Dibutyl phthalate disrupts conserved circadian rhythm in Drosophila and human cells

Microplastics emerge as a hotspot for dibutyl phthalate sources in rivers and oceans: Leaching behavior and potential risks

Dibutyl phthalate (DBP) as a plasticizer has been widely used in the processing of plastic products. Nevertheless, these DBP additives have the potential to be released into the environment throughout the entire life cycle of plastic products. Herein, the leaching behavior of DBP from PVC microplastics (MPs) in freshwater and seawater and its potential risks were investigated. The results show that the plasticizer content, UV irradiation, and hydrochemical conditions have a great influence on the leaching of DBP from the MPs. The release of DBP into the environment increases proportionally with higher concentrations of additive DBP in MPs, particularly when it exceeds 15 %. The surface of MPs undergoes accelerated oxidation and increased hydrophilicity under UV radiation, thereby facilitating the leaching of DBP. Through 30 continuous leaching experiments, the leaching of DBP from MPs in freshwater and seawater can reach up to 12.28 and 5.42 mg g-1, respectively, indicating that MPs are a continuous source of DBP pollution in the aquatic environment. Moreover, phthalate pollution index (PPI) indicates that MPs can significantly increase DBP pollution in marine environment through land and sea transport processes. Therefore, we advocate that the management of MPs waste containing DBP be prioritized in coastal sustainable development.

Decoding bee cleptoparasitism through comparative transcriptomics of Coelioxoides waltheriae and its host Tetrapedia diversipes

Cleptoparasitism, also known as brood parasitism, is a widespread strategy among bee species in which the parasite lays eggs into the nests of the host species. Even though this behavior has significant ecological implications for the dynamics of several species, little is known about the molecular pathways associated with cleptoparasitism. To shed some light on this issue, we used gene expression data to perform a comparative analysis between two solitary neotropical bees: Coelioxoides waltheriae, an obligate parasite, and their specific host Tetrapedia diversipes. We found that ortholog genes involved in signal transduction, sensory perception, learning, and memory formation were differentially expressed between the cleptoparasite and the host. We hypothesize that these genes and their associated molecular pathways are engaged in cleptoparasitism-related processes and, hence, are appealing subjects for further investigation into functional and evolutionary aspects of cleptoparasitism in bees.

Systematic analysis of circadian disrupting substances with a high-throughput zebrafish circadian behavior screening approach

Circadian rhythm aligns numerous biological functions in majority of animals. Aside from well-known external factors such as the light-dark cycle and temperature, circadian rhythm can also be regulated by rarely explored factors such as synthetic substances. Here, we established a circadian behavior screening approach utilizing zebrafish larvae model, which integrated high-throughput capabilities with automated batch processing. With this approach, we systematically analyzed the circadian disruptive effects of >60 synthetic substances commonly detected in aquatic environment by assessing both the circadian period length and amplitude of circadian behavior, with an exposure concentration set at 100 μg/L. Among tested substances, a series of circadian disrupting compounds (circadian disruptors) were identified. Several categories of the hit compounds can be recognized, such as phthalate (diisopentyl phthalate (DIPP), with 10.1 % and 49.6 % increases for circadian period length and amplitude, respectively), neuroactive substance (mirtazapine, with 10.6 % and 63.1 % increases, respectively), and biocides (thiamethoxam, with 100.3 % increase for amplitude). Among these compounds, DIPP increased circadian period length and amplitude with a high degree. Aside from DIPP, we further examined eleven other phthalates and demonstrated that benzyl butyl phthalate, diisobutyl phthalate and diisohexyl phthalate could also significantly increase the zebrafish circadian period length by 7.9 %, 3.7 % and 8.5 %, respectively. Collectively, the present findings substantiated the feasibility of this high throughput screening strategy for circadian disruptor's discovery and provided novel insights into understanding of the potential risks of synthetic substances.

A novel method for identifying key genes in macroevolution based on deep learning with attention mechanism

Macroevolution can be regarded as the result of evolutionary changes of synergistically acting genes. Unfortunately, the importance of these genes in macroevolution is difficult to assess and hence the identification of macroevolutionary key genes is a major challenge in evolutionary biology. In this study, we designed various word embedding libraries of natural language processing (NLP) considering the multiple mechanisms of evolutionary genomics. A novel method (IKGM) based on three types of attention mechanisms (domain attention, kmer attention and fused attention) were proposed to calculate the weights of different genes in macroevolution. Taking 34 species of diurnal butterflies and nocturnal moths in Lepidoptera as an example, we identified a few of key genes with high weights, which annotated to the functions of circadian rhythms, sensory organs, as well as behavioral habits etc. This study not only provides a novel method to identify the key genes of macroevolution at the genomic level, but also helps us to understand the microevolution mechanisms of diurnal butterflies and nocturnal moths in Lepidoptera.

Transcriptome and Metabolome Analyses Reveal Perfluorooctanoic Acid-Induced Kidney Injury by Interfering with PPAR Signaling Pathway

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is widely used in aviation science and technology, transportation, electronics, kitchenware, and other household products. It is stable in the environment and has potential nephrotoxicity. To investigate the effect of PFOA exposure during pregnancy on the kidneys of offspring mice, a total of 20 mice at day 0 of gestation were randomly divided into two groups (10 mice in each group), and each group was administered 0.2 mL of PFOA at a dose of 3.5 mg/kg or deionized water by gavage during gestation. The kidney weight, kidney index, histopathological observation, serum biochemistry, transcriptomics, and metabolomics of the kidneys of the 35-day offspring mice were analyzed. In addition, malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) levels in the kidney were measured. Transcriptome analysis results showed that 387 genes were up-regulated and 283 genes were down-regulated compared with the control group. These differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were mainly concentrated in the peroxisome-proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) signaling pathway and circadian rhythm. Compared with the control group, 64 and 73 metabolites were up- and down-regulated, respectively, in the PFOA group. The altered metabolites were mainly enriched in the biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids. PFOA can affect the expression levels of circadian rhythm-related genes in the kidneys of offspring mice, and this change is influenced by the PPAR signaling pathway. PFOA causes oxidative stress in the kidneys, which is responsible for significant changes in metabolites associated with the biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids.

TFOS Lifestyle: Impact of cosmetics on the ocular surface

In this report the use of eye cosmetic products and procedures and how this represents a lifestyle challenge that may exacerbate or promote the development of ocular surface and adnexal disease is discussed. Multiple aspects of eye cosmetics are addressed, including their history and market value, psychological and social impacts, possible problems associated with cosmetic ingredients, products, and procedures, and regulations for eye cosmetic use. In addition, a systematic review that critically appraises randomized controlled trial evidence concerning the ocular effects of eyelash growth products is included. The findings of this systematic review highlight the evidence gaps and indicate future directions for research to focus on ocular surface outcomes associated with eyelash growth products.

Nanomaterial-based magnetic surface molecularly imprinted polymers for specific extraction and efficient recognition of dibutyl phthalate

A rapid and selective sorbent for the enrichment of dibutyl phthalate (DBP) from water and Chinese Baijiu samples was established using magnetic surface molecularly imprinted polymers (MSMIPs) combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC-MS). The MSMIPs were synthesized using a magnetic nanosphere material with silica layer, increasing the polymer surface area as a carrier. Compared with the traditional methods, the addition of magnetic microspheres simplified the process of food substrate purification and significantly shortened the pre-concentration time. The MSMIPs adsorption conforms to the Freundlich isotherm model as multilayer adsorption on an inhomogeneous surface and the pseudo-second-order model. The developed MSMIPs combined with GC-MS method showed good linearity in DBP concentration range of 0.02-1.0 mg L^-1 with low LOD (0.0054 mg L^-1) and LOQ (0.018 mg L^-1), and obtained good recoveries in real samples (95.2-97.2%) with RSD < 5.0% (n = 9), which were consistent with those from Chinese national standard method.

Maternal exposure to dibutyl phthalate regulates MSH6 crotonylation to impair homologous recombination in fetal oocytes

Homologous recombination (HR) during early oogenesis repairs programmed double-strand breaks (DSBs) to ensure female fertility and offspring health. The exposure of fetal ovaries to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) can cause reproductive disorders in the adulthood. The EDC dibutyl phthalate (DBP) is widely distributed in flexible plastic products, leading to ubiquitous human exposure. Here, we report that maternal exposure to DBP caused gross aberrations in meiotic prophase I of fetal oocytes, including delayed progression, impaired DNA damage response, uncoupled localization of DMC1 and RAD51, and decreased HR. However, programmed DSBs were efficiently repaired. DBP exposure negatively regulated lysine crotonylation (Kcr) of MSH6. Similar meiotic defects were observed in fetal ovaries with targeted disruption of Msh6, and mutation of K544cr of MSH6 impaired its association with Ku70, thereby promoting non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) and inhibiting HR. Unlike mature F1 females, F2 female mice exhibited premature follicular activation, precocious puberty, and anxiety-like behaviors. Therefore, DBP can influence early meiotic events, and Kcr of MSH6 may regulate preferential induction of HR or NHEJ for DNA repair during meiosis.

Environmentally relevant perinatal exposure to DBP accelerated spermatogenesis by promoting the glycolipid metabolism of Sertoli cells in male offspring mice

Since Sertoli cells (SCs) play an essential role in providing energy for spermatogenesis, the present study aimed to investigate the effects of maternal exposure to plasticizer Dibutyl phthalate (DBP) on the onset of spermatogenesis in male offspring through the metabolism pathway as well as the underlying molecular mechanism. Here, pregnant mice were treated with 0 (control), 50, 250, or 500 mg/kg/day DBP in 1 mL/kg corn oil administered daily by oral gavage from gestation day (GD) 12.5 to parturition. The in vivo results showed that 50 mg/kg/day DBP exposure could promote the expression of glucose metabolism-related proteins (GLUT3, LDHA, and MCT4) in the testis of 22 days male offspring. The in vitro results demonstrated that 0.1 mM monobutyl phthalate (MBP, the active metabolite of DBP) promoted the lactate production, glucose consumption, and glycolytic flux of immature SCs, which was paralleled by the upregulated expression of glucose metabolism-related proteins (GLUT1, GLUT3, LDHA, and MCT4). On the other hand, DBP/MBP increased fatty acid (FA) uptake, FA β-oxidation, and ATP production by promoting the expression of CD36 in immature SCs, which might accelerate the maturity of SCs to support the onset of spermatogenesis. Therefore, our findings provided a new perspective on glycolipid metabolism to explain prenatal DBP exposure leading to earlier onset of spermatogenesis in male offspring mice.

Interaction between environmental pollutants and cancer drug efficacy: Bisphenol A, Bisphenol A diglycidyl ether and Perfluorooctanoic acid reduce vincristine cytotoxicity in acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells

Every day, we are exposed to many environmental pollutants that can enter our body through different routes and cause adverse effects on our health. Epidemiological studies suggest that these pollutants are responsible for approximately nine million deaths per year. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) represents one of the major cancers affecting children, and although substantial progress has been made in its treatment, relapses are frequent after initial treatment and are now one of the leading causes of cancer-related death in pediatric patients. Currently, relatively little attention is paid to pollutant exposure during drug treatment and this is not taken into account for dose setting or regulatory purposes. In this work, we investigated how bisphenol A (BPA), its derivative bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (BADGE), and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) alter vincristine treatment in ALL when administered before or together with the drug. We found that these three pollutants at nanomolar concentrations, lower than those established by current regulations, can reduce the cytotoxic effects of vincristine on ALL cells. Interestingly, we found that this is only achieved when exposure to pollutants occurs prior to administration of the chemotherapeutic drug. Moreover, we found that this effect could be mediated by activation of the PI3K/AKT pathway and stabilization of microtubules. This work strengthens the idea of starting to take into account exposure to pollutants to improve the efficacy of chemotherapy treatments.

Generation of Endogenous Promoter-Driven Luciferase Reporter System Using CRISPR/Cas9 for Investigating Transcriptional Regulation of the Core Clock Gene BMAL1

Humans and other organisms are continuously exposed to thousands of chemicals through the atmosphere, drinking water, food, or direct contact. A large proportion of such chemicals are present in very low concentrations and may have synergistic effects, even at their no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL). Complex mixtures of contaminants are very difficult to assess by traditional toxicological methods. There is increasing attention on how different pollutants induce adverse physiological functions in the human body through effects on the circadian rhythm. However, it is very difficult to screen for compounds with circadian-rhythm-disrupting effects from a large number of chemicals or their complex mixtures. We established a stable firefly luciferase reporter gene knock-in U2-OS cell line by CRISPR/Cas9 to screen circadian-rhythm-disrupting pollutants. The luciferase gene was inserted downstream of the core clock gene BMAL1 and controlled by an endogenous promoter. Compared to detection systems using exogenous promoters, these cells enable the detection of compounds that interfere with the circadian rhythm system mediated by BMAL1 gene expression. The U2-OS knock-in cells showed BMAL1 and luciferase activity had parallel changes when treated with BMAL1 inhibitor and activator. Furthermore, the luciferase reporter gene has high sensitivity and is faster and more cost-effective than classic toxicology methods. The knock-in cell line can be used for high-throughput and efficient screening of circadian-rhythm-disrupting chemicals such as drugs and pollutants.

Effects of di-n-butyl phthalate on aerobic composting process of agricultural waste: Mainly based on bacterial biomass and community dynamics analysis

Phthalic acid esters (PAEs) pollution has become a major environmental problem in agricultural waste composting. However, little information was available about the how the PAEs alter microbial processes during composting. This study investigated the effects of di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) on bacterial biomass and community dynamics during composting. The results showed that a decreasing of DBP was observed from thermophilic phase and 43.26% of DBP was degraded after composting. The bacterial biomass and diversity during composting were reduced under DBP stress, so delaying the decomposition of organic matter. Moreover, the changes in bacterial community were observed since the thermophilic phase of DBP-contaminated composting. KEGG pathway analysis indicated that DBP stress decreased the relative abundance of the main metabolic pathways and inhibited compost maturation. Moreover, DBP stress had more significant correlation with the dominant bacteria. This work will expand the understanding of PAEs-contaminated organic waste composting and further control of PAEs pollutants.

A review of the phytochemical and pharmacological properties of Amauroderma rugosum

Amauroderma rugosum (AR) is a basidiomycete in the Ganodermataceae family that has been used traditionally to prevent epileptic attacks and constant crying in babies. However, AR has not been widely studied scientifically. In this review, we summarize the phytochemical components and pharmacological properties of AR that have been reported in the literature. Chemical analyses have revealed that the components of AR include sterols, flavonoids, fatty acids and esters, aromatic acids and esters, phenols, polysaccharides, and triterpenes. Pharmacological properties of AR include antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, anti-cancer, anti-hyperlipidemic, anti-epileptic, and antibacterial effects. These findings suggest that AR and its bioactive ingredients have potential therapeutic applications, particularly for age-related diseases.

A SiO2@MIP electrochemical sensor based on MWCNTs and AuNPs for highly sensitive and selective recognition and detection of dibutyl phthalate

A molecularly imprinted sensor for highly sensitive and selective determination of dibutyl phthalate (DBP) was fabricated by combining multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) with surface molecularly imprinted polymer (SMIPs). The MWCNTs and AuNPs were designed to modify the electrode surface to accelerate the electron transfer rate and enhance the chemical stability. SMIPs were synthesized using SiO₂ microspheres as carriers. By loading SMIPs capable of identifying DBP on the surface of modified electrodes of MWCNTs and AuNPs, an electrochemical sensor for detecting DBP was successfully constructed. After optimizing the experimental conditions, the modified electrode SiO₂-COOH@MIP/AuNPs/MWCNTs/GCE can recognize DBP in the range of 10^-7g L^-1 to 10^-2g L^-1, and the detection limit achieved to 5.09 × 10^-9 g L^-1 (S/N = 3). The results demonstrate that the proposed MIP electrochemical sensor may be a promising candidate electrochemical strategy for detecting DBP in complex samples.