Determination of estrogenic activity in landfill leachate by simplified yeast two-hybrid assay

Analysis of Estrogenic Activity in Maryland Coastal Bays Using the MCF-7 Cell Proliferation Assay

Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CECs) with estrogenic or estrogenic-like activity have been increasingly detected in aquatic environments and have been an issue of global concern due to their potential negative effects on wildlife and human health. This study used the MCF-7 cell proliferation assay (E-Screen) to assess the estrogenic activity profiles in Maryland Coastal Bays (MCBs), a eutrophic system of estuaries impacted by human activities. Estrogenic activity was observed in all study sites tested. Water samples from MCBs increased MCF-7 cell proliferation above the negative control from 2.1-fold at site 8, located in Sinepuxent Bay close to the Ocean City Inlet, to 6.3-fold at site 6, located in Newport Bay. The proliferative effects of the sediment samples over the negative control ranged from 1.9-fold at the Assateague Island National Seashore site to 7.7-fold at the Public Landing site. Moreover, elevated cell proliferation (p < 0.05) was observed when cells were co-exposed with 17ß-Estradiol (E2), while reduction in cell proliferation was observed when cells were co-exposed with the antagonist ICI 182, 780 suggesting that cell proliferative effects were primarily mediated by the estrogen receptor (ER). These results suggest the occurrence of some estrogenic or hormonal-like compounds in the MCBs and are consistent with our previous findings based on vitellogenin analyses.

Estrogen agonistic/antagonistic activity of brominated parabens

The estrogen agonistic/antagonistic activity of 16 brominated by-products of parabens was assessed by using a yeast two-hybrid assay transfected with the human estrogen receptor α. Characterization of synthetic compounds including novel brominated parabens was performed using ¹H-NMR spectroscopy and high-resolution mass spectrometry. For the agonist assay, five C₃-C₄ alkylparabens exhibited significant activity (P < 0.05) relative to that of 17β-estradiol, ranging from 3.7 × 10^-5 to 7.1 × 10^-4. In contrast, none of the brominated alkyl parabens exhibited agonistic activity. In the antagonist assay, 12 brominated alkylparabens and butylparaben exhibited significant antagonistic activity (P < 0.05). Their antagonistic activity relative to 4-hydroxytamoxifen ranged from 0.11 to 2.5. The antagonist activity of C₁-C₄ alkylparabens increased with the number of bromine substitutions. Benzylparaben exhibited both agonistic and antagonistic activity, and these activities dissipated or were weakened with increased bromination. Thus, increased bromination appeared to attenuate the estrogen agonistic activity of most parabens such that it resulted in increased antagonistic activity, a feature of parabens that had not been previously described.

An integrated approach combining chemical analysis and an in vivo bioassay to assess the estrogenic potency of a municipal solid waste landfill leachate in Qingdao

Various adverse effects related to landfill leachate have made leachates an important issue in past decades, and it has been demonstrated that landfill leachate is an important source of environmental estrogens. In this study, we employed chemical analysis of some already evaluated estrogenic substances, in combination with a bioassay using several specific biomarkers (e.g., plasma vitellogenin and sex steroids, enzyme activity of gonad gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, and gonadosomatic index) to evaluate the estrogenic activities in outlets from different stages of the leachate treatment process. The results indicated that 5 environmental estrogens (4-t-octylphenol, bisphenol A, di-ethyl phthalate, di-n-butyl phthalate, and diethylhexyl phthalate) were detected by a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and the concentrations in leachate samples were 6153 ng/L, 3642 ng/L, 2139 ng/L, 5900 ng/L, and 9422 ng/L, respectively. Leachate (1∶200 diluted) induced the synthesis of plasma vitellogenin and led to decreased enzyme activity of gonad gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase and gonadosomatic index in male goldfish (Carassius auratus) after a 28-day exposure, while increased circulating 17β-estradiol level was also observed in males exposed to treated effluent. Although the target EEs were partially removed with removal rates varying from 87.2% to 99.77% by the “membrane bioreactor+reverse osmosis+aeration zeolite biofilter” treatment process, the treated effluent is still estrogenic to fish. The method combined chemical techniques with the responses of test organisms allowing us to identify the group of estrogen-like chemicals so that we were able to evaluate the overall estrogenic effects of a complex mixture, avoiding false negative assessments.

Anti-estrogenic activity of a human resveratrol metabolite

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Resveratrol, the most investigated dietary compound in studies aimed at linking wine consumption to human health, is an extremely minor component of this beverage and it is generally studied in vitro as the unconjugated aglycone at concentrations largely exceeding those found in the human circulatory system after dietary intake. Moreover, following intestinal absorption, trans-resveratrol and its glucoside, which are naturally present in wine and other food sources, are converted to sulphate and glucuronide metabolites. An estrogenic activity has previously been documented for resveratrol, yet nothing is known about the activity of its blood-circulating metabolic derivatives.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Using a yeast two-hybrid detection system relying on the interaction between the ligand-binding domain of the human oestrogen receptors α and β and the human coactivator Tif2, we have systematically examined the oestrogen agonist and antagonist activities of the two main resveratrol forms present in planta (trans-resveratrol and trans-resveratrol-3-O-glucoside) and of the three main metabolites found in human plasma (trans-resveratrol-3-O-sulphate, trans-resveratrol-3-O-glucuronide and trans-resveratrol-4'-O-glucuronide). Only resveratrol-3-O-sulphate was found to display a fairly strong and oestrogen receptor α-preferential antagonistic activity, which was confirmed in a human breast adenocarcinoma cell line containing a luciferase reporter gene under the control of an oestrogen-responsive promoter.

CONCLUSIONS

We show, for the first time, that resveratrol-3-O-sulphate, but neither of its metabolites, is endowed with anti-estrogenic activity and how human metabolism of phenolic substances plays a pivotal role in modulating their biological effect.

Antiestrogenicity and estrogenicity in leachates from solid waste deposits

A great deal of effort has been devoted to developing new in vitro and in vivo methods to identify and classify endocrine disrupting chemicals that have been identified in environmental samples. In this study an in vitro test based on recombinant yeast strains transfected with genes for the human estrogen receptor α was adapted to examine the presence of estrogenic and antiestrogenic substances in six Swedish landfill leachates. Antiestrogenic effects were measured as inhibition of the estradiol induced response with the human estrogen receptor α, and quantified by comparison with the corresponding inhibitory effects of a known antiestrogen, hydroxytamoxifen. The estrogenicity was within the range of that determined in domestic sewage effluents, from below the limit of detection to 29 ng estradiol units L(-1). Antiestrogenicity was detected in some of the investigated landfill leachates, ranging between <38 and 3800 μg hydroxytamoxifen equivalents L(-1). There was no apparent relation between the type of waste deposited on the landfills and the antiestrogenic effect. Fractionation of a landfill leachate showed that estrogenic compounds were located in two dominant fractions. Three estrogenic compounds were found that accounted for the estrogenic activity in extracts of leachates: bisphenol A, estradiol, and ethinylestradiol. The bisphenol may have been released from decomposing plastic waste and the estrogenic steroids from earlier deposits of municipal sewage sludge and pharmaceutical waste. Fractionation of leachates from three parts of a landfill showed that the antiestrogenic activity was distributed in at least four fractions and somewhat different in different flows of leachate. This indicated a heterogeneous mixture of antiestrogenic substances.

In vitro and in vivo estrogenic effects of 17alpha-estradiol in medaka (Oryzias latipes)

17alpha-Estradiol (17alpha-E2), the stereoisomer of 17beta-estradiol (17beta-E2), is considered a weak estrogen in mammals. However, little is known about its estrogenic potency in teleost fish, even though 17alpha-E2 has been frequently detected in aquatic environment. To investigate the estrogenic activity of 17alpha-E2, an in vitro assay based on the ligand-dependent interaction between medaka estrogen receptor alpha (med-ERalpha) and coactivator was conducted. Japanese medaka (Oryziaslatipes) were exposed to 1, 10, 100, 1000 and 10000ng L(-1) 17alpha-E2 (actual concentrations of 1.91, 12.81, 96.24, 1045.15, and 9320.81ng L(-1), respectively) for 3 weeks, and expression for vitellogenins (VTG-I), Choriogenin H (CHG-H) and estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha) mRNA in the livers was analyzed by quantitative real-time RT-PCR (Q-RT-PCR). The in vitro study showed that the EC(50) of 17alpha-E2 was 114.10nM, which was 30 times less potent than that of 17beta-E2 (3.80nM). Dose-dependent induction of gene expression of VTG-I, CHG-H and ERalpha were observed. The benchmark dose (BMD) values for VTG-I, CHG-H and ERalpha were 44.16ng L(-1), 15.25ng L(-1) and 66.03ng L(-1), which were about 11-, 17- and 14-times less potent than that of 17beta-E2, respectively. Comparing this study with those reported previously in mammals, it is suggested that fish species may be more susceptive to 17alpha-E2 than mammals.

Fluorescent characteristics of estrogenic compounds in landfill leachate

Estrogens in landfill leachate could probably contaminate receiving water sources if not properly polished before discharge. This work measured, using an estrogen receptor-alpha competitor screening assay, the estrogenic potentials of leachate samples collected at a local sanitary landfill in Shanghai, China and their compounds fractionated by molecular weights. The chemical structures of the constituent compounds were characterized using fluorescence excitation and emission matrix (EEM). The organic matters of molecular weight <600 Da and of 3000-14,000 Da contributed most of the estrogenic potentials of the raw leachates. The former were considered as the typical endocrine disrupting compounds in dissolved state; while the latter the fulvic acids with high aromaticity that were readily adsorbed with estrogens (bound state). Statistical analysis on EEM peaks revealed that the chemical structures of noted estrogens in dissolved state and in bound state were not identical. Aerobic treatment effectively removed dissolved estrogens, but rarely removed those bound estrogens.

Estrogenic activity of fractionate landfill leachate

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) in leachate samples collected at Laogang Sanitary Landfill in Shanghai, China were fractionated using size exclusion chromatography and were characterized using estrogen receptor-alpha competitor screening assay as toxicity activity index. The estrogen activity of leachate was determined mainly by the hydrophobic acid DOM with moderate MW (3000-14,000 Da) and low MW (<630 Da) and with high aromaticity and fluorophores of possibly pyrenyl characteristics. Landfilling for up to seven years or oxic storage for one month degraded a few of these estrogens. Aerobic SBR treatments effectively degraded the hydrophobic estrogens, but rarely degraded the hydrophilic estrogens.

Degradation and behavior of natural steroid hormones in cow manure waste during biological treatments and ozone oxidation

An efficient treatment process for screened cow manure waste, particularly for the degradation of natural steroid hormones, was developed. The first step in this process was a draw-and-fill process for thermophilic anaerobic digestion. After fourfold dilution with tap water, continuous feeding was performed for the aerobic treatment of the effluent from the anaerobic treatment. Batchwise ozone oxidation was then carried out for the degradation of the natural steroid hormones that remained in the effluent from the aerobic treatment. A yeast two-hybrid assay was performed to evaluate hormonal degradation. Significant reductions in the concentrations of total VFA, BOD(5), COD(Cr), TOC, TS, VSS, and natural steroid hormones were demonstrated in the effluent from the biological treatments. The removal ratios of such concentrations were 99.7%, 90%, 79%, 84%, 51%, 58%, and 99%, respectively. Although the concentrations of the remaining TOC and COD(Cr) remained constant, natural steroid hormones were completely removed by ozone oxidation.