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Tran HM, Lai CH, Chen WL, Wang CC, Liang CW, Chien CY, Pan CH, Chuang KJ, Chuang HC. Effects of occupational exposure to metal fume PM 2.5 on lung function and biomarkers among shipyard workers: a 3-year prospective cohort study. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 2024; 97:401-412. [PMID: 38480609 PMCID: PMC10999385 DOI: 10.1007/s00420-024-02055-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study investigates the associations of α1-antitrypsin, inter-α-trypsin inhibitor heavy chain (ITIH4), and 8-isoprostane with lung function in shipyard workers exposed to occupational metal fume fine particulate matter (PM2.5), which is known to be associated with adverse respiratory outcomes. METHODS A 3-year follow-up study was conducted on 180 shipyard workers with 262 measurements. Personal exposure to welding fume PM2.5 was collected for an 8-h working day. Pre-exposure, post-exposure, and delta (∆) levels of α1-antitrypsin, ITIH4, and 8-isoprostane were determined in urine using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Post-exposure urinary metals were sampled at the beginning of the next working day and analyzed by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Lung function measurements were also conducted the next working day for post-exposure. RESULTS An IQR increase in PM2.5 was associated with decreases of 2.157% in FEV1, 2.806% in PEF, 4.328% in FEF25%, 5.047% in FEF50%, and 7.205% in FEF75%. An IQR increase in PM2.5 led to increases of 42.155 µg/g in ∆α1-antitrypsin and 16.273 µg/g in ∆ITIH4. Notably, IQR increases in various urinary metals were associated with increases in specific biomarkers, such as post-urinary α1-antitrypsin and ITIH4. Moreover, increases in ∆ α1-antitrypsin and ∆ITIH4 were associated with decreases in FEV1/FVC by 0.008% and 0.020%, respectively, and an increase in ∆8-isoprostane resulted in a 1.538% decline in FVC. CONCLUSION Our study suggests that urinary α1-antitrypsin and ITIH4 could indicate early lung function decline in shipyard workers exposed to metal fume PM2.5, underscoring the need for better safety and health monitoring to reduce respiratory risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huan Minh Tran
- Program in Global Health and Health Security, College of Public Health, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Faculty of Public Health, Da Nang University of Medical Technology and Pharmacy, Da Nang, Vietnam
| | - Ching-Huang Lai
- School of Public Health, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Wei-Liang Chen
- Division of Family Medicine, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
- Division of Geriatric Medicine, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
- School of Medicine, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chung Ching Wang
- Division of Family Medicine, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
- Division of Geriatric Medicine, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
- School of Medicine, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Che-Wei Liang
- School of Public Health, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chi-Yu Chien
- School of Public Health, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Hong Pan
- School of Public Health, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
- Institute of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health, Ministry of Labor, New Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Kai-Jen Chuang
- School of Public Health, College of Public Health, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Public Health, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hsiao-Chi Chuang
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City, Taiwan.
- Inhalation Toxicology Research Lab (ITRL), School of Respiratory Therapy, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, 250 Wuxing Street, Taipei, 11031, Taiwan.
- Cell Physiology and Molecular Image Research Center, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
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Rodríguez-Dopico FJ, Carbas R, Borges CS, Tarrío-Saavedra J, da Silva L, García A. Combined effect of seawater and load on methacrylate adhesive. Heliyon 2023; 9:e14751. [PMID: 37035372 PMCID: PMC10073833 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e14751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2022] [Revised: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Although the shipbuilding industry is constantly demanding new advanced joining solutions, adhesive technology is not as developed in the marine as compared to other industries. The main reason is the lack of specific knowledge that guarantees the durability of the bonded joints in optimal conditions during the life cycle of a ship. This work simulates in the laboratory a marine-like environment by immersing an adhesive in seawater and subjecting it to constant loading. The objective is to characterize the seawater absorption behavior and its consequences on the mechanical, thermal, and chemical properties of the adhesive after this aging process. Seawater ingress was determined through gravimetric tests at several load conditions of the tensile strength of the adhesive. Besides, absorption process was studied using Fick's Law, determining the diffusion coefficients. The thermal behavior was monitored with differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and the chemical degradation was analyzed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Also, the mechanical properties were determined by tensile tests. The surface of the adhesive (dried) was studied by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) technique and the porosity was measured by physisorption with a high-performance adsorption analyzer. A numerical simulation was developed using Darcy's Law combined with continuity equation. The results show that application of loads and immersion in seawater until full saturation of seawater improve the mechanical properties of the adhesive, but it affects negatively to the glass transition temperature. This should be considered when designing adhesive bonding joints on ships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco J. Rodríguez-Dopico
- Universidade da Coruña, Campus Industrial de Ferrol, Departamento Ingeniería Naval e Industrial, Escola Politécnica de Enxeñaría de Ferrol, Grupo de Propiedades Térmicas y Reológicas de Materiales, Ferrol, 15403, A Coruña, Spain
- Corresponding author.
| | - R.J.C. Carbas
- Institute of Science and Innovation in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering (INEGI), Porto, Portugal
| | - Catarina S.P. Borges
- Institute of Science and Innovation in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering (INEGI), Porto, Portugal
| | - J. Tarrío-Saavedra
- Grupo MODES, CITIC, Departamento de Matemáticas, Escola Politécnica de Enxeñaría de Ferrol, Universidade da Coruña, Ferrol, Spain
| | - L.F.M. da Silva
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - A.Álvarez García
- Universidade da Coruña, Campus Industrial de Ferrol, Departamento Ingeniería Naval e Industrial, Escola Politécnica de Enxeñaría de Ferrol, Grupo de Propiedades Térmicas y Reológicas de Materiales, Ferrol, 15403, A Coruña, Spain
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Zhou S, Wang Y, Yu C, Ding C, He J, Liu Y, Wang H, Ni C. Metal Exposure-Related Welder's Pneumoconiosis and Lung Function: A Cross-Sectional Study in a Container Factory of China. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:16809. [PMID: 36554689 PMCID: PMC9779211 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192416809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Long-term inhalation of welding fume at high exposure can cause welder's pneumoconiosis, and metals in welding dust are associated with respiratory dysfunction. This cross-sectional study, which contains 384 Chinese male workers who were or had been working in a container factory, aimed to assess the potential risk of haemal and urinary metal content in welder's pneumoconiosis. Further, we investigated their effects on lung function parameters. Metal content and lung function were measured using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and spirometer, respectively. The concentration and metal content of respirable dust as well as total dust were collected at this container factory. Lung function of cases with welder's pneumoconiosis was significantly worse, as indicated by lower values of FVC, FVC% predicted, FEV1, FEV1% predicted, MEF25% predicted, and MMEF% predicted (p < 0.05). Results of logistic regression models showed that haemal Cr and Zn were risk factors of welder's pneumoconiosis (OR = 4.98, 95%CI: 1.73-21.20, p = 0.009 for Cr; OR = 5.23, 95%CI: 1.56-41.08, p = 0.033 for Zn) after adjusted with age, BMI, working years, welding dust exposure years, and smoking status. Multiple linear regression models showed that several metals (haemal Cd and Pb; urinary Cd and Fe) were significantly associated with different lung function indices in the welder's pneumoconiosis group. Compared to non-welders, welders were exposed to considerably higher levels of respirable dust, total dust, and six kinds of metals (p < 0.05). In conclusion, haemal Cr and Zn are positively related to welder's pneumoconiosis. Meanwhile, Cd and Pb might worsen lung function in welder's pneumoconiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siyun Zhou
- Department of Occupational Medical and Environmental Health, Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Yue Wang
- Department of Occupational Medical and Environmental Health, Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Chen Yu
- Department of Occupational Respiratory Disease, National Institute of Occupational Health and Poison Control, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Chunguang Ding
- National Center for Occupational Safety and Health, Beijing 102300, China
| | - Jiayu He
- Department of Occupational Respiratory Disease, National Institute of Occupational Health and Poison Control, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Yi Liu
- Gusu School, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Huanqiang Wang
- Department of Occupational Respiratory Disease, National Institute of Occupational Health and Poison Control, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Chunhui Ni
- Department of Occupational Medical and Environmental Health, Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
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Chen YJ, Chen YY, Lai CH. Clinical association between trace elements of tear and dry eye metrics. Sci Rep 2022; 12:18052. [PMID: 36302801 PMCID: PMC9613709 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-22550-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Trace elements exposure is proposed to play a role in the pathogenesis of the systemic disease. Emerging studies have suggested that trace metal exposure may contribute to dry eye disease. Our study primarily aimed to investigate the association between trace metal exposure in tear samples and the presence of dry eye metrics in the shipyard industry. Overall, 84 eligible participants from the shipyard industry were included in this cross-sectional study. The parameters for identifying dry eye symptoms included O.S.D.I., SPEED, N.I.B.U.T., and ocular surface conditions, such as tear meniscus height, eye blinking, and meibomian gland area were performed by S.B.M. sistemi ocular surface analyzer. The concentration of tear trace elements was detected by inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS). The association between tear trace elements and dry eye parameters was investigated using regression models. Participants in the exposure group had significantly higher levels of tear Pb than the control group. In the exposure group, tear Pb was significantly associated with increased SPEED and O.S.D.I. score with beta coefficients of 0.144 (95% CI 0.092, 0.197), 0.121 (95% CI 0.049, 0.194), respectively, and decreased lower and upper meibomian gland area with beta coefficients of - 0.158 (- 0.283, - 0.033) and - 0.228 (- 0.396, - 0.061), respectively. Tear trace elements exposure is considered to impact the appearance of dry eye metrics. Improving the occupational environment and monitoring the ocular surface health may benefit workers under exposure to trace elements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying-Jen Chen
- Department of Ophthalmology, Tri-Service General Hospital; and School of Medicine, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Yuan-Yuei Chen
- Department of Pathology, Tri-Service General Hospital; and School of Medicine, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China
- Department of Pathology, Tri-Service General Hospital Songshan Branch; and School of Medicine, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Ching-Huang Lai
- School of Public Health, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Republic of China.
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Feng R, Xu H, Gu Y, Wang Z, Han B, Sun J, Liu S, Lu H, Ho SSH, Shen Z, Cao J. Variations of Personal Exposure to Particulate Nitrated Phenols from Heating Energy Renovation in China: The First Assessment on Associated Toxicological Impacts with Particle Size Distributions. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:3974-3983. [PMID: 35195986 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c07950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The clean heating renovation has been executed for improving particulate matter (PM) pollution in northern China since 2017. This study determined particle size distributions of nitrated phenols (NPs) in personal exposure samples and their associations with biomarkers in saliva and urine from homemakers in rural households of the Fenwei Plain, China. Remarkable reductions of 28.6-66.3% and 52.2-82.4% on PMs and total quantified NPs, respectively, were found with the substitutions of raw coal chunk and biomass by advanced clean coal. 4-Nitroguaiacol (4NG) showed the largest reductions of 81.2% among individual NP. In addition, the clean coal efficiently reduced interleukin-6 (IL-6) and 8-hydrox-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) in the urine and saliva by 12-72%. Furthermore, significant positive correlations between urinary 8-OHdG with most of NPs in all particle sizes, urinary IL-6 with 4NG for particles with Dp > 2.5 μm and Dp = 0.25-1.0 μm and salivary IL-6 with 4-nitrocatechol and 4-methyl-5-nitrocatechol for particles with Dp > 2.5 μm, Dp = 0.5-1.0 μm, and Dp < 0.25 μm were observed but not for salivary 8-OHdG or PMs. The results provide scientific support for the clean energy reformation and demonstrate the strong particle size dependence between NPs and biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong Feng
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, China
| | - Hongmei Xu
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, China
- SKLLQG, Key Lab of Aerosol Chemistry and Physics, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an 710061, China
| | - Yunxuan Gu
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, China
| | - Zexuan Wang
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, China
| | - Bei Han
- School of Public Health, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, China
| | - Jian Sun
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, China
| | - Suixin Liu
- SKLLQG, Key Lab of Aerosol Chemistry and Physics, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an 710061, China
| | - Hongwei Lu
- Department of General Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710004, China
| | - Steven Sai Hang Ho
- Division of Atmospheric Sciences, Desert Research Institute, Reno, Nevada 89512, United States
| | - Zhenxing Shen
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, China
- SKLLQG, Key Lab of Aerosol Chemistry and Physics, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an 710061, China
| | - Junji Cao
- SKLLQG, Key Lab of Aerosol Chemistry and Physics, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an 710061, China
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Liou YH, Chen YJ, Chen WL, Li KY, Chou TY, Huang YC, Wang CC, Lai CH. Associations between Biomarkers of Metal Exposure and Dry Eye Metrics in Shipyard Welders: A Cross-Sectional Study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:2264. [PMID: 35206452 PMCID: PMC8872428 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19042264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Revised: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Shipyard welders are often exposed to welding metal fumes. Ocular surfaces are continually exposed to environmental hazards. However, limited information on the associations between metal exposure and dry eye metrics in occupational settings is available. This study employed a cross-sectional design that involved the participation of 59 welders and 25 administrative staff in a shipyard in northern Taiwan from September 2020 to October 2020. The participants' individual information, laboratory data, exposure to particulate matter < 2.5 μm, urinary, and toenail metal concentrations were collected. Dry eye metrics were evaluated using standardized questionnaires and a noninvasive ocular surface analyzer. Urinary V and Cr and toenail V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Zn, As, and Cd and Pb were significantly higher in the exposed group than in the control group. After adjustment for confounding factors, dry eye metrics were associated with urinary Cd (β = 0.407; p = 0.007) and toenail Pb (β = 0.482; p = 0.002). The participants with higher urinary Cd exhibited higher odds ratios for elevated dry eye metrics. Our study revealed that exposure to welding procedures increases several metal biomarkers. In addition, urinary Cd, and toenail Pb might be related to dry eye disease in shipyard welders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying-Hsi Liou
- School of Medicine, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 114, Taiwan; (Y.-H.L.); (W.-L.C.); (C.-C.W.)
| | - Ying-Jen Chen
- Department of Ophthalmology, Tri-Service General Hospital, Taipei 114, Taiwan;
| | - Wei-Liang Chen
- School of Medicine, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 114, Taiwan; (Y.-H.L.); (W.-L.C.); (C.-C.W.)
- Division of Family Medicine, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital, Taipei 114, Taiwan
- Division of Geriatric Medicine, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital, Taipei 114, Taiwan
| | - Kuan-Ying Li
- Department of Public Health, School of Public Health, National Defense Medical Center, 161 Min-Chuan E. Rd., Sec. 6, Taipei 114, Taiwan; (K.-Y.L.); (T.-Y.C.); (Y.-C.H.)
| | - Ting-Yu Chou
- Department of Public Health, School of Public Health, National Defense Medical Center, 161 Min-Chuan E. Rd., Sec. 6, Taipei 114, Taiwan; (K.-Y.L.); (T.-Y.C.); (Y.-C.H.)
| | - Yung-Chi Huang
- Department of Public Health, School of Public Health, National Defense Medical Center, 161 Min-Chuan E. Rd., Sec. 6, Taipei 114, Taiwan; (K.-Y.L.); (T.-Y.C.); (Y.-C.H.)
| | - Chung-Ching Wang
- School of Medicine, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 114, Taiwan; (Y.-H.L.); (W.-L.C.); (C.-C.W.)
- Division of Family Medicine, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital, Taipei 114, Taiwan
- Division of Geriatric Medicine, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital, Taipei 114, Taiwan
| | - Ching-Huang Lai
- Department of Public Health, School of Public Health, National Defense Medical Center, 161 Min-Chuan E. Rd., Sec. 6, Taipei 114, Taiwan; (K.-Y.L.); (T.-Y.C.); (Y.-C.H.)
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Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Promote YAP/TAZ Nuclear Localization in Alveolar Epithelial Type II Cells. ATMOSPHERE 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/atmos13020334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
We investigated roles of Hippo signaling pathway components in alveolar type II cells (AECII) after zinc oxide nanoparticle (ZnONP) exposure. ZnONPs physicochemistry was characterized using field emission-scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) microanalysis. ZnONP deposition in human respiratory tract was estimated using multiple-path particle dosimetry (MPPD) model. MLE-12 AECII were cultured and exposed to 0, 1, and 5 μg/mL of ZnONPs for 24 h. Western blots were used to investigate signaling pathways associated with Yes-associated protein (YAP)/transcriptional co-activator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ), cell adherens junctions, differentiation, and senescence. ZnONPs morphology was irregular, with Zn and O identified. Approximately 72% of inhaled ZnONPs were deposited in lungs, with 26% being deposited in alveolar regions. ZnONP exposure increased nuclear YAP expression and decreased cytoplasmic YAP expression by AECII. Adherens junction proteins, E-cadherin, α-catenin, and β-catenin, on AECII decreased after ZnONP exposure. ZnONP exposure of AECII increased alveolar type I (AECI) transition protein, LGALS3, and the AECI protein, T1α, while decreasing AECII SPC expression. ZnONP exposure induced Sirt1 and p53 senescence proteins by AECII. Our findings showed that inhalable ZnONPs can deposit in alveoli, which promotes YAP nuclear localization in AECII, resulting in decrease tight junctions, cell differentiation, and cell senescence.
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