Identification of acrolein as a novel diagnostic odor biomarker for 1,2,3-trichloropropane-induced hepatotoxicity in Sprague Dawley rats

Ji Eun Kim; Tae Ryeol Kim; Hee Jin Song; Yu Jeong Roh; Ayun Seol; Ki Ho Park; Eun Seo Park; Kyeong Seon Min; Kyu-Bong Kim; Seung Jun Kwack; Young Suk Jung; Dae Youn Hwang

doi:10.1007/s43188-024-00253-0

Identification of acrolein as a novel diagnostic odor biomarker for 1,2,3-trichloropropane-induced hepatotoxicity in Sprague Dawley rats

Toxicol Res. 2024 Jul 13;40(4):639-651. doi: 10.1007/s43188-024-00253-0. eCollection 2024 Oct.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Biomaterials Science (BK21 FOUR Program)/Life and Industry Convergence Research Institute/Laboratory Animals Resources Center, College of Natural Resources and Life Science, Pusan National University, Miryang, 50463 Republic of Korea.
² College of Pharmacy, Dankook University, Cheonan, 31116 Republic of Korea.
³ Department of Bio Health Science, College of Natural Science, Changwon National University, Changwon, 51140 Republic of Korea.
⁴ Department of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Research Institute for Drug Development, Pusan National University, Busan, 46241 Republic of Korea.

^# Contributed equally.

PMID: 39345751
PMCID: PMC11436700 (available on 2025-10-01)
DOI: 10.1007/s43188-024-00253-0

Abstract

Body odor is considered a diagnostic indicator of various infectious and chronic diseases. But, few studies have examined the odor markers for various toxic effects in the mammalian system. This study attempted to identify the novel diagnostic odor biomarkers for chemical-induced hepatotoxicity in animals. The changes in the concentration of odors were analyzed in the urine of Sprague Dawley (SD) rats treated with two dosages (100 or 200 mg/kg) of 1,2,3-trichloropropane (TCP) using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The TCP treatment induced significant toxicity, including a decrease in body weight, an increase in serum biochemical factors, and histopathological changes in the liver of SD rats. During this hepatotoxicity, the concentrations of six odors (ethyl alcohol, acrolein (2-propenal), methanesulfonyl chloride, methyl ethyl ketone, cyclotrisiloxane, and 2-heptanone) in urine changed significantly after the TCP treatment. Among them, acrolein, an acrid and pungent compound, showed the highest rate of increase in the TCP-treated group compared to the Vehicle-treated group. In addition, this increase in acrolein was accompanied by enhanced spermine oxidase (SMOX) expression, an acrolein metabolic enzyme, and the increased level of IL-6 transcription as a regulator factor that induces SMOX production. The correlation between acrolein and other parameters was conformed using correlagram analyses. These results provide scientific evidence that acrolein have potential as a novel diagnostic odor biomarker for TCP-induced hepatotoxicity.

Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s43188-024-00253-0.

Keywords: 1,2,3-Trichloropropane (TCP); Acrolein; Hepatotoxicity; Odor; Spermine oxidase.

© The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Korean Society of Toxicology 2024. Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.