First Attempt to Couple Proteomics with the <em>AhR</em> Reporter Gene Bioassay in Soil Pollution Monitoring and Assessment
Claudia Landi,
Giulia Liberatori,
Pietro Cotugno,
Lucrezia Sturba,
Maria Luisa Vannuccini,
Federica Massari,
Daniela Valeria Miniero,
Angelo Tursi,
Enxhi Shaba,
Peter A. Behnisch,
Alfonso Carleo,
Fabrizio Di Giuseppe,
Stefania Angelucci,
Luca Bini,
Ilaria Corsi
Affiliations
Claudia Landi
Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
Giulia Liberatori
Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
Pietro Cotugno
Department of Biology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70121 Bari, Italy
Lucrezia Sturba
Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
Maria Luisa Vannuccini
Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
Federica Massari
Department of Biology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70121 Bari, Italy
Daniela Valeria Miniero
Department of Biology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70121 Bari, Italy
Angelo Tursi
Department of Biology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70121 Bari, Italy
Enxhi Shaba
Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
Peter A. Behnisch
BioDetection System BV (BDS) Amsterdam, 1098 XH Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Alfonso Carleo
Department of Pulmonology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
Fabrizio Di Giuseppe
Department of Medical, Oral & Biotechnological Sciences, Dentistry and Biotechnology and Proteomics Unit, Centre of Advanced Studies and Technology, “G. D’Annunzio”, University of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy
Stefania Angelucci
Department of Medical, Oral & Biotechnological Sciences, Dentistry and Biotechnology and Proteomics Unit, Centre of Advanced Studies and Technology, “G. D’Annunzio”, University of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy
Luca Bini
Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
Ilaria Corsi
Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
A topsoil sample obtained from a highly industrialized area (Taranto, Italy) was tested on the DR-CALUX® cell line and the exposed cells processed with proteomic and bioinformatics analyses. The presence of polyhalogenated compounds in the topsoil extracts was confirmed by GC-MS/MS analysis. Proteomic analysis of the cells exposed to the topsoil extracts identified 43 differential proteins. Enrichment analysis highlighted biological processes, such as the cellular response to a chemical stimulus, stress, and inorganic substances; regulation of translation; regulation of apoptotic process; and the response to organonitrogen compounds in light of particular drugs and compounds, extrapolated by bioinformatics all linked to the identified protein modifications. Our results confirm and reflect the complex epidemiological situation occurring among Taranto inhabitants and underline the need to further investigate the presence and sources of inferred chemicals in soils. The combination of bioassays and proteomics reveals a more complex scenario of chemicals able to affect cellular pathways and leading to toxicities rather than those identified by only bioassays and related chemical analysis. This combined approach turns out to be a promising tool for soil risk assessment and deserves further investigation and developments for soil monitoring and risk assessment.
