Maternal cerium nitrate exposure induces developmental immunotoxicity in BALB/c mouse offspring

Comparative analysis of rare earth elements concentrations in domestic dogs and Apennine wolves of Central Italy: Influence of biological, nutritional, and lifestyle factors

Rare Earth Elements (REEs) are strategical elements playing a crucial role in the industry, especially in producing high-tech materials. Therefore, REEs are new contaminants of emerging concerns. However, due to the lack of exposure data on REE occurrence in environmental matrices, especially in European countries, it is still tricky to establish environmental background levels to assess the ecotoxicological risk related to REEs exposure. The present study aimed to evaluate the liver concentrations of REEs in domestic dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) and Apennine wolves (Canis lupus italicus) living in the Abruzzo region, Italy. Moreover, for the scope of the present study, the dog's group was divided according to their sex, age, lifestyle, and diet. Wolves were categorized concerning their sex and genetic characteristics. Liver samples from dogs and wolves were collected during diagnostic necropsies from carcasses, sample mineralization was performed by a microwave digestion system with a single reaction chamber, and simultaneous determination of the presence of REEs was performed by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (Q-ICP-MS) using standard mode for all rare earth elements except scandium (Sc) which was acquired in kinetic energy discrimination (KED) mode. Hepatic concentrations of REEs were statistically significantly higher in wolves compared to dogs. Moreover, significant differences in REEs concentrations arose also from the genetic type of wolf, since "pure wolves" had higher liver concentrations of REEs compared to wolf-dog hybrids. Female and adult dogs also showed elevated REEs compared to male and juvenile dogs, while no significant differences were demonstrated for dogs' diet and lifestyle. The results of the present study confirm the exposure of domestic and wild carnivores to REEs, showing also the ability of REEs to accumulate in carnivore livers, suggesting the potential role of this species as an alternative bioindicator.

IL-10-TG/TPO-T4 axis, the target of bis (2-ethylhexyl) tetrabromophthalate on thyroid function imbalance

Bis (2-ethylhexyl) tetrabromophthalate (TBPH) is a new type of brominated flame retardant. Some studies suggest that TBPH exposure may be associated with thyroid damage. However, there is a paucity of research on the authentic exposure-related effects and molecular mechanisms in animals or cells. In this study, we used male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats and the Nthy ori3-1 cell line (the human thyroid follicular epithelial cell) to explore the potential effects of TBPH (5, 50, 500 mg/kg and 1, 10, 100 nM) on the thyroid. The genes and their proteins of cytokines and thyroid-specific proteins, thyroglobulin (TG), thyroid peroxidase (TPO), and sodium iodide cotransporter (NIS) were examined to investigate the possible mechanisms. At the end of the experiment, it was found that 50 and 500 mg/kg TBPH could increase the levels of total thyroxine (TT4) and free thyroxine (FT4) significantly. The messenger RNAs (mRNAs) of Tg, Tpo, Interleukin-6 (Il6), and Interleukin-10 (Il10) in the thyroid tissues from the rats treated with 500 mg/kg were enhanced clearly. Meanwhile, the mRNAs of TG, TPO, IL6, and IL10 were elevated in Nthy ori3-1 cells treated with 100 nM TBPH as well. The mRNAs of TG and TPO were elevated after the knockdown of IL6. To our surprise, after the knockdown of IL10 or the treatment of anti-IL-10-receptor (anti-IL-10-R) antibody, the mRNAs of TG and TPO were significantly reduced, and the effects of TBPH were diminished. In conclusion, our results suggested that the IL-10-IL-10R-TG/TPO-T4 axis is one important target of TBPH in the thyroid.

Quantification of rare earth elements in Australian and imported rice samples from different origins using ICP-MS

Rare earth elements (REEs) are also known as lanthanides and are comprised of seventeen elements including lanthanum to lutetium in the periodic table. Despite their increased utilization, little attention is given to them as emerging environmental contaminants and their associated health risks. The concentration of these elements in urban and agronomic soil may trigger bioaccumulation in plants and may enter the food chain. Also, the consumption of fertilizers in agricultural practices on a larger scale is a significant challenge. The REEs enriched fertilizers are a risk factor for contamination in soil and food. However, there is very limited data in the literature regarding the occurrence of these elements in a staple food such as rice. Thus, this study is aimed at quantification of rare earth elements in Australian and imported rice samples from different countries by using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). The developed analytical method was validated by using two certified reference materials (CRMs) for precision and accuracy. The method was applied for analysing rice samples (including polished, brown, and parboiled) imported from different countries and sourced locally and consumed by the Australian population. The average concentration of REEs in Australian, Thailand and Vietnamese rice samples were quantified as 0.013-2.974 μg/kg, 0.012-3.113 μg/kg, 0.009-0.919 μg/kg respectively and were lower than other countries. The highest average concentrations of REEs were found in Pakistan (0.299-128.2 μg/kg), India (0.063-20.574 μg/kg), and Sri Lankan (0.022-11.522 μg/kg) rice samples imported to Australia. Scandium and yttrium were found in the range of 107.463-85.961 μg/kg. The pattern of Light rare earth elements (LREE) was more abundant than heavy rare earth elements (HREE). This study did not include field experiments to find the translocation factors of REEs from soil to different parts of plant bodies, thus cannot establish the correlation between fertilizers and REEs concentration in rice grains. However, this study presented the general interpretation of REEs quantification in rice grains from different Countries. The outcome of this study includes filling the subsequent knowledge gaps in analysing REEs in rice. This study indicated the need to establish a monitoring program for this type of staple cereals, aiming at promoting public health.