 575018, India
| | - Nithin Kuriakose
- Nitte (Deemed to be University), Nitte University Centre for Science Education and Research (NUCSER), Division of Environmental Health and Toxicology, Kotekar-Beeri Road, Deralakatte, Mangaluru, 575018, India; Nitte (Deemed to be University), Nitte University Centre for Science Education and Research (NUCSER), Division of Proteomics and Cancer Biology, Kotekar-Beeri Road, Deralakatte, Mangaluru, 575018, India
| | - Shamprasad Varija Raghu
- Neurogenetics Lab, Department of Applied Zoology, Mangalore University, Mangalagangothri, Konaje, Karnataka, 574199, India
| | - Shama Prasada Kabekkodu
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Manipal School of Life Science, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, 576104, India
| | - Anurag Sharma
- Nitte (Deemed to be University), Nitte University Centre for Science Education and Research (NUCSER), Division of Environmental Health and Toxicology, Kotekar-Beeri Road, Deralakatte, Mangaluru, 575018, India.
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Huang J, Pu Y, Xu K, Ding Q, Sun R, Yin L, Zhang J, Pu Y. High expression of HIF-1α alleviates benzene-induced hematopoietic toxicity and immunosuppression in mice. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 311:119928. [PMID: 35970343 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.119928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2022] [Revised: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Benzene exposure can cause pancytopenia and immunosuppression, leading to serious diseases such as aplastic anemia (AA) or acute myeloid leukemia (AML), but the underlying mechanism has not been fully elucidated. Hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) is an important transcription factor that regulates many downstream target genes. In this study, we reported a novel mechanism by which high expression of HIF-1α alleviated benzene toxicity. Mice with high expression of HIF-1α (HIF-1α+) were obtained by the Tet-on system and doxycycline induction, and they and wild-type (WT) mice were exposed to 150 mg/kg benzene for 0, 1, 3, 7, 10, 14, and 28 days. Dynamic changes in hematopoietic and immune-related indicators and the role of HIF-1α were explored. The level of white blood cells in mice reached the highest level on the third day, and immunity was activated and then suppressed within 10 days. Significant pancytopenia and immunosuppression occurred at 14 days and were more pronounced at 28 days. The levels of HIF-1α, EPO, VEGF, RORγt, and IL-17 in WT mice gradually decreased with increasing benzene exposure days, while the levels of Foxp3 and IL-10 increased. These changes were alleviated in HIF-1α+ mice. High expression of HIF-1α increased the levels of EPO and VEGF, which helped to maintain the stability of the hematopoietic microenvironment. Simultaneously, it attenuated benzene-induced immunosuppression by alleviating the Th17/Treg imbalance. HIF-1α is expected to be a new target for benzene-induced diseases such as AA and AML.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiawei Huang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Yunqiu Pu
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Kai Xu
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Qin Ding
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Rongli Sun
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Lihong Yin
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Juan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Yuepu Pu
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China.
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Ferroptosis is involved in the benzene-induced hematotoxicity in mice via iron metabolism, oxidative stress and NRF2 signaling pathway. Chem Biol Interact 2022; 362:110004. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cbi.2022.110004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Revised: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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Wang T, Zhang H, Wang K, Cao M, Zhang M, Sun R, Pu Y, Zhang J. The effects of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency on benzene-induced hematotoxicity in mice. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2021; 226:112803. [PMID: 34571417 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2021.112803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2021] [Revised: 09/05/2021] [Accepted: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency is the most common human enzyme deficiency. Our previous study revealed the level of G6PD changed in wild type (WT) mice after benzene exposure. In this study, the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) in regulation of benzene-induced hematotoxicity was investigated and other potential pathways were discovered in a G6PD deficiency mouse model. WT and G6PD mutation (G6PDmut) mice were exposed to benzene (diluted in corn oil) at doses of 0 and 160 mg/kg by subcutaneous injection for 5 days/week, 4 weeks. Peripheral blood samples and bone marrow cells (BMCs) were obtained and measured. The levels of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH),reduced glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were detected and comet assay was analyzed for DNA damage in BMCs. Finally, RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) of BMCs was performed. The results showed that white blood cells decreased significantly in G6PDmut mice compared with WT mice after benzene treatment. The ratio of hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells significantly decreased in G6PDmut mice exposed to benzene. The reduction of NADPH and GSH revealed the effect on PPP with G6PD deficiency, which then caused the increase of MDA and DNA damage. Finally, RNA-seq results suggested potential genes including SHROOM4, CAMK2B and REN1 played potential roles of G6PD deficiency on benzene-induced hematotoxicity. Renin-angiotensin system and cAMP signaling pathway were potentially involved in the process. Our study provides a better understanding for the effects of G6PD deficiency on benzene-induced hematotoxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tong Wang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education of China, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Hong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education of China, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Kun Wang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education of China, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Meng Cao
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education of China, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Mengying Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education of China, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Rongli Sun
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education of China, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Yuepu Pu
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education of China, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Juan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education of China, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China.
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Rothman N, Vermeulen R, Zhang L, Hu W, Yin S, Rappaport SM, Smith MT, Jones DP, Rahman M, Lan Q, Walker DI. Metabolome-wide association study of occupational exposure to benzene. Carcinogenesis 2021; 42:1326-1336. [PMID: 34606590 PMCID: PMC8598381 DOI: 10.1093/carcin/bgab089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Revised: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Benzene is a recognized hematotoxin and leukemogen; however, its mechanism of action in humans remain unclear. To provide insight into the processes underlying benzene hematotoxicity, we performed high-resolution metabolomic profiling of plasma collected from a cross-sectional study of 33 healthy workers exposed to benzene (median 8-h time-weighted average exposure; 20 ppma), and 25 unexposed controls in Shanghai, China. Metabolic features associated with benzene were identified using a metabolome-wide association study (MWAS) that tested for the relationship between feature intensity and benzene exposure. MWAS identified 478 mass spectral features associated with benzene exposure at false discovery rate < 20%. Comparison to a list of 13 known benzene metabolites and metabolites predicted using a multi-component biotransformation algorithm showed five metabolites were detected, which included the known metabolites phenol and benzene diolepoxide. Metabolic pathway enrichment identified 41 pathways associated with benzene exposure, with altered pathways including carnitine shuttle, fatty acid metabolism, sulfur amino acid metabolism, glycolysis, gluconeogenesis and branched chain amino acid metabolism. These results suggest disruption to fatty acid uptake, energy metabolism and increased oxidative stress, and point towards pathways related to mitochondrial dysfunction, which has previously been linked to benzene exposure in animal models and human studies. Taken together, these results suggest benzene exposure is associated with disruption of mitochondrial pathways, and provide promising, systems biology biomarkers for risk assessment of benzene-induced hematotoxicity in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathaniel Rothman
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, NIH, DHHS, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Roel Vermeulen
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Luoping Zhang
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Wei Hu
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, NIH, DHHS, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Songnian Yin
- Institute of Occupational Health and Poison Control, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Stephen M Rappaport
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Martyn T Smith
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Dean P Jones
- Clinical Biomarkers Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Mohammad Rahman
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, NIH, DHHS, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Qing Lan
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, NIH, DHHS, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Douglas I Walker
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
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Huang J, Xu K, Yu L, Pu Y, Wang T, Sun R, Liang G, Yin L, Zhang J, Pu Y. Immunosuppression characterized by increased Treg cell and IL-10 levels in benzene-induced hematopoietic toxicity mouse model. Toxicology 2021; 464:152990. [PMID: 34673135 DOI: 10.1016/j.tox.2021.152990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2021] [Revised: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Benzene is a typical hematopoietic toxic substance, that can cause serious blood and circulatory system diseases such as aplastic anemia, myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myeloid leukemia, but the immunological mechanism by which this occurs is not clear. T helper cells play a key role in regulating the immune balance in the body. In this study, benzene-induced hematopoietic toxicity BALB/c mice model was established, and changes in immune organs and T helper cell subsets (Th1, Th2, Th17 and Treg cells) were explored. At 28 days after subcutaneous injection of 150 mg/kg benzene, mice showed pancytopenia and obvious pathological damage to the bone marrow, spleen, and thymus. Flow cytometry revealed that the number of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Treg cells in the spleen increased significantly. The level of IL-10 in the spleen, serum, and bone marrow increased, while the levels of IL-17 in the spleen and serum decreased. Furthermore, the levels of CD4 and CD8 proteins in the spleen decreased. Immunofluorescence results showed that levels of Foxp3, a specific transcription factor that induced the differentiation of Treg cells, increased after exposure to benzene. Our results demonstrate that immunosuppression occurred in the benzene-induced hematopoietic toxicity model mice, and Treg cells and secreted IL-10 may play a key role in the process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiawei Huang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Kai Xu
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Linling Yu
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Yunqiu Pu
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Tong Wang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Rongli Sun
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Geyu Liang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Lihong Yin
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Juan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Yuepu Pu
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China.
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Yu L, Sun R, Xu K, Pu Y, Huang J, Liu M, Chen M, Zhang J, Yin L, Pu Y. Lipidomic analysis reveals disturbances in glycerophospholipid and sphingolipid metabolic pathways in benzene-exposed mice. Toxicol Res (Camb) 2021; 10:706-718. [PMID: 34484662 DOI: 10.1093/toxres/tfab053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Revised: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Benzene, a known occupational and environmental contaminant, has been recognized as the hematotoxin and human carcinogen. Lipids have a variety of important physiological functions and the abnormal lipid metabolism has been reported to be closely related to the occurrence and development of many diseases. In the present study, we aim to utilize LC-MS/MS lipidomic platform to identify novel biomarkers and provide scientific clues for mechanism study of benzene hematotoxicity. Results showed that a total of 294 differential metabolites were obtained from the comparison of benzene-treated group and control group. The glycerophospholipid pathway was altered involving the down-regulation of the levels of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylserine. In addition, phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and 1-Acyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine levels were increased in benzene-treated group. Based on the relationship between PE and autophagy, we then found that effective biomarker of autophagy, Beclin1 and LC3B, were increased remarkably. Furthermore, following benzene treatment, significant decreases in glucosylceramide (GlcCer) and phytosphingosine (PHS) levels in sphingolipid pathway were observed. Simultaneously, the levels of proliferation marker (PCNA and Ki67) and apoptosis regulator (Bax and Caspase-3) showed clear increases in benzene-exposed group. Based on our results, we speculate that disturbances in glycerophospholipid pathway play an important role in the process of benzene-induced hematopoietic toxicity by affecting autophagy, while sphingolipid pathway may also serve as a vital role in benzene-caused toxicity by regulating proliferation and apoptosis. Our study provides basic study information for the future biomarker and mechanism research underlying the development of benzene-induced blood toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linling Yu
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu, China
| | - Rongli Sun
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu, China
| | - Kai Xu
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yunqiu Pu
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jiawei Huang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu, China
| | - Manman Liu
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu, China
| | - Minjian Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Institute of Toxicology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Juan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu, China
| | - Lihong Yin
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yuepu Pu
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu, China
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Epigenetic Effects of Benzene in Hematologic Neoplasms: The Altered Gene Expression. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13102392. [PMID: 34069279 PMCID: PMC8156840 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13102392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Revised: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Benzene is produced by diverse petroleum transformation processes and it is widely employed in industry despite its oncogenic effects. In fact, occupational exposure to benzene may cause hematopoietic malignancy. The leukemogenic action of benzene is particularly complex. Possible processes of onset of hematological malignancies have been recognized as a genotoxic action and the provocation of immunosuppression. However, benzene can induce modifications that do not involve alterations in the DNA sequence, the so-called epigenetics changes. Acquired epigenetic modification may also induce leukemogenesis, as benzene may alter nuclear receptors, and cause changes at the protein level, thereby modifying the function of regulatory proteins, including oncoproteins and tumor suppressor proteins. Abstract Benzene carcinogenic ability has been reported, and chronic exposure to benzene can be one of the risk elements for solid cancers and hematological neoplasms. Benzene is acknowledged as a myelotoxin, and it is able to augment the risk for the onset of acute myeloid leukemia, myelodysplastic syndromes, aplastic anemia, and lymphomas. Possible mechanisms of benzene initiation of hematological tumors have been identified, as a genotoxic effect, an action on oxidative stress and inflammation and the provocation of immunosuppression. However, it is becoming evident that genetic alterations and the other causes are insufficient to fully justify several phenomena that influence the onset of hematologic malignancies. Acquired epigenetic alterations may participate with benzene leukemogenesis, as benzene may affect nuclear receptors, and provoke post-translational alterations at the protein level, thereby touching the function of regulatory proteins, comprising oncoproteins and tumor suppressor proteins. DNA hypomethylation correlates with stimulation of oncogenes, while the hypermethylation of CpG islands in promoter regions of specific tumor suppressor genes inhibits their transcription and stimulates the onset of tumors. The discovery of the systems of epigenetic induction of benzene-caused hematological tumors has allowed the possibility to operate with pharmacological interventions able of stopping or overturning the negative effects of benzene.
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Sun R, Xu K, Ji S, Pu Y, Yu L, Yin L, Zhang J, Pu Y. Toxicity in hematopoietic stem cells from bone marrow and peripheral blood in mice after benzene exposure: Single-cell transcriptome sequencing analysis. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2021; 207:111490. [PMID: 33120278 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2020.111490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Revised: 10/10/2020] [Accepted: 10/10/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Benzene is a ubiquitous, occupational, and environmental hematotoxic and leukemogen. Damage to hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) induced by benzene and its metabolites is a key event in bone marrow (BM) depression and leukemogenesis. There are no reports on transcriptome profiles of HSCs following benzene exposure. Here, Smart-seq2 single-cell transcriptome sequencing was used to detect transcriptomic alternations in BM HSCs and peripheral blood HSCs (PBSCs) in male C57B/6 mice exposed to benzene. We found that benzene caused hematotoxicity which was confirmed by routine blood test, pathological examination, and HSCs percentage analysis. A total of 1514 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in BM HSCs and 1703 DEGs in PBSCs were screened after treatment with benzene. Weighted gene correlation network analysis revealed that pathways in cancer, transcriptional misregulation in cancer, and hematopoietic cell lineage are vital pathways involved in benzene-induced toxicity in BM HSCs, whereas hematopoietic cell lineage and leukocyte transendothelial migration are critical pathways in PBSCs. Of note, there were 164 common DEGs in both HSCs, out of which 53 genes were co-regulated in both types of HSCs. Subsequent pathway analysis of these 53 genes indicated that the most relevant pathways involved neutrophil degranulation and CD93 localized in the core of the network of the 53 genes, which are known to regulate leukemia stem cell self-renewal and quiescence. Our results could enhance our understanding of HSC responses to benzene, facilitate the identification of potential molecular biomarkers and future studies on its mechanism of toxicity toward HSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rongli Sun
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu, China
| | - Kai Xu
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu, China
| | - Shuangbin Ji
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yunqiu Pu
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu, China
| | - Linling Yu
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu, China
| | - Lihong Yin
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu, China
| | - Juan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Yuepu Pu
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu, China.
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Sun R, Man Z, Ji J, Ji S, Xu K, Pu Y, Yu L, Zhang J, Yin L, Pu Y. l-Carnitine protects against 1,4-benzoquinone-induced apoptosis and DNA damage by suppressing oxidative stress and promoting fatty acid oxidation in K562 cells. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY 2020; 35:1033-1042. [PMID: 32478940 DOI: 10.1002/tox.22939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2019] [Revised: 04/05/2020] [Accepted: 04/22/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Widespread occupational and environmental exposure to benzene is unavoidable and poses a public health threat. Studies of potential interventions to prevent or relieve benzene toxicity are, thus, essential. Research has shown l-carnitine (LC) has beneficial effects against various pathological processes and diseases. LC possesses antioxidant activities and participates in fatty acid oxidation (FAO). In this study, we investigated whether 1,4-benzoquinone (1,4-BQ) affects LC levels and the FAO pathway, as well as analyzed the influence of LC on the cytotoxic effects of 1,4-BQ. We found that 1,4-BQ significantly decreased LC levels and downregulated Cpt1a, Cpt2, Crat, Hadha, Acaa2, and Acadvl mRNA expression in K562 cells. Subsequent assays confirmed that 1,4-BQ decreased cell viability and increased apoptosis and caspase-3, -8, and -9 activities. It also induced obvious oxidative stress and DNA damage, including an increase in the levels of reactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde, tail DNA%, and olive tail moment. Additionally, the mitochondrial membrane potential was significantly reduced. Cotreatment with LC (500 μmol/L) relieved these alterations by reducing oxidative stress and increasing the protein expression levels of Cpt1a and Hadha, particularly in the 20 μmol/L 1,4-BQ group. Thus, our results demonstrate that 1,4-BQ causes cytotoxicity, reduces LC levels, and downregulates the FAO genes. In contrast, LC exhibits protective effects against 1,4-BQ-induced apoptosis and DNA damage by decreasing oxidative stress and promoting the FAO pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rongli Sun
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education of China, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Zhaodi Man
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education of China, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jiahui Ji
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education of China, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Shuangbin Ji
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education of China, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Kai Xu
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education of China, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yunqiu Pu
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education of China, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Linling Yu
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education of China, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Juan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education of China, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Lihong Yin
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education of China, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yuepu Pu
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education of China, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
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Sun R, Xu K, Ji S, Pu Y, Man Z, Ji J, Chen M, Yin L, Zhang J, Pu Y. Benzene exposure induces gut microbiota dysbiosis and metabolic disorder in mice. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 705:135879. [PMID: 31972927 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.135879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2019] [Revised: 10/17/2019] [Accepted: 11/30/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The gut microbiota comprises a multispecies microbial community and is essential for maintaining health. Benzene is a widespread environmental and occupational pollutant that mainly causes blood and bone marrow abnormalities. However, the effects of benzene on gut microbiota and metabolism have not yet been investigated. In this study, C57BL/6 mice were exposed to 0, 6, 30 and 150 mg/kg benzene by subcutaneous injection for 30 days. We observed that white blood cell levels significantly decreased in the three benzene exposure groups, while red blood cell and hemoglobin levels were only changed remarkably in 30 and 150 mg/kg benzene-treated mice. The results of 16S rRNA sequencing showed that benzene exposure altered the overall structure of the gut microbial communities. In addition, significant enrichments of Actinobacteria (p < .05) at the phylum level and Helicobacter at the genus level were observed in the cecal contents and feces of mice exposed to 150 mg/kg benzene. Moreover, there was a significant negative correlation between Actinobacteria abundance and basic blood indicators, including white blood cell, red blood cell, and hemoglobin levels. Furthermore, according to LC-MS analysis, a total of 42 cecal metabolites were significantly altered by 150 mg/kg benzene. Several metabolic pathways were significantly influenced by benzene exposure, including cysteine and methionine metabolism, porphyrin and chlorophyll metabolism, steroid biosynthesis, aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis, and arginine and proline metabolism. In summary, this study demonstrated that benzene exposure causes dysbiosis of the gut microbiota and metabolic disorder in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rongli Sun
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu, China
| | - Kai Xu
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu, China
| | - Shuangbin Ji
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yunqiu Pu
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zhaodi Man
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jiahui Ji
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu, China
| | - Minjian Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Institute of Toxicology, China; Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Lihong Yin
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu, China
| | - Juan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yuepu Pu
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu, China.
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PTP4A3, A Novel Target Gene of HIF-1alpha, Participates in Benzene-Induced Cell Proliferation Inhibition and Apoptosis through PI3K/AKT Pathway. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17030910. [PMID: 32024182 PMCID: PMC7037067 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17030910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2020] [Revised: 01/23/2020] [Accepted: 01/30/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Benzene, a commonly used chemical, has been confirmed to specifically affect the hematopoietic system as well as overall human health. PTP4A3 is overexpressed in leukemia cells and is related to cell proliferation. We previously found that HIF-1alpha was involved in benzene toxicity and PTP4A3 may be the target gene of HIF-1alpha via ChIP-seq. The aim of this study is to confirm the relationship between HIF-1alpha and PTP4A3 in benzene toxicity, as well as the function of PTP4A3 on cell toxicity induced by 1,4-benzoquinone (1,4-BQ). Our results indicate that HIF-1alpha could regulate PTP4A3 with in vivo and in vitro experiments. A cell line with suppressed PTP4A3 was established to investigate the function of PTP4A3 in 1,4-BQ toxicity in vitro. The results revealed that cell proliferation inhibition was more aggravated in PTP4A3 low-expression cells than in the control cells after 1,4-BQ treatment. The relative oxygen species (ROS) significantly increased in cells with inhibited PTP4A3, while the rise was inferior to the control cells at the 20 μM 1,4-BQ group. An increase in DNA damage was seen in PTP4A3 down-regulated cells at the 10 μM 1,4-BQ group, whereas the results reversed at the concentration of 20 μM. Moreover, the apoptosis rate increased higher in down-regulated PTP4A3 cells after 1,4-BQ exposure. In addition, PI3K/AKT pathway was significantly restrained in cells with inhibited PTP4A3 after 1,4-BQ treatment. Our results indicate that HIF-1alpha may regulate PTP4A3 to be involved in benzene toxicity. Inhibition of PTP4A3 could aggravate cell proliferation suppression and apoptosis by regulating PI3K/AKT pathway after 1,4-BQ treatment.
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Ji S, Sun R, Xu K, Man Z, Ji J, Pu Y, Yin L, Zhang J, Pu Y. Prodigiosin induces apoptosis and inhibits autophagy via the extracellular signal-regulated kinase pathway in K562 cells. Toxicol In Vitro 2019; 60:107-115. [PMID: 31077745 DOI: 10.1016/j.tiv.2019.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2018] [Revised: 04/16/2019] [Accepted: 05/05/2019] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Prodigiosin contains a tripyrrole skeleton and shows impressive anticancer potential in multiple cell lines. Numerous studies have been conducted on prodigiosin-induced apoptosis and the related mechanisms. However, few reports have considered the effects of prodigiosin on autophagy and the relationship between apoptosis and autophagy. Here, we examined whether prodigiosin affected apoptosis and autophagy through the extracellular signal-regulated (ERK) signaling pathway in K562 cells, employing cell proliferation, flow cytometry, caspase activity, and western blot analyses. Inhibition of the ERK signaling pathway with PD184352 was conducted to verify the role of this pathway on prodigiosin-mediated processes. Our findings revealed that prodigiosin inhibited the proliferation of K562 cells, increased reactive oxygen species (ROS), induced apoptosis and inhibited autophagy in K562 cells. Additionally, the ROS scavenger, N-Acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), partially prevented prodigiosin-induced apoptosis but did not reduce prodigiosin-inhibited autophagy in K562 cells. Furthermore, prodigiosin treatment in K562 cells reduced the phosphorylation of c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNKs) and P38, and activated ERK signaling pathway. When ERK1/2 phosphorylation was blocked by PD184352, prodigiosin-induced apoptosis and the inhibition of autophagy decreased significantly. Taken together, these results demonstrated that the ERK signaling pathway was involved in prodigiosin-induced apoptosis and prodigiosin-inhibited autophagy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuangbin Ji
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu, China
| | - Rongli Sun
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu, China
| | - Kai Xu
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zhaodi Man
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jiahui Ji
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yunqiu Pu
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu, China
| | - Lihong Yin
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu, China
| | - Juan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yuepu Pu
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu, China.
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Zhang C, Yu X, Gao J, Zhang Q, Sun S, Zhu H, Yang X, Yan H. PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy was activated against 1,4-Benzoquinone-induced apoptosis in HL-60 cells. Toxicol In Vitro 2018; 50:217-224. [PMID: 29567065 DOI: 10.1016/j.tiv.2018.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2017] [Revised: 01/31/2018] [Accepted: 03/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Hematotoxicity of benzene is derived mainly from its active metabolite, 1,4-Benzoquinone (1,4-BQ), which induces cell apoptosis and mitochondrial damage. Damaged mitochondria are degraded through a specialized autophagy pathway, called mitophagy, which is driven by PINK1/Parkin signaling. However, whether mitophagy is involved in 1,4-BQ-induced toxicity remains unclear. This study was designed to investigate whether PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy is activated in 1,4-BQ-treated HL-60 cells, and the roles mitophagy plays in 1,4-BQ-induced apoptosis. Our results demonstrated that 1,4-BQ induced autophagy in HL-60 cells, characterized by increased LC3-II/LC3-I ratio and Beclin1 expression, as well as decreased expression of p62. We confirmed the presence of mitophagosomes using electron microscopy, and found that 1,4-BQ-induced autophagy was blocked by pretreatment with the mitophagy inhibitor Cyclosporine A (CsA). In addition, we found that 1,4-BQ induced mitochondrial stress through decreased mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and increasedproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS). We also confirmed that 1,4-BQ-induced mitophagy was mediated by the PINK1/Parkin pathway, illustrated by increased expression of PINK1 and Parkin mRNA and protein. Finally, we examined 1,4-BQ-induced apoptosis with or without CsA, which demonstrated that apoptosis increased after mitophagy inhibition, suggesting that mitophagy has a protective effect in this context. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that the activated PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy exerts a significantly protective effect against 1,4-BQ-induced apoptosis in HL-60 cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunxiao Zhang
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health and Management, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, PR China
| | - Xiuyuan Yu
- Clinical Laboratory, Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Jimo City, Shandong Province 266200, PR China; Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health and Management, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, PR China
| | - Jiahao Gao
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health and Management, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, PR China
| | - Qianqian Zhang
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health and Management, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, PR China
| | - Shuqiang Sun
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health and Management, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, PR China
| | - Hua Zhu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, PR China
| | - Xinjun Yang
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health and Management, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, PR China
| | - Hongtao Yan
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health and Management, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, PR China.
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