title: Acute cardiovascular toxicity of sterilizers, PHMG, and PGH: severe inflammation in human cells and heart failure in zebrafish.
abstract: In 2011, dozens of children and pregnant women in Korea died by exposure to sterilizer for household humidifier, such as Oxy(®) and Cefu(®). Until now, however, it remains unknown how the sterilizer affect the human health to cause the acute deaths. To find its toxicity for organ, we investigated the putative toxicity of the sterilizer in the cardiovascular system. The sterilizers, polyhexamethylene guanidine phosphate (PHMG, Cefu(®)), and oligo-[2-(2-ethoxy)-ethoxyethyl)-guanidinium-chloride (PGH, Oxy(®)) were treated to human lipoproteins, macrophages, and dermal fibroblast cells. The PGH and PHMG at normal dosages caused severe atherogenic process in human macrophages, cytotoxic effect, and aging in human dermal cell. Zebrafish embryos, which were exposed to the sterilizer, showed early death with acute inflammation and attenuated developmental speed. All zebrafish exposed to the working concentration of PHMG (final 0.3 %) and PGH (final 10 mM) died within 70 min and displayed acute increases in serum triacylglycerol level and fatty liver induction. The dead zebrafish showed severe accumulation of fibrous collagen in the bulbous artery of the heart with elevation of reactive oxygen species. In conclusion, the sterilizers showed acute toxic effect in blood circulation system, causing by severe inflammation, atherogenesis, and aging, with embryo toxicity.
authors.affiliation: School of Biotechnology, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan 712-749, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jae-Yong
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Hak Hyeon
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Kyung-Hyun
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Cho
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D016922:Cellular Senescence / Q000187:drug effects; D020405:Dermis / Q000166:cytology; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000187:drug effects; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects; D006146:Guanidines / Q000633:toxicity*; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000187:drug effects; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D008136:Longevity / Q000187:drug effects; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects; D009000:Monocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D011108:Polymers / Q000633:toxicity*; D013242:Sterilization; D023382:Toxicity Tests, Acute; D015027:Zebrafish
chemical_list: D006146:Guanidines; D008074:Lipoproteins; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; D011108:Polymers; C584298:oligo(2-(2-ethoxy)-ethoxyethyl)guanidinium-chloride; C099252:oxidized low density lipoprotein; C060540:polyhexamethyleneguanidine