Combinatorial immune and stress response, cytoskeleton and signal transduction effects of graphene and triphenyl phosphate (TPP) in mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis

Xiangjing Meng; Fei Li; Xiaoqing Wang; Jialin Liu; Chenglong Ji; Huifeng Wu

doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2019.120778

Combinatorial immune and stress response, cytoskeleton and signal transduction effects of graphene and triphenyl phosphate (TPP) in mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis

J Hazard Mater. 2019 Oct 15:378:120778. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2019.120778. Epub 2019 Jun 14.

Authors

Xiangjing Meng¹, Fei Li², Xiaoqing Wang¹, Jialin Liu³, Chenglong Ji⁴, Huifeng Wu⁵

Affiliations

¹ CAS Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research (YIC), Chinese Academy of Sciences(CAS), Shandong Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes, YICCAS, Yantai 264003, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, PR China.
² CAS Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research (YIC), Chinese Academy of Sciences(CAS), Shandong Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes, YICCAS, Yantai 264003, PR China. Electronic address: fli@yic.ac.cn.
³ CAS Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research (YIC), Chinese Academy of Sciences(CAS), Shandong Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes, YICCAS, Yantai 264003, PR China.
⁴ CAS Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research (YIC), Chinese Academy of Sciences(CAS), Shandong Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes, YICCAS, Yantai 264003, PR China; Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266237, PR China.
⁵ CAS Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research (YIC), Chinese Academy of Sciences(CAS), Shandong Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes, YICCAS, Yantai 264003, PR China; Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266237, PR China. Electronic address: hfwu@yic.ac.cn.

PMID: 31229880
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2019.120778

Abstract

Owing to its unique surface properties, graphene can absorb environmental pollutants, thereby affecting their environmental behavior. Triphenyl phosphate (TPP) is a highly produced flame retardant. However, the toxicities of graphene and its combinations with contaminants remain largely unexplored. In this work, we investigated the toxicological effects of graphene and TPP to mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis. Results indicated that graphene could damage the digestive gland tissues, but no significant changes were found in the graphene + TPP co-exposure group. There was a significant decrease in the content of GSH and the activities of GST and CAT in the co-exposure group compared to that in graphene-exposed group. It seemed that the adsorption of TPP on graphene could inhibit the surface activity of graphene and thus reduced its tissue damage and oxidative stress in mussels. Expression levels of stress response (MyD88a), cytoskeleton (MHC1, PMyo and TMyo) and reproductive (CP450 and HSD) genes were up-regulated in the graphene-exposed group, but significantly down-regulated after combined exposure of graphene and TPP. Furthermore, PPI analysis proved that the interactions of HSP90AA1 with UNC45B and FKBP4/5/6/L contributed to the toxicity caused by the combined exposure. Because of the potential toxicity of graphene and TPP, government administrators should consider its risks prior to the widespread environmental exposure.

Keywords: Graphene; Joint effects; Mussel; Toxicity; Triphenyl phosphate (TPP).

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Biomarkers / metabolism
Catalase / metabolism
Cytoskeleton / drug effects
Environmental Exposure
Flame Retardants
Gastrointestinal Tract / drug effects
Glutathione / metabolism
Glutathione Peroxidase / metabolism
Graphite / toxicity*
Immune System / drug effects*
Mytilus / drug effects*
Organophosphates / toxicity*
Oxidative Stress
Signal Transduction
Water Pollutants, Chemical / toxicity

Substances

Biomarkers
Flame Retardants
Organophosphates
Water Pollutants, Chemical
Graphite
Catalase
Glutathione Peroxidase
Glutathione
triphenyl phosphate