Lipidomic adaptations of the Metarhizium robertsii strain in response to the presence of butyltin compounds.

Metarhizium robertsii, a butyltin-resistant filamentous fungus, can rapid and complete biodegradation of di- (DBT) and tributyltin (TBT) under conditions of intensive aeration and ascorbic acid supplementation. In this paper, lipidomic investigations were performed to find the membrane adaptations necessary for effective butyltins degradation. HPLC-MS/MS analysis showed that the phospholipid profile was greatly modified during M. robertsii batch cultivation (pO2 ≥ 20%), contributing to increased membrane fluidity and facilitated mass transfer, which could enhance butyltins biodegradation. Intensified biosynthesis of phospholipids, sphingolipids and ergosterol by the mycelia exposed to butyltins was noted. DIOC6(3) fluorescence intensity for TBT-treated mycelium increased 9-fold pointing to membrane hyperpolarization. Fluorescent studies showed improved membrane rigidity and integrity in response to butyltins presence. Vitamin C supplementation restored membrane composition and dynamic properties, followed by supposed acceleration of transport of monobutyltin and its biodegradation thus protecting the M. robertsii cells against oxidative and nitrosative stress.

Chronic treatment with tributyltin induces sexually dimorphic alterations in the hypothalamic POMC system of adult mice.

Tributyltin (TBT), an antifouling agent found in boat paints, is a common contaminant of marine and freshwater ecosystems. It is rapidly absorbed by organic materials and accumulated in many aquatic animals. Human exposure may depend on ingestion of contaminated food or by indirect exposure from household items containing organotin compounds. TBT is defined as an endocrine disruptor compound (EDC) because it binds to androgen receptors. Moreover, it is also included on the list of metabolic disruptors. The brain is a known target of TBT and this compound interferes with the orexigenic system, inducing a strong decrease in NPY expression in the hypothalamus. In the present experiment, we investigated the effect of a chronic treatment with TBT on the mouse anorexigenic system in both sexes, to look at the pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) expression in the paraventricular (PVN), dorsomedial (DMN), ventromedial (VMN), and arcuate (ARC) hypothalamic nuclei. The results show a sexually dimorphic effect of TBT on both systems. TBT induced a significant decrease of POMC-positive structures only in female mice in DMN, ARC, and in PVN for both sexes. Apparently, these results show that TBT may interfere with the anorexigenic system in hypothalamic areas involved in the control of food intake, by inhibiting POMC in a sexually dimorphic way. In conclusion, in addition to having a direct effect on fat tissue, the effects of TBT as metabolic disruptor, may be due to gender-specific actions on both orexigenic and anorexigenic hypothalamic systems.

The Environmental Pollutant Tributyltin Chloride Disrupts the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis at Different Levels in Female Rats.

Tributyltin chloride (TBT) is an environmental contaminant that is used as a biocide in antifouling paints. TBT has been shown to induce endocrine-disrupting effects. However, studies evaluating the effects of TBT on the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis are especially rare. The current study demonstrates that exposure to TBT is critically responsible for the improper function of the mammalian HPA axis as well as the development of abnormal morphophysiology in the pituitary and adrenal glands. Female rats were treated with TBT, and their HPA axis morphophysiology was assessed. High CRH and low ACTH expression and high plasma corticosterone levels were detected in TBT rats. In addition, TBT leads to an increased in the inducible nitric oxide synthase protein expression in the hypothalamus of TBT rats. Morphophysiological abnormalities, including increases in inflammation, a disrupted cellular redox balance, apoptosis, and collagen deposition in the pituitary and adrenal glands, were observed in TBT rats. Increases in adiposity and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ protein expression in the adrenal gland were observed in TBT rats. Together, these data provide in vivo evidence that TBT leads to functional dissociation between CRH, ACTH, and costicosterone, which could be associated an inflammation and increased of inducible nitric oxide synthase expression in hypothalamus. Thus, TBT exerts toxic effects at different levels on the HPA axis function.

Adult exposure to tributyltin affects hypothalamic neuropeptide Y, Y1 receptor distribution, and circulating leptin in mice.

Tributyltin (TBT), a pesticide used in antifouling paints, is toxic for aquatic invertebrates. In vertebrates, TBT may act in obesogen- inducing adipogenetic gene transcription for adipocyte differentiation. In a previous study, we demonstrated that acute administration of TBT induces c-fos expression in the arcuate nucleus. Therefore, in this study, we tested the hypothesis that adult exposure to TBT may alter a part of the nervous pathways controlling animal food intake. In particular, we investigated the expression of neuropeptide Y (NPY) immunoreactivity. This neuropeptide forms neural circuits dedicated to food assumption and its action is mediated by Y1 receptors that are widely expressed in the hypothalamic nuclei responsible for the regulation of food intake and energy homeostasis. To this purpose, TBT was orally administered at a dose of 0.025 mg/kg/day/body weight to adult animals [male and female C57BL/6 (Y1-LacZ transgenic mice] for 4 weeks. No differences were found in body weight and fat deposition, but we observed a significant increase in feed efficiency in TBT-treated male mice and a significant decrease in circulating leptin in both sexes. Computerized quantitative analysis of NPY immunoreactivity and Y1-related ß-galactosidase activity demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in NPY and Y1 transgene expression in the hypothalamic circuit controlling food intake of treated male mice in comparison with controls. In conclusion, the present results indicate that adult exposure to TBT is profoundly interfering with the nervous circuits involved in the stimulation of food intake.

The role of CaMKII in calcium-activated death pathways in bone marrow B cells.

Calcium is an essential signaling molecule in developing B cells, thus altering calcium dynamics represents a potential target for toxicant effects. GW7845, a tyrosine analog and potent peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ agonist, induces rapid mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)-dependent apoptosis in bone marrow B cells. Changes in calcium dynamics are capable of mediating rapid initiation of cell death; therefore, we investigated the contribution of calcium to GW7845-induced apoptosis. Treatment of a nontransformed murine pro/pre-B cell line (BU-11) with GW7845 (40 µM) resulted in intracellular calcium release. Multiple features of GW7845-induced cell death were suppressed by the calcium chelator BAPTA, including MAPK activation, loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, cytochrome c release, caspase-3 activation, and DNA fragmentation. A likely mechanism for the calcium-mediated effects is activation of CaMKII, a calcium-dependent MAP4K. We observed that three CaMKII isoforms (ß, γ, and δ) are expressed in lymphoid tissues and bone marrow B cells. Treatment with GW7845 increased CaMKII activity. All features of GW7845-induced cell death, except loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, were suppressed by CaMKII inhibitors (KN93 and AIP-II), suggesting the activation of multiple calcium-driven pathways. To determine if CaMKII activation is a common feature of early B cell death following perturbation of Ca(2+) flux, we dissected tributyltin (TBT)-induced death signaling. High-dose TBT (1 µM) is known to activate calcium-dependent death. TBT induced rapid apoptosis that was associated with intracellular calcium release, CaMKII activation and MAPK activation, and was inhibited by AIP-II. Thus, we show that early B cells are susceptible to calcium-triggered cell death through a CaMKII/MAPK-dependent pathway.

Disruption of thyroid hormone-dependent hypothalamic set-points by environmental contaminants.

The hypothalamus integrates metabolic and endocrine signals. As such it represents a potential target for a wide spectrum of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). We investigated hypothalamic effects of two environmentally abundant xenobiotics, the flame-retardant tetrabromo bisphenol A (TBBPA) and the anti-fouling agent tributyltin (TBT). These EDCs affect endocrine signalling through different nuclear receptors including the thyroid hormone receptor (TR) or its partner, the retinoid X receptor (RXR). Promoter sequences of two hypothalamic genes implicated in metabolic control and regulated by thyroid hormone, thyrotropin-releasing hormone (Trh) and type 4 melanocortin receptor (Mc4r), were studied in vivo using reporter assays. Chronic exposure of gestating dams or acute exposure of their newborns to TBBPA abrogated activation of both Trh and Mc4r transcription. Exposure of lactating dams to TBT amplified activation of Trh without affecting Mc4r transcription. Thus, perinatal exposure to EDCs affecting nuclear receptor signalling modulates hypothalamic set-points controlling metabolic responses.

Cloning, characterization and TBT exposure response of CuZn superoxide dismutase from Haliotis diversicolor supertexta.

The full-length cDNA and genomic DNA of a cytoplasmic copper, zinc superoxide dismutase (CuZn-sod) were cloned from the hepatopancreas of small abalone Haliotis diversicolor supertexta by RT-PCR, RACE and TAIL PCR. The full-length cytoplasmic CuZn-sod cDNA (designated sasod) comprises 984 bp. Its ORF encodes a polypeptide of 154 amino acids with a predicted molecular mass of 15.7 kDa and theoretical isoelectric point of 6.30. The deduced amino acid (designated saSOD) shares a common consensus pattern with the SODs of vertebrate and invertebrate animals. The full-length sasod genomic DNA comprises 5,574 bp, containing five exons and four introns. The splice donor and acceptor sequence of the four introns is 5'GT-AG3'. Real time quantitative PCR analysis revealed that sasod expression level in hepatopancreas of small abalone was no significant difference at 2, 6, 48 and 192 h post TBT exposure (P > 0.05). However, the sasod expression level at 12 and 24 h post TBT exposure was decreased significantly (P < 0.05).

5,6-Dichloro-1-methylgramine, a non-toxic antifoulant derived from a marine natural product.

The laboratory culture of the barnacle, Balanus amphitrite has made it possible to supply cypris larvae for antifouling assays all year round. The settlement of cyprids obtained from cultured B. amphitrite was indistinguishable from cyprids reared from field-collected barnacles. In laboratory cyprid settlement assays of extracts from marine sessile organisms, antifouling activity was expressed as the 99% inhibitory concentration (IC99), and toxicity as the 30% lethal concentration (LC30). The lipophilic extract of the marine bryozoan, Zoobotryon pellucidum, which showed promising antifouling activity, yielded 2,5,6-tribromo-1-methylgramine (TBG) by bioassay-guided isolation. The inhibitory activity of TBG was 6 times as strong as that of bis-(n-butyltin)oxide (TBTO), while its toxicity to cypris larvae was one-tenth that of TBTO. A structure-activity relationship study with 155 indole derivatives led to the discovery of the non-toxic antifoulant candidates 5,6-dichlorogramine, 5-chloro-2-methylgramine, and 5,6-dichrolo-1-methylgramine (DCMG), the latter being selected as the antifouling paint ingredient for performance evaluation tests (panel tests) following the results of a preliminary safety tests. A silicone-based antifouling paint containing 5-10% of DCMG was prepared and tested in the field; the painted surfaces remained almost barnacle-free for 1.5 years similar to silicone coatings such as Biox. Since the leaching rate of DCMG from the paint surface could be controlled by the addition of an acrylic acid-styrene copolymer (ASP), the life of the antifouling performance is expected to be improved. Thus, an extremely non-toxic silicone-based antifouling paint containing DCMG is under development.

Nanomolar concentrations of tri-n-butyltin facilitate gamma-aminobutyric acidergic synaptic transmission in rat hypothalamic neurons.

Tri-n-butyltin (TBT), an environmental pollutant, is accumulated in edible mollusks and fishes. It has also become a health concern in today's society. In the present study, to elucidate the possible neurotoxic action of TBT, the effect on spontaneous gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) release from GABAergic nerve terminals projecting to rat ventromedial hypothalamic neurons was examined using "synaptic bouton" preparation with a nystatin perforated patch recording mode under voltage-clamp conditions. The threshold concentration of TBT to affect the synaptic transmission was 10 to 30 nM. TBT at 30 nM or higher concentrations increased the frequency of GABAergic miniature inhibitory postsynaptic currents in a dose-dependent manner, whereas the current amplitude and current kinetics were not affected. The removal of either external Ca2+ or application of Cd2+ attenuated the TBT-induced facilitation of neurotransmission. TBT at 1 microM induced an inward current in more than one-half of the cells. This current persisted even after TBT was washed out. The present results indicate that TBT at environmentally relevant concentrations (30-100 nM) facilitates the GABAergic neurotransmission in the mammalian brain and the external Ca2+ is needed in this facilitation. Because the concentration of TBT accumulated in some mollusks and fishes has been reported to reach levels of 100 nM or more, such accumulation of TBT in some mollusks and fishes is thus suggested to be hazardous to the health of humans.

Enrichment with a polyunsaturated fatty acid enhances the survival of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in the presence of tributyltin.

The toxicity of inorganic metal species towards Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been shown to be markedly dependent on cellular fatty acid composition. In this investigation, the influence of fatty acid supplementation on the toxicity of the lipophilic organometal, tributyltin was investigated. Growth of S. cerevisiae was increasingly inhibited when the tributyltin concentration was increased from 0 to 10 microM. However, the inhibitory effect was partly alleviated by supplementation of the medium with 1 mM linoleate (18:2), a treatment that leads to large-scale incorporation of this polyunsaturated fatty acid (to > 60% of total fatty acids) in yeast membrane lipids. Cells that were previously enriched with 18:2 also showed reduced loss of vitality compared to cells grown in the absence of a fatty acid supplement, when exposed to tributyltin. For example, addition of tributyltin to a concentration of 0.1 microM was associated with an approximate 10% reduction in the H+ efflux activity of 18:2-enriched cells, but a 70% reduction in that of fatty acid-unsupplemented cells. Despite the increased tributyltin resistance of 18:2-enriched S. cerevisiae, the level of cell-associated tributyltin was found to be approximately two-fold higher in these organisms than in fatty acid-unsupplemented cells. These results demonstrate an increased resistance of 18:2-enriched membranes to the direct toxic action(s) of tributyltin. This is in contrast to the previously reported effect of 18:2 enrichment on sensitivity of S. cerevisiae to inorganic metal cations.

Catalytic and activating protons follow different pathways in the H(+)-ATPase of potato tuber mitochondria.

The effect of some F0F1 inhibitors on the activation of the H(+)-ATPase by the electrochemical proton gradient was investigated in mitochondria extracted from potato tubers. Transient activated state of the ATPase was revealed by addition of ATP and of the detergent lauryldimethylamine oxide (LDAO) to energized mitochondria. Venturicidin, tri-n-butyltin and aurovertin at high concentrations did not affect the process of delta mu H(+)-activation, whereas oligomycin fully blocked it. The results support the idea of separate pathways or binding sites for catalytic and activating protons.

Anion uniport in plant mitochondria is mediated by a Mg(2+)-insensitive inner membrane anion channel.

It has long been established that the inner membrane of plant mitochondria is permeable to Cl-. Evidence has also accumulated which suggests that a number of other anions such as Pi and dicarboxylates can also be transported electrophoretically. In this paper, we present evidence that anion uniport in plant mitochondria is mediated via a pH-regulated channel related to the so-called inner membrane anion channel (IMAC) of animal mitochondria. Like IMAC, the channel in potato mitochondria transports a wide variety of anions including NO3-, Cl-, ferrocyanide, 1,2,3-benzene-tricarboxylate, malonate, Pi, alpha-ketoglutarate, malate, adipate, and glucuronate. In the presence of nigericin, anion uniport is sensitive to the medium pH (pIC50 = 7.60, Hill coefficient = 2). In the absence of nigericin, transport rates are much lower and much less sensitive to pH, suggesting that matrix H+ inhibit anion uniport. This conclusion is supported by measurements of H+ flux which reveal that "activation" of anion transport at high pH by nigericin and at low pH by respiration is associated with an efflux of matrix H+. Other inhibitors of IMAC which are found to block anion uniport in potato mitochondria include propranolol (IC50 = 14 microM, Hill coefficient = 1.28), tributyltin (IC50 = 4 nmol/mg, Hill coefficient = 2.0), and the nucleotide analogs Erythrosin B and Cibacron Blue 3GA. The channel in plant mitochondria differs from IMAC in that it is not inhibited by matrix Mg2+, mercurials, or N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide. The lack of inhibition by Mg2+ suggests that the physiological regulation of the plant channel may differ from IMAC and that the plant IMAC may have functions such as a role in the malate/oxaloacetate shuttle in addition to its proposed role in volume homeostasis.

Effects of an extract of Ginkgo biloba on the 3',5'-cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase activity of the brain of normal and triethyltin-intoxicated rats.

For clarification of the beneficial effects of the extract of Ginkgo biloba (EGB) on triethyltin (TET) toxicity in rats, the phosphodiesterase (PDE) activities of the cerebral tissue were measured under in vitro and ex vivo conditions. Under in vitro conditions, low concentrations of EGB (0.25-4.0 mg/L) activated the enzyme, whereas after higher concentrations (5-250 mg/L), dose-dependent inhibition of the enzyme activity was observed. In the lower concentration range, the extract also partially restored the high-affinity PDE activity (measured with 0.25 microM cyclic AMP) of the particulate fraction of the brain inhibited by TET in vitro. In contrast, the inhibitory influence of TET on the low-affinity PDE activity (measured with 50 microM cyclic AMP) of the particulate fraction was enhanced by the extract. Although treatment with a single large dose of EGB lowered the particulate PDE activities of the brain of normal rats, no effects of the extract could be detected in animals after repeated daily administrations of EGB during a 4-day period. Curative treatment of the TET-intoxicated rats with EGB during a 7-day period accelerated the recovery of the edematous state of the white matter caused by the intoxication and also normalized the lowered PDE activity of the particulate fraction of the edematous brain tissue. Furthermore, when preventively administered, EGB counteracted both the edema formation and the fall in PDE activity observed with treatment by TET alone. These observations strongly suggest that some beneficial effects of EGB might be due to its modulating influences on cellular cyclic AMP levels via activation of membrane-bound PDE.

Effects of triethyltin on brain octopamines and their metabolism in the rat.

The effects of triethyltin given acutely on the cerebral level of p- and m-octopamines were studied in rats. These octopamines were reduced drastically in hypothalamus and brainstem, while noradrenaline and dopamine were only slightly decreased. No important changes were observed in the activities of tyrosine hydroxylase, dopamine beta-hydroxylase or monoamine oxidase. However, the activity of aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase was significantly reduced. The addition of the inhibitor of dopa decarboxylase, Ro 44602, caused a total inhibition of this enzyme activity. These results are discussed in terms of the possible use of the triethyltin-induced cerebral oedema as a model for the study of some aspects of the phenolamine changes related to cerebral oedema processes.