Investigating Endocrine Disrupting Impacts of Nine Disinfection Byproducts on Human and Zebrafish Estrogen Receptor Alpha

Sang-Ah Lee; Chang Gyun Park; Maranda Esterhuizen; Ian Choi; Chang Seon Ryu; Ji Hun Yang; Young Jun Kim

doi:10.31083/j.fbl2803048

Investigating Endocrine Disrupting Impacts of Nine Disinfection Byproducts on Human and Zebrafish Estrogen Receptor Alpha

Front Biosci (Landmark Ed). 2023 Mar 13;28(3):48. doi: 10.31083/j.fbl2803048.

Authors

Sang-Ah Lee^{1

2}, Chang Gyun Park¹, Maranda Esterhuizen^{1

3

4}, Ian Choi¹, Chang Seon Ryu¹, Ji Hun Yang⁵, Young Jun Kim¹

Affiliations

¹ Korea Institute of Science and Technology Europe (KIST Europe) Forschungsgesellschaft GmbH, Joint Laboratory of Applied Ecotoxicology, Environmental Safety Group, Universität des Saarlandes, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany.
² Office of Islands and Coastal Biology Research, Honam National Institute of Biological Resources (HNIBR), 58762 Mokpo, Republic of Korea.
³ Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, 15140 Lahti, Finland.
⁴ Clayton H. Riddell Faculty of Environment, Earth, and Resources, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada.
⁵ Next&Bio Inc., 02841 Seoul, Republic of Korea.

PMID: 37005763
DOI: 10.31083/j.fbl2803048

Abstract

Background: Disinfection byproducts (DBPs) cause endocrine disruption via estrogenic or anti-estrogenic effects on estrogen receptors. However, most studies have focused on human systems, with little experimental data being presented on aquatic biota. This study aimed to compare the effects of nine DBPs on zebrafish and human estrogen receptor alpha (zERα and hERα).

Methods: In vitro enzyme response-based tests, including cytotoxicity and reporter gene assays, were performed. Additionally, statistical analysis and molecular docking studies were employed to compare ERα responses.

Results: Iodoacetic acid (IAA), chloroacetonitrile (CAN), and bromoacetonitrile (BAN) showed robust estrogenic activity on hERα(maximal induction ratios of 108.7%, 50.3%, and 54.7%, respectively), while IAA strongly inhibited the estrogenic activity induced by 17β-estradiol (E2) in zERα (59.8% induction at the maximum concentration). Chloroacetamide (CAM) and bromoacetamide (BAM) also showed robust anti-estrogen effects in zERα (48.1% and 50.8% induction at the maximum concentration, respectively). These dissimilar endocrine disruption patterns were thoroughly assessed using Pearson correlation and distance-based analyses. Clear differences between the estrogenic responses of the two ERαs were observed, whereas no pattern of anti-estrogenic activities could be established. Some DBPs strongly induced estrogenic endocrine disruption as agonists of hERα, while others inhibited estrogenic activity as antagonists of zERα. Principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) showed similar correlation coefficients for estrogenic and anti-estrogenic responses. Reproducible results were obtained from computational analysis and the reporter gene assay.

Conclusions: Overall, the effects of DBPs on both human and zebrafish highlight the importance of controlling their differences in responsiveness for estrogenic activities including the water quality monitoring and endocrine disruption, as DBPs have species-specific ligand-receptor interactions.

Keywords: bromoacetonitrile (BAN); chloroacetonitrile (CAN); disinfection byproduct; estrogenic effects; iodoacetic acid (IAA).

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

Animals
Disinfection
Estrogen Receptor alpha* / genetics
Estrogens / pharmacology
Humans
Molecular Docking Simulation
Receptors, Estrogen / genetics
Zebrafish*

Substances

Estrogen Receptor alpha
Estrogens
Receptors, Estrogen