title: An in-vitro approach for water quality determination: activation of NF-κB as marker for cancer-related stress responses induced by anthropogenic pollutants of drinking water.
abstract: Epidemiological studies show that there is a link between urban water pollution and increase in human morbidity and mortality. With the increase in number of new substances arising from the chemical, pharmaceutical, and agricultural industries, there is an urgent need to develop biological test systems for fast evaluation of potential risks to humans and the environmental ecosystems. Here, a combined cellular reporter assay based on the cellular survival and the stress-induced activation of the survival-promoting factor nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) and its use for the detection of cytotoxicity and cancer-related stress responses is presented. A total of 14 chemicals that may be found in trace-amounts in ground water levels are applied and tested with the presented assay. The project is embedded within the joint research project TOX-BOX which aims to develop a harmonized testing strategy for risk management of anthropogenic trace substances in potable water. The assay identified carbendazim as a NF-κB-activating agent in mammalian cells.
authors.affiliation: German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Radiation Biology Unit, Cellular Biodiagnostics, Cologne, Germany. luis.spitta@dlr.de.
authors.forename: Luis F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Spitta
authors.affiliation: German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Radiation Biology Unit, Cellular Biodiagnostics, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Diegeler
authors.affiliation: German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Radiation Biology Unit, Cellular Biodiagnostics, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Christa
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Baumstark-Khan
authors.affiliation: German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Radiation Biology Unit, Cellular Biodiagnostics, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Christine E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Hellweg
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D060766:Drinking Water / Q000032:analysis*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D057809:HEK293 Cells; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000032:analysis*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000633:toxicity*; D060753:Water Quality
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D060766:Drinking Water; D016328:NF-kappa B; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Cytotoxicity; Environmental toxicology; Fluorescence based reporter assay; Genotoxicity; NF-kappaB; TOX-Box