Dose-dependent localization of TCDD in isolated centrilobular and periportal hepatocytes

Transcriptomic analysis of AHR wildtype and Knock-out rat livers supports TCDD's role in AHR/ARNT-mediated circadian disruption and hepatotoxicity

Single, high doses of TCDD in rats are known to cause wasting, a progressive loss of 30 to 50% body weight and death within several weeks. To identify pathway perturbations at or near doses causing wasting, we examined differentially gene expression (DGE) and pathway enrichment in centrilobular (CL) and periportal (PP) regions of female rat livers following 6 dose levels of TCDD - 0, 3, 22, 100, 300, and 1000 ng/kg/day, 5 days/week for 4 weeks. At the higher doses, rats lost weight, had increased liver/body weight ratios and nearly complete cessation of liver cell proliferation, signs consistent with wasting. DGE curves were left shifted for the CL versus the PP regions. Canonical Phase I and Phase II genes were maximally increased at lower doses and remained elevated at all doses. At lower doses, ≤ 22 ng/kg/day in the CL and ≤ 100 ng/kg/day, upregulated genes showed transcription factor (TF) enrichment for AHR and ARNT. At the mid- and high-dose doses, there was a large number of downregulated genes and pathway enrichment for DEGs which showed downregulation of many cellular metabolism processes including those for steroids, fatty acid metabolism, pyruvate metabolism and citric acid cycle. There was significant TF enrichment of the hi-dose downregulated genes for RXR, ESR1, LXR, PPARalpha. At the highest dose, there was also pathway enrichment with upregulated genes for extracellular matrix organization, collagen formation, hemostasis and innate immune system. TCDD demonstrates most of its effects through binding the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) while the downregulation of metabolism genes at higher TCDD doses is known to be independent of AHR binding to DREs. Based on our results with DEG, we provide a hypothesis for wasting in which high doses of TCDD shift circadian processes away from the resting state, leading to greatly reduced synthesis of steroids and complex lipids needed for cell growth, and producing gene expression signals consistent with an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in hepatocytes.

Characterizing the impact of simvastatin co-treatment of cell specific TCDD-induced gene expression and systemic toxicity

2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) is associated with metabolic syndrome (MetS) in humans and elicits pathologies in rodents that resemble non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in humans through activation of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) pathway. Dysregulation of cholesterol homeostasis, an aspect of MetS, is linked to NAFLD pathogenesis. TCDD exposure is also linked to the suppression of genes that encode key cholesterol biosynthesis steps and changes in serum cholesterol levels. In a previous experiment, treating mice with TCDD in the presence of simvastatin, a 3-Hydroxy-3-Methylglutaryl-CoA Reductase competitive inhibitor, altered lipid and glycogen levels, AHR-battery gene expression, and liver injury in male mice compared to TCDD alone. The aim of this study was to deduce a possible mechanism(s) for the metabolic changes and increased injury using single-nuclei RNA sequencing in mouse liver. We demonstrated that co-treated mice experienced wasting and increased AHR activation compared to TCDD alone. Furthermore, relative proportions of cell (sub)types were different between TCDD alone and co-treated mice including important mediators of NAFLD progression like hepatocytes and immune cell populations. Analysis of non-overlapping differentially expressed genes identified several pathways where simvastatin co-treatment significantly impacted TCDD-induced changes, which may explain the differences between treatments. Overall, these results demonstrate a connection between dysregulation of cholesterol homeostasis and toxicant-induced metabolic changes.

Generative modeling of single-cell gene expression for dose-dependent chemical perturbations

Single-cell sequencing reveals the heterogeneity of cellular response to chemical perturbations. However, testing all relevant combinations of cell types, chemicals, and doses is a daunting task. A deep generative learning formalism called variational autoencoders (VAEs) has been effective in predicting single-cell gene expression perturbations for single doses. Here, we introduce single-cell variational inference of dose-response (scVIDR), a VAE-based model that predicts both single-dose and multiple-dose cellular responses better than existing models. We show that scVIDR can predict dose-dependent gene expression across mouse hepatocytes, human blood cells, and cancer cell lines. We biologically interpret the latent space of scVIDR using a regression model and use scVIDR to order individual cells based on their sensitivity to chemical perturbation by assigning each cell a "pseudo-dose" value. We envision that scVIDR can help reduce the need for repeated animal testing across tissues, chemicals, and doses.

Single-Nuclei RNA Sequencing Assessment of the Hepatic Effects of 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Characterization of cell specific transcriptional responses to hepatotoxicants is lost in the averages of bulk RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq). Single-cell/nuclei RNA-seq technologies enable the transcriptomes of individual cell (sub)types to be assessed within the context of in vivo models.

METHODS

Single-nuclei RNA-sequencing (snSeq) of frozen liver samples from male C57BL/6 mice gavaged with sesame oil vehicle or 30 μg/kg 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) every 4 days for 28 days was used to demonstrate the application of snSeq for the evaluation of xenobiotics.

RESULTS

A total of 19,907 genes were detected across 16,015 nuclei from control and TCDD-treated livers. Eleven cell (sub)types reflected the expected cell diversity of the liver including distinct pericentral, midzonal, and periportal hepatocyte subpopulations. TCDD altered relative proportions of cell types and elicited cell-specific gene expression profiles. For example, macrophages increased from 0.5% to 24.7%, while neutrophils were only present in treated samples, consistent with histological evaluation. The number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in each cell type ranged from 122 (cholangiocytes) to 7625 (midcentral hepatocytes), and loosely correlated with the basal expression level of Ahr, the canonical mediator of TCDD and related compounds. In addition to the expected functions within each cell (sub)types, RAS signaling and related pathways were specifically enriched in nonparenchymal cells while metabolic process enrichment occurred primarily in hepatocytes. snSeq also identified the expansion of a Kupffer cell subtype highly expressing Gpnmb, as reported in a dietary NASH model.

CONCLUSIONS

We show that snSeq of frozen liver samples can be used to assess cell-specific transcriptional changes and population shifts in models of hepatotoxicity when examining freshly isolated cells is not feasible.

Effects of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) on the differentiation of embryonic stem cells towards pancreatic lineage and pancreatic beta cell function

Animal and epidemiological studies demonstrated association of persistent exposure of TCDD, an endocrine disrupting chemical, to susceptibility of type 2 diabetes (T2D). High doses of TCDD were commonly employed in experimental animals to illustrate its diabetogenic effects. Data linking the epigenetic effects of low doses of TCDD on embryonic cells to T2D susceptibility risks is very limited. To address whether low dose exposure to TCDD would affect pancreatic development, hESCs pretreated with TCDD at concentrations similar to human exposure were differentiated towards pancreatic lineage cells, and their global DNA methylation patterns were determined. Our results showed that TCDD-treated hESCs had impaired pancreatic lineage differentiation potentials and altered global DNA methylation patterns. Four of the hypermethylated genes (PRKAG1, CAPN10, HNF-1B and MAFA) were validated by DNA bisulfite sequencing. PRKAG1, a regulator in the AMPK signaling pathway critical for insulin secretion, was selected for further functional study in the rat insulinoma cell line, INS-1E cells. TCDD treatment induced PRKAG1 hypermethylation in hESCs, and the hypermethylation was maintained after pancreatic progenitor cells differentiation. Transient Prkag1 knockdown in the INS-1E cells elevated glucose stimulated insulin secretions (GSIS), possibly through mTOR signaling pathway. The current study suggested that early embryonic exposure to TCDD might alter pancreatogenesis, increasing the risk of T2D.

N-Acetyl-2-Aminofluorene (AAF) Processing in Adult Rat Hepatocytes in Primary Culture Occurs by High-Affinity Low-Velocity and Low-Affinity High-Velocity AAF Metabolite-Forming Systems

N-acetyl-2-aminofluorene (AAF) is a procarcinogen used widely in physiological investigations of chemical hepatocarcinogenesis. Its metabolic pathways have been described extensively, yet little is known about its biochemical processing, growth cycle expression, and pharmacological properties inside living hepatocytes-the principal cellular targets of this hepatocarcinogen. In this report, primary monolayer adult rat hepatocyte cultures and high specific-activity [ring G-3 H]-N-acetyl-2-aminofluorene were used to extend previous observations of metabolic activation of AAF by highly differentiated, proliferation-competent hepatocytes in long-term cultures. AAF metabolism proceeded by zero-order kinetics. Hepatocytes processed significant amounts of procarcinogen (≈12 μg AAF/106 cells/day). Five ring-hydroxylated and one deacetylated species of AAF were secreted into the culture media. Extracellular metabolite levels varied during the growth cycle (days 0-13), but their rank quantitative order was time invariant: 5-OH-AAF > 7-OH-AAF > 3-OH-AAF > N-OH-AAF > aminofluorene (AF) > 1-OH-AAF. Lineweaver-Burk analyses revealed two principal classes of metabolism: System I (high-affinity and low-velocity), Km[APPARENT] = 1.64 × 10-7  M and VMAX[APPARENT] = 0.1 nmol/106 cells/day and System II (low-affinity and high-velocity), Km[APPARENT] = 3.25 × 10-5  M and VMAX[APPARENT] = 1000 nmol/106 cells/day. A third system of metabolism of AAF to AF, with Km[APPARENT] and VMAX[APPARENT] constants of 9.6 × 10-5  M and 4.7 nmol/106 cells/day, was also observed. Evidence provided in this report and its companion paper suggests selective roles and intracellular locations for System I- and System II-mediated AAF metabolite formation during hepatocarcinogenesis, although some of the molecules and mechanisms responsible for multi-system processing remain to be fully defined.

Comparative liver accumulation of dioxin-like compounds in sheep and cattle: Possible role of AhR-mediated xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes

PCDDs, PCDFs, and PCBs are persistent organic pollutants (POPs) that accumulate in animal products and may pose serious health problems. Those able to bind the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), eliciting a plethora of toxic responses, are defined dioxin-like (DL) compounds, while the remainders are called non-DL (NDL). An EFSA opinion has highlighted the tendency of ovine liver to specifically accumulate DL-compounds to a greater extent than any other farmed ruminant species. To examine the possible role in such an accumulation of xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes (XME) involved in DL-compound biotransformation, liver samples were collected from ewes and cows reared in an area known for low dioxin contamination. A related paper reported that sheep livers had about 5-fold higher DL-compound concentrations than cattle livers, while the content of the six marker NDL-PCBs did not differ between species. Specimens from the same animals were subjected to gene expression analysis for AhR, AhR nuclear translocator (ARNT) and AhR-dependent oxidative and conjugative pathways; XME protein expression and activities were also investigated. Both AhR and ARNT mRNA levels were about 2-fold lower in ovine samples and the same occurred for CYP1A1 and CYP1A2, being approximately 3- and 9-fold less expressed in sheep compared to cattle, while CYP1B1 could be detectable in cattle only. The results of the immunoblotting and catalytic activity (most notably EROD) measurements of the CYP1A family enzymes were in line with the gene expression data. By contrast, phase II enzyme expression and activities in sheep were higher (UGT1A) or similar (GSTA1, NQO1) to those recorded in cattle. The overall low expression of CYP1 family enzymes in the sheep is in line with the observed liver accumulation of DL-compounds and is expected to affect the kinetics and the dynamics of other POPs such as many polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, as well as of toxins (e.g. aflatoxins) or drugs (e.g. benzimidazole anthelmintics) known to be metabolized by those enzymes.

Key Challenges and Opportunities Associated with the Use of In Vitro Models to Detect Human DILI: Integrated Risk Assessment and Mitigation Plans

Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is a major cause of late-stage clinical drug attrition, market withdrawal, black-box warnings, and acute liver failure. Consequently, it has been an area of focus for toxicologists and clinicians for several decades. In spite of considerable efforts, limited improvements in DILI prediction have been made and efforts to improve existing preclinical models or develop new test systems remain a high priority. While prediction of intrinsic DILI has improved, identifying compounds with a risk for idiosyncratic DILI (iDILI) remains extremely challenging because of the lack of a clear mechanistic understanding and the multifactorial pathogenesis of idiosyncratic drug reactions. Well-defined clinical diagnostic criteria and risk factors are also missing. This paper summarizes key data interpretation challenges, practical considerations, model limitations, and the need for an integrated risk assessment. As demonstrated through selected initiatives to address other types of toxicities, opportunities exist however for improvement, especially through better concerted efforts at harmonization of current, emerging and novel in vitro systems or through the establishment of strategies for implementation of preclinical DILI models across the pharmaceutical industry. Perspectives on the incorporation of newer technologies and the value of precompetitive consortia to identify useful practices are also discussed.

Genome Editing of the CYP1A1 Locus in iPSCs as a Platform to Map AHR Expression throughout Human Development

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) is a ligand activated transcription factor that increases the expression of detoxifying enzymes upon ligand stimulation. Recent studies now suggest that novel endogenous roles of the AHR exist throughout development. In an effort to create an optimized model system for the study of AHR signaling in several cellular lineages, we have employed a CRISPR/CAS9 genome editing strategy in induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to incorporate a reporter cassette at the transcription start site of one of its canonical targets, cytochrome P450 1A1 (CYP1A1). This cell line faithfully reports on CYP1A1 expression, with luciferase levels as its functional readout, when treated with an endogenous AHR ligand (FICZ) at escalating doses. iPSC-derived fibroblast-like cells respond to acute exposure to environmental and endogenous AHR ligands, and iPSC-derived hepatocytes increase CYP1A1 in a similar manner to primary hepatocytes. This cell line is an important innovation that can be used to map AHR activity in discrete cellular subsets throughout developmental ontogeny. As further endogenous ligands are proposed, this line can be used to screen for safety and efficacy and can report on the ability of small molecules to regulate critical cellular processes by modulating the activity of the AHR.

Signal integration by the CYP1A1 promoter--a quantitative study

Genes involved in detoxification of foreign compounds exhibit complex spatiotemporal expression patterns in liver. Cytochrome P450 1A1 (CYP1A1), for example, is restricted to the pericentral region of liver lobules in response to the interplay between aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathways. However, the mechanisms by which the two pathways orchestrate gene expression are still poorly understood. With the help of 29 mutant constructs of the human CYP1A1 promoter and a mathematical model that combines Wnt/β-catenin and AhR signaling with the statistical mechanics of the promoter, we systematically quantified the regulatory influence of different transcription factor binding sites on gene induction within the promoter. The model unveils how different binding sites cooperate and how they establish the promoter logic; it quantitatively predicts two-dimensional stimulus-response curves. Furthermore, it shows that crosstalk between Wnt/β-catenin and AhR signaling is crucial to understand the complex zonated expression patterns found in liver lobules. This study exemplifies how statistical mechanical modeling together with combinatorial reporter assays has the capacity to disentangle the promoter logic that establishes physiological gene expression patterns.

Systems toxicology from genes to organs

This unique overview of systems toxicology methods and techniques begins with a brief account of systems thinking in biology over the last century. We discuss how systems biology and toxicology continue to leverage advances in computational modeling, informatics, large-scale computing, and biotechnology. Next, we chart the genesis of systems toxicology from previous work in physiologically based models, models of early development, and more recently, molecular systems biology. For readers interested in further details this background provides useful linkages to the relevant literature. It also lays the foundations for new ideas in systems toxicology that could translate laboratory measurements of molecular responses from xenobiotic perturbations to adverse organ level effects in humans. By providing innovative solutions across disciplinary boundaries and highlighting key scientific gaps, we believe this chapter provides useful information about the current state, and valuable insight about future directions in systems toxicity.

The effect of aryl hydrocarbon receptor ligands on the expression of polymerase (DNA directed) kappa (Polκ), polymerase RNA II (DNA directed) polypeptide A (PolR2a), CYP1B1 and CYP1A1 genes in rat liver

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) mediates a variety of biological responses to ubiquitous environmental pollutants. AhR is ligand activated transcription factor with high affinities for aromatic planar compounds such as β-naphthoflavone (BNF), 3-methylcholanthrene (3-MC), benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) or dioxin (TCDD). After binding appropriate ligand, AhR trigger induction of expression of some phase I and phase II drug metabolizing genes together with numerous other genes. One of such gene appear to be polymerase (DNA directed) kappa (Polκ). Polκ gene encodes newly identified low fidelity DNA polymerase. The enzyme bypasses benzo[a]pyrene-N2-dG lesions in a mostly error free manner by incorporating predominantly dC opposite the bulky lesions. It was demonstrated that AhR activation increases expression of the mouse Polκ gene and probably human POLK gene. In this study we examined the effect of i.p. administration of different AhR ligands on the expression of Polκ, RNA polymerase II polypeptide A (PolR2a) and cytochrome P450 1B1 (CYP1B1), the genes controlled by AhR in Sprague-Dawley rat liver. Quantitative real-time RT-PCR analysis revealed significant induction in the mRNA expression levels of Polκ and PolR2a following BNF treatment. Time courses of mRNA expression after treatment with BNF were similar in both genes, with maximal increases at 8h after treatment. The maximal induction of CYP1B1 and CYP1A1 expression was observed after 24 and 8h after BNF injection, respectively. TCDD treatment caused the significant increase in the mRNA level of CYP1B1 at 72h after administration of the ligand but no effect on Polκ and PolR2a mRNA expression was observed. These results confirm connection between AhR and Polκ, and strongly suggest that AhR up-regulates the mRNA transcription of PolR2a as well. However physiological importance of AhR dependent regulation of PolR2a expression must be further elucidated.

Acute toxicity of 3,3',4,4',5-pentachlorobiphenyl (PCB 126) in male Sprague-Dawley rats: effects on hepatic oxidative stress, glutathione and metals status

Although polychlorinated biphenyl (PCBs) production, and new uses for PCBs, was halted in the 1970s in the United States, PCBs continue to be used in closed systems and persist in the environment, accumulating in fatty tissues. PCBs are efficacious inducers of drug metabolism and may increase oxidative events and alter many other biochemical and morphologic parameters within cells and tissues. The goal of the present study was to evaluate the effects of a single, very low dose of PCB 126 (3,3',4,4',5-pentachlorobiphenyl), a coplanar, dioxin-like PCB congener and aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) agonist, on redox status, metals homeostasis, antioxidant enzymes, and cellular morphology. To examine these parameters, male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed a purified AIN-93 basal diet containing 0.2 ppm selenium for two weeks, then administered a single i.p. injection of corn oil (5 ml/kg body weight) or 1µmol PCB 126/kg body weight (326µg/kg body weight) in corn oil. Rats were maintained on the diet for an additional two weeks before being euthanized. This dose of PCB 126 did not alter feed intake or growth, but significantly increased liver weight (42%) and hepatic microsomal cytochrome P-450 (CYP1A) enzyme activities (10-40-fold increase). Hepatic zinc, selenium, and glutathione levels were significantly decreased 15%, 30%, and 20%, respectively, by PCB 126. These changes were accompanied by a 60% decrease in selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase activity. In contrast, hepatic copper levels were increased 40% by PCB 126. PCB 126-induced pathology was characterized by hepatocellular hypertrophy and mild steatosis in the liver and a mild decrease in cortical T-cells in the thymus. This controlled study in rats fed a purified diet shows that even a single, very low dose of PCB 126 that did not alter feed intake or growth, significantly perturbed redox and metals homeostasis and antioxidant and enzyme levels in rodent liver.

Computational experiments reveal plausible mechanisms for changing patterns of hepatic zonation of xenobiotic clearance and hepatotoxicity

No concrete, causal, mechanistic theory is available to explain how different hepatic zonation patterns of P450 isozyme levels and hepatotoxicity emerge following dosing with different compounds. We used the synthetic method of modeling and simulation to discover, explore, and experimentally challenge concrete mechanisms that show how and why biomimetic zonation patterns can emerge and change within agent-based analogues, expecting that those mechanisms may have counterparts in rats. Mobile objects map to compounds. One analogue represents a cross-section through a lobule. It is comprised of 460 identical, quasi-autonomous functional units called sinusoidal segments (SSs). SSs detect and respond to compound-generated response signals and the local level of an endogenous gradient. Each SS adapts by using those signals to adjust (or not) the probability that it will clear a detected compound during the next simulation cycle. The adjustment decision is based on the value of a biomimetic algorithm that is based on an assumed, evolution imposed, genetic mandate that normal hepatocytes resist increasing the cost of their actions. The algorithm estimates the long-term, discounted cost to a given SS of continuing to use its current clearance effort. Upon compound exposure, lobular analogues developed a variety of clearance and hepatotoxicity patterns that were strikingly similar to those reported in the literature. A degree of quantitative validation was achieved against data on hepatic zonation of CYP1A2 mRNA expression caused by three different doses of TCDD (2,3,7,8-tetracholorodibenzo-p-dioxone).

Aryl hydrocarbon receptor activation during pregnancy, and in adult nulliparous mice, delays the subsequent development of DMBA-induced mammary tumors

2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), the prototypic ligand for the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), promotes tumor formation in some model systems. However, with regard to breast cancer, epidemiological and animal studies are inconclusive as to whether exposure increases tumor incidence or may instead be protective. We have previously reported that mice exposed to TCDD during pregnancy have impaired differentiation of mammary tissue, including decreased branching and poor development of lobuloalveolar structures. Because normal pregnancy-induced mammary differentiation may protect against subsequent neoplastic transformation, we hypothesized that TCDD-treated mice would be more susceptible to chemical carcinogenesis after parturition. To test this, mice were treated with TCDD or vehicle during pregnancy. Four weeks later, 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) was administered to induce mammary tumor formation. Contrary to our hypothesis, TCDD-exposed parous mice showed a 4-week delay in tumor formation relative to controls, and they had a lower tumor incidence throughout the 27-week time course. The same results were obtained in nulliparous mice given TCDD and DMBA on the same schedule. We next addressed whether the delayed tumor incidence was a reflection of decreased tumor initiation, by testing the formation of DMBA-DNA adducts and preneoplastic lesions, induction of cytochrome P450s, and cell proliferation. None of these markers of tumor initiation differed between vehicle- and TCDD-treated animals. The expression of CXCL12 and CXCR4 was also measured to address their possible role in tumorigenesis. Taken together, our results suggest that AhR activation by TCDD slows the promotion of preneoplastic lesions to overt mammary tumors.

Association of cytochrome P450 1B1 gene expression in peripheral leukocytes with blood lipid levels in waste incinerator workers

PURPOSE

This study investigated whether CYP1B1 gene expression was associated with blood lipids levels.

METHODS

Workers from a municipal waste incineration plant in Taiwan participated in a questionnaire survey and physical examination and provided fasting blood samples for blood lipid analysis. CYP1B1 gene expression in workers' leukocytes was determined with the real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction method, and 112 workers were categorized into three groups (low-, medium-, and high-expression) by their relative CYP1B1 gene expression levels. Multiple regression analyses were used to assess the association between blood lipid parameter and CYP1B1 expression.

RESULTS

High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol was significantly lower in the high CYP1B1 expression group than in the low- and medium-expression groups (parameter estimate [standard error]=-7.16 [2.42] and -7.02 [2.46] mg/dL, respectively), after controlling for age, sex, CYP1B1 genotype, duration of employment, current number of cigarettes smoked per day, current alcohol drinking status, and body mass index. Triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and total cholesterol were not significantly different among the CYP1B1 expression groups. Furthermore, workers carrying the CYP1B1 *3 allele had significantly higher mean HDL, LDL, and total cholesterol, respectively, than those with CYP1B1 *1/ *1.

CONCLUSIONS

CYP1B1 expression was associated with decreased HDL cholesterol levels in incinerator workers.

Adverse health effects in humans exposed to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD)

The environmental contaminant 2,3,7,8-tetrachlordibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) belongs to the category of highly toxic, persistent organic pollutants that accumulate in animal fat and plant tissues. Today, background TCDD levels in human fat are showing a decreasing trend. The food chain is the main source of exposure in the human population. TCDD regulates the expression of a wide range of drug-metabolizing enzymes and has an impact on a large number of biological systems. The most pronounced effects have occurred in occupational settings following the uncontrolled formation of TCDD after industrial accidents, as well as in rare intentional intoxications. Although the acute effects of TCDD exposure are well described in the literature, the long-term consequences have been underevaluated. The most well-known symptoms of severe acute intoxication are chloracne, porphyria, transient hepatotoxicity, and peripheral and central neurotoxicity. Because of the long-term persistence of TCDD in the human body, atherosclerosis, hypertension, diabetes, vascular ocular changes, and signs of neural system damage, including neuropsychological impairment, can be present several decades after massive exposure. Such chronic effects are nonspecific, multifactorial, and may be causally linked to TCDD only in heavily intoxicated subjects. This opinion is supported by the dose-dependent effect of TCDD found in exposed workers and by experimental animal studies.

Possible involvement of oxidative stress in dicyclanil-induced hepatocarcinogenesis in mice

Our previous study suggested the possibilities that dicyclanil (DC), a nongenotoxic carcinogen, produces oxidative stress in the liver of the two-stage hepatocarcinogenesis model of mice and the stress induced probably causes secondary oxidative DNA damage. However, clear evidences demonstrating the relationship between DC-induced hepatocarcinogenesis, oxidative stress, and oxidative DNA damage have not been obtained. To clarify the relationship, further investigations were performed in the liver of the partially hepatectomized (PH) mice maintained on diet containing 1,500 ppm of DC for 13 and 26 weeks after intraperitoneal injection of dimethylnitrosamine (DMN). Significant increases in mRNA expressions of some metabolism- and oxidative stress-related genes with a formation of gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT) positive foci were observed in the DMN + DC + PH group by the treatment of DC for 13 and 26 weeks. The levels of 8-hydroxy-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) in the liver DNA also significantly increased in mice of the DMN + DC + PH group at weeks 13 and 26 and mice given DC alone for 26 weeks. The in vitro measurement of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation from the mouse liver microsomes showed a significant increase of ROS production in the presence of DC. These results suggest that DC induces oxidative stress which is probably derived from its metabolic pathway, partly, and support our previous speculation that oxidative stress plays one of the important roles in the DC-induced hepatocarcinogenesis in mice.

Health promotion by dietary restriction--a focus

Food restriction, although long popular among gerontologists, has emerged as a new challenge in public health in postindustrial societies because this is the only intervention that repeatedly and strikingly increases maximum life span. The practice of food restriction is widespread for cosmetic, health, and economic reasons. The beneficial effects and the molecular mechanism of food restriction have been well established. The present review summarizes the rapidly accumulating evidence on the involvement of food restriction in various diseases and focuses on good dietary practices for health promotion in modern life style.

A histochemical and pathological study on the interrelationship between TCDD-induced AhR expression, AhR activation, and hepatotoxicity in mice

The objective of this study was to establish a correlation and interrelationship between aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) and hepatotoxicity induced by TCDD. Young male ICR mice were exposed to TCDD via dermal exposure at doses of 0, 2.5, 25, and 125 ng TCDD twice weekly for 20 wk. Histopathological examination revealed a classic pattern and dose-dependent pathological changes in sinusoidal dilatations, hepatocellular swelling and degeneration, fatty infiltration, and hepatocellular necrosis. Immunochemical staining for AhR also demonstrated that the AhR-positive hepatocytes were centrilobular in location, especially with those cells cuffing the central vein. With exposures to TCDD, the number of AhR-positive cells increased with dose. Furthermore, we also demonstrated all the hepatocytes that exhibited pathological changes (e.g., fatty infiltration or necrosis) were AhR-positive. Depletion in AhR (AhR removal after activation) in many centrilobular hepatocytes, with disappearance of the AhR positive cuffing, was observed in the high TCDD exposed animals. AhR activation was also evident by the increase in CYP 1A2 expression in many centrilobular hepatocytes, especially those exposed to high doses of TCDD. Studies in the past, with experiments performed separately, could only suggest the association of AhR expression and hepatocellular toxicity. By examining the AhR expression, AhR activation (CYP 1A2 expression upregulation), and hepatocellular pathology together, it was possible to correlate these factors in the same animal and even in the same cells. Our finding provided direct evidence on the interaction and causal relationship between AhR activation and hepatic toxicity.

Disruption of Thyroid Hormone Homeostasis at Weaning of Holtzman Rats by Lactational but Not In Utero Exposure to 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-Dioxin

The purpose of this study is to clarify whether lactational exposure to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) is entirely responsible for the perturbation in thyroid hormone homeostasis during the neonatal period. Pregnant Holtzman rats were given a single oral dose of 1.0 mug TCDD/kg body weight on gestational day 15. Half of the litters were cross-fostered with the half of the dams treated with vehicle on postnatal day (PND) 1 to make four groups of rats, control (C/C), prenatal TCDD exposure only (T/C), postnatal TCDD exposure only (C/T), and both prenatal and postnatal TCDD exposure (T/T). On PND 21, the C/T and T/T groups, but not the T/C and C/C groups, showed a significant decrease in serum total thyroxin (TT4) and free thyroxin (FT4) concentrations in both sexes and a significant increase in serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels, particularly male pups. These two groups of male and female pups had significantly higher concentrations of TCDD in the liver, with marked induction of cytochrome P450 (CYP) 1A1 mRNA and intense immunostaining of CYP1A1 in the liver. UDP glycosyltransferase 1 family, polypeptide A6 (UGT1A6) and UGT1A7 mRNAs were induced in their livers, with marked immunostaining of UGT1A6. The transfer of TCDD from dams to the pups was confirmed by the detection of TCDD in mother's milk remaining in the stomachs of lactationally exposed pups on PND 1. The present results demonstrate that lactational, but not in utero, exposure to TCDD was responsible for the disruption of thyroid hormone homeostasis.

Altered thyroxin and retinoid metabolic response to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin in aryl hydrocarbon receptor-null mice

To determine whether the disruption of thyroid hormone and retinoid homeostasis that occurs after exposure to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) can be mediated by the arylhydrocarbon receptor (AhR), pregnant AhR-heterozygous (AhR+/-) mice were administered a single oral dose of 10 microg kg(-1) TCDD at gestation day 12.5. Serum and liver were collected on postnatal day 21 from vehicle-treated control or TCDD-treated AhR+/- and AhR-null (AhR-/-) mouse pups. Whereas TCDD exposure resulted in a marked reduction of total thyroxin (TT4) and free T4 (FT4) levels in the serum of AhR+/- mice, TCDD had no effects on AhR-/- mice. Gene expression of UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT)1A6, cytochrome P450 (CYP)1A1, and CYP1A2 in the liver was induced markedly by TCDD in AhR+/- but not AhR-/- mice. Induction of CYP1A1 in response to TCDD was confirmed by immunohistochemical evidence in that CYP1A1 protein was conspicuously localized in the cytoplasm of hepatocytes in the centrilobular region. Levels of retinyl palmitate were greatly reduced in the liver of TCDD-exposed AhR+/- mice, but not in vehicle-treated AhR+/- mice. No effects of TCDD on retinoid levels in the liver were found in AhR-/- mice. We conclude that disruption of thyroid hormone and retinoid homeostasis is mediated entirely via AhR. Induction of UGT1A6 is thought to be responsible at least partly for reduced serum thyroid hormone levels in TCDD-exposed mice.

Impact of physiologically based pharmacokinetic modeling on benchmark dose calculations for TCDD-induced biochemical responses

In risk assessment, noncancer risk is currently estimated using a no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) from an experimental dose-response study, divided by uncertainty factors, to estimate a presumably safe level of human exposure. A benchmark dose approach, in which an effective dose (ED) resulting in a specified percentage increase over background for effects is estimated by empirical modeling, has been proposed as a replacement for the NOAEL methodology. The aim of this analysis is to compare methods for estimation of body burden resulting in a 1 or 10% maximum increase over background (BB(01) or BB(10)) for biochemical responses following exposure to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) in female Sprague-Dawley rats. In one method, an ED resulting in a prespecified increase in response over background was estimated using average daily doses and an empirical Hill model. The ED was then converted to an equivalent body burden by a simple kinetic model assuming steady-state conditions, half-life of TCDD in the rat, and 100% absorption of TCDD. Alternatively, a mechanistic physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model of TCDD in the rat was used to predict body burdens for administered doses. These PBPK-modeled body burdens were then used directly by the Hill model to calculate a BB(01) or BB(10). In general, the body burden values derived from EDs were within five-fold of BB(01) or BB(10) calculated from the PBPK model. BB(01) and BB(10) values from both methods were within two orders of magnitude of current human general population exposure to all dioxin-like compounds.

Effect of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin on the expression of cytochrome P450 1A1, the aryl hydrocarbon receptor, and the aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator in rat brain and pituitary

2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) and related substances are ubiquitous environmental pollutants causing a wide variety of pathological alterations, with the most severe being progressive anorexia and body weight loss. These features suggest a possible involvement of the nervous system and neuroendocrine-related organs including the pituitary gland. However, so far there is little evidence for direct effects of TCDD on these areas. In the present study, male Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with a single oral dose of TCDD (10 microg/kg) and euthanized 1, 3, or 28 days after treatment. The expression of cytochrome P450 1A1 (CYP1A1), the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR), and the aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator (ARNT) were analyzed in different brain regions and pituitaries using semiquantitative RT-PCR and Western blotting. Relative levels of CYP1A1 mRNA and protein were dramatically increased in the pituitary. A significant increase in CYP1A1 mRNA was also detected in all the brain regions examined including olfactory bulb, striatum-caudate, hypothalamus, hippocampus, cortex, cerebellum, and substantia nigra. The increase in the expression was time-dependent with the highest level observed 1 day after TCDD treatment. The AHR and ARNT mRNAs were detected in the same areas but in contrast to CYP1A1 the changes in AHR and ARNT mRNA expression were limited to the 28-day time point. The present results provide evidence for the presence of CYP1A1, AHR, and ARNT in the central nervous system and in the pituitary, suggesting that TCDD may exert a direct effect on these regions.