Impacts of prothioconazole and prothioconazole-desthio on bile acid and glucolipid metabolism: Upregulation of CYP7A1 expression in HepG2 cells.

As an efficient triazole fungicide, prothioconazole (PTC) is widely used for the prevention and control of plant fungal pathogens. It was reported that the residues of PTC and prothioconazole-desthio (PTC-d) have been detected in the environment and crops, and the effects of PTC-d may be higher than that of PTC. Currently, PTC and PTC-d have been proven to induce hepatic metabolic disorders. However, their toxic effects on cellular bile acid (BA) and glucolipid metabolism remain unknown. In this study, HepG2 cells were exposed to 1-500 μM of PTC or PTC-d. High concentrations of PTC and PTC-d were found to induce cytotoxicity; thus, subsequent experimental exposure was conducted at concentrations of 10-50 μM. The expression levels of CYP7A1 and TG synthesis-related genes and levels of TG and total BA were observed to increase in HepG2 cells. Molecular docking analysis revealed direct interactions between PTC or PTC-d and CYP7A1 protein. To further investigate the underlying mechanisms, PTC and PTC-d were treated to HepG2 cells in which CYP7A1 expression was knocked down using siCYP7A1. It was observed that PTC and PTC-d affected the BA metabolism process and regulated the glycolipid metabolism process by promoting the expression of CYP7A1. In summary, we comprehensively analyzed the effects and mechanisms of PTC and PTC-d on cellular metabolism in HepG2 cells, providing theoretical data for evaluating the safety and potential risks associated with these substances.