Acrylamide toxicity inhibits chick embryo hepatic alpha, mu, and pi-glutathione S-transferases: molecular dynamic simulations, substrate specificity, and docking

Purpose This study aims to analyze the effect of acrylamide (AC) on hepatic cells of fertilized eggs. The subclasses of glutathione S-transferases and histological variations in serum and liver samples were analyzed in AC-induced chick embryos. Results Our results showed that the levels of alanine aminotransferase, serum aspartate aminotransferase, and alkaline phosphatase were significantly ( p < 0.05) elevated in the liver of AC-treated chick embryo groups compared to control. In addition, AC-treated groups exhibited a significant ( p < 0.05) decreased levels of glutathione content (GSH), glutathione reductase, GSTs, and increased malondialdehyde (MDA levels) in hepatic tissue of chick embryos. Furthermore, liver GSTs binding to various substrates such as CDNB, EPNP, pNPA, BSP, pNBC, ∆5-androstene-3, 17-dione, and EA was significantly ( p < 0.05) decreased in AC-treated chick embryo groups compared to control. Histopathology examination (H&E staining) of the AC-treated chick embryo liver showed liver damage to a larger extent, specifically cytoplasmic vacuolation, pyknotic nuclei and blood vein congestion with patchy degeneration were observed. Further, the obtained in vitro results of α-GST, μ-GST, and π-GST were subjected to rigid receptor docking and quantum-polarized-ligand docking, which predicted that the in silico binding affinities of these classes of GSTs are in good correlation with strong hydrogen and van der Waal interactions to AC with −32.760, −26.254, −33.594 and −36.287, −33.980 and −36.363 kcal/mol MMGBSA (ΔGbind) scores respectively. The long-range molecular dynamics (50 ns) simulations have shown more consistency by AC. Conclusion The in vivo and in silico findings conclude that AC resulted in the dysfunction of the liver by altering its biochemical markers, α-GST, μ-GST, and π-GST, as well as by histological changes, and thus, AC is suggested as a more harmful agent in developing chick embryo. Graphical abstract