The toxic effects of Aroclor 1254 exposure on the osteoblastic cell line MC3T3-E1 and its molecular mechanism

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are still prevalent in the environment despite the fact that they have been banned in many countries for several decades. Recent epidemiologic studies have demonstrated a link between PCBs exposure and pathological alterations of bone tissues. The aim of this study was to investigate the toxic effects of the PCBs mixture Aroclor 1254 on MC3T3-E1 preosteoblasts and explore the underlying molecular mechanism. Different doses of Aroclor 1254 were used to treat MC3T3-E1 and the cell viability, apoptosis, ALP activity, intracellular calcium (Ca2+) level and oxidative stress response were measured. The expression level of related proteins TRPV6, Apaf-1 and Bax was evaluated with Western blot assay. The subcellular distribution of TRPV6 protein was detected with immunofluorescence assay. The results indicated that the higher dose of Aroclor 1254 (>10 mg/L) could inhibit the cell proliferation and induce apoptosis in MC3T3-E1. The ROS level following Aroclor 1254 exposure was elevated with the concentration, while the ALP activity and intracellular calcium (Ca2+) level decreased. After Aroclor 1254 exposure, the expression level of calcium transport related protein TRPV6 was down-regulated, while the expression level of apoptosis related proteins Apaf-1 and Bax up-regulated in a dose dependant manner. The immunofluorescence assay results showed that the expression of TRPV6 in the cytoplasm was greatly suppressed after Aroclor 1254 exposure. In conclusion, Aroclor 1254 exposure could induce toxic effects in MC3T3-E1 as evidenced by inhibition of proliferation, induction of apoptosis and suppression of ALP activity. The ROS production and alteration of intracellular Ca2+ level induced by down-regulation of TRPV6 might involve the toxic effects, and cell apoptosis induced by Aroclor 1254 exposure is associated with the pro-apoptotic Apaf-1 pathway as well as alteration of Bcl-2/Bax ratio.     

Development of the dietary fiber functional food and studies on its toxicological and physiologic properties

Dietary fiber (DF) obtained from wheat bran by microbial fermentation was used as a food additive to cookies. The cookies were evaluated sensorally through an orthogonal test to gain the optimized production conditions as follows: the suitable DF content 8%, leavening agent 1.5%, standing time 5 min, and baking time of the cookies is 8 min.     

An improved brine shrimp larvae lethality microwell test method

This article described an improved brine shrimp larvae lethality microwell test method. A simply designed connecting vessel with alternative photoperiod was used to culture and collect high yield of active Artemia parthenogenetica nauplii for brine shrimp larvae lethality microwell test. Using this method, pure A. parthenogenetica nauplii suspension was easily cultured and harvested with high density about 100-150 larvae per milliliter and the natural mortality was reduced to near zero by elimination of unnecessary artificial disturbance. And its sensitivity was validated by determination of LC(50)-24 h of different reference toxicants including five antitumor agents, two pesticides, three organic pollutants, and four heavy metals salts, most of which exhibited LC(50)-24 h between 0.07 and 58.43 mg/L except for bleomycin and mitomycin C with LC(50)-24 h over 300 mg/L.     

Reduced in vitro toxicity of fine particulate matter collected during the 2008 summer Olympic Games in Beijing: The roles of chemical and biological components

Beijing has implemented systematic air pollution control legislation to reduce particulate emissions and improve air quality during the 2008 Summer Olympics, but whether the toxicity of fine fraction of particles (PM_2.5) would be changed remains unclear. In present study we compared in vitro biological responses of PM_2.5 collected before and during the Olympics and tried to reveal possible correlations between its chemical components and toxicological mechanism(s). We measured cytotoxicity, cytokines/chemokines, and related gene expressions in murine alveolar macrophages, MH-S, after treated with 20 PM_2.5 samples. Significant, dose-dependent effects on cell viability, cytokine/chemokine release and mRNA expressions were observed. The cytotoxicity caused at equal mass concentration of PM_2.5 was notably reduced (p < 0.05) by control measures, and significant association was found for viability and elemental zinc in PM_2.5. Endotoxin content in PM_2.5 correlated with all of the eight detected cytokines/chemokines; elemental and organic carbon correlated with four; arsenic and chromium correlated with six and three, respectively; iron and barium showed associations with two; nickel, magnesium, potassium, and calcium showed associations with one. PM_2.5 toxicity in Beijing was substantially dependent on its chemical components, and lowering the levels of specific components in PM_2.5 during the 2008 Olympics resulted in reduced biological responses.     

Genotoxic and inflammatory effects of organic extracts from traffic-related particulate matter in human lung epithelial A549 cells: The role of quinones

Traffic-related particulate matter (PM) is associated with adverse health effects. Quinones present in the traffic-related PM are hypothesized to contribute to these harmful effects through reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. However, the impacts of the traffic-related PM and quinones on inflammatory processes and genotoxic damages are less well known. In present study we aimed to examine the genotoxic and inflammatory impacts of organic extracts from traffic-related PM (oTRP) in human lung epithelial A549 cells, and reveal the contributions from quinones. Significant cytotoxicity and DNA damage were caused by oTRP. The pro-inflammatory genes, interleukin-6 (Il-6), interleukin-8 (Il-8) and tumor necrosis factor (Tnf), and two aromatic hydrocarbon receptor-regulated genes, Cyp1a1 and 1b1, were significantly up-regulated by oTRP. A concomitant increase in ROS was observed, suggesting that oTRP may mediate genotoxic and inflammatory effects through oxidative stress pathway. Second, the effects from two typical airborne quinones, 9,10-anthraquinone (AQ) and 1,4-naphthroquinone (NQ) were compared. NQ, but not AQ, induced significant DNA damage in A549 cells. NQ up-regulated Il-8, Tnf, and Mcp-1 genes, while AQ induced the expression of Rantes gene. These results suggest that the NQ and AQ may participate in the pro-inflammatory responses through releasing different types of cytokines/chemokines.     

Stability of citrate-capped silver nanoparticles in exposure media and their effects on the development of embryonic zebrafish (Danio rerio)

The stability of citrate-capped silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and the embryonic developmental toxicity were evaluated in the fish test water. Serious aggregation of AgNPs was observed in undiluted fish water (DM-100) in which high concentration of ionic salts exist. However, AgNPs were found to be stable for 7 days in DM-10, prepared by diluting the original fish water (DM-100) with deionized water to 10 %. The normal physiology of zebrafish embryos were evaluated in DM-10 to see if DM-10 can be used as a control vehicle for the embryonic fish toxicity test. As results, DM-10 without AgNPs did not induce any significant adverse effects on embryonic development of zebrafish determined by mortality, hatching, malformations and heart rate. When embryonic toxicity of AgNPs was tested in both DM-10 and in DM-100, AgNPs showed higher toxicity in DM-10 than in DM-100. This means that the big-sized aggregates of AgNPs were low toxic compared to the nano-sized AgNPs. AgNPs induced delayed hatching, decreased heart rate, pericardial edema, and embryo death. Accumulation of AgNPs in the embryo bodies was also observed. Based on this study, citrate-capped AgNPs are not aggregated in DM-10 and it can be used as a control vehicle in the toxicity test of fish embryonic development.     

A Critical Review of Carbon Quantum Dots: From Synthesis toward Applications in Electrochemical Biosensors for the Determination of a Depression-Related Neurotransmitter

Depression has become the leading cause of disability worldwide and is a global health burden. Quantitative assessment of depression-related neurotransmitter concentrations in human fluids is highly desirable for diagnosis, monitoring disease, and therapeutic interventions of depression. In this review, we focused on the latest strategies of CD-based electrochemical biosensors for detecting a depression-related neurotransmitter. We began this review with an overview of the microstructure, optical properties and cytotoxicity of CDs. Next, we introduced the development of synthetic methods of CDs, including the “Top-down” route and “Bottom-up” route. Finally, we highlighted detecting an application of CD-based electrochemical sensors in a depression-related neurotransmitter. Moreover, challenges and future perspectives on the recent progress of CD-based electrochemical sensors in depression-related neurotransmitter detection were discussed.     

Artificial extracellular matrices composed of collagen I and sulfated hyaluronan with adsorbed transforming growth factor β1 promote collagen synthesis of human mesenchymal stromal cells

Sulfated glycosaminoglycans (GAG) are multifunctional components of the extracellular matrix and are involved in the regulation of adhesion, proliferation and differentiation of cells. The effects of GAG are mediated in general by their interactions with cations and water, and in particular by their binding to growth factors. The aim of this study was to generate artificial extracellular matrices (aECM) containing collagen I and hyaluronan sulfate (HyaS), which are capable of adsorbing and releasing transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1), and to promote collagen synthesis of cultured human mesenchymal stromal cells (hMSC). For the preparation of aECM, monosulfated Hya (HyaS1) or trisulfated Hya (HyaS3) were used; the natural chondroitin-4-sulfate was used as a control. As applied for the in vitro experiments, the resulting matrices were composed of 93-98% collagen I and 2-7% GAG derivative. Adsorption of TGF-β1 to the aECM and release from the aECM was dependent on the degree of sulfation of hyaluronan. Collagen synthesis of hMSC was promoted only by aECM with adsorbed TGF-β1; the bare aECM had a slightly inhibitory effect on collagen synthesis. The promoting effect did not correlate either to the amount of adsorbed TGF-β1 nor to the release of TGF-β1, indicating that the correct presentation of TGF-β1 to the cells might be critical. The results indicate that sulfated hyaluronan-containing aECM have the potential to control both the adsorption and release of TGF-β1, and thereby promote collagen synthesis of hMSC. Thus, these aECM might be a useful tool for different tissue-engineering applications to enhance bone formation when used for biomaterial coating.