Free Radical-Scavenging Properties and Antioxidant Activity of Fractions from Cranberry Products

Lipid peroxidation inhibition capacity and antiradical activity were evaluated in HPLC fractions of different polarity obtained from two cranberry juices and three extracts isolated from frozen cranberries and pomace containing antho-cyanins, water-soluble and apolar phenolic compounds, respectively. Compounds with close polarities were collected to obtain between three and four fractions from each juice or extract. The cranberry phenols are good free radi-cal-scavengers, but they were less efficient at inhibiting the lipid peroxidation. Of all the samples tested, the intermediate polarity fraction of extract rich in apolar phenolic compounds of fruit presented the highest antiradical activity while the most hydrophobic fractions of the anthocyanin-rich extract from fruit and pomace appeared to be the most efficient at inhibiting the lipid peroxidation. The antioxidant or pro-oxidant activity of fractions increased with the con-centration. The phenol polarity and the technological process to manufacture cranberry juice can influence the antioxidant and antiradical activities of fractions.

Immunotoxic potential of aeration lagoon effluents for the treatment of domestic and hospital wastewaters in the freshwater mussel Elliptio complanata

Municipal wastewaters are major sources of pollution for the aquatic biota. The purpose of this study was to determine the levels of some pharmaceutical products and the immunotoxic potential of a municipal wastewater aeration lagoon for the treatment of the domestic wastewaters of a small town with wastewater inputs from a 400-bed hospital complex. Endemic mussels were collected, caged and placed in the final aeration lagoon and at sites 1 km upstream and 1 km downstream of the effluent outfall in the receiving river for a period of 14 days. The results showed that the final aeration lagoon contained high levels of total coliforms, conductivity and low dissolved oxygen （2.9 mg/L） as well as detectable amounts of trimethoprim, carbamazepine, gemfibrozil, and norfloxacin at concentrations exceeding 50 ng/L. The lagoon effluent was indeed toxic to the mussel specimens, as evidenced by the appearance of mortality after 14 days （10% mortality）, decreased mussel weight-to-shell-length ratio and loss of hemocyte viability. The number of adhering hemocytes, phagocytic activity, total nitrite levels and arachidonic cyclooxygenase activity were significantly higher in mussels placed in the final aeration lagoon. A multivariate analysis also revealed that water pH, conductivity, total coliforms and dissolved oxygen were the endpoints most closely linked with phagocytic activity, the amount of adhering hemocytes and loss of hemocyte viability. In conclusion, exposure of mussels to treated aerated lagoon wastewater is deleterious to freshwater mussels where the immune system is compromised.

The activating effect of IFN-y on monocytes/macrophages is regulated by the LIF-trophoblast-lL-lO axis via Statl inhibition and Stat3 activation

Interferon gamma （IFN-7） and leukemia inhibitory factor （LIF） are key gestational factors that may differentially affect leukocyte function during gestation. Because IFN-,/induces a pro-inflammatory phenotype in macrophages and because trophoblast cells are principal targets of LIF in the placenta, we investigated whether and how soluble factors from trophoblast cells regulate the effects of IFN-7 on macrophage activation. IFN-7 reduces macrophage motility, but enhances Statl activation, pro-inflammatory gene expression and cytotoxic functions. Soluble factors from villous cytotrophoblasts （vCT＋LIF cells） and BeWo cells （BW/ST＋LIF cells） that were differentiated in the presence of LIF inhibit macrophage Statl activation but inversely sustain Stat3 activation in response to IFN-7. vCT＋LIF cells produce soluble factors that induce Stat3 activation; this effect is partially abrogated in the presence of neutralizing anti-interleukin 10 （IL-IO） antibodies. Moreover, soluble factors from BW/ST＋LIF cells reduce cell proliferation but enhance the migratory responses of monocytes. In addition, these factors reverse the inhibitory effect of IFN-y on monocyte/macrophage motility. BW/ST＋LIF cells also generate IFN-y-activated macrophages with enhanced IL-IO expression, but reduced tumor-necrosis factor alpha （TNF-cd, CD14 and CD40 expression as well as impaired cytotoxic function. Additional assays performed in the presence of neutralizing anti-lL-lO antibodies and exogenous IL-IO demonstrate that reduced macrophage cytotoxicity and proliferation, but increased cell motility result from the ability of trophoblast IL-IO to sustain Star3 activation and suppress IFN-y-induced Star1 activation. These in vitro studies are the first to describe the regulatory role of the LIF-trophoblast-lL- 10 axis in the process of macrophage activation in response to pro-inflammatory cytokines.

Immunotoxic effects of an industrial waste incineration site on groundwater in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

The discharge of organic waste from the petrochemical industry into the Mercier lagoons caused major groundwater contamination. The objective of this study was to determine the immunotoxic potential of three groundwater wells at increasing distance from the incinerator dumping site （1.17, 2.74 and 5.40 km）. Rainbow Trout were exposed to increasing concentrations of water from three groundwater wells for 14 days. Immunocompetence was characterized by phagocytosis, mitogen-stimulated proliferation of lymphocytes, cell cycle analysis and apoptosis. A significant increase in innate （phagocytosis） and specific immune response （B lymphocyte proliferation） was observed in trout exposed to water collected from the well at 2.74 km. However, phagocytosis activity was suppressed in groups at 1.17 and 5.40 km. The proportion of lymphocytes in S phase was significantly increased in groups at 2.74 and 5.40 kin, while lymphocytes in G0/G1 phase were decreased in all three exposure groups. Additionally, dexamethasone （DEX）-induced apoptosis of lymphocytes was significantly reduced in the group at 2.74 km, which suggests decreased lymphocyte turnover. Furthermore, the ratio of DEX- induced apoptosis/apoptosis was lower in the groups at 2.74 and 5.40 km. In summary, our experiments have shown that exposure to the mixture of organic compounds present in Mercier groundwater modulates phagocytosis and cell proliferation, disrupts the cell cycle and reduces the ratio of DEX- induced apoptosis/apoptosis. It is concluded that groundwater collected in the vicinity of an incinerator containment field could impact immunocompetence in fish.

Effects of a municipal effluent on the freshwater mussel Elliptio complanata following challenge with Vibrio anguillarum

The purpose of this study was to examine the cumulative effects of exposure to a pathogenic bacteria and municipal effluent in the freshwater mussel Elliptio complanata. Mussels were exposed to increasing concentrations of an ozone-treated effluent at 15°C for 7 days. A sub-group of mussels was inoculated with Vibrio anguillarum and exposed to the same conditions as above.After the exposure period, mussels were collected to assess hemocyte count and viability,immunocompetence（phagocytosis and nitrite production）, oxidative stress/inflammation（cyclooxygenase and lipid peroxidation） and oxygen radical/xenobiotic scavenging activity（metallothioniens, glutathione S-transferase）. The results showed that mussels exposed to municipal effluent had increased hemocyte counts, phagocytosis, nitrites, lipid peroxidation and metallothioneins. In the inoculated mussels, the same responses were observed, in addition to cyclooxygenase and glutathione S-transferase activities. Multivariate analyses revealed that（1）the response pattern changed with effluent concentration, where increased responses observed at low effluent concentrations（〉10%, V/V） were attenuated at higher effluent concentrations,（2）the effluent produced more pronounced changes in lipid peroxidation, metallothionein and hemocyte viability, and（3） the simultaneous presence of V. anguillarum led to more important changes in hemocyte count and viability and nitrite levels. In conclusion, the presence of V.anguillarum could alter the response of mussels to municipal effluent, which could lead to increased inflammation in mussels.

In vitro immunotoxicity of untreated and treated urbanwastewaters using various treatment processes to rainbow trout leucocytes

Municipal effluents are known to impede the immune system of aquatic organisms. The purpose of this studywas to examine the immunotoxicity of urbanwastewaters before and after 6 treatment processes from 12 cities toward trout leucocytes. Freshly prepared trout leucocyteswere exposed to increasing concentrations of solid phase （C18） extracts ofwastewaters for24 hr at 15°C. Immunocompetencewasdetermined by following changes in leucocyte viability and the proportion of cells able to ingest at least one （immunoactivity） and at least three （immunoefficiency） fluorescent beads. The influentswere treated by sixdifferent treatment strategies consisting of facultative aerated lagoons, activated sludge, biological aerated filter, biological nutrient removal, chemically-assisted physical treatment and trickling filter/solid contact. Water quality parameters of thewastewaters revealed that the plants effectively removed total suspended solids and reduced the chemical oxygendemand. The results revealed that the effluents＇ immunotoxic propertieswere generally more influenced by the properties of the untreatedwastewaters than by the treatment processes. About half of the incoming influentsdecreased leucocyte viabilitywhile4 treatment plantswere able to reduce toxicity. The influents readily increased phagocytosis activity for 8/12 influentswhile itwasdecreased in4/12 influents. This increasewas abolished for4/12 of the effluents using treatments involving biological and oxidative processes. In conclusion, municipal effluents have the potential to alter the immune system in fish and more researchwill be needed to improve the treatments ofwastewaters to better protect the quality of the aquatic environment.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE Dynamics of bacterial community at varying sludge retention time within membrane bioreactor treating synthetic hospital wastewater

The study was conducted to investigate the effect of sludge retention on bacterial community composition of membrane bioreactor(MBR)treating synthetic hospital wastewater.The removal of four pharmaceuticals,namely carbamazepine,estradiol,venlafaxine,and ibuprofen in MBR,was studied at varying sludge retention time(SRT)duration of 100,45,and 15 days and hydraulic retention time(HRT)of 18 h.The removal of ibuprofen and estradiol was constant at varying SRT;however,a negligible removal of carbamazepine and low removal of venlafaxine was observed(<20%).The study suggested that the SRT of 45 days in MBR could provide maximum treatment efficiency via decreasing membrane clogging.The effect of sludge age and pharmaceutical presence on the bacterial community was investigated via high-throughput sequencing.The study reveals that the variation in SRT affects the dynamics of the bacterial community significantly.For instance,the dominant bacterium Caldimonas of SRT 100 was disappeared at lower SRTs.Moreover,the profile of the dominant genus of the SRTs varied greatly from each other.