Abstract
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), a kind of flame retardants, were widely used in the furniture, textile and electronics industries. Because of their lipophilic, persistent and bio-accumulative properties, PBDEs were listed on the Stockholm Convention as typical persistent organic pollutants (POPs). We have previously reported that a highly active, quinone-type metabolite of PBDEs (PBDEQ) causes DNA damage and subsequently triggers apoptosis. However, it is remaining unclear whether PBDEQ provokes protein damage and stimulates corresponding signaling cascade. Using human normal liver (LO2) cells as an in vitro model, we demonstrated that PBDEQ causes oxidative protein damage through excess reactive oxygen species (ROS). Consistently, we found PBDEQ exposure causes the depletion of protein thiol group, the appearance of carbonyl group and the accumulation of protein aggregates. Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress was involved in the repair of oxidized proteins. Under the scenario of severe damage, LO2 cells degrade oxidized proteins through ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) and autophagy. The blockage of these protein degradation pathways aggravates PBDEQ-induced cytotoxicity in LO2 cells, whilst antioxidant N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC) rescues PBDEQ-induced oxidative protein damage conversely. In summary, our current study first demonstrated PBDEQ-induced protein oxidative damage in LO2 cells, which offer a better understanding of the cytotoxicity of PBDEs and corresponding metabolites.