In recent years,neonicotinoids(NEOs)and organophosphate esters(OPEs)have been widely used as substitutes for traditional pesticides and brominated fame-retardants,respectively.Previous studies have shown that those co...In recent years,neonicotinoids(NEOs)and organophosphate esters(OPEs)have been widely used as substitutes for traditional pesticides and brominated fame-retardants,respectively.Previous studies have shown that those compounds can be frequently detected in environmental and human samples,are able to penetrate the placental barrier,and are toxic to animals.Thus,it is reasonable to speculate that NEOs and OPEs may have potential adverse effects in humans,especially during development.We employed a human embryonic stem cell differentiation-and liver S9 fraction metabolism-based fast screening model to assess the potential embryonic toxicity of those two types of chemicals.We show that four NEO and five OPE prototypes targeted mostly ectoderm specification,as neural ectoderm and neural crest genes were down-regulated,and surface ectoderm and placode markers up-regulated.Human liver S9 fraction's treatment could generally reduce the effects of the chemicals,except in a few specific instances,indicating the liver may detoxify NEOs and OPEs.Our findings suggest that NEOs and OPEs interfere with human early embryonic development.展开更多
Amoxicillin,a widely used antibiotic in human and veterinary pharmaceuticals,is now considered as an“emerging contaminant”because it exists widespreadly in the environment and brings a series of adverse outcomes.Cur...Amoxicillin,a widely used antibiotic in human and veterinary pharmaceuticals,is now considered as an“emerging contaminant”because it exists widespreadly in the environment and brings a series of adverse outcomes.Currently,systematic studies about the developmental toxicity of amoxicillin are still lacking.We explored the potential effects of amoxicillin exposure on pregnancy outcomes,maternal/fetal serum phenotypes,and fetal multiple organ development in mice,at different doses(75,150,300 mg/(kg·day))during late-pregnancy,or at a dose of 300 mg/(kg·day)during different stages(mid-/latepregnancy)and courses(single-/multi-course).Results showed that prenatal amoxicillin exposure(PAmE)had no significant infuence on the body weights of dams,but it could inhibit the physical development and reduce the survival rate of fetuses,especially during the midpregnancy.Meanwhile,PAmE altered multiple maternal/fetal serum phenotypes,especially in fetuses.Fetal multi-organ function results showed that PAmE inhibited testicular/adrenal steroid synthesis,long bone/cartilage and hippocampal development,and enhanced ovarian steroid synthesis and hepatic glycogenesis/lipogenesis,and the order of severity might be gonad(testis,ovary)>liver>others.Further analysis found that PAmE-induced multiorgan developmental and functional alterations had differences in stages,courses and fetal gender,and the most obvious changes might be in high-dose,late-pregnancy and multicourse,but there was no typical rule of a dose-response relationship.In conclusion,this study confirmed that PAmE could cause abnormal development and multi-organ function alterations,which deepens our understanding of the risk of PAmE and provides an experimental basis for further exploration of the long-term harm.展开更多
Objective The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of paternal Di‐N‐butyl‐phthalate （DBP） exposure pre‐ and postnatally on F1 generation offspring,and prenatally on F2 generation offspring.Met...Objective The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of paternal Di‐N‐butyl‐phthalate （DBP） exposure pre‐ and postnatally on F1 generation offspring,and prenatally on F2 generation offspring.Methods Male mice were exposed to either 500 mg/kg or 2 000 mg/kg of DBP for 8 weeks,and mated with non‐exposed females.Three‐quarters of the females were sacrificed a day prior to parturition,and examined for the number of living and dead implantations,and incidence of gross malformations.Pups from the remaining females were assessed for developmental markers,growth parameters,as well as sperm quantity and quality.Results There were no changes in the fertility of parents and in intrauterine development of the offspring.Pups of DBP‐exposed males demonstrated growth‐retardation.Following paternal exposure to 500 mg/kg bw of DBP,there were almost twice the number of males than females born in the F1 generation.F1 generation females had a 2.5‐day delay in vaginal opening.Paternal exposure to 2 000 mg/kg bw of DBP increased the incidence of sperm head malformations in F1 generation males;however,there were no changes in the fertility and viability of foetuses in the F2 generation.Conclusion Paternal DBP exposure may disturb the sex ratio of the offspring,delay female sexual maturation,and deteriorate the sperm quality of F1 generation males.展开更多
Quantum dots(QDs)are new types of nanomaterials.Few studies have focused on the effect of different surface modified QDs on embryonic development.Herein,we compared the in vivo toxicity of Cd Se/Zn S QDs with carboxyl...Quantum dots(QDs)are new types of nanomaterials.Few studies have focused on the effect of different surface modified QDs on embryonic development.Herein,we compared the in vivo toxicity of Cd Se/Zn S QDs with carboxyl(-COOH)and amino(-NH 2)modification using zebrafish embryos.After exposure,the two Cd Se/Zn S QDs decreased the survival rate,hatching rate,and embryo movement of zebrafish.Moreover,we found QDs attached to the embryo membrane before hatching and the eyes,yolk and heart after hatching.The attached amount of carboxyl QDs was more.Consistently,the Cd content in embryos and larvae was higher in carboxyl QD-treatment.We further observed that the two QDs caused zebrafish pericardial edema and cardiac dysfunction.In line with it,both carboxyl and amino QDs upregulated the transcription levels of cardiac development-related genes,and the levels were higher in carboxyl QD-treated groups.Furthermore,the chelator of Cd^2+diethylene triamine pentacetate acid could partially rescued the developmental toxicity caused by the two types of QDs suggesting that both the nature of QDs and the release of Cd^2+contribute to the developmental toxicity.In conclusion,the two Cd Se/ZnS QDs have developmental toxicity and affect the cardiac development,and the carboxyl QDs is more toxic possibly due to the higher affinity and more release to embryos and larvae.Our study provides new knowledge that the surface functional modification of QDs is critical on the development on aquatic species,which is beneficial to develop and applicate QDs more safely and environmentfriendly.展开更多
Tetrachlorobisphenol A(TCBPA),a widely used halogenated flame retardant,is frequently detected in environmental compartments and human samples.However,unknown developmental toxicity and mechanisms limit the entire und...Tetrachlorobisphenol A(TCBPA),a widely used halogenated flame retardant,is frequently detected in environmental compartments and human samples.However,unknown developmental toxicity and mechanisms limit the entire understanding of its effects.In this study,zebrafish(Danio rerio)embryos were exposed to various concentrations of TCBPA while a combination of transcriptomics,behavioral and biochemical analyzes as well as metabolomics were applied to decipher its toxic effects and the potential mechanisms.We found that TCBPA could interfere with nervous and cardiovascular development through focal adhesion and extracellular matrix-receptor(ECM-receptor)interaction pathways through transcriptomic analysis.Behavioral and biochemical analysis results indicated abnormal swimming behavior of zebrafish larvae.Morphological observations revealed that TCBPA could cause the loss of head blood vessels.Metabolomic analysis showed that arginine-related metabolic pathways were one of the main pathways leading to TCBPA developmental toxicity.Our study demonstrated that by using omics,TCBPA was shown to have neurological and cardiovascular developmental toxicity and the underlying mechanisms were uncovered and major pathways identified.展开更多
T-2 toxin is one of the most important trichothecene mycotoxins occurring in various agriculture products. The developmental toxicity of T-2 toxin and the exact mechanism of action at early life stages are not underst...T-2 toxin is one of the most important trichothecene mycotoxins occurring in various agriculture products. The developmental toxicity of T-2 toxin and the exact mechanism of action at early life stages are not understood precisely. Zebrafish embryos were exposed to different concentrations of the toxin at 4-6 hours post fertilization （hpf） stage of development, and were observed for different developmental toxic effects at 24, 48, 72, and 144 hpf. Exposure to 0.20 Ixmol/L or higher concentrations of T-2 toxin significantly increased the mortality and malformation rate such as tail deformities, cardiovascular defects and behavioral changes in early developmental stages of zebrafish. T-2 toxin exposure resulted in significant increases in reactive oxygen species （ROS） production and cell apoptosis, mainly in the tall areas, as revealed by Acridine Orange staining at 24 hpf. In addition, T-2 toxin-induced severe tail deformities could be attenuated by co-exposure to reduced glutathione （GSH）. T-2 toxin and GSH co-exposure induced a significant decrease of ROS production in the embryos. The overall results demonstrate that T-2 toxin is able to produce oxidative stress and induce apoptosis, which are involved in the developmental toxicity of T-2 toxin in zebrafish embryos.展开更多
Mepanipyrim,an anilinopyrimidine fungicide,has been extensively used to prevent fungal diseases in fruit culture.Currently,research on mepanipyrim-induced toxicity in organisms is still very scarce,especially visual d...Mepanipyrim,an anilinopyrimidine fungicide,has been extensively used to prevent fungal diseases in fruit culture.Currently,research on mepanipyrim-induced toxicity in organisms is still very scarce,especially visual developmental toxicity.Here,zebrafish larvae were employed to investigate mepanipyrim-induced visual developmental toxicity.Intense light andmonochromatic light stimuli-evoked escape experiments were used to investigate vision-guided behaviors.Meanwhile,transcriptomic sequencing and real-time quantitative PCR assays were applied to assess the potential mechanisms of mepanipyrim-induced visual developmental toxicity and vision-guided behavioral alteration.Our results showed that mepanipyrim exposure could induce retinal impairment and vision-guided behavioral alteration in larval zebrafish.In addition,the grk1b gene of the phototransduction signaling pathway was found to be a potential aryl hydrocarbon receptor(AhR)-regulated gene.Mepanipyrim-induced visual developmental toxicity was potentially related to the AhR signaling pathway.Furthermore,mepanipyrim-induced behavioral alteration was guided by the visual function,and the effects of mepanipyrim on long and middle wavelength light-sensitive opsins may be the main cause of vision-guided behavioral alteration.Our results provide insights into understanding the relationship between visual development and vision-guided behaviors induced by mepanipyrim exposure.展开更多
Developmental and reproductive toxicity(DART)endpoint entails a toxicological assessment of all developmental stages and reproductive cycles of an organism.In silico tools to predict DART will provide a method to asse...Developmental and reproductive toxicity(DART)endpoint entails a toxicological assessment of all developmental stages and reproductive cycles of an organism.In silico tools to predict DART will provide a method to assess this complex toxicity endpoint and will be valuable for screening emerging pollutants as well as for m anaging new chemicals in China.Currently,there are few published DART prediction models in China,but many related research and development projects are in progress.In 2013,WU et al.published an expert rule-based DART decision tree(DT).This DT relies on known chemical structures linked to DART to forecast DART potential of a given chemical.Within this procedure,an accurate DART data interpretation is the foundation of building and expanding the DT.This paper excerpted case studies demonstrating DART data curation and interpretation of four chemicals(including 8-hydroxyquinoline,3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol,thiacloprid,and imidacloprid)to expand the existing DART DT.Chemicals were first selected from the database of Solid Waste and Chemicals Management Center,Ministry of Ecology and Environment(MEESCC)in China.The structures of these 4 chemicals were analyzed and preliminarily grouped by chemists based on core structural features,functional groups,receptor binding property,metabolism,and possible mode of actions.Then,the DART conclusion was derived by collecting chemical information,searching,integrating,and interpreting DART data by the toxicologists.Finally,these chemicals were classified into either an existing category or a new category via integrating their chemical features,DART conclusions,and biological properties.The results showed that 8-hydroxyquinoline impacted estrous cyclicity,s exual organ weights,and embryonal development,and 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol caused central nervous system(CNS)malformations,which were added to an existing subcategory 8e(aromatic compounds with multi-halogen and nitro groups)of the DT.Thiacloprid caused dystocia and fetal skeletal malformation,and imidacloprid disrupted the endocrine system and male fertility.They both contain 2-chloro-5-methylpyridine substituted imidazolidine c yclic ring,which were expected to create a new category of neonicotinoids.The current work delineates a t ransparent process of curating toxicological data for the purpose of DART data interpretation.In the presence of sufficient related structures and DART data,the DT can be expanded by iteratively adding chemicals within the a pplicable domain of each category or subcategory.This DT can potentially serve as a tool for screening emerging pollutants and assessing new chemicals in China.展开更多
Fine particulate matter(PM_(2.5))is a significant risk factor for birth defects.As the first and most important organ to develop during embryogenesis,the heart’s potential susceptibility to PM_(2.5)has attracted grow...Fine particulate matter(PM_(2.5))is a significant risk factor for birth defects.As the first and most important organ to develop during embryogenesis,the heart’s potential susceptibility to PM_(2.5)has attracted growing concern.Despite several studies supporting the cardiac developmental toxicity of PM_(2.5),the diverse study types,models,and end points have prevented the integration of mechanisms.In this Review,we present an adverse outcome pathway framework to elucidate the association between PM_(2.5)-induced molecular initiating events and adverse cardiac developmental outcomes.Activation of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor(AhR)and excessive generation of reactive oxygen species(ROS)were considered as molecular initiating events.The excessive production of ROS induced oxidative stress,endoplasmic reticulum stress,DNA damage,and inflammation,resulting in apoptosis.The activation of the AhR inhibited the Wnt/β-catenin pathway and then suppressed cardiomyocyte differentiation.Impaired cardiomyocyte differentiation and persistent apoptosis resulted in abnormalities in the cardiac structure and function.All of the aforementioned events have been identified as key events(KEs).The culmination of these KEs ultimately led to the adverse outcome,an increased morbidity of congenital heart defects(CHDs).This work contributes to understanding the causes of CHDs and promotes the safety evaluation of PM_(2.5).展开更多
Medication during pregnancy is widespread,but there are few reports on its fetal safety.Recent studies suggest that medication during pregnancy can affect fetal morphological and functional development through multipl...Medication during pregnancy is widespread,but there are few reports on its fetal safety.Recent studies suggest that medication during pregnancy can affect fetal morphological and functional development through multiple pathways,multiple organs,and multiple targets.Its mechanisms involve direct ways such as oxidative stress,epigenetic modification,and metabolic activation,and it may also be indirectly caused by placental dysfunction.Further studies have found that medication during pregnancy may also indirectly lead to multi-organ developmental programming,functional homeostasis changes,and susceptibility to related diseases in offspring by inducing fetal intrauterine exposure to too high or too low levels of maternal-derived glucocorticoids.The organ developmental toxicity and programming alterations caused by medication during pregnancy may also have gender differences and multi-generational genetic effects mediated by abnormal epigenetic modification.Combined with the latest research results of our laboratory,this paper reviews the latest research progress on the developmental toxicity and functional programming alterations of multiple organs in offspring induced by medication during pregnancy,which can provide a theoretical and experimental basis for rational medication during pregnancy and effective prevention and treatment of drug-related multiple fetal-originated diseases.展开更多
Objective:To evaluate toxicity of raw extract of Panax notoginseng(rPN)and decocted extract of PN(dPN)by a toxicological assay using zebrafish larvae,and explore the mechanism by RNA sequencing assay.Methods:Zebrafish...Objective:To evaluate toxicity of raw extract of Panax notoginseng(rPN)and decocted extract of PN(dPN)by a toxicological assay using zebrafish larvae,and explore the mechanism by RNA sequencing assay.Methods:Zebrafish larvae was used to evaluate acute toxicity of PN in two forms:rPN and dPN.Three doses(0.5,1.5,and 5.0μg/mL)of dPN were used to treat zebrafishes for evaluating the developmental toxicity.Behavior abnormalities,body weight,body length and number of vertebral roots were used as specific phenotypic endpoints.RNA sequencing(RNA-seq)assay was applied to clarify the mechanism of acute toxicity,followed by real time PCR(qPCR)for verification.High performance liquid chromatography analysis was performed to determine the chemoprofile of this herb.Results:The acute toxicity result showed that rPN exerted higher acute toxicity than d PN in inducing death of larval zebrafishes(P<0.01).After daily oral intake for 21 days,d PN at doses of 0.5,1.5 and 5.0μg/m L decreased the body weight,body length,and vertebral number of larval zebrafishes,indicating developmental toxicity of dPN.No other adverse outcome was observed during the experimental period.RNA-seq data revealed 38 genes differentially expressed in dPN-treated zebrafishes,of which carboxypeptidase A1(cpa1)and opioid growth factor receptor-like 2(ogfrl2)were identified as functional genes in regulating body development of zebrafishes.qPCR data showed that dPN significantly down-regulated the mRNA expressions of cpa1 and ogfrl2(both P<0.01),verifying cpa1 and ogfrl2 as target genes for dPN.Conclusion:This report uncovers the developmental toxicity of dPN,suggesting potential risk of its clinical application in children.展开更多
Objective Herbal medicines containing toxic herbs or minerals such as Compound Danshen Tablet （CDT）, Angong Niuhuang Pill （ANP）, and Lidan Paishi Tablet （LPT） are avoided or used with caution for pregnant women ...Objective Herbal medicines containing toxic herbs or minerals such as Compound Danshen Tablet （CDT）, Angong Niuhuang Pill （ANP）, and Lidan Paishi Tablet （LPT） are avoided or used with caution for pregnant women because of potential teratogenicity. To understand their mechanism, they were chosen as model subjects for the research. Methods Zebrafish embryos were used to evaluate their potential teratogenic risk in vitro. Results All of them showed teratogenic and lethal effects in zebrafish embryos, with the ECs0 values at 351,793, and 220 μg/mL, and LC50 values at 41 7, 596, and 380 μg/mL, respectively. CDT and LPT, displaying week potential teratogenicity as their teratogenicity indexes were greater than 1, induced tail malformation and cardiac edema mainly in zebrafish embryos, respectively. Conclusion The results provide the significant guidance of clinical safety of medication.展开更多
Atorvastatin(ATV),a commonly prescribed lipid-lowering drug,has been widely detected in various aquatic environments due to its large use and low degradation rate.Since the target gene inhibited by ATV is highly conse...Atorvastatin(ATV),a commonly prescribed lipid-lowering drug,has been widely detected in various aquatic environments due to its large use and low degradation rate.Since the target gene inhibited by ATV is highly conserved in organisms,many studies have shown that ATV can interfere with lipid metabolism in aquatic non-target organisms.However,studies on mitochondria,energy metabolism,and developmental toxicity of ATV on nontarget organisms are limited.In this study,Mugilogobius chulae embryos were exposed to ATV(0.5 and 50μg/L)until 96 hour post fertilization(hpf).The results confirmed that the environmental concentrations of ATV caused toxic effects including developmentalmalformations,pathological damage,hepatotoxicity,and oxidative stress in M.chulae larvae.Both transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses showed that ATV exposure interfered the normal processes of oxidative phosphorylation and TCA cycle,resulting in energy metabolic disorder.In addition,ATV exposure also damaged the mitochondrial structure of M.chulae larvae.Thus,M.chulae could regulate PI3K/AMPK/FoxO proteins to promote mitochondrial regeneration,support autophagy,and even initiate apoptosis to maintain metabolism homeostasis.Taken together,our findings suggested thatmitochondrial dysfunction andmetabolic disorder were involved in ATV-induced toxicity which may cause developmental malformations and abnormalities,providing novel insight into the toxic mechanisms of ATV.展开更多
Objective To evaluate the bio-safety of graphene quantum dots （GQDs）, we studied its effects on the embryonic development of zebrafish. Methods In vivo, biodistribution and the developmental toxicity of GQDs were in...Objective To evaluate the bio-safety of graphene quantum dots （GQDs）, we studied its effects on the embryonic development of zebrafish. Methods In vivo, biodistribution and the developmental toxicity of GQDs were investigated in embryonic zebrafish at exposure concentrations ranging from 12.5-200μg/mL for 4-96 h post-fertilization （hpf）. The mortality, hatch rate, malformation, heart rate, GQDs uptake, spontaneous movement, and larval behavior were examined. Results The fluorescence of GQDs was mainly localized in the intestines and heart. As the exposure concentration increased, the hatch and heart rate decreased, accompanied by an increase in mortality. Exposure to a high level of GQDs （200μg/mL） resulted in various embryonic malformations including pericardial edema, vitelline cyst, bent spine, and bent tail. The spontaneous movement significantly decreased after exposure to GQDs at concentrations of 50, 100, and 200μg/mL. The larval behavior testing （visible light test） showed that the total swimming distance and speed decreased dose-dependently. Embryos exposed to 12.5 μg/mL showed hyperactivity while exposure to higher concentrations （25, 50, 100, and 200μg/mL） caused remarkable hypoactivity in the light-dark test. Conclusion Low concentrations of GODs were relatively non-toxic. However, GQDs disrupt the progression of embryonic development at concentrations exceeding 50 μg/mL.展开更多
Objective 1-Bromo-3-chloro-5,5-dimethylhydantoin （BCDMH） is a solid oxidizing biocide for water disinfection.The objective of this study was to investigate the toxic effect of BCDMH on zebrafish.Methods The developm...Objective 1-Bromo-3-chloro-5,5-dimethylhydantoin （BCDMH） is a solid oxidizing biocide for water disinfection.The objective of this study was to investigate the toxic effect of BCDMH on zebrafish.Methods The developmental toxicity of BCDMH on zebrafish embryos and the dose-effect relationship was determined.The effect of BCDMH exposure on histopathology and tissue antioxidant activity of adult zebrafish were observed over time.Results Exposure to 4 mg/L BCDMH post-fertilization was sufficient to induce a number of developmental malformations,such as edema,axial malformations,and reductions in heart rate and hatching rate.The no observable effects concentration of BCDMH on zebrafish embryo was 0.5 mg/L.After 96 h exposure,the 50% lethal concentration （95% confidence interval （CI）） of BCDMH on zebrafish embryo was 8.10 mg/L （6.15-11.16 mg/L）.The 50% inhibitory concentration （95% CI） of BCDMH on hatching rate was 7.37 mg/L （6.33-8.35 mg/L）.Histopathology showed two types of responses induced by BCDMH,defensive and compensatory.The extreme responses were marked hyperplasia of the gill epithelium with lamellar fusion and epidermal peeling.The histopathologic changes in the gills after 10 days exposure were accompanied by significantly higher catalase activity and lipid peroxidation.Conclusion These results have important implications for studies on the toxicity and use of BCDMH and its analogs.展开更多
The adverse effects of environmental pollution on our well-being have been intensively studied with many in vitro and in vivo systems. In our group, we focus on stem cell toxicology due to the multitude of embryonic s...The adverse effects of environmental pollution on our well-being have been intensively studied with many in vitro and in vivo systems. In our group, we focus on stem cell toxicology due to the multitude of embryonic stem cell（ESC） properties which can be exerted in toxicity assays. In fact, ESCs can differentiate in culture to mimic embryonic development in vivo, or specifically to virtually any kind of somatic cells. Here, we used the toxicant Bisphenol A（BPA）, a chemical known as a hazard to infants and children, and showed that our stem cell toxicology system was able to efficiently recapitulate most of the toxic effects of BPA previously detected by in vitro system or animal tests. More precisely, we demonstrated that BPA affected the proper specification of germ layers during our in vitro mimicking of the embryonic development, as well as the establishment of neural ectoderm and neural progenitor cells.展开更多
Chlorine disinfection of saline wastewater effluents rich in bromide and iodide forms relatively toxic brominated and iodinated disinfection byproducts(DBPs). Ultrasonication is a relatively new water treatment techno...Chlorine disinfection of saline wastewater effluents rich in bromide and iodide forms relatively toxic brominated and iodinated disinfection byproducts(DBPs). Ultrasonication is a relatively new water treatment technology, and it is less sensitive to suspended solids in wastewaters. In this study, we examined the effects of ultrasonication(in terms of reactor type and combination mode with chlorination) on the DBP formation and toxicity in chlorinated primary and secondary saline wastewater effluents. Compared with the chlorinated wastewater effluent samples without ultrasonication, ultrasonic horn pretreatment of the wastewater effluent samples reduced the total organic halogen(TOX) levels in chlorination by ~30%, but ultrasonic bath pretreatment of the wastewater samples did not significantly change the TOX levels in chlorination, which might be attributed to the higher energy utilization and decomposition extent of organic DBP precursors in the ultrasonic horn reactor. Moreover, the TOX levels in the chlorinated samples with ultrasonic horn pretreatment(USH–chlorination), simultaneous treatment(chlorination + USH) and subsequent treatment(chlorination–USH) were also significantly reduced, with the maximum TOX reductions occurring in the samples with ultrasonic horn pretreatment. A toxicity index was calculated by weighting and summing the levels of total organic chlorine, total organic bromine and total organic iodine in each treated sample. The calculated toxicity index values of the chlorinated wastewater effluent samples followed a descending rank order of “chlorination” > “chlorination + USH” > “chlorination–USH” > “USH–chlorination”, with the lowest toxicity occurring in the samples with ultrasonic horn pretreatment. Then, a developmental toxicity bioassay was conducted for each treated sample. The measured toxicity index values of the chlorinated wastewater samples followed the same descending rank order.展开更多
There is little to no toxicity information regarding thousands of chemicals to which people are exposed daily.In fact,of the84,000 chemicals listed in the United States Toxic Substances Control Act Inventory,there is ...There is little to no toxicity information regarding thousands of chemicals to which people are exposed daily.In fact,of the84,000 chemicals listed in the United States Toxic Substances Control Act Inventory,there is limited information available on their effects on neural development（Betts,2010;US EPA,2015）.展开更多
This study was designed to explore the possibility of using ascitic mouse sarcoma cell line (S180) to validate the mouse tumor cell attachment assay for developmental toxicants, and to test the inhibitory effects of v...This study was designed to explore the possibility of using ascitic mouse sarcoma cell line (S180) to validate the mouse tumor cell attachment assay for developmental toxicants, and to test the inhibitory effects of various developmental toxicants. The results showed that 2 of 3 developmental toxicants under consideration, sodium pentobarbital and ethanol, significantly inhibited S180cells attachment to Concanavalin A-coaed surfaces. Inhibition was dependent on concentration, and the IC50 (the concentration tha reduced attachment by 50% ), of these 2 chemicals was 1.2×10-3mol/L and 1 .0 mol/L, respectively. Anoher developmental toxiant, hydmiortisone, did not show inhibitory activity. Two non-developmental toxicants, sodium chloride and glycine were also tested and these did not decrease attachment rates. The main results reported here were generally sindlar to those obtained with ascitic mouse ovdrian tumor cells as a model. Therefore, this study added further evidence to the conclusion that cell specificity does not lindt attachment inhibition to Con A-coated surfaces, so S180 cell may serve as an altemative cell model, especially when other cell lines are unavailable. Furthermore, after optimal validation, it can be suggested that an S180 cell attachment assay may be a candidate for a series of assays to detect developmental toxicants.展开更多
Disinfection to protect human health occurs at drinking water and wastewater facilities through application of non-selective oxidants including chlorine. Oxidants also transform organic material and form disinfection ...Disinfection to protect human health occurs at drinking water and wastewater facilities through application of non-selective oxidants including chlorine. Oxidants also transform organic material and form disinfection by-products（DBPs）, many of which are halogenated and cyto-and genotoxic. Only a handful of assays have been used to compare DBP toxicity,and researchers are unsure which DBP（s） drive the increased cancer risk associated with drinking chlorinated water. The most extensive data set employs an in vitro model cell,Chinese hamster ovary cells. Traditionally, most DBP research focuses on the threat to human health, but the effects on aquatic species exposed to DBPs in wastewater effluents remain ill defined. We present the developmental toxicity for 15 DBPs and a chlorinated wastewater to a model aquatic vertebrate, zebrafish. Mono-halogenated DBPs followed the in vivo toxicity rank order： acetamides 〉 acetic acids 〉 acetonitriles ~ nitrosamines, which agrees well with previously published mammalian in vitro data. Di-and tri-halogenated acetonitriles were more toxic than their mono-halogenated analogues, and bromine-and iodine-substituted DBPs tended to be more toxic than chlorinated analogues. No zebrafish development effects were observed after exposure to undiluted or non-concentrated,chlorinated wastewater. We find zebrafish development to be a viable in vivo alternative or confirmatory assay to mammalian in vitro cell assays.展开更多
基金supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China (No.2020YFA0907500)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos.22150710514,22021003,and 22106174)+1 种基金the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (No.XDPB200202)the Postdoc Science Foundation of China (No.2021M693322)。
文摘In recent years,neonicotinoids(NEOs)and organophosphate esters(OPEs)have been widely used as substitutes for traditional pesticides and brominated fame-retardants,respectively.Previous studies have shown that those compounds can be frequently detected in environmental and human samples,are able to penetrate the placental barrier,and are toxic to animals.Thus,it is reasonable to speculate that NEOs and OPEs may have potential adverse effects in humans,especially during development.We employed a human embryonic stem cell differentiation-and liver S9 fraction metabolism-based fast screening model to assess the potential embryonic toxicity of those two types of chemicals.We show that four NEO and five OPE prototypes targeted mostly ectoderm specification,as neural ectoderm and neural crest genes were down-regulated,and surface ectoderm and placode markers up-regulated.Human liver S9 fraction's treatment could generally reduce the effects of the chemicals,except in a few specific instances,indicating the liver may detoxify NEOs and OPEs.Our findings suggest that NEOs and OPEs interfere with human early embryonic development.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (No.2020YFA0803900)。
文摘Amoxicillin,a widely used antibiotic in human and veterinary pharmaceuticals,is now considered as an“emerging contaminant”because it exists widespreadly in the environment and brings a series of adverse outcomes.Currently,systematic studies about the developmental toxicity of amoxicillin are still lacking.We explored the potential effects of amoxicillin exposure on pregnancy outcomes,maternal/fetal serum phenotypes,and fetal multiple organ development in mice,at different doses(75,150,300 mg/(kg·day))during late-pregnancy,or at a dose of 300 mg/(kg·day)during different stages(mid-/latepregnancy)and courses(single-/multi-course).Results showed that prenatal amoxicillin exposure(PAmE)had no significant infuence on the body weights of dams,but it could inhibit the physical development and reduce the survival rate of fetuses,especially during the midpregnancy.Meanwhile,PAmE altered multiple maternal/fetal serum phenotypes,especially in fetuses.Fetal multi-organ function results showed that PAmE inhibited testicular/adrenal steroid synthesis,long bone/cartilage and hippocampal development,and enhanced ovarian steroid synthesis and hepatic glycogenesis/lipogenesis,and the order of severity might be gonad(testis,ovary)>liver>others.Further analysis found that PAmE-induced multiorgan developmental and functional alterations had differences in stages,courses and fetal gender,and the most obvious changes might be in high-dose,late-pregnancy and multicourse,but there was no typical rule of a dose-response relationship.In conclusion,this study confirmed that PAmE could cause abnormal development and multi-organ function alterations,which deepens our understanding of the risk of PAmE and provides an experimental basis for further exploration of the long-term harm.
基金funded by the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education(2004‐2007 project no. 2PO5D2926)
文摘Objective The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of paternal Di‐N‐butyl‐phthalate （DBP） exposure pre‐ and postnatally on F1 generation offspring,and prenatally on F2 generation offspring.Methods Male mice were exposed to either 500 mg/kg or 2 000 mg/kg of DBP for 8 weeks,and mated with non‐exposed females.Three‐quarters of the females were sacrificed a day prior to parturition,and examined for the number of living and dead implantations,and incidence of gross malformations.Pups from the remaining females were assessed for developmental markers,growth parameters,as well as sperm quantity and quality.Results There were no changes in the fertility of parents and in intrauterine development of the offspring.Pups of DBP‐exposed males demonstrated growth‐retardation.Following paternal exposure to 500 mg/kg bw of DBP,there were almost twice the number of males than females born in the F1 generation.F1 generation females had a 2.5‐day delay in vaginal opening.Paternal exposure to 2 000 mg/kg bw of DBP increased the incidence of sperm head malformations in F1 generation males;however,there were no changes in the fertility and viability of foetuses in the F2 generation.Conclusion Paternal DBP exposure may disturb the sex ratio of the offspring,delay female sexual maturation,and deteriorate the sperm quality of F1 generation males.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.31971234)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(No.20720180045)the Open Research Fund of State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology,Xiamen University(No.SKLCSB2019KF001)。
文摘Quantum dots(QDs)are new types of nanomaterials.Few studies have focused on the effect of different surface modified QDs on embryonic development.Herein,we compared the in vivo toxicity of Cd Se/Zn S QDs with carboxyl(-COOH)and amino(-NH 2)modification using zebrafish embryos.After exposure,the two Cd Se/Zn S QDs decreased the survival rate,hatching rate,and embryo movement of zebrafish.Moreover,we found QDs attached to the embryo membrane before hatching and the eyes,yolk and heart after hatching.The attached amount of carboxyl QDs was more.Consistently,the Cd content in embryos and larvae was higher in carboxyl QD-treatment.We further observed that the two QDs caused zebrafish pericardial edema and cardiac dysfunction.In line with it,both carboxyl and amino QDs upregulated the transcription levels of cardiac development-related genes,and the levels were higher in carboxyl QD-treated groups.Furthermore,the chelator of Cd^2+diethylene triamine pentacetate acid could partially rescued the developmental toxicity caused by the two types of QDs suggesting that both the nature of QDs and the release of Cd^2+contribute to the developmental toxicity.In conclusion,the two Cd Se/ZnS QDs have developmental toxicity and affect the cardiac development,and the carboxyl QDs is more toxic possibly due to the higher affinity and more release to embryos and larvae.Our study provides new knowledge that the surface functional modification of QDs is critical on the development on aquatic species,which is beneficial to develop and applicate QDs more safely and environmentfriendly.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.22076214 and 42007226)Beijing Municipal Youth Top-Notch Talent Program(No.2018000021223ZK34).
文摘Tetrachlorobisphenol A(TCBPA),a widely used halogenated flame retardant,is frequently detected in environmental compartments and human samples.However,unknown developmental toxicity and mechanisms limit the entire understanding of its effects.In this study,zebrafish(Danio rerio)embryos were exposed to various concentrations of TCBPA while a combination of transcriptomics,behavioral and biochemical analyzes as well as metabolomics were applied to decipher its toxic effects and the potential mechanisms.We found that TCBPA could interfere with nervous and cardiovascular development through focal adhesion and extracellular matrix-receptor(ECM-receptor)interaction pathways through transcriptomic analysis.Behavioral and biochemical analysis results indicated abnormal swimming behavior of zebrafish larvae.Morphological observations revealed that TCBPA could cause the loss of head blood vessels.Metabolomic analysis showed that arginine-related metabolic pathways were one of the main pathways leading to TCBPA developmental toxicity.Our study demonstrated that by using omics,TCBPA was shown to have neurological and cardiovascular developmental toxicity and the underlying mechanisms were uncovered and major pathways identified.
基金supported by the National Basic Re-search Program(973)of China(No.2011CB503803)the National Key Project on Drug Development from the Ministry of Science and Technology of China(No.2009ZX09501-034)China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(No.20110491865)
文摘T-2 toxin is one of the most important trichothecene mycotoxins occurring in various agriculture products. The developmental toxicity of T-2 toxin and the exact mechanism of action at early life stages are not understood precisely. Zebrafish embryos were exposed to different concentrations of the toxin at 4-6 hours post fertilization （hpf） stage of development, and were observed for different developmental toxic effects at 24, 48, 72, and 144 hpf. Exposure to 0.20 Ixmol/L or higher concentrations of T-2 toxin significantly increased the mortality and malformation rate such as tail deformities, cardiovascular defects and behavioral changes in early developmental stages of zebrafish. T-2 toxin exposure resulted in significant increases in reactive oxygen species （ROS） production and cell apoptosis, mainly in the tall areas, as revealed by Acridine Orange staining at 24 hpf. In addition, T-2 toxin-induced severe tail deformities could be attenuated by co-exposure to reduced glutathione （GSH）. T-2 toxin and GSH co-exposure induced a significant decrease of ROS production in the embryos. The overall results demonstrate that T-2 toxin is able to produce oxidative stress and induce apoptosis, which are involved in the developmental toxicity of T-2 toxin in zebrafish embryos.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.42177411)the Natural Science Foundation of Fujian Province of China (No.2018J01067)
文摘Mepanipyrim,an anilinopyrimidine fungicide,has been extensively used to prevent fungal diseases in fruit culture.Currently,research on mepanipyrim-induced toxicity in organisms is still very scarce,especially visual developmental toxicity.Here,zebrafish larvae were employed to investigate mepanipyrim-induced visual developmental toxicity.Intense light andmonochromatic light stimuli-evoked escape experiments were used to investigate vision-guided behaviors.Meanwhile,transcriptomic sequencing and real-time quantitative PCR assays were applied to assess the potential mechanisms of mepanipyrim-induced visual developmental toxicity and vision-guided behavioral alteration.Our results showed that mepanipyrim exposure could induce retinal impairment and vision-guided behavioral alteration in larval zebrafish.In addition,the grk1b gene of the phototransduction signaling pathway was found to be a potential aryl hydrocarbon receptor(AhR)-regulated gene.Mepanipyrim-induced visual developmental toxicity was potentially related to the AhR signaling pathway.Furthermore,mepanipyrim-induced behavioral alteration was guided by the visual function,and the effects of mepanipyrim on long and middle wavelength light-sensitive opsins may be the main cause of vision-guided behavioral alteration.Our results provide insights into understanding the relationship between visual development and vision-guided behaviors induced by mepanipyrim exposure.
文摘Developmental and reproductive toxicity(DART)endpoint entails a toxicological assessment of all developmental stages and reproductive cycles of an organism.In silico tools to predict DART will provide a method to assess this complex toxicity endpoint and will be valuable for screening emerging pollutants as well as for m anaging new chemicals in China.Currently,there are few published DART prediction models in China,but many related research and development projects are in progress.In 2013,WU et al.published an expert rule-based DART decision tree(DT).This DT relies on known chemical structures linked to DART to forecast DART potential of a given chemical.Within this procedure,an accurate DART data interpretation is the foundation of building and expanding the DT.This paper excerpted case studies demonstrating DART data curation and interpretation of four chemicals(including 8-hydroxyquinoline,3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol,thiacloprid,and imidacloprid)to expand the existing DART DT.Chemicals were first selected from the database of Solid Waste and Chemicals Management Center,Ministry of Ecology and Environment(MEESCC)in China.The structures of these 4 chemicals were analyzed and preliminarily grouped by chemists based on core structural features,functional groups,receptor binding property,metabolism,and possible mode of actions.Then,the DART conclusion was derived by collecting chemical information,searching,integrating,and interpreting DART data by the toxicologists.Finally,these chemicals were classified into either an existing category or a new category via integrating their chemical features,DART conclusions,and biological properties.The results showed that 8-hydroxyquinoline impacted estrous cyclicity,s exual organ weights,and embryonal development,and 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol caused central nervous system(CNS)malformations,which were added to an existing subcategory 8e(aromatic compounds with multi-halogen and nitro groups)of the DT.Thiacloprid caused dystocia and fetal skeletal malformation,and imidacloprid disrupted the endocrine system and male fertility.They both contain 2-chloro-5-methylpyridine substituted imidazolidine c yclic ring,which were expected to create a new category of neonicotinoids.The current work delineates a t ransparent process of curating toxicological data for the purpose of DART data interpretation.In the presence of sufficient related structures and DART data,the DT can be expanded by iteratively adding chemicals within the a pplicable domain of each category or subcategory.This DT can potentially serve as a tool for screening emerging pollutants and assessing new chemicals in China.
基金supported by the National Key R&D Program of China(2022YFA0806900).
文摘Fine particulate matter(PM_(2.5))is a significant risk factor for birth defects.As the first and most important organ to develop during embryogenesis,the heart’s potential susceptibility to PM_(2.5)has attracted growing concern.Despite several studies supporting the cardiac developmental toxicity of PM_(2.5),the diverse study types,models,and end points have prevented the integration of mechanisms.In this Review,we present an adverse outcome pathway framework to elucidate the association between PM_(2.5)-induced molecular initiating events and adverse cardiac developmental outcomes.Activation of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor(AhR)and excessive generation of reactive oxygen species(ROS)were considered as molecular initiating events.The excessive production of ROS induced oxidative stress,endoplasmic reticulum stress,DNA damage,and inflammation,resulting in apoptosis.The activation of the AhR inhibited the Wnt/β-catenin pathway and then suppressed cardiomyocyte differentiation.Impaired cardiomyocyte differentiation and persistent apoptosis resulted in abnormalities in the cardiac structure and function.All of the aforementioned events have been identified as key events(KEs).The culmination of these KEs ultimately led to the adverse outcome,an increased morbidity of congenital heart defects(CHDs).This work contributes to understanding the causes of CHDs and promotes the safety evaluation of PM_(2.5).
基金supported by grants from the National Key Research and Development Program of China(No.2020YFA0803900)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.82030111 and 81673524)+2 种基金the Major Technological Innovation Projects of Hubei Province(Nos.2019ACA140 and 2020BCA071)Hubei Province’s Outstanding Medical Academic Leader programMedical Science Advancement Program(Basic Medical Sciences)of Wuhan University(No.TFJC2018001)。
文摘Medication during pregnancy is widespread,but there are few reports on its fetal safety.Recent studies suggest that medication during pregnancy can affect fetal morphological and functional development through multiple pathways,multiple organs,and multiple targets.Its mechanisms involve direct ways such as oxidative stress,epigenetic modification,and metabolic activation,and it may also be indirectly caused by placental dysfunction.Further studies have found that medication during pregnancy may also indirectly lead to multi-organ developmental programming,functional homeostasis changes,and susceptibility to related diseases in offspring by inducing fetal intrauterine exposure to too high or too low levels of maternal-derived glucocorticoids.The organ developmental toxicity and programming alterations caused by medication during pregnancy may also have gender differences and multi-generational genetic effects mediated by abnormal epigenetic modification.Combined with the latest research results of our laboratory,this paper reviews the latest research progress on the developmental toxicity and functional programming alterations of multiple organs in offspring induced by medication during pregnancy,which can provide a theoretical and experimental basis for rational medication during pregnancy and effective prevention and treatment of drug-related multiple fetal-originated diseases.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.81973905)the Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China(No.LY15H270006)。
文摘Objective:To evaluate toxicity of raw extract of Panax notoginseng(rPN)and decocted extract of PN(dPN)by a toxicological assay using zebrafish larvae,and explore the mechanism by RNA sequencing assay.Methods:Zebrafish larvae was used to evaluate acute toxicity of PN in two forms:rPN and dPN.Three doses(0.5,1.5,and 5.0μg/mL)of dPN were used to treat zebrafishes for evaluating the developmental toxicity.Behavior abnormalities,body weight,body length and number of vertebral roots were used as specific phenotypic endpoints.RNA sequencing(RNA-seq)assay was applied to clarify the mechanism of acute toxicity,followed by real time PCR(qPCR)for verification.High performance liquid chromatography analysis was performed to determine the chemoprofile of this herb.Results:The acute toxicity result showed that rPN exerted higher acute toxicity than d PN in inducing death of larval zebrafishes(P<0.01).After daily oral intake for 21 days,d PN at doses of 0.5,1.5 and 5.0μg/m L decreased the body weight,body length,and vertebral number of larval zebrafishes,indicating developmental toxicity of dPN.No other adverse outcome was observed during the experimental period.RNA-seq data revealed 38 genes differentially expressed in dPN-treated zebrafishes,of which carboxypeptidase A1(cpa1)and opioid growth factor receptor-like 2(ogfrl2)were identified as functional genes in regulating body development of zebrafishes.qPCR data showed that dPN significantly down-regulated the mRNA expressions of cpa1 and ogfrl2(both P<0.01),verifying cpa1 and ogfrl2 as target genes for dPN.Conclusion:This report uncovers the developmental toxicity of dPN,suggesting potential risk of its clinical application in children.
基金Guangzhou Science and Technology Program(No.2014J4100171)
文摘Objective Herbal medicines containing toxic herbs or minerals such as Compound Danshen Tablet （CDT）, Angong Niuhuang Pill （ANP）, and Lidan Paishi Tablet （LPT） are avoided or used with caution for pregnant women because of potential teratogenicity. To understand their mechanism, they were chosen as model subjects for the research. Methods Zebrafish embryos were used to evaluate their potential teratogenic risk in vitro. Results All of them showed teratogenic and lethal effects in zebrafish embryos, with the ECs0 values at 351,793, and 220 μg/mL, and LC50 values at 41 7, 596, and 380 μg/mL, respectively. CDT and LPT, displaying week potential teratogenicity as their teratogenicity indexes were greater than 1, induced tail malformation and cardiac edema mainly in zebrafish embryos, respectively. Conclusion The results provide the significant guidance of clinical safety of medication.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.41576110 and 31770554)。
文摘Atorvastatin(ATV),a commonly prescribed lipid-lowering drug,has been widely detected in various aquatic environments due to its large use and low degradation rate.Since the target gene inhibited by ATV is highly conserved in organisms,many studies have shown that ATV can interfere with lipid metabolism in aquatic non-target organisms.However,studies on mitochondria,energy metabolism,and developmental toxicity of ATV on nontarget organisms are limited.In this study,Mugilogobius chulae embryos were exposed to ATV(0.5 and 50μg/L)until 96 hour post fertilization(hpf).The results confirmed that the environmental concentrations of ATV caused toxic effects including developmentalmalformations,pathological damage,hepatotoxicity,and oxidative stress in M.chulae larvae.Both transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses showed that ATV exposure interfered the normal processes of oxidative phosphorylation and TCA cycle,resulting in energy metabolic disorder.In addition,ATV exposure also damaged the mitochondrial structure of M.chulae larvae.Thus,M.chulae could regulate PI3K/AMPK/FoxO proteins to promote mitochondrial regeneration,support autophagy,and even initiate apoptosis to maintain metabolism homeostasis.Taken together,our findings suggested thatmitochondrial dysfunction andmetabolic disorder were involved in ATV-induced toxicity which may cause developmental malformations and abnormalities,providing novel insight into the toxic mechanisms of ATV.
基金supported by grants from the Key Program of the National Natural Science Foundation of China(U1432248)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(11305226,11175222)
文摘Objective To evaluate the bio-safety of graphene quantum dots （GQDs）, we studied its effects on the embryonic development of zebrafish. Methods In vivo, biodistribution and the developmental toxicity of GQDs were investigated in embryonic zebrafish at exposure concentrations ranging from 12.5-200μg/mL for 4-96 h post-fertilization （hpf）. The mortality, hatch rate, malformation, heart rate, GQDs uptake, spontaneous movement, and larval behavior were examined. Results The fluorescence of GQDs was mainly localized in the intestines and heart. As the exposure concentration increased, the hatch and heart rate decreased, accompanied by an increase in mortality. Exposure to a high level of GQDs （200μg/mL） resulted in various embryonic malformations including pericardial edema, vitelline cyst, bent spine, and bent tail. The spontaneous movement significantly decreased after exposure to GQDs at concentrations of 50, 100, and 200μg/mL. The larval behavior testing （visible light test） showed that the total swimming distance and speed decreased dose-dependently. Embryos exposed to 12.5 μg/mL showed hyperactivity while exposure to higher concentrations （25, 50, 100, and 200μg/mL） caused remarkable hypoactivity in the light-dark test. Conclusion Low concentrations of GODs were relatively non-toxic. However, GQDs disrupt the progression of embryonic development at concentrations exceeding 50 μg/mL.
基金supported by the National Science and Technology Major Project "Creation of Major New Drugs", 2008ZX09305-001
文摘Objective 1-Bromo-3-chloro-5,5-dimethylhydantoin （BCDMH） is a solid oxidizing biocide for water disinfection.The objective of this study was to investigate the toxic effect of BCDMH on zebrafish.Methods The developmental toxicity of BCDMH on zebrafish embryos and the dose-effect relationship was determined.The effect of BCDMH exposure on histopathology and tissue antioxidant activity of adult zebrafish were observed over time.Results Exposure to 4 mg/L BCDMH post-fertilization was sufficient to induce a number of developmental malformations,such as edema,axial malformations,and reductions in heart rate and hatching rate.The no observable effects concentration of BCDMH on zebrafish embryo was 0.5 mg/L.After 96 h exposure,the 50% lethal concentration （95% confidence interval （CI）） of BCDMH on zebrafish embryo was 8.10 mg/L （6.15-11.16 mg/L）.The 50% inhibitory concentration （95% CI） of BCDMH on hatching rate was 7.37 mg/L （6.33-8.35 mg/L）.Histopathology showed two types of responses induced by BCDMH,defensive and compensatory.The extreme responses were marked hyperplasia of the gill epithelium with lamellar fusion and epidermal peeling.The histopathologic changes in the gills after 10 days exposure were accompanied by significantly higher catalase activity and lipid peroxidation.Conclusion These results have important implications for studies on the toxicity and use of BCDMH and its analogs.
基金supported by a Chinese Academy of Sciences(CAS)Strategic Leading Science&Technology Program grant(XDB14040301)by the Hundred Talent Program of CAS(121311ZXPP2014004)at the Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences(RCEES),CAS
文摘The adverse effects of environmental pollution on our well-being have been intensively studied with many in vitro and in vivo systems. In our group, we focus on stem cell toxicology due to the multitude of embryonic stem cell（ESC） properties which can be exerted in toxicity assays. In fact, ESCs can differentiate in culture to mimic embryonic development in vivo, or specifically to virtually any kind of somatic cells. Here, we used the toxicant Bisphenol A（BPA）, a chemical known as a hazard to infants and children, and showed that our stem cell toxicology system was able to efficiently recapitulate most of the toxic effects of BPA previously detected by in vitro system or animal tests. More precisely, we demonstrated that BPA affected the proper specification of germ layers during our in vitro mimicking of the embryonic development, as well as the establishment of neural ectoderm and neural progenitor cells.
基金supported by the Research Grants Council of Hong Kong, China (Nos. 16212518 , 16210221 , T21-711/16R , and T21-705/20-N)the Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research of the Joint Regional Fund, Guangdong, China (No. 2019A1515110569)。
文摘Chlorine disinfection of saline wastewater effluents rich in bromide and iodide forms relatively toxic brominated and iodinated disinfection byproducts(DBPs). Ultrasonication is a relatively new water treatment technology, and it is less sensitive to suspended solids in wastewaters. In this study, we examined the effects of ultrasonication(in terms of reactor type and combination mode with chlorination) on the DBP formation and toxicity in chlorinated primary and secondary saline wastewater effluents. Compared with the chlorinated wastewater effluent samples without ultrasonication, ultrasonic horn pretreatment of the wastewater effluent samples reduced the total organic halogen(TOX) levels in chlorination by ~30%, but ultrasonic bath pretreatment of the wastewater samples did not significantly change the TOX levels in chlorination, which might be attributed to the higher energy utilization and decomposition extent of organic DBP precursors in the ultrasonic horn reactor. Moreover, the TOX levels in the chlorinated samples with ultrasonic horn pretreatment(USH–chlorination), simultaneous treatment(chlorination + USH) and subsequent treatment(chlorination–USH) were also significantly reduced, with the maximum TOX reductions occurring in the samples with ultrasonic horn pretreatment. A toxicity index was calculated by weighting and summing the levels of total organic chlorine, total organic bromine and total organic iodine in each treated sample. The calculated toxicity index values of the chlorinated wastewater effluent samples followed a descending rank order of “chlorination” > “chlorination + USH” > “chlorination–USH” > “USH–chlorination”, with the lowest toxicity occurring in the samples with ultrasonic horn pretreatment. Then, a developmental toxicity bioassay was conducted for each treated sample. The measured toxicity index values of the chlorinated wastewater samples followed the same descending rank order.
基金the Canada Research Chairs Program,the Canadian Institutes of Health Research,and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada for their support
文摘There is little to no toxicity information regarding thousands of chemicals to which people are exposed daily.In fact,of the84,000 chemicals listed in the United States Toxic Substances Control Act Inventory,there is limited information available on their effects on neural development（Betts,2010;US EPA,2015）.
文摘This study was designed to explore the possibility of using ascitic mouse sarcoma cell line (S180) to validate the mouse tumor cell attachment assay for developmental toxicants, and to test the inhibitory effects of various developmental toxicants. The results showed that 2 of 3 developmental toxicants under consideration, sodium pentobarbital and ethanol, significantly inhibited S180cells attachment to Concanavalin A-coaed surfaces. Inhibition was dependent on concentration, and the IC50 (the concentration tha reduced attachment by 50% ), of these 2 chemicals was 1.2×10-3mol/L and 1 .0 mol/L, respectively. Anoher developmental toxiant, hydmiortisone, did not show inhibitory activity. Two non-developmental toxicants, sodium chloride and glycine were also tested and these did not decrease attachment rates. The main results reported here were generally sindlar to those obtained with ascitic mouse ovdrian tumor cells as a model. Therefore, this study added further evidence to the conclusion that cell specificity does not lindt attachment inhibition to Con A-coated surfaces, so S180 cell may serve as an altemative cell model, especially when other cell lines are unavailable. Furthermore, after optimal validation, it can be suggested that an S180 cell attachment assay may be a candidate for a series of assays to detect developmental toxicants.
基金provided by the US Environmental Protection Agency through the STAR program (RD83558001)provided by the American Water Works Association Abel Wolman Fellowshipthe Water Environment Federation Canham Studies Scholarship
文摘Disinfection to protect human health occurs at drinking water and wastewater facilities through application of non-selective oxidants including chlorine. Oxidants also transform organic material and form disinfection by-products（DBPs）, many of which are halogenated and cyto-and genotoxic. Only a handful of assays have been used to compare DBP toxicity,and researchers are unsure which DBP（s） drive the increased cancer risk associated with drinking chlorinated water. The most extensive data set employs an in vitro model cell,Chinese hamster ovary cells. Traditionally, most DBP research focuses on the threat to human health, but the effects on aquatic species exposed to DBPs in wastewater effluents remain ill defined. We present the developmental toxicity for 15 DBPs and a chlorinated wastewater to a model aquatic vertebrate, zebrafish. Mono-halogenated DBPs followed the in vivo toxicity rank order： acetamides 〉 acetic acids 〉 acetonitriles ~ nitrosamines, which agrees well with previously published mammalian in vitro data. Di-and tri-halogenated acetonitriles were more toxic than their mono-halogenated analogues, and bromine-and iodine-substituted DBPs tended to be more toxic than chlorinated analogues. No zebrafish development effects were observed after exposure to undiluted or non-concentrated,chlorinated wastewater. We find zebrafish development to be a viable in vivo alternative or confirmatory assay to mammalian in vitro cell assays.
