• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.361-374
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• 2015

Endocirne disruptors (EDs) can cause fertility decrease, developmental disorder, and even cancer in animals. Until 90's, EDs were used in various synthetic products including paints, coatings, detergents, plastics, and plasticizers. Currently, in several countries, the production, trade and use of EDs or EDs-suspected chemicals have been regulated while activity to screen the alternatives for EDs including bisphenol-A, phthalate and nonylphenol is active. Although various toxicity test method was developed and applied for screening of alternatives, however, the safety of alternatives has been not fully demonstrated. Some alternatives have high structural similarity with existing EDs, raising the possible risk of endocrine disruption by alternatives. In an effort to develop the safe alternatives, we reviewed the effects of EDs such as bisphenol-A, phthalates, nonylphenol and their substituents. In addition, in-silico analysis for endocrine disrupting activities of some alternatives was presented.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.29
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• pp.2.1-2.7
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• 2014

Objectives Heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) is a highly conserved molecular chaperone important in the maturation of a broad spectrum of protein. In this study, an HSP90 gene was isolated from Asian paddle crab, Charybdis japonica, as a bio-indicator to monitor the marine ecosystem. Methods This work reports the responses of C. japonica HSP90 mRNA expression to cellular stress by endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), such as bisphenol A (BPA) and 4-nonylphenol (NP) using real-time. reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Results The deduced amino acid sequence of HSP90 from C. japonica shared a high degree of homology with their homologues in other species. In a phylogenetic analysis, C. japonica HSP90 is evolutionally related with an ortholog of the other crustacean species. The expression of HSP90 gene was almost distributed in all the examined tissues of the C. japonica crab but expression levels varied among the different body parts of the crabs. We examined HSP90 mRNA expression pattern in C. japonica crabs exposed to EDCs for various exposure times. The expression of HSP90 transcripts was significantly increased in C. japonica crabs exposed to BPA and NP at different concentrations for 12, 24, 48 and 96 hours. The mRNA expression of HSP90 gene was significantly induced in a concentration- and time-dependent manner after BPA or NP exposures for 96 hours. Conclusions Taken together, expression analysis of Asian paddle crab HSP90 gene provided useful molecular information about crab responses in stress conditions and potential ways to monitor the EDCs stressors in marine environments.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.205-214
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• 2007

Surface water and sediment samples collected from the Mokpo coast of Korea were analyzed for molecular markers of organic municipal wastewaters, i.e., 11 fecal sterols including coprostanol (Cop) and nonylphenolic compounds (NPs), to characterize the main routes of these wastewaters to the coast and to assess contamination levels. Concentrations of Cop ranged from 94 to 7,568 ng/L in surface water and from 43 to 38,108 ng/g dry weight in sediments. Concentrations of NPs [nonylphenol (NP) and nonylphenol mono- and di-ethoxylates ($NP_{1-2}EOs$)] ranged from 123 to 4,729 ng/L in surface water and from 4 to 2,119 ng/ng dry weight in sediments. The levels of these compounds were much higher at stations near the rivers that pass through the urban center of Mokpo and the outfall of the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). The spatial distribution of Cop levels was statistically similar to that of NPs (r=0.809 and 0.982 in surface water and sediments, respectively), indicating that these compounds may have similar discharge points, transport, mixing, and deposition in the study area. These results suggest that considerable amounts of organic wastewater compounds are discharged through rivers and WWTP effluent to the Mokpo coast.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.67-74
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• 2009

Exposures to environmental chemicals that mimic endogenous hormones are proposed for a number of adverse health effects, including infertility, abnormal prenatal and childhood development and above all cancers. In addition, recently miRNA (micro RNA) has been recognized to play an important role in various diseases and in cellular and molecular responses to toxicants. In this study, endocrine disrupting environmental toxicant, nonylphenol (NP) was treated to MCF-7 (Human breast cancer cell) and HepG2 (Human hepatocellular liver carcinoma) cell line at 3 hrs and 48 hrs time point and miRNA analysis using $mirVana^{TM}$ miRNA bioarray was performed and compared with total mRNA microarray data for the same cell line and treatment. Robust data quality was achieved through the use of dye-swap. Analysis of microarray data identifies a total of 20 and 11 miRNA expressions at 3 hrs and 48 hrs exposure to NP in MCF-7 cell line and a total of 14 and 47 miRNA expression at 3 hrs and 48 hrs exposure respectively to NP in HepG2 cell line. Expression profiling of the selected miRNA (let-7c, miR-16, miR-195, miR-200b, miR200c, miR-205, and miR-589) reveals changes in the expression of target genes related to metabolism, immune response, apoptosis, and cell differentiation. The present study can be informative and helpful to understand the role of miRNA in molecular mechanism of chemical toxicity and their influence on hormone dependent disease. Also this study may prove to be a valuable tool for screening potential estrogen mimicking pollutants in the environment.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.171-176
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• 2004

Nonyphenol (NP) used actively as non-ionic surfactant is classified as one of most potent endocrine disrupting chemicals. Effects of NP on mixed function oxygenase (MFO) system in rockfish (Sebastes schlegeli) were investigated for seven days after intraperitoneal injection (10 and 25 mg $kg^{-1}$). Hepatosomatic index (BSI) of fishes exposed to NP of 25 mg $kg^{-1}$ was significantly reduced compared to those in control group. NP exposure enhanced cytochrome P450 levels in the fish liver, while 7 ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) activity was inhibited. NP exposure levels in this study were much higher than those found in the coastal environment of Korea. Effects on HSI and liver MFO system, which is involved in steroid hormone metabolism, imply that W may influence on reproduction of fish by not only hormone receptor mediated response but also through effects on the MFO system.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.1006-1013
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• 2014

Wastewater organic compounds, that is, nonylphenolic compounds (NPs) and fecal sterols, were measured in surface sediments from Busan Suyeong Estuary, where two wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are located, to assess contamination from municipal effluents. The NPs analyzed were nonylphenol, and nonylphenol mono- and di-ethoxylates, all synthetic endocrine disruptors. The fecal sterols analyzed were coprostanol (COP), cholestanol, and epicoprostanol. Concentrations of NPs in the sediments ranged from 146 to 3,723 ng/g, and those of COP ranged from 366 to 13,018 ng/g. Their detection in all of the sediments analyzed indicates widespread pollution by municipal effluents. The highest concentrations of NPs and COP were detected at stations close to outfalls of WWTPs. Their levels in sediments are categorized in the higher range of those previously reported in Korean coastal areas. Moreover, in comparison with screening values of NPs in the Netherlands, Norway, and Canada, more than 50% of the sampling stations exceeded the guidelines. This indicates that the estuary may be adversely influenced by municipal effluents.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.189-196
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• 2011

We investigated the in vitro effects of nonylphenol (NP) and 3,3',4,4',5-pentachlorobiphenyl (PCB126) on steroidogenesis in redlip mullet, Chelon haematocheilus, oocytes. In experiment 1, we investigated the effects of NP and PCB126 on steroid production from exogenous steroid precursors. Vitellogenic oocytes (0.75 mm in diameter) were incubated with 10 and 100 ng/ml NP or PCB126 with $[^3H]17{\alpha}$-hydroxyprogesterone as a precursor. The major metabolites produced were androstenedione, testosterone (T), estrone, and estradiol-$17{\beta}$ ($E_2$). Both NP and PCB126 increased T production and decreased $E_2$ production, except for 100 ng/ml PCB126. In experiment 2, oocytes (0.65-0.75 mm in diameter) were exposed to NP and PCB126 at different concentrations (0.01, 0.1, 1, 10, and 100 ng/mL). After the incubation, T and $E_2$ production was measured by radioimmunoassay. NP inhibited $E_2$ production at concentrations of 0.01 and 0.1 ng/ml in 0.75-mm-diameter oocytes. NP at 1 and 100 ng/mL stimulated T production, but had no observable effect on $E_2$ production. PCB126 treatment did not affect $E_2$ production at any of the concentrations tested. NP alone at 0.1 ng/mL resulted in a significant decrease in $E_2$ production in 0.65-mm-diameter oocytes. PCB126 did not show any significant effects on either T or $E_2$ production at all concentrations tested. These results suggest that NP acts like an antiestrogen at lower concentrations (0.01-0.1 ng/ml) in vitellogenic oocytes of redlip mullet.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.227-235
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• 2003

Bisphenol A (BPA), nonylphenol (NP), and 4-tert-octylphenol (OP) are known endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) with estrogenic activity in fish. This study compared the effects of BPA, NP and OP on in vitro vitellogenin (VTG) synthesis in primary cultures of hepatocytes of the Chinese minnow Phoxinus oxycephalus. The VTG secreted into the culture medium was measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), which we developed in this study using an antibody prepared from homogenates of Chinese minnow egg. VTG synthesis was induced by estradiol-17$\beta$ ($E_2$) and phenols (BPA, NP and OP) treatment. $E_2$ at concentrations of 10$^{-6}$ M or higher increased VTG levels significantly (P < 0.05). Exposure to 10^5\;M\;BPA\;or\;10^-4$M NP and OPinduced in vitro VTG synthesis (P < 0.01). However, $10^-3$ M BPA, NP or OP did not induce VTG synthesis. These results suggest that SPA has the highest estrogenic potential in Chinese minnow hepatocytes. Tamoxifen, an anti-estrogen, drastically blocked the production of VTG by phenols (BPA, NP and OP) suggesting that phenols (BPA, NP and OP) may act via binding to estrogen receptor (ER) in Chinese minnow hepatocytes.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.159-165
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• 2020

Previously, we reported adverse effects of low-dose nonylphenol (NP) exposure on the reproductive parameters of F1 female mice. In the present study we further investigated the pathohistological effect of NP exposure on the reproductive organs in F1 female mice. NP exposures were continuously conducted from parental pre-mating period until the postnatal day (PND) 33 of F1 offspring for vaginal examination. Mice were sacrificed on PND 30 and the reproductive tissue weights were measured. The initial (at PND 21) body weights of the NP-50 group animals were significantly lower than those of control group animals, and the weight deficit were recovered when the terminal (PND 33) body weights were measured. Early vaginal opening was found in NP group animals (p<0.05). Pathohistological studies revealed that NP-treated F1 animals showed prominent increase in the ovarian follicle numbers (p<0.01), and decrease in the diameter of uterine myometrium (p<0.01), and increase in the diameter of luminal epithelium (p<0.05). The present study demonstrated that the subchronic low-dose NP exposure induced early beginning of puberty and pathohistological abnormalities in ovary and uterus of F1 mice. Further studies are needed to achieve a better understanding on the action mechanism of NP in pubertal onset and to find a way to avoid a hazardous situation provoked by NP exposure.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.203-209
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• 2007

생활하수, 공장폐수, 농경유출수에 의해 수생태계로 유입된 다양한 화학물질들은 수서곤충이나 어류와 같은 수생생물에게 나쁜 영향을 주곤 한다. 비스페놀A와 노닐페놀을 포함하는 많은 화학물질들이 내분비계 장애물질(EDCs)로 의심되고 있고, 그들은 환경속에서 서로 다른 혼합형태로 공존하기도 한다. 따라서 비스페놀A와 노닐페놀의 혼합물이 독성과 생식학적 반응에 미치는 영향을 살펴보기 위해 일본산 송사리의 수정란 치사율, 부화율 및 부화시간, 치어의 성장율 및 비텔로제닌 농도 등이 측정되었다. 수정된 지 24시간 이내의 수정란을 대조군, 양성대조군($17{\beta}-estradiol$), 그리고 서로 다른 농도의 비스페놀A와 노닐페놀의 혼합물에 부화 후 60일까지 유수식 조건하에 노출시켰다. 수정란${\sim}$치자어 단계에서는 대조군과 비교하여 실험군의 치사율 및 부화율, 부화시간에 차이가 나타나지 않았으며, 부화 후 60일간의 노출 후 성장(길이, 무게)에 있어서도 비록 양성대조군에서 낮은 성장상태를 보였지만 다른 혼합물의 실험군들과는 차이를 보이지 않았다. 한편 체내 비텔로제닌 농도는 혼합물의 농도증가에 따라 증가하였으며 수컷의 경우 최저농도의 혼합물(Treatment A)을 제외한 실험군에서 농도증가에 따라 증가하였다. 반면 양성대조군의 경우 수컷이 발견되지 않았고 암컷 체내의 비텔로제닌 농도는 최고농도의 혼합물(Treatment D) 실험군과 비슷한 경향을 보였다. 위 실험을 통해 각각의 내분비계 장애물질이 개별적으론 생식발달 및 비텔로제닌 유도에 무영향농도(NOEC)라 하더라도 혼합된 경우 영향이 나타날 수 있다는 것을 보여주었으며, 이는 수환경 내 다양한 화학물들의 혼합효과(combination effect)가 생태위해성평가를 좀더 면밀하게 하기 위해서 주의 깊게 고려되어야 한다고 제안한다.