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Evaluation of mRNA markers in differentiating human SH-SY5Y cells for estimation of developmental neurotoxicity
Stockholm University, Faculty of Science, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics.ORCID iD: 0000-0002-4423-4752
Stockholm University, Faculty of Science, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics.ORCID iD: 0000-0002-4886-9042
Stockholm University, Faculty of Science, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics.ORCID iD: 0000-0002-1007-747x
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Number of Authors: 72023 (English)In: Neurotoxicology, ISSN 0161-813X, E-ISSN 1872-9711, Vol. 97, p. 65-77Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Current guidelines for developmental neurotoxicity (DNT) evaluation are based on animal models. These have limitations so more relevant, efficient and robust approaches for DNT assessment are needed. We have used the human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cell model to evaluate a panel of 93 mRNA markers that are frequent in Neuronal diseases and functional annotations and also differentially expressed during retinoic acid-induced differentiation in the cell model. Rotenone, valproic acid (VPA), acrylamide (ACR) and methylmercury chloride (MeHg) were used as DNT positive compounds. Tolbutamide, D-mannitol and clofibrate were used as DNT negative compounds. To determine concentrations for exposure for gene expression analysis, we developed a pipeline for neurite outgrowth assessment by live-cell imaging. In addition, cell viability was measured by the resazurin assay. Gene expression was analyzed by RT-qPCR after 6 days of exposure during differentiation to concentrations of the DNT positive compounds that affected neurite outgrowth, but with no or minimal effect on cell viability. Methylmercury affected cell viability at lower concentrations than neurite outgrowth, hence the cells were exposed with the highest non-cytotoxic concentration. Rotenone (7.3 nM) induced 32 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), ACR (70 µM) 8 DEGs, and VPA (75 µM) 16 DEGs. No individual genes were significantly dysregulated by all 3 DNT positive compounds (p < 0.05), but 9 genes were differentially expressed by 2 of them. Methylmercury (0.8 nM) was used to validate the 9 DEGs. The expression of SEMA5A (encoding semaphorin 5A) and CHRNA7 (encoding nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunit α7) was downregulated by all 4 DNT positive compounds. None of the DNT negative compounds dysregulated any of the 9 DEGs in common for the DNT positive compounds. We suggest that SEMA5A or CHRNA7 should be further evaluated as biomarkers for DNT studies in vitro since they also are involved in neurodevelopmental adverse outcomes in humans.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
2023. Vol. 97, p. 65-77
Keywords [en]
Developmental neurotoxicity, in vitro, mRNA markers, Live-cell imaging, Neurite outgrowth
National Category
Neurosciences
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:su:diva-229648DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2023.05.011ISI: 001010188500001PubMedID: 37210002Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-85160084104OAI: oai:DiVA.org:su-229648DiVA, id: diva2:1861086
Available from: 2024-05-27 Created: 2024-05-27 Last updated: 2024-09-04Bibliographically approved
In thesis
1. In vitro and in silico approach methods for developmental neurotoxicity assessment: Examining acrylamide
Open this publication in new window or tab >>In vitro and in silico approach methods for developmental neurotoxicity assessment: Examining acrylamide
2024 (English)Doctoral thesis, comprehensive summary (Other academic)
Abstract [en]

Developmental neurotoxicity (DNT) is a branch of toxicology that examines the effects of chemicals on the developing nervous system. Traditional methods for assessing DNT mainly rely on animal testing, which raises ethical concerns, is time-consuming, and expensive. Consequently, there is a shift towards alternative methods, such as in vitro and in silico approaches, which offer faster and more efficient testing. The overall aim of this thesis was to contribute to the development and integration of alternative methods for DNT assessment, employing both in vitro and in silico techniques. In this work, the human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cell line was utilized as a robust, cost-effective, and easy-to-use model for DNT evaluation. Through RNA sequencing and morphological observation, it was determined that the SH-SY5Y cell line can differentiate into a more neuron-like phenotype (Paper I). Additionally, neurite outgrowth and the mRNA expression of genes important for neuronal development were studied by exposing the cells to chemicals known to induce DNT (Paper II). The thesis has also focused on acrylamide, a neurotoxic compound that may also cause DNT. In Paper I, it was found that acrylamide inhibited neuronal differentiation by suppressing neurite outgrowth at non-cytotoxic concentrations. Moreover, acrylamide altered the expression of several genes involved in the retinoic acid and CREB signaling pathways. The hypothesis that acrylamide impairs neuronal differentiation by depleting glutathione, leading to oxidative stress, was tested but not supported in the SH-SY5Y cells (Paper III). In Paper IV, we performed an in vitro to in vivo extrapolation by using a novel physiologically based toxicokinetic (PBTK) model for pregnant women, to assess the biological relevance of the acrylamide concentrations that affected neuronal differentiation of SH-SY5Y cells. The results revealed that doses that humans may be exposed to through food intake, resulted in fetal plasma acrylamide concentrations in the low nanomolar range. At these concentrations, attenuated neuronal differentiation has been observed in the SHSY5Y cells. Additionally, effects seen at micromolar concentrations were considered concerning for fetal health in cases of accidental exposure. In conclusion, human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells can serve as a useful cell model for initial screening in DNT assessment, particularly for studying neuronal differentiation as a key neurodevelopmental process. Furthermore, this thesis suggests that acrylamide may pose a risk to the developing brain, as indicated by its effects on differentiation in SH-SY5Y cells and the extrapolation of in vitro concentrations to in vivo doses, by PBTK modeling. However, to validate these findings, further testing in more complex cell culture models is necessary.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Stockholm: Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, 2024. p. 71
Keywords
Developmental neurotoxicity, in vitro, in silico, acrylamide, in vitro to in vivo extrapolation, SH-SY5Y, physiologically based toxicokinetic modelling
National Category
Biochemistry Molecular Biology Pharmacology and Toxicology
Research subject
Neurochemistry with Molecular Neurobiology
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:su:diva-232557 (URN)978-91-8014-923-5 (ISBN)978-91-8014-924-2 (ISBN)
Public defence
2024-10-18, Magnélisalen, Kemiska Övningslaboratoriet, Svante Arrhenius väg 16 B, and online via Zoom, public link is available at the department website, Stockholm, 09:00 (English)
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Supervisors
Available from: 2024-09-25 Created: 2024-09-04 Last updated: 2025-02-20Bibliographically approved

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Hinojosa, Maria G.Johansson, YlvaIvanova, Elena V.Forsby, Anna

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