Elevated circulating levels of copper and nickel are found in elderly subjects with left ventricular hypertrophy

Circulating levels of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and carotid artery atherosclerosis

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

During recent years, some persistent organic pollutants (POPs) have been linked to atherosclerosis. One group of POPs, the poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) have not been investigated with regard to atherosclerotic plaques.

METHODS

Carotid artery atherosclerosis was assessed by ultrasound in 1016 subjects aged 70 years in the Prospective Investigation of the Vasculature in Uppsala Seniors (PIVUS) study. Eight PFASs were detected in >75% of participants' plasma by ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS).

RESULTS

No significant linear associations were observed between the PFASs and intima-media thickness (IMT), or the echogenicity in the intima-media complex (IM-GSM, a marker of lipid infiltration in the artery) when men and women were analyzed together. Neither was occurrence of carotid plaques related to PFASs levels. However, highly significant interactions were observed between some PFASs and sex regarding both IM-GSM and plaque prevalence. Perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA), and perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnDA), were all related to IM-GSM in a positive fashion in women (p=0.002-0.003), while these relationships were negative in men. The levels of PFUnDA were significantly related to carotid plaque in women (OR 1.59, 95%CI 1.03-2.43, p=0.03), but not in men (OR 0.93, 95%CI 0.62-1.42, p=0.75).

CONCLUSIONS

In this cross-sectional study, a pronounced gender difference was observed regarding associations between some PFASs, especially the long-chain PFUnDA, and markers of atherosclerosis, with more pronounced relationships found in women. These findings suggest a sex-specific role for PFASs in atherosclerosis.

The relationship between occupational metal exposure and arterial compliance

BACKGROUND

The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between cumulative occupational exposure to various metals and arterial compliance in welders.

METHODS

The observational follow-up study consisted of 25 subjects. Levels of nickel (Ni), lead, cadmium, manganese, and arsenic from toenails were assessed using mass spectrometry. Arterial compliance as reflected by augmentation index (AIx) was measured using SphygmoCor Px Pulse Wave Analysis System. Linear regression models were used to assess the associations.

RESULTS

For every 1 unit increase in log-transformed toenail Ni, there was a statistically significant 5.68 (95% confidence interval, 1.38 to 9.98; P = 0.01) unit increase in AIx. No significant associations were found between AIx and lead, cadmium, manganese, and arsenic.

CONCLUSIONS

Cumulative Ni exposure is associated with increased arterial stiffness in welders and may increase risk of adverse cardiovascular outcomes.

Protective effect of grape seed and skin extract against high-fat diet-induced liver steatosis and zinc depletion in rat

BACKGROUND

Obesity is a tremendous public health problem, characterized by ectopic deposition of fat into non-adipose tissues as liver generating an oxidative stress that could lead to steato-hepatitis. Grape seed and skin extract (GSSE) is a complex mixture of polyphenolics exhibiting robust antioxidative properties.

AIM

We hypothesize that GSSE could protect the liver from fat-induced lipotoxicity and have a beneficial effect on liver function.

METHODS

Hepatoprotective effect of GSSE was measured by using an experimental model of fat-induced rat liver steatosis. Male rats were fed a standard diet or a high-fat diet (HFD) during 6 weeks and treated or not with 500 mg/kg bw GSSE. Lipid deposition into the liver was assessed by triglyceride, cholesterol and phospholipid measurements. Fat-induced lipoperoxidation, carbonylation, depletion of glutathione and of antioxidant enzyme activities were used as oxidative stress markers with a special emphasis on transition metal distribution.

RESULTS

HFD induced liver hypertrophy and inflammation as assessed by high liver transaminases. HFD also induced an oxidative stress characterized by increased lipid and protein oxidation, a drop in glutathione and antioxidant enzyme activities as glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase and a drastic depletion in liver zinc. Importantly, GSSE prevented all the deleterious effects of HFD treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Data suggest that GSSE could be used as a safe preventive agent against fat-induced liver lipotoxicity which could also have potential applications in other non-alcoholic liver diseases.

Biomonitoring of cadmium, chromium, nickel and arsenic in general population living near mining and active industrial areas in Southern Tunisia

The human health impact of the historic and current mining and industrial activities in Tunisia is not known. This study assessed the exposure to metals in the population of Southern Tunisia, using biomonitoring. The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate metal exposure on 350 participants living near mining and active industrial areas in the South of Tunisia. Blood specimens were analyzed for metals (Cd, Cr, As, and Ni) by Atomic Absorption Spectrometer equipped with Zeeman background correction and AS-800 auto sampler by graphite furnace and graphite tubes with integrated L'vov platform. The sample population was classified according to different age groups, sex, smoking habit, sea food and water drinking consumption, occupational exposure, amalgam fillings and place of residence. The blood As, Cd, Cr and Ni values expressed as mean ± SD were 1.56 ± 2.49, 0.74 ± 1.15, 35.04 ± 26.02 and 30.56 ± 29.96 μg/l, respectively. Blood Cd and Ni levels in smokers were 2 and 1.2 times, respectively, higher than in non-smokers. Blood Cd levels increase significantly with age (p = 0.002). As, Cd and Ni were significantly correlated with gender and age (p < 0.05). Cd level in blood samples of subjects occupationally exposed was 1.3 times higher than that of non-exposed. Blood metals were not significantly affected by amalgam fillings, place of living and sea food and drinking water consumption. This first biomonitoring study of metal exposure in the South of Tunisia reveals a substantial exposure to several metals. The pathways of exposure and health significance of these findings need to be further investigated.

Whole blood and serum concentrations of metals in a Swedish population-based sample

OBJECTIVE

While the potential toxicity of metals in humans is a well-established field of research, there are few studies that examine circulating concentrations of metals in large population-based samples. The aim of this study was to analyze levels of heavy metals and trace elements in both whole blood and serum in an elderly population, and to examine if gender, kidney function, haemoglobin or serum albumin could impact the distribution of metals between whole blood and serum.

METHODS

Whole blood and serum samples from 1016 70-year-olds living in Uppsala, Sweden, were analyzed for aluminium, cadmium, cobalt, copper, chromium, mercury, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, lead, and zinc using inductively coupled plasma-sector field mass spectrometry (ICP-SFMS). Distribution between whole blood and serum was evaluated by the ratio between whole blood and serum concentration (B/S-ratio).

RESULTS

Concentrations differed significantly between whole blood and serum measurements for all 11 metals (p < 0.00001). The highest B/S-ratios were found for lead (27), zinc (9), manganese (6), and nickel (4). Copper (0.86), cobalt (0.84), and molybdenum (0.86) showed B/S-ratios < 1. Especially the B/S-ratios for chromium, mercury and nickel correlated with kidney function (GFR) (r = 0.21, - 0.21 and - 0.36 respectively, p < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

The distribution between whole blood and serum varied considerably for different metals. This distribution correlated with physiological factors, mainly with kidney function, for several of the metals.

Grape seed and skin extract mitigates heart and liver oxidative damage induced by a high-fat diet in the rat: gender dependency

Obesity is a public health problem contributing to morbidity and mortality from metabolic syndrome. It has long been recognized that there is a gender dependency in several obesity-related health risks. Using a high fat diet (HFD) to induce obesity in Wistar rats, we studied the gender dependency of fat-induced oxidative stress in the heart and liver, with a special emphasis on the distribution of transition metals, as well as the protective effects of grape seed and skin extract (GSSE). HFD induced obesity in both male and female rats, characterized by increased body weight as well as relative liver mass in both genders, and increased relative heart mass in the males only. HFD also provoked the accumulation of triglycerides and total cholesterol into the male hearts, and into the livers of both genders. HFD induced oxidative stress in the male hearts and also in the livers of both genders. Furthermore, HFD affected cardiac levels of copper in the males, and hepatic levels of copper and zinc in both genders, whereas HFD affected free iron in the male hearts and female livers, specifically. In conclusion, HFD treatment altered transition metal homeostasis more drastically in the male heart than in the female liver, and GSSE efficiently protected these organs against fat-induced disturbances, regardless of gender.