Proteomics Approach (iTRAQ) to Test Subchronic and Chronic Toxicity Effects of Mice Exposed to Drinking Water Source from Yangtze River Delta

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the combined effects of the pollutants in source of drinking water for local populations, mice models were used to test the subchronic toxicity for three months and chronic toxicity for six months. Methods and Results: By using proteomics approach (iTRAQ), we had identified 29 differentially expressed proteins, which were related to amino acids metabolism, cell skeleton reorganization, apoptosis and cancer genesis. Moreover, 12 out of these 29 identified proteins are located in mitochondria, indicating drinking water source from Yangtze River Delta may exert oxidative damage stress to liver cells. All these cellular processes had been verified by hepatic histopathology, real time-PCR, flow cytometry test and our previous metabolic profile results. Conclusion: All these tests indicated that drinking water source from Yangtze River Delta could accelerate aging, enhance apoptosis and carcinogenesis risk.