Lithium Treatment Aggregates the Adverse Effects on Erythrocytes Subjected to Arsenic Exposure

MBP-activated autoimmunity plays a role in arsenic-induced peripheral neuropathy and the potential protective effect of mecobalamin

Intake excessive arsenic (As) is related to the occurrence of peripheral neuropathy. However, both the underlying mechanism and the preventive approach remain largely unknown. In the present study, As treatment significantly decreased the mechanical withdrawal threshold and increased the titer of anti-myelin basic protein antibody in rats, accompanied with damaged BNB. The levels of inflammatory cytokines and proteolytic enzymes were also significantly upregulated. However, administration of MeCbl in As-treated rats significantly reversed the decline in hindfoot mechanical withdrawal threshold, as well as BNB failure and sciatic nerve inflammation. Repeated As treatment in athymic nude mice indicated that sciatic nerve inflammation and mechanical hyperalgesia were T cell-dependent. These data implicated that MBP-activated autoimmunity and the related neuroinflammation probably contributed to As-induced mechanical hyperalgesia and MeCbl exerted a protective role probably via maintenance the integrity of BNB and inhibition of neuroinflammation.

Biochemical investigation of association of arsenic exposure with risk factors of diabetes mellitus in Pakistani population and its validation in animal model

Arsenic is one of the naturally occurring heavy metal that has been reported to cause damaging effects on different body organs. This study was aimed to determine the arsenic level in different water sources and investigate the effect of arsenic exposure on risk factors of diabetes mellitus (DM) in human participants and experimental animals. We recruited 150 participants to investigate the arsenic exposure in their urine and from drinking water. We found that males contained significantly higher (P < 0.001) concentrations of urinary arsenic as compared with that of their female counterparts. Similarly, urinary arsenic concentration was high and showed significant association in the age of ≥ 60 years (P < 0.05), illiterate (P < 0.001), smokers (P < 0.0001), and diabetic (P < 0.0001) participants. Moreover, urinary arsenic exposure was also associated with higher levels of fasting (P < 0.001) and random blood glucose (P < 0.001), HbA1c (P < 0.001), AST, ALT, MDA, IL-6, CRP, blood urea nitrogen, and creatinine in arsenic-exposed diabetics as compared with that of unexposed diabetics. Further, we also exposed the white albino rats with arsenic in drinking water for 30 days and their blood glucose was measured at 15th and 30th days of treatment that was significantly higher (P < 0.001) in arsenic-exposed animals as compared with that of unexposed animals. Similarly, arsenic-exposed animals failed to tolerate exogenously administered glucose (P < 0.001) as compared with that of unexposed animals. Likewise, insulin and glutathione concentrations were also significantly decreased (P < 0.001) in arsenic-exposed animals as compared with that of unexposed animals. The alterations in normal values of glucose, insulin, and glutathione exhibited the damaging effects of arsenic exposure in experimental rats. This study showed that arsenic exposed to human beings and animals through drinking water resulted in the disruption of pancreatic β-cell functioning that provoked the risk factor for development of DM. This study also suggested that long-term arsenic exposure induces hyperglycemia, inflammation, and oxidative stress that may lead to the onset of development of DM.