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Kubickova B, Martinkova S, Bohaciakova D, Nezvedova M, Liu R, Brozman O, Spáčil Z, Hilscherova K. Effects of all-trans and 9-cis retinoic acid on differentiating human neural stem cells in vitro. Toxicology 2023; 487:153461. [PMID: 36805303 PMCID: PMC10019519 DOI: 10.1016/j.tox.2023.153461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
Cyanobacterial blooms are known sources of environmentally-occurring retinoid compounds, including all-trans and 9-cis retinoic acids (RAs). The developmental hazard for aquatic organisms has been described, while the implications for human health hazard assessment are not yet sufficiently characterized. Here, we employ a human neural stem cell model that can differentiate in vitro into a mixed culture of neurons and glia. Cells were exposed to non-cytotoxic 8-1000 nM all-trans or 9-cis RA for 9-18 days (DIV13 and DIV22, respectively). Impact on biomarkers was analyzed on gene expression (RT-qPCR) and protein level (western blot and proteomics) at both time points; network patterning (immunofluorescence) on DIV22. RA exposure significantly concentration-dependently increased gene expression of retinoic acid receptors and the metabolizing enzyme CYP26A1, confirming the chemical-specific response of the model. Expression of thyroid hormone signaling-related genes remained mostly unchanged. Markers of neural progenitors/stem cells (PAX6, SOX1, SOX2, NESTIN) were decreased with increasing RA concentrations, though a basal population remained. Neural markers (DCX, TUJ1, MAP2, NeuN, SYP) remained unchanged or were decreased at high concentrations (200-1000 nM). Conversely, (astro-)glial marker S100β was increased concentration-dependently on DIV22. Together, the biomarker analysis indicates an RA-dependent promotion of glial cell fates over neural differentiation, despite the increased abundance of neural protein biomarkers during differentiation. Interestingly, RA exposure induced substantial changes to the cell culture morphology: while low concentrations resulted in a network-like differentiation pattern, high concentrations (200-1000 nM RA) almost completely prevented such network patterning. After functional confirmation for implications in network function, such morphological features could present a proxy for network formation assessment, an apical key event in (neuro-)developmental Adverse Outcome Pathways. The described application of a human in vitro model for (developmental) neurotoxicity to emerging environmentally-relevant retinoids contributes to the evidence-base for the use of differentiating human in vitro models for human health hazard and risk assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Kubickova
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, Brno, Czech Republic.
| | - Sarka Martinkova
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, Brno, Czech Republic.
| | - Dasa Bohaciakova
- Masaryk University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Kamenice 3, 62500 Brno, Czech Republic.
| | - Marketa Nezvedova
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, Brno, Czech Republic.
| | - Runze Liu
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, Brno, Czech Republic.
| | - Ondrej Brozman
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, Brno, Czech Republic.
| | - Zdeněk Spáčil
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, Brno, Czech Republic.
| | - Klara Hilscherova
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, Brno, Czech Republic.
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Pípal M, Novák J, Rafajová A, Smutná M, Hilscherová K. Teratogenicity of retinoids detected in surface waters in zebrafish embryos and its predictability by in vitro assays. AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2022; 246:106151. [PMID: 35390581 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2022.106151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Revised: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Retinoids are newly detected compounds in aquatic ecosystems associated with cyanobacterial water blooms. Their potential health risks are only scarcely described despite numerous detections of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) and its derivatives in the environment. Besides the known teratogen ATRA there is only little or no information about their potency and namely their effects in vivo. We characterize ATRA and 8 other retinoids reported to occur in the environment for their bioactivity and teratogenicity using four in vitro reporter gene assays and zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryotoxicity assay. Our results document the ability of these compounds to interfere with retinoid signalling and cause teratogenicity at environmentally relevant levels with EC50 values at nM (hundreds of ng/L) levels and teratogenic indexes ranging from 2.8 (9cis retinoic acid) to 15.8 (retinal). The relative potency of individual compounds for teratogenicity ranged from 0.059 (retinal) to 0.96 (5,6-epoxy ATRA) when compared to ATRA. An environmentally relevant mixture of retinoids was tested showing good predictability of teratogenicity from the in vitro activities and additive toxicity of the mixture. The high teratogenicity of the newly described compounds associated with cyanobacteria presents a concern for developmental stages due to high conservation of the retinoid signalling across vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marek Pípal
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, Kamenice, Brno 62500 , Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Novák
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, Kamenice, Brno 62500 , Czech Republic
| | - Aneta Rafajová
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, Kamenice, Brno 62500 , Czech Republic
| | - Marie Smutná
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, Kamenice, Brno 62500 , Czech Republic
| | - Klára Hilscherová
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, Kamenice, Brno 62500 , Czech Republic.
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Review of Cyanotoxicity Studies Based on Cell Cultures. J Toxicol 2022; 2022:5647178. [PMID: 35509523 PMCID: PMC9061046 DOI: 10.1155/2022/5647178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2022] [Revised: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Cyanotoxins (CTs) are a large and diverse group of toxins produced by the peculiar photosynthetic prokaryotes of the domain Cyanoprokaryota. Toxin-producing aquatic cyanoprokaryotes can develop in mass, causing “water blooms” or “cyanoblooms,” which may lead to environmental disaster—water poisoning, extinction of aquatic life, and even to human death. CT studies on single cells and cells in culture are an important stage of toxicological studies with increasing impact for their further use for scientific and clinical purposes, and for policies of environmental protection. The higher cost of animal use and continuous resistance to the use of animals for scientific and toxicological studies lead to a progressive increase of cell lines use. This review aims to present (1) the important results of the effects of CT on human and animal cell lines, (2) the methods and concentrations used to obtain these results, (3) the studied cell lines and their tissues of origin, and (4) the intracellular targets of CT. CTs reviewed are presented in alphabetical order as follows: aeruginosins, anatoxins, BMAA (β-N-methylamino-L-alanine), cylindrospermopsins, depsipeptides, lipopolysaccharides, lyngbyatoxins, microcystins, nodularins, cyanobacterial retinoids, and saxitoxins. The presence of all these data in a review allows in one look to advance the research on CT using cell cultures by facilitating the selection of the most appropriate methods, conditions, and cell lines for future toxicological, pharmacological, and physiological studies.
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