Comparative suppression of phthalate monoesters and phthalate diesters on calcium signalling coupled to nicotinic acetylcholine receptors.

Phthalates, such as butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP), di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP), and their metabolites (mono-buyl phthalate [MBP], mono-benzyl phthalate [MBzP] and phthalic acid [PA]), are known to obstruct normal development in mammals. BBP and DBP have been reported to have estrogenic activity, while MBP and MBzP exhibit weak or no estrogenic effects. We previously showed that BBP and DBP have inhibitory roles on nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors are widely distributed and have roles in developmental processes. In this study, the effects of BBP, DBP, MBP, MBzP and PA on calcium signaling coupled to nicotinic acetylcholine receptors was investigated in bovine adrenal chromaffin cells and human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells. Following an epibatidine-induced [Ca2+](c) increase, the IC(50)s of BBP, DBP, MBzP and MBP were 3.41, 5.01, 432 and 695 microM in bovine adrenal chromaffin cells and 0.28, 0.44, 58 and 116 microM in human SH-SY5Y cells, respectively. Although PA suppressed the epibatidine-induced [Ca2+](c) increase, the suppression was less than with MBP. The suppression potency of phthalates was related to their chemical structures. The suppression effects of BBP, DBP, MBP and MBzP remained similar potency under chronic treatments. This study demonstrated that MBP, MBzP and PA, the metabolites of BBP and DBP, had suppressor roles on the calcium signaling pathway coupled to nicotinic receptors.

Suppression by phthalates of the calcium signaling of human nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells.

Phthalates are widely used in industry and cause public concern since they have genomic estrogenic-like effects via estrogen receptors. We previously found that some phthalates have nongenomic effects, exerting inhibitory effects on the functional activities of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) in bovine chromaffin cells. In this study, we investigated the effects of eight phthalates on the calcium signaling of human nAChR by using human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells. All eight phthalates, with different potency, have inhibitory roles on the calcium signaling coupled with human nAChR, but not muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs). For inhibition of human nAChR, the strongest to weakest potencies were observed as di-n-pentyl phthalate (DPP) --> butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP) --> di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) --> dicyclohexyl phthalate (DCHP) --> di-n-hexyl phthalate (DHP) --> di-(2-ethyl hexyl) phthalate (DEHP) --> di-n-propyl phthalate (DPrP) --> diethyl phthalate (DEP). The potencies of phthalates were associated with their structures such that the most effective ones had dialkyl group carbon numbers of C4 or C5, with shorter or longer numbers resulting in decreased potency. At as low as 0.1 microM, DPP, DBP, BBP, DCHP and DHP significantly inhibited the calcium signaling of human nAChR. The IC50 of phthalates on human nAChR, ranging from 0.32 to 7.96 microM, were 10-50 lower than those for bovine nAChR. We suggest that some phthalates effectively inhibit the calcium signaling of human nAChR, and these nongenomic effects are cause for concern.

Butyl benzyl phthalate blocks Ca2+ signaling and catecholamine secretion coupled with nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in bovine adrenal chromaffin cells.

Butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP), a plasticizer and an environmental pollutant, exerts genomic estrogenic-like effects via estrogen receptors. In addition to exerting genomic effects via intracellular steroid receptors, estrogen exerts non-genomic effects through interactions with membrane ion channels to lead the rapid alteration of neuronal excitability. Estradiol is known as to have modulating role on nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR). We investigated the possibility of BBP exerting non-genomic estrogenic-like effects on nAChR in bovine adrenal chromaffin cells. Our results show that BBP inhibited Ca2+ signaling induced by the nicotinic ligands carbachol, 1,1-dimethyl-4-phenyl-piperazinium iodide (DMPP) and epibatidine (IC50 levels of 4.3, 4.1, 5.4 microM, respectively) as well as high K+ solution (IC50 50.9 microM). Additionally, in the electrophysiological observations, BBP blocked the inward current coupled with nAChR under the stimulation of carbachol. We, therefore, suggest that nAChR and voltage-gated Ca2+ channels are major and minor sites, respectively, of BBP action on the plasma membrane. The inhibitory effect of BBP on nAChR was found to be both noncompetitive and reversible, remaining unchanged as nAChR ligand concentration increased and decreased after washing. BBP was 10 times more potent than estradiol in inhibiting nAChR-coupled Ca2+ signals. We conclude that BBP exerts a novel rapidly inhibitory effect on nAChR.