Molybdenum

Modulation of cherry tomato performances in response to molybdenum biofortification and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in a soilless system

Molybdenum (Mo) is a crucial microelement for both, humans and plants. The use of agronomic biofortification techniques can be an alternative method to enhance Mo content in vegetables. Concomitantly, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) application is a valuable strategy to enhance plant performances and overcome plant abiotic distresses such as microelement overdose. The aim of this research was to estimate the direct and/or indirect effects of Mo supply at four doses [0.0, 0.5 (standard dose), 2.0 or 4.0 μmol L-1], alone or combined with AMF inoculation, on plant performances. In particular, plant height and first flower truss emission, productive features (total yield, marketable yield and average marketable fruit weight) and fruit qualitative characteristics (fruit dry matter, soluble solids content, titratable acidity, ascorbic acid, lycopene, polyphenol, nitrogen, copper, iron and molybdenum) of an established cherry tomato genotype cultivated in soilless conditions were investigated. Moreover, proline and malondialdehyde concentrations, as well as Mo hazard quotient (HQ) in response to experimental treatments were determined. A split-plot randomized experimental block design with Mo dosages as plots and +AMF or -AMF as sub-plots was adopted. Data revealed that AMF inoculation enhanced marketable yield (+50.0 %), as well as some qualitative traits, such as fruit soluble solids content (SSC) (+9.9 %), ascorbic acid (+7.3 %), polyphenols (+2.3 %), and lycopene (+2.5 %). Molybdenum application significantly increased SSC, polyphenols, fruit Mo concentration (+29.0 % and +100.0 % in plants biofortified with 2.0 and 4.0 μmol Mo L-1 compared to those fertigated with the standard dose, respectively) and proline, whereas it decreased N (-25.0 % and -41.6 % in plants biofortified with 2.0 and 4.0 μmol Mo L-1 compared to those fertigated with the standard dose, respectively). Interestingly, the application of AMF mitigated the detrimental effect of high Mo dosages (2.0 or 4.0 μmol L-1). A pronounced advance in terms of plant height 45 DAT, fruit lycopene concentration and fruit Fe, Cu and Mo concentrations was observed when AMF treatment and Mo dosages (2.0 or 4.0 μmol Mo L-1) were combined. Plants inoculated or not with AMF showed an improvement in the hazard quotient (HQ) in reaction to Mo application. However, the HQ - for a consumption of 200 g day-1 of biofortified cherry tomato - remained within the safety level for human consumption. This study suggests that Mo-implementation (at 2.0 or 4.0 μmol L-1) combined with AMF inoculation could represent a viable cultivation protocol to enhance yield, produce premium quality tomato fruits and, concomitantly, improve Mo dose in human diet. In the light of our findings, further studies on the interaction between AMF and microelements in other vegetable crops are recommended.

Innovative Biomaterials for Bone Tumor Treatment and Regeneration: Tackling Postoperative Challenges and Charting the Path Forward

Surgical resection of bone tumors is the primary approach employed in the treatment of bone cancer. Simultaneously, perioperative interventions, particularly postoperative adjuvant anticancer strategies, play a crucial role in achieving satisfactory therapeutic outcomes. However, the occurrence of postoperative bone tumor recurrence, metastasis, extensive bone defects, and infection are significant risks that can result in unfavorable prognoses or even treatment failure. In recent years, there has been significant progress in the development of biomaterials, leading to the emergence of new treatment options for bone tumor therapy and bone regeneration. This progress report aims to comprehensively analyze the strategic development of unique therapeutic biomaterials with inherent healing properties and bioactive capabilities for bone tissue regeneration. These composite biomaterials, classified into metallic, inorganic non-metallic, and organic types, are thoroughly investigated for their responses to external stimuli such as light or magnetic fields, internal interventions including chemotherapy or catalytic therapy, and combination therapy, as well as their role in bone regeneration. Additionally, an overview of self-healing materials for osteogenesis is provided and their potential applications in combating osteosarcoma and promoting bone formation are explored. Furthermore, the safety concerns of integrated materials and current limitations are addressed, while also discussing the challenges and future prospects.

Molybdenum and cadmium co-induce apoptosis and ferroptosis through inhibiting Nrf2 signaling pathway in duck (Anas platyrhyncha) testes

Cadmium (Cd) and high molybdenum (Mo) are injurious to the body. Previous research has substantiated that Cd and Mo exposure caused testicular injury of ducks, but concrete mechanism is not fully clarified. To further survey the toxicity of co-exposure to Cd and Mo in testis, 40 healthy 8-day-old Shaoxing ducks (Anas platyrhyncha) were stochasticly distributed to 4 groups and raised with basic diet embracing Cd (4 mg/kg Cd) or Mo (100 mg/kg Mo) or both. At the 16th wk, testis tissues were gathered. The characteristic ultrastructural changes related to apoptosis and ferroptosis were observed in Mo or Cd or both groups. Besides, Mo or Cd or both repressed nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) pathway via decreasing Nrf2, Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1), Glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic subunit (GCLC) and Glutamate-cysteine ligase modifier subunit (GCLM) mRNA expression of and Nrf2 protein expression, then stimulated apoptosis by elevating Bcl-2 antagonist/killer-1 (Bak-1), Bcl-2-associated X-protein (Bax), Cytochrome complex (Cyt-C), caspase-3 mRNA expression, cleaved-caspase-3 protein expression and apoptosis rate, as well as reducing B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) mRNA expression and ratio of Bcl-2 to Bax, and triggered ferroptosis by upregulating Acyl-CoA Synthetase Long Chain Family Member 4 (ACSL4), transferrin receptor (TFR1) and Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthase 2 (PTGS2) expression levels, and downregulating ferritin heavy chain 1 (FTH1), ferritin light chain 1 (FTL1), ferroportin 1 (FPN1), solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SCL7A11) and glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) expression levels. The most obvious changes of these indexes were observed in co-treated group. Altogether, the results announced that Mo or Cd or both evoked apoptosis and ferroptosis by inhibiting Nrf2 pathway in the testis of ducks, and co-exposure to Mo and Cd exacerbated these variations.

Levels of trace metals and their impact on oocyte: A review

Trace metals play a vital role in a variety of biological processes, but excessive amounts can be toxic and are receiving increasing attention. Trace metals in the environment are released from natural sources, such as rock weathering, volcanic eruptions, and other human activities, such as industrial emissions, mineral extraction, and vehicle exhaust. Lifestyle, dietary habits and environmental quality are the main sources of human exposure to trace metals, which play an important role in inducing human reproductive infertility. The purpose of this review is to summarize the distribution of various trace metals in oocyte and to identify the trace metals that may cause oocyte used in the design and execution of toxicological studies.

MoOxNWs with mechanical damage - oriented synergistic photothermal / photodynamic therapy for highly effective treating wound infections

Reactive oxygen species (ROS)-based therapy has emerged as a promising antibacterial strategy. However, it faces the limitations of uncontrollable space-time release and excessive lipid peroxidation, which may lead to a series of metabolic disorders and decreased immune function. In this study, mechanical damage by molybdenum oxide nanowires (MoOxNWs) is introduced as a synergistic factor to enhance the photothermal and photodynamic effects for controllable and efficient antibacterial therapy. Through their sharp ends, the nanowires can effectively pierce and damage the bacterial cells, thus facilitating the entry of externally generated ROS into the cells. The ROS are generated via photodynamic effect of the nanowires under a mere 5 min of near-infrared light irradiation. This approach enhances the photothermal (by 27.3 %) and photodynamic properties of ROS generation. MoOxNWs (100 μg·mL-1) achieve sterilisation rates of 97.67 % for extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing E. coli and 96.34 % for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, which are comparable or even exceeding the efficacy of most MoOx-based antibacterial agents. Moreover, they exhibit good biocompatibility and low in vivo toxicity.

Pro-vegetarian dietary patterns and essential and heavy metal exposure in children of 4-5-years from the INfancia y medio Ambiente cohort (INMA)

Dietary patterns provide a comprehensive assessment of food consumption, including essential nutrients and potential exposure to environmental contaminants. While pro-vegetarian (PVG) dietary patterns have shown health benefits in adults, their effects on children are less well studied. This study aims to explore the association between children's adherence to the most common PVG dietary patterns and their exposure to metals, assessed through urine concentration. In our study, we included a population of 723 children aged 4-5-years from the INfancia y Medio Ambiente (INMA) cohort in Spain. We calculated three predefined PVG dietary patterns, namely general (gPVG), healthful (hPVG), and unhealthful (uPVG), using dietary information collected through a validated Food Frequency Questionnaire. Urinary concentrations of various essential and heavy metals (Co, Cu, Zn, Se, Mo, Pb, and Cd) were measured using mass spectrometry. Additionally, urinary arsenic speciation, including arsenobetaine (AsB), dimethylarsinic acid (DMA), monomethylarsonic acid (MMA), and inorganic arsenic (iAs), was measured. The sum of urinary MMA and iAs was used to assess iAs exposure. We estimated primary (PMI) and secondary iAs methylation (SMI) indices. To explore the association between PVG dietary patterns in quintiles and metal exposure, we utilized multiple-adjusted linear regression models and the quantile g-computation approach. Compared with the lowest quintile, participants in the highest quintile of gPVG showed a 22.7% lower urinary Co (95% confidence interval (CI): -38.7; -1.98) and a 12.6% lower Se (95%CI: -22.9; -1.00) concentrations. Second quintile of adherence to hPVG was associated with a 51.7% lower urinary iAs + MMA concentrations (95%CI: -74.3; -8.61). Second quintile of adherence to an uPVG was associated with a 13.6% lower Se levels (95%CI: -22.9; -2.95) while the third quintile to this pattern was associated with 17.5% lower Mo concentrations (95%CI: -29.5; -2.95). The fourth quintile of adherence to gPVG was associated with a 68.5% higher PMI and a 53.7% lower SMI. Our study showed that adherence to a gPVG dietary pattern in childhood may modestly reduce the intakes of some essential metals such as Co and Se. Further investigations are warranted to explore any potential health implications.

Molybdenum Concentration and the Risk of Spontaneous Preterm Birth: A Nested Case-Control Study - Beijing Municipality, China, 2018-2020

What is already known about this topic?

The level of molybdenum (Mo) in a mother's urine has been linked to the growth rate of the fetus and the blood pressure levels in children.

What is added by this report?

We evaluated the variations in maternal plasma Mo concentrations throughout pregnancy and their potential association with the risk of spontaneous preterm birth (SPB).

What are the implications for public health practice?

Future research must determine the Mo levels in pregnant women across various regions in China. Moreover, particular attention needs to be given to the potential increase in Mo concentration throughout pregnancy and its possible adverse impacts on the health of both the mother and the fetus.

ESPEN practical short micronutrient guideline

BACKGROUND

Trace elements and vitamins, named together micronutrients (MNs), are essential for human metabolism. The importance of MNs in common pathologies is recognized by recent research, with deficiencies significantly impacting the outcome.

OBJECTIVE

This short version of the guideline aims to provide practical recommendations for clinical practice.

METHODS

An extensive search of the literature was conducted in the databases Medline, PubMed, Cochrane, Google Scholar, and CINAHL for the initial guideline. The search focused on physiological data, historical evidence (for papers published before PubMed release in 1996), and observational and/or randomized trials. For each MN, the main functions, optimal analytical methods, impact of inflammation, potential toxicity, and provision during enteral or parenteral nutrition were addressed. The SOP wording was applied for strength of recommendations.

RESULTS

The limited number of interventional trials prevented meta-analysis and led to a low level of evidence for most recommendations. The recommendations underwent a consensus process, which resulted in a percentage of agreement (%): strong consensus required of >90 % of votes. Altogether the guideline proposes 3 general recommendations and specific recommendations for the 26 MNs. Monitoring and management strategies are proposed.

CONCLUSION

This short version of the MN guideline should facilitate handling of the MNs in at-risk diseases, whilst offering practical advice on MN provision and monitoring during nutritional support.

Environmental impact assessment of a novel third-generation biorefinery approach for astaxanthin and biofuel production

A novel third-generation biorefinery approach, including two paths of Ethanol/methane production pathway (EMP) and the direct methane production pathway (DMP), for astaxanthin and ethanol and biogas production from the freshwater microalgae Haematococcus pluvialis was developed previously. To ensure its environmental sustainability, a comprehensive life cycle assessment (LCA) study was conducted based on 1-GJ energy generation from biomethane as the functional unit. Results indicate that the EMP pathway had higher environmental impacts on all categories due to more stages and chemicals/energy consumption (at least five times greater effect). Results showed that while the enzymatic hydrolysis step followed by the fermentation stage was the main contributor to all environmental categories in the EMP route, astaxanthin induction dominated all environmental categories in the DMP route. The results showed that sodium nitrate, phosphate salts, inoculum sludge, acetone, and electricity had considerable environmental impacts. Moreover, despite low enzyme usage in enzymatic hydrolysis, these proteins significantly impacted all environmental categories in this stage. The baseline analysis concluded that to produce 1 GJ energy from methane, about 88 kg and 13 kg CO2 were generated from the EMP and DMP pathways, respectively. A sensitivity analysis was also conducted to compare various ratios of chemicals, such as phosphate salts, with high contributions to enzymatic hydrolysis and astaxanthin induction stages in the EMP and DMP routes, respectively. Finally, the LCA results revealed that the DMP pathway is more environmentally friendly with the same economic value of biomethane and astaxanthin production. This LCA study updated the data related to the environmental assessment of processes to utilize H. pluvialis to produce biofuels and astaxanthin simultaneously.

Anticancer Metallocenes and Metal Complexes of Transition Elements from Groups 4 to 7

With the progression in the field of bioinorganic chemistry, the role of transition metal complexes as the most widely used therapeutics is becoming a more and more attractive research area. The complexes of transition metals possess a great variety of attractive pharmacological properties, including anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-infective, etc., activities. Transition metal complexes have proven to be potential alternatives to biologically active organic compounds, especially as antitumor agents. The performance of metal coordination compounds in living systems is anticipated to differ generally from the action of non-metal-containing drugs and may offer unique diagnostic and/or therapeutic opportunities. In this review, the rapid development and application of metallocenes and metal complexes of elements from Groups 4 to 7 in cancer diagnostics and therapy have been summarized. Most of the heavy metals discussed in the current review are newly discovered metals. That is why the use of their metal-based compounds has attracted a lot of attention concerning their organometallic and coordination chemistry. All of this imposes more systematic studies on their biological activity, biocompatibility, and toxicity and presupposes further investigations.

Associations between metal(loid) exposure with overweight and obesity and abdominal obesity in the general population: A cross-sectional study in China

Previous studies have revealed links between metal(loid)s and health problems; however, the link between metal(loid)s and obesity remains controversial. We evaluated the cross-sectional association between metal(loid) exposure in whole blood and obesity among the general population. Vanadium (V), chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), arsenic (As), selenium (Se), molybdenum (Mo), cadmium (Cd), antimony (Sb), thallium (T1), and lead (Pb) were measured in 3029 subjects in Guangdong Province (China) using ICP-MS. The prevalence of overweight and obesity (OWO) and abdominal obesity (AOB) was calculated according to body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC), respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that elevated blood Cu, Cd, and Pb levels were inversely associated with the risk of OWO, and these associations were confirmed by a linear dose-response relationship. Elevated blood Co concentration was associated with a decreased risk of AOB. A quantile g-computation approach showed a significantly negative mixture-effect of 13 metal(loid)s on OWO (OR: 0.96; 95% CI: 0.92, 0.99). Two metals-Ni and Mo-were inversely associated with the risk of OWO but positively associated with AOB. We cross-grouped the two obesity measurement types and found that the extremes of metal content were present in people with AOB only. In conclusion, blood Cu, Mo, Ni, Cd, and Pb were inversely associated with the risk of OWO. The presence of blood Co may be protective, while Ni and Mo exposure might increase the risk of AOB. The association between metal(loid) exposure and obesity warrants further investigation in longitudinal cohort studies.

Elevated levels of Zn, Cu and Co are associated with an increased risk of endometriosis: Results from a casecontrol study

BACKGROUND

Endometriosis is a common gynecological disease that affects approximately 5 %∼10 % of reproductive-aged women. Zinc (Zn), selenium (Se), copper (Cu), cobalt (Co) and molybdenum (Mo) are essential trace elements and are very important for human health. However, studies on the relationship between mixtures of essential trace elements and the risk of endometriosis are limited and inconsistent. In particular, studies confirming the association via different sample types are limited.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate the associations between Zn, Se, Cu, Co and Mo concentrations in blood and follicular fluid (FF) and endometriosis risk in a Chinese population.

METHODS

A total of 609 subjects undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) were recruited; 836 samples were analyzed, including 451 blood samples (234 controls and 217 cases) and 385 FF samples (203 controls and 182 cases). In addition, 227 subjects provided both blood and FF samples. Zn, Se, Cu, Co and Mo concentrations in blood and FF were quantified via inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The associations between the levels of Zn, Se, Cu, Co and Mo and the risk of endometriosis were assessed using single-element models (logistic regression models), and the combined effect of the trace elements on endometriosis risk was assessed using multielement models (Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) and weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression).

RESULTS

Based on the single-element models, significant associations of Zn concentrations in blood (high-level vs. low-level group: aOR = 14.17, 95 % CI: 7.31, 27.50) and FF (first tertile vs. second tertile group: aOR = 0.34, 95 % CI: 0.16, 0.71; third tertile vs. second tertile group: aOR = 2.32, 95 % CI: 1.38, 3.91, respectively) and Co concentrations in blood (first tertile vs. second tertile group, aOR = 0.24, 95 % CI: 0.12, 0.48) and FF (third tertile vs. second tertile group: aOR = 3.87, 95 % CI: 2.19, 6.84) with endometriosis risk were found after adjustment for all confounders. In FF, Cu and Mo levels were significantly greater among the cases than among the controls, with a positive association with endometriosis risk (Cu (first tertile vs. second tertile group: aOR = 0.39, 95 % CI: 0.19, 0.81; third tertile vs. second tertile group: aOR = 2.73, 95 % CI: 1.61, 4.66, respectively) and Mo (high-level vs. low-level group: aOR = 14.93, 95 % CI: 7.16, 31.12)). However, similar associations between blood Cu and Mo levels and endometriosis risk were not found. In addition, the levels of these five essential trace element mixtures in blood and in FF were significantly and positively associated with endometriosis risk according to the BKMR analyses; the levels of Zn and Cu in blood and the levels of Mo in FF were significantly related to the risk of endometriosis, and the posterior inclusion probabilities (PIPs) were 1.00, 0.99 and 1.00 for Zn and Cu levels in blood and Mo levels in FF, respectively. Furthermore, Zn and Mo were the highest weighted elements in blood and FF, respectively, according to WQS analyses.

CONCLUSION

The risk of endometriosis was associated with elevated levels of several essential trace elements (Zn, Cu and Co). Elevated levels of these elements may be involved in the pathomechanism of endometriosis. However, further studies with larger sample sizes will be necessary to confirm these associations.

Molybdenum Nanodots for Acute Lung Injury Therapy

Acute respiratory disease syndrome (ARDS) is a common critical disease with high morbidity and mortality rates, yet specific and effective treatments for it are currently lacking. ARDS was especially apparent and rampant during the COVID-19 pandemic. Excess reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and an uncontrolled inflammatory response play a critical role in the disease progression of ARDS. Herein, we developed molybdenum nanodots (MNDs) as a functional nanomaterial with ultrasmall size, good biocompatibility, and excellent ROS scavenging ability for the treatment of acute lung injury (ALI). MNDs, which were administered intratracheally, significantly ameliorated lung oxidative stress, inflammatory response, protein permeability, and histological severity in ALI mice without inducing any safety issues. Importantly, transcriptomics analysis indicated that MNDs protected lung tissues by inhibiting the activation of the Nod-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3)-dependent pyroptotic pathway. This work presents a promising therapeutic agent for patients suffering from ARDS.

Hollow Mesoporous Molybdenum Single-Atom Nanozyme-Based Reactor for Enhanced Cascade Catalytic Antibacterial Therapy

Purpose

The remarkable peroxidase-like activity of single-atom nanozymes (SAzymes) allows them to catalyze the conversion of H2O2 to •OH, rendering them highly promising for antibacterial applications. However, their practical in vivo application is hindered by the near-neutral pH and insufficient H2O2 levels present in physiological systems. This study was aimed at developing a SAzyme-based nanoreactor and investigating its in vivo antibacterial activity.

Methods

We developed a hollow mesoporous molybdenum single-atom nanozyme (HMMo-SAzyme) using a controlled chemical etching approach and pyrolysis strategy. The HMMo-SAzyme not only exhibited excellent catalytic activity but also served as an effective nanocarrier. By loading glucose oxidase (GOx) with HMMo-SAzyme and encapsulating it with hyaluronic acid (HA), a nanoreactor (HMMo/GOx@HA) was constructed as glucose-triggered cascade catalyst for combating bacterial infection in vivo.

Results

Hyaluronidase (HAase) at the site of infection degraded HA, allowing GOx to convert glucose into gluconic acid and H2O2. An acid environment significantly enhanced the catalytic activity of HMMo-SAzyme to promote the further catalytic conversion of H2O2 to •OH for bacterial elimination. In vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrated that the nanoreactor had excellent antibacterial activity and negligible biological toxicity.

Conclusion

This study represents a significant advancement in developing a cascade catalytic system with high efficiency based on hollow mesoporous SAzyme, promising the advancement of biological applications of SAzyme.

Prenatal exposure to metal mixtures and lung function in children from the New Hampshire birth cohort study

Prenatal exposure to metals/metalloids, even at common US population levels, may pose risks to fetal health, and affect children's lung function. Yet, the combined effects of simultaneous prenatal exposures on children's lung function remain largely unexplored. This study analyzed 11 metals (As speciation, Cd, Co, Cu, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se, Sn, Zn) in maternal urine during weeks 24-28 of gestation and evaluated lung function, including forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in the first second of expiration (FEV1), in 316 US mother-child pairs at around age 7. We used Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression (BKMR), weighted quantile sum regression (WQSR), and multiple linear regression to examine the association between metal mixture exposure and children's lung function, adjusting for maternal smoking, child age, sex, and height. In BKMR models assessing combined exposure effects, limited evidence of metal non-linearity or interactions was found. Nevertheless, Co, As species, and Pb showed a negative association, while Mo exhibited a positive association with children's FVC and FEV1, with other metals held constant at their medians. The weighted index, from WQSR analysis assessing the cumulative impact of all metals, highlighted prenatal Mo with the highest positive weight, and Co, As, and Sb with the most substantial negative weights on children's FVC and FEV1. Urinary Co and Pb were negatively associated with FVC (β = -0.09, 95% confidence interval (CI) (-0.18; -0.01) and β = -0.07, 95% CI (-0.13; 0.00), respectively). Co was also negatively associated with FEV1 (β = -0.09, 95% CI (-0.18; 0.00). There was a negative association between As and FVC, and a positive association between Mo and both FVC and FEV1, though with wide confidence intervals. Our findings suggest that prenatal trace element exposures may impact children's lung function, emphasizing the importance of reducing toxic exposures and maintaining adequate nutrient levels.

Exogeneous metal ions as therapeutic agents in cardiovascular disease and their delivery strategies

Metal ions participate in many metabolic processes in the human body, and their homeostasis is crucial for life. In cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), the equilibriums of metal ions are frequently interrupted, which are related to a variety of disturbances of physiological processes leading to abnormal cardiac functions. Exogenous supplement of metal ions has the potential to work as therapeutic strategies for the treatment of CVDs. Compared with other therapeutic drugs, metal ions possess broad availability, good stability and safety and diverse drug delivery strategies. The delivery strategies of metal ions are important to exert their therapeutic effects and reduce the potential toxic side effects for cardiovascular applications, which are also receiving increasing attention. Controllable local delivery strategies for metal ions based on various biomaterials are constantly being designed. In this review, we comprehensively summarized the positive roles of metal ions in the treatment of CVDs from three aspects: protecting cells from oxidative stress, inducing angiogenesis, and adjusting the functions of ion channels. In addition, we introduced the transferability of metal ions in vascular reconstruction and cardiac tissue repair, as well as the currently available engineered strategies for the precise delivery of metal ions, such as integrated with nanoparticles, hydrogels and scaffolds.

To Eat or Not to Eat?-Food Safety Aspects of Essential Metals in Seafood

The popularity of seafoods is high due to their superb dietary properties and healthy composition. However, it is crucial to understand whether they adequately contribute to our essential nutritional needs. Small amounts of essential metals are indispensable in the human body to proper physiological functioning; their deficiency can manifest in various sets of symptoms that can only be eliminated with their intake during treatment or nutrition. However, the excessive consumption of metals can induce undesirable effects, or even toxicosis. Shellfish, oyster, and squid samples were collected directly from a fish market. After sample preparation, the concentration of essential metals (cobalt, chromium, copper, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, and zinc) was detected by Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry. The results were analyzed statistically using ANOVA and two-sample t-tests. The average concentration of the investigated essential elements and the calculated burden based on the consumption were below the Recommended Dietary Allowances and Tolerable Upper Intake Levels. Based on these results, the trace element contents of the investigated seafoods do not cover the necessary recommended daily intake of them, but their consumption poses no health hazard due to their low levels.

Essential Trace Elements Status in Portuguese Pregnant Women and Their Association with Maternal and Neonatal Outcomes: A Prospective Study from the IoMum Cohort

Cobalt (Co), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo), and zinc (Zn) are essential trace elements (ETEs) and important cofactors for intermediary metabolism or redox balance. These ETEs are crucial during pregnancy, their role on specific pregnancy outcomes is largely unknown. This prospective study (#NCT04010708) aimed to assess urinary levels of these ETEs in pregnancy and to evaluate their association with pregnancy outcomes. First trimester pregnant women of Porto and Lisbon provided a random spot urine sample, and sociodemographic and lifestyle data. Clinical data were obtained from clinical records. Urinary ETEs were quantified by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). A total of 635 mother:child pairs were included. Having urinary Zn levels above the 50th percentile (P50) was an independent risk factor for pre-eclampsia (PE) (aOR [95% CI]: 5.350 [1.044-27.423], p = 0.044). Urinary Zn levels above the P50 decreased the risk of small for gestational age (SGA) birth head circumference (aOR [95% CI]: 0.315 [0.113-0.883], p = 0.028), but it increased the risk SGA length (aOR [95% CI]: 2.531 [1.057-6.062], p = 0.037). This study may provide valuable information for public health policies related to prenatal nutrition, while informing future efforts to de-fine urinary reference intervals for ETEs in pregnant women.

Trace Elements Levels in Major Depressive Disorder-Evaluation of Potential Threats and Possible Therapeutic Approaches

The multifactorial etiology of major depressive disorder (MDD) includes biological, environmental, genetic, and psychological aspects. Recently, there has been an increasing interest in metallomic studies in psychiatry, aiming to evaluate the role of chosen trace elements in the MDD etiology as well as the progression of symptoms. This narrative review aims to summarize the available literature on the relationship between the concentration of chosen elements in the serum of patients with MDD and the onset and progression of this psychiatric condition. The authors reviewed PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases searching for elements that had been investigated so far and further evaluated them in this paper. Ultimately, 15 elements were evaluated, namely, zinc, magnesium, selenium, iron, copper, aluminium, cadmium, lead, mercury, arsenic, calcium, manganese, chromium, nickel, and phosphorus. The association between metallomic studies and psychiatry has been developing dynamically recently. According to the results of current research, metallomics might act as a potential screening tool for patients with MDD while at the same time providing an assessment of the severity of symptoms. Either deficiencies or excessive amounts of chosen elements might be associated with the progression of depressive symptoms or even the onset of the disease among people predisposed to MDD.

Role of Caveolin-1 on the molybdenum and cadmium exposure induces pulmonary ferroptosis and fibrosis in the sheep

Molybdenum (Mo) is an essential trace element that exists in all tissues of the human body, but excessive Mo intake has a toxic effect. Cadmium (Cd) is a widely known and harmful heavy metal that exists in the environment. Although studies on Mo and Cd are available, it is still unknown how the combination of Mo and Cd causes pulmonary injury. Forty-eight sheep that were 2 months old were chosen and randomly separated into four groups as follows: Control group, Mo group, Cd group, and Mo + Cd group. The experiment lasted 50 days. The results showed that Mo and/or Cd caused significant pathological damage and oxidative stress in the lungs of sheep. Moreover, Mo and/or Cd exposure could downregulate the expression levels of xCT (SLC7A11 and SLC3A2), GPX4 and FTH-1 and upregulate the expression levels of PTGS2 and NCOA4, which led to iron overload and ferroptosis. Ferroptosis induced Wnt/β-catenin-mediated fibrosis by elevating the expression levels of Caveolin-1 (CAV-1), Wnt 1, Wnt3a, β-catenin (CTNNB1), TCF4, Cyclin D1, mmp7, α-SMA (ACTA2), Collagen 1 (COL1A1) and Vimentin. These changes were particularly noticeable in the Mo and Cd combination group. In conclusion, these data demonstrated that Mo and/or Cd exposure led to lung ferroptosis by inhibiting the SLC7A11/GSH/GPX4 axis, which in turn increases CAV-1 expression and subsequently activates the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, leading to fibrosis in sheep lungs.

The association between the essential metal mixture and fasting plasma glucose in Chinese community-dwelling elderly people

BACKGROUND

Epidemiological studies about the effect of essential metal mixture on fasting plasma glucose (FPG) levels among elderly people are sparse. The object of this study was to examine the associations of single essential metals and essential metal mixture with FPG levels in Chinese community-dwelling elderly people.

METHODS

The study recruited 2348 community-dwelling elderly people in total. Inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry was adopted to detect the levels of vanadium (V), selenium (Se), magnesium (Mg), cobalt (Co), calcium (Ca), and molybdenum (Mo) in urine. The relationships between single essential metals and essential metal mixture and FPG levels were evaluated by linear regression and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) models, respectively.

RESULTS

In multiple-metal linear regression models, urine V and Mg were negatively related to the FPG levels (β = - 0.016, 95 % CI: - 0.030 to - 0.003 for V; β = - 0.021, 95 % CI: - 0.033 to - 0.009 for Mg), and urine Se was positively related to the FPG levels (β = 0.024, 95 % CI: 0.014-0.034). In BKMR model, the significant relationships of Se and Mg with the FPG levels were also found. The essential metal mixture was negatively associated with FPG levels in a dose-response pattern, and Mg had the maximum posterior inclusion probability (PIP) value (PIP = 1.0000), followed by Se (PIP = 0.9968). Besides, Co showed a significant association with decreased FPG levels in older adults without hyperlipemia and in women.

CONCLUSIONS

Both Mg and Se were associated with FPG levels, individually and as a mixture. The essential metal mixture displayed a linear dose-response relationship with reduced FPG levels, with Mg having the largest contribution to FPG levels, followed by Se. Further prospective investigations are necessary to validate these exploratory findings.

Whey Protein Dietary Supplements: Metal Exposure Assessment and Risk Characterization

Protein supplements (PS) are trendy foods, especially those made from whey. In addition to providing protein, these products are a source of metals, providing essential elements (Na, K, Mg, Ca, Mo, Mn, Fe, Co, Cu, and Zn) and other potentially toxic elements (Al, B, Sr, V Ba, and Ni). In this study, 47 whey PS samples were analyzed for mineral elements by ICP-OES, and their dietary exposures were assessed for three consumption scenarios. Elements found in higher concentrations were K (4689.10 mg/kg) and Ca (3811.27 mg/kg). The intake of 30 g PS (average recommended amount/day) provides about 20% of the established reference value (NRI) for Cr (18.30% for men and 25.63% for women) and Mo (26.99%). In a high daily consumption scenario (100 g PS/day) and when the maximum concentrations are considered, Cr, Zn, Fe, Mo, and Mg dietary intakes of these metals exceed the daily recommended intakes and could pose a risk. The daily intake of 30, 60, and 100 g of whey PS for 25 years does not pose a health risk since the hazard index (HI) is less than one in these consumption scenarios, and the essential elements contributing most to HI are Co, followed by Mo and Cr. It is recommended to improve the information to the consumers of these new products. Furthermore, to help in the management and prevention of these potential health risks, it would be advisable to improve the regulation of these dietary supplements and their labeling.

Does the Micronutrient Molybdenum Have a Role in Gestational Complications and Placental Health?

Molybdenum is an essential trace element for human health and survival, with molybdenum-containing enzymes catalysing multiple reactions in the metabolism of purines, aldehydes, and sulfur-containing amino acids. Recommended daily intakes vary globally, with molybdenum primarily sourced through the diet, and supplementation is not common. Although the benefits of molybdenum as an anti-diabetic and antioxidant inducer have been reported in the literature, there are conflicting data on the benefits of molybdenum for chronic diseases. Overexposure and deficiency can result in adverse health outcomes and mortality, although physiological doses remain largely unexplored in relation to human health. The lack of knowledge surrounding molybdenum intake and the role it plays in physiology is compounded during pregnancy. As pregnancy progresses, micronutrient demand increases, and diet is an established factor in programming gestational outcomes and maternal health. This review summarises the current literature concerning varied recommendations on molybdenum intake, the role of molybdenum and molybdoenzymes in physiology, and the contribution these play in gestational outcomes.

Serum Essential Trace Element Status in Women and the Risk of Endometrial Diseases: a Case-Control Study : Serum Essential Trace Element Status in Women and the Risk of Endometrial Diseases: a Case-Control Study

Endometrial diseases, including uterine fibroids, polyps, intrauterine adhesion, endometritis, etc., are the major causes of infertility among women. However, the association between essential trace element status in women and the risk of endometrial disease is limited and unclear. This study aimed to investigate this association using a case-control study design; a total of 302 women patients with endometrial diseases and 302 healthy women were included. Compared to women in the control group, serum selenium (Se) (p = 0.024) and zinc (Zn) (p = 0.017) levels were significantly lower, while copper (Cu) (p = 0.004) and molybdenum (Mo) (p = 0.005) levels were significantly higher among women with endometrial diseases. In addition, compared to women in the first quartile of the copper/zinc (Cu/Zn) ratio value group, the adjusted ORs (95% CIs) of endometrial diseases were 1.50 (1.05, 2.14), 1.68 (1.18, 2.39), and 1.47 (1.02, 2.10), respectively, in the second, third, and fourth quartile of the Cu/Zn ratio value group (p trend = 0.047). In addition, the results from restricted cubic splines showed that the dose-response relationships of serum levels of these essential elements with the risk of endometrial diseases were nonlinear for Se, Cu, and Zn and relatively linear for Mo and Cu/Zn ratio. The present study showed serum levels of Zn and Se among women with endometrial diseases were significantly lower compared to that among healthy women, while serum levels of Cu and Mo were significantly higher, in addition, the serum Cu/Zn ratio value was also significantly and positively associated with the risk of endometrial diseases.

Sex-specific and dose-response relationships of urinary cobalt and molybdenum levels with glucose levels and insulin resistance in U.S. adults

Growing studies have linked metal exposure to diabetes risk. However, these studies had inconsistent results. We used a multiple linear regression model to investigate the sex-specific and dose-response associations between urinary metals (cobalt (Co) and molybdenum (Mo)) and diabetes-related indicators (fasting plasma glucose (FPG), hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), and insulin) in a cross-sectional study based on the United States National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The urinary metal concentrations of 1423 eligible individuals were stratified on the basis of the quartile distribution. Our results showed that the urinary Co level in males at the fourth quartile (Q4) was strongly correlated with increased FPG (β = 0.61, 95% CI: 0.17-1.04), HbA1c (β = 0.31, 95% CI: 0.09-0.54), insulin (β = 8.18, 95% CI: 2.84-13.52), and HOMA-IR (β = 3.42, 95% CI: 1.40-5.44) when compared with first quartile (Q1). High urinary Mo levels (Q4 vs. Q1) were associated with elevated FPG (β = 0.46, 95% CI: 0.17-0.75) and HbA1c (β = 0.27, 95% CI: 0.11-0.42) in the overall population. Positive linear dose-response associations were observed between urinary Co and insulin (P_nonlinear = 0.513) and HOMA-IR (P_nonlinear = 0.736) in males, as well as a positive linear dose-response relationship between urinary Mo and FPG (P_nonlinear = 0.826) and HbA1c (P_nonlinear = 0.376) in the overall population. Significant sex-specific and dose-response relationships were observed between urinary metals (Co and Mo) and diabetes-related indicators, and the potential mechanisms should be further investigated.

Molybdenum and Cadmium Co-induce Pyroptosis via Inhibiting Nrf2-Mediated Antioxidant Defense Response in the Brain of Ducks

Excess molybdenum (Mo) and cadmium (Cd) are harmful to animals, but the neurotoxic mechanism co-induced by Mo and Cd is unclear. To estimate the effects of Mo and Cd co-exposure on pyroptosis by nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)-mediated antioxidant defense response in duck brains, 40 healthy 7-day-old ducks were randomly assigned to 4 groups and fed diet supplemented with Mo or/and Cd for 16 weeks, respectively. Results showed that Mo or/and Cd markedly increased Mo and Cd contents; decreased iron (Fe), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and selenium (Se) contents, elevated malondialdehyde (MDA) content; and decreased total-antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), total-superoxide dismutase (T-SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and catalase (CAT) activities accompanied by pathological damage in brain. Additionally, Mo or/and Cd inhibited Nrf2 pathway via decreasing Nrf2, CAT, SOD1, glutathione S-transferase (GST), hemeoxygenase-1 (HO-1), NAD (P) H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1), glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic subunit (GCLC), and modifier subunit (GCLM) mRNA levels and Nrf2 protein level, which induced pyroptosis through upregulating nucleotide oligomerization domain-like receptor protein-3 (NLRP3), apoptosis-associated speck-like protein (ASC), gasdermin A (GSDMA), gasdermin E (GSDME), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-18 (IL-18), Caspase-1, NIMA-related kinase 7 (NEK7) mRNA levels and NLRP3, Caspase-1 p20, gasdermin D (GSDMD), ASC protein levels and IL-1β, and IL-18 contents. Besides, the changes of these indicators were most apparent in the Mo and Cd co-treated group. Collectively, the results certificated that Mo and Cd might synergistically induce pyroptosis via inhibiting Nrf2-mediated antioxidant defense response in duck brains, whose mechanism is closely related to Mo and Cd accumulation.

The elements of life: A biocentric tour of the periodic table

Living systems are built from a small subset of the atomic elements, including the bulk macronutrients (C,H,N,O,P,S) and ions (Mg,K,Na,Ca) together with a small but variable set of trace elements (micronutrients). Here, we provide a global survey of how chemical elements contribute to life. We define five classes of elements: those that are (i) essential for all life, (ii) essential for many organisms in all three domains of life, (iii) essential or beneficial for many organisms in at least one domain, (iv) beneficial to at least some species, and (v) of no known beneficial use. The ability of cells to sustain life when individual elements are absent or limiting relies on complex physiological and evolutionary mechanisms (elemental economy). This survey of elemental use across the tree of life is encapsulated in a web-based, interactive periodic table that summarizes the roles chemical elements in biology and highlights corresponding mechanisms of elemental economy.

Molybdenum-Induced Apoptosis of Splenocytes and Thymocytes and Changes of Peripheral Blood in Sheep

To investigate the effects of molybdenum (Mo) on apoptosis of lymphocytes and changes of peripheral blood in sheep, a total of 20 5-month-old healthy female sheep were randomly divided into five groups of 4 and orally administered with water containing Na₂MoO₄·2H₂O (0, 5, 10, 20, and 50 mg/kg BW/day) for 28 days. Jugular vein blood was taken on the 0th, 7th, 14th, 21st, and 28th day of Mo treatment, respectively. On the 28th day, the spleen and thymus were removed for observing histopathology and apoptosis-related DNA damage by hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining and TdT‑mediated dUTP Nick-End Labeling (TUNEL) staining, respectively. The blood routine indexes were determined by an automatic blood analyzer. Further, the apoptosis of lymphocytes and changes in mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) of peripheral blood were analyzed by flow cytometry. Results showed that excessive Mo induced apoptosis-related DNA damage in the splenocytes and thymocytes and significantly increased the apoptosis indexes of the splenocytes and thymocytes (P < 0.01). Furthermore, the treatment with excessive Mo significantly decreased the MMP (P < 0.01) and promoted apoptosis in peripheral blood lymphocytes (P < 0.01). And the number of WBC, Lymph, Gran, and RBC and the indexes of HGB and HCT were also significantly decreased (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), while RDW was significantly increased by excessive Mo (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). In conclusion, excessive Mo-induced DNA damage and apoptosis of the lymphocytes changed the RBC-related indexes of the peripheral blood in sheep.

Recent Clinical and Preclinical Advances in External Stimuli-Responsive Therapies for Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) has long been one of the most prevalent cancers worldwide; even though treatments such as surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and immunotherapy have been proven to benefit the patients and prolong their survival time, the overall five-year survival rate is still below 50%. Hence, the development of new therapies for better patient management is an urgent need. External stimuli-responsive therapies are emerging therapies with promising antitumor effects; therapies such as photodynamic (PDT) and photothermal therapies (PTT) have been tested clinically in late-stage HNSCC patients and have achieved promising outcomes, while the clinical translation of sonodynamic therapy (SDT), radiodynamic therapy (RDT), microwave dynamic/thermodynamic therapy, and magnetothermal/magnetodynamic therapy (MDT/MTT) still lag behind. In terms of preclinical studies, PDT and PTT are also the most extensively studied therapies. The designing of nanoparticles and combinatorial therapies of PDT and PTT can be referenced in designing other stimuli-responsive therapies in order to achieve better antitumor effects as well as less toxicity. In this review, we consolidate the advancements and limitations of various external stimuli-responsive therapies, as well as critically discuss the prospects of this type of therapies in HNSCC treatments.

Molybdenum and cadmium co-exposure promotes M1 macrophage polarization through oxidative stress-mediated inflammatory response and induces pulmonary fibrosis in Shaoxing ducks (Anas platyrhyncha)

High molybdenum (Mo) and cadmium (Cd) are harmful to the body, but pulmonary toxicity induced by Mo and Cd co-exposure is unknown. To assess the combined impacts of Mo and Cd on fibrosis through M1 polarization in the lung of ducks, 80 healthy 8-day-old Shaoxing ducks (Anas platyrhyncha) were randomly assigned to 4 groups and fed with containing unequal doses of Mo or/and Cd diet. Lung tissues were collected on the 16th week. Results indicated that Mo or/and Cd significantly increased their contents in the lungs, and led to trace elements disorder and histological abnormality, and oxidative stress accompanied by promoting contents of H₂ O₂ and MDA and decreasing activities of T-SOD, GSH-Px, and CAT, then activated the TLR4/NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway accompanied by upregulating Caspase-1, ASC, IL-18, IL-1β, TLR4, NF-κB, and NLRP3 expression levels, and disrupted M1/M2 balance to divert toward M1, which evoked the TGF-β/Smad2/3-mediated fibrosis by elevating TGF-β1, Smad2, Smad3, COL1A1, α-SMA, and MMP2 expression levels, and decreasing Smad7 and TIMP2 expression levels. The changes of the combined group were most obvious. To sum up, the research demonstrated that Mo or/and Cd may cause macrophages to polarize toward M1 by oxidative stress-mediated the TLR4/NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway, then result in fibrosis through the TGF-β1/Smad2/3 pathway in duck lungs. Mo and Cd may worsen lung damage.

Extracellular and Intracellular Concentrations of Molybdenum and Zinc in Soccer Players: Sex Differences

Molybdenum (Mo) and zinc (Zn) play important roles in the process of adaptation to physical training. The aims of the present study were: (i) to analyze the differences in extracellular (plasma and urine) and intracellular (erythrocytes and platelets) Mo and Zn concentrations between sexes and (ii) to relate extracellular Zn concentrations with biomarkers of muscle damage and muscle mass. The present study involved 138 semi-professional soccer players divided according to sex: male (n = 68) and female (n = 70). Mo and Zn concentrations were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Erythrocytes, platelets, creatine kinase (CK), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) values were also determined by automatic cell counter and spectrophotometric techniques. There were no sex differences in Mo and Zn intake. Male soccer players obtained higher values of erythrocytes, CK, and LDH (p < 0.05), and showed higher plasma and urinary concentrations of Mo and Zn (p < 0.05). Female soccer players showed relatively higher Zn concentrations in erythrocytes (p < 0.05). Finally, positive correlations were observed between extracellular Zn concentrations with CK, LDH and muscle mass. Extracellular concentrations of Mo and Zn were higher in male soccer players. However, the relative concentrations of Zn in relation to the number of erythrocytes were higher in female soccer players.

Multi-omics signatures of the human early life exposome

Environmental exposures during early life play a critical role in life-course health, yet the molecular phenotypes underlying environmental effects on health are poorly understood. In the Human Early Life Exposome (HELIX) project, a multi-centre cohort of 1301 mother-child pairs, we associate individual exposomes consisting of >100 chemical, outdoor, social and lifestyle exposures assessed in pregnancy and childhood, with multi-omics profiles (methylome, transcriptome, proteins and metabolites) in childhood. We identify 1170 associations, 249 in pregnancy and 921 in childhood, which reveal potential biological responses and sources of exposure. Pregnancy exposures, including maternal smoking, cadmium and molybdenum, are predominantly associated with child DNA methylation changes. In contrast, childhood exposures are associated with features across all omics layers, most frequently the serum metabolome, revealing signatures for diet, toxic chemical compounds, essential trace elements, and weather conditions, among others. Our comprehensive and unique resource of all associations ( https://helixomics.isglobal.org/ ) will serve to guide future investigation into the biological imprints of the early life exposome.

Variability and Seasonal Change of Urinary Selenium, Molybdenum, and Iodine Excretion in Healthy Young Japanese Adults

Selenium (Se), molybdenum (Mo), and iodine (I) are essential trace elements or nutrients and their adequate intake is essential for human health. These elements in foods are easily absorbed from the digestive tract and excreted predominantly into the urine, and their nutritional status is reflected in urinary excretion; however, information on the variability of urinary excretion is limited. To characterize the urinary Se, Mo, and I concentrations and their intra- and inter-individual coefficients of variation (CV), correlation, and seasonal change, spot urine samples were collected from 24 healthy university students, 10 males and 14 females, with the mean age of 20.6 years, for 10 consecutive days in each of the four seasons according to a defined schedule of an interval of 3 months throughout 1 year. The median Se, Mo, and I concentrations for all urine samples (n = 947) were 52.8, 127.0, and 223 μg/L, respectively. The Se and Mo intakes were highest in summer and lowest in spring, while the I intake was highest in autumn and lowest in summer. In all three elements, the intra-individual CVs were smaller than their inter-individual CVs. The log-transformed intra- and inter-individual CVs were 10.5 and 14.7% for Se, 12.3 and 15.1% for Mo, and 15.5 and 18.1% for I. There was no gender difference in Se and I concentrations, while Mo and Mo/Cr values in males were higher than those in females. Our results suggest adequate nutritional status of Se, Mo, and I with a relatively smaller variability of dietary intake except for I in this population.

Aluminum, Arsenic, Beryllium, Cadmium, Chromium, Cobalt, Copper, Iron, Lead, Mercury, Molybdenum, Nickel, Platinum, Thallium, Titanium, Vanadium, and Zinc: Molecular Aspects in Experimental Liver Injury

Experimental liver injury with hepatocelluar necrosis and abnormal liver tests is caused by exposure to heavy metals (HMs) like aluminum, arsenic, beryllium, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, copper, iron, lead, mercury, molybdenum, nickel, platinum, thallium, titanium, vanadium, and zinc. As pollutants, HMs disturb the ecosystem, and as these substances are toxic, they may affect the health of humans and animals. HMs are not biodegradable and may be deposited preferentially in the liver. The use of animal models can help identify molecular and mechanistic steps leading to the injury. HMs commonly initiate hepatocellular overproduction of ROS (reactive oxygen species) due to oxidative stress, resulting in covalent binding of radicals to macromolecular proteins or lipids existing in membranes of subcellular organelles. Liver injury is facilitated by iron via the Fenton reaction, providing ROS, and is triggered if protective antioxidant systems are exhausted. Ferroptosis syn pyroptosis was recently introduced as mechanistic concept in explanations of nickel (Ni) liver injury. NiCl₂ causes increased iron deposition in the liver, upregulation of cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) protein and mRNA expression levels, downregulation of glutathione eroxidase 4 (GPX4), ferritin heavy chain 1 (FTH1), nuclear receptor coactivator 4 (NCOA4) protein, and mRNA expression levels. Nickel may cause hepatic injury through mitochondrial damage and ferroptosis, defined as mechanism of iron-dependent cell death, similar to glutamate-induced excitotoxicity but likely distinct from apoptosis, necrosis, and autophagy. Under discussion were additional mechanistic concepts of hepatocellular uptake and biliary excretion of mercury in exposed animals. For instance, the organic anion transporter 3 (Oat3) and the multidrug resistance-associated protein 2 (Mrp2) were involved in the hepatic handling of mercury. Mercury treatment modified the expression of Mrp2 and Oat3 as assessed by immunoblotting, partially explaining its impaired biliary excretion. Concomitantly, a decrease in Oat3 abundance in the hepatocyte plasma membranes was observed that limits the hepatic uptake of mercury ions. Most importantly and shown for the first time in liver injury caused by HMs, titanium changed the diversity of gut microbiota and modified their metabolic functions, leading to increased generation of lipopolysaccharides (LPS). As endotoxins, LPS may trigger and perpetuate the liver injury at the level of gut-liver. In sum, mechanistic and molecular steps of experimental liver injury due to HM administration are complex, with ROS as the key promotional compound. However, additional concepts such as iron used in the Fenton reaction, ferroptosis, modification of transporter systems, and endotoxins derived from diversity of intestinal bacteria at the gut-liver level merit further consideration.

Oral zero-valent-molybdenum nanodots for inflammatory bowel disease therapy

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) affects millions of people each year. The overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) plays a critical role in the progress of IBD and will be a potential therapeutic target. Here, we synthesize a kind of oral zero-valent-molybdenum nanodots (ZVMNs) for the treatment of IBD by scavenging ROS. These ultrasmall ZVMNs can successfully pass through the gastric acid and then be absorbed by the intestine. It has been verified that ZVMNs can down-regulate the quantity of ROS and reduce colitis in a mouse IBD model without distinct side effects. In addition, RNA sequencing reveals a further mechanism that the ZVMNs can protect colon tissues from oxidative stress by inhibiting the nuclear factor κB signaling pathway and reducing the production of excessive pro-inflammatory factors. Together, the ZVMNs will offer a promising alternative treatment option for patients suffering from IBD.

Leafy vegetables marketed as organic and conventional: assessment of essential and non-essential elements' content

Trace and potentially toxic elements represent one class of food contaminants that has stimulated research. In markets, two main methods of growing vegetables are generally available: conventional and organic. Conventional farming has been the target of some concerns about the use of agrochemicals, especially the excessive use of pesticides, whereas organic agriculture minimizes the use of agrochemicals. As the main route for potentially toxic elements' absorption by humans is by food intake, it is important to evaluate if the method of cultivation influences their concentrations. This study evaluated the levels of potentially toxic elements and nutrients on four leafy vegetables: curly lettuce, collard greens, escarole, and rocket, cultivated by conventional and organic farming. We found that Al, Ba, Fe, and Sr levels were higher in conventional samples, whereas K, Pb, and Zn were higher in organic. Amongst the elements analysed, values of Fe, Al, and K were around 0.2, 0.3, and 70 g kg-1, respectively, except in collard greens, in which the values were lower. On the other hand, Ba, Sr, and Mn presented higher concentration in collard greens compared to the other vegetables in conventional cultivation (~ 35, 80, and 120 mg kg-1, respectively). The principal component analysis result shows that the samples were grouped according to the type of vegetable, regardless of the type of cultivation. Despite this, the evaluation of the cultivation by different types of farming is important in order to choose the healthiest option.

Molybdenum and cadmium co-exposure induces endoplasmic reticulum stress-mediated apoptosis by Th1 polarization in Shaoxing duck (Anas platyrhyncha) spleens

Excessive molybdenum (Mo) and cadmium (Cd) are deleterious to animals, but immunotoxicity co-induced by Mo and Cd remains unclear. To ascertain the confederate impacts of Mo and Cd on endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-mediated apoptosis by Helper T (Th) cells 1 polarization in the spleen of ducks, we randomly allocated forty 8-day-old Shaoxing ducks (Anas platyrhyncha) into 4 groups and reared them with having different doses of Mo and/or Cd basic diet. At the 16th week of the experiment, serum and spleen tissues were extracted. Data confirmed that Mo and/or Cd strikingly promoted their levels in spleen, caused histological abnormality and trace elements imbalance, and disrupted Th1/Th2 balance to divert toward Th1, then triggered ER stress by increasing three branches PERK/eIF2α/CHOP, IRE1/Caspase-12 and TRAF2/JNK signaling pathways-related genes mRNA and proteins levels, which stimulated apoptosis by elevating Bak-1, Bax, Caspase-9, Caspase-3 mRNA expression, and cleaved-Caspase-9/Caspase-9, cleaved-Caspase-3/Caspase-3 proteins expression as well as apoptosis rate, and decreasing Bcl-xL, Bcl-2 mRNA expression and Bcl-2/Bax ratio. Besides, the variation in combined group was most evident. Briefly, the study indicates that Mo and/or Cd exposure trigger ER stress-induced apoptosis via Th1 polarization in duck spleens, and its mechanism is somehow closely linked with the deposition of Cd and Mo, which may aggravate toxic damage to spleen.

Higher Lead and Lower Calcium Levels Are Associated with Increased Risk of Mortality in Malaysian Older Population: Findings from the LRGS-TUA Longitudinal Study

The main objective of this study is to determine the association of various trace elements’ status with the 5-year mortality rate among community-dwelling older adults in Malaysia. This study was part of the Long-term Research Grant Scheme—Towards Useful Ageing (LRGS-TUA). The participants were followed up for five years, and their mortality status was identified through the Mortality Data Matching Service provided by the National Registration Department, Malaysia. Of the 303 participants included in this study, 34 (11.2%) participants had died within five years after baseline data collection. As compared to the survivors, participants who died earlier were more likely (p < 0.05) to be men, smokers, have a lower intake of total dietary fiber and molybdenum, higher intake of manganese, lower zinc levels in toenail samples, lower calcium and higher lead levels in hair samples during baseline. Following the multivariate Cox proportional hazard analysis, lower total dietary fiber intake (HR: 0.681; 0.532−0.871), lower calcium (HR: 0.999; 95% CI: 0.999−1.000) and higher lead (HR: 1.309; 95% CI: 1.061−1.616) levels in hair samples appeared as the predictors of mortality. In conclusion, higher lead and lower calcium levels are associated with higher risk of mortality among community-dwelling older adults in Malaysia. Our current findings provide a better understanding of how the trace elements’ status may affect older populations’ well-being and mortality rate.

ESPEN micronutrient guideline

BACKGROUND

Trace elements and vitamins, named together micronutrients (MNs), are essential for human metabolism. Recent research has shown the importance of MNs in common pathologies, with significant deficiencies impacting the outcome.

OBJECTIVE

This guideline aims to provide information for daily clinical nutrition practice regarding assessment of MN status, monitoring, and prescription. It proposes a consensus terminology, since many words are used imprecisely, resulting in confusion. This is particularly true for the words "deficiency", "repletion", "complement", and "supplement".

METHODS

The expert group attempted to apply the 2015 standard operating procedures (SOP) for ESPEN which focuses on disease. However, this approach could not be applied due to the multiple diseases requiring clinical nutrition resulting in one text for each MN, rather than for diseases. An extensive search of the literature was conducted in the databases Medline, PubMed, Cochrane, Google Scholar, and CINAHL. The search focused on physiological data, historical evidence (published before PubMed release in 1996), and observational and/or randomized trials. For each MN, the main functions, optimal analytical methods, impact of inflammation, potential toxicity, and provision during enteral or parenteral nutrition were addressed. The SOP wording was applied for strength of recommendations.

RESULTS

There was a limited number of interventional trials, preventing meta-analysis and leading to a low level of evidence. The recommendations underwent a consensus process, which resulted in a percentage of agreement (%): strong consensus required of >90% of votes. Altogether the guideline proposes sets of recommendations for 26 MNs, resulting in 170 single recommendations. Critical MNs were identified with deficiencies being present in numerous acute and chronic diseases. Monitoring and management strategies are proposed.

CONCLUSION

This guideline should enable addressing suboptimal and deficient status of a bundle of MNs in at-risk diseases. In particular, it offers practical advice on MN provision and monitoring during nutritional support.

Perspectives for the Upgrading of Bio-Based Vicinal Diols within the Developing European Bioeconomy

The previous decade has witnessed a drastic increase of European incentives aimed at pushing forward the transition from an exclusively petro-based economy toward a strong and homogeneous bio-based economy. Since 2012, numerous programs have been developed to stimulate and promote research and innovation relying on sustainable and renewable resources. Terrestrial biomass is a virtually infinite reservoir of biomacromolecules, the biorefining of which provides platform molecules of low complexity yet with tremendous industrial potential. Among such bio-based platform molecules, polyols and, more specifically, molecules featuring vicinal diols have gained tremendous interest and have stimulated an increasing research effort from the chemistry and chemical engineering communities. This Review revolves around the most promising process conditions and technologies reported since 2012 that specifically target bio-based vicinal diols and promote their transformation into value-added molecules of wide industrial interest, such as olefins, epoxides, cyclic carbonates, and ketals.

Genome-Wide Association Study Reveals Genomic Regions Associated With Molybdenum Accumulation in Wheat Grains

Molybdenum (Mo) is an essential micronutrient for almost all organisms. Wheat, a major staple crop worldwide, is one of the main dietary sources of Mo. However, the genetic basis for the variation of Mo content in wheat grains remains largely unknown. Here, a genome-wide association study (GWAS) was performed on the Mo concentration in the grains of 207 wheat accessions to dissect the genetic basis of Mo accumulation in wheat grains. As a result, 77 SNPs were found to be significantly associated with Mo concentration in wheat grains, among which 52 were detected in at least two sets of data and distributed on chromosome 2A, 7B, and 7D. Moreover, 48 out of the 52 common SNPs were distributed in the 726,761,412-728,132,521 bp genomic region of chromosome 2A. Three putative candidate genes, including molybdate transporter 1;2 (TraesCS2A02G496200), molybdate transporter 1;1 (TraesCS2A02G496700), and molybdopterin biosynthesis protein CNX1 (TraesCS2A02G497200), were identified in this region. These findings provide new insights into the genetic basis for Mo accumulation in wheat grains and important information for further functional characterization and breeding to improve wheat grain quality.

Prenatal metal(loid) mixtures and birth weight for gestational age: A pooled analysis of three cohorts participating in the ECHO program

BACKGROUND

A growing number of studies have identified both toxic and essential metals which influence fetal growth. However, most studies have conducted single-cohort analyses, which are often limited by narrow exposure ranges, and evaluated metals individually. The objective of the current study was to conduct an environmental mixture analysis of metal impacts on fetal growth, pooling data from three geographically and demographically diverse cohorts in the United States participating in the Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes program.

METHODS

The pooled sample (N = 1,002) included participants from the MADRES, NHBCS, and PROTECT cohorts. Associations between seven metals (antimony, cadmium, cobalt, mercury, molybdenum, nickel, tin) measured in maternal urine samples collected during pregnancy (median: 16.0 weeks gestation) and birth weight for gestational age z-scores (BW for GA) were investigated using Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression (BKMR). Models were also stratified by cohort and infant sex to investigate possible heterogeneity. Chromium and uranium concentrations fell below the limits of detection for most participants and were evaluated separately as binary variables using pooled linear regression models.

RESULTS

In the pooled BKMR analysis, antimony, mercury, and tin were inversely and linearly associated with BW for GA, while a positive linear association was identified for nickel. The inverse association between antimony and BW for GA was observed in both males and females and for all three cohorts but was strongest for MADRES, a predominantly low-income Hispanic cohort in Los Angeles. A reverse j-shaped association was identified between cobalt and BW for GA, which was driven by female infants. Pooled associations were null for cadmium, chromium, molybdenum, and uranium, and BKMR did not identify potential interactions between metal pairs.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings suggest that antimony, an understudied metalloid, may adversely impact fetal growth. Cohort- and/or sex-dependent associations were identified for many of the metals, which merit additional investigation.

Spectrophotometric Determination of Molybdenum(VI) as a Ternary Complex with 4-Nitrocatechol and Benzalkonium Chloride

A new liquid-liquid extraction system for molybdenum(VI) was studied. It contains 4-nitrocatechol (4NC) as a complexing chromogenic reagent and benzalkonium chloride (BZC) as a source of heavy cations (BZ+), which are prone to form chloroform-extractable ion-association complexes. The optimum conditions for the determination of trace molybdenum(VI) were found: concentrations of 4NC and BZC (7.5 × 10-4 mol dm-3 and 1.9 × 10-4 mol dm-3, respectively), acidity (3.75 × 10-2 mol dm-3 H2SO4), extraction time (3 min), and wavelength (439 nm). The molar absorptivity, limit of detection, and linear working range were 5.5 × 104 dm3 mol-1 cm-1, 5.6 ng cm-3, and 18.6-3100 μg cm-3, respectively. The effect of foreign ions was examined, and the developed procedure was applied to the analysis of synthetic mixtures and real samples (potable waters and steels). The composition of the extracted complex was 1:1:2 (Mo:4NC:BZ). Three possible structures of its anionic part [MoVI(4NC)O2(OH)2]2- were discussed based on optimizations at the B3LYP/3-21G level of theory, and simulated UV/Vis absorption spectra were obtained with the TD Hamiltonian.

Switching to nanonutrients for sustaining agroecosystems and environment: the challenges and benefits in moving up from ionic to particle feeding

The worldwide agricultural enterprise is facing immense pressure to intensify to feed the world's increasing population while the resources are dwindling. Fertilizers which are deemed as indispensable inputs for food, fodder, and fuel production now also represent the dark side of the intensive food production system. With most crop production systems focused on increasing the quantity of produce, indiscriminate use of fertilizers has created havoc for the environment and damaged the fiber of the biogeosphere. Deteriorated nutritional quality of food and contribution to impaired ecosystem services are the major limiting factors in the further growth of the fertilizer sector. Nanotechnology in agriculture has come up as a better and seemingly sustainable solution to meet production targets as well as maintaining the environmental quality by use of less quantity of raw materials and active ingredients, increased nutrient use-efficiency by plants, and decreased environmental losses of nutrients. However, the use of nanofertilizers has so far been limited largely to controlled environments of laboratories, greenhouses, and institutional research experiments; production and availability on large scale are still lagging yet catching up fast. Despite perceivable advantages, the use of nanofertilizers is many times debated for adoption at a large scale. The scenario is gradually changing, worldwide, towards the use of nanofertilizers, especially macronutrients like nitrogen (e.g. market release of nano-urea to replace conventional urea in South Asia), to arrest environmental degradation and uphold vital ecosystem services which are in critical condition. This review offers a discussion on the purpose with which the nanofertilizers took shape, the benefits which can be achieved, and the challenges which nanofertilizers face for further development and real-world use, substantiated with the significant pieces of scientific evidence available so far.

Inverse Association of Plasma Molybdenum with Metabolic Syndrome in a Chinese Adult Population: A Case-Control Study

Molybdenum has been found to be associated with metabolic disorders. However, the relationship between molybdenum and metabolic syndrome (MetS) is still unclear. A large case-control study was conducted in a Chinese population from the baseline of Ezhou-Shenzhen cohort. A total of 5356 subjects were included with 2678 MetS and 2678 controls matched by sex and age (±2 years). Medians (IQRs) of plasma molybdenum concentrations were 1.24 μg/L for MetS cases and 1.46 μg/L for controls. After adjustment for multiple covariates, the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for MetS were 1.00 (reference), 0.71 (0.59-0.84), 0.56 (0.46-0.68), and 0.47 (0.39-0.58) across quartiles of plasma molybdenum, and per SD increment of log-transformed molybdenum was associated with a 23% lower risk of MetS. In the spline analysis, the risk of MetS and its components decreased steeply with increasing molybdenum and followed by a plateau when the cutoff point was observed around 2.0 μg/L. The dose-dependent relationship of molybdenum with MetS remained consistent when considering other essential elements in the Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) model. In our study, higher plasma molybdenum was significantly associated with a lower risk of MetS, as well as its components, in a dose-response manner.

Human biomonitoring of toxic and essential metals in younger elderly, octogenarians, nonagenarians and centenarians: Analysis of the Healthy Ageing and Biomarkers Cohort Study (HABCS) in China

BACKGROUND

Metals can be either toxic or essential to health, as they play different role in oxidative stress and metabolic homeostasis during the ageing process. Population-based biomonitoring have documented levels and ranges in concentrations among general population of 0-79 years of age. In people aged 80 and above, toxic metals and essential metals may have different risk profiles, and thus need to be better studied.

OBJECTIVE

Our aim is to investigate concentrations of toxic metals (arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury) and essential metals (chromium, cobalt, molybdenum, manganese, nickel and selenium) and their role in diseases, nutritional status among younger elderly, octogenarians, nonagenarians and centenarians.

METHODS

A total of 932 younger elderly, 643 octogenarians, 540 nonagenarians, 386 centenarians were included from the cross-sectional Healthy Aging and Biomarkers Cohort Study in 2017-2018. Blood or urine biological substrates were collected from each participant to determine the concentrations of toxic metals and essential metals by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Random forest was constructed to rank the importance of toxic metals and essential metals in longevity. LASSO penalized regressions were performed to select the most significant metals associated with diseases and nutritional status, of which simultaneously included all metals and adjusted for the confounding factors.

RESULTS

Compared to women, we found higher biomarker concentrations in men for toxic metals (41.2 µg/L vs 34.4 µg/L for blood lead, 1.56 µg/L vs 1.19 µg/L for blood mercury) and lower concentration of essential metals (0.48 µg/L vs 0.58 µg/L for blood molybdenum, 10.0 µg/L vs 11.1 µg/L for blood manganese). These factors may contribute to gender difference observed in longevity, that women live longer than men. Blood lead and urine cadmium tended to increase with age (P <0.001); blood cobalt, molybdenum, manganese increased with age, blood selenium decreased with age while the prevalence of selenium deficiency was extremely low in centenarians. Among toxic metals and essential metals, LASSO penalized regression identified the most significant metals associated with chronic kidney disease was cadmium and arsenic; and it was manganese, cobalt, and selenium for diabetes; it was selenium, molybdenum, lead for anemia; it was mercury for underweight. In random forest model, the top four important metals in longevity were selenium, arsenic, lead and manganese both in men and women.

CONCLUSIONS

Generally, toxic metals levels were significantly higher while essential metals were relatively sufficient in Chinese centenarians. Toxic metals and essential metals played different role in diseases, nutritional status and longevity in the process of aging. Our research provided real world evidence of biomonitoring reference values to be used for the ongoing population health surveillance in longevity.

Multiple metal exposure and obesity: A prospective cohort study of adults living along the Yangtze River, China

Association between long-term exposure to multiple metals and obesity remains inconclusive, and prospective evidence on the region along the Yangtze River was limited. Thus, our study aimed to examine the association of multiple metal exposure and obesity. We measured baseline urine levels of 22 metals of 982 adults living along the Yangtze River, incidence of obesity was calculated from body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) measured at follow-up survey. Cox proportional hazards models were used to examine the hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for the association between urinary metals and obesity, and the mixing effect of metals on obesity was estimated by using quantile g-computation. In multiple-metal models, arsenic was significantly associated with BMI/obesity, with the HR in the highest quartiles of 0.33 (95% CI: 0.16, 0.69; p-trend = 0.004). The HRs for WC/obesity of arsenic and molybdenum were 0.49 (95% CI: 0.32, 0.75 for the fourth vs. first quartile; p-trend = 0.002) and 1.83 (95% CI: 1.25, 2.70; p-trend = 0.001), respectively. Quantile g-computation mixtures approach showed a significantly negative joint effect of multiple metals on WC/obesity, with the HR of 0.26 (95% CI: 0.14, 0.47; p < 0.001) when increasing all seventeen metals by one quartile. Our study suggests that all seventeen metal mixed exposure may be negatively associated with obesity. Further cohort studies are needed to confirm these findings and clarify the underlying biological mechanisms.

In vivo assessment of molybdenum and cadmium co-induce nephrotoxicity via NLRP3/Caspase-1-mediated pyroptosis in ducks

Excessive molybdenum (Mo) and cadmium (Cd) cause toxic effects on animals, but their joint effects on pyroptosis in kidney of ducks remain unclear. 160 healthy 7-day-old ducks were randomly divided into four groups which were fed with basal diet containing different dosages of Mo or/and Cd for 16 weeks. On the 4th, 8th, 12th and 16th weeks, kidney tissue and serum were collected. The results showed that Mo or/and Cd could significantly elevate their contents in kidney, disturb the homeostasis of trace elements, cause renal function impairment and histological abnormality, and oxidative stress as accompanied by increasing hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations and decreasing glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), catalase (CAT) and total-superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) activities. Simultaneously, Mo or/and Cd could markedly increase interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-18 (IL-18) contents and the expression levels of pyroptosis-related genes (NOD-like receptor protein-3 (NLRP3), Caspase-1, apoptosis-associated speck-like protein (ASC), NIMA-related kinase 7 (NEK7), Gasdermin A (GSDMA), Gasdermin E (GSDME), IL-1β and IL-18) and proteins (NLRP3, Caspase-1 p20, ASC and Gasdermin D (GSDMD)). Moreover, the changes of above these indicators were more obvious in combined group. Taken together, the results illustrate that Mo and Cd might synergistically lead to oxidative stress and induce pyroptosis via NLRP3/Caspase-1 pathway, whose mechanism is somehow related to Mo and Cd accumulation in duck kidneys.

Optimisation of Various Physicochemical Variables Affecting Molybdenum Bioremediation Using Antarctic Bacterium, Arthrobacter sp. Strain AQ5-05

The versatility of a rare metal, molybdenum (Mo) in many industrial applications is one of the reasons why Mo is currently one of the growing environmental pollutants worldwide. Traces of inorganic contaminants, including Mo, have been discovered in Antarctica and are compromising the ecosystem. Bioremediation utilising bacteria to transform pollutants into a less toxic form is one of the approaches for solving Mo pollution. Mo reduction is a process of transforming sodium molybdate with an oxidation state of 6+ to Mo-blue, an inert version of the compound. Although there are a few Mo-reducing microbes that have been identified worldwide, only two studies were reported on the microbial reduction of Mo in Antarctica. Therefore, this study was done to assess the ability of Antarctic bacterium, Arthrobacter sp. strain AQ5-05, in reducing Mo. Optimisation of Mo reduction in Mo-supplemented media was carried out using one-factor-at-a-time (OFAT) and response surface methodology (RSM) approaches. Through OFAT, Mo was reduced optimally with substrate concentration of sucrose, ammonium sulphate, and molybdate at 1 g/L, 0.2 g/L, and 10 mM, respectively. The pH and salinity of the media were the best at 7.0 and 0.5 g/L, respectively, while the optimal temperature was at 10 °C. Further optimisation using RSM showed greater Mo-blue production in comparison to OFAT. The strain was able to stand high concentration of Mo and low temperature conditions, thus showing its potential in reducing Mo in Antarctica by employing conditions optimised by RSM.