Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Curriculum in Toxicology and Environmental Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2020 Dec 15;409:115305. doi: 10.1016/j.taap.2020.115305. Epub 2020 Oct 29.
Exposure to inorganic arsenic (iAs) is a significant public health concern with individuals around the globe exposed to harmful levels through contaminated drinking water. Exposure to iAs during pregnancy is of particular concern and has been associated with pregnancy complications and adverse child health later in life. Effects of in utero exposure may be mediated through alterations in key signaling pathways in the placenta that regulate fetal growth and development. A pathway of interest is the glucocorticoid receptor (GR)- signaling pathway, which is known to regulate fetal and placental development. While prior research has shown that iAs alters GR-associated gene expression in trophoblasts, the mechanisms that underlie these perturbations remain unknown. In the present study, we set out to elucidate the molecular mechanisms that underpin observed alterations in GR-associated gene expression. We also aimed to determine whether the methylated metabolites of iAs, namely monomethyl‑arsenic (MMA) and dimethyl‑arsenic (DMA), also influence GR-associated signaling in the placenta. The data indicate that iAs alters GR activation in a dose-dependent manner, reduces nuclear translocation, and reduces DNA binding. Additionally, the results demonstrate that MMA and DMA alter the expression of eight GR-associated genes, modulate GR activation, and alter DNA binding. These data are significant as they highlight the role of iAs as an endocrine disruptor and for the first time explore the effects of MMA and DMA on endocrine signaling in the placenta.
暴露于无机砷(iAs)是一个重大的公共健康问题,全球各地的人们通过受污染的饮用水接触到有害水平的 iAs。孕妇接触 iAs 尤其令人担忧,因为它与妊娠并发症和儿童生命后期的不良健康有关。宫内暴露的影响可能通过改变胎盘内调节胎儿生长和发育的关键信号通路来介导。一个有趣的途径是糖皮质激素受体(GR)-信号通路,该通路已知可调节胎儿和胎盘的发育。虽然先前的研究表明 iAs 会改变滋养细胞中与 GR 相关的基因表达,但这些干扰的机制尚不清楚。在本研究中,我们旨在阐明支持观察到的与 GR 相关的基因表达改变的分子机制。我们还旨在确定 iAs 的甲基化代谢物,即一甲基砷(MMA)和二甲基砷(DMA)是否也会影响胎盘内的 GR 相关信号。数据表明,iAs 以剂量依赖的方式改变 GR 激活,减少核易位,并减少 DNA 结合。此外,结果表明 MMA 和 DMA 改变了八个与 GR 相关的基因的表达,调节了 GR 的激活,并改变了 DNA 结合。这些数据很重要,因为它们强调了 iAs 作为内分泌干扰物的作用,并首次探讨了 MMA 和 DMA 对胎盘内分泌信号的影响。
Toxics. 2023-3-29
Front Cell Dev Biol. 2021-9-24