Embryo developmental toxicity in marine medaka (Oryzias melastigma) due to parental and embryonic 17α-ethinylestradiol exposure

Micro(nano)plastics in marine medaka: Entry pathways and cardiotoxicity with triphenyltin

The simultaneous presence of micro(nano)plastics (MNPs) and pollutants represents a prevalent environmental challenge that necessitates understanding their combined impact on toxicity. This study examined the distribution of 5 μm (PS-MP5) and 50 nm (PS-NP50) polystyrene plastic particles during the early developmental stages of marine medaka (Oryzias melastigma) and assessed their combined toxicity with triphenyltin (TPT). Results showed that 2 mg/L PS-MP5 and PS-NP50 could adhere to the embryo surface. PS-NP50 can passively enter the larvae and accumulate predominantly in the intestine and head, while PS-MP5 cannot. Nonetheless, both types can be actively ingested by the larvae and distributed in the intestine. 2 mg/L PS-MNPs enhance the acute toxicity of TPT. Interestingly, high concentrations of PS-NP50 (20 mg/L) diminish the acute toxicity of TPT due to their sedimentation properties and interactions with TPT. 200 μg/L PS-MNPs and 200 ng/L TPT affect complement and coagulation cascade pathways and cardiac development of medaka larvae. PS-MNPs exacerbate TPT-induced cardiotoxicity, with PS-NP50 exhibiting stronger effects than PS-MP5, which may be related to the higher adsorption capacity of NPs to TPT and their ability to enter the embryos before hatching. This study elucidates the distribution of MNPs during the early developmental stages of marine medaka and their effects on TPT toxicity, offering a theoretical foundation for the ecological risk assessment of MNPs.

Instrumental and transcriptome analysis reveals the chemotherapeutic effects of doxorubicin-loaded black phosphate nanosheets on abiraterone-resistant prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is the second most common cause of cancer-related deaths in men and is common in most developed countries. Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) that uses abiraterone acetate (AA) is an effective second-line treatment for prostate cancer. However, approximately 20-40% of patients develop primary resistance to abiraterone post-treatment. In this study, we aimed to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying the development of abiraterone resistance in prostate cancer cells and the potential use of black phosphorus nanosheets (BPNS) for treating abiraterone-resistant prostate cancer. We first established abiraterone-resistant prostate cancer PC-3 cells and found that these cells have higher migration ability than normal prostate cancer cells. Using comparative transcriptomic and bioinformatics analyses between abiraterone-sensitive PC-3 and abiraterone-resistant PC-3 cells, we highlighted the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) involved in the biological processes related to prostate gland morphogenesis, drug response, immune response, angiogenesis. We further studied the therapeutic effects of BPNS. Our results show that BPNS reduced the proliferation and migration of abiraterone-resistant PC-3 cells. Bioinformatics analysis, including gene ontology, Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes enrichment analysis, and ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA) of the DEGs, suggested that BPNS treatment controlled cancer cell proliferation, metastasis, and oncogenic signaling pathways. Furthermore, the IPA gene network highlighted the involvement of the MMP family, ATF, and notch families in the anti-prostate cancer function of BPNS. Our findings suggest that BPNS may have a chemotherapeutic function in treating abiraterone-resistant prostate cancer.

Effects of 17α-ethinylestradiol on the neuroendocrine gonadotropic system and behavior of European sea bass larvae (Dicentrarchus labrax)

The widespread use of 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2), and other estrogenic endocrine disruptors, results in a continuous release of estrogenic compounds into aquatic environments. Xenoestrogens may interfere with the neuroendocrine system of aquatic organisms and may produce various adverse effects. The aim of the present study was to expose European sea bass larvae (Dicentrarchus labrax) to EE2 (0.5 and 50 nM) for 8 d and determine the expression levels of brain aromatase (cyp19a1b), gonadotropin-releasing hormones (gnrh1, gnrh2, gnrh3), kisspeptins (kiss1, kiss2) and estrogen receptors (esr1, esr2a, esr2b, gpera, gperb). Growth and behavior of larvae as evidenced by locomotor activity and anxiety-like behaviors were measured 8 d after EE2 treatment and a depuration period of 20 d. Exposure to 0.5 nM EE2 induced a significant increase in cyp19a1b expression levels, while upregulation of gnrh2, kiss1, and cyp19a1b expression was noted after 8 d at 50 nM EE2. Standard length at the end of the exposure phase was significantly lower in larvae exposed to 50 nM EE2 than in control; however, this effect was no longer observed after the depuration phase. The upregulation of gnrh2, kiss1, and cyp19a1b expression levels was found in conjunction with elevation in locomotor activity and anxiety-like behaviors in larvae. Behavioral alterations were still detected at the end of the depuration phase. Evidence indicates that the long-lasting effects of EE2 on behavior might impact normal development and subsequent fitness of exposed fish.