title: Toxicological characterisation of a thio-arsenosugar-glycerol in human cells.
abstract: Arsenosugars are water-soluble arsenic species predominant in marine algae and other seafood including mussels and oysters. They typically occur at levels ranging from 2 to 50mg arsenic/kg dry weight. Most of the arsenosugars contain arsenic as a dimethylarsinoyl group (Me2As(O)-), commonly referred to as the oxo forms, but thio analogues have also been identified in marine organisms and as metabolic products of oxo-arsenosugars. So far, no data regarding toxicity and toxicokinetics of thio-arsenosugars are available. This in vitro-based study indicates that thio-dimethylarsenosugar-glycerol exerts neither pronounced cytotoxicity nor genotoxicity even though this arsenical was bioavailable to human hepatic (HepG2) and urothelial (UROtsa) cells. Experiments with the Caco-2 intestinal barrier model mimicking human absorption indicate for the thio-arsenosugar-glycerol higher intestinal bioavailability as compared to the oxo-arsenosugars. Nevertheless, absorption estimates were much lower in comparison to other arsenicals including arsenite and arsenic-containing hydrocarbons. Arsenic speciation in cell lysates revealed that HepG2 cells are able to metabolise the thio-arsenosugar-glycerol to some extent to dimethylarsinic acid (DMA). These first in vitro data cannot fully exclude risks to human health related to the presence of thio-arsenosugars in food.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nutritional Science, University of Potsdam, Arthur-Scheunert-Allee 114-116, 14558 Nuthetal, Germany.
authors.forename: Franziska
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ebert
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nutritional Science, University of Potsdam, Arthur-Scheunert-Allee 114-116, 14558 Nuthetal, Germany; Graduate School of Chemistry, University of Muenster, Wilhelm-Klemm-Straße 10, 48149 Muenster, Germany.
authors.forename: Sören
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nutritional Science, University of Potsdam, Arthur-Scheunert-Allee 114-116, 14558 Nuthetal, Germany; Graduate School of Chemistry, University of Muenster, Wilhelm-Klemm-Straße 10, 48149 Muenster, Germany.
authors.forename: Larissa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Leffers
authors.affiliation: Institute of Chemistry-Analytical Chemistry, University of Graz, NAWI Graz, Universitaetsplatz 1, Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Raber
authors.affiliation: Institute of Chemistry-Analytical Chemistry, University of Graz, NAWI Graz, Universitaetsplatz 1, Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Kevin A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Francesconi
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nutritional Science, University of Potsdam, Arthur-Scheunert-Allee 114-116, 14558 Nuthetal, Germany. Electronic address: taschwer@uni-potsdam.de.
authors.forename: Tanja
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Schwerdtle
mesh_terms: D001149:Arsenates / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000633:toxicity*; D001682:Biological Availability; D018938:Caco-2 Cells; D002452:Cell Count; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D048429:Cell Size / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005990:Glycerol / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000633:toxicity*; D056945:Hep G2 Cells; D006801:Humans; D009005:Monosaccharides / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000633:toxicity*; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D001149:Arsenates; D009005:Monosaccharides; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds; C449161:arsenosugar; D005990:Glycerol
keywords: Arsenic; Genotoxicity; Metabolism; Thio-arsenosugar-glycerol; Toxicity; Toxicokinetics