Effects of bisphenol S on the structures and activities of trypsin and pepsin

In vitro bioaccessibility of cyclodi-BADGE present in canned seafood: A new approach for the estimation of dietary exposure of the Spanish population

Human dietary exposure to chemical compounds is a priority issue for public health authorities since it constitutes a key step in risk assessment, and food packaging could be an important source of contamination. In this study, the bioaccessibility of cyclodi-BADGE was evaluated in canned seafood samples using a standardized protocol of in vitro gastrointestinal digestion and an analytical method based on liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry. The impact of enzymes, different gastric pHs, and food-covering liquids on the bioaccessibility of cyclodi-BADGE was studied. The results highlighted that cyclodi-BADGE was available to be absorbed at the intestinal level (90.9-112.3%), and its bioaccessibility increased substantially in fat food samples. Finally, the estimated dietary exposure to cyclodi-BADGE in the Spanish adult population reached values of 14.26 μg/kg bw/day for tuna in tomato, exceeding the tolerable daily intake (1.5 μg/kg bw/day) recommended for chemicals with high toxicological risk.

The combined effects of bisphenol S and hexavalent chromium on alpha-glucosidase: Intermolecular interaction, structural and functional changes

The co-contamination of heavy metal ions and organic pollutants has posed a threat to human health. Herein, this study investigated the intermolecular interactions of bisphenol S (BPS) and hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) under both individual and coexisting conditions, with alpha-glucosidase (AG), a key enzyme in carbohydrate metabolism, and the corresponding effects on the structure and function of AG. Multiple spectroscopic and molecular docking methods were employed to conduct the investigation in vitro and in silico. The results indicated that both BPS and Cr(VI) quenched the fluorescence of AG via a combined static and dynamic quenching processes. At 310 K, the binding constants of AG with BPS in the AG-BPS and (AG-Cr(VI))-BPS systems were 1.84 × 104 and 2.03 × 104 L mol-1, and the binding constants of AG with Cr(VI) in the AG-Cr(VI) and (AG-BPS)-Cr(VI) systems were 6.14 × 103 and 4.35 × 103 L mol-1. Cr(VI) could significantly affect the binding site of BPS in AG, while BPS had a minimal impact on the binding site of Cr(VI) in AG. BPS and Cr(VI) caused varied structural alterations of AG, and the impact of their coexistence on the structure of AG was related to the order in which they were added. Both BPS and Cr(VI) had a concentration-related effect on AG activity. This study provides valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the combined toxic effects of BPS and Cr(VI) on AG, highlighting the potential health risks associated with their environmental co-exposure.

A review on structural mechanisms of protein-persistent organic pollutant (POP) interactions

With the advent of the industrial revolution, the accumulation of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the environment has become ubiquitous. POPs are halogen-containing organic molecules that accumulate, and remain in the environment for a long time, thus causing toxic effects in living organisms. POPs exhibit a high affinity towards biological macromolecules such as nucleic acids, proteins and lipids, causing genotoxicity and impairment of homeostasis in living organisms. Proteins are essential members of the biological assembly, as they stipulate all necessary processes for the survival of an organism. Owing to their stereochemical features, POPs and their metabolites form energetically favourable complexes with proteins, as supported by biological and dose-dependent toxicological studies. Although individual studies have reported the biological aspects of protein-POP interactions, no comprehensive study summarizing the structural mechanisms, thermodynamics and kinetics of protein-POP complexes is available. The current review identifies and classifies protein-POP interaction according to the structural and functional basis of proteins into five major protein targets, including digestive and other enzymes, serum proteins, transcription factors, transporters, and G-protein coupled receptors. Further, analysis detailing the molecular interactions and structural mechanism evidenced that H-bonds, van der Waals, and hydrophobic interactions essentially mediate the formation of protein-POP complexes. Moreover, interaction of POPs alters the protein conformation through kinetic and thermodynamic processes like competitive inhibition and allostery to modulate the cellular signalling processes, resulting in various pathological conditions such as cancers and inflammations. In summary, the review provides a comprehensive insight into the critical structural/molecular aspects of protein-POP interactions.

Binding parameters and molecular dynamics of Trypsin-Acid Yellow 17 complexation as a function of concentration

Acid Yellow 17 is a kind of azo dye used in food, textile, and cosmetics. Several studies explain the toxicity of azo dye for our body, but one could not find further information about the effects of these dyes on human macromolecules. In the current study, the interaction of AY17 with trypsin is investigated using several techniques. The UV analysis displayed that the absorption of trypsin could be decreased in the presence of this color. The fluorescence investigation indicated that a static form of quenching happens, and a 50% decrease in the fluorescence intensity, also showed the Vander Waals and hydrogen bond are the main forces in the interaction of this color and trypsin. Furthermore, we can observe that the T_m point of trypsin decreases from 46.5 to 42. On the other hand, the CD results were indicated that the interaction of this color with trypsin could decrease the percent of turn, coil and α-helix in trypsin structure. The computational study was undertaken to obtain more information about the interaction between trypsin and AY17. The results were in agreement with the experimental investigation and indicated that the interaction between this color and trypsin leads to less compactness in the trypsin structure.

Enzyme activity inhibition properties of new cellulose nanocrystals from Citrus medica L. Pericarp: A perspective of cholesterol lowering

As a waste material, the amazing potential of CNCs isolated from Citrus medica L. pericarp in being the natural resource of lingo-cellulosic products was never investigated before. In the present study, an alkaline pretreatment and a two-step bleaching procedure were applied to conduct the desired acid hydrolysis by the usage of 64% sulfuric acid at 50 °C for 105 minutes. The extracted CNCs were distinguished through the means of transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Field Emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Atomic force microscopy (AFM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Dynamic light scattering (DLS), zeta potential, and Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The elimination of peaks, which were accountable for the inducement of hemicelluloses and lignin, was confirmed by the FTIR results and were also validated by the outcomes of XRD that proved the gentle removal of non-cellulosic components. The morphology and size of CNCs were indicated through the FESEM and TEM results. In addition, the spherical forms of synthesized CNCs were observed with a diameter of 46 nm throughout the FESEM images, while displaying a value of 42.54 nm as well due to TEM micrographs. The obtained Zeta potential displayed a reasonable negative surface charge for CNCs. Furthermore, the cytotoxicity assessment of this product on fibroblast cells was performed to study their susceptibility for bio-medical and cosmetic industrial applications, which resulted in the lack of exhibiting any cytotoxic effects. In conformity to the outcomes of TEM and FESEM, the results of AFM revealed the fine dispersion and spherical form of cellulose nano-particles. The interaction between HMG-CoA reductase and CNC was studied by the usage of multi-spectroscopic methods and enzyme kinetics to explore the binding mechanism of HMG-CoA reductase-CNC system. Reduced catalytic activity of the occurrence of changes in the secondary structure of HMG-CoA reductase was as a result of interacting with CNC caused a reduction in its catalytic activity.

Bisphenol A Analogs Induce Cellular Dysfunction in Human Trophoblast Cells in a Thyroid Hormone Receptor-Dependent Manner: In Silico and In Vitro Analyses

Bisphenol A (BPA) and its analogs are frequently detected in human daily necessities and environmental media. Placental thyroid hormone plays an important role in fetal development. Herein, we followed the adverse outcome pathway (AOP) to explore the toxic mechanisms of BPA and its analogs toward placental thyroid hormone receptor (TR). First, the TOX21 database was used, and the interactions between BPA analogs and the ligand-binding domains (LBDs) of two subtypes of TR (TRα and TRβ) were subjected to in silico screening using molecular docking (MD) and molecular dynamics simulation (MDS). Fluorescence spectra and circular dichroism (CD) showed that BPA and its analogs interfere with TRs as a molecular initiation event (MIE), including static fluorescence quenching and secondary structural content changes in TR-LBDs. Key events (KEs) of the AOP, including the toxicity induced in placental chorionic trophoblast cells (HTR-8/SVneo) by an inverted U-shaped dose effect and changes in ROS levels, were tested in vitro. BPA, BPB, and BPAF significantly changed the expression level of TRβ, and only BPAF significantly downregulated the expression level of TRα. In conclusion, our study contributes to the health risk assessment of BPA and its analogs regarding placental adverse outcomes (AOs).

Association Mechanism and Conformational Changes in Trypsin on Its Interaction with Atrazine: A Multi- Spectroscopic and Biochemical Study with Computational Approach

Atrazine (ATR) is a herbicide globally used to eliminate undesired weeds. Herbicide usage leads to various adverse effects on human health and the environment. The primary source of herbicides in humans is the food laced with the herbicides. The ATR binding to trypsin (TYP) was investigated in this study to explore its binding potential and toxicity. In vitro interaction of ATR with TYP was studied using multi-spectroscopic methods, molecular docking, and enzyme kinetics to explore the mechanism of binding for the TYP-ATR system. The TYP-ATR complex revealed binding constants (10³ M^-1), suggesting a moderate binding. The free energy for the TYP-ATR complexes was negative, suggesting a spontaneous interaction. Thermodynamic parameters enthalpy (ΔH) and entropy (ΔS) obtained positive values for the TYP-ATR system suggesting hydrophobic interactions in the binding process. Micro-environmental and conformational changes in TYP molecules were induced on interaction with ATR. Reduced catalytic activity of TYP was observed after interaction with ATR owing to the changes in the secondary structure of the TYP.

Zinc oxide nanoparticles-impregnated chitosan surfaces for covalent immobilization of trypsin: Stability & kinetic studies

Trypsin (Try, EC. 3.4.21.4) was effectively immobilized on the surface of glutaraldehyde(GA)-activated ZnO/Chitosan nanocomposite through covalent attachment via Schiff-base linkages. Size, structure, surface morphology, & percentage elemental composition of the prepared ZnO nanoparticles and chitosan-coated ZnO nanocomposite were studied by UV-Visible spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-Ray diffraction analysis (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Energy-Dispersive X-Ray Microanalysis (EDAX) techniques. Optimal immobilization conditions (incubation time (16 h), enzyme concentration (1.8 mg/ml), and pH (7.8)) were investigated to obtain the maximum expressed activity of the immobilized trypsin. Immobilized & solubilized trypsin exhibited the optimum catalytic activity at pH 8.5, 60 °C, and pH 7.8, 45 °C respectively. Kinetic parameters (K_m, V_max) of immobilized (27.12 μM, 8.82 μM/min) & free trypsin (25.76 μM, 4.16 μM/min) were determined, indicating that efficiency of trypsin improves after immobilization. Immobilized trypsin preserved 67% of initial activity at 50 °C during 2 h of incubation & sustained nearly 50% of catalytic activity until the 9th repeated cycle of utilization. Moreover, immobilized trypsin retained 50% of enzymatic activity after 90 days of storage at 4 °C. Hence, the current findings suggest that ZnO/Chitosan-GA-Trypsin would be a promising biocatalyst for large-scale biotechnological applications.

Interaction between Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester (CAPE) and Protease: Monitoring by Spectroscopic and Molecular Docking Approaches

The interaction of one anticancer drug (caffeic acid phenethyl ester, CAPE) with three proteases (trypsin, pepsin and α-chymotrypsin) has been investigated with multispectral methods and molecular docking. As an active components in propolis, the findings are of great benefit to metabolism, design and stuctural modification of drugs. The results show that CAPE has an obvious ability to quench the trypsin, pepsin, or α-chymotrypsin fluorescence mainly through a static quenching procedure. Trypsin has the largest binding affinity to CAPE, and α-chymotrypsin has the smallest binding affinity to CAPE. The data obtained from thermodynamic parameters and molecular docking prove that the spontaneously interaction between CAPE and each protease is mainly due to a combination of Van der Waals (vdW) force and hydrogen bond (H-bond), controlled by enthalpy-driven process. The binding force, strength, position, and the number of H-bond are further obtained from the results of molecular docking. Through ultraviolet spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS) and circular dichroism (CD) experiments, the change in the protease secondary structure induced by CAPE was observed. Additionally, the addition of protease had a positive impact on the antioxidative activity of CAPE, and α-chymotrypsin has the greatest impact on the removal of DPPH free radicals by CAPE.

Study on the chemical behaviour of Bisphenol S during the in vitro gastrointestinal digestion and its bioaccessibility

This study evaluated the chemical behaviour of Bisphenol S (BPS) and determined its bioaccessibility after human ingestion using a standardised in vitro gastrointestinal digestion protocol and an analytical method based on high-pressure liquid chromatography coupled with a photodiode array and tandem mass spectrometry. The effects of different factors such as gastric pH, enzymes, and food matrix on the solubility and chemical stability of BPS were studied to evaluate their contribution to its bioaccessibility. The results highlighted that BPS was available at the end of the digestion process in the range of 50-80%, and was susceptible to absorption at the intestinal level. The effect of pH was not significant as a single factor. The presence of enzymes slightly decreased the bioaccessibility of BPS in the intestinal phase with gastric pH increase. Additionally, a soy drink reduced BPS bioaccessibility by up to 5% after oral intake. Finally, a few BPS degradation products were found in non-bioaccessible fractions at different pH values.

Possible overestimation of bisphenol analogues in municipal wastewater analyzed with GC-MS

This work for the first time showed that sulfated BPA could be directly analyzed as BPA with GC-MS after the derivatization with N,O-bis-(trimethylsilyl) trifluoroacetamide (BSTFA)+1% trimethylchlorosilane (TMCS), i.e. the deconjugation step was not necessary. This was because sulfated BPA indeed could be simultaneously deconjugated and derivatized to BPA derivative during derivatization, suggesting that any co-elution of BPA and sulfated BPA during sample extraction led to BPA overestimation in the GC-MS method with BSTFA +1% TMCS as the derivative reagent. Using BPA 4,4'-disulfates (BPA diS) as the pure standard, the co-elution phenomena of sulfated BPA was confirmed with two widely used elution solvents (i.e. methanol and ethyl acetate) or their mixed solutions with different ratios, which further suggested if only sulfated BPA existed in any wastewater sample, BPA was likely over-determined. To further confirm this finding, both influent and effluent samples collected from a local municipal wastewater treatment plant were analyzed, which clearly showed the overestimation of BPA in the two wastewaters due to co-existence of sulfated BPA in the wastewater samples. In addition to BPA, the results also showed the overestimation of other nine bisphenol analogues. As sulfated micropollutants including estrogens, androgens, phytoestrogens, etc., have been widely found in municipal wastewater, the overestimating phenomenon observed in this study may also be extended to determination of other micropollutants, which should be addressed in future.

Interactions of Surface-Functionalized Starch Nanoparticles with Pepsin and Trypsin in Simulated Gastrointestinal Fluids

Nanoparticles (NPs) can form a protein corona (PC) with proteins in biological fluids. We examined whether starch nanoparticles (SNPs) form a PC and interact with digestive enzymes in simulated gastric and intestinal fluids. We investigated the adsorption of pepsin and trypsin on unmodified, carboxyl-, and amino-modified SNPs (SNPs, COOH-SNPs, and NH₂-SNPs, respectively). Quartz crystal microbalance data showed that a tight and irreversible pepsin corona formed on the NH₂-SNPs, pepsin had little or no binding to the SNPs and COOH-SNPs, and trypsin had weak binding to all three kinds of NPs. Dynamic light scattering data showed that pepsin significantly increased the size of the NH₂-SNPs from 120 ± 2.6 to 203 ± 12.2 nm and decreased their surface potential from 23.2 ± 1.0 to 12.7 ± 0.2 mV. NH₂-SNPs could induce the fluorescence quenching of pepsin and change its secondary structures without affecting its activity.

Comparative studies on the interaction of nine flavonoids with trypsin

In this study, the interaction between nine classic flavonoids (including baicalin, quercetin, myricetin, rutin, puerarin, daidzein, liquiritin and isoliquiritin) and trypsin was investigated by fluorescence spectroscopy and molecular modeling methods. The results reveal that all flavonoids can interact with trypsin to form flavonoid-trypsin complexes. The binding parameters obtained from the data at different temperatures indicate that all flavonoids can spontaneously bind with trypsin with one binding site. The binding constants of trypsin with nine classic flavonoids are in the following order as: baicalin > myricetin > rutin > isoliquiritin > hesperidin > puerarin > quercetin > daidzein > liquiritin. The interaction forces between flavonoids and trypsin may be electrostatic forces (except for rutin/puerarin/daidzein), hydrophobic interactions as well as van der Waals forces. Synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy shows that the interaction between flavonoids and trypsin changes the hydrophobicity of the microenvironment of tryptophan (Trp) residues. All flavonoids close to tyrosine (Tyr) residues but have no effect on the microenvironment around Tyr residues except for hesperidin and liquiritin. Molecular modeling displays that all flavonoids bind directly into trypsin cavity site and lead to a decrease in enzyme activity.

Enhancement of the Activity of Electrochemical Oxidation of BPS by Nd-Doped PbO2 Electrodes: Performance and Mechanism

The electrochemical oxidation processes have attracted tremendous attention on the destruction of toxic and non-biodegradable organics. A series of neodymium (Nd)-doped PbO2 electrodes (Ti/PbO2-Nd) were synthesized through a pulse electrodeposition method, and its activity of bisphenol S (BPS) removal was further examined. The morphologies and structures were characterized by the X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and an energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS). The performance, energy consumption and mechanism of electrochemical oxidation of BPS by Ti/PbO2-Nd electrode were also discussed. Compared to the traditional Ti/PbO2 electrode, the Ti/PbO2-Nd enables finer crystal particles, facilitating the oxygen evolution overpotential (OEP) from 1.41V to 1.55V and the generation of hydroxyl radicals (•OH). Moreover, lower duty cycles during the preparation of the electrode also contribute to the tapering size of crystals. The results show that the Ti/PbO2-Nd electrode exhibits relatively high activity in the anodic oxidation of BPS. Over 95% of BPS could be removed with the current density of 15 mA cm−2. Moreover, the energy consumption of BPS degradation on Ti/PbO2-Nd electrode is 60.26 kWh m−3, much lower than that on Ti/PbO2 electrode (95.45 kWh m−3). To conclude, the Ti/PbO2-Nd electrode has been proven to be a promising material for BPS removal.

Evaluation of the binding mechanism of iodine with trypsin and pepsin: A spectroscopic and molecular docking

In this work, the effects of I₂ on the activities and conformational structures of digestive enzymes, trypsin and pepsin were studied. The results indicated that the enzyme activities were decreased to some extent in the presence of I₂, especially trypsin. Upon gradual addition of I₂, the intrinsic fluorescence quenching of trypsin and pepsin were observed by mainly static collision and hydrophobic forces. I₂ is more likely to cause the fluorescence quenching of trypsin than that of pepsin. Compared with pepsin, trypsin has a greater ability to bind with I₂. The synchronous fluorescence spectral results indicated that I₂ induced the quaternary structure changes of trypsin/pepsin and changed the hydrophobicity of Tyr and Trp residues. In addition, molecular docking was used to obtain the binding mode and the various amino acid residues of trypsin and pepsin with I₂. These investigations may constitute a solid work to further explain the process of migration and transformation of I₂ in digestive system.

Toxicokinetics and bioaccumulation characteristics of bisphenol analogues in common carp (Cyprinus carpio)

Toxicokinetics and bioconcentration of eight common bisphenol analogues, including bisphenol A (BPA), -B, -C, -E, -S, -Z, -AF, and -AP in common carp (Cyprinus carpio) were investigated. Both free (BP_free) and total forms (BP_total) of the bisphenols were measured in various fish tissues. The conjugated forms of bisphenols were calculated based on BP_free and BP_total. The calculated bioconcentration factors (BCFs) based on the total bisphenols (BP_total) in the carp whole body were in the range of 0.3-320, agreeing with previous field results from Taihu Lake, China. The elimination rate constant (k_e) positively correlated with the fraction of conjugated form (f_conjugated), which displayed negative correlation with their log K_ow (r = -0.861, p < 0.05), indicating that conjugation facilitated their elimination and those with higher hydrophobicity were more difficult to be eliminated. Except BPA, the concentrations of all bisphenols in the carp tissues were in the order of kidney > liver ≫ muscle. The uptake rate constants (k_u) in kidney (r = 0.836, p < 0.05) and in liver (r = 0.863, p < 0.05) displayed significantly positive correlations with BCFs, and k_u in kidney was greater than in liver except BPA. These results indicated that kidney and liver played important roles in accumulating bisphenols in carp, and kidney made more contribution than liver for most bisphenols. Biliary excretion predominated for elimination of most bisphenols while BPA and BPS were mainly through urinary excretion.

Evaluation of the toxicity of 5-fluorouracil on three digestive enzymes from the view of side effects

Among the side effects of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), the performance of the gastrointestinal reactions is faster and more obvious than others. In this work, the effects of 5-FU on the activities and conformational structures of the important digestive enzymes including α-amylase, pepsin and trypsin were studied to analyze the mechanism of the gastrointestinal adverse effects causing by 5-FU binding. The results showed that the enzymatic activity of pepsin was obviously reduced by the presence of 5-FU that bound directly to the enzyme activity cavity site. The molecular modeling and fluorescence quenching data indicated that the hydrophobic, polar and hydrogen bonding forces were involved in the ground state complex formation between proteases and 5-FU. In addition, 5-FU changed the tertiary structures of α-amylase, pepsin, and trypsin.

Interactions of carbon quantum dots from roasted fish with digestive protease and dopamine

The carbon quantum dots from roasted fish interacted with digestive protease and dopamine.

Probing the stereoselective interaction of ofloxacin enantiomers with corresponding monoclonal antibodies by multiple spectrometry

Although stereoselective antibody has immense potential in chiral compounds detection and separation, the interaction traits between stereoselective antibody and the corresponding antigenic enantiomers are not yet fully exploited. In this study, the stereospecific interactions between ofloxacin isomers and corresponding monoclonal antibodies (McAb-WR1 and McAb-MS1) were investigated using time-resolved fluorescence, steady-state fluorescence, and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopic methods. The chiral recognition discrepancies of antibodies with ofloxacin isomers were reflected through binding constant, number of binding sites, driving forces and conformational changes. The major interacting forces of McAb-WR1 and McAb-MS1 chiral interaction systems were hydrophobic force and van der Waals forces joined up with hydrogen bonds, respectively. Synchronous fluorescence spectra and CD spectra results showed that the disturbing of tyrosine and tryptophan micro-environments were so slightly that no obvious secondary structure changes were found during the chiral hapten binding. Clarification of stereospecific interaction of antibody will facilitate the application of immunoassay to analyze chiral contaminants in food and other areas.

Interaction of sucralose with whey protein: Experimental and molecular modeling studies

The objective of this research was to study the interactions of sucralose with whey protein isolate (WPI) by using the three-dimensional fluorescence spectroscopy, circular dichroism spectroscopy and molecular modeling. The results showed that the peptide strands structure of WPI had been changed by sucralose. Sucralose binding induced the secondary structural changes and increased content of aperiodic structure of WPI. Sucralose decreased the thermal stability of WPI and acted as a structure destabilizer during the thermal unfolding process of protein. In addition, the existence of sucralose decreased the reversibility of the unfolding of WPI. Nonetheless, sucralose-WPI complex was less stable than protein alone. The molecular modeling result showed that van der Waals and hydrogen bonding interactions contribute to the complexation free binding energy. There are more than one possible binding sites of WPI with sucralose by surface binding mode.

Bisphenol S impairs blood functions and induces cardiovascular risks in rats

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Bisphenol S alters blood homeostasis.

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Bisphenol S is probably a cardiac risk augmenting chemical.

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Bisphenol S is a haemolysis promoting chemical.

Bisphenol S (BPS) is an industrial chemical which is recently used to replace the potentially toxic Bisphenol A (BPA) in making polycarbonate plastics, epoxy resins and thermal receipt papers. The probable toxic effects of BPS on the functions of haemopoietic and cardiovascular systems have not been reported till to date. We report here that BPS depresses haematological functions and induces cardiovascular risks in rat. Adult male albino rats of Sprague-Dawley strain were given BPS at a dose level of 30, 60 and 120 mg/kg BW/day respectively for 30 days. Red blood cell (RBC) count, white blood cell (WBC) count, Hb concentration, and clotting time have been shown to be significantly (*P < 0.05) reduced in a dose dependent manner in all exposed groups of rats comparing to the control. It has also been shown that BPS increases total serum glucose and protein concentration in the exposed groups of rats. We have observed that BPS increases serum total cholesterol, triglyceride, glycerol free triglyceride, low density lipoprotein (LDL) and very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) concentration, whereas high density lipoprotein (HDL) concentration has been found to be reduced in the exposed groups. BPS significantly increases serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activities dose dependently. Moreover, serum calcium, bilirubin and urea concentration have been observed to be increased in all exposed groups. In conclusion, BPS probably impairs the functions of blood and promotes cardiovascular risks in rats.

In vitro assessment of phthalate acid esters-trypsin complex formation

In this work, interactions of three phthalate acid esters (PAEs), including dimethyl phthalate (DMP), diethyl phthalate (DEP) and dibutyl phthalate (DBP), with trypsin have been studied in vitro, under simulated physiological conditions using multi-spectroscopic techniques and molecular modeling. The results show that these PAEs can bind to the trypsin, forming trypsin-PAEs complexes, mainly via hydrophobic interactions, with the affinity order of DMP > DEP > DBP. Binding to the PAEs is found to result in molecular deformation of trypsin. The modeling results suggest that only DBP can bind with the amino acid residues of the catalytic triad and S1 binding pocket of trypsin, leading to potential competitive enzyme inhibition.

Interaction between azo dye Acid Red 14 and pepsin by multispectral methods and docking studies

The interaction of synthetic azo dye Acid Red 14 with pepsin was studied by fluorescence spectroscopy, UV-vis spectroscopy, circular dichroism and molecular docking. Results from the fluorescence spectroscopy show that Acid Red 14 has a strong capability to quench the intrinsic fluorescence of pepsin with static quenching. Binding constant, number of the binding sites and thermodynamic parameters were measured at different temperatures. The result indicates that Acid Red 14 interact with pepsin spontaneously by hydrogen bonding and van der Waals interactions. Three-dimensional fluorescence spectra and circular dichroism spectra reveal that Acid Red 14 could slightly change the structure of pepsin. The hydrogen bond is formed between Acid Red 14 and Tyr-189 and Thr-218 residues of pepsin. Furthermore, the binding between Acid Red 14 and pepsin inhibits pepsin activity. The study can provide a way to analyze the biological safety of Acid Red 14 on digestive proteases or other proteins.

Protein Corona-Induced Modification of Silver Nanoparticle Aggregation in Simulated Gastric Fluid

Due to their widespread incorporation into a range of biomedical and consumer products, the ingestion of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) is of considerable concern to human health. However, the extent to which AgNPs will be modified within the gastric compartment of the gastrointestinal tract is still poorly understood. Studies have yet to fully evaluate the extent of physicochemical changes to AgNPs in the presence of biological macromolecules, such as pepsin, the most abundant protein in the stomach, or the influence of AgNPs on protein structure and activity. Herein, AgNPs of two different sizes and surface coatings (20 and 110 nm, citrate or polyvinylpyrrolidone) were added to simulated gastric fluid (SGF) with or without porcine pepsin at three pHs (2.0, 3.5, and 5.0), representing a range of values between preprandial (fasted) and postprandial (fed) conditions. Rapid increases in diameter were observed for all AgNPs, with a greater increase in diameter in the presence of pepsin, indicating that pepsin facilitated AgNPs aggregation. AgNPs interaction with pepsin only minimally reduced the protein's proteolytic functioning capability, with the greatest inhibitory effect caused by smaller (20 nm) particles of both coatings. No changes in pepsin secondary structural elements were observed for the different AgNPs, even at high particle concentrations. This research highlights the size-dependent kinetics of nanoparticle aggregation or dissolution from interaction with biological elements such as proteins in the gastrointestinal tract. Further, these results demonstrate that, in addition to mass, knowing the chemical form and aggregation state of nanoparticles is critical when evaluating toxicological effects from nanoparticle exposure in the body.

Study on the influence of oxidative stress on the fibrillization of fibrinogen

Human fibrinogen is an important coagulation factor as well as an independent predictor of coronary heart disease and stroke. Analysis of dysfibrinogens may provide useful information and help us to understand the molecular defects in fibrin polymerization. In the present study, we investigated the influence of oxidative stress of fibrinogen induced by H2O2 on the polymerization state of fibrin. UV absorbance spectroscopy, circular dichroism, ζ-potential, dynamic light scattering and steady shear viscosity were all employed to study the influence of oxidative stress on the molecular structure, the surface charges, and the size and shape of fibrinogen molecules. The fibrin morphology obtained was imaged and investigated using atomic force microscopy. The results demonstrated that the cross-linking, branching and height distribution of formed fibrin will be influenced by the oxidative stress of fibrinogen. This study presents new insights into the aggregation behaviour of fibrinogen and will be helpful to understand the formation mechanism of thrombosis under oxidative stress.

From BPA to its analogues: Is it a safe journey?

Bisphenol-A (BPA) is one of the most abundant synthetic chemicals in the world due to its uses in plastics. Its widespread exposure vis-a-vis low dose effects led to a reduction in its safety dose and imposition of ban on its use in infant feeding bottles. This restriction paved the way for the gradual market entry of its analogues. However, their structural similarity to BPA has put them under surveillance for endocrine disrupting potential. The application of these analogues is increasing and so are the studies reporting their toxicity. This review highlights the reasons which led to the ban of BPA and also reports the exposure and toxicological data available on its analogues. Hence, this compilation is expected to answer in a better way whether the replacement of BPA by these analogues is safer or more harmful?

Bisphenol S Interacts with Catalase and Induces Oxidative Stress in Mouse Liver and Renal Cells

Bisphenol S (BPS) is present in multitudinous consumer products and detected in both food and water. It also has been a main substitute for bisphenol A (BPA) in the food-packaging industry. Yet, the toxicity of BPS is not fully understood. The present study of the toxicity of BPS was divided into two parts. First, oxidative stress, cell viability, apoptosis level, and catalase (CAT) activity in mouse hepatocytes and renal cells were investigated after BPS exposure. After 12 h of incubation with BPS, all of these parameters of hepatocytes and renal cells changed by >15% as the concentration of BPS ranged from 0.1 to 1 mM. Second, the direct interaction between BPS and CAT on the molecule level was investigated by multiple spectral methods and molecular docking investigations. BPS changed the structure and the activity of CAT through binding to the Gly 117 residue on the substrate channel of the enzyme. The main binding forces were hydrogen bond and hydrophobic force.

Interaction of γ-Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles with fibrinogen

In this article, an attempt is made to analysis the binding mechanism of γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles with fibrinogen by using a combination of circular dichroism, UV-vis, fluorescence spectroscopic and computational methods. The multi-spectroscopic data revealed that the complex easily formed between γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles and fibrinogen by mainly hydrogen bonding forces. The binding constants of fibrinogen with γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles were 2.24×10(7), 1.15×10(7) and 0.72×10(7)Lmol(-1) at 298, 304, and 310K, respectively. Furthermore, the results from circular dichroism, UV-vis, synchronous fluorescence, and three-dimensional fluorescence studies showed that the strong binding interaction of γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles with fibrinogen induced an obvious perturbation in the protein secondary and tertiary structure. Moreover, the results of molecular modeling indicated the existence of the preferable binding site on fibrinogen for γ-Fe2O3 NPs model.

Exploration of binding of C.I. Food Red 9 with pepsin by optical spectroscopic and molecular docking methods

A comprehensive study of the effects of C.I. Food Red 9 on the conformation and activity of pepsin was performed using multi-spectral methods and molecular docking technique. Fluorescence and circular dichroism spectral analyzes showed that C.I. Food Red 9 binding induced the changes of secondary and tertiary structure of pepsin. The activity experimental results indicated that the activity of pepsin decreased remarkably with the increasing concentration of C.I. Food Red 9. Multi non-covalent interactions including hydrogen bonds, hydrophobic, and electrostatic forces played important roles in the complex formation between C.I. Food Red 9 and pepsin. The binding constants of pepsin with C.I. Food Red 9 were (1.21±0.036)×10(4) L mol(-1) (298 K) and (1.05±0.043)×10(4) L mol(-1) (310 K). Moreover, the putative binding site of C.I. Food Red 9 on pepsin was near to activity pocket. This study demonstrates that C.I. Food Red 9 could cause some negative effects on pepsin.