Species-specific metabolism of triphenyl phosphate and its mono-hydroxylated product by human and rat CYP2E1 and the carp ortholog.

Organophosphorus flame retardants (PFRs) are a class of flame retardants and environmental pollutants with various biological effects. Recentstudies have evidenced activation of some PFRs by human CYP enzymes (including CYP2E1) for genotoxic effects. However, the activity of CYPs in fish species toward PFR metabolism remains unclear. This study was aimed on comparing the metabolism of triphenyl phosphate (TPHP) and 4-OH-TPHP in human, rat, and common carp, and the involvement of human CYP2E1 and its orthologs in the metabolism, by using fomepizole (4-MP, CYP2E1 inhibitor) as a modulator, in silico molecular docking and dynamics analyses. The rate of TPHP metabolism was apparently faster with human and rat, microsomes than with fish microsomes, the major metabolites were phosphodiester and hydroxylated phosphate, with 30-80 % of TPHP forming unidentified metabolites in the system of each species. 4-OH-TPHP was readily metabolized by both human and rat microsomes, whereas it was hardly metabolized in carp assays. Meanwhile, with 4-MP the transformation of TPHP to 4-OH-TPHP was enhanced in the human/rat systems while suppressed in the carp system. Moreover, the formation of unidentified metabolites in human and rat systems was mostly inhibited by 4-MP. Through molecular dynamics analysis TPHP and its primary metabolites showed high affinity for human and rat CYP2E1, as well as the carp ortholog (CYP2G1-like enzyme), however, the 4-OH-TPHP bond to the latter was too far from the heme to permit a biochemical reaction. This study suggests that the metabolism/activation of TPHP might be favored in mammals rather than carp, a fish species.

Trophic dynamics of hexabromocyclododecane diastereomers and enantiomers in fish in a laboratory feeding study.

The laboratory trophic transfer of hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDs) was studied using predatory (oscar) fish and a prey species (tiger barb) exposed to a technical HBCD. Gut absorption, dynamic changes of diastereomer pattern and enantiomer fractions, and potential metabolism of HBCDs were examined. Compared with ß- or γ-HBCD, α-HBCD showed lower absorption efficiency in the gut of oscar fish. A predominance of γ-HBCD was observed in the tiger barb after 5 d HBCD-exposed and oscar feeding on the tiger barb for 16 d. After 20 d of depuration, 41.1% γ-HBCD and 42.7% ß-HBCD disappeared, and α-HBCD exceeded the initial amount. The transformation from γ-HBCD predominance in the food to α-HBCD predominance in the oscar was attributed mainly to the isomerization of γ-HBCD (at least 3% and up to 22.7%) to α-HBCD. Selective enrichment of the (+) α- and (-) ß-enantiomers and no enantioselective enrichment of γ-HBCD were observed in the tiger barbs. No enantioselective uptake of the 3 diasteromers was found in the oscar gut. The enantiomer fractions of α- and γ-diastereomers were significantly higher, but that of ß-diastereomer were significantly lower in the oscars than in the tiger barbs, indicating enantioselective metabolism of the 3 diastereomers. Two HBCD monohydroxylated metabolites were detected in the 2 fish species, but their composition patterns differed, indicating a species-specific metabolism of HBCD in the studied fish species.