We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Effects of Mixtures of Emerging Pollutants and Drugs on Modulation of Biomarkers Related to Toxicity, Oxidative Stress, and Cancer
AI summary Read the abstract
This study investigated how mixtures of emerging environmental pollutants, including plastic-associated chemicals and pharmaceutical compounds, interact to affect biological modulatory activity. Mixture effects were not always predictable from individual compound data, with some combinations showing synergistic responses that exceeded what either substance produced alone. The findings underscore the importance of studying pollutant mixtures rather than single chemicals when assessing real-world exposure risks.
Background/Objectives: Over time, the scientific community has developed a growing interest in the effects of mixtures of different compounds, for which there is currently no established evidence or knowledge, in relation to certain categories of xenobiotics. It is well known that exposure to pollutants causes oxidative stress, resulting in the overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which can affect signaling pathways that regulate the cell cycle, apoptosis, energy balance, and cellular metabolism. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of sub-lethal concentrations of mixtures of emerging pollutants and pharmaceuticals on the modulation of biomarkers related to toxicity, oxidative stress, and cancer. Methods: In this study, the hepatoma cell line HepG2 was exposed to increasing concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ether 47 (BDE-47), cadmium chloride (CdCl2), and carbamazepine (CBZ), both individually and in mixtures, for 72 h to assess cytotoxicity using the MTT assay. The subsequent step, following the identification of the sub-lethal concentration, was to investigate the effects of exposure at the gene expression level, through the evaluation of molecular markers related to cell cycle and apoptosis (p53), oxidative stress (NRF2), conjugation and detoxification of xenobiotics (CYP2C9 and GST), DNA damage (RAD51 and γH2AFX), and SUMOylation processes (SUMO1 and UBC9) in order to identify any potential alterations in pathways that are normally activated at the cellular level. Results: The results showed that contaminants tend to affect the enzymatic detoxification and antioxidant system, influencing DNA repair defense mechanisms involved in resistance to oxidative stress. The combined effect of the compounds at sub-lethal doses results in a greater activation of these pathways compared to exposure to each compound alone, thereby exacerbating their cytotoxicity. Conclusions: The biomarkers analyzed could contribute to the definition of early warning markers useful for environmental monitoring, while simultaneously providing insight into the toxicity and hazard levels of these substances in the environment and associated health risks.
More Papers Like This
Influence of polystyrene nanoparticles on the toxicity of tetrabromobisphenol A in human intestinal cell lines
AI summary Read the abstract
When human intestinal cells were exposed to both polystyrene nanoparticles and the flame retardant TBBPA together, the chemical pollutant dominated the toxic response, causing oxidative stress, DNA damage, and disruption of mitochondrial function. The study shows that mixing microplastics with other contaminants can produce complex, hard-to-predict health effects in gut cells, which matters because people are routinely exposed to multiple pollutants at once.
Influence of polystyrene nanoparticles on the toxicity of tetrabromobisphenol A in human intestinal cell lines
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers tested the combined toxicity of polystyrene nanoparticles and the flame retardant tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) in human intestinal cell lines, finding that TBBPA dominated the toxic response in mixtures, inducing oxidative stress, mitochondrial damage, and DNA strand breaks even at sub-lethal concentrations.
Ecotoxicological responses of juvenile Sparus aurata to BDE-99 and BPA exposure: A multi-biomarker approach integrating immune, endocrine and oxidative endpoints
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers chronically exposed juvenile sea bream (Sparus aurata) to the flame retardant BDE-99 and the plasticizer BPA, finding that combined exposure produced the most severe disruption of endocrine and immune biomarkers, highlighting that mixture effects of environmental contaminants pose greater risks to marine fish than individual exposures.
Combined hepatotoxicity of imidacloprid and microplastics in adult zebrafish: Endpoints at gene transcription
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers investigated the combined liver toxicity of the pesticide imidacloprid and polystyrene microplastics in adult zebrafish over 21 days. The combination caused greater changes in gene expression related to fat and sugar metabolism and inflammatory responses than either contaminant alone. The study suggests that even low concentrations of microplastics and pesticides together may produce more severe hepatotoxic effects than individual exposures.
Lipidomic analysis of single and combined effects of polyethylene microplastics and polychlorinated biphenyls on human hepatoma cells
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers used lipidomic analysis to study the single and combined effects of polyethylene microplastics and polychlorinated biphenyls on human liver cancer cells. While microplastics alone did not cause significant cell death, the combined exposure with PCBs produced distinct changes in cellular lipid profiles that differed from individual exposures. The study suggests that microplastics may alter how cells respond to co-occurring chemical pollutants through a "Trojan Horse" transport mechanism.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.