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Li F, Mitchell HD, Mensch AC, Hu D, Laudadio ED, Hedlund Orbeck JK, Hamers RJ, Orr G. Expression Patterns of Energy-Related Genes in Single Cells Uncover Key Isoforms and Enzymes That Gain Priority Under Nanoparticle-Induced Stress. ACS NANO 2022; 16:7197-7209. [PMID: 35290009 PMCID: PMC9134505 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.1c08934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Cellular responses to nanoparticles (NPs) have been largely studied in cell populations, providing averaged values that often misrepresent the true molecular processes that occur in the individual cell. To understand how a cell redistributes limited molecular resources to achieve optimal response and survival requires single-cell analysis. Here we applied multiplex single molecule-based fluorescence in situ hybridization (fliFISH) to quantify the expression of 10 genes simultaneously in individual intact cells, including glycolysis and glucose transporter genes, which are critical for restoring and maintaining energy balance. We focused on individual gill epithelial cell responses to lithium cobalt oxide (LCO) NPs, which are actively pursued as cathode materials in lithium-ion batteries, raising concerns about their impact on the environment and human health. We found large variabilities in the expression levels of all genes between neighboring cells under the same exposure conditions, from only a few transcripts to over 100 copies in individual cells. Gene expression ratios among the 10 genes in each cell uncovered shifts in favor of genes that play key roles in restoring and maintaining energy balance. Among these genes are isoforms that can secure and increase glycolysis rates more efficiently, as well as genes with multiple cellular functions, in addition to glycolysis, including DNA repair, regulation of gene expression, cell cycle progression, and proliferation. Our study uncovered prioritization of gene expression in individual cells for restoring energy balance under LCO NP exposures. Broadly, our study gained insight into single-cell strategies for redistributing limited resources to achieve optimal response and survival under stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fangjia Li
- Environmental
Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest
National laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
| | - Hugh D. Mitchell
- Biological
Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National
laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
| | - Arielle C. Mensch
- Environmental
Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest
National laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
| | - Dehong Hu
- Environmental
Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest
National laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
| | - Elizabeth D. Laudadio
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | | | - Robert J. Hamers
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - Galya Orr
- Environmental
Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest
National laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
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Niemuth NJ, Curtis BJ, Laudadio ED, Sostare E, Bennett EA, Neureuther NJ, Mohaimani AA, Schmoldt A, Ostovich ED, Viant MR, Hamers RJ, Klaper RD. Energy Starvation in Daphnia magna from Exposure to a Lithium Cobalt Oxide Nanomaterial. Chem Res Toxicol 2021; 34:2287-2297. [PMID: 34724609 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrestox.1c00189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Growing evidence across organisms points to altered energy metabolism as an adverse outcome of metal oxide nanomaterial toxicity, with a mechanism of toxicity potentially related to the redox chemistry of processes involved in energy production. Despite this evidence, the significance of this mechanism has gone unrecognized in nanotoxicology due to the field's focus on oxidative stress as a universal─but nonspecific─nanotoxicity mechanism. To further explore metabolic impacts, we determined lithium cobalt oxide's (LCO's) effects on these pathways in the model organism Daphnia magna through global gene-expression analysis using RNA-Seq and untargeted metabolomics by direct-injection mass spectrometry. Our results show that a sublethal 1 mg/L 48 h exposure of D. magna to LCO nanosheets causes significant impacts on metabolic pathways versus untreated controls, while exposure to ions released over 48 h does not. Specifically, transcriptomic analysis using DAVID indicated significant enrichment (Benjamini-adjusted p ≤0.0.5) in LCO-exposed animals for changes in pathways involved in the cellular response to starvation (25 genes), mitochondrial function (70 genes), ATP-binding (70 genes), oxidative phosphorylation (53 genes), NADH dehydrogenase activity (12 genes), and protein biosynthesis (40 genes). Metabolomic analysis using MetaboAnalyst indicated significant enrichment (γ-adjusted p <0.1) for changes in amino acid metabolism (19 metabolites) and starch, sucrose, and galactose metabolism (7 metabolites). Overlap of significantly impacted pathways by RNA-Seq and metabolomics suggests amino acid breakdown and increased sugar import for energy production. Results indicate that LCO-exposed Daphnia respond to energy starvation by altering metabolic pathways, both at the gene expression and metabolite levels. These results support altered energy production as a sensitive nanotoxicity adverse outcome for LCO exposure and suggest negative impacts on energy metabolism as an important avenue for future studies of nanotoxicity, including for other biological systems and for metal oxide nanomaterials more broadly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas J Niemuth
- School of Freshwater Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 600 E Greenfield Ave., Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53204, United States
| | - Becky J Curtis
- School of Freshwater Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 600 E Greenfield Ave., Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53204, United States
| | - Elizabeth D Laudadio
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1101 University Ave., Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - Elena Sostare
- School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, U.K
| | - Evan A Bennett
- School of Freshwater Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 600 E Greenfield Ave., Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53204, United States
| | - Nicklaus J Neureuther
- School of Freshwater Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 600 E Greenfield Ave., Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53204, United States
| | - Aurash A Mohaimani
- School of Freshwater Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 600 E Greenfield Ave., Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53204, United States
| | - Angela Schmoldt
- School of Freshwater Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 600 E Greenfield Ave., Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53204, United States
| | - Eric D Ostovich
- School of Freshwater Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 600 E Greenfield Ave., Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53204, United States
| | - Mark R Viant
- School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, U.K
| | - Robert J Hamers
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1101 University Ave., Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - Rebecca D Klaper
- School of Freshwater Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 600 E Greenfield Ave., Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53204, United States
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Niemuth NJ, Zhang Y, Mohaimani AA, Schmoldt A, Laudadio ED, Hamers RJ, Klaper RD. Protein Fe-S Centers as a Molecular Target of Toxicity of a Complex Transition Metal Oxide Nanomaterial with Downstream Impacts on Metabolism and Growth. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2020; 54:15257-15266. [PMID: 33166448 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c04779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Oxidative stress is frequently identified as a mechanism of toxicity of nanomaterials. However, rarely have the specific underlying molecular targets responsible for these impacts been identified. We previously demonstrated significant negative impacts of transition metal oxide (TMO) lithium-ion battery cathode nanomaterial, lithium cobalt oxide (LCO), on the growth, development, hemoglobin, and heme synthesis gene expression in the larvae of a model sediment invertebrate Chironomus riparius. Here, we propose that alteration of the Fe-S protein function by LCO is a molecular initiating event leading to these changes. A 10 mg/L LCO exposure causes significant oxidation of the aconitase 4Fe-4S center after 7 d as determined from the electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy measurements of intact larvae and a significant reduction in the aconitase activity of larval protein after 48 h (p < 0.05). Next-generation RNA sequencing identified significant changes in the expression of genes involved in 4Fe-4S center binding, Fe-S center synthesis, iron ion binding, and metabolism for 10 mg/L LCO at 48 h (FDR-adjusted, p < 0.1). We propose an adverse outcome pathway, where the oxidation of metabolic and regulatory Fe-S centers of proteins by LCO disrupts metabolic homeostasis, which negatively impacts the growth and development, a mechanism that may apply for these conserved proteins across species and for other TMO nanomaterials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas J Niemuth
- School of Freshwater Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 600 E Greenfield Avenue, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53204, United States
| | - Yonqian Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1101 University Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - Aurash A Mohaimani
- School of Freshwater Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 600 E Greenfield Avenue, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53204, United States
| | - Angela Schmoldt
- School of Freshwater Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 600 E Greenfield Avenue, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53204, United States
| | - Elizabeth D Laudadio
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1101 University Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - Robert J Hamers
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1101 University Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - Rebecca D Klaper
- School of Freshwater Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 600 E Greenfield Avenue, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53204, United States
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