Mutagenic Effects Research Articles

Spectrum and Density of Gamma and X-ray Induced Mutations in a Non-Model Rice Cultivar.

Physical mutagens are a powerful tool used for genetic research and breeding for over eight decades. Yet, when compared to chemical mutagens, data sets on the effect of different mutagens and dosages on the spectrum and density of induced mutations remain lacking. To address this, we investigated the landscape of mutations induced by gamma and X-ray radiation in the most widely cultivated crop species: rice. A mutant population of a tropical upland rice, Oryza sativa L., was generated and propagated via self-fertilization for seven generations. Five dosages ranging from 75 Gy to 600 Gy in both X-ray and gamma-irradiated material were applied. In the process of a forward genetic screens, 11 unique rice mutant lines showing phenotypic variation were selected for mutation analysis via whole-genome sequencing. Thousands of candidate mutations were recovered in each mutant with single base substitutions being the most common, followed by small indels and structural variants. Higher dosages resulted in a higher accumulation of mutations in gamma-irradiated material, but not in X-ray-treated plants. The in vivo role of all annotated rice genes is yet to be directly investigated. The ability to induce a high density of single nucleotide and structural variants through mutagenesis will likely remain an important approach for functional genomics and breeding.

Entropy approach to assessment of the ecological state of a water course

Purpose. Water quality assessment of the Dnipro Reservoir using the entropy index. Methods. Analytical-synthetic method, geo-informational (cartographic modeling), analysis of information sources, entropy analysis. Results. It was established that the water does not meet the upper limit of the 1st quality class according to DSTU 4808:2007 by all parameters except BOD5, COD and suspended matter. There is a decrease in the level of BOD5 at posts in the city of Dnipro, which indicates the entry into the watercourse of substances that inhibit biochemical processes (t4 and t5) and a gradual increase of this indicator at the exit from the city and further downstream, which indicates the entry of organic substances. The oxygen content decreases in the part of the watercourse located in the city (t4 - t6) and increases in the middle and lower part of the reservoir. There is also a trend of growth of sulfates, nitrogen compounds, phosphates, SPAR and COD for control points located within the city of Dnipro. The highest values of the entropy index of water quality are characteristic of points t2 (0.5444), t7 (0.6264) and t8 (0.5322). These control points are located at a considerable distance from industrial centers, so pollution caused by agricultural production probably plays a decisive role in the formation of water quality. The lowest value of the index (0.3889) is characteristic of item t1 - s. Shulgivka, after GVK Dnipro-Donbas. Conclusions. It was established that the main water pollutants are nitrites, nitrates, phosphates and suspended solids. It can cause a negative impact on health due to mutagenic and carcinogenic effects, and also accelerates the eutrophication of the water body. A negative impact of agro-industrial production on the ecological condition of the Dnieper Reservoir is observed. The value of the entropy index of water quality ranges from 0.3889 to 0.6264.

ASSESSMENT OF TECHNOGENIC AND ECOLOGICAL SAFETY OF A WATER STREAM ACCORDING TO RISK INDICATORS UNDER THE CONDITIONS OF MILITARY DANGER

Assessment of the ecological risk of deterioration of the state of water bodies was carried out in stages. A list of pollutants that exceed the value of the environmental standard is determined. It is believed that these substances contribute to the development of degradation processes in the water ecosystem. At the second stage, the risk is determined in relation to indicators characterized by the olfactory-reflective effect of exposure (smell, taste, color) and other indicators that shape water quality. At the next stage, the total ecological risk of deterioration of the condition of water bodies is determined. The influence of chemicals on the organoleptic properties of water can manifest itself in a change in its smell, taste and color, as well as in the formation of a surface film or foam. The criterion for the development of indicator models characterized by the olfactory-reflex effect of influence is the visual-organoleptic principle of assessment. The theoretical basis for finding the threshold concentrations of influence on the smell and taste of water is the psychophysical law of Weber-Fechner, according to which the intensity of the sensation is proportional to the logarithm of the concentration of the substance. The assessment of the overall risk of organoleptic effects was carried out by selecting its maximum value from the entire group of values characteristic of each of the substances. The risk assessment is the basis for evaluating the environmental impact as a function of stress exposure in the river basin. As a result of the risk assessment of the results of the possible impact of military actions on the utility facility, it was established that, in addition to organoleptic indicators, the nitrogen group comes to the fore in the list of priority substances in the event of an emergency impact (values are an order of magnitude higher than under normal conditions). It can cause negative health effects, causing mutagenic and carcinogenic effects, and also accelerates the eutrophication of the water body.

APOBEC3G protects the genome of human cultured cells and mice from radiation-induced damage.

Cytosine deaminases AID/APOBEC proteins act as potent nucleic acid editors, playing important roles in innate and adaptive immunity. However, the mutagenic effects of some of these proteins compromise genomic integrity and may promote tumorigenesis. Here, we demonstrate that human APOBEC3G (A3G), in addition to its role in innate immunity, promotes repair of double-strand breaks (DSBs) invitro and invivo. Transgenic mice expressing A3G successfully survived lethal irradiation, whereas wild-type controls quickly succumbed to radiation syndrome. Mass spectrometric analyses identified the differential upregulation of a plethora of proteins involved in DSB repair pathways in A3G-expressing cells early following irradiation to facilitate repair. Importantly, we find that A3G not only accelerates DSB repair but also promotes deamination-dependent error-free rejoining. These findings have two implications: (a) strategies aimed at inhibiting A3G may improve the efficacy of genotoxic therapies used to cure malignant tumours; and (b) enhancing A3G activity may reduce acute radiation syndrome in individuals exposed to ionizing radiation.

Assessment of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Contamination of Fruits, Leaves, and Soil within Automobile Repair Workshops in Nsukka Metropolis

The level and distribution of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAHs) in soil, fruit, and leaf from within automobile repair workshops in Nsukka metropolis was assessed. The PAHs concentrations were evaluated using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrophotometer (GC-MS). The health risk was assessed using incremental life cancer risk (ILCR) and mutagenic effect and the possible sources of the PAHs were estimated by the diagnostic ratio. The results showed that the concentrations of the PAHs in soil, fruit, and leaf ranged from 0.003 to 0.564, 0.011 to 0.070, and 0.020 to 0.120 µg/kg, respectively. The mean PAHs concentration for soil, fruit, and leaf are 0.229842, 0.034059, and 0.043091 µg/kg, respectively. The TEQs were generally within the acceptable limit stipulated by Agency for Toxic Substances Disease Registry–ATSDR (100 µg/kg) for non-pollution and low toxicity. The incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) for the seven prominent carcinogenic PAHS indicated that Benzo(a)pyrene and Dibenz(a,h)anthrance, being the most toxic were above the acceptable limit of 1 × 10−4 showing possible carcinogenic effects to humans with children being the most vulnerable. Although the concentration of PAHs in this study is lower than many similar cases, they have a high risk of carcinogenesis. In contrast, the Mutagenic Equivalent Quotient (MEQ) values were generally within the acceptable value. Benzo(a)pyrene and Dibenz(a,h)anthrance were the most contributors signifying possible alternation/modification of DNA in humans. The Diagnostic ratio showed that pyrogenic combustions could be the main sources of PAHs in the studied area. Therefore, it is evident that Nsukka automobile repair area is gradually being contaminated with PAHs.

Recent trends in analysis of mycotoxins in food using carbon-based nanomaterials

Mycotoxins (MYTs), a class of low molecular weight secondary metabolites produced by filamentous fungi in food and feed, pose serious global threat to both human health and world economy. Due to their mutagenic, teratogenic, carcinogenic and immunosuppressive effects, the International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified various MYTs under Group 1 to 3 category with aflatoxins being designated under Group 1 category (carcinogenic to humans). Also, the presence of MYTs in trace amounts in diverse food matrices necessitates exploration of highly sensitive methods for onsite analysis. Although conventional chromatographic methods are highly sensitive, they are expensive, tedious and cannot be applied for rapid onsite analysis. In recent years the application of nanomaterials especially carbon-based nanomaterials (CNMs) in the fabrication of low-cost and miniaturized electrochemical and optical sensors has enabled rapid onsite analysis of MYTs with high sensitivity and specificity. Moreover, the CNMs are employed as effective solid phase extraction (SPE) adsorbents possessing high specific surface area for effective enrichment of MYTs to improve the sensitivity of chromatographic methods for MYT analysis in food. This article aims to overview the recent trends in the application of CNMs as SPE adsorbents for sample pretreatment in chromatographic methods as well as in the fabrication of highly sensitive electrochemical and optical sensors for rapid analysis of MYTs in food. Initially, the efficiency of various functionalized CNMs developed recently as adsorbent in packed SPE cartridges and dispersive SPE adsorbent/purification powder is discussed. Then, their application in the development of various electrochemical immunosensors involving functionalized carbon nanotubes/nanofibers, graphene oxide, reduced graphene oxide and graphene quantum dots is summarized. In addition, the recent trends in the use of CNMs for fabrication of electrochemical and fluorescence aptasensors as well as some other colorimetry, fluorometry, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy and electrochemical based sensors are compared and tabulated. Collectively, this review article can provide a research update on analysis of MYTs by carbon-based nanomaterials paving a way for identifying future perspectives.

Microcystin-LR-induced nuclear translocation of cGAS promotes mutagenesis in human hepatocytes by impeding homologous recombination repair

Microcystin-LR (MC-LR) has been recognized as a typical hepatotoxic cyclic peptides produced by cyanobacteria. Nowadays, due to the frequent occurrence of cyanobacterial blooms, the underlying hepatotoxic mechanism of MC-LR has become the focus of attention. In our present work, the mutagenic effect of MC-LR on human normal hepatic (HL-7702) cells regulated by cGAS was mainly studied. Here, we showed that exposure to MC-LR for 1–4 days could activate the cGAS-STING signaling pathway and then trigger immune response in HL-7702 cells. Notably, relative to the treatment with 1 μM MC-LR for 1–3 days, it was observed that when HL-7702 cells were exposed to 1 μM MC-LR for 4 days, the mutation frequency at the Hprt locus was remarkably increased. In addition, cGAS in HL-7702 cells was also found to complete the nuclear translocation after 4-day exposure. Moreover, co-immunoprecipitation and homologous recombination (HR)-directed DSB repair assay were applied to show that homologous recombination repair was inhibited after 4-day exposure. However, the intervention of the nuclear translocation of cGAS by transfecting BLK overexpression plasmid restored homologous recombination repair and reduced the mutation frequency at the Hprt locus in HL-7702 cells exposed to MC-LR. Our study unveiled the distinct roles of cGAS in the cytoplasm and nucleus of human hepatocytes as well as potential mutagenic mechanism under the early and late stage of exposure to MC-LR, and provided a novel insight into the prevention and control measures about the hazards of cGAS-targeted MC-LR.

New TMA (4,6,4'-Trimethyl angelicin) Analogues as Anti-Inflammatory Agents in the Treatment of Cystic Fibrosis Lung Disease.

A series of new-generation TMA (4,6,4'-trimethyl angelicin) analogues was projected and synthetized in order to ameliorate anti-inflammatory activity, with reduced or absent toxicity. Since the NF-κB transcription factor (TF) plays a critical role in the expression of IL-8 (Interluekin 8), a typical marker of lung inflammation in Cystic Fibrosis (CF), the use of agents able to interfere with the NF-κB pathway represents an interesting therapeutic strategy. Through preliminary EMSA experiments, we identified several new TMA derivatives able to inhibit the NF-κB/DNA complex. The selected active molecules were then analyzed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effect using both Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PAO1) infection and TNF-alpha stimulus on the CF IB3-1 cell line. It was demonstrated that mainly two TMA analogues, GY971a mesylate salt (6-p-minophenyl-4,4'-dimethyl-angelicin) and GY964 (4-phenyl-6,4'-dimethyl-angelicin), were able to decrease the IL-8 gene expression. At the same time, these molecules were found to have no pro-apoptotic, mutagenic and phototoxic effects, facilitating our decision to test the efficacy in vivo by using a mouse model of acute P. aeruginosa lung infection. The anti-inflammatory effect of GY971a was confirmed in vivo; this derivative was able to deeply decrease the total number of inflammatory cells, the neutrophil count and the cytokine/chemokine profile in the P. aeruginosa acute infection model, without evident toxicity. Considering all the obtained and reported in vitro and in vivo pre-clinical results, GY971a seems to have interesting anti-inflammatory effects, modulating the NF-κB pathway, as well as the starting lead compound TMA, but without side effects.

In vitro genotoxicity assessment of graphene quantum dots nanoparticles: A metabolism-dependent response

Nanomaterials are progressively being applied in different areas, including biomedical uses. Carbon nanomaterials are relevant for biomedical sciences because of their biocompatibility properties. Graphene quantum dots (GQD) have a substantial potential in drug-delivery nanostructured biosystems, but there is still a lack of toxicological information regarding their effects on human health and the environment. We thus evaluated the mutagenicity, cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of this nanomaterial using alternative methods applied in regulatory toxicology guidelines. The Ames test was carried out in the presence and absence of exogenous metabolization. Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium strains TA97a, TA98, TA100, TA102, TA104, and TA1535 were exposed to GQD with concentrations ranging from 1 to 1000 μg/plate. The mammal cell viability assays were carried out with HepG2 and 3T3BalbC cell lineages and the in vitro Cytokinesis-Block Micronucleus assay (CBMN) was applied for 24 h of exposure in non-cytotoxic concentrations. Mutagenicity was induced in the TA97a strain in the absence of exogenous metabolization, but not in its presence. Mutagenicity was also detected in the TA102 strain in the assay with exogenous metabolization, suggesting redox misbalance mutagenicity. The WST-1 and LDH assays demonstrated that GQD decreased cell viability, especially in 3T3BalbC cells, which showed more sensitivity to the nanomaterial. GQD also increased micronuclei formation in 3T3BalbC and caused a cytostatic effect. No significant impact on HepG2 micronuclei formation was observed. Different metabolic systems interfered with the mutagenic, cytotoxic, and genotoxic effects of GQD, indicating that liver metabolism has a central role in the detoxification of this nanomaterial.

Adaptation delay causes a burst of mutations in bacteria responding to oxidative stress

Understanding the interplay between phenotypic and genetic adaptation is a focus of evolutionary biology. In bacteria, the oxidative stress response prevents mutagenesis by reactive oxygen species (ROS). We hypothesise that the stress response dynamics can therefore affect the timing of the mutation supply that fuels genetic adaptation to oxidative stress. We uncover that sudden hydrogen peroxide stress causes a burst of mutations. By developing single‐molecule and single‐cell microscopy methods, we determine how these mutation dynamics arise from phenotypic adaptation mechanisms. H2O2 signalling by the transcription factor OxyR rapidly induces ROS‐scavenging enzymes. However, an adaptation delay leaves cells vulnerable to the mutagenic and toxic effects of hydroxyl radicals generated by the Fenton reaction. Resulting DNA damage is counteracted by a spike in DNA repair activities during the adaptation delay. Absence of a mutation burst in cells with prior stress exposure or constitutive OxyR activation shows that the timing of phenotypic adaptation directly controls stress‐induced mutagenesis. Similar observations for alkylation stress show that mutation bursts are a general phenomenon associated with adaptation delays.

Study of mutagenic effects with predicted carcinogenicity of 4-((5-decylthio)-4-methyl-4-H-1,2,4-triazole-3-yl)methyl)morpholine for further research in order to create a new drug with antifungal activity

The development of effective and safe therapeutic agents using 1,2,4-triazole derivatives is gaining momentum in today’s conditions. The value of such drugs is determined by the rapid and prolonged biological action, which is not accompanied by abrupt changes in homeostasis and pronounced side effects, which are characteristic of most pharmacological drugs of synthetic origin. In the context of a limited range of domestic antimicrobial and antifungal veterinary drugs on the national pharmaceutical market, one of the directions for solving this problem is the search, study, research, and development of drugs with antimicrobial and antifungal activity. The aim of this work was to study the mutagenic effects with the prediction of carcinogenicity of 4-((5-decylthio)-4-methyl-4-H-1,2,4-triazole-3-yl)methyl)morpholine with the prospect of further creation of new dosage forms for the treatment fungal pathologies of the skin. Materials and methods. Staph was used to study the effect of 4-((5-decylthio)-4-methyl-4-H-1,2,4-triazol-3-yl)methyl)morpholine in vitro Staphylococcus aureus, strain 209, its UV-2, UV-3 mutants and primary cell cultures. Accounting for gene mutations of microorganisms in the system of metabolic activation (Ames test) was carried out according to the method of L. M. Fonshtein in accordance with the requirements of “Methodological recommendations for assessing the mutagenic properties of new medicinal products” (Kyiv, 1996), supplemented by the methodology according to the recommendations of “Preclinical research of veterinary medicinal products” (edited by I. Ya. Kotsiumbas). Results. The results of studying the activity of 4-((5-decylthio)-4-methyl-4-H-1,2,4-triazole-3-yl)methyl)morpholine on a model of culture of tumor ascetic cells showed that at concentrations of 1.4 mg/ml, 0.8 mg/ml, 0.3 mg/ml, 0.015 mg/ml it was led to the regression of tumor cells of Ehrlich’s carcinoma and C-37 sarcoma. In experiments with the Nk/L y strain, the same concentrations of 4-((5-decylthio)-4-methyl-4-H-1,2,4-triazole-3-yl)methyl)morpholine significantly slowed down cell growth. The results of the studies indicate a pronounced cytogenetic effect of thiophosfamide and sarcolysin, which suggests their metabolic activation in the body, as evidenced by a pronounced aberration of chromosomes. When comparing the cytogenetic effect of equimolar concentrations, the absence of cytogenetic activity of 4-((5-decylthio)-4-methyl-4-H-1,2,4-triazole-3-yl)methyl)morpholine was revealed. Conclusions. The positive results of studying the specific activity of 4-((5-decylthio)-4-methyl-4-Н-1,2,4-triazole-3-yl)methyl)morpholine in experiments in vitro were obtained which indicates the expediency of its extensive study in experimental animal tumors. In addition, according to these studies, no mutagenic effect was found at the doses that were used to predict carcinogenicity. Thus, it can be concluded that there is no cytogenetic effect.

Mutagenic effectiveness, efficiency and dose optimization of gamma rays in papaya (Carica papaya L.) varieties

Mutagenic effectiveness, efficiency and dose optimization of gamma rays in papaya (Carica papaya L.) varieties

Hemolytic activity and protective potential of Lamiaceae plants seed extracts and their bioactive components profiling having potential for functional foods and nutraceutical formulations

This study was designed to examine phenolic profile and bioactivities of two Lamiaceae species, Salvia moorcroftiana and Ocimum sanctum. Hydrolyzed and non-hydrolyzed seed extracts of both species were screened for their hemolytic and mutagenic effects. Both species were found to be nontoxic to red blood cells (cytotoxicity <4%) and selected bacterial strains (mutagenicity <9%), and were evaluated for their anti-hemolytic and anti-mutagenic potentials. The S. moorcroftiana presented better protection against standard cytotoxic and mutagenic compounds than O. sanctum. Moreover, hydrolyzed extracts of both species depicted superior anti-hemolytic (93.58 ± 2.04% for S. moorcroftiana and 90.78 ± 1.88% for O. sanctum) and anti-mutagenic potentials (70.24 ± 0.69% for S. moorcroftiana and 64.29 ± 0.69% for O. sanctum) than those of non-hydrolyzed samples. Chemical characterization by LC-ESI-MS/MS of hydrolyzed extracts of both species indicated the presence of various bioactives such as vanillic acid, quinic acid, gallic acid and myricetin. Hence, it is concluded that both of these species can find potential applications in functional food and nutraceutical formulations.

Progress on the detoxification of aflatoxin B1 using natural anti-oxidants.

Aflatoxins are toxic secondary metabolites produced by Aspergillus fungi. The most toxic among them is Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) which is known to have genotoxic, immunotoxic, teratogenic, carcinogenic, and mutagenic toxic effects (amongst others). The mechanisms responsible for its toxicity include the induction of oxidative stress, cytotoxicity, and DNAdamage. Studies have found that natural anti-oxidants can reduce the damage that AFB1 inflicts on the body by alleviating oxidative stress and inhibiting the biotransformation of AFB1. Therefore, this review outlines the latest progress in research on the use of natural anti-oxidants as antidotes to aflatoxin poisoning and their detoxification mechanisms. It also considers the problems that may possibly arise from their use and their application prospects. Our aim is to provide a useful reference for the prevention and treatment of AFB1 poisoning.

Induced chlorophyll and morphological mutations in Bambara Groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.)

The present study was conducted at K-block, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru. Theexperimental material for the present investigation consists of two varieties of Bambara groundnut havinggood agronomic base belonging to different accessions viz., SB-42 (light brown, round shape and whitehilum) and S165A (dark brownish, dark spotted surface and oval shape). Five different concentrations ofEMS 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5 per cent were used to treat the seeds. After the treatment, the seeds were sownin the field along with control (untreated seeds) to raise M1 generation. The M2 generation was raisedduring 2014 summer season by pooling all the seeds of M1 plants on plant to row basis along with controlplants. In both the varieties of Bambara groundnut, the mutagenic effectiveness and efficiency of mutagenictreatments varied not only between the two varieties but also between the treatments. A concentration of0.3 per cent EMS was more effective than the other concentrations of EMS. Hence 0.3 per cent EMS has beenregarded as LD50 for inducing useful mutations.

Comparative evaluation of the genotoxicity of carbendazim technical grade active ingredients in the Ames test and micronucleus in vivo test

Introduction. Carbendazim is a systemic benzimidazole fungicide used against a wide range of crop diseases. The ability of carbendazim to induce the incidence of chromosomal aberrations and micronuclei in mammalian cells by influencing the processes of mitotic spindle formation in the cell cycle have been shown in various in vitro and in vivo tests. Contradictory data were obtained in the bacterial test system Salmonella/microsomes, indicating both the absence and the presence of mutagenic activity of carbendazim. The discrepancy in the results may stem from the presence of impurities. The aim of the study was a comparative evaluation of the genotoxicity of various technical products of carbendazim. Materials and methods. The genotoxicity of carbendazim was studied using the plate incorporation version of the Ames test on 5 strains of Salmonella typhimurium in the presence and the absence of metabolic activation system (+S9/-S9) and in a micronucleus test in CD-1 mice. Two technical grade active ingredients (TGAI) and an analytical standard for carbendazim were tested. Results. In the Ames test, the analytical standard of carbendazim possessed no mutagenic activity (±S9) on any of the strains. The most pronounced mutagenic effect was observed for the TGAI I in TA98 strain, the number of revertants at the maximum concentration was 5-7 times higher than that in the negative control. The positive effects of carbendazim TGAIs in the Ames test are likely mediated by the presence of impurities. Under in vivo conditions, all tested TGAIs of carbendazim induced a statistically significant and dose-dependent formation of micronuclei in polychromatic erythrocytes (PCE) of mouse bone marrow. The mean frequency of PCE with micronuclei at the maximum dose exceeded this rate in the negative control by 21-24 times. Research limitations. The study is limited to testing the mutagenic activity of two samples of carbendazim technical products and one sample of its analytical standard in both in vivo and in vitro tests. Conclusion. Taking into account the high content of the active substance in the tested TGAIs, the bacterial reverse mutation test is a highly sensitive method for assessment of the equivalence of carbendazim generic products. The use of a micronucleus test for evaluating of the equivalence of carbendazim TGAIs to the original substance is inappropriate due to the pronounced aneugenic effect.

Levels, sources, and risk assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soils of karst trough zone, Central China

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), the priority pollutants with carcinogenic and mutagenic effects, threaten the fragile karst environment with a thin and scattered soil layer. Twenty-six surface soil samples were collected in the karstic valleys and hilltop depressions of four river basins on the south bank of the Yangtze River in the Yichang area. Their PAH concentrations were measured, aiming to investigate the distribution, possible sources, and potential health risks of PAHs in this area. The results showed that the concentrations of ΣPAHs (sum of 16 priority PAHs) in surface soils ranged from 8.26 to 397 ng·g−1 (median 24.9 ng·g−1, average 55.8 ng·g−1). The concentrations of ΣPAHs in the valleys (median 25.1 ng·g−1, average 72.9 ng·g−1) were slightly higher than that in the hilltop depressions (median 24.6 ng·g−1, average 28.2 ng·g−1), while the low molecular weight PAHs (LMW-PAHs) were dominant both hilltop depressions and valleys. Additionally, molecular diagnostic ratios and principal components analysis (PCA) suggested that PAHs in the surface soils are mainly derived from biomass and coal combustion, followed by petroleum combustion. The BaP equivalent (BaPeq) concentrations of PAHs and the incremental lifetime cancer risks (ILCRs) were used to assess their health risk. It showed that the BaPeq of 16 PAHs (BaPeq16) in the surface soils varied between 0.31 and 85.0 ng·g−1 (average 6.52 ng·g−1). The average of ILCRs in different age groups varied between 6.01 × 10−9–1.10 × 10−7 regionally. It indicated that the risks of cancer to residents in this area were within the safe limit, and PAHs showed relatively higher potential cancer risks for children than teens and adults.

Quantitative analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in water by surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) combined with Random Forest

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have strong carcinogenicity, teratogenicity, mutagenicity and other adverse effects on human beings. They are one of the most dangerous pollutants, which have attracted great attention in the past decades. In this work, aiming at the actual problems that water environment is polluted and human health is threatened by PAHs, surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) combined with Random Forest (RF) calibration models were used to quantitative analysis of phenanthrene and fluoranthene in water. Firstly, the SERS data was collected after samples mixed with Ag NPs, after 31 PAHs samples were prepared. Secondly, it was discussed how spectral preprocessing integration strategies affect on the prediction performance of the RF calibration models. And then, the effect of mutual information (MI) variable selection method on the performance of RF calibration models was explored. Finally, the RF calibration models were established for phenanthrene and fluoranthene. For the prediction set, a lowest mean relative error (MRE) and a largest determination coefficient (R2) were obtained. For quantitative analysis of phenanthrene, the final prediction performance results show that R2p is 0.9780, and MREp is 0.0369 based on the D1st-WT-RF calibration model. For fluoranthene, WT-D1st-MI-RF is a better calibration model, and corresponding to R2p and MREp are 0.9770 and 0.0694, respectively. Hence, a rapid and accurate quantitative method of PAHs is established for the real-time detection of water environmental pollution, which is intended to provide new ideas and methods for the quantitative analysis of PAHs in water.

May phytophenolics alleviate aflatoxins-induced health challenges? A holistic insight on current landscape and future prospects.

The future GCC-connected environmental risk factors expedited the progression of nCDs. Indeed, the emergence of AFs is becoming a global food security concern. AFs are lethal carcinogenic mycotoxins, causing damage to the liver, kidney, and gastrointestinal organs. Long-term exposure to AFs leads to liver cancer. Almost a variety of food commodities, crops, spices, herbaceous materials, nuts, and processed foods can be contaminated with AFs. In this regard, the primary sections of this review aim to cover influencing factors in the occurrence of AFs, the role of AFs in progression of nCDs, links between GCC/nCDs and exposure to AFs, frequency of AFs-based academic investigations, and world distribution of AFs. Next, the current trends in the application of PPs to alleviate AFs toxicity are discussed. Nearly, more than 20,000 published records indexed in scientific databases have been screened to find recent trends on AFs and application of PPs in AFs therapy. Accordingly, shifts in world climate, improper infrastructures for production/storage of food commodities, inconsistency of global polices on AFs permissible concentration in food/feed, and lack of the public awareness are accounting for a considerable proportion of AFs damages. AFs exhibited their toxic effects by triggering the progression of inflammation and oxidative/nitrosative stress, in turn, leading to the onset of nCDs. PPs could decrease AFs-associated oxidative stress, genotoxic, mutagenic, and carcinogenic effects by improving cellular antioxidant balance, regulation of signaling pathways, alleviating inflammatory responses, and modification of gene expression profile in a dose/time-reliant fashion. The administration of PPs alone displayed lower biological properties compared to co-treatment of these metabolites with AFs. This issue might highlight the therapeutic application of PPs than their preventative content. Flavonoids such as quercetin and oxidized tea phenolics, curcumin and resveratrol were the most studied anti-AFs PPs. Our literature review clearly disclosed that considering PPs in antioxidant therapies to alleviate complications of AFs requires improvement in their bioavailability, pharmacokinetics, tissue clearance, and off-target mode of action. Due to the emergencies in the elimination of AFs in food/feedstuffs, further large-scale clinical assessment of PPs to decrease the consequences of AFs is highly required.

Evaluation of the cytotoxic and mutagenic potential of Rosmarinus officinalis L. essential oil through the Allium cepa Leach bioassay

The species Rosmarinus officinalis L. (rosemary) is an herb from the Lamiaceae family, widely used in cooking as a food preservative, seasoning or condiment. It also stands out for its therapeutic properties, mainly presenting antioxidant, antibacterial and antitumor activity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the cytotoxic and mutagenic activity of R. officinalis L. essential oil through the Allium cepa bioassay. This test constitutes an excellent plant model routinely used due to its sensitivity, low cost and good correlation with test systems in mammals. The defined concentrations for carrying out the test were 750, 243, 81 and 27 µg mL-1. Five bulbs were used, 4 roots of each, measuring approximately 2 cm, and they were analyzed on two slides. All assays were performed at least in triplicate and compared to the negative control. The statistical test of analysis of variance (ANOVA with a fixed factor) was used, followed by Tukey's multiple comparisons test, for p &lt; 0.05. For this purpose, the GraphPad Prism program (version 6.0) was used. The results showed a cytotoxic and mutagenic effect for all concentrations used of the essential oil of R. officinalis L. However, it is important to conduct further research using other genotoxicological tests with different endpoints and at different concentrations, in order to clarify the interaction of the essential oil of the species R. officinalis L. with the genetic material of the cell and its possible mechanism of action.