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García-Jorgensen DB, Holbak M, Hansen HCB, Abrahamsen P, Diamantopoulos E. Modeling the environmental fate of bracken toxin ptaquiloside: Production, release and transport in the rhizosphere. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 921:170658. [PMID: 38340825 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Plants produce a diverse array of toxic compounds which may be released by precipitation, explaining their wide occurrence in surrounding soil and water. This study presents the first mechanistic model for describing the generation and environmental fate of a natural toxin, i.e. ptaquiloside (PTA), a carcinogenic phytotoxin produced by bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum L. Kuhn). The newly adapted DAISY model was calibrated based on two-year monitoring performed in the period 2018-2019 in a Danish bracken population located in a forest glade. Several functions related to the fate of PTA were calibrated, covering processes from toxin generation in the canopy, wash off by precipitation and degradation in the soil. Model results show a good description of observed bracken biomass and PTA contents, supporting the assumption that toxin production can be explained by the production of new biomass. Model results show that only 4.4 % of the PTA produced in bracken is washed off by precipitation, from both canopy and litter. Model simulations showed that PTA degrades rapidly once in the soil, especially during summer due to the high soil temperatures. Leaching takes place in form of pulses directly connected to precipitation events, with maximum simulated concentrations up to 4.39 μg L-1 at 50 cm depth. Macropore transport is mainly responsible for the events with the highest PTA concentrations, contributing to 72 % of the total mass of PTA leached. Based on the results, we identify areas with high density of bracken, high precipitation during the summer and soils characterized by fast transport, as the most vulnerable to surface and groundwater pollution by phytotoxins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel B García-Jorgensen
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark; National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark.
| | - Maja Holbak
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | | | - Per Abrahamsen
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Efstathios Diamantopoulos
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark; Chair of Soil Physics, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
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2
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Chen X, Wu W, Sun H, Chen L, Wang Y, Xia B, Zhou Y. Development and Application of a Comprehensive Nontargeted Screening Strategy for Aristolochic Acid Analogues. Anal Chem 2024; 96:1922-1931. [PMID: 38264982 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.3c04064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
Aristolochic acid analogs (AAAs) are naturally occurring carcinogenic and toxic compounds that pose a safety threat to pharmaceuticals and the environment. It is challenging to screen AAAs due to their lack of characteristic mass spectral fragmentation and their presence of structural diversity. A comprehensive nontargeted screening strategy was proposed by taking into account diverse factors and incorporating various self-developed techniques, and a Python3-based toolkit called AAAs_finder was developed for its implementation. The main procedures consist of virtual structure and ultraviolet and visible (UV) spectra database creation, exact mass and UV spectra-based suspect data extraction, tandem mass spectra (MS/MS) anthropomorphic interpretation, and multicondition retention time (RT) prediction-based candidate structures ranking. To initially assess screening feasibility, eight hypothetical unknown samples were subjected to nontargeted screening using the AAAs_finder toolkit and two other advanced tools. The results showed that the former successfully identified all, while the latter two only managed to identify two and three, respectively, indicating that our strategy was more feasible. After that, the strategy was carefully evaluated for false positives and false negatives, instrument dependence, reproducibility, and sensitivity. After the evaluation, the strategy was successfully applied to the screening of AAAs in real samples, such as herbal medicine, spiked soil, and water. Overall, this study proposed a nontargeted screening strategy and toolkit independent of characteristic mass spectral fragmentation and able to overcome challenges posed by structural diversity for the AAAs screening, which is also valuable for other classes of compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoqi Chen
- Chengdu Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China
- Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Wenlin Wu
- Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Chengdu Institute of Food Inspection, Chengdu 611130, China
- Key Laboratory of Chemical Metrology and Applications on Nutrition and Health for State Market Regulation, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Hongbing Sun
- Chengdu Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China
- Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Sichuan Academy of Chinese Medicine Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Lu Chen
- Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yu Wang
- Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Bing Xia
- Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Yan Zhou
- Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China
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3
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Wang C, Liu Y, Han J, Li W, Sun J, Wang Y. Detection and Removal of Aristolochic Acid in Natural Plants, Pharmaceuticals, and Environmental and Biological Samples: A Review. Molecules 2023; 29:81. [PMID: 38202664 PMCID: PMC10779802 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29010081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2023] [Revised: 12/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Aristolochic acids (AAs) are a toxic substance present in certain natural plants. Direct human exposure to these plants containing AAs leads to a severe and irreversible condition known as aristolochic acid nephropathy (AAN). Additionally, AAs accumulation in the food chain through environmental mediators can trigger Balkan endemic nephropathy (BEN), an environmental variant of AAN. This paper presents a concise overview of the oncogenic pathways associated with AAs and explores the various routes of environmental exposure to AAs. The detection and removal of AAs in natural plants, drugs, and environmental and biological samples were classified and summarized, and the advantages and disadvantages of the various methods were analyzed. It is hoped that this review can provide effective insights into the detection and removal of AAs in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changhong Wang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250353, China; (C.W.); (Y.L.); (J.H.)
| | - Yunchao Liu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250353, China; (C.W.); (Y.L.); (J.H.)
| | - Jintai Han
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250353, China; (C.W.); (Y.L.); (J.H.)
| | - Wenying Li
- College of Geography and Environment, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250000, China;
| | - Jing Sun
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250353, China; (C.W.); (Y.L.); (J.H.)
| | - Yinan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals in Universities of Shandong, Jinan Engineering Laboratory for Multi-Scale Functional Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250353, China
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4
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Chin ML, Au CK, Chan CK, Jin L, Živković Stošić MZ, Đorđević Zlatković MR, Zlatković D, Pavlović NM, Chan W. Fabrication of a Simple and Efficient HPLC Reduction Column for Online Conversion of Aristolochic Acids to Aristolactams Prior to Sensitive Fluorescence Detection. Anal Chem 2023; 95:12365-12372. [PMID: 37565718 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.3c01874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/12/2023]
Abstract
Aristolochic acids (AAs) are nephrotoxic and carcinogenic nitrophenanthrene carboxylic acids produced naturally by plants from the Aristolochia and Asarum genera, which have been used extensively as herbal medicines. In addition to consuming AA-containing herbal medicinal products, there is emerging evidence that humans are also exposed to AA through the environment. In 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) called for global action to remove AA exposure sources and to implement preventative measures against the development of AA-associated cancers. Herein, we report the development of a simple and efficient iron powder-packed reduction column that allows online post-column conversion of the nonfluorescing AA to its corresponding strongly fluorescing aristolactam (AL), facilitating the sensitive and selective detection of AA in herbal medicinal products, food grain, arable soil, or groundwater samples by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. Moreover, AL, a group of naturally occurring derivatives of AA that have demonstrated toxicity to cultured bacteria, human cells, and rats, is monitored and quantified simultaneously with AA in one single run without sacrificing sensitivity. In comparison with existing analytical methods for AA measurement, the newly developed method is not only inexpensive and less laborious, but it also offers improved sensitivity. We believe this novel method will find wide application in identifying the presence of AA in food, herbal medicines, and environmental samples, thus assisting in the identification and removal of AA exposure sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Man-Lung Chin
- Department of Chemistry, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon 999077, Hong Kong
| | - Chun-Kit Au
- Department of Chemistry, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon 999077, Hong Kong
| | - Chi-Kong Chan
- Department of Chemistry, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon 999077, Hong Kong
| | - Long Jin
- Department of Chemistry, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon 999077, Hong Kong
| | - Milena Z Živković Stošić
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences and Mathematics, University of Niš, Višegradska 33, 18000 Niš, Serbia
| | - Miljana R Đorđević Zlatković
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences and Mathematics, University of Niš, Višegradska 33, 18000 Niš, Serbia
| | - Dragan Zlatković
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences and Mathematics, University of Niš, Višegradska 33, 18000 Niš, Serbia
| | | | - Wan Chan
- Department of Chemistry, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon 999077, Hong Kong
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Li J, Chen M, Ke S, Tian J, Yu H, Liu X, Yu BY. Generation of a high-affinity DNA aptamer for on-site screening of toxic aristolochic acid I in herbal medicines and botanical products. Anal Chim Acta 2023; 1264:341302. [PMID: 37230722 DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2023.341302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2023] [Revised: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Aristolochic Acid I (AAI) is an environmental and foodborne toxin found in the Aristolochia and Asarum species of plants that are widespread all over the world. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a sensitive and specific biosensor for identifying AAI. Aptamers as a powerful biorecognition element provide the most viable options for solving this problem. In this study, we used library-immobilized SELEX to isolate an AAI-specific aptamer with a KD value of 86 ± 13 nM. To verify the practicability of the selected aptamer, a label-free colorimetric aptasensor was designed. This aptasensor exhibited a low detection limit of 225 nM. Besides, it had been further applied for the determination of AAI in real samples and the recoveries ranged from 97.9% to 102.4%. In the future, AAI aptamer will provide a promising tool for safety evaluation in various fields of agriculture, food, and medication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiwei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of TCM Evaluation and Translational Research, Research Center for Traceability and Standardization of TCMs, Cellular and Molecular Biology Center, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, PR China
| | - Meiqi Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of TCM Evaluation and Translational Research, Research Center for Traceability and Standardization of TCMs, Cellular and Molecular Biology Center, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, PR China
| | - Sisi Ke
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of TCM Evaluation and Translational Research, Research Center for Traceability and Standardization of TCMs, Cellular and Molecular Biology Center, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, PR China
| | - Jiangwei Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of TCM Evaluation and Translational Research, Research Center for Traceability and Standardization of TCMs, Cellular and Molecular Biology Center, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, PR China
| | - Haixiang Yu
- Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA.
| | - Xiufeng Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of TCM Evaluation and Translational Research, Research Center for Traceability and Standardization of TCMs, Cellular and Molecular Biology Center, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, PR China.
| | - Bo-Yang Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of TCM Evaluation and Translational Research, Research Center for Traceability and Standardization of TCMs, Cellular and Molecular Biology Center, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, PR China
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6
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Sun MX, Qiao FX, Xu ZR, Liu YC, Xu CL, Wang HL, Qi ZQ, Liu Y. Aristolochic acid I exposure triggers ovarian dysfunction by activating NLRP3 inflammasome and affecting mitochondrial homeostasis. Free Radic Biol Med 2023; 204:313-324. [PMID: 37201634 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2023.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2023] [Revised: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Aristolochic acids are widely distributed in the plants of Aristolochiaceae family and Asarum species. Aristolochic acid I (AAI) is the most frequent compound of aristolochic acids, which can accumulate in the soil, and then contaminates crops and water and enters the human body. Research has shown that AAI affects the reproductive system. However, the mechanism of AAI's effects on the ovaries at the tissue level still needs to be clarified. In this research, we found AAI exposure reduced the body and ovarian growth in mice, decreased the ovarian coefficient, prevented follicular development, and increased atretic follicles. Further experiments showed that AAI upregulated nuclear factor-κB and tumor necrosis factor-α expression, activated the NOD-like receptor protein 3 inflammasome, and led to ovarian inflammation and fibrosis. AAI also affected mitochondrial complex function and the balance between mitochondrial fusion and division. Metabolomic results also showed ovarian inflammation and mitochondrial dysfunction due to AAI exposure. These disruptions reduced the oocyte developmental potential by forming abnormal microtubule organizing centers and expressing abnormal BubR1 to destroy spindle assembly. In summary, AAI exposure triggers ovarian inflammation and fibrosis, affecting the oocyte developmental potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming-Xin Sun
- Medical College, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530004, China
| | - Feng-Xin Qiao
- Medical College, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530004, China
| | - Zhi-Ran Xu
- Translational Medicine Research Center, Ruikang Hospital Affiliated to Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanning, Guangxi, 530011, China
| | - Yue-Cen Liu
- Medical College, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530004, China
| | - Chang-Long Xu
- Reproductive Medical Center of Nanning Second People's Hospital, Nanning, Guangxi, 530031, China
| | - Hai-Long Wang
- Department of Basic Medicine, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361102, China
| | - Zhong-Quan Qi
- Medical College, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530004, China.
| | - Yu Liu
- Medical College, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530004, China.
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7
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Zhang J, Chan CK, Pavlović NM, Chan W. Effects of Diet on Aristolochic Acid-DNA Adduct Formation: Implications for Balkan Endemic Nephropathy Etiology. Chem Res Toxicol 2023; 36:438-445. [PMID: 36881864 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrestox.2c00370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/09/2023]
Abstract
Prolonged exposure to aristolochic acids (AAs) through AA-containing herbal medicine or AA-contaminated food is associated with the development of aristolochic acid nephropathy (AAN) and Balkan endemic nephropathy (BEN), both public health risks to which the World Health Organization is calling for global action to remove exposure sources. The AA exposure-induced DNA damage is believed to be related to both the nephrotoxicity and carcinogenicity of AA observed in patients suffering from BEN. While the chemical toxicology of AA is well-studied, we investigated in this study the understated effect of different nutrients, food additives, or health supplements on DNA adduct formation by aristolochic acid I (AA-I). By culturing human embryonic kidney cells in an AAI-containing medium enriched with different nutrients, results showed that cells cultured in fatty acid-, acetic acid-, and amino acid-enriched media produced ALI-dA adducts at significantly higher frequencies than that cultured in the normal medium. ALI-dA adduct formation was most sensitive to amino acids, indicating that amino acid- or protein-rich diets might lead to a higher risk of mutation and even cancer. On the other hand, cells cultured in media supplemented with sodium bicarbonate, GSH, and NAC reduced ALI-dA adduct formation rates, which sheds light on their potential use as risk-mitigating strategies for people at risk of AA exposure. It is anticipated that the results of this study will help to better understand the effect of dietary habits on cancer and BEN development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiayin Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Chi-Kong Chan
- Department of Chemistry, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | | | - Wan Chan
- Department of Chemistry, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong
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8
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Au CK, Ham YH, Chan W. Bioaccumulation and DNA Adduct Formation of Aristolactam I: Unmasking a Toxicological Mechanism in the Pathophysiology of Aristolochic Acid Nephropathy. Chem Res Toxicol 2023; 36:322-329. [PMID: 36757010 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrestox.2c00415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/10/2023]
Abstract
Prolonged exposure to aristolochic acid (AA) through AA-containing herbal medicines or AA-tainted food is putting a large portion of the global population at risk of developing renal fibrosis and tumors of the upper urinary tract. In an effort to better understand the organotropic property of AA, we studied the cytotoxicity, absorption, oxidative-stress inducing potential, and DNA adduct formation capability of aristolactam I (ALI), one of the major urinary metabolites of aristolochic acid I (AAI) in human cells. Despite ALI having a slightly lower cytotoxicity than that of AAI, the analysis revealed, for the first time, that ALI is bioaccumulated 900 times more than that of AAI inside cultured kidney cells. Furthermore, ALI induced a significantly larger glutathione depletion than that of AAI in the exposed cells. Together with the formation of ALI-DNA adduct at a reasonably high abundance, results of this study unmasked a previously disregarded causative role of ALI in the organotropic tumor-targeting property of AA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun-Kit Au
- Department of Chemistry, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Yat-Hing Ham
- Department of Chemistry, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Wan Chan
- Department of Chemistry, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong
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Liang X, Christensen JH, Bucheli TD, Nielsen NJ. Source-Supported Suspect Screening (4S) of Phytotoxins in Terrestrial and Aquatic Environments: A Field Study of Lupinus angustifolius L. (Blue Lupin). ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:2333-2340. [PMID: 36723500 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c05387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Phytotoxins (PTs) are bioactive secondary metabolites produced by plants. More recently, they have been recognized as important aquatic micropollutants. Despite that, only a few PTs have been detected and reported in terrestrial and aquatic environments, while their source and leaching pathways remain largely unclear. Herein, we established a novel approach named source-supported suspect screening (4S) to discover PTs in different environments, investigate their environmental occurrences, identify their sources, and initiate discussions on their leaching mechanisms. The 4S-approach was demonstrated on a five-month Lupinus angustifolius L. (L. angustifolius) crop field experiment, where plant, topsoil, drainage water, and surface water were sampled and analyzed. As a result, 72 PTs (flavonoids and alkaloids) were identified at high confidence, with 10 PTs fully confirmed. Fifty-three PTs detected in soil or water were linked to L. angustifolius, among which 26 PTs were coherently detected in all three environmental compartments. The occurrence and abundance of PTs in terrestrial soil and aquatic environments were influenced by the plant growth stage and precipitation. Soil served as an intermedium when PTs leached from L. angustifolius to the drainage water, while the degree of retardation and eventual occurrence in the aquatic environment depended on both PTs and soil physico-chemical properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaomeng Liang
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Jan H Christensen
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | | | - Nikoline Juul Nielsen
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
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Wang X, Lu Q, Dou L, Liu M, Li P, Yu W, Yu X, Wang Z, Wen K. Broad-specificity indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for aristolochic acids: Computer-aided hapten design and molecular mechanism of antibody recognition. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 859:159941. [PMID: 36347294 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Revised: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Long-term dietary exposure of aristolochic acids (AAs)-contaminated food proved to be one of the main culprits of Endemic Nephropathy, renal failure; and urothelial cancer. The antibodies utilized in immunoassays for AAs suffer from low affinity and failure of recognition to the family of AAs. This study, we prepared a broad-specificity monoclonal antibody (mAb) 5H5 with highly and uniform affinity for AAs by help of computational chemistry fully exposing the AAs common structures of methoxy and hydroxyl groups. The mAb 5H5 exhibited half inhibitory concentrations of AAA, AAB, AAC, AAD were 0.03, 0.06, 0.05, 0.03 ng/mL. To explain the broad-specificity profile of mAb 5H5, molecular docking was performed. Results shown that multiple conformations of AAs can be flexibly oriented in the spacious cavity of single-chain variable fragment antibody (scFv) 5H5 and the specific hydron bonds were formed by ASN62 and GLY64 of scFV 5H5 to the nitro group of AAs which gave an explanation of the high cross-reactivity of mAb 5H5. The ELISA based on the broad-specificity mAb 5H5with detection limits of 0.04-0.11 μg/kg and 0.02-0.06 μg/kg for four AAs in flour and soil samples, respectively. The study provided a promising method for the family of AAs in environmental and food samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaonan Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Detection Technology for Animal Derived Food Safety, Beijing Laboratory for Food Quality and Safety, 100193 Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Qingpeng Lu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Detection Technology for Animal Derived Food Safety, Beijing Laboratory for Food Quality and Safety, 100193 Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Leina Dou
- College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Detection Technology for Animal Derived Food Safety, Beijing Laboratory for Food Quality and Safety, 100193 Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Minggang Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Detection Technology for Animal Derived Food Safety, Beijing Laboratory for Food Quality and Safety, 100193 Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Peipei Li
- College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Detection Technology for Animal Derived Food Safety, Beijing Laboratory for Food Quality and Safety, 100193 Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenbo Yu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Detection Technology for Animal Derived Food Safety, Beijing Laboratory for Food Quality and Safety, 100193 Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Xuezhi Yu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Detection Technology for Animal Derived Food Safety, Beijing Laboratory for Food Quality and Safety, 100193 Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhanhui Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Detection Technology for Animal Derived Food Safety, Beijing Laboratory for Food Quality and Safety, 100193 Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Kai Wen
- College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Detection Technology for Animal Derived Food Safety, Beijing Laboratory for Food Quality and Safety, 100193 Beijing, People's Republic of China.
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Kshirsagar AV, Zeitler EM, Weaver A, Franceschini N, Engel LS. Environmental Exposures and Kidney Disease. KIDNEY360 2022; 3:2174-2182. [PMID: 36591345 PMCID: PMC9802544 DOI: 10.34067/kid.0007962021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Accumulating evidence underscores the large role played by the environment in the health of communities and individuals. We review the currently known contribution of environmental exposures and pollutants on kidney disease and its associated morbidity. We review air pollutants, such as particulate matter; water pollutants, such as trace elements, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, and pesticides; and extreme weather events and natural disasters. We also discuss gaps in the evidence that presently relies heavily on observational studies and animal models, and propose using recently developed analytic methods to help bridge the gaps. With the expected increase in the intensity and frequency of many environmental exposures in the decades to come, an improved understanding of their potential effect on kidney disease is crucial to mitigate potential morbidity and mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhijit V. Kshirsagar
- UNC Kidney Center and Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Evan M. Zeitler
- UNC Kidney Center and Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Anne Weaver
- Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Office of Research and Development, United States Environmental Protection Agency, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Nora Franceschini
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Lawrence S. Engel
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
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Zhang J, Wang Y, Wang C, Li K, Tang W, Sun J, Wang X. Uptake, Translocation, and Fate of Carcinogenic Aristolochic Acid in Typical Vegetables in Soil-Plant Systems. MOLECULES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 27:molecules27238271. [PMID: 36500364 PMCID: PMC9739334 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27238271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2022] [Revised: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
When Aristolochia plants wilt and decay, aristolochic acids (AAs) are released into the soil, causing soil contamination. It has been demonstrated that aristolochic acid can be accumulated and enriched in crops through plant uptake. However, there is a lack of systematic studies on the migration and accumulation of AAs in a realistic simulated soil environment. In this study, Aristolochia herbal extracts were mixed with soil for growing three typical vegetables: lettuce, celery, and tomato. The contents of AAs in the above-mentioned plants were determined by an established highly sensitive LC-MS/MS method to study the migration and accumulation of AAs. We found that AAs in the soil can be transferred and accumulated in plants. AAs first entered the roots, which were more likely to accumulate AAs, and partially entered the above-ground parts. This further confirms that AAs can enter the food chain through plants and can have serious effects on human health. It was also shown that plants with vigorous growth and a large size absorbed AAs from the soil at a faster rate. The more AAs present in the soil, the more they accumulated in the plant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinghe Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals in Universities of Shandong, Jinan Engineering Laboratory for Multi-Scale Functional Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250353, China
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250353, China
| | - Yinan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals in Universities of Shandong, Jinan Engineering Laboratory for Multi-Scale Functional Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250353, China
- Correspondence: (Y.W.); or (X.W.)
| | - Changhong Wang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250353, China
| | - Kan Li
- School of Computer Science and Technology, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250353, China
| | - Weifang Tang
- School of Computer Science and Technology, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250353, China
| | - Jing Sun
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250353, China
| | - Xikui Wang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250353, China
- Correspondence: (Y.W.); or (X.W.)
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13
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Das S, Thakur S, Korenjak M, Sidorenko VS, Chung FFL, Zavadil J. Aristolochic acid-associated cancers: a public health risk in need of global action. Nat Rev Cancer 2022; 22:576-591. [PMID: 35854147 DOI: 10.1038/s41568-022-00494-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Aristolochic acids (AAs) are a group of naturally occurring compounds present in many plant species of the Aristolochiaceae family. Exposure to AA is a significant risk factor for severe nephropathy, and urological and hepatobiliary cancers (among others) that are often recurrent and characterized by the prominent mutational fingerprint of AA. However, herbal medicinal products that contain AA continue to be manufactured and marketed worldwide with inadequate regulation, and possible environmental exposure routes receive little attention. As the trade of food and dietary supplements becomes increasingly globalized, we propose that further inaction on curtailing AA exposure will have far-reaching negative effects on the disease trends of AA-associated cancers. Our Review aims to systematically present the historical and current evidence for the mutagenicity and carcinogenicity of AA, and the effect of removing sources of AA exposure on cancer incidence trends. We discuss the persisting challenges of assessing the scale of AA-related carcinogenicity, and the obstacles that must be overcome in curbing AA exposure and preventing associated cancers. Overall, this Review aims to strengthen the case for the implementation of prevention measures against AA's multifaceted, detrimental and potentially fully preventable effects on human cancer development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samrat Das
- Epigenomics and Mechanisms Branch, International Agency for Research on Cancer WHO, Lyon, France
| | - Shefali Thakur
- Epigenomics and Mechanisms Branch, International Agency for Research on Cancer WHO, Lyon, France
- BIOCEV, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Vestec, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Michael Korenjak
- Epigenomics and Mechanisms Branch, International Agency for Research on Cancer WHO, Lyon, France
| | - Viktoriya S Sidorenko
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Felicia Fei-Lei Chung
- Epigenomics and Mechanisms Branch, International Agency for Research on Cancer WHO, Lyon, France.
- Department of Medical Sciences, School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway University, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia.
| | - Jiri Zavadil
- Epigenomics and Mechanisms Branch, International Agency for Research on Cancer WHO, Lyon, France.
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14
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Lukinich-Gruia AT, Nortier J, Pavlović NM, Milovanović D, Popović M, Drăghia LP, Păunescu V, Tatu CA. Aristolochic acid I as an emerging biogenic contaminant involved in chronic kidney diseases: A comprehensive review on exposure pathways, environmental health issues and future challenges. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 297:134111. [PMID: 35231474 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.134111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Revised: 02/13/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Described in the 1950s, Balkan Endemic Nephropathy (BEN) has been recognized as a chronic kidney disease (CKD) with clinical peculiarities and multiple etiological factors. Environmental contaminants - aromatic compounds, mycotoxins and phytotoxins like aristolochic acids (AAs) - polluting food and drinking water sources, were incriminated in BEN, due to their nephrotoxic and carcinogenic properties. The implication of AAs in BEN etiology is currently a highly debated topic due to the fact that they are found within the Aristolochiaceae plants family, used around the globe as traditional medicine and they were also incriminated in Aristolochic Acid Nephropathy (AAN). Exposure pathways have been investigated, but it is unclear to what extent AAs are acting alone or in synergy with other cofactors (environmental, genetics) in triggering kidney damage. Experimental studies strengthen the hypothesis that AAI, the most studied compound in the AAs class, is a significant environmental contaminant and a most important causative factor of BEN. The aim of this review is to compile information about the natural exposure pathways to AAI, via traditional medicinal plants, soil, crop plants, water, food, air. Data that either supports or contradicts the AAI theory concerning BEN etiology was consolidated and available solutions to reduce human exposure were discussed. Because AAI is a phytotoxin with physicochemical properties that allow its transportation in environmental matrices from different types of areas (endemic, nonendemic), and induce CKDs (BEN, AAN) and urinary cancers through bioaccumulation, this review aims to shed a new light on this compound as a biogenic emerging pollutant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra T Lukinich-Gruia
- OncoGen Centre, Clinical County Hospital "Pius Branzeu", Blvd. Liviu Rebreanu 156, 300723, Timisoara, Romania.
| | - Joëlle Nortier
- Nephrology Department, Brugmann Hospital & Laboratory of Experimental Nephrology, Faculty of Medicine, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium.
| | - Nikola M Pavlović
- Kidneya Therapeutics, Klare Cetkin 11, 11070, Belgrade, Serbia; University of Niš, Univerzitetski Trg 2, 18106, Niš, Serbia.
| | | | - Miloš Popović
- Department for Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Niš, Višegradska 33, 18000, Niš, Serbia.
| | - Lavinia Paula Drăghia
- OncoGen Centre, Clinical County Hospital "Pius Branzeu", Blvd. Liviu Rebreanu 156, 300723, Timisoara, Romania.
| | - Virgil Păunescu
- OncoGen Centre, Clinical County Hospital "Pius Branzeu", Blvd. Liviu Rebreanu 156, 300723, Timisoara, Romania; Department of Immunology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Victor Babes", Eftimie Murgu Sq. 2, Timisoara, 300041, Romania.
| | - Călin A Tatu
- OncoGen Centre, Clinical County Hospital "Pius Branzeu", Blvd. Liviu Rebreanu 156, 300723, Timisoara, Romania; Department of Immunology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Victor Babes", Eftimie Murgu Sq. 2, Timisoara, 300041, Romania.
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15
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Zhang J, Chan KKJ, Chan W. Synergistic Interaction of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, Phthalate Esters, or Phenol on DNA Adduct Formation by Aristolochic Acid I: Insights into the Etiology of Balkan Endemic Nephropathy. Chem Res Toxicol 2022; 35:849-857. [PMID: 35471859 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrestox.2c00026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Balkan endemic nephropathy (BEN) is a multifactorial environmental disease, with chronic exposure to aristolochic acids (AAs) through AA-contaminated food being one of the major etiological mechanisms. However, the bulk of previous research has only focused on investigating the possible roles of individual pollutants in disease development and the etiological mechanism of BEN remains controversial. In this study, we investigated the exposure concentration and duration dependence of coexposure to phthalate esters and lignite coal-derived phenol and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) on the metabolism and DNA adduct formation of aristolochic acid I (AAI). Results showed that both the metabolic activation and DNA adduct formation of AAI in cultured human kidney cells were affected by their coexposure to the above-mentioned environmental pollutants. Furthermore, our results suggest that chemicals leached from lignite coal likely played a role by triggering AA-activating enzymes to produce more of the promutagenic DNA adducts, thus further elevating the nephrotoxicity and carcinogenicity of AAs and increasing the risk of BEN. It is believed that the results of this study provide a better understanding of the etiological mechanism of BEN and offer insights into methods and policies to lower the risk of this devastating disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiayin Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Kwan-Kit Jason Chan
- Department of Chemistry, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Wan Chan
- Department of Chemistry, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong
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16
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Qu M, Xu H, Chen J, Xu B, Li Z, Ma B, Guo L, Ye Q, Xie J. Differential comparison of genotoxic effects of aristolochic acid I and II in human cells by the mass spectroscopic quantification of γ-H2AX. Toxicol In Vitro 2022; 81:105349. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tiv.2022.105349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Revised: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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17
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Guo W, Shi Z, Zhang J, Zeng T, He Y, Cai Z. Analysis of aristolochic acid I in mouse serum and tissues by using magnetic solid-phase extraction and UHPLC-MS/MS. Talanta 2021; 235:122774. [PMID: 34517632 DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2021.122774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2021] [Revised: 07/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/31/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
A method combining magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE) and ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) was developed for the analysis of aristolochic acids I (AAI) in mouse serum and tissues. The magnetic covalent organic frameworks (MNP@COF)-based MSPE exhibited high adsorption capacity towards AAI (93.1 mg/g) in optimal conditions. After MSPE extraction, AAI was separated with C18 column using gradient elution and quantified (m/z 342.21 → 298.13) by UHPLC-MS/MS with monitor reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. This MSPE-based UHPLC-MS/MS method was validated with respected to lower limit of quantification (LLOQ), linearity, recovery, precision and accuracy of intra- and inter-day, and matrix effect. Good calibration linearities at the range of 1-500 ng/L for AAI in biological matrices (serum, kidney, and liver) with high correlation coefficient (R2) > 0.9970, and high enrichment factors (mean values from 1038 to 1045) were obtained. This method was highly sensitive to determine AAI with LLOQ within the range of 4.62-5.24 ng/L in extracted serum, kidney, and liver samples. Recoveries at 5, 50, 100 and 300 ng/L in biological samples ranged from 93.2 to 104.0%, and intra- and inter day accuracy and precision (defined as bias and coefficient of variation, respectively) were below ± 15%. The method was successfully applied in the analysis of biological samples collected from mice exposed with AAI with concentrations range of 0.007-0.041 μg/L for consecutive four days. The established method might be applied for the investigation of risk assessment and toxicity induced by long-time use of AAI-containing herbs or dietary supplements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjing Guo
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Analytical Science for Food Safety and Biology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Analysis and Detection Technology for Food Safety, College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350116, China
| | - Zhangsheng Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental and Biological Analysis, Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong Baptist University, 224 Waterloo Road, Kowloon Tong, 999077, SAR, Hong Kong, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental and Biological Analysis, Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong Baptist University, 224 Waterloo Road, Kowloon Tong, 999077, SAR, Hong Kong, China
| | - Ting Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental and Biological Analysis, Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong Baptist University, 224 Waterloo Road, Kowloon Tong, 999077, SAR, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yu He
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Analytical Science for Food Safety and Biology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Analysis and Detection Technology for Food Safety, College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350116, China
| | - Zongwei Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental and Biological Analysis, Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong Baptist University, 224 Waterloo Road, Kowloon Tong, 999077, SAR, Hong Kong, China.
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18
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Günthardt BF, Hollender J, Scheringer M, Hungerbühler K, Nanusha MY, Brack W, Bucheli TD. Aquatic occurrence of phytotoxins in small streams triggered by biogeography, vegetation growth stage, and precipitation. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 798:149128. [PMID: 34325139 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.149128] [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: 04/26/2021] [Revised: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 07/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Toxic plant secondary metabolites (PSMs), so-called phytotoxins, occur widely in plant species. Many of these phytotoxins have similar mobility, persistence, and toxicity properties in the environment as anthropogenic micropollutants, which increasingly contaminate surface waters. Although recent case studies have shown the aquatic relevance of phytotoxins, the overall exposure remains unknown. Therefore, we performed a detailed occurrence analysis covering 134 phytotoxins from 27 PSM classes. Water samples from seven small Swiss streams with catchment areas from 1.7 to 23 km2 and varying land uses were gathered over several months to investigate seasonal impacts. They were complemented with samples from different biogeographical regions to cover variations in vegetation. A broad SPE-LC-HRMS/MS method was applied with limits of detection below 5 ng/L for over 80% of the 134 included phytotoxins. In total, we confirmed 39 phytotoxins belonging to 13 PSM classes, which corresponds to almost 30% of all included phytotoxins. Several alkaloids were regularly detected in the low ng/L-range, with average detection frequencies of 21%. This is consistent with the previously estimated persistence and mobility properties that indicated a high contamination potential. Coumarins were previously predicted to be unstable, however, detection frequencies were around 89%, and maximal concentrations up to 90 ng/L were measured for fraxetin produced by various trees. Overall, rainy weather conditions at full vegetation led to the highest total phytotoxin concentrations, which might potentially be most critical for aquatic organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara F Günthardt
- Environmental Analytics, Agroscope, Reckenholzstrasse 191, 8046 Zürich, Switzerland; Institute of Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics, ETH Zürich, Universitätsstrasse 16, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland; Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Überlandstrasse 133, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Juliane Hollender
- Institute of Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics, ETH Zürich, Universitätsstrasse 16, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland; Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Überlandstrasse 133, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Martin Scheringer
- Institute of Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics, ETH Zürich, Universitätsstrasse 16, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland; Masaryk University, RECETOX, Kamenice 753/5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Konrad Hungerbühler
- Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, ETH Zürich, Wolfgang-Pauli-Strasse 10, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Mulatu Y Nanusha
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Department of Effect-Directed Analysis, Permoserstrasse 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany; Goethe University Frankfurt,Max-von-Laue Str. 13, 60438 Frankfurt (Main), Germany
| | - Werner Brack
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Department of Effect-Directed Analysis, Permoserstrasse 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany; Goethe University Frankfurt,Max-von-Laue Str. 13, 60438 Frankfurt (Main), Germany
| | - Thomas D Bucheli
- Environmental Analytics, Agroscope, Reckenholzstrasse 191, 8046 Zürich, Switzerland.
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19
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Wang Y, Wang Z, Wu Z, Chen M, Dong D, Yu P, Lu D, Wu B. Involvement of REV-ERBα dysregulation and ferroptosis in aristolochic acid I-induced renal injury. Biochem Pharmacol 2021; 193:114807. [PMID: 34673015 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2021.114807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2021] [Revised: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
The molecular events underlying aristolochic acid (AA) nephropathy are poorly understood, and specific therapies for treatment of AA nephropathy are still lacking. Here we aimed to investigate a potential role of REV-ERBα and ferroptosis in renal injury induced by aristolochic acid I (AAI), a typical AA. The regulatory effects of REV-ERBα on AAI-induced renal injury were determined using kidney-specific Rev-erbα knockout mice. Ferroptosis was assessed based on measurements of iron, GSH, and GPX4. Targeted antagonism of REV-ERBα to alleviate AAI-induced renal injury and ferroptosis was assessed using the small molecule antagonist SR8278. mRNAs and proteins were quantified by qPCR and Western blotting, respectively. We first showed that REV-ERBα was upregulated and its target BMAL1 was downregulated in the kidney of mice with AAI nephropathy. Upregulation of REV-ERBα protein was confirmed in aristolactam I (ALI, a nephrotoxic metabolite of AAI)-treated mRTECs. We also observed enhanced ferroptosis (known to be regulated by REV-ERBα) in mice with AAI nephropathy and in ALI-treated mRTECs. Kidney-specific knockout of Rev-erbα reduced the sensitivity of mice to AAI-induced ferroptosis and renal injury. Furthermore, knockdown of Rev-erbα by siRNA or SR8278 (a REV-ERBα antagonist) treatment attenuated ALI-induced ferroptosis in mRTECs. Moreover, REV-ERBα antagonism by SR8278 alleviated ferroptosis and renal injury caused by AAI in mice. In conclusion, we identify REV-ERBα as a regulator of AAI-induced renal injury via promoting ferroptosis. Targeting REV-ERBα may represent a promising approach for management of AAI nephropathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Wang
- College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China; Institute of Molecular Rhythm and Metabolism, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhigang Wang
- Department of Intensive Care Unit, First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhengping Wu
- School of Medicine, Yichun University, Yichun, Jiangxi, China
| | - Menglin Chen
- College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China; Institute of Molecular Rhythm and Metabolism, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Dong Dong
- School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Pei Yu
- College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Danyi Lu
- Institute of Molecular Rhythm and Metabolism, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Baojian Wu
- Institute of Molecular Rhythm and Metabolism, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.
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20
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Drăghia LP, Lukinich-Gruia AT, Oprean C, Pavlović NM, Păunescu V, Tatu CA. Aristolochic acid I: an investigation into the role of food crops contamination, as a potential natural exposure pathway. ENVIRONMENTAL GEOCHEMISTRY AND HEALTH 2021; 43:4163-4178. [PMID: 33796971 DOI: 10.1007/s10653-021-00903-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 03/19/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Aristolochic acid I (AAI) is a potent nephrotoxic and carcinogenic compound produced by plants of the Aristolochiaceae family and thoroughly investigated as a main culprit in the etiology of Balkan endemic nephropathy (BEN). So far, the AAI exposure was demonstrated to occur through the consumption of Aristolochia clematitis plants as traditional remedies, and through the contamination of the surrounding environment in endemic areas: soil, food and water contamination. Our study investigated for the first time the level of AAI contamination in 141 soil and vegetable samples from two cultivated gardens in non-endemic areas, A. clematitis being present in only one of the gardens. We developed and validated a simple and sensitive ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-ion trap mass spectrometry method for qualitative and quantitative AAI analysis. The results confirmed the presence of AAI at nanogram levels in soil and vegetable samples collected from the non-endemic garden, where A. clematitis grows. These findings provide additional evidence that the presence of A. clematitis can cause food crops and soil contamination and unveil the pathway through which AAI could move from A. clematitis to other plant species via a common matrix: the soil. Another issue regarding the presence of AAI, in a non-endemic BEN area from Romania, could underlie a more widespread environmental exposure to AAI and explain certain BEN-like cases in areas where BEN has not been initially described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lavinia Paula Drăghia
- Department of Functional Sciences, University of Medicine and Pharmacy 'Victor Babes', Eftimie Murgu Sq. 2, 300041, Timisoara, Romania.
- Department of Chemistry and Toxicology, OncoGen Centre, County Hospital 'Pius Branzeu', Blvd. Liviu Rebreanu 156, 300736, Timisoara, Romania.
| | - Alexandra Teodora Lukinich-Gruia
- Department of Chemistry and Toxicology, OncoGen Centre, County Hospital 'Pius Branzeu', Blvd. Liviu Rebreanu 156, 300736, Timisoara, Romania.
| | - Camelia Oprean
- Department of Chemistry and Toxicology, OncoGen Centre, County Hospital 'Pius Branzeu', Blvd. Liviu Rebreanu 156, 300736, Timisoara, Romania
- Department of Environmental and Food Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Medicine and Pharmacy 'Victor Babes', Eftimie Murgu Sq. 2, 300041, Timisoara, Romania
| | | | - Virgil Păunescu
- Department of Functional Sciences, University of Medicine and Pharmacy 'Victor Babes', Eftimie Murgu Sq. 2, 300041, Timisoara, Romania
- Department of Chemistry and Toxicology, OncoGen Centre, County Hospital 'Pius Branzeu', Blvd. Liviu Rebreanu 156, 300736, Timisoara, Romania
| | - Călin Adrian Tatu
- Department of Functional Sciences, University of Medicine and Pharmacy 'Victor Babes', Eftimie Murgu Sq. 2, 300041, Timisoara, Romania
- Department of Chemistry and Toxicology, OncoGen Centre, County Hospital 'Pius Branzeu', Blvd. Liviu Rebreanu 156, 300736, Timisoara, Romania
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21
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Ang LP, Ng PW, Lean YL, Kotra V, Kifli N, Goh HP, Lee KS, Sarker MMR, Al-Worafi YM, Ming LC. Herbal products containing aristolochic acids: A call to revisit the context of safety. J Herb Med 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.hermed.2021.100447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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22
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Chen J, Kong A, Shelton D, Dong H, Li J, Zhao F, Bai C, Huang K, Mo W, Chen S, Xu H, Tanguay RL, Dong Q. Early life stage transient aristolochic acid exposure induces behavioral hyperactivity but not nephrotoxicity in larval zebrafish. AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2021; 238:105916. [PMID: 34303159 PMCID: PMC8881052 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2021.105916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Revised: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 07/14/2021] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Aristolochic acids (AA) are nitrophenanthrene carboxylic acids found in plants of the Aristolochiaceae family. Humans are exposed to AA by deliberately taking herbal medicines or unintentionally as a result of environmental contamination. AA is notorious for its nephrotoxicity, however, fewer studies explore potential neurotoxicity associated with AA exposure. The developing nervous system is vulnerable to xenobiotics, and pregnant women exposed to AA may put their fetuses at risk. In the present study, we used the embryonic zebrafish model to evaluate the developmental neurotoxicity associated with AA exposure. At non-teratogenic concentrations (≤ 4 µM), continuous AA exposure from 8 to 120 hours post fertilization (hpf) resulted in larval hyperactivity that was characterized by increased moving distance, elevated activity and faster swimming speeds in several behavioral assays. Further analysis revealed that 8-24 hpf is the most sensitive exposure window for AA-induced hyperactivity. AA exposures specifically increased motor neuron proliferation, increased apoptosis in the eye, and resulted in cellular oxidative stress. In addition, AA exposures increased larval eye size and perturbed the expression of vision genes. Our study, for the first time, demonstrates that AA is neurotoxic to the developmental zebrafish with a sensitive window distinct from its well-documented nephrotoxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiangfei Chen
- The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, PR China; Institute of Environmental Safety and Human Health, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, PR China..
| | - Aijun Kong
- Institute of Environmental Safety and Human Health, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, PR China
| | - Delia Shelton
- Sinnhuber Aquatic Research Laboratory, Department of Environmental & Molecular Toxicology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97333, United States
| | - Haojia Dong
- Institute of Environmental Safety and Human Health, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, PR China
| | - Jiani Li
- Institute of Environmental Safety and Human Health, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, PR China
| | - Fan Zhao
- Institute of Environmental Safety and Human Health, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, PR China
| | - Chenglian Bai
- Institute of Environmental Safety and Human Health, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, PR China
| | - Kaiyu Huang
- The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, PR China
| | - Wen Mo
- Zhejiang rehabilitation medical center, Hangzhou 310051, PR China
| | - Shan Chen
- The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, PR China
| | - Hui Xu
- The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, PR China
| | - Robyn L Tanguay
- Sinnhuber Aquatic Research Laboratory, Department of Environmental & Molecular Toxicology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97333, United States
| | - Qiaoxiang Dong
- The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, PR China; Institute of Environmental Safety and Human Health, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, PR China..
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23
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Guo W, Zhang J, Sun Z, Orem WH, Tatu CA, Radulović NS, Milovanović D, Pavlović NM, Chan W. Analysis of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Phthalate Esters in Soil and Food Grains from the Balkan Peninsula: Implication on DNA Adduct Formation by Aristolochic Acid I and Balkan Endemic Nephropathy. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2021; 55:9024-9032. [PMID: 34125507 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c00648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Balkan endemic nephropathy (BEN) is a chronic tubulointerstitial nephropathy affecting residents of rural farming areas in many Balkan countries. Although it is generally believed that BEN is an environmental disease caused by multiple geochemical factors with much attention on aristolochic acids (AAs), its etiology remains controversial. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that environmental contamination and subsequent food contamination by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and phthalate esters are AA toxicity factors and important to BEN development. We identified significantly higher concentrations of phenanthrene, anthracene, diethyl phthalate (DEP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), and benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP) in both maize and wheat grain samples collected from endemic villages than from nonendemic villages. Other PAHs and phthalate esters were also detected at higher concentrations in the soil samples from endemic villages. Subsequent genotoxicity testing of cultured human kidney cells showed an alarming phenomenon that phenanthrene, DEP, BBP, and DBP can interact synergistically with AAs to form elevated levels of AA-DNA adducts, which are associated with both the nephrotoxicity and carcinogenicity of AAs, further increasing their disease risks. This study provides direct evidence that prolonged coexposure to these environmental contaminants via dietary intake may lead to greater toxicity and accelerated development of BEN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanlin Guo
- Department of Chemistry and Division of Environment and Sustainability, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon 000000, Hong Kong
| | - Jiayin Zhang
- Department of Chemistry and Division of Environment and Sustainability, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon 000000, Hong Kong
| | - Zhihan Sun
- Department of Chemistry and Division of Environment and Sustainability, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon 000000, Hong Kong
| | - William H Orem
- U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia 20192, United States
| | - Calin A Tatu
- Department of Immunology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy ″Victor Babes″ Timisoara, Pta. E. Murgu No.2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Niko S Radulović
- Faculty of Sciences and Mathematics, University of Niš, 18000 Niš, Serbia
| | | | | | - Wan Chan
- Department of Chemistry and Division of Environment and Sustainability, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon 000000, Hong Kong
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24
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Milojevic B, Dzamic Z, Grozdic Milojevic I, Bumbasirevic U, Santric V, Kajmakovic B, Janicic A, Durutovic O, Dragicevic D, Bojanic N, Radisavcevic D, Sipetic Grujicic S. Prognostic value of Balkan endemic nephropathy and gender on upper tract urothelial carcinoma outcomes after radical nephroureterectomy: A cohort study. Urol Oncol 2021; 39:786.e9-786.e16. [PMID: 34006438 DOI: 10.1016/j.urolonc.2021.03.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2020] [Revised: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 03/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND To identify the prognostic impact of residence in a BEN-endemic area and gender on upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) outcomes in Serbian patients treated with radical nephroureterectomy (RNU). METHODS The study included 334 consecutive patients with UTUC. Patients with permanent residence in Balkan endemic nephropathy (BEN) or non-endemic areas from their birth to the end of follow-up were included in the analysis. Cox regression analyses were used to address recurrence-free (RFS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) estimates. RESULTS Female patients were more likely to have preoperative pyuria (P = 0.01), tumor multifocality was significantly associated with the female gender (P = 0.003). Gender was not associated with pathologic stage and grade, lymph node metastasis, lymphovascular invasion, adjuvant chemotherapy, bladder cancer history, tumor size, distribution of tumor location, preoperative anemia and demographic characteristics. A total of 107 cases recurred, with a median time to bladder recurrence of 24.5 months. History of bladder tumor (HR, 1.98; P = 0.005), tumor multifocality (HR, 3.80; P < 0.001) and residence in a BEN-endemic area (HR, 1.81; P = 0.01) were independently associated with bladder cancer recurrence. The 5-year bladder cancer RFS for the patients from areas of BEN was 77.8 % and for the patients from non-BEN areas was 64.7 %. The 5-year CSS for the men was 66.2% when compared to 66.6% for the women (P = 0.55). CONCLUSIONS Residence in a BEN-endemic area represents an independent predictor of bladder cancer recurrence in patients who underwent RNU. Gender cannot be used to predict outcomes in a single-centre series of consecutive patients who were treated with RNU for UTUC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bogomir Milojevic
- Clinic of Urology, Clinical Center of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia; Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
| | - Zoran Dzamic
- Clinic of Urology, Clinical Center of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia; Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Isidora Grozdic Milojevic
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia; Center of Nuclear Medicine, Clinical Center of Serbia
| | - Uros Bumbasirevic
- Clinic of Urology, Clinical Center of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia; Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Veljko Santric
- Clinic of Urology, Clinical Center of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia; Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Boris Kajmakovic
- Clinic of Urology, Clinical Center of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia; Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Aleksandar Janicic
- Clinic of Urology, Clinical Center of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia; Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Otas Durutovic
- Clinic of Urology, Clinical Center of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia; Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Dejan Dragicevic
- Clinic of Urology, Clinical Center of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia; Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Nebojsa Bojanic
- Clinic of Urology, Clinical Center of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia; Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
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25
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Enhancing the power of liquid chromatography-Mass spectrometry for chemical fingerprinting of phytotoxins in the environment. J Chromatogr A 2021; 1642:462027. [PMID: 33714772 DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2021.462027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2021] [Revised: 02/20/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Phytotoxins are plant secondary metabolites. They have recently been considered as chemicals of emerging concern (CECs) and there is a growing interest in their environmental fate and potential threat to public health. Dedicated target and non-target screening (NTS) analysis of phytotoxins in environmental samples are sparse, meanwhile phytotoxins are rarely detected in NTS-based analysis due to lack of an efficient methodology. Development of new analytical measurement methods is therefore highly needed. In this study, we for the first time investigated key parameters of reversed phase liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (RPLC-HRMS) for five major classes of phytotoxins (alkaloids, steroids, terpenoids, flavonoids and aromatic polyketides) in environmental matrices; the investigation included analytical conditions which have not yet been explored by others, e.g. ionization at alkaline pH above 9. As the outcome we established a new analytical method for target/suspect screening and NTS of phytotoxins in the environment, which significantly improved the detection sensitivity with up to 40 times compared to previous methods, and enabled the discovery of over 30 phytotoxins in a NTS-based environmental study. We also observed that the negative ionization of phenols could be facilitated by the number of hydroxyl groups on the ring rather than their position of substitution. This study is of interest for a better fundamental understanding of the behavior of phytotoxins in LC-MS. Dedicated target/suspect screening and NTS methods will facilitate a better risk characterization of phytotoxins in the environment and stimulate implementation of new public regulation on phytotoxins.
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26
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Chan CK, Chan KKJ, Liu N, Chan W. Quantitation of Protein Adducts of Aristolochic Acid I by Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry: A Novel Method for Biomonitoring Aristolochic Acid Exposure. Chem Res Toxicol 2021; 34:144-153. [PMID: 33410325 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrestox.0c00454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Emerging evidence suggests that chronic exposure to aristolochic acids (AAs) is one of the etiological pathways leading to chronic kidney disease (CKD). Due to the traditional practice of herbal medicine and AA-containing plants being used extensively as medicinal herbs, over 100 million East Asians are estimated to be at risk of AA poisoning. Given that the chronic nephrotoxicity of AAs only manifests itself after decades of exposure, early diagnosis of AA exposure could allow for timely intervention and disease risk reduction. However, an early detection method is not yet available, and diagnosis can only be established at the end stage of CKD. The goal of this study was to develop a highly sensitive and selective method to quantitate protein adducts of aristolochic acid I (AAI) as a biomarker of AA exposure. The method entails the release of protein-bound aristolactam I (ALI) by heat-assisted alkaline hydrolysis, extraction of ALI, addition of internal standard, and quantitation by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometric analysis. Accuracy and precision of the method were critically evaluated using a synthetic ALI-containing glutathione adduct. The validated method was subsequently used to detect dose-dependent formation of ALI-protein adducts in human serum albumin exposed to AAI and in proteins isolated from the tissues and sera of AAI-exposed rats. Our time-dependent study showed that ALI-protein adducts remained detectable in rats even at 28 days postdosing. It is anticipated that the developed method will fill the technical gap in diagnosing AA intoxication and facilitate the biomonitoring of human exposures to AAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chi-Kong Chan
- Department of Chemistry, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Kwan-Kit Jason Chan
- Department of Chemistry, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Ning Liu
- Central Laboratory, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Wan Chan
- Department of Chemistry, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong
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27
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Chan CK, Pan G, Chan W. Analysis of aristolochic acids in Houttuynia cordata by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. JOURNAL OF MASS SPECTROMETRY : JMS 2020; 56:e4652. [PMID: 32975339 DOI: 10.1002/jms.4652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2020] [Revised: 08/09/2020] [Accepted: 08/25/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Houttuynia cordata (H. cordata) is a popular vegetable in Asian countries and is also used extensively as herbal medicine in treating various diseases. H. cordata contains aristolactams, which have a similar Chinese name as aristolochic acids (AAs); hence, an emerging concern in the greater China region has arisen about the potential linkage between H. cordata and aristolochic acid nephropathy (AAN). However, only a single study has tested for the presence of AAs in H. cordata samples, and the analysis was limited by the analytical sensitivity of the method. Thus, further analysis of AAs in H. cordata using analytical method of higher sensitivity is needed to alleviate public anxiety over the use of this popular vegetable. In this study, a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was used to analyze H. cordata samples for the natural existence of aristolochic acid I (AA-I) and aristolochic acid II (AA-II), which are the most carcinogenic and nephrotoxic compounds in the AA family. After evaluating the method performance by fortifying blank samples with three concentrations of AAs, the validated method was applied to identify AA-I and AA-II in both fresh and sun-dried H. cordata samples (n = 20) collected from different cities in China. The LC-MS/MS method achieved method detection limits (MDLs) as low as 2 ng/g of AAs in H. cordata. Analysis of the collected fresh and sun-dried H. cordata samples revealed that AA-I and AA-II either do not exist naturally in H. cordata or exist at concentrations below the MDLs. Therefore, it is not very likely that consumption of H. cordata will result in AAN because AA-I and AA-II, the nephrotoxic and carcinogenic culprits of AAN, are not produced naturally in the plant or are produced at levels that do not pose a risk of AAN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chi-Kong Chan
- Department of Chemistry, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Guanrui Pan
- Department of Chemistry, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Wan Chan
- Department of Chemistry, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong
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28
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García-Jorgensen DB, Hansen HCB, Abrahamsen P, Diamantopoulos E. A novel model concept for modelling the leaching of natural toxins: results for the case of ptaquiloside. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE. PROCESSES & IMPACTS 2020; 22:1768-1779. [PMID: 32716437 DOI: 10.1039/d0em00182a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Phytotoxins are a large class of highly diverse emerging environmental contaminants that have been detected at high concentrations in plants, water and soils. This study presents a novel modelling approach for assessing the fate of plant toxins in the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum, developed for the specific case of ptaquiloside (PTA), a carcinogenic phytotoxin produced by Pteridium aquilinum. The mechanistic model DAISY has been adapted for reproducing phytotoxin dynamics in plants, covering processes such as toxin generation in the canopy, wash off by precipitation and toxin recovery in the canopy after depletion events. Transport of the toxin in the soil was simulated by the advection-dispersion equation assuming weak sorption and degradation for two Danish soils. The model simulates realistic toxin contents in the plant during the growing season, where the actual PTA content is dynamic and a function of the biomass. An average of 48% of the PTA produced in the canopy is washed off by precipitation, with loads in the soil often in the order of mg m-2 and up to a maximum of 13 mg m-2 in a single rain event. Degradation in the soil removes 99.9% of the total PTA input to the soil, while only 0.1% leaches into the soil. The median annual flux-averaged predicted environmental concentrations during single events are often in the order of μg L-1, reaching up to 60 μg L-1 for the worst-case scenario. The simulated results for both degradation and wash off are of the same order of magnitude as the published data. Based on the results, we conclude that DAISY, with the newly implemented processes, is a useful tool for understanding, describing and predicting the fate of PTA in the soil. Further work comparing the model results with real data is needed for the calibration and validation of the model.
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Affiliation(s)
- D B García-Jorgensen
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871 Frederiksberg, Denmark.
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29
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Au CK, Zhang J, Chan CK, Li C, Liu G, Pavlović NM, Yao J, Chan W. Determination of Aristolochic Acids in Vegetables: Nephrotoxic and Carcinogenic Environmental Pollutants Contaminating a Broad Swath of the Food Supply and Driving Incidence of Balkan Endemic Nephropathy. Chem Res Toxicol 2020; 33:2446-2454. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrestox.0c00229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Cui Li
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, P.O. Box 2871, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Guorui Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, P.O. Box 2871, Beijing 100085, China
| | | | - Jing Yao
- Department of Mathematics, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
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30
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Chan CK, Tung KK, Pavlović NM, Chan W. Remediation of aristolochic acid-contaminated soil by an effective advanced oxidation process. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 720:137528. [PMID: 32143041 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.137528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2019] [Revised: 02/19/2020] [Accepted: 02/22/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Aristolochic acids (AAs) are persistent soil pollutants in the agricultural fields of the Balkan Peninsula that are endemic for Aristolochia clematitis L. This class of carcinogenic and nephrotoxic phytotoxins is taken up by crops through root absorption and contaminates staple foods across the peninsula. Human exposure to AAs via dietary intake has recently been recognized as a cause of Balkan endemic nephropathy. For the sake of public health, human exposure to AAs from all sources should be minimized in a timely manner. However, currently, there is no available remediation method to remove AAs from soil. In this study, we developed the first soil remediation method for AAs using Fenton's reagent (FR), a combination of ferrous ion and hydrogen peroxide, and optimized factors, including pH, temperature, time, and dose of FR, to achieve the best degradation performance. The maximum AA degradation efficiency was found to be >97% in soil with 500 μg kg-1 of AAs. We anticipate that this developed method, mediated via Fenton reaction, will be useful to effectively eliminate AAs from the Balkan farmlands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chi-Kong Chan
- Department of Chemistry, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Ka-Ki Tung
- Department of Chemistry, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | | | - Wan Chan
- Department of Chemistry, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
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31
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Wang X, Giusti A, Ny A, de Witte PA. Nephrotoxic Effects in Zebrafish after Prolonged Exposure to Aristolochic Acid. Toxins (Basel) 2020; 12:toxins12040217. [PMID: 32235450 PMCID: PMC7232444 DOI: 10.3390/toxins12040217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2020] [Revised: 03/24/2020] [Accepted: 03/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
With the aim to explore the possibility to generate a zebrafish model of renal fibrosis, in this study the fibrogenic renal effect of aristolochic acid I (AAI) after immersion was assessed. This compound is highly nephrotoxic able to elicit renal fibrosis after exposure of rats and humans. Our results reveal that larval zebrafish at 15 days dpf (days post-fertilization) exposed for 8 days to 0.5 µM AAI showed clear signs of AKI (acute kidney injury). The damage resulted in the relative loss of the functional glomerular filtration barrier. Conversely, we did not observe any deposition of collagen, nor could we immunodetect α-SMA, a hallmark of myofibroblasts, in the tubules. In addition, no increase in gene expression of fibrogenesis biomarkers after whole animal RNA extraction was found. As zebrafish have a high capability for tissue regeneration possibly impeding fibrogenic processes, we also used a tert−/− zebrafish line exhibiting telomerase deficiency and impaired tissue homeostasis. AAI-treated tert−/− larvae displayed an increased sensitivity towards 0.5 µM AAI. Importantly, after AAI treatment a mild collagen deposition could be found in the tubules. The outcome implies that sustained AKI induced by nephrotoxic compounds combined with defective tert−/− stem cells can produce a fibrotic response.
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32
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Au CK, Chan CK, Tung KK, Zhang J, Chan W. Quantitation of DNA Adducts of Aristolochic Acids in Repair-Deficient Cells: A Mechanistic Study of the DNA Repair Mechanism. Chem Res Toxicol 2020; 33:1323-1327. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrestox.0c00004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Chun-Kit Au
- Department of Chemistry, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Chi-Kong Chan
- Department of Chemistry, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Ka-Ki Tung
- Department of Chemistry, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Jiayin Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Wan Chan
- Department of Chemistry, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong
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33
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Zhang J, Chan CK, Ham YH, Chan W. Identifying Cysteine, N-Acetylcysteine, and Glutathione Conjugates as Novel Metabolites of Aristolochic Acid I: Emergence of a New Detoxification Pathway. Chem Res Toxicol 2020; 33:1374-1381. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrestox.9b00488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jiayin Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Chi-Kong Chan
- Department of Chemistry, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Yat-Hing Ham
- Department of Chemistry, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Wan Chan
- Department of Chemistry, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong
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