Project description:Cytochrome P450 enzymes play an important role in bioactivating or detoxifying polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). We exposed mice to doses of benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) or a mixture of PAHs to characterize dose- and time-response relationships of specific cytochrome P450s. Mice exposed to the highest PAH exposures exhibited 1.7-5-fold higher intrinsic clearance rates for BaP, compared to controls, and higher Vmax values, indicating higher amounts of enzymes capable of metabolizing BaP. This study demonstrates that PAHs induce enzymes in dose- and time-dependent patterns in animal models at exposure levels researchers use to characterize hazards and at relevant human exposure levels to PAH mixtures found at Superfund sites. Accounting for these potential changes in enzyme profiles, relative rates of PAH bioactivation and detoxification, and resulting risk will help reduce uncertainty and improve risk assessments for PAHs at contaminated sites.
Project description:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) are diverse environmental pollutants associated with adverse human health effects. Many studies focus on the carcinogenic effects of a limited number of PAHs and there is an increasing need to understand mechanisms of developmental toxicity of more varied yet environmentally relevant PAHs. A previous study characterized the developmental toxicity of 123 PAHs in zebrafish. Based on phenotypic responses ranging from complete inactivity to acute mortality, we classified these PAHs into eight bins, selected 16 representative PAHs, and exposed developing zebrafish to the concentration of each PAH that induced 80% phenotypic effect. We conducted RNA sequencing at 48 h post fertilization to identify gene expression changes as a result of PAH exposure.
Project description:Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a class of hundreds of structurally similar chemicals ubiquitously present in our environment. They are created during the incomplete combustion of organic materials, such as oil, wood, tobacco, and charbroiled meat. As such, human exposure to mixtures of PAHs can occur through consumption of PAH-containing foods and water, inhalation of polluted air, or dermal contact. Several PAHs have been classified as carcinogenic to humans or probably carcinogenic to humans by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. The mice in this study were exposed to a mixture of 4 PAHs, benzo(a)pyrene, benz(a)anthracene, benzo(b)fluoranthene, and chrysene. In the present study, we sought to determine the dose-dependent changes in gene expression upon oral exposure to this PAH mixture in the lung tissue. Adult male MutaTMMouse were exposed to three doses of the mixture of 4 PAHs or vehicle control (olive oil) for 28 days and sacrificed three days after the final exposure.
Project description:Occupational and environmental exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) has been suggested to provoke inflammatory and/or allergic disorders including asthma, rhinitis and dermatitis. The molecular mechanisms of this PAH-mediated inflammation remain to be clarified. Previous studies implied the involvement of PAHs as irritants and allergens, with the reactive oxygen species generated from the oxygenated PAHs believed to be an exacerbating factor. As well, the possibility exists that PAHs contribute to the pathogenesis through activation of aryl-hydrocarbon receptor (AhR)-mediated transcription, since PAHs are potent inducers of the AhR. To address this point, we generated transgenic mouse lines expressing the constitutive active form of the AhR in keratinocytes. In these lines of mice, the AhR activity was constitutively enhanced in the absence of ligands, so that any other direct effects of PAHs and their metabolites could be ignored. At birth, these transgenic mice were normal, but severe skin lesions with itching developed postnatally. The skin lesions were accompanied by inflammation and immunological imbalance and resembled typical atopic dermatitis. Our present study demonstrates that constitutive activation of the AhR pathway causes inflammatory skin lesions and suggests a new mechanism for the exacerbation of inflammatory diseases following exposure to occupational and environmental xenobiotics. Keywords: transcriptional activation
Project description:Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a class of hundreds of structurally similar chemicals ubiquitously present in our environment. They are created during the incomplete combustion of organic materials, such as oil, wood, tobacco, and charbroiled meat. As such, human exposure to mixtures of PAHs can occur through consumption of PAH-containing foods and water, inhalation of polluted air, or dermal contact. Several PAHs have been classified as carcinogenic to humans or probably carcinogenic to humans by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. The mice in this study were exposed to a mixture of 8 PAHs, benzo(a)pyrene, benz(a)anthracene, benzo(b)fluoranthene, benzo(ghi)perylene, benzo(k)fluoranthene, chrysene, dibenz(ah)anthracene, and indeno(123,cd)pyrene. In the present study, we sought to determine the dose-dependent changes in gene expression upon oral exposure to this PAH mixture in the lung tissue. Adult male MutaTMMouse were exposed to three doses of the mixture of 8 PAHs or vehicle control (olive oil) for 28 days and sacrificed three days after the final exposure.
Project description:We investigated an in vitro experimental exposure model of the MutaMouse flat epithelial (FE1) cells exposed to a complex mixture of carcinogenic PAHs known as coal tar (SRM 1597a) using an Agilent 22k, oligo mouse array platform. Keywords: Toxicology, biomarkers discovery, stress response, complex mixture of carcinogens, PAHs
Project description:Newly hatched rainbow trout were exposed to the PAHs retene and fluoranthene semistatically for 1, 3, 7 and 14 days. Fry were exposed to the PAHS alone or as a binary mixture. At sample, hearts were excised, pooled and prepared for microarray analysis. We also investigated body burden of the two PAHs and how the whole organisms respond biometrically following exposure. Transcriptomic responses were confirmed using qPCR.