Bożena Bukowska

Effects of 2,4-D and its metabolite 2,4-dichlorophenol on antioxidant enzymes and level of glutathione in human erythrocytes.

The effects of in vitro exposure of human erythrocytes to different concentrations of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and its metabolite 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) were studied. The activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and the level of reduced glutathione (GSH) were determined. The activity of erythrocyte superoxide dismutase SOD decreased with increasing dose of 2,4-D and 2,4-DCP, while glutathione peroxidase activity increased. 2,4-D (500 ppm) decreased the level of reduced glutathione in erythrocytes by 18% and 2,4-DCP (250 ppm) by 32%, respectively, in comparison with the controls. These results lead to the conclusion that in vitro administration of herbicide-2,4-D and its metabolite 2,4-DCP causes a decrease in the level of reduced glutathione in erythrocytes and significant changes in antioxidant enzyme activities. Comparison of the toxicity of 2,4-D and 2,4-DCP revealed that the most prominent changes occurred in human erythrocytes incubated with 2,4-DCP.

Eryptosis-inducing activity of bisphenol A and its analogs in human red blood cells (in vitro study).

Bisphenols are important chemicals that are widely used in the manufacturing of polycarbonates, epoxy resin and thermal paper, and thus the exposure of humans to these substances has been noted. The purpose of this study was to assess eryptotic changes in human erythrocytes exposed (in vitro) to bisphenol A (BPA) and its selected analogs, i.e.,bisphenol F (BPF), bisphenol S (BPS) and bisphenol AF (BPAF). The erythrocytes were incubated with compounds studied at concentrations ranging from 1 to 250μg/mL for 4, 12 or 24h. The results showed that BPA and its analogs increased cytosolic calcium ions level with the strongest effect noted for BPAF. It has also been revealed that all bisphenols analyzed, and BPAF and BPF in particular increased phosphatidylserine translocation in red blood cells, which confirmed that they exhibited eryptotic potential in this cell type. Furthermore, it was shown that BPA and its analogs caused significant increase in calpain and caspase-3 activities, while the strongest effect was noted for BPAF. BPS, which is the main substituent of bisphenol A in polymers and thermal paper production exhibited similar eryptotic potential to BPA. Eryptotic changes in human erythrocytes were provoked by bisphenols at concentrations, which may influence the human body during occupational exposure or subacute poisoning with these compounds.

CATALASE ACTIVITY IN HUMAN ERYTHROCYTES: EFFECT OF PHENOXYHERBICIDES AND THEIR METABOLITES

The effects of exposure to different concentrations of phenoxyherbicides and their metabolites were studied in human erythrocytes, with particular attention to catalase (CAT—EC. 1.11.1.6— hydrogen peroxide: hydrogen peroxide oxidoreductase). 4‐chloro‐2‐methylphenoxyacetic acid (MCPA), 2,4‐dimethylphenol (2,4‐DMP) and 2,4‐dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4‐D) did not affect CAT activity, but 2,4‐dichlorophenol (2,4‐DCP) and 2,4,5‐trichlorophenol (2,4,5‐TCP) decrease its activity, the latter being the more inhibitory.

2,4,5-T and 2,4,5-TCP induce oxidative damage in human erythrocytes: the role of glutathione

The molecular basis of the toxic properties of phenoxy herbicides in humans and animals has been insufficiently studied. In this study, damage parameters [levels of reduced glutathione (GSH) and total glutathione; activity of glutathione reductase (GR); activities of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD); levels of adenine nucleotides and adenine energy charge (AEC)] were measured in human erythrocytes exposed in vitro to 2,4,5‐trichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4,5‐T) and its metabolite 2,4,5‐trichlorophenol (2,4,5‐TCP).

Bisphenol A, bisphenol S, bisphenol F and bisphenol AF induce different oxidative stress and damage in human red blood cells (in vitro study)

Bisphenol A (BPA) and its analogs are widely used in the production of various everyday use products, which leads to a common exposure of humans to these substances. The effect of bisphenols on oxidative stress parameters has not been described in detail in non-nucleated cells, therefore, we have decided to evaluate the impact of BPA and its analogs, i.e. bisphenol S (BPS), bisphenol F (BPF) and bisphenol AF (BPAF) on reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation, lipid peroxidation, glutathione (GSH) level and the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in human erythrocytes. The erythrocytes were incubated with the compounds studied in the concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 500μg/ml for 1, 4 or 24h. It has been found that bisphenols enhanced ROS (including •OH) formation, depleted GSH level, increased lipid peroxidation and changed the activities of SOD, CAT and GSH-Px. It has been noted that the strongest alterations in ROS formation, lipid peroxidation and the activity of antioxidant enzymes were induced by BPAF, which changed CAT and SOD activity even at 0.5μg/ml. It has also been shown that BPA caused the strongest changes in GSH level, while BPS, which is the main BPA substituent in the manufacture did not alter most parameters studied.

Protective activity of the Uncaria tomentosa extracts on human erythrocytes in oxidative stress induced by 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) and catechol

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of the ethanolic and aqueous extracts of Uncaria tomentosa on human erythrocytes and additionally the assessment of protective effect of these extracts on hemolysis induction, hemoglobin oxidation, and changes in the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and lipid peroxidation, which were provoked by selected xenobiotics, i.e. 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) and catechol. All tested extracts, even at a very high concentration of 500 μg/ml were not toxic to the erythrocytes because they did not cause lipid peroxidation, increase methemoglobin and ROS levels nor provoked hemolysis. The results of this study also revealed protective effect of extracts of U. tomentosa. The extracts studied depleted the extent of hemoglobin oxidation and lipid peroxidation as well as decreased the level of ROS and hemolysis, which was provoked by 2,4-DCP. No protective activity of the extracts against catechol action, which is a precursor of semiquinones in cell was found. A difference in the effect of the extracts studied was observed. Ethanol-based extracts revealed more pronounced ability to inhibit oxidation processes in human erythrocytes.

Influence of phenoxyherbicides and their metabolities on the form of oxy‐and deoxyhemoglobin of vertebrates

The effect of phenoxyherbicides and their metabolites on the structure of oxy‐ and deoxyhemoglobin was studied by using different doses and times of incubation of hemoglobin with the herbicide. It was ascertained that among the investigated hemoglobins the most sensitive was carp oxyhemoglobin incubated with 2,4‐D (2,4‐dichlorophenoxyacetic acid) and the least sensitive was human hemoglobin. Comparing the toxicity of 2,4‐D, MCPA (2‐methyl‐4‐chlorophenoxyacetic acid), 2,4‐DCP (2,4‐dichlorophenol), 2,4‐DMP (2,4‐dimethylphenol) it was found that the highest decrease occurred in bovine hemoglobin incubated with 2,4‐DMP. The phenoxyherbicides caused stabilization of the structure of T‐deoxyhemoglobin in vitro, in that they decreased the oxygen affinity with a simultaneous increase in methemoglobin concentration.

Evaluation of the effect of Uncaria tomentosa extracts on the size and shape of human erythrocytes (in vitro)

In this study, we continued our investigations concerning the interaction of Uncaria tomentosa extracts with the human erythrocytes. The analysis of the size and shape of the erythrocytes by means of flow cytometry and phase contrast microscopy was performed. We executed our experiments using ethanolic and aqueous extracts from the leaves and bark of U. tomentosa. Disturbances were observed in the size and shape of the erythrocytes incubated with ethanolic and aqueous extracts at the concentrations of 100 μg/mL and 250 μg/mL, respectively. The observed changes were probably related to the entry of polyphenolic compounds contained in U. tomentosa extracts into erythrocyte membrane. Externalization of phosphatidylserine on the erythrocytic surfaces was also noticed during incubation with extracts at concentration of 250 μg/mL. We concluded that all of the extracts examined induced changes in the erythrocyte membrane properties, whereas ethanolic extracts from bark induced the most significant changes. The possible binding of polyphenols to the erythrocyte surface may have accounted for the protective properties of extracts against haemolysis of RBCs, which was observed in our previous study (Bors et al., 2011), but considerable incorporation of polyphenols into cell membranes can result in disturbance of phosphatidylserine transport and changes in erythrocyte shape. Nevertheless the results of the investigations showed that considerable morphological changes appear only as a result of erythrocyte exposure to high concentrations (50 ppm and 100 ppm) of the extracts studied, thus they should not lead to clinical erythrocytic damage if recommended doses of U. tomentosa preparations are administrated.

Comparative study of the effect of BPA and its selected analogues on hemoglobin oxidation, morphological alterations and hemolytic changes in human erythrocytes.

Bisphenol A (BPA) has been shown to provoke many deleterious impacts on human health, and thus it is now successively substituted by BPA analogues, whose effects have been poorly investigated. Up to now, only one study has been realized to assess the effect of BPA on human erythrocytes, which showed its significant hemolytic and oxidative potential. Moreover, no study has been conducted to evaluate the effect of BPA analogues on red blood cells. The purpose of the present study was to compare the impact of BPA and its selected analogues such as bisphenol F (BPF), bisphenol S (BPS) and bisphenol AF (BPAF) on hemolytic and morphological changes and hemoglobin oxidation (methemoglobin formation) of human erythrocytes. The erythrocytes were incubated with different bisphenols concentrations ranging from 0.5 to 500μg/ml for 1, 4 and 24h. The compounds examined caused hemolysis in human erythrocytes with BPAF exhibiting the strongest effect. All bisphenols examined caused methemoglobin formation with BPA inducing the strongest oxidative potential. Flow cytometry analysis showed that all bisphenols (excluding BPS) induced significant changes in erythrocytes size. Changes in red blood cells shape were conducted using phase contrast microscopy. It was noticed that BPA and BPAF induced echinocytosis, BPF caused stomatocytosis, while BPS did not provoke significant changes in shape of red blood cells. Generally, the results showed that BPS, which is the main substituent of bisphenol A in polymers and thermal paper production, exhibited significantly lower disturbance of erythrocyte functions than BPA.

The effect of bromfenvinphos and its impurities on human erythrocyte

Bromfenvinphos - (E,Z)-O,O-diethyl-O-[1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-2-bromovinyl] phosphate (BFVF) is the insecticide elaborated in Poland, which has been used against Varroa destructor causing honey bees disease called as varroosis. The substances that are formed as a result of bromfenvinphos synthesis are dihydro-bromfenvinphos (O,O-diethyl O-[1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)vinyl] phosphate); dibromo-bromfenvinphos (O,O-diethyl O-[1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-2,2-dibromovinyl] phosphate); 2,4-dichlorophenacyl bromide; 2,4-dichlorophenacylidene bromide and 2,4-dichlorophenacylidyne bromide. In this work, we evaluated the effect of these compounds on hemolysis and hemoglobin oxidation (met-Hb formation) in human erythrocytes. Moreover, the changes in the size (FSC-A) and the shape (SSC-A) of red blood cells were assessed using flow cytometry and phase contrast microscopy. It was proven that bromfenvinphos at concentrations ranging from 0.5 to 250 μM during 1h incubation did not change the parameters examined in human erythrocytes. Similarly, most of bromfenvinphos impurities did not increase hemolysis and methemoglobin level nor changed the size and shape of the erythrocytes. The exception was dibromo-bromfenvinphos, which changed the FSC-A and SSC-A parameters, as well as 2,4-dichlorophenacyl bromide which induced hemolysis, increased the level of met-Hb and changed erythrocytes morphology.