Biomonitoring of perfluorinated compounds in adults exposed to contaminated drinking water in the Veneto Region, Italy.

In 2013 a contamination of drinking water by perfluoroalkylated substances (PFASs) was discovered in areas of the Veneto Region (northern Italy). In this study the exposure to PFASs of people living in the aforesaid areas was characterized: contaminant serum concentrations were measured and compared with those of a control population group living in neighboring areas at background exposure (based on available drinking water data). The enrolled population was also genotyped for the OATP1A2*3 allelic variant, possibly affecting PFAS excretion and hence the internal dose. The difference in PFAS concentrations between exposed and not exposed subjects was significantly larger for nine of the 12 substances analyzed, and confirmed that water contamination had resulted in an appreciable high exposure of the residing population over time. Within the group of exposed subjects, subgroups at different exposure levels were identified. The contamination of drinking water of the residence area was found to be the main factor influencing PFAS serum levels; in addition to water contamination, other relevant influencing factors were sex, the years of residence and raising own livestock. No relationship with the genetic trait for the studied renal transporter was evidenced. These results provide a baseline characterization of PFAS exposure of the monitored population groups for further studies, planned to be carried out in the near future.

Effects of malachite green (MG) and its major metabolite, leucomalachite green (LMG), in two human cell lines.

Malachite green (MG) is still illegally used as a fungicide in aquaculture. In fish it is absorbed and metabolised to its major reduced metabolite, leucomalachite green (LMG). This latter represents the main residue found in fish tissues and may persist for several months. Since MG, suspected to act as a tumour promoter in vitro and in vivo, might be also present as a residue in fish, the present study was undertaken to ascertain the in vitro toxicity of both compounds in two human tumour cell lines (Caco-2 and HEp-2). After 24h incubation with MG, significant decreases of cell viability, measured by neutral red uptake (NRU) or total protein content (TPC) as well as proliferation capability (colony-forming ability, CFA) were noticed in HEp-2 cells; the mean IC(50) value was about 2 microM. As regards the differentiated Caco-2 cells, MG caused a dose-related significant cytotoxicity, measured either by MTT test, the LDH leakage or NRU, with a mean IC(50) value of about 15 microM. By contrast, LMG disclosed, in both cell lines, a lower cytotoxicity compared to MG. These results also show that HEp-2 cells are more sensitive than intestinal cells to the toxic action of both compounds.

Cytostatic properties of a novel compound derived from Penicillium pinophilum: an in vitro study.

3-O-Methylfunicone (OMF), a secondary metabolite produced by Penicillium pinophilum, inhibits the in vitro growth of plant pathogenic fungi. This specific property suggested that the compound could be used against other fungal pathogenic activities, including dermatological ones. However, for such applications, toxicological side-effects should be taken into account, in order to prevent other types of risk to mammalian cells. Therefore, investigations were made of the basic toxicity of OMF toward a human tumour cell line. The compound was found to have a cytostatic effect, which represents a counter-indication to its use as a therapeutic agent in dermatology, but suggests that it may have potential as an anti-tumour agent. This study confirmed the validity of in vitro systems for preliminary assays on new compounds, in order to avoid the use of animals in toxicological studies.