a-3-dimensional-3d-printed-template-for-high-throughput-zebrafish

A 3-dimensional (3D)-printed Template for High Throughput Zebrafish Embryo Arraying

The zebrafish is a globally recognized fresh water organism frequently used in developmental biology, environmental toxicology, and human disease related ...

determining-gender-based-differences-retinal-choroidal-thickness

Determining Gender-Based Differences in Retinal and Choroidal Thickness in Underweight Individuals via Swept-Source Optical Coherence Tomography

Despite improvements in reducing hunger in recent years, undernutrition remains a global public health problem. This study utilizes the swept-source ...

Tongji University

Xiamen University School of Medicine

Recent studies suggest that the nanorods consisting of europium hydroxide could promote angiogenesis. In this study, it is sought to determine if additional types of nanoparticles are capable of enhancing angiogenesis and in addition, understand the underlying mechanisms. For this reason, a method is employed that combines a high throughput in vitro cell based screen coupled with an in vivo validation using vascular specific green fluorescent protein reporter transgenic zebrafish for examining proangiogenesis activity. After screening multiple types of nanoparticles, it is discovered that four of them, Eu(III) (OH)3 rods (Eu rods), Eu(III) (OH)3 spheres (Eu spheres), Tb(III) (OH)3 rods (Tb rods), and Tb(III) (OH)3 spheres (Tb spheres), are the most effective in promoting angiogenesis. It is also showed that ionic forms of europium nitrate [Eu(NO3 )3 ] (Eu) and terbium nitrate [Tb(NO3 )3 ] (Tb), the two lanthanide elements for these four nanoparticles, are also capable of enhancing angiogenesis. However, this effect is further enhanced by nanoparticle synthesis. Finally, it is demonstrated that reactive oxygen species H2 O2 is a key factor in the process of proangiogenesis by lanthanide elemental nanoparticles. 

Lanthanide Hydroxide Nanoparticles Induce Angiogenesis via ROS-Sensitive Signaling.

The safe implementation of nanotechnology requires nanomaterial hazard assessment in accordance with the material physicochemical properties that trigger the injury response at the nano/bio interface. Since CuO nanoparticles (NPs) are widely used industrially and their dissolution properties play a major role in hazard potential, we hypothesized that tighter bonding of Cu to Fe by particle doping could constitute a safer-by-design approach through decreased dissolution. Accordingly, we designed a combinatorial library in which CuO was doped with 1-10% Fe in a flame spray pyrolysis reactor. The morphology and structural properties were determined by XRD, BET, Raman spectroscopy, HRTEM, EFTEM, and EELS, which demonstrated a significant reduction in the apical Cu-O bond length while simultaneously increasing the planar bond length (Jahn-Teller distortion). Hazard screening was performed in tissue culture cell lines and zebrafish embryos to discern the change in the hazardous effects of doped vs nondoped particles. This demonstrated that with increased levels of doping there was a progressive decrease in cytotoxicity in BEAS-2B and THP-1 cells, as well as an incremental decrease in the rate of hatching interference in zebrafish embryos. The dissolution profiles were determined and the surface reactions taking place in Holtfreter's solution were validated using cyclic voltammetry measurements to demonstrate that the Cu/Cu and Fe/Fe redox species play a major role in the dissolution process of pure and Fe-doped CuO. Altogether, a safe-by-design strategy was implemented for the toxic CuO particles via Fe doping and has been demonstrated for their safe use in the environment.

Safe-by-Design CuO Nanoparticles via Fe-Doping, Cu-O Bond Length Variation, and Biological Assessment in Cells and Zebrafish Embryos.

We have recently shown that the toxicological potential of GaAs and InAs particulates in cells is size- and dissolution-dependent, tending to be more pronounced for nano- vs micron-sized particles. Whether the size-dependent dissolution and shedding of ionic III-V materials also apply to pulmonary exposure is unclear. While it has been demonstrated that micron-sized III-V particles, such as GaAs and InAs, are capable of inducing hazardous pulmonary effects in an occupational setting as well as in animal studies, the effect of submicron particles (e.g., the removal of asperities during processing of semiconductor wafers) is unclear. We used cytokine profiling to compare the pro-inflammatory effects of micron- and nanoscale GaAs and InAs particulates in cells as well as the murine lung 40 h and 21 days after oropharyngeal aspiration. Use of cytokine array technology in macrophage and epithelial cell cultures demonstrated a proportionally higher increase in the levels of matrix metalloproteinase inducer (EMMPRIN), macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), and interleukin 1β (IL-1β) by nanosized (n) GaAs and n-InAs as well as As(III). n-GaAs and n-InAs also triggered higher neutrophil counts in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of mice than micronscale particles 40 h post-aspiration, along with increased production of EMMPRIN and MIF. In contrast, in animals sacrificed 21 days after exposure, only n-InAs induced fibrotic lung changes as determined by increased lung collagen as well as increased levels of TGF-β1 and PDGF-AA in the BALF. A similar trend was seen for EMMPRIN and matrix metallopeptidase (MMP-9) levels in the BALF. Nano- and micron-GaAs had negligible subacute effects. Importantly, the difference between the 40 h and 21 days data appears to be biopersistence of n-InAs, as demonstrated by ICP-OES analysis of lung tissue. Interestingly, an ionic form of In, InCl, also showed pro-fibrogenic effects due to the formation of insoluble In(OH) nanostructures. All considered, these data indicate that while nanoscale particles exhibit increased pro-inflammatory effects in the lung, most effects are transient, except for n-InAs and insoluble InCl species that are biopersistent and trigger pro-fibrotic effects. These results are of potential importance for the understanding the occupational health effects of III-V particulates.

Pro-Inflammatory and Pro-Fibrogenic Effects of Ionic and Particulate Arsenide and Indium-Containing Semiconductor Materials in the Murine Lung.

The exciting commercial application potential of graphene materials may inevitably lead to their increasing release into the environment where they may pose ecological risks. This study focused on using carbon-14-labeled few-layer graphene (FLG) to determine whether the size of graphene plays a role in its uptake, depuration, and biodistribution in adult zebrafish. After 48 h exposure to larger FLG (L-FLG) at 250 μg/L, the amount of graphene in the organism was close to 48 mg/kg fish dry mass, which was more than 170-fold greater than the body burden of those exposed to the same concentration of smaller FLG (S-FLG). The amount of uptake for both L-FLG and S-FLG increased by a factor of 2.5 and 16, respectively, when natural organic matter (NOM) was added in the exposure suspension. While the L-FLG mainly accumulated in the gut of adult zebrafish, the S-FLG was found in both the gut and liver after exposure with or without NOM. Strikingly, the S-FLG was able to pass through the intestinal wall and enter the intestinal epithelial cells and blood. The presence of NOM increased the quantity of S-FLG in these cells. Exposure to L-FLG or S-FLG also had a significantly different impact on the intestinal microbial community structure.

Biological Uptake, Distribution, and Depuration of Radio-Labeled Graphene in Adult Zebrafish: Effects of Graphene Size and Natural Organic Matter.

An important goal of understanding harmful algae blooms is to determine how environmental factors affect the growth and toxin formation of toxin-producing species. In this study, we investigated the transcriptional responses of toxin formation gene () and key photosynthesis genes (,  and  of  FACHB-905 in different nutrient loading conditions using real-time reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Three physio-biochemical parameters (malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione (GSH)) were also evaluated to provide insight into the physiological responses of  cells. We observed an upregulation of  gene in nutrient-deficient conditions, especially in nitrogen (N) limitation condition, and the transcript abundance declined after the nutrient were resupplied. Differently, high transcription levels were seen in phosphorus (P) deficient treatments for key photosynthesis genes throughout the culture period, while those in N-deficient cells varied with time, suggesting an adaptive regulation of  cells to nutrient stress. Increased contents of antioxidant enzymes (SOD and GSH) were seen in both N and P-deficient conditions, suggesting the presence of excess amount of free radical generation caused by nutrient stress. The amount of SOD and GSH continued to increase even after the nutrient was reintroduced and a strong correlation was seen between the MDA and enzyme activities, indicating the robust effort of rebalancing the redox system in  cells. Based on these transcriptional and physiological responses of  to nutrient loading, these results could provide more insight into  blooms management and toxin formation regulation.

Transcriptional and Physiological Responses to Nutrient Loading on Toxin Formation and Photosynthesis in Microcystis Aeruginosa FACHB-905.

The extensive oil exploration has led to a series of environmental issues in the Niger Delta, Nigeria, over the years. Aside from oil spill, insufficient wastewater treatment of oil refineries and the discharged effluents become another potential source of pollution that has not received enough attention from the government and the public. Through reviewing the current oil refinery wastewater treatment processes and the discharge standards of wastewater effluents in Nigeria, we aimed to raise the awareness of the shortcomings of the current wastewater treatment technology and to discuss the consequences of insufficient treatment to the environment. This article further discussed the use of nanotechnology as a potential upgrade to the conventional treatment technologies as it has shown its capacity of removing persistent organic pollutants (POPs) or converting hazardous components to environmentally friendly derivatives. It should also prove beneficial to the key stakeholders involved in the exploration of crude oil in the region to consider optimization of oil refinery wastewater treatment processes through integration of emerging technologies.

Oil refinery wastewater treatment in the Niger Delta, Nigeria: current practices, challenges, and recommendations.

The first phase of environmental health and safety of nanomaterials (nanoEHS) studies has been mainly focused on evidence-based investigations that probe the impact of nanoparticles, nanomaterials and nano-enabled products on biological and ecological systems. The integration of multiple disciplines, including colloidal science, nanomaterial science, chemistry, toxicology/immunology and environmental science, is necessary to understand the implications of nanotechnology for both human health and the environment. While strides have been made in connecting the physicochemical properties of nanomaterials with their hazard potential in tiered models, fundamental understanding of nano-biomolecular interactions and their implications for nanoEHS is largely absent from the literature. Research on nano-biomolecular interactions within the context of natural systems not only provides important clues for deciphering nanotoxicity and nanoparticle-induced pathology, but also presents vast new opportunities for screening beneficial material properties and designing greener products from bottom up. This review highlights new opportunities concerning nano-biomolecular interactions beyond the scope of toxicity.

NanoEHS beyond Toxicity - Focusing on Biocorona.

In this Perspective, we reflect on a decade of research on the protein corona and contemplate its broad implications for future science and engineering at the bio-nano interface. Specifically, we focus on the physical origins and time evolution of the protein corona, differences in the nanoparticle-protein entity in in vitro and in vivo environments, the role of stealth polymers to minimize the formation of the protein corona, relevant computational and theoretical developments, and the "biocorona", a concept extrapolated from the field of nanomedicine. We conclude the Perspective by outlining future directions and opportunities concerning the protein corona in the coming decade.

A Decade of the Protein Corona.

The growing applications of graphene materials warrant a careful evaluation of their environmental fate in aquatic food webs. Escherichia coli (Bacteria), Tetrahymena thermophila (protozoa), Daphnia magna (zooplankton), and Danio rerio (vertebrate) were used to build aquatic food chains to investigate the waterborne uptake and trophic transfer of C-labeled graphene. Body burden factor (BBF) and trophic transfer factor (TTF) were analyzed for each organism and food chain to assess the bioaccumulation and biomagnification of graphene. The test organisms have high potential of accumulating graphene via direct uptake from culture medium with log-transformed BBF (log BBF) values of 3.66, 5.1, 3.9, and 1.62 for each organism, respectively. In the food chain from E. coli to T. thermophila, the calculated TTFs of 0.2 to 8.6 indicate the high trophic transfer potential in this aquatic food chain. However, the TTFs calculated for the food chain from T. thermophila to D. magna and from D. magna to D. rerio are much lower than 1, indicating that biomagnification was unlikely to occur in these food chains. Body burden measured for dietary uptake by T. thermophila, D. magna, and D. rerio are higher than that via waterborne exposure in a similar nominal concentration, respectively, indicating that trophic transfer is a nonnegligible route for the bioaccumulation of graphene in organisms.

Bioaccumulation of C-Labeled Graphene in an Aquatic Food Chain through Direct Uptake or Trophic Transfer.

Nanoenabled products (NEPs) have numerous outdoor uses in construction, transportation or consumer scenarios, and there is evidence that their fragments are released in the environment at low rates. We hypothesized that the lower surface availability of NEPs fragment reduced their environmental effects with respect to pristine nanomaterials. This hypothesis was explored by testing fragments generated by intentional micronisation ("the SUN approach"; Nowack et al. Meeting the Needs for Released Nanomaterials Required for Further Testing: The SUN Approach. Environmental Science & Technology, 2016 (50), 2747). The NEPs were composed of four matrices (epoxy, polyolefin, polyoxymethylene, and cement) with up to 5% content of three nanomaterials (carbon nanotubes, iron oxide, and organic pigment). Regardless of the type of nanomaterial or matrix used, it was observed that nanomaterials were only partially exposed at the NEP fragment surface, indicating that mostly the intrinsic and extrinsic properties of the matrix drove the NEP fragment toxicity. Ecotoxicity in multiple assays was done covering relevant media from terrestrial to aquatic, including sewage treatment plant (biological activity), soil worms (Enchytraeus crypticus), and fish (zebrafish embryo and larvae and trout cell lines). We designed the studies to explore the possible modulation of ecotoxicity by nanomaterial additives in plastics/polymer/cement, finding none. The results support NEPs grouping by the matrix material regarding ecotoxicological effect during the use phase. Furthermore, control results on nanomaterial-free polymer fragments representing microplastic had no significant adverse effects up to the highest concentration tested.

Environmental Impacts by Fragments Released from Nanoenabled Products: A Multiassay, Multimaterial Exploration by the SUN Approach.

Designing safer nanomaterials and nanostructures has gained increasing attention in the field of nanoscience and technology in recent years. Based on the body of experimental evidence contributed by environmental health and safety studies, materials scientists now have a better grasp on the relationships between the nanomaterials' physicochemical characteristics and their hazard/safety profiles. Therefore, it is expected that an integration of design synthesis and safety assessment will foster nanomaterials safer-by-design by considering both applications and implications. From the environmental safety perspective, the most recent advances that demonstrate effective nanomaterials safer-by-design are highlighted.

Nanomaterials Safer-by-Design: An Environmental Safety Perspective.

Freshwater cyanobacterial blooms are regularly formed by Microcystis spp., which are well-known producers of the hepatotoxin microcystin. The environmental factors that regulate microcystin synthesis remain unclear. We used reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), metabolomics, and toxin profiling (both by LC-MS) to measure the response of Microcystis aeruginosa NIES-843 to nitrogen (N) concentration, N chemistry (nitrate versus urea), and a range of seasonally relevant temperatures. Growth rates at lower temperatures were slower but resulted in increased cellular microcystin content (quota), and at these lower temperatures, N concentration had no effect on toxin production. In contrast, at warmer temperatures, reduction in N concentration increased toxin production, especially when urea was supplied as the nitrogen source. Our culture results demonstrate how temperature may lead to physiological responses ranging from slow growing yet very toxic cells at cool temperatures, to faster growing but less-toxic cells at warmer temperatures. This response represents a key interaction in bloom dynamics. Capturing this phenomenon as a temperature-driven toxin phenotype incorporated into models might improve the ability to predict microcystin biosynthesis during cyanobacterial blooms.

ArticleTotal : 2	Year
Publication title Cited by 5	2018
Publication title Cited by 1	2023

Article	Year
Lanthanide Hydroxide Nanoparticles Induce Angiogenesis via ROS-Sensitive Signaling. Small (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany)\| PubMed ID: 27383397	2016
Safe-by-Design CuO Nanoparticles via Fe-Doping, Cu-O Bond Length Variation, and Biological Assessment in Cells and Zebrafish Embryos. ACS nano\| PubMed ID: 28026936	2017
Pro-Inflammatory and Pro-Fibrogenic Effects of Ionic and Particulate Arsenide and Indium-Containing Semiconductor Materials in the Murine Lung. ACS nano\| PubMed ID: 28177603	2017
Biological Uptake, Distribution, and Depuration of Radio-Labeled Graphene in Adult Zebrafish: Effects of Graphene Size and Natural Organic Matter. ACS nano\| PubMed ID: 28240869	2017
Transcriptional and Physiological Responses to Nutrient Loading on Toxin Formation and Photosynthesis in Microcystis Aeruginosa FACHB-905. Toxins\| PubMed ID: 28513574	2017
Oil refinery wastewater treatment in the Niger Delta, Nigeria: current practices, challenges, and recommendations. Environmental science and pollution research international\| PubMed ID: 28861764	2017
NanoEHS beyond Toxicity - Focusing on Biocorona. Environmental science. Nano\| PubMed ID: 29123668	2017
A Decade of the Protein Corona. ACS nano\| PubMed ID: 29206030	2017
Bioaccumulation of C-Labeled Graphene in an Aquatic Food Chain through Direct Uptake or Trophic Transfer. Environmental science & technology\| PubMed ID: 29265813	2018
Environmental Impacts by Fragments Released from Nanoenabled Products: A Multiassay, Multimaterial Exploration by the SUN Approach. Environmental science & technology\| PubMed ID: 29376638	2018
Nanomaterials Safer-by-Design: An Environmental Safety Perspective. Advanced materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)\| PubMed ID: 29436017	2018
Seasonally Relevant Cool Temperatures Interact with N Chemistry to Increase Microcystins Produced in Lab Cultures of Microcystis aeruginosa NIES-843. Environmental science & technology\| PubMed ID: 29522323	2018

Sijie Lin

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