Glycogen metabolism reprogramming promotes inflammation in coal dust-exposed lung

Dissecting metabolic landscape of alveolar macrophage

The highly plastic nature of Alveolar Macrophage (AM) plays a crucial role in the defense against inhaled particulates and pathogens in the lungs. Depending on the signal, AM acquires either the classically activated M1 phenotype or the alternatively activated M2 phenotype. In this study, we investigate the metabolic shift in the activated phases of AM (M1 and M2 phases) by reconstructing context specific Genome-Scale Metabolic (GSM) models. Metabolic pathways such as pyruvate metabolism, arachidonic acid metabolism, chondroitin/heparan sulfate biosynthesis, and heparan sulfate degradation are found to be important driving forces in the development of the M1/M2 phenotypes. Additionally, we formulated a bilevel optimization framework named MetaShiftOptimizer to identify minimal modifications that shift one activated state (M1/M2) to the other. The identified reactions involve metabolites such as glycogenin, L-carnitine, 5-hydroperoxy eicosatetraenoic acid, and leukotriene B4, which show potential to be further investigated as significant factors for developing efficient therapy targets for severe respiratory disorders in the future. Overall, our study contributes to the understanding of the metabolic capabilities of the M1 and M2 phenotype of AM and identifies pathways and reactions that can be potential targets for polarization shift and also be used as therapeutic strategies against respiratory diseases.

Cross-sectional analysis of dyslipidemia risk in coal mine workers: from epidemiology to animal models

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the association between coal dust exposure and the occurrence of dyslipidemia in coal mine workers, and identify relevant risk factors. Methods: We selected a population who underwent occupational health examinations at Huainan Yangguang Xinkang Hospital from March 2020 to July 2022. Participants were divided into two groups based on the presence or absence of dyslipidemia, and their baseline information was collected, including records of coal dust exposure. We employed single-factor analysis to identify risk factors for dyslipidemia and adjusted for confounding factors in the adjusted models. Additionally, we explored the effects in different populations using stratified analysis, smooth curve fitting, and propensity score matching. Finally, we confirmed the causal relationship between coal dust exposure and dyslipidemia by examining tissue sections and lipid-related indicators in a mouse model of coal dust exposure. Results A total of 5,657 workers were included in the study, among whom 924 individuals had dyslipidemia and 4,743 individuals did not have dyslipidemia. The results of the single-factor analysis revealed that dust exposure, age, BMI, blood pressure, and smoking were statistically significant risk factors for dyslipidemia (p < 0.05). Additionally, the three multivariate models, adjusted for different confounders, consistently showed a significant increase in the risk of dyslipidemia associated with coal dust exposure (Model 1: OR, 1.869; Model 2: OR, 1.863; Model 3: OR, 2.033). After conducting stratified analysis, this positive correlation remained significant. Furthermore, propensity score matching analysis revealed that with increasing years of work, the risk of dyslipidemia gradually increased, reaching 50% at 11 years. In the mouse model of coal dust exposure, significant coal dust deposition was observed in the lungs and livers of the mice, accompanied by elevated levels of total cholesterol (TC), alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). Conclusion Exposure to coal dust significantly increases the risk of developing dyslipidemia, and this positive correlation exists in different populations, particularly with increasing years of work, resulting in a higher risk.

Prevalence and associations between occupational diseases, emotional exhaustion, and dust mask anxiety among coal miners in Northern China

This study examined the prevalence and associations between occupational-related diseases, emotional exhaustion, and dust mask anxiety among coal miners in Northern China. The study sampled 506 miners from two coal mines in Northern China. Descriptive (frequency, percentages, and chi-square tests) and inferential (complementary log-log logistic regression) analyses were carried out to assess prevalence and associations. The prevalence of coal mining-related pulmonary diseases was 94%, with 40% and 37% reporting pneumoconiosis and bronchitis respectively. Emphysema and tuberculosis were less prevalent with a total prevalence of 5% while 12% of the miners reported two, three, or four of these diseases. For cardiovascular diseases, 66% of the miners reported 3H (hypertension, hyperlipemia, and hyperglycemia) while heart disease and cerebral infarction were reported by 6% and 2% of the miners respectively. Also, 5% and 2% of the miners reported two or all three of 3H, heart condition, and cerebral infarction. The overall prevalence of cardiovascular diseases was 81% while 82% and 63% of the miners reported experiencing some frequency of emotional exhaustion and dust mask anxiety respectively. The study also identified associations between mining-related diseases, emotional exhaustion, dust mask anxiety, and other demographic, personal habits and work-related factors. Miners with pulmonary diseases were more likely to experience emotional exhaustion and dust mask anxiety. Contrariwise, miners with cardiovascular diseases were less likely to experience dust mask anxiety. Factors such as age, engaging in physical exercises, rhinitis, source of pressure and shift system were also associated with emotional exhaustion and dust mask anxiety. These findings highlight the prevalence of occupational diseases, emotional exhaustion, and dust mask anxiety among coal miners in China. The study emphasizes the need for interventions to address health risks, improve work conditions, and support miners' well-being in the coal mining industry.

Association between exposure to external airborne agents and autoimmune disease

The etiology of autoimmune disease pathogeneses remains obscure, and the impact of general environmental or occupational exposure to external airborne agents (EAA) on autoimmune diseases remains understudied. This study was conducted to elucidate the association between exposure to EAA and the risk of autoimmune diseases according to exposure type. From the NHIS-NSC (2002-2019), 17,984,963 person-years were included in the data analysis. Autoimmune diseases were categorized based on the InterLymph classification. We estimated the incidence and rate ratio of autoimmune diseases according to the EAA exposure. Association between exposure and autoimmune diseases was investigated using logistic regression analysis, adjusted for potential confounders. Of the 1,082,879 participants, 86,376 (8.0%) were diagnosed with autoimmune diseases. Among these, 208 (14.1%) experienced severe exposure to EAA. Total EAA exposure was significantly associated with any autoimmune disease (OR: 1.29, 95% CI: 1.11-1.49) and organ-specific diseases (OR: 1.28, 95% CI: 1.08-1.53). Inorganic dust exposure was associated with organ-specific diseases (OR, 1.38; 95% CI: 1.01-1.81). Exposure to other dust was significantly associated with any autoimmune disease (OR: 1.35, 95% CI: 1.10-1.66), connective tissue diseases (OR: 1.43, 95% CI: 1.03-1.99), and organ-specific diseases (OR: 1.28, 95% CI: 1.00-1.65). Exposure to EAA was predominantly related to psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and type 1 diabetes (T1DM). We found that exposure to EAA is a potential risk factor for autoimmune diseases, especially psoriasis, RA, and T1DM. Our findings provide insight into the role of exposure to severe airborne agents in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases.

Does the Environmental Air Impact the Condition of the Vomeronasal Organ? A Mouse Model for Intensive Farming

Chemical communication in mammals is ensured by exchanging chemical signals through the vomeronasal organ (VNO) and its ability to detect pheromones. The alteration of this organ has been proven to impact animal life, participating in the onset of aggressive behaviors in social groups. To date, few studies have highlighted the possible causes leading to these alterations, and the farming environment has not been investigated, even though irritant substances such as ammonia are known to induce serious damage in the respiratory tract. The goal of this study was to investigate the environmental impact on the VNO structure. Thirty mice were split into three groups, one housed in normal laboratory conditions and the other two in confined environments, with or without the release of litter ammonia. VNOs were analyzed using histology and immunohistochemistry to evaluate the effect of different environments on their condition. Both restricted conditions induced VNO alterations (p = 0.0311), soft-tissue alteration (p = 0.0480), and nonsensory epithelium inflammation (p = 0.0024). There was glycogen accumulation (p < 0.0001), the olfactory marker protein was underexpressed (p < 0.0001), and Gαi2 positivity remained unchanged while Gαo expression was upregulated in confined conditions. VNO conditions seemed to worsen with ammonia, even if not always significantly. These murine model results suggest that the housing environment can strongly impact VNO conditions, providing novel insights for improving indoor farming systems.

2-Deoxy-D-Glucose: A Novel Pharmacological Agent for Killing Hypoxic Tumor Cells, Oxygen Dependence-Lowering in Covid-19, and Other Pharmacological Activities

The nonmetabolizable glucose analog 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) has shown promising pharmacological activities, including inhibition of cancerous cell growth and N-glycosylation. It has been used as a glycolysis inhibitor and as a potential energy restriction mimetic agent, inhibiting pathogen-associated molecular patterns. Radioisotope derivatives of 2-DG have applications as tracers. Recently, 2-DG has been used as an anti-COVID-19 drug to lower the need for supplemental oxygen. In the present review, various pharmaceutical properties of 2-DG are discussed.