• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.137-142
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• 2004

Dioxin-like compounds are ubiquitous environmental polltants that could be accumulated in biological system and toxic to human and wildlife. Given this issue, it is important to develop a reliable dioxin detection methods for a rational risk assesment of dioxin-like compounds. In this study, we tried to set up and validate a sensitive, reliable risk assessment of dioxin-like compounds. In this study, we tried to set up and validate a sensitive, reliable and rapid bioassay model, CALUX bioassay as a screening tool for routine measurement of dioxin-like conpounds in environmental matrices. For the valisation of CALUX bioassay, firstly, we performed dose-response assay for 2,3,7,8-TCDD, most potent dioxin-like compound, using two different methods CALUX and EROD assay. Induction of luciferase activity and CYPIA catalyzed EROD activity were dose-dependently induced by 2,3,7,8-TCDD, with initial induction at 0.1 pM and maximal induction at 1 nM. In order t determine whether the CALUX bioassay could predict the effects of dioxin-like compounds, 2,3,7,8-TCDD dose-response from CALUX was compared with that from EROD assay. The correlation coefficient ($r^2$) was found to be 0.89, indicating a good correlation between two different methods and the possibility of CALUX bioassay as a useful dioxin detecting method.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.639-646
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• 2005

In this research, we tried to develop the application method to water management and treatment using toxicity test method. When we measure the toxicity of environmental samples, we have to decide whether we take some countermeasures to reduce the toxicity or not. The first issue is how to set these action levels in each bioassays. A new idea was attempted to authorize indirect approach of each bioassays through the response characteristics against mixture of chemicals in water quality standard. The significant response in the cell-growth-inhibition bioassay was detected for standards-mixture(STDs). For acute toxicity assay, STDs-based implicit correlation between risks to humans and bioassay data showed a rational approach to set action levels in practical management. A simple model was proposed to describe and predict the changes in the total toxicity based on the concentrations of toxic-controlling chemicals during the ozonation of landfill leachates. On the basis of this simple model, toxicity reduction was predicted for pre-aggregation treatment before ozonation and ozone concentration during the ozonation. The method proposed in this study would be useful in optimizing water treatment processes and their running conditions in terms of the toxicity reduction efficacy.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.17-23
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• 2015

Objectives: The cytotoxcities of Au, Ag, SWCNT, $SiO_2$, and ZnO nanomaterials were evaluated in order to assess their potential toxicological effects in in vitro cell models using colony forming efficiency (CFE) assay. Methods: The CFE assay of the test materials was carried out on Hep G2 cells. The size distribution of nanomaterials was studied by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Changes in cell viability after treatment with a toxicant will result in a decreased number of colonies formed in comparison to solvent. Results: The TEM images show that all the particles except SWCNT and ZnO can be considered approximately spherical. The gold and $SiO_2$ nanoparticles show no response (no toxicity) in concentration response experiments. A statistically significant toxic effect was found in Hep G2 cells treated with Ag, SWCNT and ZnO nanomaterials. Conclusion: In this study, we considered CFE assay to be a promising test for screening studies for cytotoxicity with physicochemical analysis.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2012

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) stand at the frontier of nanotechnology and are destined to stimulate the next industrial revolution. Rapid increase in their production and use in the technology industry have led to concerns over the effects of CNT on human health and the environment. The prominent use of CNTs in biomedical applications also increases the possibility of human exposure, while properties such as their high aspect ratio (fiber-like shape) and large surface area raise safety concerns for human health if exposure does occur. It is crucial to develop viable alternatives to in vivo tests in order to evaluate the toxicity of engineered CNTs and develop validated experimental models capable of identifying CNTs' toxic effects and predicting their level of toxicity in the human respiratory system. Human lung epithelial cells serve as a barrier at the interface between the surrounding air and lung tissues in response to exogenous particles such as air-pollutants, including CNTs. Monolayer culture of the key individual cell types has provided abundant fundamental information on the response of these cells to external perturbations. However, such systems are limited by the absence of cell-cell interactions and their dynamic nature, which are both present in vivo. In this review, we suggested two viable alternatives to in vivo tests to evaluate the health risk of human exposure to CNTs.

• Environmental Sciences Bulletin of The Korean Environmental Sciences Society
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• v.10 no.S_4
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• pp.189-196
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• 2001

The blue green alga, Microcystis aeruginosa, was found to accumulate proline under the stressful concentration of cupric ions. The changes of proline level in Microcystis aeruginosa in response to copper(Cu) have been monitored and the function of the accumulated proline was studied with respect to its effect on Cu uptake. Exposure of Microcystis aeruginosa elevated concentrations of Cu led to accumulation of fee proline depending on the concentrations of the metal in the external medium. The greater the toxicity or accumulation of the metal, the higher the amount of proline in algal cells were found. When proline was exogenously supplied prior to Cu treatment, the absorption of Cu was markedly reduced. When exogenous proline was supplied after Cu treatment, it resulted in a remarkable desorption of the adsorbed Cu immediately after the addition of proline. Pretreatment of Microcystis aeruginosa with proline counteracted with metal-induced lipid peroxidation. The results of the present study showed a protective elect of proline on metal toxicity through inhibition of lipid peroxidation and suggested that the accumulation of proline may be related to the tolerance mechanism for dealing with Cu stress.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.141-146
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• 1997

A new sensing system based on the immobilization of luminescent batcteria, Photobacterium phosphoreum, was proposed for continuous real-time monitoring of polluants. The response curves demonstrate that Photobacterium phosphoreum immobilized on the strontium alginate was very sensitive to seven reference chemicals used. The significant inhibitory concentrations for bioluminescence emission were 5 ppm for Pb(NO3)2, NiCl2, CdCl2, 50 ppm for NaAsO2, 0.1ppm for HgCl2, 0.5ppm for pentachlorophenol and less than 5ppm for SDS, respectively. The alginate mixed-cells (AMC) retained their luminescence during experimental period (29 days) under storage condition of -8$0^{\circ}C$. The variables affecting performance of continuous flow through monitoring (CFTM) were optimized in order to ensure stability and efficiency. The flow through cell with strontium-alginate immobilized luminescent bacteria was tested with salicylate and 4-nitrophenol and a rapid response of luminescence was recorded by time drive mode in bioluminescence spectrometer after exposure to both toxicants.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.196-200
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• 2012

Role of metabolism by intestinal bacteria in arbutin-induced immunotoxicity was investigated in splenocyte cultures. Following an incubation of arbutin with 5 different intestinal bacteria for 24 hr, its aglycone hydroquinone could be produced and detected in the bacterial culture media with different amounts. Toxic effects of activated arbutin by intestinal bacteria on lymphoproliferative response were tested in splenocyte cultures from normal mice. Lipopolysaccharide and concanavalin A were used as mitogens for B- and T-cells, respectively. When bacteria cultured medium with arbutin was treated into the splenocytes for 3 days, the medium cultured with bacteria producing large amounts of hydroquinone induced suppression of lymphoproliferative responses, indicating that metabolic activation by intestinal bacteria might be required in arbutin-induced toxicity. The results indicated that the present testing system might be applied for determining the possible role of metabolism by intestinal bacteria in certain chemical-induced immunotoxicity in animal cell cultures.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.192-198
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• 2007

Emodin (1,3,8-trihydroxy-6-methylanthraquinone) is a major constituent of rhubarb. Although it has been claimed to have a wild spectrum of therapeutic value, its side effects, especially in human kidney cells have not been well characterized. In this study, we have carried out in vitro genetic toxicity test of emodin and microarray analysis of differentially expressed genes in response to emodin. The result of Ames test showed mutations with emodin treatment in base substitution strain TA1535 both with and without exogenous metabolic activation. Likewise, emodin showed mutations in frame shift TA98 both with and without exogenous metabolic activation. The result of COMET assay in L5178Y cells with emodin treatment showed DNA damage both with and without exogenous metabolic activation. Emodin did not increase micronuclei in CHO cells both with and without exogenous metabolic activation. 150 Genes were selected as differentially expressed genes in response to emodin by microarray analysis and these genes would be candidate biomarkers of genetic toxic action of emodin.

• Mycobiology
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.161-170
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• 2009

Cryptococcus neoformans is a basidiomycete human fungal pathogen that causes meningoencephalitis in both immunocompromised and immunocompetent individuals. The ability to sense and respond to diverse extracellular signals is essential for the pathogen to infect and cause disease in the host. Four major stress-activated signaling (SAS) pathways have been characterized in C. neoformans, including the HOG (high osmolarity glycerol response), PKC/Mpk1 MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase), calcium-dependent calcineurin, and RAS signaling pathways. The HOG pathway in C. neoformans not only controls responses to diverse environmental stresses, including osmotic shock, UV irradiation, oxidative stress, heavy metal stress, antifungal drugs, toxic metabolites, and high temperature, but also regulates ergosterol biosynthesis. The PKC(protein kinase C)/Mpk1 pathway in C. neoformans is involved in a variety of stress responses, including osmotic, oxidative, and nitrosative stresses and breaches of cell wall integrity. The $Ca^{2+}$/calmodulin- and Ras-signaling pathways also play critical roles in adaptation to certain environmental stresses, such as high temperature and sexual differentiation. Perturbation of the SAS pathways not only impairs the ability of C. neoformans to resist a variety of environmental stresses during host infection, but also affects production of virulence factors, such as capsule and melanin. A drug(s) capable of targeting signaling components of the SAS pathway will be effective for treatment of cryptococcosis.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.246-252
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• 2006

1,2-Dibromoethane(DBE) has been widely used as a soil fumigant, an additive to leaded gasoline and an industrial solvent. In this study, we have carried out in vitro genetic toxicity test of 1,2-dibromoethane and microarray analysis of differentially expressed genes in response to 1,2-dibromoethane. 1,2-Dibromoethane showed mutations in base substitution strain TA1535 both with and without exogenous metabolic activation. 1,2-Dibromoethane showed mutations in frame shift TA98 both with and without exogenous metabolic activation. 1,2-Dibromoethane showed DNA damage based on single cell gel/comet assay in L5178Y cells both with and without exogenous metabolic activation. 1,2-Dibromoethane increased micronuclei in CRO cells both with and without exogenous metabolic activation. Microarray analysis of gene expression profiles in L5178Y cells in response to 1,2-dibromoethane selected differentially expressed 241 genes that would be candidate biomarkers of genetic toxic action of 1,2-dibromoethane.