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Background: Pyrethroids are widely used pesticides and are suspected to affect children's neurodevelopment. The characterization of pyrethroid exposure during critical windows of development, such as fetal development and prenatal life, is essential to ensure a better understanding of pyrethroids potential effects within the concept of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease., Objective: The aim of this study was to estimate maternal exposure of French pregnant women from biomonitoring data and simulate maternal and fetal internal concentrations of 3 pyrethroids (permethrin, cypermethrin and deltamethrin) using a multi-substance pregnancy-PBPK (physiologically based pharmacokinetics) model. The estimated maternal exposures were compared to newly proposed toxicological reference values (TRV) children specific also called draft child-specific reference value to assess pyrethroid exposure risk during pregnancy i.e. during the in utero exposure period., Methods: A pregnancy-PBPK model was developed based on an existing adult pyrethroids model. The maternal exposure to each parent compound of pregnant women of the Elfe (French Longitudinal Study since Childhood) cohort was estimated by reverse dosimetry based on urinary biomonitoring data. To identify permethrin and cypermethrin contribution to their common urinary biomarkers of exposure, an exposure ratio based on biomarkers in hair was tested. Finally, exposure estimates were compared to current and draft child-specific reference values derived from rodent prenatal and postnatal exposure studies., Results: The main contributor to maternal pyrethroid diet intake is cis-permethrin. In blood, total internal concentrations main contributor is deltamethrin. In brain, the major contributors to internal pyrethroid exposure are deltamethrin for fetuses and cis-permethrin for mothers. Risk is identified only for permethrin when referring to the draft child-specific reference value. 2.5% of the population exceeded permethrin draft child-specific reference value., Conclusions: A new reverse dosimetry approach using PBPK model combined with human biomonitoring data in urine and hair was proposed to estimate Elfe pregnant population exposure to a pyrethroids mixture with common metabolites., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Owing to a wide range of advantages, such as stability, non-invasiveness, and ease of sampling, hair has been used progressively for comprehensive biomonitoring of organic pollutants for the last three decades. This has led to the development of new analytical and multi-class analysis methods for the assessment of a broad range of organic pollutants in various population groups, ranging from small-scale studies to advanced studies with a large number of participants based on different exposure settings. This meta-analysis summarizes the existing literature on the assessment of organic pollutants in hair in terms of residue levels, the correlation of hair residue levels with those of other biological matrices and socio-demographic factors, the reliability of hair versus other biomatrices for exposure assessment, the use of segmental hair analysis for chronic exposure evaluation and the effect of external contamination on hair residue levels. Significantly high concentrations of organic pollutants such as pesticides, flame retardants, polychlorinated biphenyls and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon were reported in human hair samples from different regions and under different exposure settings. Similarly, high concentrations of pesticides (from agricultural activities), flame retardants (E-waste dismantling activities), dioxins and furans were observed in various occupational settings. Moreover, significant correlations (p < 0.05) for hair and blood concentrations were observed in majority of studies featuring pesticides and flame retardants. While among sociodemographic factors, gender and age significantly affected the hair concentrations in females and children in general exposure settings, whereas adult workers in occupational settings. Furthermore, the assessment of the hair burden of persistent organic pollutants in domestic and wild animals showed high concentrations for pesticides such as HCHs and DDTs whereas the laboratory-based studies using animals demonstrated strong correlations between exposure dose, exposure duration, and measured organic pollutant levels, mainly for chlorpyrifos, diazinon, terbuthylazine, aldrin, dieldrin and pyrethroid metabolites. Considering the critical analysis of the results obtained from literature review, hair is regarded as a reliable matrix for organic pollutant assessment; however, some limitations, as discussed in this review, need to be overcome to reinforce the status of hair as a suitable matrix for exposure assessment., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Obesity, diabetes, hypertension and dyslipidemia are well-established risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), and have been associated with exposure to persistent organic pollutants. However, studies have been lacking as regards effects of non-persistent pesticides on CVD risk factors. Here, we investigated whether background chronic exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and multiclass pesticides were associated with the prevalence of these CVD risk factors in 502 Belgian and 487 Luxembourgish adults aged 18-69 years from the Nutrition, environment and cardiovascular health (NESCAV) study 2007-2013. We used hair analysis to evaluate the chronic internal exposure to three PCBs, seven organochlorine pesticides (OCs) and 18 non-persistent pesticides. We found positive associations of obesity with hexachlorobenzene (HCB), β-hexachlorocyclohexane (β-HCH) and chlorpyrifos, diabetes with pentachlorophenol (PCP), fipronil and fipronil sulfone, hypertension with PCB180 and chlorpyrifos, and dyslipidemia with diflufenican and oxadiazon, among others. However, we also found some inverse associations, such as obesity with PCP, diabetes with γ-HCH, hypertension with diflufenican, and dyslipidemia with chlorpyrifos. These results add to the existing evidence that OC exposure may contribute to the development of CVDs. Additionally, the present study revealed associations between CVD risk factors and chronic environmental exposure to currently used pesticides such as organophosphorus and pyrethroid pesticides., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Wildlife is increasingly exposed to environmental pollution, but data illustrating to what extent this exposure can impact health and survival of endangered species is missing. In humans, hair matrix analysis is a reliable tool for assessing cumulative exposure to organic pollutants such as pesticides but has rarely been used in other primates for this purpose. LC/MS-MS and GC/MS-MS multi-residue methods were used to screen the presence of 152 organic pollutants and their metabolites belonging to 21 different chemical families in hair samples from our closest relative, the chimpanzee. Samples were collected from 20 wild chimpanzees in Sebitoli, Kibale National Park, Uganda and 9 captive chimpanzees in the Réserve Africaine de Sigean, France. In total, 90 chemicals were detected, 60 in wild chimpanzees and 79 in captive chimpanzees. The median concentrations of detected chemicals in captive individuals were significantly higher than those in wild chimpanzees. Hair from the captive individuals at RAS was sampled a second time after 6 months in an environment of reduced exposure to these pollutants (diet of organic food, decreased use of plastic food and water containers). The number of chemicals detected in captive chimpanzees reduced from 79 to 63, and their concentrations were also significantly reduced. In the present study we report for the first time the use of hair analysis to detect organic pollutants in primate hair. We conclude that both wild and captive chimpanzees are exposed to a large range of different chemicals through their diet. Our study provides surprising and alarming evidence that besides the direct threats of poaching, deforestation and diseases, wild chimpanzees might be endangered by indirect consequences of anthropic activities. As chimpanzees are our closest relatives, our results should be considered as an alert for human health as well., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The assessment of human exposure to fast-elimination endocrine disruptors (ED) such as phthalates, bisphenols or pesticides is usually based on urinary biomarkers. The variability of biomarkers concentration, due to rapid elimination from the body combined with frequent exposure is however pointed out as a major limitation to exposure assessment. Other matrices such as hair, less sensitive to short-term variations in the exposure, have been proposed as possible alternatives. Nevertheless, no study compared the information obtained from hair and urine respectively in a follow-up allowing to assess biomarkers variability over time in these two matrices, and to compare the correlation between them., Methods: In the present study, hair and urine samples were collected from 16 volunteers over a 6 months follow-up. All in all, 92 hair samples and 805 urines samples were collected and analyzed for the presence of 16 phthalate metabolites, 4 bisphenols and 8 pesticides/metabolites., Results: All the biomarkers analyzed were detected in at least one of the two matrices. 21 biomarkers were more frequently detected in hair, 6 in urine, and 1 was equivalent. Biomarkers intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) ranged from 0.1 to 0.8 (ten above 0.4) in hair, and from 0.09 to 0.51 in urine (two above 0.4). The concentrations of biomarkers in hair and urine were significantly correlated for only one compound., Conclusion: This study highlights the complexity of assessing exposure to fast-elimination ED and suggests considering with caution the specificity of the matrix in data interpretation. The results document the respective advantages and limitations of urine and hair, and provide new insight in the understanding of the information provided by these biological matrices and their relevance for the assessment of human exposure to fast elimination contaminants., Capsule: 92 hair and 805 urine samples collected from 16 volunteers over 6 months, tested for phthalate metabolites, bisphenols and pesticides. 19 biomarkers (in hair) and 24 (in urine) were detected in >50% of the samples., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The impact of pollution on children's health has been increasingly pointed out in numerous studies which emphasized their increased vulnerability compared to adults. This pilot study investigated the relevance of hair analysis for the assessment of children exposure to pollution and to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS). The methodology based on GC-MS/MS and LC-MS/MS, is the first one to investigate simultaneously parent PAH (n = 15), PAH metabolites (n = 56), nicotine and cotinine in a biological matrix. The method was applied to hair samples collected from 25 children, aged from 2 to 11 years, living in Paris, France, selected as densely populated area with urban pollution including vehicle exhausts, and Yeu Island, a French island in the Atlantic ocean, selected as control area with low population density and no fuel powered vehicles. Nicotine and cotinine were detected in all the samples at concentrations up to 2275 pg/mg and 110 pg/mg respectively, suggesting exposure to ETS in the two areas. 10 parent PAH and 10 metabolites were detected in 100% and in >90% of the samples respectively. Eight of these biomarkers presented a significantly higher concentration in children from Paris than from Yeu Island. The results suggest association between PAH exposure and estimated time of exposure to vehicle exhaust as well as higher exposure to both PAH and ETS in the youngest children. Although these findings need to be confirmed on wider populations, the results obtained in this pilot study strongly support the relevance of hair analysis for the biomonitoring of children exposure to urban pollution and ETS., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The present study addresses the hypothesis that the concentration of tetrahydroxylated Polycylic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (tetra-OH-PAHs) in hair might be a useful biomarker of human exposure to PAHs, providing quantitative assessment of the internal dose, as well as information on the associated toxicity in relation to individual's specific metabolism. By means of animal models, this work aimed at identifying new tetra-OH-PAHs which can be released from the hydrolysis of DNA-adducts and can also be directly detected in biological matrices usually used in the field of biomonitoring such as hair and urine. Results obtained from a targeted gas chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) approach, demonstrated the presence of 8 tetrahydroxylated metabolites in DNA and 23 in hairs of rats exposed to mixtures of PAHs, which had never been analyzed before. Ten tetra-OH-PAHs were clearly characterized by using their analytical standards, corresponding to 4 parent PAHs (phenanthrene, chrysene, benz[a]anthracene and benzo[a]pyrene) whereas 13 tetra-OH-PAHs from 3 other parents (anthracene, fluoranthene and benz[k]fluoranthene) were detected but not yet characterized. No tetrahydroxylated metabolite has been clearly identified for naphthalene, fluorene, benzo[b]fluoranthene, benzo[g,h,i]perylene, or dibenzo[a,h]anthracene, which can all potentially form adducts. The relevance of tetra-OH-PAH analysis in hair as biomarkers of PAH exposure was evaluated in a dose-response study conducted on 64 rats (Long Evans females/n = 8 per groups) under repeated exposure (3 times per week) to a mixture of 16 PAHs at low doses (0.01-0.8 mg/kg) for 90 days. Most of the tetra-OH-PAHs targeted in the method were detected in the hairs of the rats, regardless of the dose of exposure. Significant linear relationships (R 2 ranging from 0.558 to 0.964, p < 0.001) were observed between the administered dose and the tetra-OH-PAH concentrations in the hairs for 20 out of the 23 metabolites. By widening the range of PAH metabolites used as biomarkers of exposure so as to include the analysis of PAH tetrahydroxylated forms (especially those exhibiting more than 5 aromatic rings), the present methodology will enable multi-exposure assessments which are more accurately representative of actual situations of exposure to PAHs., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

In order to identify associations between indoor air contamination and human exposure to pesticides, hair samples from 14 persons (9 adults and 5 children below 12 years) were collected simultaneously with the air of their 5 contrasted houses. Three houses were situated in Alsace (France), one in Lorraine (France) and one in Luxembourg (Luxembourg). Houses were located in urban (n=3), semi-urban (n=1) and rural areas (n=1). Twenty five (25) pesticides were detected at least once in indoor air samples and 20 pesticides were detected at least once in hair samples. The comparison between hair and air samples for the same sampling periods shows that pesticides detected in the two matrices were not necessarily associated. Exposure profiles varied from one home to another but also between inhabitants of the same home, suggesting that exposure can be different between inhabitants of the same home. This study demonstrated the usefulness and the complementarity of hair analysis, for the personalized biomonitoring of people exposure to pesticides, and air analysis, for the identification of airborne exposure and house contamination., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

A method coupling thermal desorption and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) was developed for the simultaneous determination of 7 pyrethroids (allethrin, bifenthrin, cyphenothrin, imiprothrin, permethrin, prallethrin and tetramethrin) and piperonyl butoxide adsorbed on Tenax TA(®) passive samplers after exposure in indoor air. Thermal desorption was selected as it permits efficient and rapid extraction without solvent used together with a good sensitivity. Detection (S/N>3) and quantification (S/N>10) limits varied between 0.001 ng and 2.5 ng and between 0.005 and 10 ng respectively with a reproducibility varied between 14% (bifenthrin) and 39% (permethrin). The method was used for the comparison indoor air contamination after low-pressure spraying and fumigation application in a rubbish chute situated in the basement of a building., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Since exposure to benzo[a]pyrene is suspected to be associated with several health issues, significant efforts have been made to develop efficient strategies for the assessment of human exposure to this ubiquitous compound. In this context, a method was developed for the analysis of four tetrahydroxylated-benzo[a]pyrene isomers resulting from the hydrolysis of their respective diol-epoxide precursors which are involved in DNA-adduct formation. The analytical sensitivity necessary to reach environmental levels of concentration was obtained by using gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The recovery determined at the four concentration levels were estimated in average at 83% for benzo[a]pyrene-r-7,t-8,t-9,c-10-tetrahydrotetrol(±), 29% for benzo[a]pyrene-r-7,t-8,t-9,t-10-tetrahydrotetrol(±), and 82% for benzo[a]pyrene-r-7,t-8,C-9,c-10-tetrahydrotetrol(±). The coefficient of determination of the calibration curve was above 0.997 for all the analytes investigated and the limit of quantification ranged from 0.5 to 2 adduct/10(8) nucleotides. The precision was between 5.3% and 22.3%. The suitability of the method was firstly evaluated by the analysis of DNA isolated from white blood cells of rats submitted after controlled exposure to benzo[a]pyrene. The four targeted tetra-OH-benzo[a]pyrenes as well as two unknown isomers were detected in all the treated animals. Benzo[a]pyrene-r-7,t-8,c-9,c-10-tetrahydrotetrol(±) appeared as the most abundant isomer in both treated and control animals followed by benzo[a]pyrene-r-7,t-8,t-9,c-10-tetrahydrotetrol(±). The method was afterwards applied to the analysis of DNA isolated from white blood cells of human volunteers. The results confirmed that this method was sufficiently sensitive to monitor environmental levels of exposure since all the specimens analyzed were above the limit of quantification for benzo[a]pyrene-r-7,t-8,t-9,c-10-tetrahydrotetrol(±) and two of them were positive for benzo[a]pyrene-r-7,t-8,c-9,c-10-tetrahydrotetrol(±), thereby highlighting interspecies differences in the nature of the tetrahydroxylated-benzo[a]pyrene isomers formed. This study confirms the necessity to focus on all the tetrahydroxylated-benzo[a]pyrene isomers, which could be indicators of benzo[a]pyrene-associated toxicity related to an individual's own metabolism, rather than limit to a single form., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The present study focuses on the influence of a purification step - after extraction of pesticides from hair and before analysis of the extract - on the sensitivity of analytical methods including compounds from different chemical classes (both parent and metabolites). Sixty-seven pesticides and metabolites from different chemical classes were tested here: organochlorines, organophosphates, carbamates, pyrethroids, ureas, azoles, phenylpyrazoles and neonicotinoids. Two gas chromatography-negative chemical ionization-tandem mass spectrometry methods and one based on ultra-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray tandem mass spectrometry were used. Seven solid-phase extraction cartridges: C18, S-DVB, PS-DVB, GCB, GCB/PSA, SAX/PSA and Florisil/PSA were tested and compared to more classical liquid-liquid extraction procedures using ethyl acetate, hexane and dichloromethane. Although LLE allowed obtaining good results for some compounds, on the whole, SPE clearly provided better recovery for the majority of the pesticide residues tested in the present study. GCB/PSA was clearly the best suited to non-polar compounds such as organochlorines, pyrethroids and organophosphates, with recovery ranging from 45.9% (diflufenican) to 117.1% (parathion methyl). For hydrophilic metabolites (e.g. dialkyl phosphates and other organophosphate metabolites, pyrethroid metabolites, phenols and carbamate metabolites), the best results were obtained with PS-DVB, with recovery ranged from 10.3% (malathion monocarboxylic acid) to 93.1% (para-nitrophenol). For hydrophilic parent pesticides (e.g. neonicotinoids, carbamates, azoles) and metabolites without nucleophilic functions, the best recovery was obtained with SAX/PSA, with recovery ranging from 52.1% (3-hydroxycarbofuran) to 100.9% (3,4-dichloroaniline). Solid phase extraction was found to be more suitable than the liquid-liquid extraction for pesticides and their metabolites determination in terms of number of extracted compounds and their recovery. Moreover, the use of solid phase extraction cartridges has enabled the reduction of the analytical background noise, resulting in better chromatographic separations., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

An analytical methodology using Accelerated Solvent Extraction (ASE) and a sylilation procedure coupled to Solid Phase Micro-Extraction (SPME) and GC/MS was developed for the determination of 31 pesticides of different chemical classes (urea, phenoxy acids, pyrethrenoïds, etc.) commonly used in non-agricultural areas in atmospheric samples. This methodology was developed to evaluate the outdoor atmospheric contamination by non-agricultural pesticides. Pesticides were simultaneously sampled on glass fibre filters and on XAD-2 resin traps by using a low volume sampler (Partisol) for 1 week. Traps were extracted by Accelerated Solvent Extraction (ASE) with acetonitrile and concentrated to 1 mL by using a rotary evaporator. 500 µL of the extract was dissolved in 19.5 mL of 1.5% NaCl acidified water (pH=3) and SPME extracted by PA fibre for 55 min at 50 °C. Since most of the studied pesticides are polar or thermo-labile, a derivatisation step by injection of 2 µL of MtBSTFA just before SPME desorption was done. MtBSTFA was chosen since it delivers very specific ions on electronic impact (m/z=M-57). Detection limits varied between 5 and 179 ng resin(-1) and between 0.3 and 126 ng filter(-1) corresponding to 2 and 750 pg m(-3) and 30 and 1165 pg m(-3) for 168 m(3) of air pumped through traps. Quantification limits varied between 18 and 595 ng resin(-1) and between 1 and 420 ng filter(-1) corresponding to 107 and 3542 pg m(-3) and 6 and 2500 pg m(-3) for 168 m(3) of air pumped through traps. Uncertainties varied between 7.2% and 39.6% and between 7.2% and 53.4% respectively for filter and resin. The method was used for the analysis of atmospheric samples collected in a background urban site of Strasbourg (east of France) during spring and summer 2010., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Phytochemical investigation of the seeds of Salacia longipes var. camerunensis led to the isolation of four sesquiterpenoid derivatives, salaterpene A (1) (1α,2β,8β-triacetoxy-6β,9β-dibenzoyloxy-4β-hydroxy-dihydro-β-agarofuran), salaterpene B (2) (1α,2β,8β-triacetoxy-9β-benzoyloxy-6β-cinnamoyloxy-4β-hydroxy-dihydro-β-agarofuran), salaterpene C (3) (1α,2β-diacetoxy-6β,9β-dibenzoyloxy-4β-hydroxy-dihydro-β-agarofuran) and salaterpene D (4) (2β-acetoxy-1α,6β-dibenzoyloxy-4β-hydroxy-9β-nicotinoyloxy-dihydro-β-agarofuran) together with two known compounds (5 and 6). The structures of the compounds were established by means of NMR spectroscopy. Compounds 1-4 and 6 were tested in vitro for their antiplasmodial activity against Plasmodium falciparum chloroquine-resistant strain W2. All the tested compounds exhibited a moderate potency with IC50 below 2.7 μM., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This paper presents the current state of the art in human hair analysis for the detection of organic pollutants associated with environmental and occupational exposure. The different chemical classes are reviewed with a special focus set on compounds that were only recently investigated. The importance of methods sensitivity and particularly the influence of this parameter on the results presented in previous publications is highlighted. This report also investigates the relevance of hair analysis as an indicator of subjects' level of exposure and underlines limitations that are still associated with this matrix. This study also presents a critical assessment of some specific aspects presented in the literature as well as future needs to strengthen the position of hair as a relevant biomarker of exposure to be used in epidemiological studies., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The present methodology was developed to simultaneously assess chronic exposure to PAHs and to tobacco from the analysis of one hair specimen per examined individual. The method is a two step extraction of twelve mono-hydroxy-PAHs and of nicotine, and their separate analysis by optimized methods using gas chromatography-negative chemical ionization-mass spectrometry. After method validation and assessment of the hair decontamination procedure, 105 hair specimens from smokers and non-smokers were analyzed. All the hair samples tested positive for nicotine. Median concentration was 10.7ng/mg for smokers and 0.5ng/mg for non-smokers. 70% of the samples tested positive for OH-PAHs. The most common one was 2-naphthol (61%) and its concentration was significantly higher in smokers than in non-smokers (median: 111 vs 70pmol/g, p=0.006). 2-OH-benzo(c)phenanthrene and 6-OH-chrysene were only detected once in a non-smoker's hair. The concentration of the sum of all PAH-metabolites ranged from 24 to 67190pmol/g (median: 118pmol/g). Only six samples tested positive for more than two different metabolites. The simultaneous detection of nicotine and OH-PAHs in hair is possible and provides reliable results. This represents a useful tool for the accurate biomonitoring of chronic exposure to PAH and correct identification of the sources of exposure., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In the present work, a highly sensitive method based on solid phase microextraction and gas chromatography tandem (triple quadrupole) mass spectrometry was used to test hair samples for 50 pesticides including 39 molecules from different chemical families currently used in agriculture and 11 organochlorines. The population investigated was composed of 18 farm workers who provided hair samples repeatedly collected during the entire treatment period (from March to November 2009). Among the 62 hair samples that were collected, 33 different target molecules were detected. The most frequently detected agricultural pesticides were Diflufenican and Pyrimethanil, two herbicides which were detected in 13 subjects. The concentration in volunteers' hair matched with agricultural activity and the highest concentration was observed for Cyprodinil (1161pg/mg), an anilinopyrimidine used as a fungicide. For organochlorines, p,p'-DDE and γ-HCH were the most frequently detected molecules as they were present in at least one of the hair samples provided by each of the 18 volunteers. The highest concentrations detected for these chemicals reached 21.0pg/mg for p,p'-DDE and 23.5pg/mg for γ-HCH, but the highest concentration of organochlorine was observed for β-endosulfan (105pg/mg). The results suggest that farm workers have a weak, though constant exposure to organochlorine pesticides, especially to p,p'-DDE and γ-HCH, while exposure to currently used pesticides is strongly associated with occupation. Observations also suggest that spraying work would not necessarily be the only source of exposure to agricultural pesticides and that worker not directly involved in spraying can also be submitted to significant level of exposure., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

A method for the simultaneous detection and quantification of 22 pesticides from different chemical classes was developed using solid-phase microextraction (SPME) and gas chromatography tandem (triple quadrupole) mass spectrometry. Pesticides were extracted from 50mg of pulverized hair with acetonitrile. The extract was submitted to two successive steps of direct immersion-SPME at 30°C and 90°C or to a liquid injection without SPME in order to obtain optimized conditions for each of the 22 analytes investigated. Validation parameters were significantly influenced by both the injection mode (SPME vs liquid injection) and the temperature of SPME. Limits of quantification ranged from 0.05 pg mg(-1) for trifluralin to 10 pg mg(-1) for pentachlorophenol. The application of the validated method to the analysis of samples collected from non-occupationally exposed volunteers demonstrated the presence of pesticides in all the samples tested. Altogether, 13 different analytes were detected at concentration above the limit of quantification., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This work presents a new method to analyse simultaneously by GC-MS 31 pesticides from different chemical classes (2,4 D, 2,4 MCPA, alphacypermethrin, bifenthrin, bromoxynil, buprofezin, carbaryl, carbofuran, clopyralid, cyprodinil, deltamethrin dicamba, dichlobenil, dichlorprop, diflufenican, diuron, fenoxaprop, flazasulfuron, fluroxypyr, ioxynil, isoxaben, mecoprop-P, myclobutanil, oryzalin, oxadiazon, picloram, tau-fluvalinate tebuconazole, triclopyr, trifluralin and trinexapac-p-ethyl). This GC-MS method will be applied to the analysis of passive samplers (Tenax(®) tubes and SPME fiber) used for the evaluation of the indoor and outdoor atmospheric contamination by non-agricultural pesticides. The method involves a derivatisation step for thermo-labile or polar pesticides. Different agents were tested and MtBSTFA (N-(t-butyldimethylsilyl)-N-methyltrifluoroacetamide), a sylilation agent producing very specific fragments [M-57], was retained. However, diuron could not be derivatised and the isocyanate product was used for identification and quantification. Pesticides which did not need a derivatisation step were not affected by the presence of the derivatisation agent and they could easily be analysed in mixture with derivatised pesticides. The method can be coupled to a thermal-desorption unit or to SPME extraction for a multiresidue analysis of various pesticides in atmospheric samples., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The study describes the determination of mono-hydroxylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (OH-PAHs), metabolites of PAHs, in human hair. Twelve selected OH-PAHs from two to four rings, generally determined in urine analysis, were investigated as markers of human exposure to PAHs. Following hydrolysis of hair specimens of 50-300 mg with 1M NaOH, OH-PAHs were extracted using dichloromethane and submitted to an optimized derivatization with (2S,4R)-N-heptafluorobutyryl-4-heptafluorobutoyloxy-prolyl chloride. Compounds were then analyzed using gas chromatography-negative chemical ionization mass spectrometry (GC-NCIMS). The average inter-day and intra-day variability was 12% and 17%, respectively. The average recovery was 52% and the limits of detection and quantification ranged from 20 and 66 pmol/g for 1-OH-phenanthrene (i.e., 3.9 and 12.8 pg/mg) to 311 and 1030 pmol/g for 2-OH-benzo(c)phenanthrene (i.e., 75.9 and 251 pg/mg). The influence of hair washing with water as decontamination step, and enzymatic treatment (beta-glucuronidase) to hydrolyze conjugated derivatives were also tested. The application of the developed method to the analysis of 30 hair specimens (17 from non-smoker and 13 from smoker volunteers) demonstrated inter-individual qualitative and quantitative variations. According to the easiness of hair sampling and based on the extended detection windows provided by hair analysis, this method is proposed as a new promising tool for the assessment of human chronic exposure to PAHs.

In this study, MTBSTFA and BSTFA, which are among the preferred derivatization reagents for silylation were both tested on derivatization of six different groups of polar chemicals to get information about usefulness in terms of sensitivity and specificity of both reagents. Tested compound groups were nitrophenols and methoxyphenols, sterols and sugars, dicarboxylic acids and hydroxylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. It was found that MTBSTFA-derivates produce characteristic fragmentation patterns presenting mainly the fragments [M](+), [M-57](+) and [M-131](+), of which [M-57](+) is generally dominant on the mass spectrogram. BSTFA-derivates mainly show the fragments [M](+), [M-15](+) and [M-89](+) whereof the molecular ion [M](+) is generally dominant. It was also found that steric hindrance and molecular mass play a very important role in the choice of the best suited derivatization reagent: compounds with sterically hindered sites derivatized with MTBSTFA produce very small analytical responses or no signal at all, and compounds with high molecular mass produce no characteristic fragmentation pattern when derivatization is performed with BSTFA. It was also found that MTBSTFA-derivatization facilitates separation of isomer analytes, suggesting its choice in combination to semi-polar columns, whilst BSTFA seems better for sterically hindered compounds. Findings were confirmed with applications of both reagents to biological and environmental matrices (urine and atmospheric aerosols).

In the present work, we assessed the suitability of sodium and potassium physiologically present in sweat, as internal reference allowing to re-calculate the corresponding volume of sweat collected on a PharmChek Patch. A method using capillary electrophoresis with indirect ultra-violet detection was developed for the determination of sodium and potassium in sweat. The concentrations determined in specimens collected from 12 females and 10 males, using a home-made system composed of polypropylene copolymer bag, were 1039+/-89 mg/L and 711+/-45 mg/L for sodium, and 489+/-293 mg/L and 474+/-196 mg/L for potassium, respectively. In parallel, for seven females and eight males, the comparison of the volume of sweat collected in the same way to the re-calculated volume of sweat accumulated in a patch using sodium as internal standard, gave an average agreement of 98.4+/-15.0%. Results demonstrated the usefulness of sodium as internal standard to determine the volume of sweat accumulated in a patch, and confirm the suitability of PharmChek patch for the collection and determination of cations in sweat.

Carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT) was quantified in 408 blood specimens, randomly selected from 1260 drivers apprehended and submitted to blood alcohol concentration (BAC) determination. The first step of the study was to observe whether a BAC based pre-evaluation was relevant for deciding to test drivers for chronic alcohol abuse. For this purpose, the diagnosis of chronic alcohol abuse was verified by CDT quantification, with a voluntary high positive cut-off fixed at 3% for high specificity. The results display a significant increase in the part of chronic alcohol abusers with respect to increasing BAC: a few alcohol abusers were present in the BAC category below 0.5 g/L, and their frequency increased to 47 and 67% when BAC was between 3 and 3.5 g/L and above 3.5 g/L, respectively. Secondly, the usefulness of the biomarker CDT in the traffic safety context was investigated by observing whether drivers with abnormally increased CDT value had also higher BAC. The average BAC was 1.32 g/L in drivers with CDT below 1%, and increased to 2.28 g/L in drivers with CDT above 3%. Statistical analysis showed evidence of a monotone increasing link between BAC and CDT (P<0.0001). We confirmed here the relevance of BAC-based pre-evaluation before testing chronic alcohol abuse among drivers, and demonstrated that CDT is a biomarker suitable for traffic safety context, as drivers with increased CDT had significantly higher BAC.

The authors report the case of a 28-year-old woman in whom multiple surgical reconstructions were performed to cure an extensive radiation necrosis of the nose. In 1980, after the failure of a dorsalis pedis free flap and of a free groin flap, success was obtained with a free lateral mammary flap. But defatting, bone grafting and modelling produced partial necrosis of the flap. Finally, total nasal reconstruction was achieved in 1983 with a pedicled osteocutaneous forearm flap. To secure the transfer, the flap was first modelled by folding directly on the donor site. The advantages of this procedure are a lower risk of postoperative infection and a fewer number of secondary surgical stages needed to achieve the reconstruction. The reliability of the forearm flap and the simplicity of the procedure advocate its use in difficult reconstructions of the nose, when others techniques could not give better results.

Although the formation of terminally differentiated erythroid cells has been shown to require the presence of a functional GATA-1 gene in vivo, the role of this transcription factor and other members of the GATA family at earlier stages of erythroid differentiation is unclear. In this report, the expression of GATA-1, GATA-2, and GATA-3 has been examined in enriched peripheral blood progenitors before and after culture in a well-characterized liquid culture system. In addition primary leukemic cells as well as several erythroleukemic and nonerythroid cell lines were analyzed for GATA factor expression. The results show that the profile of GATA factor expression in erythroid cells is distinct from that of myeloid or lymphoid lineages. Erythroleukemic cell lines express little or no GATA-3, but high levels of GATA-1 and GATA-2. When they are induced to display the terminal erythroid phenotype, little change in the level of GATA-1 is detected but a significant decline in the levels of GATA-2 is observed commensurate with the degree of maturation achieved by the cells. Enrichment of erythroid progenitors from peripheral blood leads to selection of cells that express both GATA-1 and GATA-2. As the enriched populations are cultured in suspension in the presence of multiple cytokines, the levels of both GATA-1 and GATA-2 initially increase. However, in cultures containing only erythropoietin, which show exclusive erythroid differentiation, the levels of GATA-1 continue to increase, whereas GATA-2 expression declines as erythroid maturation progresses. In contrast, cultures lacking Epo (ie, with interleukin-3 and kit ligand) display limited progression towards both the myeloid and erythroid pathways, and high levels of expression of both GATA-1 and GATA-2 are maintained. Despite the initial upregulation of GATA-1 expression in the latter cultures, terminal erythroid differentiation does not occur in the absence of erythropoietin. These results indicate that GATA-1 upregulation is associated with both the initiation and the maintenance of the erythroid program, but that these two processes appear to be under separate regulatory control. Thus, the dynamic changes in the levels of different GATA factors that occur during primary erythroid differentiation suggest that the levels of these factors may influence the progression to specific hematopoietic pathways.

Although the proliferative effects of hematopoietic cytokines on erythroid progenitors are well known, parameters that influence the initiation of expression of specialized or lineage-restricted genes are not clear. We have studied the acquisition of erythroid-differentiative features from enriched populations of human early erythroid progenitors (burst-forming unit-erythroid [BFUe]) in suspension culture and the influence of several cytokines on this process. In suspension cultures containing no erythropoietin (Epo), we have found that kit ligand (KL) in synergy with interleukin-3 not only increases the proliferation of cells and of progenitors but also consistently amplifies a population of cells that contain globin within 1 week. Our experiments suggest that neither extraneously provided nor endogenously produced Epo is critical for the generation of globin-synthesizing cells. Globin-producing cells generated mostly from late BFUe or pre-CFUe with a CD34-/EP-1+ phenotype in this system do not all express a well-coordinated erythroid program accompanied by heme or glycophorin A expression and most die maintaining an immature state. Therefore, conditions that are responsible for initiation of globin expression in these cells are not sufficient to carry them to terminal maturation. The data point to an expanded target cell population for KL, as they suggest an influence of KL on survival and/or amplification of late erythroid cells previously thought to be influenced only by Epo. Our results in aggregate are of relevance to the physiology of normal erythropoiesis and the role of Epo and KL in the initial stages of lineage-restricted gene expression. In addition, they provide insight into the understanding of anemia in W and Steel mutants in which expansion of the late erythroid progenitor pool, normally dependent on the synergistic action of KL and Epo, is curtailed.

To study the expression of integrins at the erythroid progenitor level we isolated selected populations of cells from human fetal liver after immunoadherence to anti-beta 2 integrin (CD18) coated plates. These CD18 adherent cells (CD18-Ad), in contrast to CD18 nonadherent cells (CD18-NAd), have a blastlike cell morphology and are highly enriched in all progenitor types (14% to 37% progenitors). By several criteria progenitor cells present in CD18-Ad cells appear to have a higher proliferative potential and diversity than the ones found in CD18-NAd, which were mostly later erythroid progenitors. Positivity of CD18-Ad cells with the common beta 2 integrin (CD18) is largely attributable to expression of alpha L (CD11a) chain, rather than alpha M (CD11b). CD11a is present in all types of progenitors, but it is selectively lost at later stages of erythroid differentiation/maturation. By contrast, CD11b appears to be virtually absent from all progenitors but it has an enhanced expression during granulomonocytic differentiation/maturation. In addition to beta 2 integrins, CD18-Ad cells express several other cytoadhesion molecules (VLA-4, VLA-5, I-CAM, H-CAM) as well as other progenitor cell antigens (CD34, HLA-DR, CD38). Cells expressing all these antigens were selectively enriched in CD18-Ad cells. Our data add new information on the regulation of CD11a and CD11b molecules in hematopoiesis and on the composite profile of integrin expression at several stages of erythroid differentiation.

Human fetal erythroid x murine erythroleukemia cell hybrids undergo human fetal (gamma) to adult (beta) globin gene switching in vitro under the control of a mechanism located on human chromosome 11. We investigated whether this mechanism acts in cis or in trans by preparing hybrid cells containing marked fragments of the gamma and beta genes known to switch in transgenic mice. In these cells the chromosomally introduced human globin locus undergoes the fetal to adult globin gene switch. In contrast, the marked globin gene fragments were expressed at all stages of hybrid development. These results suggest that either the mechanism of switching acts in cis or that sequences present in the chromosomal globin locus but missing from the transfected globin gene fragments mediate its action.

To define the cellular targets for c-kit ligand (KL) and to study their functional properties and composite antigenic profile, we isolated cells expressing c-kit receptor (KR) from bone marrow (BM), peripheral blood, and fetal liver (FL) using immunoadherence to a recently obtained antibody (SR-1) against the human KR. Cells isolated by this approach (designated SR-1Ad) have the morphology of blasts and represent 1% to 4% of the original BM or FL populations. SR-1Ad cells from either source are highly enriched in progenitors (12% to 73%) and respond to KL in distinct patterns. In SR-1Ad cells from BM, the greatest impact of KL stimulation is on burst-forming units-erythroid (BFU-E), whereas in SR1-Ad cells from FL, the most significant KL effect is on a mixed erythroid/nonerythroid progenitor (erythroid/macrophage, colony-forming unit-mix [CFU-Mix]). When antibody SR-1 is continually present in culture, it neutralizes the effects of added KL. Furthermore, in the absence of added KL, it greatly diminishes the erythropoietin- and interleukin-3-dependent BFU-E growth in BM; whereas in FL, a wider spectrum of inhibition is observed, with CFU-Mix most severely curtailed. SR-1Ad cells coexpress other progenitor-associated antigens in a combination reflecting the dominant presence of erythroid progenitors (high expression of CD34, DR, CD38, and Ep-1; low expression of CD33). Several cytoadhesion molecules, ie, alpha L/beta 2 and alpha 4/beta 1 integrins, and intercellular adhesion molecule 1 and homing cell adhesion molecule 1, are also coexpressed. Our data provide new information on the isolation and characterization of KR expressing cells from normal, adult, and fetal hematopoietic tissues. On these biologically relevant target cells, the impact of ligand-induced stimulation or antibody-mediated ablation of KR function has been gauged.

Erythropoietin (EP) exerts its effects on erythropoiesis by binding to a cell surface receptor. We examined EP receptor expression during normal human erythroid differentiation and maturation from the burst-forming unit-erythroid (BFU-E) to the reticulocyte level. In contrast to previous studies, we assessed EP receptor number and affinity in erythroid precursors immunologically purified from fresh bone marrow aspirates or fetal liver samples and in reticulocytes purified from peripheral blood. EP receptors were quantitated by equilibrium binding experiments with 125I EP. We found that purified primary erythroblasts from both adult and fetal sources exhibited a single high-affinity (kd 100 pmol/L) binding site for EP under our experimental conditions, and 135 or 250 receptors per cell, respectively. Reticulocytes were devoid of EP receptors. We compared these data to in vitro-derived BFU-E progeny at both early and late stages of maturation. Cultured BFU-E progeny also displayed a single class of receptors of slightly lower affinity (210 to 220 pmol/L). Preparations enriched in colony-forming units-erythroid (CFU-E) and proerythroblasts (day 9 BFU-E progeny) displayed approximately 1,100 receptors per cell, whereas populations containing mature erythroblasts (day 14 BFU-E progeny) exhibited approximately 300 receptors per cell. Furthermore, information from binding experiments was complemented by autoradiography in both enriched BFU-E preparations, cultured BFU-E progeny (days 9 and 14), and marrow mononuclear cells. These studies are consistent with a peak in EP receptor expression at the CFU-E/proerythroblast stage and a decrease with further maturation to undetectable levels at the reticulocyte stage. These data examining EP receptor characteristics on freshly isolated erythroid precursor cells complement previous data on EP receptor biology using culture-derived erythroblasts.

We have studied the effects of recombinant hematopoietic growth factors, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and/or interleukin-3 (IL-3) on the globin program of adult human erythroid progenitors (BFUe) stimulated to terminal differentiation by erythropoietin under fetal bovine serum (FBS)-supplemented or FBS-deprived culture conditions. Fetal globin production by BFUe-derived erythroblasts was assessed at the protein and mRNA level and its cellular distribution was evaluated by immunofluorescence. Although hemoglobinization and maturation of BFUe-derived erythroblasts was by and large comparable in FBS-replete versus FBS-deprived cultures, the latter had significantly less (up to 20-fold) gamma-globin and gamma-globin mRNA levels. Reduced gamma-globin in serum-deprived cultures was also reflected by a smaller proportion of erythroblasts with detectable gamma-globin by immunofluorescence. Erythroid bursts induced by either GM-CSF or IL-3 produced similar levels of gamma-globin both in FBS-supplemented and in FBS-deprived cultures. These results, obtained even in cultures of highly enriched BFUe, suggest that GM-CSF and IL-3, although they significantly increase the number and size of erythroid bursts, do not by themselves exert a direct influence on the level of fetal globin synthesis. By contrast, factor(s) present in FBS appear to exert a dominant influence on fetal globin synthesis in vitro. Although FBS-deprived conditions appear to largely abrogate the in vitro activation of fetal hemoglobin (Hb F) in normal samples, they do support increased Hb F production in samples from patients with hereditary persistence of fetal hemoglobin or from cord blood.

Because of the septic environment, the reconstruction of extensive losses of substance of the mandible has always raised numerous problems, especially as in a certain number of cases, concomitant radiotherapy represents an additional difficulty. Free flaps offer an important contribution. Up until now, we have essentially used the anterior iliac crest flap vascularised by the deep iliac circumflex pedicle. After 55 flaps of this type, the authors present an analysis of their results and try to analyse the causes for the failures. On the basis of their experience, they consider: that it is preferable to perform the bone and soft tissue repair by means of two different procedures (or at least by means of two different pedicles); that it is preferable, as far as possible, to perform immediate reconstructions rather than deferred reconstructions, especially in the case of malignant tumours.

Two new cell surface antigens specific for the erythroid lineage were defined with cytotoxic IgM monoclonal antibodies (McAb) (EP-1; EP-2) that were produced using BFU-E-derived colonies as immunogens. These two antigens are expressed on in vivo and in vitro derived adult and fetal erythroblasts, but not on erythrocytes. They are not detectable on resting lymphocytes, concanavalin-A (Con-A) activated lymphoblasts, granulocytes, and monocytes or granulocytic cells or macrophages present in peripheral blood or harvested from CFU-GM cultures. Cell line and tissue distributions distinguish McAb EP-1 and EP-2 from all previously described monoclonal antibodies. McAb EP-1 (for erythropoietic antigen-1) inhibits the formation of BFU-E and CFU-E, but not CFU-GM, colonies in complement-dependent cytotoxicity assays. By cell sorting analysis, about 90% of erythroid progenitors (CFU-E, BFU-E) were recovered in the antigen-positive fraction. Seven percent of the cells in this fraction were progenitors (versus 0.1% in the negative fraction). The expression of EP-1 antigen is greatly enhanced in K562 cells, using inducers of hemoglobin synthesis. McAb EP-2 fails to inhibit BFU-E and CFU-E colony formation in complement-dependent cytotoxicity assays. EP-2 antigen is predominantly expressed on in vitro derived immature erythroblasts, and it is weakly expressed on mature erythroblasts. The findings with McAb EP-1 provide evidence that erythroid progenitors (BFU-E and CFU-E) express determinants that fail to be expressed on other progenitor cells and hence appear to be unique to the erythroid lineage. McAb EP-1 and EP-2 are potentially useful for studies of erythroid differentiation and progenitor cell isolation.

Six monoclonal antibodies specific for human globin chains are described. They are produced by stable clones obtained by raising hybridomas using cells of mice immunized with either adult or fetal hemoglobin. Characterization of the antibodies included testing against tetrameric human and other animal hemoglobins, isolated hemoglobin chains, and when indicated, cyanogen bromide fragments. Monoclonals 16-2 and 37-8 are beta-chain specific. Antibody 31-2 recognizes an antigenic determinant common to the alpha and beta subunits. Monoclonal 30-3 recognizes determinants best expressed in the alpha 2 beta 2 tetramer. Antibody 45-1 recognizes a determinant common to beta and gamma subunits, while antibody 51-7 is gamma-chain specific. None of the monoclonal antibodies recognizes mouse hemoglobin, and they display significant differences in binding to hemoglobins of various species. The species-specific reactions and the knowledge of the primary structures of globins allowed deductions about the antigenic sites recognized by two of the monoclonals (16-2 and 45-1). These antihemoglobin monoclonal antibodies will provide useful probes for studying hemoglobin expression in vivo and in vitro.

A hitherto undescribed osteo-myocutaneous free flap is presented. It is based on a branch of the superficial branch of the superior gluteal artery and includes the posterior iliac crest, the posterior part of the gluteus maximus and medius muscles and the overlying skin. This type of flap has allowed us to reconstruct a bony defect of up to 8 cm in the tibia.

In order to test whether the ontogenetic origin of human parental cells influences the expression of globin genes, we did fusions of mouse erythroleukemia (MEL) cells with fetal or adult nonerythroid cells and we assessed globin expression in hybrids. For selection of hybrid clones we used a monoclonal antibody that recognizes a human chromosome 11-linked cell surface marker. Globin expression was assessed with fluorescent antibody labeling, globin isoelectric focusing, and S1 nuclease mapping. Chromosome 11-containing hybrids from human nonerythroid cells (adult or fetal lymphoid cells; fetal fibroblasts) produced human adult (beta) but not fetal (gamma) globin chains. These results suggest that the MEL x nonerythroid cell hybrids express the adult human globin independent of whether the human cells derive from the fetal or from the adult stage of human development. Our findings, together with previous observations in MEL x fetal erythroid or MEL x HEL hybrids, show that the globin program of the parental human cell is the main determinant of the expression of fetal human globin in these hybrids.

The cellular control of the switch from embryonic to fetal globin formation in man was investigated with studies of globin expression in erythroid cells of 35- to 56-day-old embryos. Analyses of globins synthesized in vivo and in cultures of erythroid progenitors (burst-forming units, BFUe) showed that cells of the yolk sac (primitive) erythropoiesis, in addition to embryonic chains, produced fetal and adult globins and that cells of the definitive (liver) erythropoiesis, in addition to fetal and adult globins, produce embryonic globins. That embryonic, fetal, and adult globins were coexpressed by cells of the same lineage was documented by analysis of globin chains in single BFUe colonies: all 67 yolk sac-origin BFUe colonies and 42 of 43 liver-origin BFUe colonies synthesized epsilon-, gamma-, and beta-chains. These data showed that during the switch from embryonic to adult globin formation, embryonic and definitive globin chains are coexpressed in the primitive, as well as in the definitive, erythroid cells. Such results are compatible with the postulate that the switch from embryonic to fetal globin synthesis represents a time-dependent change in programs of progenitor cells rather than a change in hemopoietic cell lineages.

Monoclonal antibodies specific for human globin chains have been prepared and the following strategy has been applied in delimiting the antigenic sites involved in antibody binding. The structural sites of the human globin subunit that might be recognised by the monoclonal antibody were deduced from comparisons of the primary structures of mammalian globin chains that did or did not react with the antibody. The involvement of individual residues at these specific sites was subsequently tested by reacting the antibody with abnormal human haemoglobins in which there was either a substitution or a deletion of one of the residues in question. The primary structural site recognised by monoclonal antibody HuHb beta 3-2(an antibody that reacts with the adult haemoglobins from man and macaque monkey, but not with those from baboon and mouse) includes the aspartic acid residue at position 52 of the beta-globin subunit.

The characteristics of nine monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) produced using the uninduced cells of a human erythroleukemia line (HEL) as immunogen are described. These antibodies were grouped into four categories by their differences in recognition of normal cells and cells of hemopoietic cell lines. The four MoAbs of group A recognize determinants that are expressed in a large proportion of normal bone marrow cells and other mature cells. The two MoAbs of group B (53/5, 53/6) and the two MoAbs of group C (54/23, 54/39) recognize small proportions of bone marrow cells, whereas the single MoAb of group D (53/10) essentially recognizes only HEL cells. Competition experiments revealed two pairs of competing Abs (53/5 and 53/6; 54/23 and 54/39). In complement-dependent cytotoxicity of progenitors, 53/6 produced 90%-100% inhibition of CFU-E, BFU-E, and CFU-C growth; 54/39 30%-60% inhibition of BFU-E and CFU-C growth; 53/10 produced a variable degree of inhibition of CFU-E and BFU-E. Cell sorting using 53/6 resulted in approximately a 10-12-fold enrichment of CFU-E, BFU-E, and CFU-C among the positive cells. Cell sorting with 54/23 resulted in recovery of over 90% of BFU-E and 100% of CFU-C among the 23.5% of sorted cells showing strong or intermediate positivity. These findings suggest that HEL cells possess surface characteristics that are expressed in several classes of hemopoietic progenitors.