title: In vitro toxicity assay using human bronchial epithelial cell, Beas-2B, for the screening of toxicological risk of dioxin-like compounds sampled from small sized Korean waste incineration plants.
abstract: To test the suitability of cell bioassay as a tool for screening the toxicological risk of dioxin-like compounds, an in vitro toxicity assay was performed using samples obtained from small sized Korean waste incineration plants. Stress-related gene expression, cell viability, apoptosis, DNA damage and cell cycles were investigated as toxicological indicators of the polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDDs/DFs) exposed human bronchial epithelial cell, Beas-2B. Of the stress-related genes, the expressions of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), cytochrome P450 (CYP) and p53 genes were most significantly induced by exposure to PCDDs/DFs. Exposure of Beas-2B cells to PCDDs/DFs sampled from waste incinerators was sufficient for the expression of noticeable cytotoxic and genotoxic effects. Increased number of cells in the G1 phase in PCDDs/DFs treated samples suggests PCDDs/DFs might lead to alteration in the cell cycle. Statistical tests revealed significant correlations between the PCDDs/DFs concentration and the AhR and CYP gene expression/cell viability/DNA damage. Different from AhR-mediated bioanalytical assay using genetically modified cell line, the present study has been focused on the evaluation of toxicological effects of dioxin-like compounds using normal human cell line. The results of this study have demonstrated that PCDDs/DFs samples from waste incinerators can be applied to cell bioassays for the evaluation of the toxicity of dioxin-like compounds obtained from field samples, and the use of stress-related gene expression assay and cytotoxic/genotoxic test systems would appear to be relevant for preliminary screening of the risk associated with dioxin-like chemicals from waste incinerators.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Environmental Engineering, College of Urban Science, University of Seoul, Dongdaemun-Gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Mi-Hee
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Ha
authors.forename: Sang-Yee
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Ham
authors.forename: Dong-Hoon
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jinhee
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Choi
mesh_terms: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D001980:Bronchi / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival; D020552:Comet Assay; D004247:DNA / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D004147:Dioxins / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D017745:Incineration; D007723:Korea; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000633:toxicity; D018336:Receptors, Aryl Hydrocarbon / Q000378:metabolism; D012037:Refuse Disposal; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; D013844:Thiazoles
chemical_list: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D000975:Antioxidants; D004147:Dioxins; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins; D018336:Receptors, Aryl Hydrocarbon; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; D013844:Thiazoles; D004247:DNA; C022616:thiazolyl blue