Global responses to tris(1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate and tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate in Escherichia coli: Evidences from biomarkers, and metabolic disturbance using GC-MS and LC-MS metabolomics analyses

Xu Jin; Runlin Yao; Xiaolong Yu; Haochuan Wu; Hang Liu; Jiahui Huang; Yicheng Dai; Jianteng Sun

doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.142177

Global responses to tris(1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate and tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate in Escherichia coli: Evidences from biomarkers, and metabolic disturbance using GC-MS and LC-MS metabolomics analyses

Chemosphere. 2024 Apr 26:358:142177. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.142177. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Xu Jin¹, Runlin Yao², Xiaolong Yu³, Haochuan Wu⁴, Hang Liu⁵, Jiahui Huang⁵, Yicheng Dai⁵, Jianteng Sun⁶

Affiliations

¹ Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Petrochemical Pollution Processes and Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangdong University of Petrochemical Technology, Maoming, 525000, Guangdong, China; College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266100, China.
² Bathurst Future Agri-Tech Institute, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266109, China.
³ Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Petrochemical Pollution Processes and Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangdong University of Petrochemical Technology, Maoming, 525000, Guangdong, China. Electronic address: yzxendeavour@163.com.
⁴ School of Housing, Building and Planning, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia.
⁵ Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Petrochemical Pollution Processes and Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangdong University of Petrochemical Technology, Maoming, 525000, Guangdong, China.
⁶ Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Petrochemical Pollution Processes and Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangdong University of Petrochemical Technology, Maoming, 525000, Guangdong, China. Electronic address: sunjianteng@zju.edu.cn.

PMID: 38679182
DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.142177

Abstract

Tris(1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TCPP) and tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate (TBEP) as pollutants of emerging concern have aroused the rising attention due to their potential risks on aquatic ecosystem and public health. Nevertheless, there is a lack of toxicological mechanisms exploration of TCPP and TBEP at molecular levels. Herein, the toxicity effects and molecular mechanism of them were fully researched and summarized on Escherichia coli (E.coli). Acute exposure to them significantly activated antioxidant defense system and caused lipid peroxidation, as proved by the changes of antioxidant enzymes and MDA. The ROS overload resulted in the drop of membrane potential as well as the downregulated synthesis of ATPase, endorsing that E. coli cytotoxicity was ascribed to oxidative stress damage induced by TCPP and TBEP. The combination of GC-MS and LC-MS based metabolomics validated that TCPP and TBEP induced metabolic reprogramming in E.coli. More specifically, the responsive metabolites in carbohydrate metabolism, lipids metabolism, nucleotide metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and organic acids metabolism were significantly disturbed by TCPP and TBEP, confirming the negative effects on metabolic functions and key bioprocesses. Additionally, several biomarkers including PE(16:1(5Z)/15:0), PA(17:1(9Z)/18:2(9Z,12Z)), PE(19:1(9Z)/0:0), and LysoPE(0:0/18:1(11Z)) were remarkably upregulated, verifying that the protection of cellular membrane was conducted by regulating the expression of lipids-associated metabolites. Collectively, this work sheds new light on the potential molecular toxicity mechanism of TCPP and TBEP on aquatic organisms, and these findings using GC-MS and LC-MS metabolomics generate a fresh insight into assessing the effects of OPFRs on target and non-target aquatic organisms.

Keywords: Antioxidant defense system; Metabolic perturbation; Metabolic profile; Organophosphate flame retardants; Oxidative stress.