Choline, not folate, can attenuate the teratogenic effects ofdibutyl phthalate (DBP) during early chick embryo development

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international Vol. 26; no. 29; pp. 29763 - 29779
• Main Authors: Wang, Rui, Sun, Da-Guang, Song, Ge, Guan, Chun Yi, Cui, Yi, Ma, Xu, Xia, Hong-Fei
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.10.2019; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: 8-Hydroxydeoxyguanosine; abnormal development; Amniotic fluid; animal experimentation; Animal research; Animals; Apoptosis; Apoptosis - drug effects; Aquatic Pollution; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Body fluids; Body Fluids - metabolism; Chick Embryo; chick embryos; Chickens; Chickens - growth & development; Chickens - metabolism; Choline; Choline - metabolism; Deoxyguanosine; Dibutyl phthalate; Dibutyl Phthalate - toxicity; Dibutyl Phthalate - urine; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Embryogenesis; Embryonic Development - drug effects; Embryonic growth stage; Embryos; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Environmental Pollutants - toxicity; Environmental Pollutants - urine; Environmental science; Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; Female; Folic acid; Folic Acid - metabolism; gas chromatography-mass spectrometry; Humans; Malondialdehyde; Maternal Exposure - adverse effects; Metabolites; Neural tube defects; Neural Tube Defects - metabolism; oxidation; Oxidative stress; Oxidative Stress - drug effects; Phthalates; Pollutants; Reactive oxygen species; Research Article; Superoxide dismutase; Teratogenesis - drug effects; Teratogenicity; Toxicity; Urine; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollution Control; Chick embryo; Oxidative stress; Body fluid; Human neural tube defects; Choline; Dibutyl phthalate
• ISSN: 0944-1344; 1614-7499; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-019-06087-w

Dibutyl phthalate (DBP), a persistent environmental pollutant, can induce neural tube abnormal development in animals. The possible effects of DBP exposure on human neural tube defects (NTDs) remain elusive. In this study, the distribution of DBP in the body fluid of human NTDs was detected by GC-MS. Then, chick embryos were used to investigate the effects of DBP on early embryonic development. Oxidative stress indicators in chick embryos and the body fluid of human NTDs were detected by ELISA. The cell apoptosis and total reactive oxygen species (ROS) level in chick embryos were detected by whole-mount TUNEL and oxidized DCFDA, respectively. The study found that the detection ratio of positive DBP and its metabolites in maternal urine was higher in the NTD population than that in normal controls. 8 - hydroxy-2 deoxyguanosine (8-OHDG) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were evidently upregulated and superoxide dismutase (SOD) was observably downregulated in amniotic fluid and urine. Animal experiments indicated that DBP treatment induced developmental toxicity in chick embryos by enhancing the levels of oxidative stress and cell apoptosis. MDA was increased and SOD was decreased in DBP-treated embryos. Interestingly, the supplement of high-dose choline (100 μg/μL), not folic acid, could partially restore the teratogenic effects of DBP. Our data collectively suggest that the incidence of NTDs is closely associated with DBP exposure. This study may provide new insight for NTD prevention.