Toxicology Commons^™

Can Semaglutide Influence Tumor Biomarkers? Insight From A Clinical Case, Alice Schianchi, Fabio Mauri, Christian Polli

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

To our knowledge, this is the first case reported in literature, regarding an increase in tumoral biomarkers during a treatment with Semaglutide. A 61-year-old patient was referred to our gynecological consultation due to suspected adnexal cysts following an MRI performed for a functional defecation disorder. The patient was on Semaglutide treatment. Gynecological examination and transvaginal ultrasound were normal, with no evidence of adnexal cysts. Tumor biomarker testing revealed a significant increase in CA 19-9 and a mild elevation in CA-125. In an asymptomatic patient, these findings raised suspicion of a possible neoplastic origin involving the pancreas or biliary tract. However, …

Evaluating The Efficacy Of I-Fiber Pearl On Reducing Body Fat Accumulation In Obese Females: A Randomized, Double-Blind, And Placebo-Controlled Trial, Hung-Hsuan Kuo, Chia-Chun Chen, Ching-Chang Cho, Chun-Tse Tsai, Shiuan-Chih Chen, Chin-Lin Hsu

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Obesity is a growing public health challenge worldwide, strongly linked to metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Inulin, a soluble, fermentable fiber derived mainly from Jerusalem artichoke and chicory, has been reported to improve weight management and metabolic health. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial evaluated the effects of inulin-enriched tapioca pearls (I-fiber pearl) on body composition and lipid parameters in obese women. Methods: Fifty women (BMI ≥ 27 or waist > 80 cm; age 20–50 years) were randomized to receive either I-fiber pearl or placebo (2 packs/day, 100 g/pack) for 12 weeks. Anthropometric indices, body composition, and blood biochemistry …

Spatial Distribution: Effect Of Oxygen Availability On Gut Microbiota Adhesion And Colonization, Ruixue Ding, Xiaotong Sun, Yinan Wang, Binbin Tu, Yue Liang, Qi Lin, Fuqiang Zhao

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

The gut microbiota plays a crucial role in host digestion and immune regulation; however, most existing research relies on fecal sampling, leaving uncertainty regarding whether fecal microbiota can accurately reflect the symbiotic microbial components at distinct gut sites. To address this gap, this study employed 16S rRNA gene sequencing to systematically analyze the microbial composition of three spatial compartments in the rat colon: luminal contents, mucus layer, and epithelial tissue. The results revealed notable differences in microbial communities across the three compartments. The luminal contents, which were closely associated with the fecal microbiota, exhibited high microbial abundance, encompassing gram-positive bacteria, …

Novel Oral Delivery System Using Modified Inulin For Enhanced Liver Cancer Therapy, Sung-Ling Tang, Yu-Ju Lai, Wei-Cheng Lin, Meng-Yi Bai, Yu-Chi Wang

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains a leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Although advanced oral anticancer drugs, such as sorafenib and lenvatinib, are available for treating HCC, their effectiveness is limited by significant side effects and the requirement for optimal liver function, restricting their broader use. Furthermore, these drugs cannot be used in combination, leading to suboptimal treatment outcomes. This study introduces a novel therapeutic approach by repurposing two existing drugs, niclosamide and disulfiram, as a combination therapy to treat HCC. Despite their known anticancer properties, these drugs face challenges such as high lipophilicity and a significant first-pass effect, resulting in …

Effect Of Cosmetic Whitening Ingredients’ Lipophilicity On Melanocyte Cytotoxicity: A Systematic Review, Lord Sam B. Liston, Zach Uriel Cabije, Enrico John Belleza, Catherine Ortega, Mark Niño Melgo, Vanbeth Camson, Sabrina Dahlizar, Pajaree Sakdiset, Gea Abigail Ecoy, Gerard Lee See, Florencio Jr. Arce

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Tyrosinase is an enzyme involved in the early stages of melanin synthesis. Melanin, which gives skin its pigment, is the most targeted molecule in the development of skin-whitening cosmetic products. Consequential risks of chemically induced skin diseases are associated with the usage of skin-whitening products that contain tyrosinase-inhibiting compounds. Currently, products containing tyrosinase inhibitors on the market lack collective analysis of their toxicity on melanocytes. Moreover, national regulatory agencies (e.g., FDA) place the burden of ensuring the safety of whitening products on manufacturers, risking bias and selective reporting. In fact, the ASEAN Cosmetic Directive does not include more than half …

The Protective Potential Of Intestinal Bifidobacterium-Derived Extracellular Vesicles With Unique Lipid Composition Against Blue Light-Induced Damage In Retinal Cells, Wei-Hsuan Hsu, Pin-Hsuan Su, Hao-Yuan Chien, Tzu-Ming Pan, Bao-Hong Lee

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Bifidobacterium longum is a probiotic that resides in the intestine, and extracellular vesicles (EVs) released by microorganisms have garnered attention in recent years for their role in regulating host health. This study found that triacylglycerol, cholesteryl esters, and free fatty acid (18:0 and 16:0) are primarily composed of lipids in B. longum-derived EVs by lipidomics assay. Such lipid composition facilitates the entry of EVs into ARPE-19 cells and protects the cells from oxidative death induced by blue light exposure. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that treatment with B. longum-derived EVs can regulate phosphoinositide 3-kinase and mTOR, thereby enhancing the survival …

Systematic Verification Of Saliva-Based Biosignatures For Oral Cancer Via Targeted Metabolomics, Ya-Ju Hsieh, Yu Chang, Chi Yang, Nai Hsuan Teng, Jau-Song Yu, Kai-Ping Chang, Wen-Chen Chen, Lichieh Julie Chu, Yi-Ting Chen

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) remains a major global health challenge, and early detection is essential for improving patient outcomes. To identify reliable salivary biomarkers, we performed a targeted metabolomics study using ¹³C₂/¹²C₂-dansylation, integrating candidate metabolites from published OSCC metabolomics datasets and systematically verifying them through LC-MRM-MS. A panel of 26 metabolites was quantified in saliva samples from 299 subjects, including healthy controls (n = 98), oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMD I, n = 50; OPMD II, n = 53), and OSCC patients (n = 98). Among these, cadaverine, N-acetylcadaverine, choline, glycine, and …

Phthalate Exposure And Lipid Disruption In Taiwanese Children: Insights From Serum Lipidomic Approach, Tzu-Hsin Yen, Wei-Chen Tseng, Sheng-Han Lee, Zhi-Yi Du, Wan-Yu Lin, Mei-Huei Chen, Ching-Chun Lin, Ching-Chun Lin, Hui-Ju Wen, Hao-Jan Liang, Yue-Leon Guo, Pau-Chung Chen, Ching-Yu Lin

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Phthalates are ubiquitous environmental contaminants that raise particular concern for children, who generally experience higher exposure levels and are more susceptible to environmental pollutants. To understand potential molecular mechanisms, we conducted a cross-sectional study of 256 Taiwanese children aged 8–10 years from two population-based cohorts: the Taiwan Birth Panel Study and the Taiwan Early-Life Cohort. Serum phosphocholine-containing lipids were profiled by liquid chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry and associated with urinary levels of 12 phthalate metabolites. Multiple linear regression models, adjusted for demographic and socioeconomic factors, revealed that mono-(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate (MEHHP), an oxidative metabolite of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), …

Applications Of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy In Pediatric Clinical Metabolomics: From Research To Future Perspectives, Chieh-Ni Kuo, Meng-Han Chiang, Hsien-Ju Lee, Yu-Ying Yu, Eric Yi-Liang Shen, Chih-Yung Chiu

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Metabolomics studies small-molecule metabolites to provide insights into health and disease, supporting early diagnosis and personalized medicine. Advances in mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) have expanded its use in metabolic, cancer, and cardiovascular diseases. In pediatrics, high-resolution NMR metabolomics has been instrumental in identifying age-related metabolic changes during early childhood and their associations with growth, nutrition, and disease risk. However, a comprehensive review of its clinical applications and future potential remains limited. This review highlights how utilizing specific NMR pulse sequences, such as CPMG and NOESY, allows for precise and non-destructive metabolic profiling of diverse biofluids, supported by …

The Evolution Of Desi-Msi: A Comprehensive Look At Preprocessing And Quantification Strategies For Metabolomics, Cheng-Hung Yang, Hung-Yao Ho, Chen-Yu Chang, Mei-Ling Cheng

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) has become an indispensable tool in metabolomics for visualizing the spatial distribution of biomolecules within tissues. Due to its direct, ambient analysis capability, desorption electrospray ionization (DESI-MSI) has evolved from a rapid screening tool into a precise and reliable quantitative platform. We delve into its technical principles and particularly review the criticality of sample preprocessing, highlighting the paradigm shift from a "no-preprocessing" approach to one of "optimized preprocessing." The paper details how factors like sample preservation, choice of embedding agents, washing, drying, and on-tissue chemical derivatization all impact data quality. We also discuss how the addition …

Advanced Technologies Of Single-Cell Metabolomics Unveiling Cellular Metabolic Heterogeneity For Biological And Biomedical Research, Shang-Che Kuo, Ting-Wei Tsao, I-Fan Wang, Ying-Lan Chen

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Metabolomics provides direct insights into cellular physiology, yet it faces greater analytical challenges compared to genomics and transcriptomics due to the chemical diversity, instability, and environmental sensitivity of metabolites. Conventional bulk metabolomics averages signals across cell populations, thereby masking cellular heterogeneity critical for understanding disease mechanisms. Recent breakthroughs in single-cell metabolomics (SCM), driven by advances in mass spectrometry, microfluidics, isotope tracing, and spatial omics, have enabled the detection of metabolic diversity at unprecedented resolution. SCM has uncovered cell-type-specific biomarkers, revealed metabolic reprogramming in cancer and immunity and revealed disease progression. These studies highlight SCM’s transformative potential in biomarker discovery, clinical …

Metabolomics Of Per- And Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (Pfas) Exposure: Advances In Lc-Ms Technology And Applications, Yu-Meng Wang, Pei-Chen Lin, Yu-Da Zheng, Pin-Shiuan Wu, Kuo-Tai Hua, Sung-Fang Chen

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of synthetic chemicals known for their high stability and bioaccumulation potential, leading to their widespread presence in the environment and human tissues. Exposure to PFAS has been associated with significant health concerns, including neurotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, and metabolic disturbances. Liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS) based metabolomics has emerged as a powerful and central tool for PFAS research, enabling the comprehensive analysis of metabolic changes induced by exposure. This review provides a critical summary of the applications of LC-MS metabolomics in both clinical studies and various experimental models, including in vivo models (mice) and in …

Isolation, Quantification, And Characterization Of Microplastics In Atmospheric Fallout Across Different Areas Of Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan, Muhammad Rizwan, Aqib Javed, Muhammad Javed Islam, Kashif Riaz, Asif Bilal, Muhammad Nasir, Ayesha Ali

Journal of Bioresource Management

Microplastics have become widely dispersed in our environment, and even in the air we breathe. The present research aims at identifying and determining the amounts of microplastics present in atmospheric fallout over Lahore city, which is characterized by a large population and several manufacturing industries. In order to find out the existence of microplastics, samples of atmospheric fallout were collected from various sites across hustling municipalities of Lahore that included urbanized settlements. The analysis disclosed that there are various forms of microplastic fibers, fragments and granules indicating different sources of pollution. The identified ones varied from 114.485 µm to 2034.731 …

Evaluation Of Heavy Metal And Health Risks Of Well Water In Abobo, Osara And Osaragada Communities In Kogi State, North-Central, Nigeria, Muhammed Haruna Isah, Blessing Ahmed, Dauda Tanko, Adang Kombe Lucas

Journal of Bioresource Management

Human health may be at risk if drinking water contains excessive amounts of heavy metals (HMs). To determine risks related to heavy metals, fifteen water samples were taken every month between July and September, 2024 from the communities of Abobo (Site A), Osara (Site B) and Osaragada (Site C) close to Confluence University of Science and Technology, Osara. These samples were tested for ten HMs (Cu, Fe, Ni, Zn, Co, Cd, As, Cr, Hg, Pb) with the aid of Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy. The average concentration ranges as follows: Fe (0.378-0.511 mg/l), Cu (1.643-1.720 mg/l), Ni (0.31-0.556 mg/l), Zn (0.17-0.271 mg/l), …

Environmental Mercury Alters Immune Pathways Linked To Autoimmune Risk In Mice Mirroring Humans, Maurgan Lee, Paul Stemmer, Randall Gill, Allen Rosenspire, Anil Aranha, Heather Gibson

Medical Student Research Symposium

Background and Purpose: Mercury is a pervasive environmental contaminant, and human epidemiologic studies have linked chronic low-level exposure to increased autoimmune disease-risk. Dysregulated lymphocyte activation and impaired signaling tolerance are central mechanisms in human autoimmunity. Protein phosphorylation governs lymphocyte differentiation and function, alterations in phosphoproteomic networks may represent a signature of immune disruption. This study evaluates how low dose mercury exposure modifies B and T cell abundance and intracellular signaling patterns in BALB/c and Diversity Outbred (DO) mice.

Methods: BALB/c and DO mice were exposed to low dose HgCl2 in their water for two weeks or provided standard water controls. …

Potential Innate And Adaptive Roles Played By Γδ T Cells In A Bacterial Immunization Model, Lee Anne Talbot

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Francisella tularensis is a highly infectious intracellular bacterium and the causative agent of tularemia, with pulmonary infection resulting in severe disease and high mortality if untreated. While protective immunity to F. tularensis has been largely attributed to CD4⁺ T cell–mediated IFN-γ responses, the contribution of γδ T cells to mucosal immunity and vaccine-induced protection remains poorly defined. The objective of this study was to characterize the role of γδ T cells during primary pulmonary infection with F. tularensis live vaccine strain (LVS) and following intranasal immunization with inactivated F. tularensis (iFt) prior to LVS challenge.

Using a murine intranasal infection …

The Risk Of Bpa In B Lymphocyte-Mediated Autoimmunity, Mario J. Palacios

Senior Honors Theses

Autoimmune disorders disproportionately affect females, a bias largely attributed to estrogen's modulation of B lymphocyte development and tolerance. Bisphenol A (BPA), a common plastic monomer, shows estrogenic activity and acts as an endocrine disruptor and epigenetic modifier. This thesis examines how BPA may increase autoimmune risk by mimicking estrogen such that it can excite estrogen receptors which rescue autoreactive B lymphocytes from apoptosis. While direct research linking BPA to B lymphocyte-mediated autoimmunity is limited, understanding BPA’s course of action in B lymphocytes is critical for addressing the rising prevalence of autoimmune diseases and its possible link to the increased and …

The Legacy Of Lead: Lead Exposure's Harmful Effects And Its Concentration In Poc Communities, Layla Sophronia Barber

Student Theses 2015-Present

This thesis examines the disproportionate burden of lead exposure carried by low income, POC communities. The systemic nature of this problem is a symptom of a longstanding legacy of environmental injustice in the United States. Decades of federal neglect are reflected in the higher statistics of lead exposure and poisoning in predominantly black communities. While it is understood that lead exposure poses a serious threat to physical health and early cognitive development, there is a discouraging lack of urgency to remove the toxin from non-wealthy communities. The material covered by this thesis aims to identify and correct the discriminatory social …

Disruption Of Energy Homeostasis By Chemical Mixtures Containing Persistent Pollutants In Hepg2 And C2c12 Cells, Morgan Jacobellis

All Theses

The Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes Fetal Growth Studies (ECHO-FGS) birth cohort data was used to identify chemical mixtures associated with adverse outcomes. This biomonitoring study associated specific chemical mixtures in maternal serum with low birth weight or childhood obesity (Pearce et al., 2021). Mixture Profiles 1, 3, and 4, comprised of different observed concentrations of DDE, PCB153, BDE47, and PFOS were prioritized. Mixtures were tested to determine whether they perturbed mitochondrial metabolism and energy sensing pathways. The purpose of this study was to elucidate a potential mechanism linking maternal exposure to mixtures containing persistent organic pollutants (POPs) to …

The Cobalt Curse: Cobalt’S Role And Risks, Marley Jackowitz

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper examines the hidden environmental, geopolitical, economic, and social costs of the cobalt supply chain. Fueled by the demand for battery technology and electric vehicles, cobalt has become an essential element to the green energy transition. With the largest share of global cobalt deposits, the Democratic Republic of the Congo bears a disproportionate share of the industry’s harms. Cobalt mining in the DRC is marked by environmentally degrading practices and inhumane working conditions, compromising Congolese health, safety, and well-being. Chapter 1 discusses the environmental impacts of DRC cobalt mining and its adverse effects on public health. Environmentally degrading mining …