Cellular and molecular mechanisms mediating the effects of polychlorinated biphenyls on oocyte developmental competence in cattle.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) can interfere with normal reproductive functions acting as endocrine disruptors. Aroclor-1254 (A-1254), is a pool of more than 60 congeners used for in vitro studies because its composition is representative of PCBs environmental pollution. We previously demonstrated that the exposure of bovine oocytes to A-1254 during in vitro maturation (IVM) was detrimental not only to the maturation process but also induced a significant increase of polyspermy and a reduction of developmental competence. Therefore, we investigated whether A-1254 acts on two processes that occur during IVM and may be related with its negative effects: maternal mRNA polyadenylation and cortical granules (CGs) migration and exocytosis. Bovine cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) were exposed to 0.1 microg/ml of A-1254 during IVM, a level of exposure known to affect oocyte maturation, fertilization, and developmental competence. Oocyte exposure to A-1254 altered the poly(A) tail length of 5 out of 10 genes examined. PCBs effect on mRNA polyadenylation was different depending on the gene considered and resulted either in a shorter or in a longer poly(A) tail. At the end of maturation, Aroclor treated oocytes presented clustered CG in a significantly higher percentage than the control group. In addition, CG exocytosis after 8 hr of fertilization occurred at significantly lower extent in zygotes derived from the exposed group compared to control. Our results indicated that the lower developmental competence of oocytes exposed to PCBs during IVM can be related to the interaction of these contaminants with mechanisms regulating maternal mRNA storage in the ooplasm and normal CGs function.     

自然曝气生物滤床去除二级污水处理厂尾水中酚类内分泌干扰物的应用

采用自然曝气生物滤床工艺对二级污水处理厂尾水进行深度处理。结果表明该工艺可在净化过程中创造良好的好氧环境,对尾水中悬浮颗粒物(SS)、化学需要氧量(COD)和氨氮(NH₄⁺)的去除效率分别可达76%、45%和77%。尾水中可检出不同程度的酚类内分泌干扰物,其中双酚A(BPA)、壬基酚(4-NP)、辛基酚(4-t-OP)、三氯生(TCS)和雌酮(E₁)的浓度在1～1639ng/L之间,未检出雌二醇(E₂)和炔雌醇(EE₂)。该工艺可显著削减上述有机微污染物的含量,去除效率分别可达49%、63%、78%、80%和46%。4-NP、4-t-OP和TCS的去除效率随水力负荷(HLR)减小而升高,E₁的去除效率不随HLR变化而变化,BPA的去除效率随HLR减小而下降,主要因为强疏水性有机物可在吸附竞争中降低疏水性较弱的有机物在系统中的吸附能力。     

六氯苯对PC-12细胞凋亡的影响

目的：探讨环境内分泌干扰物六氯苯对PC-12细胞凋亡的影响及其可能机制。方法：采用体外细胞培养方法,5%CO2 37℃恒温条件下,将PC-12细胞培养于含10%灭活胎牛血清的高糖DMEM培养基中。0、1、10、20、100、200μmol.L-1六氯苯处理组,每组设3组复孔,培养24 h后应用Cell Counting Kit-8试剂盒进行六氯苯对PC-12细胞增殖和毒性分析;流式细胞术FITC-An-nexinV/PI双染检测细胞凋亡率;Hoechst33258染色及倒置荧光显微镜拍摄细胞平片,观察细胞形态学改变;免疫印记法（Western blot）检测相关蛋白PLCγ及ERK蛋白磷酸化表达变化。结果：随着六氯苯浓度增加,细胞凋亡率升高,呈剂量依赖关系;Hoechst33258染色可见细胞核膨大、染色质边集浓染等凋亡特征;与对照组相比p-PLCγ及p-ERK1/2表达均降低,呈剂量依赖效用。结论：六氯苯能够诱导PC-12细胞凋亡,p-PLCγ及p-ERK1/2信号通路可能在此过程中发挥作用。     

斑马鱼繁殖内分泌学研究进展

作为四大模式动物之一,斑马鱼(Danio rerio)广泛应用于胚胎学、发育生物学、毒理学、分子生物学等研究。但关于斑马鱼繁殖内分泌生理和环境毒理方面的研究少见报道,本文综述了近年来,在内分泌学方面以斑马鱼作为实验动物的研究概况。     

Endocrine disruption in crustaceans due to pollutants: a review

The main endocrine-regulated processes of crustaceans have been reviewed in relation to the effects of endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs). Molting has been shown to be inhibited by several organic pollutants, such as xenoestrogens and related compounds, as well as by some pesticides. Most of these disrupters are thought to interfere with ecdysone at target tissues, although only for a few has this action been demonstrated in vitro. The heavy metal cadmium appears to inhibit some ecdysone secretion. Juvenoid compounds have also been shown to inhibit molting, likely by interfering with the stimulatory effect of methyl farnesoate. A molt-promoting effect of emamectin benzoate, a pesticide, has also been reported. As for reproduction, a variety of organic compounds, including xenoestrogens, juvenoids and ecdysteroids, has produced abnormal development of male and female secondary sexual characters, as well as alteration of the sex ratio. Cadmium and copper have been shown to interfere with hormones that stimulate reproduction, such as methyl farnesoate, as well as with secretion of the gonad inhibiting hormone, therefore affecting, for example, ovarian growth. Several heavy metals were able to produce hyperglycemia in crustaceans during short times of exposure; while a hypoglycemic response was noted after longer exposures, due to inhibition of secretion of the crustacean hyperglycemic hormone. The ecological relevance of EDCs on crustaceans is discussed, mainly in relation to the identification of useful biomarkers and sentinel species. New experimental approaches are also proposed.     

Identification of an estrogen receptor gene in the natural freshwater snail Bithynia tentaculata

Mollusks have received increasing interest in ecotoxicological studies but so far the available scientific analyses of how their genes are affected by anthropogenic pollutants are scarce. The focus of this study is to identify an estrogen receptor (er) gene in the common prosobranch snail Bithynia tentaculata and to test a hypothesis that 17α-Ethinylestradiol (EE2) will modulate er gene expression after short-term exposure. We set up exposure experiments with a total of 144 snails, which were collected from a natural population in southern Sweden. Snails were exposed to either 10 ng/L or 100 ng/L EE2 during 24 h and/or 72 h. From the isolated B. tentaculata RNA we successfully identified and characterized a novel er gene and phylogenetic analyses strongly indicate that the Bithynia er gene is an ortholog to the human ERα (ESR1, NR3A1). We found a significant interaction between EE2-dose and exposure duration on the er's gene expression (Two-way ANOVA; p = 0.04). We also found a significant difference in the gene expression of the er when comparing the control and 100 ng/L treatment groups after 72 h in female snails (One-way ANOVA; p = 0.047). The results from this study should be useful for future field-related studies of estrogen receptors in natural populations of mollusks.     

Genetic variants in epoxide hydrolases modify the risk of oligozoospermia and asthenospermia in Han-Chinese population

Objectives

Epoxide hydrolases are involved in detoxifying and excreting the environmental chemicals, which are associated with decreased semen quality and male infertility. We hypothesized that polymorphisms in epoxide hydrolases may be associated with risk of oligozoospermia and asthenospermia.

Design and methods

In this study, 468 fertile controls and 672 idiopathic male infertile patients were recruited. SNPstream and TaqMan assay were used to genotype four single nucleotide polymorphisms in EPHX1 and EPHX2. The semen analysis was performed by computer-assisted semen analysis system.

Results

Our results demonstrated that rs1042064 of EPHX2 was significantly associated with decreased risk of oligozoospermia (OR = 0.65, 95% CI: 0.44–0.98) and asthenospermia (OR = 0.66, 95% CI: 0.46–0.94).

Conclusions

Our results provided evidence that genetic variants in epoxide hydrolases may modify the risk of oligozoospermia and asthenospermia in Han-Chinese population.