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Some heterocyclic aromatic compounds are Ah receptor agonists in the DR-CALUX assay and the EROD assay with RTL-W1 cells

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Abstract

Purpose

Heterocyclic aromatic compounds containing nitrogen, sulfur, or oxygen heteroatoms (NSO-HET) have been detected in air, soil, marine, and freshwater systems. However, only few publications are available investigating NSO-HET using in vitro bioassays. To support better characterization of environmental samples, selected NSO-HET were screened for dioxin-like activity in two bioassays.

Methods

The present study focuses on the identification and quantification of dioxin-like effects of 12 NSO-HET using the DR-CALUX assay, and the 7-ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) assay with the permanent fish liver cell line RTL-W1. Changes of the total medium compound concentrations during the test procedure due to, e.g., sorption or volatilization were quantified using GC/MS.

Results

The NSO-HET benzofuran, 2,3-dimethylbenzofuran, dibenzofuran, dibenzothiophen, acridine, xanthene, and carbazole caused a response in the DR-CALUX assay. Only benzofuran and 2,3-dimethylbenzofuran were also positive in the EROD assay. All other compounds were inactive in the EROD assay. Relative potency (REP) values ranged from (2.80 ± 1.32) · 10−8 to (3.26 ± 2.03) · 10−6 in the DR-CALUX and from (3.26 ± 0.91) · 10−7 to (4.87 ± 1.97) · 10−7 in the EROD assay.

Conclusions

The REP values were comparable to those of larger polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, e.g., fluoranthene and pyrene. Thus, and because of the ubiquitous distribution of heterocyclic aromatic compounds in the environment, the provided data will further facilitate the bioanalytical and analytical characterization of environmental samples towards these toxicants.

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Acknowledgment

The authors acknowledge financial support by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (grant 02WN0362). The present study was part of the research funding priority KORA (Retention and Degradation Processes to Reduce Contaminations in Groundwater and Soil). Additional funding was given by a Seed funds project of RWTH Aachen University supported by the German Excellence Initiative and a German-Swedish exchange project funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the Swedish Foundation for International Cooperation in Research and Higher Education (STINT). The authors would like to express their thanks to Drs. Niels C. Bols and Lucy Lee (University of Waterloo, Canada) for providing RTL-W1 cells and biodetection systems for the DR-CALUX cells. Additionally, the authors would like to express their thanks for two reviewers for their review of this manuscript and helpful comments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ecosystem Analysis, Institute for Environmental Research, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 1, 52074, Aachen, Germany

    Markus Brinkmann, Kerstin Bluhm & Henner Hollert

  2. Department of Environmental Biotechnology, Water Technology Center, Karlsruher Strasse 84, 76139, Karlsruhe, Germany

    Anne Sagner & Andreas Tiehm

  3. Department of Natural Science, Man-Technology-Environment Research Centre (MTM), University of Örebro, 70182, Örebro, Sweden

    Helena Takner & Magnus Engwall

  4. Federal Environment Agency, Dept. IV 2: Pharmaceuticals, Chemicals, Experimental Studies, in Div. IV: Chemical Safety, Woerlitzer Platz 1, 06844, Dessau, Germany

    Adolf Eisenträger

  5. Aquatic Toxicology and Ecology Section, Department of Zoology, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 230, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany

    Gunnar Hinger & Thomas Braunbeck

  6. Institute of Hygiene and Environmental Medicine, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstrasse 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany

    Adolf Eisenträger

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  1. Gunnar Hinger
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Henner Hollert.

Additional information

Responsible editor: Philippe Garrigues

Gunnar Hinger and Markus Brinkmann contributed as shared first authors equally to the manuscript.

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Hinger, G., Brinkmann, M., Bluhm, K. et al. Some heterocyclic aromatic compounds are Ah receptor agonists in the DR-CALUX assay and the EROD assay with RTL-W1 cells. Environ Sci Pollut Res 18, 1297–1304 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-011-0483-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-011-0483-7

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