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Sun X, Deng Y, Fang L, Ni M, Wang X, Zhang T, Chen Y, Cai G, Pan F. Association of Exposure to Heavy Metal Mixtures with Systemic Immune-Inflammation Index Among US Adults in NHANES 2011-2016. Biol Trace Elem Res 2024; 202:3005-3017. [PMID: 37817047 DOI: 10.1007/s12011-023-03901-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023]
Abstract
In reality, people are often co-exposed to multiple heavy metals; however, current research has focused on the association between individual heavy metals and inflammation. Therefore, it is more relevant to explore the combined effects of multiple heavy metal exposure on inflammation. The study included data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 2011-2016. The systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) was used to reflect systemic immune-inflammation status. In this study, single variable models were used to assess the linear and non-linear relationships between single heavy metal exposures and SII. To analyze the combined effect of mixed heavy metals exposure on SII, we constructed three statistical models, including weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression, quantile-based g computation (qgcomp), and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR). The single-exposure analysis found positive associations between multiple heavy metals and SII, while mercury in blood was negatively associated with SII, and U-shaped correlations were observed between blood lead, urine barium and strontium, and SII. In the WQS model, SII increased significantly with increasing concentrations of mixed heavy metals, while consistent results in the qgcomp model, but not statistically significant. In the BKMR model, exposure to heavy metal mixtures was positively associated with SII, with mercury, cadmium, and cobalt in urine contributing the most to the mixed exposure. In addition, synergistic and antagonistic effects between heavy metals on increasing SII were found in our study. In summary, our results reveal that combined exposure to multiple heavy metals is positively associated with SII in the US adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoya Sun
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Rd, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
- The Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Yujie Deng
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Rd, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
- The Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Lanlan Fang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Rd, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
- The Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Man Ni
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Rd, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
- The Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Xinqi Wang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Rd, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
- The Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Tao Zhang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Rd, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
- The Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Yuting Chen
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Rd, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
- The Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Guoqi Cai
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Rd, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
- The Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Faming Pan
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Rd, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China.
- The Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China.
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Atanga R, Appell LL, Thompson MN, Lauer FT, Brearley A, Campen MJ, Castillo EF, In JG. Single Cell Analysis of Human Colonoids Exposed to Uranium-Bearing Dust. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2024; 132:57006. [PMID: 38771937 PMCID: PMC11108582 DOI: 10.1289/ehp13855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Uranium exposure remains an important environmental legacy and physiological health concern, with hundreds of abandoned uranium mines located in the Southwestern United States largely impacting underserved indigenous communities. The negative effects of heavy metals on barrier permeability and inhibition of intestinal epithelial healing have been described; however, transcriptomic changes within the intestinal epithelial cells and impacts on lineage differentiation are largely unknown. OBJECTIVES Herein, we sought to determine the molecular and cellular changes that occur in the colon in response to uranium bearing dust (UBD) exposure. METHODS Human colonoids from three biologically distinct donors were acutely exposed to UBD then digested for single cell RNA sequencing to define the molecular changes that occur to specific identities of colonic epithelial cells. Validation in colonoids was assessed using morphological and imaging techniques. RESULTS Human colonoids acutely exposed to UBD exhibited disrupted proliferation and hyperplastic differentiation of the secretory lineage cell, enteroendocrine cells (EEC). Single-cell RNA sequencing also showed more EEC subtypes present in UBD-exposed colonoids. DISCUSSION These findings highlight the significance of crypt-based proliferative cells and secretory cell differentiation using human colonoids to model major colonic responses to uranium-bearing particulate dust exposure. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP13855.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roger Atanga
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Lidia L. Appell
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Myranda N. Thompson
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Fredine T. Lauer
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Adrian Brearley
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Matthew J. Campen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Eliseo F. Castillo
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
- Autophagy, Inflammation and Metabolism Center of Biomedical Research Excellence, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Julie G. In
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
- Autophagy, Inflammation and Metabolism Center of Biomedical Research Excellence, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
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Zhou YH, Bai YJ, Zhao XY. Combined exposure to multiple metals on abdominal aortic calcification: results from the NHANES study. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024; 31:24282-24301. [PMID: 38438641 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-32745-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024]
Abstract
Exposure to metals increases the risk of many diseases and has become a public health concern. However, few studies have focused on the effect of metal on abdominal aortic calcification (AAC), especially the combined effects of metal mixtures. In this study, we aim to investigate the combined effect of metals on AAC risk and determine the key components in the multiple metals. We tried to investigate the relationship between multiple metal exposure and AAC risk. Fourteen urinary metals were analyzed with five statistical models as follows: generalized linear regression, weighted quantile sum regression (WQS), quantile g-computation (Qgcomp), and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) models. A total of 838 participants were involved, of whom 241 (28.8%) had AAC. After adjusting for covariates, in multiple metal exposure logistic regression, cadmium (Cd) (OR = 1.364, 95% CI = 1.035-1.797) was positively associated with AAC risk, while cobalt (Co) (OR = 0.631, 95% CI = 0.438-0.908) was negatively associated with AAC risk. A significant positive effect between multiple metal exposure and AAC risk was observed in WQS (OR = 2.090; 95% CI = 1.280-3.420, P < 0.01), Qgcomp (OR = 1.522, 95% CI = 1.012-2.290, P < 0.05), and BKMR models. It was found that the positive association may be driven primarily by Cd, lead (Pb), uranium (U), and tungsten (W). Subgroups analysis showed the association was more significant in participants with BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2, abdominal obesity, drinking, and smoking. Our study shows that exposure to multiple metals increases the risk of AAC in adults aged ≥ 40 years in the USA and that Cd, Pb, U, and W are the main contributors. The association is stronger in participants who are obese, smoker, or drinker.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan-Hang Zhou
- Department of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Hereditary Cardiovascular Diseases, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
| | - Yu-Jie Bai
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
| | - Xiao-Yan Zhao
- Department of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China.
- Henan Key Laboratory of Hereditary Cardiovascular Diseases, Zhengzhou, 450052, China.
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Levin R, Villanueva CM, Beene D, Cradock AL, Donat-Vargas C, Lewis J, Martinez-Morata I, Minovi D, Nigra AE, Olson ED, Schaider LA, Ward MH, Deziel NC. US drinking water quality: exposure risk profiles for seven legacy and emerging contaminants. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2024; 34:3-22. [PMID: 37739995 PMCID: PMC10907308 DOI: 10.1038/s41370-023-00597-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Advances in drinking water infrastructure and treatment throughout the 20th and early 21st century dramatically improved water reliability and quality in the United States (US) and other parts of the world. However, numerous chemical contaminants from a range of anthropogenic and natural sources continue to pose chronic health concerns, even in countries with established drinking water regulations, such as the US. OBJECTIVE/METHODS In this review, we summarize exposure risk profiles and health effects for seven legacy and emerging drinking water contaminants or contaminant groups: arsenic, disinfection by-products, fracking-related substances, lead, nitrate, per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) and uranium. We begin with an overview of US public water systems, and US and global drinking water regulation. We end with a summary of cross-cutting challenges that burden US drinking water systems: aging and deteriorated water infrastructure, vulnerabilities for children in school and childcare facilities, climate change, disparities in access to safe and reliable drinking water, uneven enforcement of drinking water standards, inadequate health assessments, large numbers of chemicals within a class, a preponderance of small water systems, and issues facing US Indigenous communities. RESULTS Research and data on US drinking water contamination show that exposure profiles, health risks, and water quality reliability issues vary widely across populations, geographically and by contaminant. Factors include water source, local and regional features, aging water infrastructure, industrial or commercial activities, and social determinants. Understanding the risk profiles of different drinking water contaminants is necessary for anticipating local and general problems, ascertaining the state of drinking water resources, and developing mitigation strategies. IMPACT STATEMENT Drinking water contamination is widespread, even in the US. Exposure risk profiles vary by contaminant. Understanding the risk profiles of different drinking water contaminants is necessary for anticipating local and general public health problems, ascertaining the state of drinking water resources, and developing mitigation strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronnie Levin
- Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Cristina M Villanueva
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER epidemiología y salud pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
- IMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Daniel Beene
- Community Environmental Health Program, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA
- University of New Mexico Department of Geography & Environmental Studies, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | | | - Carolina Donat-Vargas
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER epidemiología y salud pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Johnnye Lewis
- Community Environmental Health Program, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Irene Martinez-Morata
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Darya Minovi
- Center for Science and Democracy, Union of Concerned Scientists, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Anne E Nigra
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Erik D Olson
- Natural Resources Defense Council, Washington, DC, USA
| | | | - Mary H Ward
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
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Jin S, Cui S, Huang X, Li Z, Han Y, Cui T, Su Y, Xiong W, Zhang X. BMI-specific inflammatory response to phthalate exposure in early pregnancy: findings from the TMCHESC study. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:123383-123395. [PMID: 37985588 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-30922-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
Studies that have evaluated associations between phthalate metabolites and inflammation have reported inconsistent results among pregnant women, and it is unclear how body mass index (BMI) affects such relationships. Therefore, the present study aimed to examine the association between urinary phthalate metabolite concentrations and the levels of inflammatory biomarkers in the general circulation among 394 pregnant women selected from the Tianjin Maternal and Child Health Education and Service Cohort (TMCHESC) and to determine the role that BMI plays in the relationship. The concentrations of eight inflammatory biomarkers and three phthalate metabolites were measured in serum and urine samples, respectively. Multivariable linear modeling was conducted to examine the association between each phthalate and inflammatory biomarker while controlling for potential confounding factors in BMI-stratified subgroups. Restricted cubic splines were also utilised to explore potential non-linear relationships. In the high-BMI group, positive associations were observed between the levels of mono-n-butyl phthalate (MBP) and interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β) (β = 0.192; 95% CI: 0.033, 0.351), monoethyl phthalate (MEP), and C-reaction protein (CRP) (β = 0.129; 95% CI 0.024, 0.233), and mono-ethylhexyl phthalate (MEHP) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) (β = 0.146; 95% CI 0.016, 0.277). Restricted cubic spline models also revealed non-linear associations between the levels of MBP and interleukins 10 and 17A (IL-10 and IL-17A) and between MEP and interleukin 8 (IL-8) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) in pregnant women. These results suggest that phthalate exposure plays a potential role in promoting inflammation in the high-BMI group. While the precise mechanisms underlying the proinflammatory effects of phthalates are not fully understood, these findings suggest that BMI may play a role.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shihao Jin
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, No. 22 Qixiangtai Road, Tianjin, 300070, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environment, Nutrition, and Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China
| | - Shanshan Cui
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, China
| | - Xiaoqing Huang
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, No. 22 Qixiangtai Road, Tianjin, 300070, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environment, Nutrition, and Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China
| | - Zhi Li
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, No. 22 Qixiangtai Road, Tianjin, 300070, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environment, Nutrition, and Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China
| | - Yu Han
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, No. 22 Qixiangtai Road, Tianjin, 300070, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environment, Nutrition, and Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China
| | - Tingkai Cui
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, No. 22 Qixiangtai Road, Tianjin, 300070, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environment, Nutrition, and Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China
| | - Yuanyuan Su
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, No. 22 Qixiangtai Road, Tianjin, 300070, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environment, Nutrition, and Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China
| | - Wenjuan Xiong
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, No. 22 Qixiangtai Road, Tianjin, 300070, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environment, Nutrition, and Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China
| | - Xin Zhang
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, No. 22 Qixiangtai Road, Tianjin, 300070, China.
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environment, Nutrition, and Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China.
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Hoover JH, Coker ES, Erdei E, Luo L, Begay D, MacKenzie D, Lewis J. Preterm Birth and Metal Mixture Exposure among Pregnant Women from the Navajo Birth Cohort Study. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2023; 131:127014. [PMID: 38109118 PMCID: PMC10727039 DOI: 10.1289/ehp10361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2021] [Revised: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Preterm birth (PTB), defined as birth before 37 wk gestation, is associated with hypertension, diabetes, inadequate prenatal care, unemployment or poverty, and metal exposure. Indigenous individuals are more likely to have maternal risk factors associated with PTB compared with other populations in the United States; however, the role of environmental metals on PTB among pregnant Indigenous women remains uncertain. Previous research identified associations between PTB and individual metals, but there is limited investigation on metal mixtures and this birth outcome. OBJECTIVES We used a mixtures analysis framework to investigate the association between metal mixtures and PTB among pregnant Indigenous women from the Navajo Birth Cohort Study (NBCS). METHODS Maternal urine and blood samples were collected at the time of study enrollment and analyzed for metals by inductively coupled plasma dynamic reaction cell mass spectrometry. Bayesian Profile Regression was used to identify subgroups (clusters) of individuals with similar patterns of coexposure and to model association with PTB. RESULTS Results indicated six subgroups of maternal participants with distinct exposure profiles, including one group with low exposure to all metals and one group with total arsenic, cadmium, lead, and uranium concentrations exceeding representative concentrations calculated from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Compared with the reference group (i.e., the lowest exposure subgroup), the subgroup with the highest overall exposure had a relative risk of PTB of 2.9 times (95% credible interval: 1.1, 6.1). Exposures in this subgroup were also higher overall than NHANES median values for women 14-45 years of age. DISCUSSION Given the wide range of exposures and elevated PTB risk for the most exposed subgroups in a relatively small study, follow-up investigation is recommended to evaluate associations between metal mixture profiles and other birth outcomes and to test hypothesized mechanisms of action for PTB and oxidative stress caused by environmental metals. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP10361.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph H. Hoover
- Community Environmental Health Program, College of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
- Department of Environmental Science, College of Agriculture, Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| | - Eric S. Coker
- British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Esther Erdei
- Community Environmental Health Program, College of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Li Luo
- Department of Internal Medicine and Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - David Begay
- Community Environmental Health Program, College of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Debra MacKenzie
- Community Environmental Health Program, College of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - NBCS Study Team
- Community Environmental Health Program, College of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Johnnye Lewis
- Community Environmental Health Program, College of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
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Vellingiri B. A deeper understanding about the role of uranium toxicity in neurodegeneration. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 233:116430. [PMID: 37329943 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.116430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2022] [Revised: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Natural deposits and human-caused releases of uranium have led to its contamination in the nature. Toxic environmental contaminants such as uranium that harm cerebral processes specifically target the brain. Numerous experimental researches have shown that occupational and environmental uranium exposure can result in a wide range of health issues. According to the recent experimental research, uranium can enter the brain after exposure and cause neurobehavioral problems such as elevated motion related activity, disruption of the sleep-wake cycle, poor memory, and elevated anxiety. However, the exact mechanism behind the factor for neurotoxicity by uranium is still uncertain. This review primarily aims on a brief overview of uranium, its route of exposure to the central nervous system, and the likely mechanism of uranium in neurological diseases including oxidative stress, epigenetic modification, and neuronal inflammation has been described, which could present the probable state-of-the-art status of uranium in neurotoxicity. Finally, we offer some preventative strategies to workers who are exposed to uranium at work. In closing, this study highlights the knowledge of uranium's health dangers and underlying toxicological mechanisms is still in its infancy, and there is still more to learn about many contentious discoveries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Balachandar Vellingiri
- Cytogenetics and Stem Cell Laboratory, Department of Zoology, School of Basic Sciences, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, 151401, Punjab, India.
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Atanga R, Appell LL, Lauer FT, Brearley A, Campen MJ, Castillo EF, In JG. Uranium-bearing dust induces differentiation and expansion of enteroendocrine cells in human colonoids. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.10.552796. [PMID: 37609291 PMCID: PMC10441413 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.10.552796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
Chronic exposure to environmental toxins and heavy metals has been associated with intestinal inflammation, increased susceptibility to pathogen-induced diseases, and higher incidences of colorectal cancer, all of which have been steadily increasing in prevalence for the past 40 years. The negative effects of heavy metals on barrier permeability and inhibition of intestinal epithelial healing have been described; however, transcriptomic changes within the intestinal epithelial cells and impacts on lineage differentiation are largely unknown. Uranium exposure remains an important environmental legacy and physiological health concern, with hundreds of abandoned uranium mines located in the Southwestern United States largely impacting underserved indigenous communities. Herein, using human colonoids, we defined the molecular and cellular changes that occur in response to uranium bearing dust (UBD) exposure. We used single cell RNA sequencing to define the molecular changes that occur to specific identities of colonic epithelial cells. We demonstrate that this environmental toxicant disrupts proliferation and induces hyperplastic differentiation of secretory lineage cells, particularly enteroendocrine cells (EEC). EECs respond to UBD exposure with increased differentiation into de novo EEC sub-types not found in control colonoids. This UBD-induced EEC differentiation does not occur via canonical transcription factors NEUROG3 or NEUROD1. These findings highlight the significance of crypts-based proliferative cells and secretory cell differentiation as major colonic responses to heavy metal-induced injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roger Atanga
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM
| | - Lidia L. Appell
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM
| | - Fredine T. Lauer
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM
| | - Adrian Brearley
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM
| | - Matthew J. Campen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM
| | - Eliseo F. Castillo
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM
- Autophagy, Inflammation and Metabolism Center of Biomedical Research Excellence, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM
| | - Julie G. In
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM
- Autophagy, Inflammation and Metabolism Center of Biomedical Research Excellence, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM
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Girlamo C, Lin Y, Hoover J, Beene D, Woldeyohannes T, Liu Z, Campen MJ, MacKenzie D, Lewis J. Meteorological data source comparison-a case study in geospatial modeling of potential environmental exposure to abandoned uranium mine sites in the Navajo Nation. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2023; 195:834. [PMID: 37303005 PMCID: PMC10258180 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-023-11283-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Meteorological (MET) data is a crucial input for environmental exposure models. While modeling exposure potential using geospatial technology is a common practice, existing studies infrequently evaluate the impact of input MET data on the level of uncertainty on output results. The objective of this study is to determine the effect of various MET data sources on the potential exposure susceptibility predictions. Three sources of wind data are compared: The North American Regional Reanalysis (NARR) database, meteorological aerodrome reports (METARs) from regional airports, and data from local MET weather stations. These data sources are used as inputs into a machine learning (ML) driven GIS Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (GIS-MCDA) geospatial model to predict potential exposure to abandoned uranium mine sites in the Navajo Nation. Results indicate significant variations in results derived from different wind data sources. After validating the results from each source using the National Uranium Resource Evaluation (NURE) database in a geographically weighted regression (GWR), METARs data combined with the local MET weather station data showed the highest accuracy, with an average R2 of 0.74. We conclude that local direct measurement-based data (METARs and MET data) produce a more accurate prediction than the other sources evaluated in the study. This study has the potential to inform future data collection methods, leading to more accurate predictions and better-informed policy decisions surrounding environmental exposure susceptibility and risk assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Girlamo
- Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, UNM Center for the Advancement of Spatial Informatics Research and Education (ASPIRE), University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - Yan Lin
- Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, UNM Center for the Advancement of Spatial Informatics Research and Education (ASPIRE), University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - Joseph Hoover
- Department of Environmental Science, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA.
| | - Daniel Beene
- Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, UNM Center for the Advancement of Spatial Informatics Research and Education (ASPIRE), University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
- College of Pharmacy, Community Environmental Health Program, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - Theodros Woldeyohannes
- Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, UNM Center for the Advancement of Spatial Informatics Research and Education (ASPIRE), University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - Zhuoming Liu
- Department of Computer Science, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - Matthew J Campen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Debra MacKenzie
- College of Pharmacy, Community Environmental Health Program, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - Johnnye Lewis
- College of Pharmacy, Community Environmental Health Program, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
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Rathod AM, Verpaele S, Kelvin M, Sullivan KV, Leybourne MI. Uranium: an overview of physicochemical properties, exposure assessment methodologies, and health effects of environmental and occupational exposure. ENVIRONMENTAL GEOCHEMISTRY AND HEALTH 2023; 45:1183-1200. [PMID: 35711076 DOI: 10.1007/s10653-022-01293-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Uranium is chemo- and radiotoxic element which can cause multifactorial health hazards. Natural and anthropogenic uranium contamination raises concerns about potential public health problems. Natural contamination plays a significant role with regard to uranium exposure in the general population, whereas anthropogenic contamination leads to occupational uranium exposure, particularly in nuclear industry workers. In this review, we present a state-of-the-art status concerning uranium-induced health risks with a focus on epidemiological findings of uranium processing and enrichment plant workers. We provide a general overview of physicochemical properties of uranium and analytical methods for measuring or monitoring uranium, describe environmental and occupational exposure scenarios, and discuss the challenges for objectively investigating risks from uranium exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhisha M Rathod
- Department of Geoscience and Geological Engineering, Queen's University, 99 University Avenue, Kingston, ON, K7L 3N6, Canada
- Arthur B. McDonald Canadian Astroparticle Physics Research Institute, Queen's University, 64 Bader Lane, Kingston, ON, K7L 3N6, Canada
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2S2, Canada
| | - Steven Verpaele
- Nickel Institute, Health and Environment Public Policy, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Michelle Kelvin
- Department of Geoscience and Geological Engineering, Queen's University, 99 University Avenue, Kingston, ON, K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - Kaj V Sullivan
- Department of Geoscience and Geological Engineering, Queen's University, 99 University Avenue, Kingston, ON, K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - Matthew I Leybourne
- Department of Geoscience and Geological Engineering, Queen's University, 99 University Avenue, Kingston, ON, K7L 3N6, Canada.
- Arthur B. McDonald Canadian Astroparticle Physics Research Institute, Queen's University, 64 Bader Lane, Kingston, ON, K7L 3N6, Canada.
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11
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Erdei E, Shuey C, Miller C, Hoover J, Cajero M, Lewis J. Metal mixture exposures and multiplexed autoantibody screening in Navajo communities exposed to uranium mine wastes. J Transl Autoimmun 2023; 6:100201. [PMID: 37169001 PMCID: PMC10165442 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtauto.2023.100201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2023] [Revised: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Environmental exposures to metals in uranium mining wastes and drinking water were documented in more than half of the 1304 Navajo community members of the Diné Network for Environmental Health (DiNEH) Project, the first comprehensive assessment of exposures to these metals and community health on the Navajo Nation. Objective Evaluate environmental exposures among participants who provided blood and urine samples using multiplexed autoantibody positivity as an early effect biomarker. Methods Survey and geospatial location data, well water quality, and metals biomonitoring were used to assess exposures to mixed-metal wastes from 100 abandoned uranium waste sites. Results We observed that the prevalence of multiplexed autoantibody positivity in 239 participants was more than double that reported for the U.S. population (27.2% v. 13.8%) even though the national prevalence was generated using a different assay, the HEp-2 cell-based antinuclear antibody test. Increased risk of multiplexed autoantibody screening positivity (OR = 3.07,95%CI 1.15-8.22) was found among DiNEH study people who lived close to uranium mine and milling wastes and consumed metals in drinking water. Associations for females were even stronger when they lived closed to contaminated uranium mining and milling sites. Anti-U1-RNP antibodies were associated with water consumption of nickel. Conclusion Proximity to waste sites and consumption of metals in water even below current drinking water standards were associated with perturbations of immune tolerance. These findings are consistent with previous studies of autoimmunity in the local population and demonstrate that multiplexed autoantibody screening method has a potential as sentinel indicator of exposures to environmental metals. Impact statement This is the first, community-engaged environmental health study in exposed Navajo communities that applied clinical multiplexed testing in risk assessment of environmental metals associated with abandoned, unremediated uranium mining and milling waste sites. Routine clinical autoimmunity measures could be used as early effect biomarkers of environmental metal exposures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esther Erdei
- Community Environmental Health Program, Dept. of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, College of Pharmacy, 1 MSC 09 5360, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - Chris Shuey
- Southwest Research and Information Center, 105 Stanford Drive, SE, Albuquerque, NM, 87106, USA
| | - Curtis Miller
- Community Environmental Health Program, Dept. of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, College of Pharmacy, 1 MSC 09 5360, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - Joseph Hoover
- University of Arizona Department of Environmental Sciences, 1177 E 4th Street, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
| | - Miranda Cajero
- Community Environmental Health Program, Dept. of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, College of Pharmacy, 1 MSC 09 5360, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - Johnnye Lewis
- Community Environmental Health Program, Dept. of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, College of Pharmacy, 1 MSC 09 5360, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
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12
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Erdei E, Zhou X, Shuey C, Ass'ad N, Page K, Gore B, Zhu C, Kanda D, Luo L, Sood A, Zychowski KE. Serum autoantibodies and exploratory molecular pathways in rural miners: A pilot study. J Transl Autoimmun 2023; 6:100197. [PMID: 36942097 PMCID: PMC10023988 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtauto.2023.100197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Revised: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction The Southwestern United States (SWUS) has an extensive history of coal and metal mining, including uranium (U) mining. Lung diseases, including but not limited to, lung cancer and pulmonary fibrosis, have been studied extensively in miners due to occupational, dust-related exposures. However, high-throughput autoimmune biomarkers are largely understudied in miners, despite the fact that ore miners, such as U-miners, are at an increased risk for the development of autoimmune diseases such as systemic sclerosis and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Additionally, there are current gaps in knowledge regarding which signaling pathways may play a role in occupational exposure-associated autoimmunity. Methods Most current and former miners in the SWUS live close to their previous workplaces, in remote areas, with limited access to healthcare. In this pilot study, by leveraging a mobile clinical platform for patient care and clinical outreach, we recruited 44 miners who self-identified as either U (n = 10) or non-U miners (n = 34) and received health screenings. Serum IgG and IgM autoantibodies against 128 antigens were assessed using a high-throughput molecular technique, as a preliminary health screening opportunity. Results Even when adjusting for age as a covariate, there was a significant (p < 0.05) association between self-reported U-mining exposure and biomarkers including IgM alpha-actinin, histones H2B, and H4, myeloperoxidase (MPO) and myelin basic protein. However, adjusting for age did not result in significant associations for IgG autoantibody production in U-miners. Bioinformatic pathway analysis revealed several altered signaling pathways between IgM and IgG autoantibodies among both U and non-U miners. Conclusions Further research is warranted regarding the mechanistic connection between U-exposure and autoantibody development, especially regarding histone-related alterations and IgM autoantibody production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esther Erdei
- College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico- Health Sciences Center, 905 Vassar Drive NE, Albuquerque, NM, 87106, USA
| | - Xixi Zhou
- College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico- Health Sciences Center, 905 Vassar Drive NE, Albuquerque, NM, 87106, USA
| | - Chris Shuey
- Southwest Research and Information Center, 105 Stanford Drive SE, Albuquerque, NM, 87106, USA
| | - Nour Ass'ad
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - Kimberly Page
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - Bobbi Gore
- Miners' Colfax Medical Center, 203 Hospital Drive, Raton, NM, 87740, USA
| | - Chengsong Zhu
- Department of Immunology and Microarray Core, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Deborah Kanda
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87106, USA
| | - Li Luo
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87106, USA
| | - Akshay Sood
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
- Miners' Colfax Medical Center, 203 Hospital Drive, Raton, NM, 87740, USA
| | - Katherine E. Zychowski
- College of Nursing, University of New Mexico- Health Sciences Center, 2502 Marble Ave NE, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
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13
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Zhang W, Pang Y, Cheng W, Wang T, Li Y, Li X, Zhang J, Xia X, Zheng Y, Zhang R, Tang J. Ex vivo coronary endothelial cell activation associated with indoor coal combustion initiated atherosclerosis. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 858:160174. [PMID: 36379326 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Revised: 11/06/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Plenty of rural populations still chronically exposed to indoor coal burning, which tremendously raises the risk of cardiovascular disease, in China. This study aimed to further investigate the association between indoor coal burning exposure and atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases to search for relevant markers for disease prevention. Herein, we conducted a cross-sectional study, carried out on 752 local long-term residents with or without bituminous coal for cooking and heating indoor, in Nangong County, Hebei Province, China. We utilized a nearest neighbor propensity score match (PSM) with a caliper distance equal to 0.001 to eliminate bias caused by confounding factors. The expression of genes associated with endothelial activation (CCL2, CCL5, CXCL8, CXCL12, VCAM, ICAM, SELP) in primary human coronary artery endothelial cells (HCAECs) were quantified through ex vivo biosensor assay. Multiple linear regression models with stratification analyses by gender and binary logit regression models were used to evaluate the association between mRNA expression of biosensor genes and indoor coal burning pollution or carotid atherosclerosis, respectively. Protein secretion level was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The prevalence of carotid atherosclerosis in exposure group was higher than control (P = 0.023), before PSM. The gene expression of CCL2 in exposure group was significantly higher than control (P = 0.002). Indoor coal burning exposure was correlated with gene expression of CCL2 (β = 3.45, 95 % CI: 0.04-6.87, P = 0.047) and CXCL8 (β = 1.25, 95 % CI: 0.02-2.49, P = 0.046) in female. A higher risk of carotid atherosclerosis was observed in the same as the increase expression of CCL2 (OR = 1.07, 95 % CI: 1.01-1.14, P = 0.020). In conclusion, prolonged exposure to indoor coal burning could elevate the gene expression of CCL2 by activating vascular endothelial cells and was relative to the initiation of carotid atherosclerosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanjun Zhang
- Departmental of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, People's Republic of China
| | - Yaxian Pang
- Department of Toxicology, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050017, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenting Cheng
- Departmental of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, People's Republic of China
| | - Tao Wang
- Departmental of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanting Li
- Departmental of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, People's Republic of China
| | - Xin Li
- Departmental of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, People's Republic of China
| | - Jianzhong Zhang
- Departmental of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaowen Xia
- Departmental of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuxin Zheng
- Departmental of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, People's Republic of China
| | - Rong Zhang
- Department of Toxicology, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050017, People's Republic of China.
| | - Jinglong Tang
- Departmental of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, People's Republic of China.
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14
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Clausen RJ, Chief C, Teufel-Shone NI, Begay MA, Charley PH, Beamer PI, Anako N, Chief K. Diné-centered Research Reframes the Gold King Mine Spill: Understanding Social and Spiritual Impacts Across Space and Time. JOURNAL OF RURAL STUDIES 2023; 97:449-457. [PMID: 36908972 PMCID: PMC9997850 DOI: 10.1016/j.jrurstud.2022.12.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
This paper explores how Indigenous-led research reframes the impacts and response to environmental disasters in the context of acid mine spills in rural communities of the Southwest United States. The collaborative research project addressing the Gold King Mine Spill (GKMS) designed qualitative methodologies that center Indigenous worldviews and contribute to broader understandings of environmental justice. The research team, led by Diné scholars and community leaders, gathered qualitative responses from 123 adult participants in twelve focus groups from three rural communities on the Navajo Nation. The project incorporated fluent Diné speakers and cultural consultants to lead focus groups in a manner consistent with cultural worldviews. The analysis of the focus group data resulted in original findings that reframe previous understandings of environmental harm by broadening the boundaries to include: 1) social relations across time; 2) social relations across space; 3) spiritual relations; and 4) restoring balance. The findings allow for greater insight into the colonial context of disaster on rural and Indigenous lands and confronts colonial-rooted disasters through Indigenous-informed political action.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Nicolette I Teufel-Shone
- Center for Health Equity Research and Department of Health Sciences, Northern Arizona University
| | - Manley A Begay
- Applied Indigenous Studies Department, Northern Arizona University
| | | | - Paloma I Beamer
- Department of Community, Environment and Policy, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona
| | | | - Karletta Chief
- Department of Environmental Science, University of Arizona
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15
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Folkers C, Gunter LP. Radioactive releases from the nuclear power sector and implications for child health. BMJ Paediatr Open 2022; 6:10.1136/bmjpo-2021-001326. [PMID: 36645750 PMCID: PMC9557777 DOI: 10.1136/bmjpo-2021-001326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Although radioactivity is released routinely at every stage of nuclear power generation, the regulation of these releases has never taken into account those potentially most sensitive-women, especially when pregnant, and children. From uranium mining and milling, to fuel manufacture, electricity generation and radioactive waste management, children in frontline and Indigenous communities can be disproportionately harmed due to often increased sensitivity of developing systems to toxic exposures, the lack of resources and racial and class discrimination. The reasons for the greater susceptibility of women and children to harm from radiation exposure is not fully understood. Regulatory practices, particularly in the establishment of protective exposure standards, have failed to take this difference into account. Anecdotal evidence within communities around nuclear facilities suggests an association between radiation exposure and increases in birth defects, miscarriages and childhood cancers. A significant number of academic studies tend to ascribe causality to other factors related to diet and lifestyle and dismiss these health indicators as statistically insignificant. In the case of a major release of radiation due to a serious nuclear accident, children are again on the frontlines, with a noted susceptibility to thyroid cancer, which has been found in significant numbers among children exposed both by the 1986 Chornobyl nuclear accident in Ukraine and the 2011 Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear disaster in Japan. The response among authorities in Japan is to blame increased testing or to reduce testing. More independent studies are needed focused on children, especially those in vulnerable frontline and Indigenous communities. In conducting such studies, greater consideration must be applied to culturally significant traditions and habits in these communities.
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16
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Shaikh N, Qian J, Kim S, Phan H, Lezama-Pacheco JS, Ali AMS, Cwiertny DM, Forbes TZ, Haes AJ, Cerrato JM. U(VI) binding onto electrospun polymers functionalized with phosphonate surfactants. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 2022; 10:108448. [PMID: 36060014 PMCID: PMC9435318 DOI: 10.1016/j.jece.2022.108448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
We previously observed that phosphonate functionalized electrospun nanofibers can uptake U(VI), making them promising materials for sensing and water treatment applications. Here, we investigate the optimal fabrication of these materials and their mechanism of U(VI) binding under the influence of environmentally relevant ions (e.g., Ca2+ and CO 3 2 - ). We found that U(VI) uptake was greatest on polyacrylonitrile (PAN) functionalized with longer-chain phosphonate surfactants (e.g., hexa- and octadecyl phosphonate; HDPA and ODPA, respectively), which were better retained in the nanofiber after surface segregation. Subsequent uptake experiments to better understand specific solid-liquid interfacial interactions were carried out using 5 mg of HDPA-functionalized PAN mats with 10 μM U at pH 6.8 in four systems with different combinations of solutions containing 5 mM calcium (Ca2+) and 5 mM bicarbonate ( HCO 3 - ). U uptake was similar in control solutions containing no Ca2+ and HCO 3 - (resulting in 19 ± 3% U uptake), and in those containing only 5 mM Ca2+ (resulting in 20 ± 3% U uptake). A decrease in U uptake (10 ± 4% U uptake) was observed in experiments with HCO 3 - , indicating that UO2-CO3 complexes may increase uranium solubility. Results from shell-by-shell EXAFS fitting, aqueous extractions, and surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) indicate that U is bound to phosphonate as a monodentate inner sphere surface complex to one of the hydroxyls in the phosphonate functional groups. New knowledge derived from this study on material fabrication and solid-liquid interfacial interactions will help to advance technologies for use in the in-situ detection and treatment of U in water.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nabil Shaikh
- Department of Civil, Construction, & Environmental Engineering, University of New Mexico, MSC01 1070, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
| | - Jiajie Qian
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Iowa, Iowa City IA52242, USA
| | - Sewoon Kim
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Iowa, Iowa City IA52242, USA
| | - Hoa Phan
- Department of Chemistry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Juan S. Lezama-Pacheco
- Department of Environmental Earth System Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Abdul-Mehdi S. Ali
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of New Mexico, MSC03 2040, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
| | - David M. Cwiertny
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Iowa, Iowa City IA52242, USA
| | - Tori Z. Forbes
- Department of Chemistry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Amanda J. Haes
- Department of Chemistry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - José M. Cerrato
- Department of Civil, Construction, & Environmental Engineering, University of New Mexico, MSC01 1070, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
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17
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Schilz JR, Dashner-Titus EJ, Simmons KA, Erdei E, Bolt AM, MacKenzie DA, Hudson LG. The immunotoxicity of natural and depleted uranium: From cells to people. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2022; 454:116252. [PMID: 36152676 PMCID: PMC10044422 DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2022.116252] [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: 06/13/2022] [Revised: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
Abstract
Uranium is a naturally occurring element found in the environment as a mixture of isotopes with differing radioactive properties. Enrichment of mined material results in depleted uranium waste with substantially reduced radioactivity but retains the capacity for chemical toxicity. Uranium mine and milling waste are dispersed by wind and rain leading to environmental exposures through soil, air, and water contamination. Uranium exposure is associated with numerous adverse health outcomes in humans, yet there is limited understanding of the effects of depleted uranium on the immune system. The purpose of this review is to summarize findings on uranium immunotoxicity obtained from cell, rodent and human population studies. We also highlight how each model contributes to an understanding of mechanisms that lead to immunotoxicity and limitations inherent within each system. Information from population, animal, and laboratory studies will be needed to significantly expand our knowledge of the contributions of depleted uranium to immune dysregulation, which may then inform prevention or intervention measures for exposed communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jodi R Schilz
- Division of Physical Therapy, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States of America.
| | - Erica J Dashner-Titus
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States of America
| | - Karen A Simmons
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States of America
| | - Esther Erdei
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States of America
| | - Alicia M Bolt
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States of America
| | - Debra A MacKenzie
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States of America
| | - Laurie G Hudson
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States of America
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18
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Hettiarachchi E, Das M, Cadol D, Frey BA, Rubasinghege G. The fate of inhaled uranium-containing particles upon clearance to gastrointestinal tract. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE. PROCESSES & IMPACTS 2022; 24:1257-1266. [PMID: 35916312 PMCID: PMC11360387 DOI: 10.1039/d2em00209d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Uranium-bearing respirable dust can cause various health problems, such as cardiovascular and neurological disorders, cancers, immunosuppression, and autoimmunity. Exposure to elevated levels of uranium is linked to many such health conditions in Navajo Nation residents in northwestern New Mexico. Most studies have focused on the fate of inhaled dust particles (<4 μm) in the lungs. However, larger-sized inhaled particles (10-20 μm) can be cleared to the human gastrointestinal tract (GIT), thereby enabling them to interact with stomach and intestinal fluids. Despite the vital importance of understanding the fate of uranium-bearing solids entering the human GIT and their impact on body tissues, cells, and gut microbiota, our understanding remains limited. This study investigated uranium solubility from dust and sediment samples collected near two uranium mines in the Grants Mining District in New Mexico in two simulated gastrointestinal fluids representing fasting conditions in the GIT: Simulated Gastric Fluid (SGF) and Simulated Intestinal Fluid (SIF). The dissolution of uranium from dust depends on its mineralogy, fluid pH, and composition. The dust samples from the Jackpile mine favored higher solubility in the SIF solution, whereas the sediment samples from the St. Anthony Mine favored higher solubility in the SGF solution. Further, geochemical calculations performed with the PHREEQC modeling program suggested that samples rich in the minerals andersonite, tyuyamunite, and/or autunite have higher uranium dissolution in the SIF solution than in the SGF solution. We also tested the effect of added kaolinite and microcline, which are both present in some samples. The ratio of dissolved uranium in SGF relative to SIF decreases with the addition of kaolinite for all mineral phases but andersonite. With the addition of microcline, the ratio of dissolved uranium in SGF relative to SIF decreases for all the tested uranium minerals. The most prevalent oxidation state of dissolved uranium was computationally determined as +6, U(VI). The geochemical calculations made with PHREEQC agree with the experimentally observed results. Therefore, this study gives insight into the mineralogy-controlled toxicological assessment of uranium-containing inhaled dust cleared to the gastrointestinal tract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eshani Hettiarachchi
- Department of Chemistry, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, 801 Leroy Place, Socorro, NM 87801, USA.
| | - Milton Das
- Department of Chemistry, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, 801 Leroy Place, Socorro, NM 87801, USA.
| | - Daniel Cadol
- Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, 801 Leroy Place, Socorro, NM 87801, USA
| | - Bonnie A Frey
- New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, 801 Leroy Place, Socorro, NM 87801, USA
| | - Gayan Rubasinghege
- Department of Chemistry, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, 801 Leroy Place, Socorro, NM 87801, USA.
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19
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Samuel-Nakamura C, Ali AMS. Metal(loid)s in Common Medicinal Plants in a Uranium Mining-Impacted Area in Northwestern New Mexico, USA. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 11:2069. [PMID: 35956547 PMCID: PMC9370734 DOI: 10.3390/plants11152069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2022] [Revised: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 07/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The objective of this study was to determine uranium (U) and other metal(loid) concentrations (As, Cd, Cs, Pb, Mo, Se, Th, and V) in eight species of plants that are commonly used for medicinal purposes on Diné (Navajo) lands in northwestern New Mexico. The study setting was a prime target for U mining, where more than 500 unreclaimed abandoned U mines and structures remain. The plants were located within 3.2 km of abandoned U mines and structures. Plant biota samples (N = 32) and corresponding soil sources were collected. The samples were analyzed using Inductively Coupled Plasma−Mass Spectrometry. In general, the study findings showed that metal(loid)s were concentrated greatest in soil > root > aboveground plant parts, respectively. Several medicinal plant samples were found to exceed the World Health Organization Raw Medicinal Plant Permissible Level for As and Cd; however, using the calculated human intake data, Reference Dietary Intakes, Recommended Dietary Allowances, and tolerable Upper Limits, the levels were not exceeded for those with established food intake or ingestion guidelines. There does not appear to be a dietary food rise of metal(loid) ingestion based solely on the eight medicinal plants examined. Food intake recommendations informed by research are needed for those who may be more sensitive to metal(loid) exposure. Further research is needed to identify research gaps and continued surveillance and monitoring are recommended for mining-impacted communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Samuel-Nakamura
- School of Nursing, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), 4-246 Factor Building, Mailcode 691821, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Abdul-Mehdi S. Ali
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of New Mexico, Northrop Hall MSCO 3-2040, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
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20
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Lopez K, Camacho A, Jacquez Q, Amistadi MK, Medina S, Zychowski K. Lung-Based, Exosome Inhibition Mediates Systemic Impacts Following Particulate Matter Exposure. TOXICS 2022; 10:457. [PMID: 36006136 PMCID: PMC9413489 DOI: 10.3390/toxics10080457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Revised: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Particulate matter (PM) exposure is a global health issue that impacts both urban and rural communities. Residential communities in the Southwestern United States have expressed concerns regarding the health impacts of fugitive PM from rural, legacy mine-sites. In addition, the recent literature suggests that exosomes may play a role in driving toxicological phenotypes following inhaled exposures. In this study, we assessed exosome-driven mechanisms and systemic health impacts following inhaled dust exposure, using a rodent model. Using an exosome inhibitor, GW4869 (10 μM), we inhibited exosome generation in the lungs of mice via oropharyngeal aspiration. We then exposed mice to previously characterized inhaled particulate matter (PM) from a legacy mine-site and subsequently assessed downstream behavioral, cellular, and molecular biomarkers in lung, serum, and brain tissue. Results indicated that CCL-2 was significantly upregulated in the lung tissue and downregulated in the brain (p < 0.05) following PM exposure. Additional experiments revealed cerebrovascular barrier integrity deficits and increased glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) staining in the mine-PM exposure group, mechanistically dependent on exosome inhibition. An increased stress and anxiety response, based on the open-field test, was noted in the mine-PM exposure group, and subsequently mitigated with GW4869 intervention. Exosome lipidomics revealed 240 and eight significantly altered positive-ion lipids and negative-ion lipids, respectively, across the three treatment groups. Generally, phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and phosphatidylcholine (PC) lipids were significantly downregulated in the PM group, compared to FA. In conclusion, these data suggest that systemic, toxic impacts of inhaled PM may be mechanistically dependent on lung-derived, circulating exosomes, thereby driving a systemic, proinflammatory phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keegan Lopez
- Department of Biology, College of Arts and Sciences, New Mexico Highlands University, Las Vegas, NM 88901, USA
| | - Alexandra Camacho
- College of Nursing, University of New Mexico-Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
| | - Quiteria Jacquez
- College of Nursing, University of New Mexico-Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
| | - Mary Kay Amistadi
- Arizona Laboratory for Emerging Contaminants, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
| | - Sebastian Medina
- Department of Biology, College of Arts and Sciences, New Mexico Highlands University, Las Vegas, NM 88901, USA
| | - Katherine Zychowski
- College of Nursing, University of New Mexico-Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
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21
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Balanay JAG, Mitchell LD, Richards SL. Racial and Gender Diversity Among Students and Faculty in EHAC-Accredited Environmental Health Sciences Programs: Trend Analysis from 2009 to 2021. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH INSIGHTS 2022; 16:11786302221112917. [PMID: 35899223 PMCID: PMC9309757 DOI: 10.1177/11786302221112917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Diversity in the environmental health sciences (EHS) workforce is crucial in providing culturally sensitive services to diverse communities. This may be influenced by academic faculty training a diverse student body in the field of environmental health. This study aimed to characterize the diversity of students and faculty in EHS programs accredited by the National Environmental Health Science and Protection Accreditation Council (EHAC). A retrospective analysis was conducted on secondary data obtained from annual surveys administered to program directors in EHAC-accredited academic programs that included both undergraduate and graduate EHS degrees. The database covered surveys on gender and race that were conducted by EHAC for 12 academic years spanning 2009-2010 to 2020-2021. Results show most students (undergraduate and graduate) were female (54.4% and 52.1%, respectively) and white (61.0% and 50.7%, respectively). Increasing trends were observed over the last 12 years (2009-2021) in female undergraduate (from 53.7% to 59.8%) and graduate (from 47.1% to 60.3%) students and in non-white undergraduate students (from 40.0% to 48.2%). Most faculty (teaching in undergraduate and graduate programs) were male (64.4% and 64.3%, respectively) and white (77.9% and 92.1%, respectively). Increasing trends were observed from 2009 to 2021 in female faculty teaching undergraduate (from 27.7% to 42.2%) and graduate (from 31.3% to 42.1%) students. Native American, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander are consistently the most underrepresented racial groups in both undergraduate and graduate students and faculty. This study provides baseline data on the diversity of students and faculty in EHAC-accredited programs, which is important in informing future research and efforts to increase such diversity. Gender and racial disparity in EHS students and faculty needs to be addressed to provide necessary support to women and non-White constituents by institutional change in culture through active recruitment and by stronger collaboration between professional organizations and minority groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jo Anne G Balanay
- Environmental Health Sciences Program,
Department of Health Education and Promotion, College of Health and Human
Performance, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, USA
| | - Leslie D Mitchell
- National Environmental Health Science
and Protection Accreditation Council (EHAC), Burien, WA, USA
| | - Stephanie L Richards
- Environmental Health Sciences Program,
Department of Health Education and Promotion, College of Health and Human
Performance, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, USA
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22
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Coombs S, Sleeth DK, Jones RM. Environmental and occupational health on the Navajo Nation: a scoping review. REVIEWS ON ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH 2022; 37:181-187. [PMID: 34968017 PMCID: PMC9150895 DOI: 10.1515/reveh-2021-0118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
A scoping review was performed to answer: what environmental health concerns have been associated with adverse health outcomes in the Navajo Nation? The review focused on occupational and ambient environmental exposures associated with human industrial activities. The search strategy was implemented in PubMed, and two investigators screened the retrieved literature. Thirteen studies were included for review. Data were extracted using the matrix method. Six studies described associations between work in uranium mining and cancer. Six studies focused on environmental exposures to uranium mine waste and other metals, with outcomes that included biological markers, kidney disease, diabetes and hypertension, and adverse birth outcomes. One study explored occupational exposure to Sin Nombre Virus and infection. Most research has focused on the health effects of uranium, where occupational exposures occurred among miners and environmental exposures are a legacy of uranium mining and milling. Gaps exist with respect to health outcomes associated with current occupations and the psychosocial impact of environmental hazards. Other environmental exposures and hazards are known to exist on the Navajo Nation, which may warrant epidemiologic research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharly Coombs
- Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Darrah K. Sleeth
- Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Rachael M. Jones
- Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
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23
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Cauci S, Tavano M, Curcio F, Francescato MP. Biomonitoring of urinary metals in athletes according to particulate matter air pollution before and after exercise. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:26371-26384. [PMID: 34855175 PMCID: PMC8637506 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-17730-w] [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: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/20/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to air pollution during physical exercise is a health issue because fine particulate matter (dimension < 10 μm; PM10) includes several inhalable toxic metals. Body metal changes in athletes according to air pollution are poorly known. Urinary concentrations of 15 metals: beryllium (Be9), aluminum (Al27), vanadium (V51), chromium (Cr51 + Cr52), manganese (Mn55), cobalt (Co59), nickel (Ni61), copper (Cu63), zinc (Zn61), arsenic (As75), selenium (Se82), cadmium (Cd111 + Cd112), thallium (Tl125), lead (Pb207), and uranium (U238) were measured before and after ten 2-h training sessions in 8 non-professional Italian American-football players (18-28 years old, body mass index 24.2-33.6 kg/m2). Collectively, post-training sessions, urinary concentrations of As, Cd, Co, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, Se, Tl, and Zn were higher than pre-training sessions; Al, Be, Cr, and U did not change; conversely, V decreased. Subdividing training sessions according to air PM10 levels: low (< 20 μg/m3), medium (20-40 μg/m3), and high (> 40 μg/m3), pre-session and post-session urinary concentrations of Be, Cd, Cu, and Tl were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in more polluted days, whereas V concentrations were lower (p < 0.001). All the remaining metals were unaffected. We first showed that PM10 levels modulate urinary excretion of some toxic metals suggesting an effect of air pollution. The effects of toxic metals inhaled by athletes exercising in polluted air need further studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabina Cauci
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Udine, Piazzale Kolbe 4, 33100, Udine, Italy.
| | - Michael Tavano
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Udine, Piazzale Kolbe 4, 33100, Udine, Italy
| | - Francesco Curcio
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Udine, Piazzale Kolbe 4, 33100, Udine, Italy
- Clinical Analysis Laboratory, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Institute of Clinical Pathology, Santa Maria della Misericordia University-Hospital, 33100, Udine, Italy
| | - Maria Pia Francescato
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Udine, Piazzale Kolbe 4, 33100, Udine, Italy
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24
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Cheng W, Pang H, Campen MJ, Zhang J, Li Y, Gao J, Ren D, Ji X, Rothman N, Lan Q, Zheng Y, Leng S, Hu Z, Tang J. Circulatory metabolites trigger ex vivo arterial endothelial cell dysfunction in population chronically exposed to diesel exhaust. Part Fibre Toxicol 2022; 19:20. [PMID: 35313899 PMCID: PMC8939222 DOI: 10.1186/s12989-022-00463-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Chronic exposure to diesel exhaust has a causal link to cardiovascular diseases in various environmental and occupational settings. Arterial endothelial cell function plays an important role in ensuring proper maintenance of cardiovascular homeostasis and the endothelial cell dysfunction by circulatory inflammation is a hallmark in cardiovascular diseases. Acute exposure to diesel exhaust in controlled exposure studies leads to artery endothelial cells dysfunction in previous study, however the effect of chronic exposure remains unknown. Results We applied an ex vivo endothelial biosensor assay for serum samples from 133 diesel engine testers (DETs) and 126 non-DETs with the aim of identifying evidence of increased risk for cardiovascular diseases. Environmental monitoring suggested that DETs were exposed to high levels of diesel exhaust aerosol (282.3 μg/m3 PM2.5 and 135.2 μg/m3 elemental carbon). Surprisingly, chronic diesel exhaust exposure was associated with a pro-inflammatory phenotype in the ex vivo endothelial cell model, in a dose-dependent manner with CCL5 and VCAM as most affected genes. This dysfunction was not mediated by reduction in circulatory pro-inflammatory factors but significantly associated with a reduction in circulatory metabolites cGMP and an increase in primary DNA damage in leucocyte in a dose-dependent manner, which also explained a large magnitude of association between diesel exhaust exposure and ex vivo endothelial biosensor response. Exogenous cGMP addition experiment further confirmed the induction of ex vivo biosensor gene expressions in endothelial cells treated with physiologically relevant levels of metabolites cGMP. Conclusion Serum-borne bioactivity caused the arterial endothelial cell dysfunction may attribute to the circulatory metabolites based on the ex vivo biosensor assay. The reduced cGMP and increased polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons metabolites-induced cyto/geno-toxic play important role in the endothelial cell dysfunction of workers chronic exposure to diesel exhaust. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12989-022-00463-0.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenting Cheng
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266021, Shandong, China
| | - Huanhuan Pang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Matthew J Campen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - Jianzhong Zhang
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266021, Shandong, China
| | - Yanting Li
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266021, Shandong, China
| | - Jinling Gao
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266021, Shandong, China
| | - Dunqiang Ren
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Medical College of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266021, Shandong, China
| | - Xiaoya Ji
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266021, Shandong, China
| | - Nathaniel Rothman
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA
| | - Qing Lan
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA
| | - Yuxin Zheng
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266021, Shandong, China
| | - Shuguang Leng
- Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA. .,Cancer Control and Population Sciences, University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA.
| | - Zeping Hu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.
| | - Jinglong Tang
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266021, Shandong, China.
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25
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Schilz JR, Dashner-Titus EJ, Luo L, Simmons KA, MacKenzie DA, Hudson LG. Co-exposure of sodium arsenite and uranyl acetate differentially alters gene expression in CD3/CD28 activated CD4+ T-cells. Toxicol Rep 2021; 8:1917-1929. [PMID: 34926170 PMCID: PMC8649082 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxrep.2021.11.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2021] [Revised: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Communities in the western region of the United States experience environmental exposure to metal mixtures from living in proximity to numerous unremediated abandoned uranium mines. Metals including arsenic and uranium co-occur in and around these sites at levels higher than the United States Environmental Protection Agency maximum contaminant levels. To address the potential effect of these metals on the activation of CD4+ T-cells, we used RNA sequencing methods to determine the effect of exposure to sodium arsenite (1 μM and 10 μM), uranyl acetate (3 μM and 30 μM) or a mixture of sodium arsenite and uranyl acetate (1 μM sodium arsenite + 3 μM uranyl acetate). Sodium arsenite induced a dose dependent effect on activation associated gene expression; targeting immune response genes at the lower dose. Increases in oxidative stress gene expression were observed with both sodium arsenite doses. While uranyl acetate alone did not significantly alter activation associated gene expression, the mixture of uranyl acetate with sodium arsenite demonstrated a combined effect relative to sodium arsenite alone. The results demonstrate the need to investigate metal and metalloid mixtures at environmentally relevant concentrations to better understand the toxicological impact of these mixtures on T-cell activation, function and immune dysregulation.
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Key Words
- APC, antigen presenting cell
- AUM, abandoned uranium mine
- Arsenic
- DEG, differentially expressed gene
- GCLM, glutamate-cysteine ligase
- HMOX1, heme oxygenase 1
- IFNγ, interferon gamma
- IL-2, interleukin 2
- MHC, major histone compatibility complex
- Mixture toxicology
- NQO1, NAD(P)H quinone dehydrogenase
- PCA, principal component analysis
- SOD1, super oxide dismutase 1
- T-lymphocytes
- TCR, T-cell receptor
- Th, T-helper
- Uranium
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Affiliation(s)
- Jodi R. Schilz
- Division of Physical Therapy, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Erica J. Dashner-Titus
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Li Luo
- Division of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Preventive Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Karen A. Simmons
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Debra A. MacKenzie
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Laurie G. Hudson
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
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26
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Ass’ad NA, Shore X, Myers O, Camacho AR, Jacquez Q, Pollard C, Cook LS, Leng S, Page K, Sood A, Zychowski KE. VCAM-1 Is Upregulated in Uranium Miners Compared to Other Miners. Life (Basel) 2021; 11:1223. [PMID: 34833099 PMCID: PMC8621685 DOI: 10.3390/life11111223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2021] [Revised: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
The United States has a rich history of mining including uranium (U)-mining, coal mining, and other metal mining. Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are largely understudied in miners and recent literature suggests that when compared to non-U miners, U-miners are more likely to report CVD. However, the molecular basis for this phenomenon is currently unknown. In this pilot study, a New Mexico (NM)-based occupational cohort of current and former miners (n = 44) were recruited via a mobile screening clinic for miners. Serum- and endothelial-based endpoints were used to assess circulating inflammatory potential relevant to CVD. Non-U miners reported significantly fewer pack years of smoking than U-miners. Circulating biomarkers of interest revealed that U-miners had significantly greater serum amyloid A (SAA), soluble intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1, ng/mL), soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1, ng/mL), and VCAM-1 mRNA expression, as determined by the serum cumulative inflammatory potential (SCIP) assay, an endothelial-based assay. Even after adjusting for various covariates, including age, multivariable analysis determined that U-miners had significantly upregulated VCAM-1 mRNA. In conclusion, VCAM-1 may be an important biomarker and possible contributor of CVD in U-miners. Further research to explore this mechanism may be warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nour A. Ass’ad
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; (N.A.A.); (L.S.C.); (S.L.); (K.P.); (A.S.)
| | - Xin Shore
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; (X.S.); (O.M.)
| | - Orrin Myers
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; (X.S.); (O.M.)
| | - Alexandra R. Camacho
- College of Nursing, University of New Mexico-Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; (A.R.C.); (Q.J.)
| | - Quiteria Jacquez
- College of Nursing, University of New Mexico-Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; (A.R.C.); (Q.J.)
| | - Charles Pollard
- Miners’ Colfax Medical Center, 203 Hospital Drive, Raton, NM 87740, USA;
| | - Linda S. Cook
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; (N.A.A.); (L.S.C.); (S.L.); (K.P.); (A.S.)
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Colorado-Anschutz, Arora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Shuguang Leng
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; (N.A.A.); (L.S.C.); (S.L.); (K.P.); (A.S.)
| | - Kimberly Page
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; (N.A.A.); (L.S.C.); (S.L.); (K.P.); (A.S.)
| | - Akshay Sood
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; (N.A.A.); (L.S.C.); (S.L.); (K.P.); (A.S.)
- Miners’ Colfax Medical Center, 203 Hospital Drive, Raton, NM 87740, USA;
| | - Katherine E. Zychowski
- College of Nursing, University of New Mexico-Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; (A.R.C.); (Q.J.)
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27
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El Hayek E, Medina S, Guo J, Noureddine A, Zychowski KE, Hunter R, Velasco CA, Wiesse M, Maestas-Olguin A, Brinker CJ, Brearley A, Spilde M, Howard T, Lauer FT, Herbert G, Ali AM, Burchiel S, Campen MJ, Cerrato JM. Uptake and Toxicity of Respirable Carbon-Rich Uranium-Bearing Particles: Insights into the Role of Particulates in Uranium Toxicity. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2021; 55:9949-9957. [PMID: 34235927 PMCID: PMC8413144 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c01205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Particulate matter (PM) presents an environmental health risk for communities residing close to uranium (U) mine sites. However, the role of the particulate form of U on its cellular toxicity is still poorly understood. Here, we investigated the cellular uptake and toxicity of C-rich U-bearing particles as a model organic particulate containing uranyl citrate over a range of environmentally relevant concentrations of U (0-445 μM). The cytotoxicity of C-rich U-bearing particles in human epithelial cells (A549) was U-dose-dependent. No cytotoxic effects were detected with soluble U doses. Carbon-rich U-bearing particles with a wide size distribution (<10 μm) presented 2.7 times higher U uptake into cells than the particles with a narrow size distribution (<1 μm) at 100 μM U concentration. TEM-EDS analysis identified the intracellular translocation of clusters of C-rich U-bearing particles. The accumulation of C-rich U-bearing particles induced DNA damage and cytotoxicity as indicated by the increased phosphorylation of the histone H2AX and cell death, respectively. These findings reveal the toxicity of the particulate form of U under environmentally relevant heterogeneous size distributions. Our study opens new avenues for future investigations on the health impacts resulting from environmental exposures to the particulate form of U near mine sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eliane El Hayek
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, MSC03 2060, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, United States
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, MSC09 5360, University of New Mexico, College of Pharmacy, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, United States
| | - Sebastian Medina
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, MSC09 5360, University of New Mexico, College of Pharmacy, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, United States
- Department of Biology, New Mexico Highlands University, Las Vegas, New Mexico 87701, United States
| | - Jimin Guo
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, MSC01 1120, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, United States
- Department of Internal Medicine, Molecular Medicine, MSC08 4720, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, United States
| | - Achraf Noureddine
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, MSC01 1120, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, United States
| | - Katherine E Zychowski
- Department of Biobehavioral Health and Data Sciences, MSC09 5350, University of New Mexico College of Nursing, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87106, United States
| | - Russell Hunter
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, MSC09 5360, University of New Mexico, College of Pharmacy, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, United States
| | - Carmen A Velasco
- Department of Civil Engineering, MSC01 1070, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, United States
- Chemical Engineering Faculty, Central University of Ecuador, Ciudad Universitaria, Ritter s/n & Bolivia, P.O. Box 17-01-3972, Quito 170129, Ecuador
| | - Marco Wiesse
- Department of Civil Engineering, MSC01 1070, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, United States
| | - Angelea Maestas-Olguin
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, MSC01 1120, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, United States
| | - C Jeffrey Brinker
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, MSC01 1120, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, United States
| | - Adrian Brearley
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, MSC03 2040, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, United States
| | - Michael Spilde
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, MSC03 2040, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, United States
| | - Tamara Howard
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, MSC08 4750, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, United States
| | - Fredine T Lauer
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, MSC09 5360, University of New Mexico, College of Pharmacy, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, United States
| | - Guy Herbert
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, MSC09 5360, University of New Mexico, College of Pharmacy, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, United States
| | - Abdul Mehdi Ali
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, MSC03 2040, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, United States
| | - Scott Burchiel
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, MSC09 5360, University of New Mexico, College of Pharmacy, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, United States
| | - Matthew J Campen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, MSC09 5360, University of New Mexico, College of Pharmacy, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, United States
| | - José M Cerrato
- Department of Civil Engineering, MSC01 1070, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, United States
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Wilson A, Velasco CA, Herbert GW, Lucas SN, Sanchez BN, Cerrato JM, Spilde M, Li QZ, Campen MJ, Zychowski KE. Mine-site derived particulate matter exposure exacerbates neurological and pulmonary inflammatory outcomes in an autoimmune mouse model. JOURNAL OF TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. PART A 2021; 84:503-517. [PMID: 33682625 PMCID: PMC8052313 DOI: 10.1080/15287394.2021.1891488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
The Southwestern United States has a legacy of industrial mining due to the presence of rich mineral ore deposits. The relationship between environmental inhaled particulate matter (PM) exposures and neurological outcomes within an autoimmune context is understudied. The aim of this study was to compare two regionally-relevant dusts from high-priority abandoned mine-sites, Claim 28 PM, from Blue Gap Tachee, AZ and St. Anthony mine PM, from the Pueblo of Laguna, NM and to expose autoimmune-prone mice (NZBWF1/J). Mice were randomly assigned to one of three groups (n = 8/group): DM (dispersion media, control), Claim 28 PM, or St. Anthony PM, subjected to oropharyngeal aspiration of (100 µg/50 µl), once per week for a total of 4 consecutive doses. A battery of immunological and neurological endpoints was assessed at 24 weeks of age including: bronchoalveolar lavage cell counts, lung gene expression, brain immunohistochemistry, behavioral tasks and serum autoimmune biomarkers. Bronchoalveolar lavage results demonstrated a significant increase in number of polymorphonuclear neutrophils following Claim 28 and St. Anthony mine PM aspiration. Lung mRNA expression showed significant upregulation in CCL-2 and IL-1ß following St. Anthony mine PM aspiration. In addition, neuroinflammation was present in both Claim 28 and St. Anthony mine-site derived PM exposure groups. Behavioral tasks resulted in significant deficits as determined by Y-maze new arm frequency following Claim 28 aspiration. Neutrophil elastase was significantly upregulated in the St. Anthony mine exposure group. Interestingly, there were no significant changes in serum autoantigens suggesting systemic inflammatory effects may be mediated through other molecular mechanisms following low-dose PM exposures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexis Wilson
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of New Mexico-Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131
| | - Carmen A. Velasco
- Department of Civil, Construction & Environmental Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Universidad Central del Ecuador, Ritter s/n & Bolivia, Quito 17-01-3972, Ecuador
| | - Guy W. Herbert
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of New Mexico-Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131
| | - Selita N. Lucas
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of New Mexico-Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131
| | - Bethany N. Sanchez
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of New Mexico-Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131
| | - José M. Cerrato
- Department of Civil, Construction & Environmental Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131
| | - Michael Spilde
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of New Mexico, MSC03 2040, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131
| | - Quan-Zhen Li
- Department of Immunology and Microarray Core, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390
| | - Matthew J. Campen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of New Mexico-Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131
| | - Katherine E. Zychowski
- College of Nursing, University of New Mexico-Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131
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Redvers N, Chischilly AM, Warne D, Pino M, Lyon-Colbert A. Uranium Exposure in American Indian Communities: Health, Policy, and the Way Forward. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2021; 129:35002. [PMID: 33769848 PMCID: PMC7997609 DOI: 10.1289/ehp7537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Uranium contamination of drinking-water sources on American Indian (AI) reservations in the United States is a largely ignored and underfunded public health crisis. With an estimated 40% of the headwaters in the western U.S. watershed, home to many AI reservation communities, being contaminated with untreated mine waste, the potential health effects have largely been unexplored. With AI populations already facing continued and progressive economic and social marginalization, higher prevalence of chronic disease, and systemic discrimination, associations between various toxicant exposures, including uranium, and various chronic conditions, need further examination. OBJECTIVES Uranium's health effects, in addition to considerations for uranium drinking-water testing, reporting, and mitigation in reference to AI communities through the lens of water quality, is reviewed. DISCUSSION A series of environmental health policy recommendations are described with the intent to proactively improve responsiveness to the water quality crisis in AI reservation communities in the United States specific to uranium. There is a serious and immediate need for better coordination of uranium-related drinking-water testing and reporting on reservations in the United States that will better support and guide best practices for uranium mitigation efforts. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP7537.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Redvers
- University of North Dakota School of Medicine & Health Sciences, Grand Forks, North Dakota, USA
- Arctic Indigenous Wellness Foundation, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada
- inVIVO Planetary Health, Worldwide Universities Network, West New York, New Jersey, USA
| | | | - Donald Warne
- University of North Dakota School of Medicine & Health Sciences, Grand Forks, North Dakota, USA
| | - Manuel Pino
- Scottsdale Community College, Scottsdale, Arizona, USA
| | - Amber Lyon-Colbert
- University of North Dakota School of Medicine & Health Sciences, Grand Forks, North Dakota, USA
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Rodriguez-Freire L, DeVore CL, El Hayek E, Berti D, Ali AMS, Lezama Pacheco JS, Blake JM, Spilde MN, Brearley AJ, Artyushkova K, Cerrato JM. Emerging investigator series: entrapment of uranium-phosphorus nanocrystals inside root cells of Tamarix plants from a mine waste site. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE. PROCESSES & IMPACTS 2021; 23:73-85. [PMID: 33325952 PMCID: PMC8479813 DOI: 10.1039/d0em00306a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
We investigated the mechanisms of uranium (U) uptake by Tamarix (salt cedars) growing along the Rio Paguate, which flows throughout the Jackpile mine near Pueblo de Laguna, New Mexico. Tamarix were selected for this study due to the detection of U in the roots and shoots of field collected plants (0.6-58.9 mg kg-1), presenting an average bioconcentration factor greater than 1. Synchrotron-based micro X-ray fluorescence analyses of plant roots collected from the field indicate that the accumulation of U occurs in the cortex of the root. The mechanisms for U accumulation in the roots of Tamarix were further investigated in controlled-laboratory experiments where living roots of field plants were macerated for 24 h or 2 weeks in a solution containing 100 μM U. The U concentration in the solution decreased 36-59% after 24 h, and 49-65% in two weeks. Microscopic and spectroscopic analyses detected U precipitation in the root cell walls near the xylems of the roots, confirming the initial results from the field samples. High-resolution TEM was used to study the U fate inside the root cells, and needle-like U-P nanocrystals, with diameter <7 nm, were found entrapped inside vacuoles in cells. EXAFS shell-by-shell fitting suggest that U is associated with carbon functional groups. The preferable binding of U to the root cell walls may explain the U retention in the roots of Tamarix, followed by U-P crystal precipitation, and pinocytotic active transport and cellular entrapment. This process resulted in a limited translocation of U to the shoots in Tamarix plants. This study contributes to better understanding of the physicochemical mechanisms affecting the U uptake and accumulation by plants growing near contaminated sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Rodriguez-Freire
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, New Jersey 07102, USA.
| | - Cherie L DeVore
- Department of Civil Engineering, MSC01 1070, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, USA
| | - Eliane El Hayek
- Department of Chemistry, MSC03 2060, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, USA
| | - Debora Berti
- Oceanography Department, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77845, USA
| | - Abdul-Mehdi S Ali
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, MSC03 2040, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, USA
| | - Juan S Lezama Pacheco
- Department of Environmental Earth System Science, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA
| | - Johanna M Blake
- Department of Chemistry, MSC03 2060, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, USA and U.S. Geological Survey, 6700 Edith Blvd NE, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87113, USA
| | - Michael N Spilde
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, MSC03 2040, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, USA
| | - Adrian J Brearley
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, MSC03 2040, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, USA
| | - Kateryna Artyushkova
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, MSC01 1120, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, USA
| | - José M Cerrato
- Department of Civil Engineering, MSC01 1070, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, USA
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Begay J, Sanchez B, Wheeler A, Baldwin F, Lucas S, Herbert G, Ordonez Y, Shuey C, Klaver Z, Harkema JR, Wagner JG, Morishita M, Bleske B, Zychowski KE, Campen MJ. Assessment of particulate matter toxicity and physicochemistry at the Claim 28 uranium mine site in Blue Gap, AZ. JOURNAL OF TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. PART A 2021; 84:31-48. [PMID: 33050837 PMCID: PMC7726040 DOI: 10.1080/15287394.2020.1830210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Thousands of abandoned uranium mines (AUMs) exist in the western United States. Due to improper remediation, windblown dusts generated from AUMs are of significant community concern. A mobile inhalation lab was sited near an AUM of high community concern ("Claim 28") with three primary objectives: to (1) determine the composition of the regional ambient particulate matter (PM), (2) assess meteorological characteristics (wind speed and direction), and (3) assess immunological and physiological responses of mice after exposures to concentrated ambient PM (or CAPs). C57BL/6 and apolipoprotein E-null (ApoE-/-) mice were exposed to CAPs in AirCARE1 located approximately 1 km to the SW of Claim 28, for 1 or 28 days for 4 hr/day at approximately 80 µg/m3 CAPs. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) analysis revealed a significant influx of neutrophils after a single-day exposure in C57BL/6 mice (average PM2.5 concentration = 68 µg/m3). Lungs from mice exposed for 1 day exhibited modest increases in Tnfa and Tgfb mRNA levels in the CAPs exposure group compared to filtered air (FA). Lungs from mice exposed for 28 days exhibited reduced Tgfb (C57BL/6) and Tnfa (ApoE-/-) mRNA levels. Wind direction was typically moving from SW to NE (away from the community) and, while detectable in all samples, uranium concentrations in the PM2.5 fraction were not markedly different from published-reported values. Overall, exposure to CAPs in the region of the Blue GAP Tachee's Claim-28 uranium mine demonstrated little evidence of overt pulmonary injury or inflammation or ambient air contamination attributed to uranium or vanadium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Begay
- University of New Mexico College of Pharmacy, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Bethany Sanchez
- University of New Mexico College of Pharmacy, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Abigail Wheeler
- University of New Mexico College of Pharmacy, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | | | - Selita Lucas
- University of New Mexico College of Pharmacy, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Guy Herbert
- University of New Mexico College of Pharmacy, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Yoselin Ordonez
- University of New Mexico College of Pharmacy, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Chris Shuey
- Southwest Research and Information Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Barry Bleske
- University of New Mexico College of Pharmacy, Albuquerque, NM, USA
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Yellow Horse AJ, Deschine Parkhurst NA, Huyser KR. COVID-19 in New Mexico Tribal Lands: Understanding the Role of Social Vulnerabilities and Historical Racisms. FRONTIERS IN SOCIOLOGY 2020; 5:610355. [PMID: 33869526 PMCID: PMC8022442 DOI: 10.3389/fsoc.2020.610355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
The Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has disproportionally affected Indigenous Peoples. Unfortunately, there is no accurate understanding of COVID-19's impacts on Indigenous Peoples and communities due to systematic erasure of Indigenous representation in data. Early evidence suggests that COVID-19 has been able to spread through pre-pandemic mechanisms ranging from disproportionate chronic health conditions, inadequate access to healthcare, and poor living conditions stemming from structural inequalities. Using innovative data, we comprehensively investigate the impacts of COVID-19 on Indigenous Peoples in New Mexico at the zip code level. Specifically, we expand the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) to include the measures of structural vulnerabilities from historical racisms against Indigenous Peoples. We found that historically-embedded structural vulnerabilities (e.g., Tribal land status and higher percentages of house units without telephone and complete plumbing) are critical in understanding the disproportionate burden of COVID-19 that American Indian and Alaska Native populations are experiencing. We found that historically-embedded vulnerability variables that emerged epistemologically from Indigenous knowledge had the largest explanatory power compared to other social vulnerability factors from SVI and COVID-19, especially Tribal land status. The findings demonstrate the critical need in public health to center Indigenous knowledge and methodologies in mitigating the deleterious impacts of COVID-19 on Indigenous Peoples and communities, specifically designing place-based mitigating strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Kimberly R. Huyser
- Department of Sociology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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Hoover JH, Erdei E, Begay D, Gonzales M, Jarrett JM, Cheng PY, Lewis J. Exposure to uranium and co-occurring metals among pregnant Navajo women. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2020; 190:109943. [PMID: 32750552 PMCID: PMC7530024 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.109943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2020] [Revised: 07/06/2020] [Accepted: 07/10/2020] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Navajo Nation residents are at risk for exposure to uranium and other co-occurring metals found in abandoned mine waste. The Navajo Birth Cohort Study (NBCS) was initiated in 2010 to address community concerns regarding the impact of chronic environmental exposure to metals on pregnancy and birth outcomes. The objectives of this paper were to 1) evaluate maternal urine concentrations of key metals at enrollment and delivery from a pregnancy cohort; and 2) compare the NBCS to the US general population by comparing representative summary statistical values. Pregnant Navajo women (N = 783, age range 14-45 years) were recruited from hospital facilities on the Navajo Nation during prenatal visits and urine samples were collected by trained staff in pre-screened containers. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Center for Environmental Health's (NCEH) Division of Laboratory Sciences (DLS) analyzed urine samples for metals. Creatinine-corrected urine concentrations of cadmium decreased between enrollment (1st or 2nd trimester) and delivery (3rd trimester) while urine uranium concentrations were not observed to change. Median and 95th percentile values of maternal NBCS urine concentrations of uranium, manganese, cadmium, and lead exceeded respective percentiles for National Health and Nutrition Evaluation Survey (NHANES) percentiles for women (ages 14-45 either pregnant or not pregnant.) Median NBCS maternal urine uranium concentrations were 2.67 (enrollment) and 2.8 (delivery) times greater than the NHANES median concentration, indicating that pregnant Navajo women are exposed to metal mixtures and have higher uranium exposure compared to NHANES data for women. This demonstrates support for community concerns about uranium exposure and suggests a need for additional analyses to evaluate the impact of maternal metal mixtures exposure on birth outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph H Hoover
- Montana State University BIllings, Billings, MT, United States.
| | - Esther Erdei
- University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, College of Pharmacy, Community Environmental Health Program, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - David Begay
- University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, College of Pharmacy, Community Environmental Health Program, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Melissa Gonzales
- University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, College of Pharmacy, Community Environmental Health Program, Albuquerque, NM, United States; University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Jeffery M Jarrett
- Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Po-Yung Cheng
- Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Johnnye Lewis
- University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, College of Pharmacy, Community Environmental Health Program, Albuquerque, NM, United States
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Anderson JL, Bertke SJ, Yiin J, Kelly-Reif K, Daniels RD. Ischaemic heart and cerebrovascular disease mortality in uranium enrichment workers. Occup Environ Med 2020; 78:105-111. [PMID: 32883719 DOI: 10.1136/oemed-2020-106423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2020] [Revised: 06/19/2020] [Accepted: 08/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Linear and non-linear dose-response relationships between radiation absorbed dose to the lung from internally deposited uranium and external sources and circulatory system disease (CSD) mortality were examined in a cohort of 23 731 male and 5552 female US uranium enrichment workers. METHODS Rate ratios (RRs) for categories of lung dose and linear excess relative rates (ERRs) per unit lung dose were estimated to evaluate the associations between lung absorbed dose and death from ischaemic heart disease (IHD) and cerebrovascular disease. RESULTS There was a suggestion of modestly increased IHD risk in workers with internal uranium lung dose above 1 milligray (mGy) (RR=1.4, 95% CI 0.76 to 2.3) and a statistically significantly increased IHD risk with external dose exceeding 150 mGy (RR=1.3, 95% CI 1.1 to 1.6) compared with the lowest exposed groups. ERRs per milligray were positive for IHD and uranium internal dose and for both outcomes per gray external dose, although the CIs generally included the null. CONCLUSIONS Non-linear dose-response models using restricted cubic splines revealed sublinear responses at lower internal doses, suggesting that linear models that are common in radioepidemiological cancer studies may poorly describe the association between uranium internal dose and CSD mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeri L Anderson
- National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Stephen J Bertke
- National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - James Yiin
- National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Kaitlin Kelly-Reif
- National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Robert Douglas Daniels
- National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
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Lin Y, Hoover J, Beene D, Erdei E, Liu Z. Environmental risk mapping of potential abandoned uranium mine contamination on the Navajo Nation, USA, using a GIS-based multi-criteria decision analysis approach. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2020; 27:30542-30557. [PMID: 32468361 PMCID: PMC7387200 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-09257-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Accepted: 05/11/2020] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
The Navajo Nation (NN), a sovereign indigenous tribal nation in the Southwestern United States, is home to 523 abandoned uranium mines (AUMs). Previous health studies have articulated numerous human health hazards associated with AUMs and multiple environmental mechanisms/pathways (e.g., air, water, and soil) for contaminant transport. Despite this evidence, the limited modeling of AUM contamination that exists relies solely on proximity to mines and only considers single rather than combined pathways from which the contamination is a product. In order to better understand the spatial dynamics of contaminant exposure across the NN, we adopted the following established geospatial and computational methods to develop a more sophisticated environmental risk map illustrating the potential for AUM contamination: GIS-based multi-criteria decision analysis (GIS-MCDA), fuzzy logic, and analytic hierarchy process (AHP). Eight criteria layers were selected for the GIS-MCDA model: proximity to AUMs, roadway proximity, drainage proximity, topographic landforms, wind index, topographic wind exposure, vegetation index, and groundwater contamination. Model sensitivity was evaluated using the one-at-a-time method, and statistical validation analysis was conducted using two separate environmental datasets. The sensitivity analysis indicated consistency and reliability of the model. Model results were strongly associated with environmental uranium concentrations. The model classifies 20.2% of the NN as high potential for AUM contamination while 65.7% and 14.1% of the region are at medium and low risk, respectively. This study is entirely a novel application and a crucial first step toward informing future epidemiologic studies and ongoing remediation efforts to reduce human exposure to AUM waste.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Lin
- Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA.
| | - Joseph Hoover
- Department of Social Sciences and Cultural Studies, Montana State University Billings, Billings, MT, USA
| | - Daniel Beene
- Community Environmental Health Program, College of Pharmacy, Health Sciences Center, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Esther Erdei
- Community Environmental Health Program, College of Pharmacy, Health Sciences Center, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Zhuoming Liu
- Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
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36
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Meltzer GY, Watkins BX, Vieira D, Zelikoff JT, Boden-Albala B. A Systematic Review of Environmental Health Outcomes in Selected American Indian and Alaska Native Populations. J Racial Ethn Health Disparities 2020; 7:698-739. [PMID: 31974734 DOI: 10.1007/s40615-020-00700-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2019] [Revised: 12/30/2019] [Accepted: 01/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Economic and social marginalization among American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/ANs) results in higher chronic disease prevalence. Potential causal associations between toxic environmental exposures and adverse health outcomes within AI/AN communities are not well understood. OBJECTIVES This review examines epidemiological literature on exposure to toxicants and associated adverse health outcomes among AI/AN populations. METHODS PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, Environment Complete, Web of Science Plus, DART, and ToxLine were searched for English-language articles. The following data were extracted: lead author's last name, publication year, cohort name, study location, AI/AN tribe, study initiation and conclusion, sample size, primary characteristic, environmental exposure, health outcomes, risk estimates, and covariates. RESULTS About 31 articles on three types of environmental exposures met inclusion criteria: persistent organic pollutants (POPs), heavy metals, and open dumpsites. Of these, 17 addressed exposure to POPs, 10 heavy metal exposure, 2 exposure to both POPs and heavy metals, and 2 exposure to open dumpsites. Studies on the Mohawk Nation at Akwesasne; Yupik on St. Lawrence Island, Alaska; Navajo Nation; Gila River Indian Community; Cheyenne River Sioux; 197 Alaska Native villages; and 13 tribes in Arizona, Oklahoma, North Dakota, and South Dakota that participated in the Strong Heart Study support associations between toxicant exposure and various chronic conditions including cardiovascular conditions, reproductive abnormalities, cancer, autoimmune disorders, neurological deficits, and diabetes. DISCUSSION The complex interplay of environmental and social factors in disease etiology among AI/ANs is a product of externally imposed environmental exposures, systemic discrimination, and modifiable risk behaviors. The connection between environmental health disparities and adverse health outcomes indicates a need for further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriella Y Meltzer
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, New York University School of Global Public Health, 715/719 Broadway, New York, NY, 10003, USA.
| | - Beverly-Xaviera Watkins
- Department of Epidemiology, New York University School of Global Public Health, 715/719 Broadway, New York, NY, 10003, USA
| | - Dorice Vieira
- Health Sciences Library, New York University School of Medicine, 550 First Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Judith T Zelikoff
- Department of Environmental Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, 341 East 25th Street, New York, NY, 10010, USA
| | - Bernadette Boden-Albala
- Department of Population Health, University of California Irvine, 653 East Peltason Drive, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
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Sanchez B, Zhou X, Gardiner AS, Herbert G, Lucas S, Morishita M, Wagner JG, Lewandowski R, Harkema JR, Shuey C, Campen MJ, Zychowski KE. Serum-borne factors alter cerebrovascular endothelial microRNA expression following particulate matter exposure near an abandoned uranium mine on the Navajo Nation. Part Fibre Toxicol 2020; 17:29. [PMID: 32611356 PMCID: PMC7329534 DOI: 10.1186/s12989-020-00361-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2019] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Commercial uranium mining on the Navajo Nation has subjected communities on tribal lands in the Southwestern United States to exposures from residual environmental contamination. Vascular health effects from these ongoing exposures are an active area of study. There is an association between residential mine-site proximity and circulating biomarkers in residents, however, the contribution of mine-site derived wind-blown dusts on vascular and other health outcomes is unknown. To assess neurovascular effects of mine-site derived dusts, we exposed mice using a novel exposure paradigm, the AirCARE1 mobile inhalation laboratory, located 2 km from an abandoned uranium mine, Claim 28 in Blue Gap Tachee, AZ. Mice were exposed to filtered air (FA) (n = 6) or concentrated ambient particulate matter (CAPs) (n = 5) for 2 wks for 4 h per day. Results To assess miRNA differential expression in cultured mouse cerebrovascular cells following particulate matter (PM) exposure (average: 96.6 ± 60.4 μg/m3 for all 4 h exposures), the serum cumulative inflammatory potential (SCIP) assay was employed. MiRNA sequencing was then performed in cultured mouse cerebrovascular endothelial cells (mCECs) to evaluate transcriptional changes. Results indicated 27 highly differentially expressed (p < 0.01) murine miRNAs, as measured in the SCIP assay. Gene ontology (GO) pathway analysis revealed notable alterations in GO enrichment related to the cytoplasm, protein binding and the cytosol, while significant KEGG pathways involved pathways in cancer, axon guidance and Wnt signaling. Expression of these 27 identified, differentially expressed murine miRNAs were then evaluated in the serum. Nine of these miRNAs (~ 30%) were significantly altered in the serum and 8 of those miRNAs demonstrated the same directional change (either upregulation or downregulation) as cellular miRNAs, as measured in the SCIP assay. Significantly upregulated miRNAs in the CAPs exposure group included miRNAs in the let-7a family. Overexpression of mmu-let-7a via transfection experiments, suggested that this miRNA may mediate mCEC barrier integrity following dust exposure. Conclusions Our data suggest that mCEC miRNAs as measured in the SCIP assay show similarity to serum-borne miRNAs, as approximately 30% of highly differentially expressed cellular miRNAs in the SCIP assay were also found in the serum. While translocation of miRNAs via exosomes or an alternative mechanism is certainly possible, other yet-to-be-identified factors in the serum may be responsible for significant miRNA differential expression in endothelium following inhaled exposures. Additionally, the most highly upregulated murine miRNAs in the CAPs exposure group were in the let-7a family. These miRNAs play a prominent role in cell growth and differentiation and based on our transfection experiments, mmu-let-7a may contribute to cerebrovascular mCEC alterations following inhaled dust exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bethany Sanchez
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of New Mexico-Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - Xixi Zhou
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of New Mexico-Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - Amy S Gardiner
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of New Mexico-Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - Guy Herbert
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of New Mexico-Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - Selita Lucas
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of New Mexico-Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - Masako Morishita
- Department of Family Medicine, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - James G Wagner
- Department of Pathobiology and Diagnostic Investigation, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Ryan Lewandowski
- Department of Pathobiology and Diagnostic Investigation, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Jack R Harkema
- Department of Pathobiology and Diagnostic Investigation, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Chris Shuey
- Southwest Research and Information Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Matthew J Campen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of New Mexico-Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - Katherine E Zychowski
- College of Nursing, MSC09 53601 University of New Mexico-Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA.
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Zychowski KE, Wheeler A, Sanchez B, Harmon M, Steadman Tyler CR, Herbert G, Lucas SN, Ali AM, Avasarala S, Kunda N, Robinson P, Muttil P, Cerrato JM, Bleske B, Smirnova O, Campen MJ. Toxic Effects of Particulate Matter Derived from Dust Samples Near the Dzhidinski Ore Processing Mill, Eastern Siberia, Russia. Cardiovasc Toxicol 2020; 19:401-411. [PMID: 30963444 DOI: 10.1007/s12012-019-09507-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Ambient particulate matter (PM) is associated with increased mortality and morbidity, an effect influenced by the metal components of the PM. We characterized five sediment samples obtained near a tungsten-molybdenum ore-processing complex in Zakamensk, Russia for elemental composition and PM toxicity with regard to pulmonary, vascular, and neurological outcomes. Elemental and trace metals analysis of complete sediment and PM10 (the respirable fraction, < 10 µm mass mean aerodynamic diameter) were performed using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) and mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Sediment samples and PM10 consisted largely of silicon and iron and silicon and sodium, respectively. Trace metals including manganese and uranium in the complete sediment, as well as copper and lead in the PM10 were observed. Notably, metal concentrations were approximately 10 × higher in the PM10 than in the sediment. Exposure to 100 µg of PM10 via oropharyngeal aspiration in C56BL/6 mice resulted in pulmonary inflammation across all groups. In addition, mice exposed to three of the five PM10 samples exhibited impaired endothelial-dependent relaxation, and correlative analysis revealed associations between pulmonary inflammation and levels of lead and cadmium. A tendency for elevated cortical ccl2 and Tnf-α mRNA expression was induced by all samples and significant upregulation was noted following exposure to PM10 samples Z3 and Z4, respectively. Cortical Nqo1 mRNA levels were significantly upregulated in mice exposed to PM10 Z2. In conclusion, pulmonary exposure to PM samples from the Zakamensk region sediments induced varied pulmonary and systemic effects that may be influenced by elemental PM composition. Further investigation is needed to pinpoint putative drivers of neurological outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine E Zychowski
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of New Mexico-Health Sciences Center, MSC09 5360, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - Abigail Wheeler
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of New Mexico-Health Sciences Center, MSC09 5360, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - Bethany Sanchez
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of New Mexico-Health Sciences Center, MSC09 5360, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - Molly Harmon
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of New Mexico-Health Sciences Center, MSC09 5360, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | | | - Guy Herbert
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of New Mexico-Health Sciences Center, MSC09 5360, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - Selita N Lucas
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of New Mexico-Health Sciences Center, MSC09 5360, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - Abdul-Mehdi Ali
- Department of Civil Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - Sumant Avasarala
- Department of Civil Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - Nitesh Kunda
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of New Mexico-Health Sciences Center, MSC09 5360, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - Paul Robinson
- Southwest Research and Information Center, Albuquerque, NM, 87196, USA
| | - Pavan Muttil
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of New Mexico-Health Sciences Center, MSC09 5360, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - Jose M Cerrato
- Department of Civil Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - Barry Bleske
- Pharmacy Practice and Administrative Sciences, University of New Mexico-Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - Olga Smirnova
- Geological Institute, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Matthew J Campen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of New Mexico-Health Sciences Center, MSC09 5360, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA.
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Abstract
This article reviews evidence for the public health impacts of coal across the extraction, processing, use, and waste disposal continuum. Surface coal mining and processing impose public health risks on residential communities through air and water pollution. Burning coal in power plants emits more nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter, and heavy metals per unit of energy than any other fuel source and impairs global public health. Coal ash disposal exposes communities to heavy metals and particulate matter waste. Use of coal in domestic households causes public health harm concentrated in developing nations. Across the coal continuum, adverse impacts are disproportionately felt by persons of poor socioeconomic status, contributing to health inequities. Despite efforts to develop renewable energy sources, coal use has not declined on a global scale. Concentrated efforts to eliminate coal as an energy source are imperative to improve public health and avert serious climate change consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Hendryx
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47405, USA;
| | - Keith J Zullig
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, School of Public Health, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506, USA;
| | - Juhua Luo
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47405, USA;
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Credo J, Torkelson J, Rock T, Ingram JC. Quantification of Elemental Contaminants in Unregulated Water across Western Navajo Nation. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2019; 16:E2727. [PMID: 31370179 PMCID: PMC6696199 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16152727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2019] [Revised: 07/26/2019] [Accepted: 07/27/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The geologic profile of the western United States lends itself to naturally elevated levels of arsenic and uranium in groundwater and can be exacerbated by mining enterprises. The Navajo Nation, located in the American Southwest, is the largest contiguous Native American Nation and has over a 100-year legacy of hard rock mining. This study has two objectives, quantify the arsenic and uranium concentrations in water systems in the Arizona and Utah side of the Navajo Nation compared to the New Mexico side and to determine if there are other elements of concern. Between 2014 and 2017, 294 water samples were collected across the Arizona and Utah side of the Navajo Nation and analyzed for 21 elements. Of these, 14 elements had at least one instance of a concentration greater than a national regulatory limit, and six of these (V, Ca, As, Mn, Li, and U) had the highest incidence of exceedances and were of concern to various communities on the Navajo Nation. Our findings are similar to other studies conducted in Arizona and on the Navajo Nation and demonstrate that other elements may be a concern for public health beyond arsenic and uranium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Credo
- College of Medicine Clinical Translational Science Graduate Program, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
| | - Jaclyn Torkelson
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Northern Arizona University, P.O. Box 5698, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - Tommy Rock
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Northern Arizona University, P.O. Box 5698, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - Jani C Ingram
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Northern Arizona University, P.O. Box 5698, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA.
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Samuel-Nakamura C, Hodge FS, Sokolow S, Ali AMS, Robbins WA. Metal(loid)s in Cucurbita pepo in a Uranium Mining Impacted Area in Northwestern New Mexico, USA. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2019; 16:ijerph16142569. [PMID: 31323819 PMCID: PMC6679051 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16142569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2019] [Revised: 07/11/2019] [Accepted: 07/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
More than 500 unreclaimed mines and associated waste sites exist on the Navajo Nation reservation as a result of uranium (U) mining from the 1940s through the 1980s. For this study, the impact of U-mine waste on a common, locally grown crop food was examined. The goal of this site-specific study was to determine metal(loid) concentration levels of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), cesium (Cs), molybdenum (Mo), lead (Pb), thorium (Th), U, vanadium (V) and selenium (Se) in Cucurbita pepo Linnaeus (squash), irrigation water, and soil using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. The concentrations of metal(loid)s were greatest in roots > leaves > edible fruit (p < 0.05), respectively. There were significant differences between metal(loid)s in squash crop plot usage (<5 years versus >30 years) for V (p = 0.001), As (p < 0.001), U (p = 0.002), Cs (p = 0.012), Th (p = 0.040), Mo (p = 0.047), and Cd (p = 0.042). Lead and Cd crop irrigation water concentrations exceeded the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Maximum Contaminant Levels for drinking water for those metals. Edible squash concentration levels were 0.116 mg/kg of As, 0.248 mg/kg of Pb, 0.020 mg/kg of Cd, and 0.006 mg/kg of U. Calculated human ingestion of edible squash did not exceed Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake or Tolerable Upper Limit levels from intake based solely on squash consumption. There does not appear to be a food-ingestion risk from metal(loid)s solely from consumption of squash. Safer access and emphasis on consuming regulated water was highlighted. Food intake recommendations were provided. Continued monitoring, surveillance, and further research are recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Samuel-Nakamura
- School of Nursing, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), 4-246 Factor Bldg., Mailcode 691821, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
| | - Felicia S Hodge
- School of Nursing, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), 5-940 Factor Bldg., Mailcode 691921, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Sophie Sokolow
- School of Nursing, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), 5-238 Factor Bldg., Mailcode 691921, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Abdul-Mehdi S Ali
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of New Mexico, Northrop Hall MSCO 3-2040 Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
| | - Wendie A Robbins
- Center for Occupational and Environmental Health Fielding School of Public Health, Environmental Health Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), 5-254 Factor Bldg., Mailcode 956919, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
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Zychowski KE, Kodali V, Harmon M, Tyler CR, Sanchez B, Ordonez Suarez Y, Herbert G, Wheeler A, Avasarala S, Cerrato JM, Kunda NK, Muttil P, Shuey C, Brearley A, Ali AM, Lin Y, Shoeb M, Erdely A, Campen MJ. Respirable Uranyl-Vanadate-Containing Particulate Matter Derived From a Legacy Uranium Mine Site Exhibits Potentiated Cardiopulmonary Toxicity. Toxicol Sci 2019; 164:101-114. [PMID: 29660078 DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfy064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Exposure to windblown particulate matter (PM) arising from legacy uranium (U) mine sites in the Navajo Nation may pose a human health hazard due to their potentially high metal content, including U and vanadium (V). To assess the toxic impact of PM derived from Claim 28 (a priority U mine) compared with background PM, and consider the putative role of metal species U and V. Two representative sediment samples from Navajo Nation sites (Background PM and Claim 28 PM) were obtained, characterized in terms of chemistry and morphology, and fractioned to the respirable (≤ 10 μm) fraction. Mice were dosed with either PM sample, uranyl acetate, or vanadyl sulfate via aspiration (100 µg), with assessments of pulmonary and vascular toxicity 24 h later. Particulate matter samples were also examined for in vitro effects on cytotoxicity, oxidative stress, phagocytosis, and inflammasome induction. Claim 28 PM10 was highly enriched with U and V and exhibited a unique nanoparticle ultrastructure compared with background PM10. Claim 28 PM10 exhibited enhanced pulmonary and vascular toxicity relative to background PM10. Both U and V exhibited complementary pulmonary inflammatory potential, with U driving a classical inflammatory cytokine profile (elevated interleukin [IL]-1β, tumor necrosis factor-α, and keratinocyte chemoattractant/human growth-regulated oncogene) while V preferentially induced a different cytokine pattern (elevated IL-5, IL-6, and IL-10). Claim 28 PM10 was more potent than background PM10 in terms of in vitro cytotoxicity, impairment of phagocytosis, and oxidative stress responses. Resuspended PM10 derived from U mine waste exhibit greater cardiopulmonary toxicity than background dusts. Rigorous exposure assessment is needed to gauge the regional health risks imparted by these unremediated sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine E Zychowski
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of New Mexico-Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131
| | - Vamsi Kodali
- Health Effects Laboratory Division, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Morgantown, West Virginia
| | - Molly Harmon
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of New Mexico-Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131
| | - Christina R Tyler
- Biosciences Division, Los Alamos National Laboratories, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545
| | - Bethany Sanchez
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of New Mexico-Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131
| | - Yoselin Ordonez Suarez
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of New Mexico-Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131
| | - Guy Herbert
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of New Mexico-Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131
| | - Abigail Wheeler
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of New Mexico-Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131
| | - Sumant Avasarala
- Department of Civil Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131
| | - José M Cerrato
- Department of Civil Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131
| | - Nitesh K Kunda
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of New Mexico-Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131
| | - Pavan Muttil
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of New Mexico-Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131
| | - Chris Shuey
- Southwest Research and Information Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87196
| | | | | | - Yan Lin
- Department of Geography, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131
| | - Mohammad Shoeb
- Health Effects Laboratory Division, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Morgantown, West Virginia
| | - Aaron Erdely
- Health Effects Laboratory Division, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Morgantown, West Virginia
| | - Matthew J Campen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of New Mexico-Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131
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Erdei E, Shuey C, Pacheco B, Cajero M, Lewis J, Rubin RL. Elevated autoimmunity in residents living near abandoned uranium mine sites on the Navajo Nation. J Autoimmun 2019; 99:15-23. [PMID: 30878168 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaut.2019.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2018] [Revised: 01/15/2019] [Accepted: 01/17/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Specific autoantibodies were assessed among residents of the Navajo Nation in New Mexico chronically exposed to metal mixtures from uranium mine wastes and in drinking water supplies. Age and the extent of exposure to legacy waste from 100 abandoned uranium mine and mill sites were associated with antibodies to denatured DNA, previously known to be an early indicator of medication-induced autoimmunity. Surprisingly, autoantibodies to native DNA and/or chromatin were also linked to environmental exposure, specifically uranium consumption through drinking water for both men and women, while urinary arsenic was negatively associated with these autoantibodies in women. These findings suggest that contaminants derived from uranium mine waste enhanced development of autoantibodies in some individuals, while arsenic may be globally immunosuppressive with gender-specific effects. Specific autoantibodies may be a sensitive indicator of immune perturbation by environmental toxicants, an adverse effect not considered in current drinking water standards or regulatory risk assessment evaluations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esther Erdei
- Community Environmental Health Program, Dept. of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, College of Pharmacy, 1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
| | - Chris Shuey
- Southwest Research and Information Center, 105 Stanford Drive, SE, Albuquerque, NM 87106, USA
| | - Bernadette Pacheco
- Community Environmental Health Program, Dept. of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, College of Pharmacy, 1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
| | - Miranda Cajero
- Community Environmental Health Program, Dept. of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, College of Pharmacy, 1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
| | - Johnnye Lewis
- Community Environmental Health Program, Dept. of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, College of Pharmacy, 1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
| | - Robert L Rubin
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center School of Medicine, 1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA.
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Hoover J, Erdei E, Nash J, Gonzales M. A Review of Metal Exposure Studies Conducted in the Rural Southwestern and Mountain West Region of the United States. CURR EPIDEMIOL REP 2019; 6:34-49. [PMID: 30906686 PMCID: PMC6429957 DOI: 10.1007/s40471-019-0182-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW This review summarizes recent literature examining exposure to environmental metals in rural areas of the southwestern/mountain west region of the United States focusing on the range of exposures and exposure pathways unique to this region. RECENT FINDINGS Recent studies (2013-2018) indicated that exposures to arsenic (As), uranium (U), and cadmium (Cd) were the most commonly quantified metals in the study area. One or more of these three metals was analyzed in each study reviewed. SUMMARY The current review draws attention to the variety of exposure assessment methods, analytical tools, and unique non-occupational exposure pathways in this region. The reviewed studies identified potential sources of metals exposure including regulated and unregulated drinking water, particulate matter, and food items, and provided information about the levels of exposures experienced by populations through a variety of exposure assessment methods including spatial analysis methodologies. The findings suggest that exposure assessment methods could be further integrated with population studies to assess health effects of environmental metals exposure through pathways unique to Southwestern and Mountain West U.S.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Hoover
- University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, College of
Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, MSC09 5360 Albuquerque, NM,
87131
| | - Esther Erdei
- University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, College of
Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, MSC09 5360 Albuquerque, NM,
87131
| | - Jacob Nash
- University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Health Sciences
Library and Information Center, MSC09 5100, Albuquerque, NM, 87131
| | - Melissa Gonzales
- University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, School of
Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, MSC10 5550, Albuquerque, NM,
87131
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45
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Al Rashida VJM, Wang X, Myers OB, Boyce TW, Kocher E, Moreno M, Karr R, Ass'ad N, Cook LS, Sood A. Greater Odds for Angina in Uranium Miners Than Nonuranium Miners in New Mexico. J Occup Environ Med 2019; 61:1-7. [PMID: 30601436 PMCID: PMC6541557 DOI: 10.1097/jom.0000000000001482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that uranium miners in New Mexico (NM) have a greater prevalence of cardiovascular disease than miners who extracted the nonuranium ore. METHODS NM-based current and former uranium miners were compared with nonuranium miners by using cross-sectional standardized questionnaire data from the Mining Dust in the United States (MiDUS) study from 1989 to 2016. RESULTS Of the 7215 eligible miners, most were men (96.3%). Uranium miners (n = 3151, 43.7%) were older and diabetic, but less likely to currently smoke or use snuff (P ≤ 0.001 for all). After adjustment for covariates, uranium miners were more likely to report angina (odds ratio 1.51, 95% confidence interval 1.23 to 1.85) than nonuranium miners. CONCLUSION Our data suggest that along with screening for pulmonary diseases, uranium industry workers should be screened for cardiovascular diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa J M Al Rashida
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico (Drs al Rashida, Wang, Myers, Boyce, Kocher, Assad, Cook, Sood); Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas (Dr al Rashida); and Black Lung Program, Miners' Colfax Medical Center, Raton, New Mexico (Moreno, Karr, Dr Sood)
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Nemunaitis JM, Brown-Glabeman U, Soares H, Belmonte J, Liem B, Nir I, Phuoc V, Gullapalli RR. Gallbladder cancer: review of a rare orphan gastrointestinal cancer with a focus on populations of New Mexico. BMC Cancer 2018; 18:665. [PMID: 29914418 PMCID: PMC6006713 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-018-4575-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2018] [Accepted: 06/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Gallbladder cancer is a rare malignancy of the biliary tract with a poor prognosis, frequently presenting at an advanced stage. While rare in the United States overall, gallbladder cancer has an elevated incidence in geographically distinct locations of the globe including Chile, North India, Korea, Japan and the state of New Mexico in the United States. People with Native American ancestry have a much elevated incidence of gallbladder cancer compared to Hispanic and non-Hispanic white populations of New Mexico. Gallbladder cancer is also one of the few bi-gendered cancers with an elevated female incidence compared to men. Similar to other gastrointestinal cancers, gallbladder cancer etiology is likely multi-factorial involving a combination of genomic, immunological, and environmental factors. Understanding the interplay of these unique epidemiological factors is crucial in improving the prevention, early detection, and treatment of this lethal disease. Previous studies have failed to identify a distinct genomic mutational profile in gallbladder cancers, however, work to identify promising clinically actionable targets is this form of cancer is ongoing. Examples include, interest in the HER2/Neu signaling pathway and the recognition that chronic inflammation plays a crucial role in gallbladder cancer pathogenesis. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of gallbladder cancer epidemiology, risk factors, pathogenesis, and treatment with a specific focus on the rural and Native American populations of New Mexico. We conclude this review by discussing future research directions with the goal of improving clinical outcomes for patients of this lethal malignancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacklyn M Nemunaitis
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA.,Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Ursa Brown-Glabeman
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA.,Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Heloisa Soares
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA.,Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Jessica Belmonte
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA.,Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Ben Liem
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA.,Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Itzhak Nir
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA.,Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Victor Phuoc
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA.,Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Rama R Gullapalli
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA. .,Department of Pathology, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA. .,Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of New Mexico, Room 333A, MSC08-4640, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA.
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47
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Gonzales M, King E, Bobelu J, Ghahate DM, Madrid T, Lesansee S, Shah V. Perspectives on Biological Monitoring in Environmental Health Research: A Focus Group Study in a Native American Community. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2018; 15:E1129. [PMID: 29857506 PMCID: PMC6025825 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph15061129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2018] [Revised: 05/23/2018] [Accepted: 05/29/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Background: Reliance on natural resources brings Native American communities into frequent contact with environmental media, which, if contaminated, represents an exposure route for environmental pollutants. Native American communities vary in their perspectives on research and relatively little is known about the range of perspectives regarding the use of biological samples for environmental exposure assessment. Methods: Thirty-one members of Zuni Pueblo (median age = 40.0 years, range = 26⁻59 years) participated a series of four focus groups. Qualitative themes emerging from the focus group discussion transcripts were identified by content analysis. Results: Emergent themes included adequate informed consent, traditional beliefs, and personal choice. Conclusions: The discussions reinforced the central role of traditional values in the decision to participate in research involving biological samples for environmental exposure assessment. Decision-making required a balance between the perceived value of the proposed project and its purpose, with cultural perspectives surrounding the biological sample requested. We examine the potential for study bias and include recommendations to aid in the collaborative identification and control of unintended risks posed by the use of biological samples in environmental health studies in native communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Gonzales
- Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, MSC10 5550, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA.
| | - Elanda King
- Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, MSC10 5550, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA.
| | - Jeanette Bobelu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, MSC 08 4670 Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA.
| | - Donica M Ghahate
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, MSC 08 4670 Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA.
| | - Teresa Madrid
- Office for Diversity, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, MSC 09 5235 Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA.
| | - Sheri Lesansee
- Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Center for Health Policy, University of New Mexico, MSC 02 1645, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA.
| | - Vallabh Shah
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, MSC 08 4670 Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA.
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Harmon ME, Lewis J, Miller C, Hoover J, Ali AMS, Shuey C, Cajero M, Lucas S, Pacheco B, Erdei E, Ramone S, Nez T, Campen MJ, Gonzales M. Arsenic association with circulating oxidized low-density lipoprotein in a Native American community. JOURNAL OF TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. PART A 2018; 81:535-548. [PMID: 29641933 PMCID: PMC6042213 DOI: 10.1080/15287394.2018.1443860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2018] [Accepted: 02/19/2018] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
More than 500 abandoned uranium (U) mines within the Navajo Nation contribute U, arsenic (As) and other metals to groundwater, soil and potentially air through airborne transport. The adverse cardiovascular health effects attributed to cumulative exposure to these metals remains uncertain. The aim of this study was to examine whether environmental exposure to these metals may promote or exacerbate the oxidation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in this Native American population. The correlation of cardiovascular biomarkers (oxidized LDL (oxLDL) and C-reactive protein (CRP)) from a Navajo cohort (n = 252) with mean annual As and U intakes from water and urine metals was estimated using linear regression. Proof-of-concept assays were performed to investigate whether As and U directly oxidize human LDL. Mean annual As intake from water was positively and significantly associated with oxLDL, but not CRP in this study population, while U intake estimates were negatively associated with oxLDL. In an acellular system, As, but not U, directly oxidized the apolipoprotein B-100 component of purified human LDL. Neither metal promoted lipid peroxidation of the LDL particle. Both the population and lab results are consistent with the hypothesis that As promotes oxidation of LDL, a crucial step in vascular inflammation and chronic vascular disease. Conversely, for outcomes related to U, negative associations were observed between U intake and oxLDL, and U only minimally altered human LDL in direct exposure experiments. Only urine U was correlated with CRP, whereas no other metals in water or urine were apparently reliable predictors of this inflammatory marker.
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Affiliation(s)
- Molly E. Harmon
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Johnnye Lewis
- Community Environmental Health Program, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Curtis Miller
- Community Environmental Health Program, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Joseph Hoover
- Community Environmental Health Program, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Abdul-Mehdi S. Ali
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Chris Shuey
- Southwest Research and Information Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Miranda Cajero
- Community Environmental Health Program, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Selita Lucas
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Bernadette Pacheco
- Community Environmental Health Program, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Esther Erdei
- Community Environmental Health Program, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Sandy Ramone
- Southwest Research and Information Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Teddy Nez
- Southwest Research and Information Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Matthew J. Campen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Melissa Gonzales
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW More than a century of hard rock mining has left a legacy of >160,000 abandoned mines in the Western USA that are home to the majority of Native American lands. This article describes how abrogation of treaty rights, ineffective policies, lack of infrastructure, and a lack of research in Native communities converge to create chronic exposure, ill-defined risks, and tribal health concerns. RECENT FINDINGS Recent results show that Native Americans living near abandoned uranium mines have an increased likelihood for kidney disease and hypertension, and an increased likelihood of developing multiple chronic diseases linked to their proximity to the mine waste and activities bringing them in contact with the waste. Biomonitoring confirms higher than expected exposure to uranium and associated metals in the waste in adults, neonates, and children in these communities. These sites will not be cleaned up for many generations making it critical to understand and prioritize exposure-toxicity relationships in Native populations to appropriately allocate limited resources to protect health. Recent initiatives, in partnership with Native communities, recognize these needs and support development of tribal research capacity to ensure that research respectful of tribal culture and policies can address concerns in the future. In addition, recognition of the risks posed by these abandoned sites should inform policy change to protect community health in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johnnye Lewis
- Community Environmental Health Program, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, 1000 Stanford Drive NE, MSC095360, Albuquerque, NM, 87131-0001, USA.
| | - Joseph Hoover
- Community Environmental Health Program, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, 1000 Stanford Drive NE, MSC095360, Albuquerque, NM, 87131-0001, USA
| | - Debra MacKenzie
- Community Environmental Health Program, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, 1000 Stanford Drive NE, MSC095360, Albuquerque, NM, 87131-0001, USA
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