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Background Upon ingestion, nanoparticles can interact with the intestinal epithelial barrier potentially resulting in systemic uptake of nanoparticles. Nanoparticle properties have been described to influence the protein corona formation and subsequent cellular adhesion, uptake and transport. Here, we aimed to study the effects of nanoparticle size and surface chemistry on the protein corona formation and subsequent cellular adhesion, uptake and transport. Caco-2 intestinal cells, were exposed to negatively charged polystyrene nanoparticles (PSNPs) (50 and 200 nm), functionalized with sulfone or carboxyl groups, at nine nominal concentrations (15–250 μg/ml) for 10 up to 120 min. The protein coronas were analysed by LC–MS/MS. Results Subtle differences in the protein composition of the two PSNPs with different surface chemistry were noted. High-content imaging analysis demonstrated that sulfone PSNPs were associated with the cells to a significantly higher extent than the other PSNPs. The apparent cellular adhesion and uptake of 200 nm PSNPs was not significantly increased compared to 50 nm PSNPs with the same surface charge and chemistry. Surface chemistry outweighs the impact of size on the observed PSNP cellular associations. Also transport of the sulfone PSNPs through the monolayer of cells was significantly higher than that of carboxyl PSNPs. Conclusions The results suggest that the composition of the protein corona and the PSNP surface chemistry influences cellular adhesion, uptake and monolayer transport, which might be predictive of the intestinal transport potency of NPs.

Use of hormones for fattening purposes is forbidden in the animal production in Europe (European Commission. 1996. Council Directive EC/96/22 (replacement of 88/146/EC). Off J Eur Commun. L125:3-9; European Commission. 1996. Council Directive EC/96/23. Off J Eur Commun. L125:10-32). Moreover, Regulation (EC) 178/2002 (European Commission. 2002. Regulation EC No 178/2002. Off J Eur Commun. L31:1-24) and Regulation (EC) 882/2004 (European Commission. 2004. Regulation EC No 882/2004. Off J Eur Commun. L165:1-135) oblige the member states to identify emerging risks and use validated and accredited methods for control analysis. Only combinations of bioassay activity screening with chemical identification are suited to uphold all laws. No such combination is described for the detection of (gluco)corticoids. In the present study, the GR-CALUX bioassay was validated as a qualitative screening method for the determination of glucocorticoid activity in feed. This validation was performed according to EC Decision 2002/657/EC (European Commission. 2002. Commission Decision 2002/657/EC from Directive 96/23. Off J Eur Commun. L221:8-36). Twenty-two representative blank feed samples were selected and spiked with 50 ng g(-1) of dexamethasone, 100 ng g(-1) of betamethasone or 500 ng g(-1) of triamcinolone. All blank and spiked feed samples fulfilled the CCα and CCβ criteria; the method was specific and robust and glucocorticoids in feed were stable for at least 88 days.

Traditional risk assessment of potential endocrine-disruptive pollutants, including PCBs, focus mainly on the effects of parent compounds. Still, biotransformation results in systemic exposure to PCBs and their bioactive metabolites. In the present paper, the effects of twenty ultra-pure non-dioxin-like (NDL) PCBs and their environmentally relevant hydroxy- (OH-) and methylsulfonyl- (MeSO2-) metabolites on aromataseactivity and their glucocorticoid properties were investigated. Although most NDL-PCBs were inactive, PCB28 inhibited aromataseactivity in human placenta microsomes with an IC50 of 2.2 µM. Most of these NDL-PCBs were weak (ant-)agonist of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR). Interestingly, four OH-metabolites of the commonly found NDL-PCB180 were able to inhibit aromataseactivity (LOECs in the low µM range) and showed anti-glucocorticoid properties (LOECs in the low nM range), in a concentration-dependent manner. Further, four MeSO2-PCBs slightly inhibited aromataseactivity and showed anti-glucocorticoid properties. Although, these effects were also associated with cytotoxicity, they were dependent on the position of the MeSO2-group on the biphenyl ring. Our results are the first to show that OH-PCBs are both anti-glucocorticoids and aromataseinhibitors. Taken together, these results for PCBs again support the common idea that risk assessment of the endocrine disruptive potential of PCBs should also include their metabolites.

Public concern about the presence of natural and anthropogenic compounds which affect human health by modulating normal endocrine functions is continuously growing. Fast and simple high-throughput screening methods for the detection of hormone activities are thus indispensable. During the last two decades, a panel of different in vitro assays has been developed, mainly for compounds with an estrogenic mode of action. Here we describe the development of an androgen transcription activation assay that is easy to use in routine screening. Recombinant yeast cells were constructed that express the human androgen receptor and yeast enhanced green fluorescent protein (yEGFP), the latter in response to androgens. Compared with other reporters, the yEGFP reporter protein is very convenient because it is directly measurable in intact living cells, i.e., cell wall disruption and the addition of a substrate are not needed. When yeast was exposed to 17beta-testosterone, the concentration where half-maximal activation is reached (EC(50)) was 50 nM. The relative androgenic potencies, defined as the ratio between the EC(50) of 17beta-testosterone and the EC(50) of the compound, of 5alpha-dihydrotestosterone, methyltrienolone, and 17beta-boldenone are 2.3, 1.4, and 0.15 respectively. The results presented in this paper demonstrate that this new yeast androgen bioassay is fast, sensitive, and very specific and also suited to detect compounds that have an antiandrogenic mode of action.

It has previously been demonstrated by others that acetone extracts of Senecio jacobaea (syn. Jacobaea vulgaris, common or tansy ragwort) test positive in the Salmonella/microsome mutagenicity test (Ames test). Pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) are thought to be responsible for these mutagenic effects. However, it was also observed that the major PA present in common ragwort, jacobine, produced a negative response (with and without the addition of rat liver S9) in Salmonella test strains TA98, TA100, TA1535 and TA1537. To investigate which compounds in the plant extracts were responsible for the positive outcome, the present study investigated the contents and mutagenic effects of methanol and acetone extracts prepared from dried ground S. jacobaea and Senecio inaequidens (narrow-leafed ragwort). Subsequently, a fractionation approach was set up in combination with LC-MS/MS analysis of the fractions. It was shown that the positive Ames test outcomes of S. jacobaea extracts are unlikely to be caused by PAs, but rather by the flavonoid quercetin. This study also demonstrates the importance of identifying compounds responsible for positive test results in bioassays.

Previously, we described the construction of a rapid yeast bioassay stably expressing human estrogen receptor (hERalpha) and yeast enhanced green fluorescent protein (yEGFP) in response to estrogens. In the present study, the properties of this assay were further studied by testing a series of estrogenic compounds. Furthermore, a similar assay was developed based on the stable expression of human estrogen receptor beta (hERbeta). When exposed to 17beta-estradiol, the maximum transcriptional activity of the ERbeta cytosensor was only about 40% of the activity observed with ERalpha, but the concentration where half-maximal activation is reached (EC50), was about five times lower. The relative estrogenic potencies (REP), defined as the ratio between the EC50 of 17beta-estradiol and the EC50 of the compound, of the synthetic hormones dienestrol, hexestrol and especially mestranol were higher with ER, while DES was slightly more potent with ERbeta. The gestagens progesterone and medroxyprogesterone-acetate showed no response, whereas the androgen testosterone showed a very weak response. The anabolic agent, 19-nortestosterone showed a clear dose-related response with estrogen receptor but not beta. The phytoestrogens coumestrol, genistein, genistin, daidzein, daidzin and naringenin were relatively more potent with ERbeta. Ranking of the estrogenic potency with ER was: 17beta-estradiol >> 8-prenylnaringenin > coumestrol > zearalenone >> genistein >> genistin > naringenin. The ranking with the ERbeta was: 17beta-estradiol >> coumestrol > genistein > zearalenone > 8-prenylnaringen >> daidzein > naringenin > genistin >> daidzin. The hop estrogen 8-prenylnaringenin is relatively more potent with ERalpha. These data show that the newly developed bioassays are valuable tools for the rapid and high-throughput screening for estrogenic activity.

The likelihood of oral exposure to nanoparticles (NPs) is increasing, and it is necessary to evaluate the oral bioavailability of NPs. In vitro approaches could help reducing animal studies, but validation against in vivo studies is essential. Previously, we assessed the translocation of 50 nm polystyrene NPs of different charges (neutral, positive and negative) using a Caco-2/HT29-MTX in vitro intestinal translocation model. The NPs translocated in a surface charge-dependent manner. The present study aimed to validate this in vitro intestinal model by an in vivo study. For this, rats were orally exposed to a single dose of these polystyrene NPs and the uptake in organs was determined. A negatively charged NP was taken up more than other NPs, with the highest amounts in kidney (37.4 µg/g tissue), heart (52.8 µg/g tissue), stomach wall (98.3 µg/g tissue) and small intestinal wall (94.4 µg/g tissue). This partly confirms our in vitro findings, where the same NPs translocated to the highest extent. The estimated bioavailability of different types of NPs ranged from 0.2 to 1.7 % in vivo, which was much lower than in vitro (1.6–12.3 %). Therefore, the integrated in vitro model cannot be used for a direct prediction of the bioavailability of orally administered NPs. However, the model can be used for prioritizing NPs before further in vivo testing for risk assessment. © 2015, The Author(s).

The conditions of the gastrointestinal tract may change the physicochemical properties of nanoparticles (NPs) and therewith the bioavailability of orally taken NPs. Therefore, we assessed the impact of in vitro gastrointestinal digestion on the protein corona of polystyrene NPs (PS-NPs) and their subsequent translocation across an in vitro intestinal barrier. A co-culture of intestinal Caco-2 and HT29-MTX cells was exposed to 50 nm PS-NPs of different charges (positive and negative) in two forms: pristine and digested in an in vitro gastrointestinal digestion model. In vitro digestion significantly increased the translocation of all, except the "neutral", PS-NPs. Upon in vitro digestion, translocation was 4-fold higher for positively charged NPs and 80- and 1.7-fold higher for two types of negatively charged NPs. Digestion significantly reduced the amount of protein in the corona of three out of four types of NPs. This reduction of proteins was 4.8-fold for "neutral", 3.5-fold for positively charged and 1.8-fold for one type of negatively charged PS-NPs. In vitro digestion also affected the composition of the protein corona of PS-NPs by decreasing the presence of higher molecular weight proteins and shifting the protein content of the corona to low molecular weight proteins. These findings are the first to report that in vitro gastrointestinal digestion significantly affects the protein corona and significantly increases the in vitro translocation of differently charged PS-NPs. These findings stress the importance of including the in vitro digestion in future in vitro intestinal translocation screening studies for risk assessment of orally taken NPs.

Sensitive and robust bioassays for glucocorticoids are very useful for the pharmaceutical industry, environmental scientists and veterinary control. Here, a recombinant yeast cell was constructed that expresses the human glucocorticoid receptor alpha and a green fluorescent reporter protein in response to glucocorticoids. Both the receptor construct and the reporter construct were stably integrated into the yeast genome. The correct and specific functioning of this yeast glucocorticoid bioassay was studied by exposures to cortisol and other related compounds and critically compared to a GR-CALUX bioassay based on a human bone cell. Although less sensitive, the new yeast glucocorticoid bioassay showed sensitivity towards all (gluco)corticoids tested, with the following order in relative potencies: budesonide >> corticosterone > dexamethasone > cortisol = betamethasone > prednisolone > aldosterone. Hormone representatives for other hormone nuclear receptors, like 17β-estradiol for the oestrogen receptor, 5α-dihydrotestosterone for the androgen receptor and progesterone for the progesterone receptor, showed no clear agonistic responses, whilst some polychlorinated biphenyls were clearly able to interfere with the GR activity.

The aim of this study was to develop an estrogen transcription activation assay that is sensitive, fast and easy to use in the routine screening of estrogen activity in complex matrices such as agricultural products. Recombinant yeast cells were constructed that express the human estrogen receptor alpha (ER alpha) and beta-Galactosidase (beta Gal), Luciferase (Luc) or yeast Enhanced Green Fluorescence Protein (yEGFP) as a reporter protein. Compared to other yeast assays, these new cells contain both the receptor construct as well as the reporter construct stably integrated in the genome with only one copy of the reporter construct. Dose-response curves for 17beta-estradiol (E2) obtained with the beta Gal assay were similar to those reported and the calculated EC(50) of 0.2 nM was even slightly better. However, 5 days of incubation were required before the chlorophenol red product could be measured. The Luc assay was as sensitive as the beta Gal assay and gave an EC(50) of 0.2 nM, but the signals were rather low and, although the assay can be performed within 1 day, the procedure is laborious and caused variability. The yEGFP revealed an EC(50) of 0.4 nM, but compared to the beta Gal and the Luc assay, the response was much better. This yEGFP assay can be performed completely in 96 well plates within 4 h and does not need cell wall disruption nor does it need the addition of a substrate. This makes the test sensitive, rapid and convenient with high reproducibility and small variation. These qualities make that this yEGFP assay is suited to be used as a high throughput system.