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Ledda C, Loreto C, Lombardo C, Cardile V, Rapisarda V. Mesothelin methylation, soluble mesothelin related protein levels and inflammation profiling in workers chronically exposed to naturally occurring asbestos fibers. Transl Oncol 2024; 40:101872. [PMID: 38134842 PMCID: PMC10751818 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2023.101872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2023] [Revised: 12/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Exposure to asbestiform fibers, including chrysotile and amphibole, is carcinogenic, causing malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) when inhaled. Some populations globally face Naturally Occurring Asbestos (NOA) exposure, leading to MPM cases like in Biancavilla, Italy, from Fluoro-edenite (FE) contamination. Studies show NOA exposure causes epigenetic changes, focusing on mesothelin methylation, an MPM marker, and altered inflammation, emphasizing the health risks of FE and asbestos. This research, conducted from February 2022 to October 2022, studied 125 construction workers from Biancavilla and 125 controls from 40 km away without Biancavilla work history. With at least ten years in construction and no respiratory conditions, participants underwent medical assessments and gave blood samples for analysis, including inflammation markers, mesothelin methylation, and soluble mesothelin-related protein levels. The results showed similar demographics but differing inflammation and methylation levels in exposed workers, suggesting long-term cellular changes. Pearson correlation showed intricate biomarker relationships. Significant inflammatory differences were found between FE exposed and non-exposed workers, indicating potential health impacts from FE. This raises concerns for communities like Biancavilla, emphasizing the importance of extensive epigenetic research for public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caterina Ledda
- Occupational Medicine, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
| | - Carla Loreto
- Human Anatomy and Histology, Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Claudia Lombardo
- Human Anatomy and Histology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Venera Cardile
- Physiology, Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Venerando Rapisarda
- Occupational Medicine, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
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2
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Opitz I, Scherpereel A, Berghmans T, Psallidas I, Glatzer M, Rigau D, Astoul P, Bölükbas S, Boyd J, Coolen J, De Bondt C, De Ruysscher D, Durieux V, Faivre-Finn C, Fennell DA, Galateau-Salle F, Greillier L, Hoda MA, Klepetko W, Lacourt A, McElnay P, Maskell NA, Mutti L, Pairon JC, Van Schil P, van Meerbeeck JP, Waller D, Weder W, Putora PM, Cardillo G. ERS/ESTS/EACTS/ESTRO guidelines for the management of malignant pleural mesothelioma. Eur J Cardiothorac Surg 2021; 58:1-24. [PMID: 32448904 DOI: 10.1093/ejcts/ezaa158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The European Respiratory Society (ERS)/European Society of Thoracic Surgeons (ESTS)/European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS)/European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO) task force brought together experts to update previous 2009 ERS/ESTS guidelines on management of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM), a rare cancer with globally poor outcome, after a systematic review of the 2009-2018 literature. The evidence was appraised using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation approach. The evidence syntheses were discussed and recommendations formulated by this multidisciplinary group of experts. Diagnosis: pleural biopsies remain the gold standard to confirm the diagnosis, usually obtained by thoracoscopy but occasionally via image-guided percutaneous needle biopsy in cases of pleural symphysis or poor performance status. Pathology: standard staining procedures are insufficient in ∼10% of cases, justifying the use of specific markers, including BAP-1 and CDKN2A (p16) for the separation of atypical mesothelial proliferation from MPM. Staging: in the absence of a uniform, robust and validated staging system, we advise using the most recent 2016 8th TNM (tumour, node, metastasis) classification, with an algorithm for pretherapeutic assessment. Monitoring: patient's performance status, histological subtype and tumour volume are the main prognostic factors of clinical importance in routine MPM management. Other potential parameters should be recorded at baseline and reported in clinical trials. Treatment: (chemo)therapy has limited efficacy in MPM patients and only selected patients are candidates for radical surgery. New promising targeted therapies, immunotherapies and strategies have been reviewed. Because of limited data on the best combination treatment, we emphasize that patients who are considered candidates for a multimodal approach, including radical surgery, should be treated as part of clinical trials in MPM-dedicated centres.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabelle Opitz
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Arnaud Scherpereel
- Department of Pulmonary and Thoracic Oncology, French National Network of Clinical Expert Centers for Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma Management (Mesoclin), Lille, France.,Department of Pulmonary and Thoracic Oncology, University Lille, CHU Lille, INSERM U1189, OncoThAI, Lille, France
| | | | - Ioannis Psallidas
- Oxford Centre for Respiratory Medicine, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
| | - Markus Glatzer
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - David Rigau
- Iberoamerican Cochrane Center, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Philippe Astoul
- Department of Thoracic Oncology, Pleural Diseases and Interventional Pulmonology, Hôpital Nord, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France
| | - Servet Bölükbas
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Evang, Kliniken Essen-Mitte, Essen, Germany
| | | | - Johan Coolen
- Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Charlotte De Bondt
- Department of Pulmonology and Thoracic Oncology, Antwerp University and Antwerp University Hospital, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Dirk De Ruysscher
- Department of Radiation Oncology (Maastro Clinic), Maastricht University Medical Center+, GROW Research Institute, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Valerie Durieux
- Bibliothèque des Sciences de la Santé, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Corinne Faivre-Finn
- The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Dean A Fennell
- Leicester Cancer Research Centre, University of Leicester and University of Leicester Hospitals NHS Trust, Leicester, UK
| | - Francoise Galateau-Salle
- Department of Biopathology, National Reference Center for Pleural Malignant Mesothelioma and Rare Peritoneal Tumors MESOPATH, Centre Leon Berard, Lyon, France
| | - Laurent Greillier
- Department of Multidisciplinary Oncology and Therapeutic Innovations, Aix Marseille University, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Marseille, Inserm UMR1068, CNRS UMR7258, Marseille, France
| | - Mir Ali Hoda
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Walter Klepetko
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Aude Lacourt
- University Bordeaux, INSERM, Bordeaux Population Health Research Center, Team EPICENE, UMR 1219, Bordeaux, France
| | | | - Nick A Maskell
- Academic Respiratory Unit, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Luciano Mutti
- Teaching Hospital Vercelli/Gruppo Italiano, Vercelli, Italy
| | - Jean-Claude Pairon
- INSERM U955, GEIC2O, Université Paris-Est Créteil, Service de Pathologies professionnelles et de l'Environnement, Institut Santé -Travail Paris-Est, CHI Créteil, Créteil, France
| | - Paul Van Schil
- Department of Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, Antwerp University and Antwerp University Hospital, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Jan P van Meerbeeck
- Department of Pulmonology and Thoracic Oncology, Antwerp University and Antwerp University Hospital, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - David Waller
- Barts Thorax Centre, St Bartholomew's Hospital, London, UK
| | - Walter Weder
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Paul Martin Putora
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland.,Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Giuseppe Cardillo
- Unit of Thoracic Surgery, Azienda Ospedaliera San Camillo Forlanini, Rome, Italy
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3
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Lee S, Kang D, Kim Y, Kim YJ, Kim SY. Activity-Based Exposure Levels and Cancer Risk Assessment Due to Naturally Occurring Asbestos for the Residents Near Abandoned Asbestos Mines in South Korea. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18105225. [PMID: 34069013 PMCID: PMC8156354 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18105225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2021] [Revised: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
This study aims to evaluate the overall asbestos exposure intensity and assess the health risk to residents due to naturally occurring asbestos (NOA) near abandoned asbestos mines in South Korea. Of 38 mines, we found 19 with measured concentrations of NOA. We evaluated the average of airborne NOA concentrations according to the environmental exposure category. When evaluated regionally by dividing into two clusters, the mean concentrations in activity-based sampling (ABS) scenarios exceeded the Korean exposure limit (0.01 f/cc) in both clusters. Moreover, airborne NOA concentrations in agricultural activity (5.49 × 10-2 f/cc) and daily activity (6.95 × 10-2 f/cc) had the highest values for clusters A and B, respectively. The excess lifetime cancer risk of one region (cluster A) by the ABS scenarios did not exceed the Korean Ministry of the Environment's criteria for soil purification (1 × 10-4). However, one of the ABS scenarios-the daily life activity of clusters centered on Chungcheongbuk-do (cluster B)-showed an exposure of 1.08 × 10-4, greater than the limit (1 × 10-4). This indicates non negligible health damage to residents living near the abandoned asbestos mines, and it is necessary to continuously monitor and clean up the asbestos contamination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seungho Lee
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Yangsan 50612, Korea; (S.L.); (D.K.); (Y.K.)
| | - Dongmug Kang
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Yangsan 50612, Korea; (S.L.); (D.K.); (Y.K.)
- Department of Preventive and Occupational & Environmental Medicine, Medical College, Pusan National University, Yangsan 50612, Korea;
- Environmental Health Center of Asbestos, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Yangsan 50612, Korea
| | - Youngki Kim
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Yangsan 50612, Korea; (S.L.); (D.K.); (Y.K.)
- Department of Preventive and Occupational & Environmental Medicine, Medical College, Pusan National University, Yangsan 50612, Korea;
- Environmental Health Center of Asbestos, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Yangsan 50612, Korea
| | - Yoon-Ji Kim
- Department of Preventive and Occupational & Environmental Medicine, Medical College, Pusan National University, Yangsan 50612, Korea;
- Environmental Health Center of Asbestos, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Yangsan 50612, Korea
| | - Se-Yeong Kim
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Yangsan 50612, Korea; (S.L.); (D.K.); (Y.K.)
- Department of Preventive and Occupational & Environmental Medicine, Medical College, Pusan National University, Yangsan 50612, Korea;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +82-55-360-3173
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4
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Scherpereel A, Opitz I, Berghmans T, Psallidas I, Glatzer M, Rigau D, Astoul P, Bölükbas S, Boyd J, Coolen J, De Bondt C, De Ruysscher D, Durieux V, Faivre-Finn C, Fennell D, Galateau-Salle F, Greillier L, Hoda MA, Klepetko W, Lacourt A, McElnay P, Maskell NA, Mutti L, Pairon JC, Van Schil P, van Meerbeeck JP, Waller D, Weder W, Cardillo G, Putora PM. ERS/ESTS/EACTS/ESTRO guidelines for the management of malignant pleural mesothelioma. Eur Respir J 2020; 55:13993003.00953-2019. [PMID: 32451346 DOI: 10.1183/13993003.00953-2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 131] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2019] [Accepted: 10/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The European Respiratory Society (ERS)/European Society of Thoracic Surgeons (ESTS)/European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS)/European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO) task force brought together experts to update previous 2009 ERS/ESTS guidelines on management of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM), a rare cancer with globally poor outcome, after a systematic review of the 2009-2018 literature. The evidence was appraised using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation approach. The evidence syntheses were discussed and recommendations formulated by this multidisciplinary group of experts. Diagnosis: pleural biopsies remain the gold standard to confirm the diagnosis, usually obtained by thoracoscopy but occasionally via image-guided percutaneous needle biopsy in cases of pleural symphysis or poor performance status. Pathology: standard staining procedures are insufficient in ∼10% of cases, justifying the use of specific markers, including BAP-1 and CDKN2A (p16) for the separation of atypical mesothelial proliferation from MPM. Staging: in the absence of a uniform, robust and validated staging system, we advise using the most recent 2016 8th TNM (tumour, node, metastasis) classification, with an algorithm for pre-therapeutic assessment. Monitoring: patient's performance status, histological subtype and tumour volume are the main prognostic factors of clinical importance in routine MPM management. Other potential parameters should be recorded at baseline and reported in clinical trials. Treatment: (chemo)therapy has limited efficacy in MPM patients and only selected patients are candidates for radical surgery. New promising targeted therapies, immunotherapies and strategies have been reviewed. Because of limited data on the best combination treatment, we emphasise that patients who are considered candidates for a multimodal approach, including radical surgery, should be treated as part of clinical trials in MPM-dedicated centres.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arnaud Scherpereel
- Pulmonary and Thoracic Oncology, Univ. Lille, CHU Lille, INSERM U1189, OncoThAI, Lille, France .,French National Network of Clinical Expert Centers for Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma Management (Mesoclin), Lille, France
| | - Isabelle Opitz
- Dept of Thoracic Surgery, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Ioannis Psallidas
- Oxford Centre for Respiratory Medicine, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
| | - Markus Glatzer
- Dept of Radiation Oncology, Kantonsspital St Gallen, St Gallen, Switzerland
| | - David Rigau
- Iberoamerican Cochrane Center, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Philippe Astoul
- Dept of Thoracic Oncology, Pleural Diseases and Interventional Pulmonology, Hôpital Nord, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France
| | - Servet Bölükbas
- Dept of Thoracic Surgery, Evang, Kliniken Essen-Mitte, Essen, Germany
| | | | - Johan Coolen
- Dept of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Charlotte De Bondt
- Dept of Pulmonology and Thoracic Oncology, Antwerp University and Antwerp University Hospital, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Dirk De Ruysscher
- Dept of Radiation Oncology (Maastro Clinic), Maastricht University Medical Center+, GROW Research Institute, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Valerie Durieux
- Bibliothèque des Sciences de la Santé, Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Corinne Faivre-Finn
- The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Dean Fennell
- Leicester Cancer Research Centre, University of Leicester and University of Leicester Hospitals NHS Trust, Leicester, UK
| | - Francoise Galateau-Salle
- National Reference Center for Pleural Malignant Mesothelioma and Rare Peritoneal Tumors MESOPATH, Dept of Biopathology, Centre Leon Berard, Lyon, France
| | - Laurent Greillier
- Aix Marseille University, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Marseille, Inserm UMR1068, CNRS UMR7258, Dept of Multidisciplinary Oncology and Therapeutic Innovations, Marseille, France
| | - Mir Ali Hoda
- Dept of Thoracic Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Walter Klepetko
- Dept of Thoracic Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Aude Lacourt
- Univ. Bordeaux, INSERM, Bordeaux Population Health Research Center, team EPICENE, UMR 1219, Bordeaux, France
| | | | - Nick A Maskell
- Academic Respiratory Unit, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Luciano Mutti
- Teaching Hosp. Vercelli/Gruppo Italiano Mesotelioma, Italy
| | - Jean-Claude Pairon
- INSERM U955, Equipe 4, Université Paris-Est Créteil, and Service de Pathologies professionnelles et de l'Environnement, Institut Santé-Travail Paris-Est, CHI Créteil, Créteil, France
| | - Paul Van Schil
- Dept Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, Antwerp University and Antwerp University Hospital, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Jan P van Meerbeeck
- Dept of Pulmonology and Thoracic Oncology, Antwerp University and Antwerp University Hospital, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - David Waller
- Barts Thorax Centre, St Bartholomew's Hospital, London, UK
| | - Walter Weder
- Dept of Thoracic Surgery, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Giuseppe Cardillo
- Unit of Thoracic Surgery, Azienda Ospedaliera San Camillo Forlanini, Rome, Italy
| | - Paul Martin Putora
- Dept of Radiation Oncology, Kantonsspital St Gallen, St Gallen, Switzerland.,Dept of Radiation Oncology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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VIMERCATI L, CAVONE D, MANSI F, CANNONE E, DE MARIA L, CAPUTI A, DELFINO M, SERIO G. Health impact of exposure to asbestos in polluted area of Southern Italy. JOURNAL OF PREVENTIVE MEDICINE AND HYGIENE 2019; 60:E407-E418. [PMID: 31967100 PMCID: PMC6953442 DOI: 10.15167/2421-4248/jpmh2019.60.4.1330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2019] [Accepted: 11/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
The three main sources of asbestos pollution in the city of Bari, Puglia, the former Fibronit asbestos factory, the Torre Quetta beach, the former Rossani barracks and the history of their reclamation are described. The results of cohort studies on factory workers and case-control studies on asbestos exposure to the resident population and the onset of mesothelioma are also reported. Finally, the data of the regional register of mesothelioma related to residents in the city of Bari and four new cases with environmental exposure due to the former Rossani barracks are presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- L. VIMERCATI
- Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine, Section of Occupational Medicine “B. Ramazzini”, University of Bari Medical School, Bari, Italy
| | - D. CAVONE
- Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine, Section of Occupational Medicine “B. Ramazzini”, University of Bari Medical School, Bari, Italy
| | - F. MANSI
- Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine, Section of Occupational Medicine “B. Ramazzini”, University of Bari Medical School, Bari, Italy
| | - E.S.S. CANNONE
- Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine, Section of Occupational Medicine “B. Ramazzini”, University of Bari Medical School, Bari, Italy
| | - L. DE MARIA
- Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine, Section of Occupational Medicine “B. Ramazzini”, University of Bari Medical School, Bari, Italy
| | - A. CAPUTI
- Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine, Section of Occupational Medicine “B. Ramazzini”, University of Bari Medical School, Bari, Italy
| | - M.C. DELFINO
- Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine, Section of Occupational Medicine “B. Ramazzini”, University of Bari Medical School, Bari, Italy
| | - G. SERIO
- Department of Biomedical Science and Human Oncology, University of Bari Medical School, Bari, Italy
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Ledda C, Caltabiano R, Loreto C, Cinà D, Senia P, Musumeci A, Ricceri V, Pomara C, Rapisarda V. Prevalence of anti-nuclear autoantibodies in subjects exposed to natural asbestiform fibers: a cross-sectional study. J Immunotoxicol 2018; 15:24-28. [PMID: 29241379 DOI: 10.1080/1547691x.2017.1415398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Fluoro-edenite (FE) is an asbestiform mineral fiber spotted in the lava rocks excavated from a stone quarry in Biancavilla (Italy). The derived material had been employed locally for building purposes. Previous studies found evidence that exposure to asbestos may induce autoimmunity, with frequency of anti-nuclear autoantibodies (ANA). The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between FE exposure and autoimmune responses in an exposed population. For the study, 60 subjects living in the area of Biancavilla and 60 subjects as control group were randomly invited to participate. A free medical check, including spirometry and a high-resolution computer tomography chest scan, was given to all participants. ANA were determined by indirect immunofluorescence. On medical check, no subject showed any sign and/or symptoms of illness. Prevalence for samples positive to ANA were 70% (n = 42) and 25% (n = 15), respectively, for exposed and non-exposed subjects (p < 0.05). The presence of pleural plaques (PP) was found in 21 (30%) of the exposed subjects and in 2 (3%) of the non-exposed participants. PP subjects were always ANAs positive. In conclusion, as already it was observed with exposure to asbestos fibers, levels of ANA seemed to significantly increase in subjects who had been exposed to FE. Furthermore, all subjects showing PP were also ANA-positive. This first finding in subjects exposed to FE should encourage researchers to further investigate associations between autoimmune unbalance and environmental exposure to asbestiform fibers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caterina Ledda
- a Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine , University of Catania , Catania , Italy
| | - Rosario Caltabiano
- b Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies "G. F. Ingrassia" , University of Catania , Catania , Italy
| | - Carla Loreto
- c Human Anatomy and Histology, Department of Biomedical and Biotechnology Sciences , University of Catania , Catania , Italy
| | - Diana Cinà
- d Clinical Pathology Unit , "Garibaldi Centro" University Hospital of Catania , Catania , Italy
| | - Paola Senia
- a Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine , University of Catania , Catania , Italy
| | - Andrea Musumeci
- e Radiology Unit , "Policlinico G. Rodolico" University Hospital of Catania , Catania , Italy
| | - Vincenzo Ricceri
- f Radiology Unit , "Maria SS. Addolorata" Hospital of Biancavilla, ASP Catania , Biancavilla , Italy
| | - Cristoforo Pomara
- g Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine , University of Foggia , Foggia , Italy.,h Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine , University of Malta , Msida , Malta
| | - Venerando Rapisarda
- a Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine , University of Catania , Catania , Italy
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Vimercati L, Cavone D, Lovreglio P, De Maria L, Caputi A, Ferri GM, Serio G. Environmental asbestos exposure and mesothelioma cases in Bari, Apulia region, southern Italy: a national interest site for land reclamation. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2018; 25:15692-15701. [PMID: 29574645 PMCID: PMC5984633 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-018-1618-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2017] [Accepted: 02/25/2018] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Asbestos is an environmental carcinogen, and asbestos-related diseases are a global-scale public health issue. We report three cases (one male and two females) of pleural malignant mesothelioma (PMM) caused by environmental asbestos exposure reported by the Apulia Regional Operating Centre (COR) to the National Mesothelioma Registry (ReNaM). The patients revealed no history of asbestos exposure even after detailed assessment. The environmental (neighborhood) asbestos exposure for each of the three cases was due to both the residential history of the subjects and their workplace, close to a military barracks, at a distance of between 45 and 100 m. Moreover, in addition to this new source of pollution, an asbestos cement factory was located in the urban area of Bari municipality, in the Apulia region, southern Italy. Environmental-residential/neighborhood asbestos exposure in the city of Bari, a contaminated area classified as a site of national concern for land reclamation, is discussed also with reference to the military barracks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luigi Vimercati
- Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine (DIM), Unit of Occupational Medicine, University Aldo Moro of Bari Medical School, 11 G. Cesare Square, 70124, Bari, Italy.
| | - Domenica Cavone
- Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine (DIM), Unit of Occupational Medicine, University Aldo Moro of Bari Medical School, 11 G. Cesare Square, 70124, Bari, Italy
| | - Piero Lovreglio
- Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine (DIM), Unit of Occupational Medicine, University Aldo Moro of Bari Medical School, 11 G. Cesare Square, 70124, Bari, Italy
| | - Luigi De Maria
- Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine (DIM), Unit of Occupational Medicine, University Aldo Moro of Bari Medical School, 11 G. Cesare Square, 70124, Bari, Italy
| | - Antonio Caputi
- Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine (DIM), Unit of Occupational Medicine, University Aldo Moro of Bari Medical School, 11 G. Cesare Square, 70124, Bari, Italy
| | - Giovanni Maria Ferri
- Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine (DIM), Unit of Occupational Medicine, University Aldo Moro of Bari Medical School, 11 G. Cesare Square, 70124, Bari, Italy
| | - Gabriella Serio
- Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation (DETO), Pathology Division, University Aldo Moro of Bari Medical School, 11 G. Cesare Square, 70124, Bari, Italy
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8
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Asbestos Exposures, Mesothelioma Incidence and Mortality, and Awareness by General Practitioners in the Molise Region, Central Italy. J Occup Environ Med 2017; 60:e90-e97. [PMID: 29111984 DOI: 10.1097/jom.0000000000001211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to evaluate environmental asbestos sources, mesothelioma incidence and mortality, and awareness on asbestos-related diseases (ARDs) by general practitioners (GPs) in Molise Region. METHODS The contaminated sites in three towns were identified by census; mesothelioma incidence (2000 to 2012) and mortality (2003 to 2013) was achieved from local registries; GPs were interviewed on practiced population's exposures and ARDs diagnosis. RESULTS About 54.3% of visited sites were contaminated (71.2% by friable asbestos) and 38.8% was extremely damaged. Over above time-periods, 32 mesothelioma cases (62.5% males, 25% in people aged 70 to 75 years) and 27 deaths (90% males, 69 ± 10 years, 70.4% pleural mesothelioma) have been reported. A total of 122 GPs were interviewed who had diagnosed 40 mesothelioma and 28 asbestosis cases. CONCLUSION There is the need of remediation/removal interventions for contaminated sites and of strategies to increase GPs awareness on asbestos risks for better patients' management.
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Pfau JC, Buck B, Metcalf RV, Kaupish Z, Stair C, Rodriguez M, Keil DE. Comparative health effects in mice of Libby amphibole asbestos and a fibrous amphibole from Arizona. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2017; 334:24-34. [PMID: 28870655 DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2017.08.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2017] [Revised: 07/26/2017] [Accepted: 08/31/2017] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
This project developed from studies demonstrating that Libby Amphibole Asbestos (LAA) causes a non-typical set of health outcomes not generally reported for asbestos, including systemic autoimmunity and an unusual and devastating lamellar pleural thickening that progresses to severe pulmonary dysfunction and death. Further, mineral fiber mixtures with some similarities to LAA have recently been discovered in southern Nevada and northwestern Arizona, where the material exists in extensive recreational areas and is present in yards, roads, parking lots and school yards. The objective was to compare the health outcomes in mice exposed to either LAA or the fibrous amphiboles collected in Arizona at the Lake Mead National Recreational Area at very low doses to represent environmental exposures. In this study, the fibrous amphibole asbestos sample from Arizona (AzA) is composed of winchite (69%), actinolite (22%), and non-amphibole minerals (9%) and has a mean aspect ratio of 16.7±0.9. Fibrous amphibole asbestos from Libby (LAA) is composed of winchite (70%), richterite (9%), tremolite (5%), and non-amphibole minerals (16%) with a mean aspect ratio of 8.4±0.7. C57BL/6 mice were exposed by oropharyngeal aspiration to fiber suspensions at a very low dose of 3μg/mouse. After seven months, both LAA- and AzA-exposed mice had indices of chronic immune dysfunction related to a TH17 cytokine profile, with B cell activation, autoantibody production and proteinuria, suggesting kidney involvement. In addition, both exposures led to significant lung and pleural fibrosis. These data suggest that there is risk of pulmonary disease and autoimmune outcomes with environmental exposure to amphibole asbestos, and that this is not limited to Libby, Montana.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean C Pfau
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA.
| | - Brenda Buck
- Department of Geoscience, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV 89154, USA.
| | - Rodney V Metcalf
- Department of Geoscience, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV 89154, USA.
| | - Zoie Kaupish
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
| | - Caleb Stair
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
| | - Maria Rodriguez
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
| | - Deborah E Keil
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA.
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Abstract
Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), a simple, bioactive sphingolipid metabolite, plays a key role, both intracellularly and extracellularly, in various cellular processes such as proliferation, survival, migration, inflammation, angiogenesis, and endothelial barrier integrity. The cellular S1P level is low and is tightly regulated by its synthesis and degradation. Sphingosine Kinases (SphKs) 1 and 2, catalyze the ATP-dependent phosphorylation of sphingosine to S1P, while the degradation is mediated by the reversible dephosphorylation catalyzed by the S1P phosphatases and lipid phosphate phosphatases and the irreversible degradation to hexadecenal and ethanolamine phosphate by sphingosine-1-phosphate lyase (S1PL). As a ligand for specific G-protein-coupled receptors, S1P1-5, which are differentially expressed in different cell types, S1P generates downstream signals that play crucial role in developmental and disease related pathologies. In addition to acting extracellularly on receptors located on the plasma membrane, S1P can also act intracellularly, independently of S1P1-5, affecting calcium homeostasis and cell proliferation. The SphKs /S1P /S1PL metabolic pathway is implicated in numerous human pathologies including respiratory disorders, thereby raising the possibility that manipulating intracellular S1P levels could offer therapeutic potential in ameliorating lung diseases. This review focuses on the prospects of targeting S1P signaling and S1P metabolizing enzymes using small molecule inhibitors, receptor agonists, and antagonists in the treatment of lung diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- David L Ebenezer
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Illinois at Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Panfeng Fu
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Illinois at Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Viswanathan Natarajan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Illinois at Chicago, IL, USA; Department of Pharmacology, University of Illinois at Chicago, IL, USA; Department of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, IL, USA; Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, IL, USA.
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