@article{LohrenBlagojevicFitkauetal.2015,
  author    = {Lohren, Hanna and Blagojevic, Lara and Fitkau, Romy and Ebert, Franziska and Schildknecht, Stefan and Leist, Marcel and Schwerdtle, Tanja},
  title     = {Toxicity of organic and inorganic mercury species in human neurons and human astrocytes},
  series = {Journal of trace elements in medicine and biology},
  volume    = {32},
  journal   = {Journal of trace elements in medicine and biology},
  publisher = {Elsevier},
  address   = {Jena},
  issn      = {0946-672X},
  doi       = {10.1016/j.jtemb.2015.06.008},
  pages     = {200 -- 208},
  year      = {2015},
  abstract  = {Organic mercury (Hg) species exert their toxicity primarily in the central nervous system. The food relevant Hg species methylmercury (MeHg) has been frequently studied regarding its neurotoxic effects in vitro and in vivo. Neurotoxicity of thiomersal, which is used as a preservative in medical preparations, is to date less characterised. Due to dealkylation of organic Hg or oxidation of elemental Hg, inorganic Hg is present in the brain albeit these species are not able to readily cross the blood brain barrier. This study compared for the first time toxic effects of organic MeHg chloride (MeHgCl) and thiomersal as well as inorganic mercury chloride (HgCl2) in differentiated human neurons (LUHMES) and human astrocytes (CCF-STTG1). The three Hg species differ in their degree and mechanism of toxicity in those two types of brain cells. Generally, neurons are more susceptible to Hg species induced cytotoxicity as compared to astrocytes. This might be due to the massive cellular mercury uptake in the differentiated neurons. The organic compounds exerted stronger cytotoxic effects as compared to inorganic HgCl2. In contrast to HgCl2 exposure, organic Hg compounds seem to induce the apoptotic cascade in neurons following low-level exposure. No indicators for apoptosis were identified for both inorganic and organic mercury species in astrocytes. Our studies clearly demonstrate species-specific toxic mechanisms. A mixed exposure towards all Hg species in the brain can be assumed. Thus, prospectively coexposure studies as well as cocultures of neurons and astrocytes could provide additional information in the investigation of Hg induced neurotoxicity.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{MeyerRaberEbertetal.2015,
  author    = {Meyer, S{\"o}ren and Raber, Georg and Ebert, Franziska and Leffers, L. and Mueller, Sandra Maria and Taleshi, M. S. and Francesconi, Kevin A. and Schwerdtle, Tanja},
  title     = {In vitro toxicological characterisation of arsenic-containing fatty acids and three of their metabolites},
  series = {Toxicology research},
  volume    = {4},
  journal   = {Toxicology research},
  number    = {5},
  publisher = {Royal Society of Chemistry},
  address   = {Cambridge},
  issn      = {2045-452X},
  doi       = {10.1039/c5tx00122f},
  pages     = {1289 -- 1296},
  year      = {2015},
  abstract  = {Arsenic-containing fatty acids are a group of fat-soluble arsenic species (arsenolipids) which are present in marine fish and other seafood. Recently, it has been shown that arsenic-containing hydrocarbons, another group of arsenolipids, exert toxicity in similar concentrations comparable to arsenite although the toxic modes of action differ. Hence, a risk assessment of arsenolipids is urgently needed. In this study the cellular toxicity of a saturated (AsFA 362) and an unsaturated (AsFA 388) arsenic-containing fatty acid and three of their proposed metabolites (DMA(V), DMAPr and thio-DMAPr) were investigated in human liver cells (HepG2). Even though both arsenic-containing fatty acids were less toxic as compared to arsenic-containing hydrocarbons and arsenite, significant effects were observable at mu M concentrations. DMA(V) causes effects in a similar concentration range and it could be seen that it is metabolised to its highly toxic thio analogue thio-DMA(V) in HepG2 cells. Nevertheless, DMAPr and thio-DMAPr did not exert any cytotoxicity. In summary, our data indicate that risks to human health related to the presence of arsenic-containing fatty acids in marine food cannot be excluded. This stresses the need for a full in vitro and in vivo toxicological characterisation of these arsenolipids.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{MeyerRaberEbertetal.2015,
  author    = {Meyer, S{\"o}ren and Raber, Georg and Ebert, Franziska and Taleshi, Mojtaba S. and Francesconi, Kevin A. and Schwerdtle, Tanja},
  title     = {Arsenic-containing hydrocarbons and arsenic-containing fatty acids: Transfer across and presystemic metabolism in the Caco-2 intestinal barrier model},
  series = {Molecular nutrition \& food research : bioactivity, chemistry, immunology, microbiology, safety, technology},
  volume    = {59},
  journal   = {Molecular nutrition \& food research : bioactivity, chemistry, immunology, microbiology, safety, technology},
  number    = {10},
  publisher = {Wiley-Blackwell},
  address   = {Hoboken},
  issn      = {1613-4125},
  doi       = {10.1002/mnfr.201500286},
  pages     = {2044 -- 2056},
  year      = {2015},
  abstract  = {Scope: Arsenic-containing hydrocarbons (AsHCs) and arsenic-containing fatty acids (AsFAs) represent two classes of arsenolipids occurring naturally in marine food. Toxicological data are yet scarce and an assessment regarding the risk to human health has not been possible. Here, we investigated the transfer and presystemic metabolism of five arsenolipids in an intestinal barrier model. Methods and results: Three AsHCs and two AsFAs were applied to the Caco-2 intestinal barrier model. Thereby, the short-chain AsHCs reached up to 50\% permeability. Transport is likely to occur via passive diffusion. The AsFAs showed lower intestinal bioavailability, but respective permeabilities were still two to five times higher as compared to arsenobetaine or arsenosugars. Interestingly, AsFAs were effectively biotransformed while passing the in vitro intestinal barrier, whereas AsHCs were transported to the blood-facing compartment essentially unchanged. Conclusion: AsFAs can be presystemically metabolised and the amount of transferred arsenic is lower than that for AsHCs. In contrast, AsHCs are likely to be highly intestinally bioavailable to humans. Since AsHCs exert strong toxicity in vitro and in vivo, toxicity studies with experimental animals as well as a human exposure assessment are needed to assess the risk to human health related to the presence of AsHCs in seafood.},
  language  = {en}
}