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Bardelli F, Giacobbe C, Ballirano P, Borelli V, Di Benedetto F, Montegrossi G, Bellis D, Pacella A. Closing the knowledge gap on the composition of the asbestos bodies. ENVIRONMENTAL GEOCHEMISTRY AND HEALTH 2023; 45:5039-5051. [PMID: 37058192 PMCID: PMC10310571 DOI: 10.1007/s10653-023-01557-0] [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: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Asbestos bodies (AB) form in the lungs as a result of a biomineralization process initiated by the alveolar macrophages in the attempt to remove asbestos. During this process, organic and inorganic material deposit on the foreign fibers forming a Fe-rich coating. The AB start to form in months, thus quickly becoming the actual interface between asbestos and the lung tissue. Therefore, revealing their composition, and, in particular, the chemical form of Fe, which is the major component of the AB, is essential to assess their possible role in the pathogenesis of asbestos-related diseases. In this work we report the result of the first x-ray diffraction measurements performed on single AB embedded in the lung tissue samples of former asbestos plant workers. The combination with x-ray absorption spectroscopy data allowed to unambiguously reveal that Fe is present in the AB in the form of two Fe-oxy(hydroxides): ferrihydrite and goethite. The presence of goethite, which can be explained in terms of the transformation of ferrihydrite (a metastable phase) due to the acidic conditions induced by the alveolar macrophages in their attempt to phagocytose the fibers, has toxicological implications that are discussed in the paper.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Bardelli
- National Research Council, Institute of Nanotechnology (CNR-Nanotec), Rome, Italy.
- Centre for the Study of Asbestos and Other Toxic Particulate, University of Torino, Turin, Italy.
| | - C Giacobbe
- Xenocs SAS, Grenoble, France
- European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Grenoble, France
| | - P Ballirano
- Department of Earth Sciences, La Sapienza University, Rome, Italy
| | - V Borelli
- Department of Physiology and Pathology, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - F Di Benedetto
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - G Montegrossi
- National Research Council, Institute of Geoscience and Earth Resources (CNR-IGG), Florence, Italy
| | - D Bellis
- Centre for the Study of Asbestos and Other Toxic Particulate, University of Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - A Pacella
- Department of Earth Sciences, La Sapienza University, Rome, Italy
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2
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Borelli V, Zangari M, Bernareggi A, Bardelli F, Vita F, Zabucchi G. Ferruginous bodies exert a strong proinflammatory effect. JOURNAL OF TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. PART A 2023; 86:241-245. [PMID: 36809930 DOI: 10.1080/15287394.2023.2181899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
One of the main problems related to ferruginous-asbestos bodies (ABs) exposure is their potential pathogenetic role in asbestos-related diseases. The aim of this study was to examine whether purified ABs, might stimulate inflammatory cells. ABs were isolated by exploiting their magnetic properties, therefore avoiding the strong chemical treatment usually employed for this purpose. This latter treatment, which is based upon the digestion of organic matter with concentrated hypochlorite, may markedly modify the AB structure and consequently also their "in vivo" manifestations. ABs were found to induce secretion of human neutrophil granular component myeloperoxidase, as well as stimulate rat mast cell degranulation. Data demonstrated that by triggering secretory processes in inflammatory cells, purified ABs may play a role in the pathogenesis of asbestos-related diseases by continuing and enhancing the pro-inflammatory activity of the asbestos fibers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Violetta Borelli
- Department of Life Science, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Martina Zangari
- Department of Life Science, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | | | | | - Francesca Vita
- Pathology Unit, Department of Surgical and Medical Sciences, Hospital of Cattinara, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
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3
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Gualtieri AF. Journey to the centre of the lung. The perspective of a mineralogist on the carcinogenic effects of mineral fibres in the lungs. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 442:130077. [PMID: 36209608 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.130077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Revised: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
This work reviews the bio-chemical mechanisms leading to adverse effects produced when mineral fibres are inhaled and transported in the lungs from the perspective of a mineralogist. The behaviour of three known carcinogenic mineral fibres (crocidolite, chrysotile, and fibrous-asbestiform erionite) during their journey through the upper respiratory tract, the deep respiratory tract and the pleural cavity is discussed. These three fibres have been selected as they are the most socially and economically relevant mineral fibres representative of the classes of chain silicates (amphiboles), layer silicates (serpentine), and framework silicates (zeolites), respectively. Comparison of the behaviour of these fibres is made according to their specific crystal-chemical assemblages and properties. Known biological and subsequent pathologic effects which lead and contribute to carcinogenesis are critically reviewed under the mineralogical perspective and in relation to recent progress in this multidisciplinary field of research. Special attention is given to the understanding of the cause-effect relationships for lung cancer and malignant mesothelioma. Comparison with interstitial pulmonary fibrosis, or "asbestosis", will also be made here. This overview highlights open issues, data gaps, and conflicts in the literature for these topics, especially as regards relative potencies of the three mineral fibres under consideration for lung cancer and mesothelioma. Finally, an attempt is made to identify future research lines suitable for a general comprehensive model of the carcinogenicity of mineral fibres.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro F Gualtieri
- Department of Chemical and Geological Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via G. Campi 103, Modena I-41125, Italy.
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4
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Pacella A, Ballirano P, Fantauzzi M, Rossi A, Nardi E, Capitani G, Arrizza L, Montereali MR. Surface and bulk modifications of amphibole asbestos in mimicked gamble's solution at acidic PH. Sci Rep 2021; 11:14249. [PMID: 34244595 PMCID: PMC8270982 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-93758-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
This study aimed at investigating the surface modifications occurring on amphibole asbestos (crocidolite and tremolite) during leaching in a mimicked Gamble's solution at pH of 4.5 and T = 37 °C, from 1 h up to 720 h. Results showed that the fibre dissolution starts with the release of cations prevalently allocated at the various M- and (eventually) A-sites of the amphibole structure (incongruent dissolution). The amount of released silicon, normalized to fibre surface area, highlighted a leaching faster for the crocidolite sample, about twenty times higher than that of tremolite. Besides, the fast alteration of crocidolite promotes the occurrence of Fe centres in proximity of the fibre surface, or possibly even exposed, particularly in the form of Fe(II), of which the bulk is enriched with respect to the oxidized surface. Conversely, for tremolite fibres the very slow fibre dissolution prevents the underlying cations of the bulk to be exposed on the mineral surface, and the iron oxidation, faster than the leaching process, significantly depletes the surface Fe(II) centres initially present. Results of this work may contribute to unravel possible correlations between surface properties of amphibole asbestos and its long-term toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Pacella
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra and Laboratorio Rettorale Fibre e Particolato Inorganico, Sapienza Università di Roma, P.le A. Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy.
| | - Paolo Ballirano
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra and Laboratorio Rettorale Fibre e Particolato Inorganico, Sapienza Università di Roma, P.le A. Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Marzia Fantauzzi
- Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche e Geologiche, INSTM Research Unit, Centro Grandi Strumenti, Università di Cagliari, 09042, Monserrato, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Antonella Rossi
- Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche e Geologiche, INSTM Research Unit, Centro Grandi Strumenti, Università di Cagliari, 09042, Monserrato, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Elisa Nardi
- Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA), via Vitaliano Brancati 48, 00144, Roma, Italy
| | - Giancarlo Capitani
- Dipartimento di Scienze dell'Ambiente e di Scienze della Terra, Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 4, 20126, Milano, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Arrizza
- Centro di Microscopie, Università degli Studi dell'Aquila, Via Vetoio (Coppito 1, Edificio "Renato Ricamo"), 67100, Coppito, L'Aquila, Italy
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5
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Bardelli F, Brun F, De Panfilis S, Cloetens P, Capella S, Belluso E, Bellis D, Di Napoli A, Cedola A. Chemo-physical properties of asbestos bodies in human lung tissues studied at the nano-scale by non-invasive, label free x-ray imaging and spectroscopic techniques. Toxicol Lett 2021; 348:18-27. [PMID: 34023437 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxlet.2021.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Revised: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
In the lungs, asbestos develops an Fe-rich coating (Asbestos Body, AB) that becomes the actual interface between the foreign fibers and the host organism. Conventional approaches to study ABs require an invasive sample preparation that can alter them. In this work, a novel combination of x-ray tomography and spectroscopy allowed studying unaltered lung tissue samples with chrysotile and crocidolite asbestos. The thickness and mass density maps of the ABs obtained by x-ray tomography were used to derive a truly quantitative elemental analysis from scanning x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy data. The average mass density of the ABs is compatible with that of highly loaded ferritin, or hemosiderin. The composition of all ABs analyzed was similar, with only minor differences in the relative elemental fractions. Silicon concentration decreased in the core-to-rim direction, indicating a possible partial dissolution of the inner fiber. The Fe content in the ABs was higher than that possibly contained in chrysotile and crocidolite. This finding opens two opposite scenarios, the first with Fe coming from the fiber bulk and concentrating on the surface as long as the fiber dissolves, the second where the Fe that takes part to the formation of the AB originates from the host organism Fe-pool.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabrizio Bardelli
- Institute of Nanotechnology - CNR-Nanotec, c/o Department of Physics, Sapienza University, Roma, Italy.
| | - Francesco Brun
- Department of Engineering and Architecture, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Simone De Panfilis
- Center for Life Nano- & Neuro-Science, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Roma, Italy
| | - Peter Cloetens
- European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF), Grenoble, France
| | - Silvana Capella
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Torino, Torino, Italy; Interdepartmental Centre for the Study of Asbestos and Other Toxic Particulate "G. Scansetti", University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Elena Belluso
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Torino, Torino, Italy; Interdepartmental Centre for the Study of Asbestos and Other Toxic Particulate "G. Scansetti", University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Donata Bellis
- Interdepartmental Centre for the Study of Asbestos and Other Toxic Particulate "G. Scansetti", University of Torino, Torino, Italy; Department of Surgery, Pathological Anatomy, Ospedale degli Infermi, Biella, Italy
| | - Arianna Di Napoli
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Pathology Unit, Sant'Andrea Hospital, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy
| | - Alessia Cedola
- Institute of Nanotechnology - CNR-Nanotec, c/o Department of Physics, Sapienza University, Roma, Italy
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6
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Asbestos bodies count and morphometry in bulk lung tissue samples by non-invasive X-ray micro-tomography. Sci Rep 2021; 11:10608. [PMID: 34012032 PMCID: PMC8136473 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-90057-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The number of the Asbestos Bodies (AB), i.e. asbestos that developed an iron-protein coating during its permanence in biological tissues, is one of the most accessible markers of asbestos exposure in individuals. The approaches developed to perform AB count in biological tissues are based on the manual examination of tissue digests or histological sections by means of light or electron microscopies. Although these approaches are well established and relatively accessible, manual examination is time-consuming and can be reader-dependent. Besides, approximations are applied because of the limitations of 2D readings and to speed up manual counts. In addition, sample preparation using tissue digests require an amount of tissue that can only be obtained by invasive surgery or post-mortem sampling. In this paper, we propose a new approach to AB counting based on non-destructive 3D imaging, which has the potential to overcome most of the limitations of conventional approaches. This method allows automating the AB count and determining their morphometry distribution in bulk tissue samples (ideally non-invasive needle biopsies), with minimal sample preparation and avoiding approximations. Although the results are promising, additional testing on a larger number of AB-containing biological samples would be required to fully validate the method.
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7
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Fubini B, Aust AE, Bolton RE, Borm PJ, Bruch J, Ciapetti G, Donaldson K, Elias Z, Gold J, Jaurand MC, Kane AB, Lison D, Muhle H. Non-animal Tests for Evaluating the Toxicity of Solid Xenobiotics. Altern Lab Anim 2020. [DOI: 10.1177/026119299802600505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Bice Fubini
- Central Science Laboratory, Sand Hutton, North Yorkshire YO4 1LZ, UK
| | - Ann E. Aust
- Department of Health Risk Analysis, University of Limburg, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Robert E. Bolton
- Institut für Hygiene und Arbeitsmedizin, Universitäts-klinikum Essen, Hufelandstrasse 55, 4300 Essen, Germany
| | - Paul J.A. Borm
- Laboratorio di Biocompatibilità dei Materiali da Impianto, Istituti Ortopedici Rizzoli, Via di Barbiano 1/10, 40136 Bologna, Italy
| | - Joachim Bruch
- Department of Biological Sciences, Napier University, 10 Golinton Road, Edinburgh EH10 5DT, UK
| | - Gabriela Ciapetti
- INRS Laboratoire de Carcinogenèse In Vitro, Avenue de Bourgogne, 54501 Vandoeuvre Les Nancy Cedex, France
| | - Ken Donaldson
- Department of Applied Physics, Chalmers University of Technology, University of Gothenburg, 412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Zoe Elias
- INSERM, U139, Faculté de Medicine, 8 rue du General Sarrail, 94010 Créteil Cedex, France
| | - Julie Gold
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Division of Biology and Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Marie Claude Jaurand
- INSERM, U139, Faculté de Medicine, 8 rue du General Sarrail, 94010 Créteil Cedex, France
| | - Agnes B. Kane
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Division of Biology and Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Dominique Lison
- Industrial Toxicology and Occupational Medicine, Catholic University of Louvain, Clos Chapelle-aux-Champs 30.54, 1200 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Hartwig Muhle
- Fraunhofer Institut Toxikologie und Aerosol-forschung, Nikolai-Fuchs-Strasse 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany
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8
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Gualtieri AF, Andreozzi GB, Tomatis M, Turci F. Iron from a geochemical viewpoint. Understanding toxicity/pathogenicity mechanisms in iron-bearing minerals with a special attention to mineral fibers. Free Radic Biol Med 2019; 133:21-37. [PMID: 30071299 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2018.07.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2018] [Revised: 07/17/2018] [Accepted: 07/29/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Iron and its role as soul of life on Earth is addressed in this review as iron is one of the most abundant elements of our universe, forms the core of our planet and that of telluric (i.e., Earth-like) planets, is a major element of the Earth's crust and is hosted in an endless number of mineral phases, both crystalline and amorphous. To study iron at an atomic level inside the bulk of mineral phases or at its surface, where it is more reactive, both spectroscopy and diffraction experimental methods can be used, taking advantage of nearly the whole spectrum of electromagnetic waves. These methods can be successfully combined to microscopy to simultaneously provide chemical (e.g. iron mapping) and morphological information on mineral particles, and shed light on the interaction of mineral surfaces with organic matter. This review describes the crystal chemistry of iron-bearing minerals of importance for the environment and human health, with special attention to iron in toxic minerals, and the experimental methods used for their study. Special attention is devoted to the Fenton-like chain reaction involving Fe2+ in the formation of highly reactive hydroxyl radicals. The final part of this review deals with release and adsorption of iron in biological fluids, coordinative and oxidative state of iron and in vitro reactivity. To disclose the very mechanisms of carcinogenesis induced by iron-bearing toxic mineral particles, crystal chemistry and surface chemistry are fundamental for a multidisciplinary approach which should involve geo-bio-scientists, toxicologists and medical doctors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro F Gualtieri
- Department of Chemical and Geological Sciences, The University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Campi 103, I-41125 Modena, Italy.
| | - Giovanni B Andreozzi
- Department of Earth Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, I-00185 Roma, Italy; CNR-IGAG, U.O. Roma, at Department of Earth Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale A. Moro 5, I-00185 Roma, Italy
| | - Maura Tomatis
- Department of Chemistry, University of Torino, via Pietro Giuria 7, I-10125 Torino, Italy; "G. Sca nsetti" Interdepartmen tal Centre for Studies on Asbestos and Other Toxic Particulates, University of Torino, via Pietro Giuria 9, I-10125 Torino, Italy
| | - Francesco Turci
- Department of Chemistry, University of Torino, via Pietro Giuria 7, I-10125 Torino, Italy; "G. Sca nsetti" Interdepartmen tal Centre for Studies on Asbestos and Other Toxic Particulates, University of Torino, via Pietro Giuria 9, I-10125 Torino, Italy
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9
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Raman Micro-Spectroscopy Identifies Carbonaceous Particles Lying on the Surface of Crocidolite, Amosite, and Chrysotile Fibers. MINERALS 2018. [DOI: 10.3390/min8060249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
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10
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Bardelli F, Veronesi G, Capella S, Bellis D, Charlet L, Cedola A, Belluso E. New insights on the biomineralisation process developing in human lungs around inhaled asbestos fibres. Sci Rep 2017; 7:44862. [PMID: 28332562 PMCID: PMC5362951 DOI: 10.1038/srep44862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2016] [Accepted: 02/15/2017] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Once penetrated into the lungs of exposed people, asbestos induces an in vivo biomineralisation process that leads to the formation of a ferruginous coating embedding the fibres. The ensemble of the fibre and the coating is referred to as asbestos body and is believed to be responsible for the high toxicological outcome of asbestos. Lung tissue of two individuals subjected to prolonged occupational exposure to crocidolite asbestos was investigated using synchrotron radiation micro-probe tools. The distribution of K and of elements heavier than Fe (Zn, Cu, As, and Ba) in the asbestos bodies was observed for the first time. Elemental quantification, also reported for the first time, confirmed that the coating is highly enriched in Fe (~20% w/w), and x-ray absorption spectroscopy indicated that Fe is in the 3+ oxidation state and that it is present in the form of ferritin or hemosiderin. Comparison of the results obtained studying the asbestos bodies upon removing the biological tissue by chemical digestion and those embedded in histological sections, allowed unambiguously distinguishing the composition of the asbestos bodies, and understanding to what extent the digestion procedure altered their chemical composition. A speculative model is proposed to explain the observed distribution of Fe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabrizio Bardelli
- CNR-Nanotec - Soft and Living matter Lab (S.Li.M. Lab) c/o Department of Physics, La Sapienza University, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Giulia Veronesi
- CNRS/CEA/University of Grenoble Alpes, Laboratoire Chimie et Biologie des Métaux (CBM-UMR 5249), 17, avenue des Martyrs, 38054, Grenoble, France.,European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF), 71, avenue des Martyrs, 38043, Grenoble, France
| | - Silvana Capella
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Torino, via Valperga Caluso 35, 10125, Torino, Italy.,Centre for Studies on Asbestos and other Toxic Particulates "G. Scansetti", University of Torino, via Pietro Giuria 9, 10125, Turin, Italy
| | - Donata Bellis
- Department of Pathological Anatomy, ASL-TO1, Martini Hospital, via Tofane 71, 10154, Torino, Italy
| | - Laurent Charlet
- Institute of Earth Science (ISTerre-OSUG UMR 5275), University of Grenoble Alpes, 1381, rue de la Piscine, 38400, Grenoble, France
| | - Alessia Cedola
- CNR-Nanotec - Soft and Living matter Lab (S.Li.M. Lab) c/o Department of Physics, La Sapienza University, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Elena Belluso
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Torino, via Valperga Caluso 35, 10125, Torino, Italy.,Centre for Studies on Asbestos and other Toxic Particulates "G. Scansetti", University of Torino, via Pietro Giuria 9, 10125, Turin, Italy.,CNR IGG - Torino Unit, via Valperga Caluso 35, 10125, Torino, Italy
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11
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Croce A, Musa M, Allegrina M, Trivero P, Rinaudo C. Environmental scanning electron microscopy technique to identify asbestos phases inside ferruginous bodies. MICROSCOPY AND MICROANALYSIS : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF MICROSCOPY SOCIETY OF AMERICA, MICROBEAM ANALYSIS SOCIETY, MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 2013; 19:420-424. [PMID: 23442447 DOI: 10.1017/s1431927612014390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Ferruginous bodies observed in lungs of patients affected by mesothelioma, asbestosis, and pulmonary carcinoma are important to relate the illness to exposure, environmental or occupational, to asbestos. Identification of the inorganic phase constituting the core of the ferruginous bodies, formed around asbestos but also around phases different from asbestos, is essential for legal purposes. Environmental scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive spectroscopy was used to identify the fibrous mineral phase in the core of ferruginous bodies observed directly in thin sections of tissue, without digestion of the biological matrix. Spectra were taken with sequential analyses along a line crossing the core of the ferruginous bodies. By comparing the spectra taken near to and far from the core, the chemical elements that make up the core could be identified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Croce
- Department of Science and Technological Innovation, Università del Piemonte Orientale "Amedeo Avogadro," Viale Teresa Michel 11, 15121 Alessandria, Italy
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12
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Borelli V, Trevisan E, Vita F, Bottin C, Melato M, Rizzardi C, Zabucchi G. Peroxidase-like activity of ferruginous bodies isolated by exploiting their magnetic property. JOURNAL OF TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. PART A 2012; 75:603-623. [PMID: 22712847 DOI: 10.1080/15287394.2012.688478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Ferruginous bodies (FB) are polymorphic structures whose formation is macrophage dependent, and are composed of a core, which may consist of an asbestos fiber coated with proteins, among which ferritin is the main component. Within ferritin, the ferric and ferrous ions are coordinated as ferrihydrite, which is the main iron (Fe) storage compound. However, when ferritin accumulates in some tissues following Fe overload it also contains magnetite along with ferrihydrite, which endows it with magnetic properties. Recently studies showed that magnetite exerts peroxidase-like activity, and since ferruginous bodies display magnetic properties, it was postulated that these particular structures may also contain magnetite within the ferritin coating, and thus may also exert peroxidase-like activity. Histochemical analysis for peroxidase of isolated FB smears demonstrated positive staining. Samples isolated from 4 different autopsy lung fragments were also able to oxidize 3,3',5,5'-tetramethyl-benzidine to a blue colored compound that absorbs at 655 nm. This activity was (1) azide and heat insensitive with optimal pH from 5 to 6, and (2) highly variable, changing more than 25-fold from one sample to another. These findings, together with evidence that the peroxidase-like activity of ferruginous bodies has a hydrogen peroxide and substrate requirement different from that of human myeloperoxidase, can exclude that this enzyme gives a significant contribution to the formation of FB. Standard Fe-rich asbestos fibers also express a peroxidase-like activity, but this appears negligible compared to that of ferruginous bodies. Strong acidification of standard Fe-containing asbestos fibers or magnetically isolated ferruginous bodies liberates a high amount of peroxidase-like activity, which is probably accounted for by the release of Fe ions. Further, FB also damage mesothelial cells in vitro. Data suggest that FB exert peroxidase-like activity and cytotoxic activity against mesothelial cells, and hence may be an important factor in pathogenesis of asbestos-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Violetta Borelli
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy.
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13
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Fenoglio I, Fubini B, Ghibaudi EM, Turci F. Multiple aspects of the interaction of biomacromolecules with inorganic surfaces. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2011; 63:1186-209. [PMID: 21871508 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2011.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 116] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2011] [Revised: 07/01/2011] [Accepted: 08/02/2011] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The understanding of the mechanisms involved in the interaction of biological systems with inorganic materials is of interest in both fundamental and applied disciplines. The adsorption of proteins modulates the formation of biofilms onto surfaces, a process important in infections associated to medical implants, in dental caries, in environmental technologies. The interaction with biomacromolecules is crucial to determine the beneficial/adverse response of cells to foreign inorganic materials as implants, engineered or accidentally produced inorganic nanoparticles. A detailed knowledge of the surface/biological fluids interface processes is needed for the design of new biocompatible materials. Researchers involved in the different disciplines face up with similar difficulties in describing and predicting phenomena occurring at the interface between solid phases and biological fluids. This review represents an attempt to integrate the knowledge from different research areas by focussing on the search for determinants driving the interaction of inorganic surfaces with biological matter.
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Shannahan JH, Ghio AJ, Schladweiler MC, McGee JK, Richards JH, Gavett SH, Kodavanti UP. The role of iron in Libby amphibole-induced acute lung injury and inflammation. Inhal Toxicol 2011; 23:313-23. [PMID: 21605006 DOI: 10.3109/08958378.2011.569587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Complexation of host iron (Fe) on the surface of inhaled asbestos fibers has been postulated to cause oxidative stress contributing to in vivo pulmonary injury and inflammation. We examined the role of Fe in Libby amphibole (LA; mean length 4.99 µm ± 4.53 and width 0.28 µm ± 0.19) asbestos-induced inflammogenic effects in vitro and in vivo. LA contained acid-leachable Fe and silicon. In a cell-free media containing FeCl(3), LA bound #17 µg of Fe/mg of fiber and increased reactive oxygen species generation #3.5 fold, which was reduced by deferoxamine (DEF) treatment. In BEAS-2B cells exposure to LA, LA loaded with Fe (FeLA), or LA with DEF did not increase HO-1 or ferritin mRNA expression. LA increased IL-8 expression, which was reduced by Fe loading but increased by DEF. To determine the role of Fe in LA-induced lung injury in vivo, spontaneously hypertensive rats were exposed intratracheally to either saline (300 µL), DEF (1 mg), FeCl(3) (21 µg), LA (0.5 mg), FeLA (0.5 mg), or LA + DEF (0.5 mg). LA caused BALF neutrophils to increase 24 h post-exposure. Loading of Fe on LA but not chelation slightly decreased neutrophilic influx (LA + DEF > LA > FeLA). At 4 h post-exposure, LA-induced lung expression of MIP-2 was reduced in rats exposed to FeLA but increased by LA + DEF (LA + DEF > LA > FeLA). Ferritin mRNA was elevated in rats exposed to FeLA compared to LA. In conclusion, the acute inflammatory response to respirable fibers and particles may be inhibited in the presence of surface-complexed or cellular bioavailable Fe. Cell and tissue Fe-overload conditions may influence the pulmonary injury and inflammation caused by fibers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan H Shannahan
- University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, UNC School of Medicine, Curriculum in Toxicology, USA
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15
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Pascolo L, Gianoncelli A, Kaulich B, Rizzardi C, Schneider M, Bottin C, Polentarutti M, Kiskinova M, Longoni A, Melato M. Synchrotron soft X-ray imaging and fluorescence microscopy reveal novel features of asbestos body morphology and composition in human lung tissues. Part Fibre Toxicol 2011; 8:7. [PMID: 21299853 PMCID: PMC3041679 DOI: 10.1186/1743-8977-8-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2010] [Accepted: 02/07/2011] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Occupational or environmental exposure to asbestos fibres is associated with pleural and parenchymal lung diseases. A histopathologic hallmark of exposure to asbestos is the presence in lung parenchyma of the so-called asbestos bodies. They are the final product of biomineralization processes resulting in deposition of endogenous iron and organic matter (mainly proteins) around the inhaled asbestos fibres. For shedding light on the formation mechanisms of asbestos bodies it is of fundamental importance to characterize at the same length scales not only their structural morphology and chemical composition but also to correlate them to the possible alterations in the local composition of the surrounding tissues. Here we report the first correlative morphological and chemical characterization of untreated paraffinated histological lung tissue samples with asbestos bodies by means of soft X-ray imaging and X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) microscopy, which reveals new features in the elemental lateral distribution. Results The X-ray absorption and phase contrast images and the simultaneously monitored XRF maps of tissue samples have revealed the location, distribution and elemental composition of asbestos bodies and associated nanometric structures. The observed specific morphology and differences in the local Si, Fe, O and Mg content provide distinct fingerprints characteristic for the core asbestos fibre and the ferruginous body. The highest Si content is found in the asbestos fibre, while the shell and ferruginous bodies are characterized by strongly increased content of Mg, Fe and O compared to the adjacent tissue. The XRF and SEM-EDX analyses of the extracted asbestos bodies confirmed an enhanced Mg deposition in the organic asbestos coating. Conclusions The present report demonstrates the potential of the advanced synchrotron-based X-ray imaging and microspectroscopy techniques for studying the response of the lung tissue to the presence of asbestos fibres. The new results obtained by simultaneous structural and chemical analysis of tissue specimen have provided clear evidence that Mg, in addition to Fe, is also involved in the formation mechanisms of asbestos bodies. This is the first important step to further thorough investigations that will shed light on the physiopathological role of Mg in tissue response to the asbestos toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorella Pascolo
- Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.a., Area Science Park, Basovizza, Trieste, Italy.
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Aust AE, Cook PM, Dodson RF. Morphological and chemical mechanisms of elongated mineral particle toxicities. JOURNAL OF TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. PART B, CRITICAL REVIEWS 2011; 14:40-75. [PMID: 21534085 PMCID: PMC3118489 DOI: 10.1080/10937404.2011.556046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Much of our understanding regarding the mechanisms for induction of disease following inhalation of respirable elongated mineral particles (REMP) is based on studies involving the biological effects of asbestos fibers. The factors governing the disease potential of an exposure include duration and frequency of exposures; tissue-specific dose over time; impacts on dose persistence from in vivo REMP dissolution, comminution, and clearance; individual susceptibility; and the mineral type and surface characteristics. The mechanisms associated with asbestos particle toxicity involve two facets for each particle's contribution: (1) the physical features of the inhaled REMP, which include width, length, aspect ratio, and effective surface area available for cell contact; and (2) the surface chemical composition and reactivity of the individual fiber/elongated particle. Studies in cell-free systems and with cultured cells suggest an important way in which REMP from asbestos damage cellular molecules or influence cellular processes. This may involve an unfortunate combination of the ability of REMP to chemically generate potentially damaging reactive oxygen species, through surface iron, and the interaction of the unique surfaces with cell membranes to trigger membrane receptor activation. Together these events appear to lead to a cascade of cellular events, including the production of damaging reactive nitrogen species, which may contribute to the disease process. Thus, there is a need to be more cognizant of the potential impact that the total surface area of REMP contributes to the generation of events resulting in pathological changes in biological systems. The information presented has applicability to inhaled dusts, in general, and specifically to respirable elongated mineral particles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann E. Aust
- Chemistry and Biochemistry Department (Emeritus), Utah State University, Huachuca City, Arizona
| | - Philip M. Cook
- U.S. EPA NHEERL Mid-Continent Ecology Division, Duluth, Minnesota
| | - Ronald F. Dodson
- Dodson Environmental Consulting, Inc., and ERI Environmental Consulting, Inc., Tyler, Texas, USA
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Huang SXL, Jaurand MC, Kamp DW, Whysner J, Hei TK. Role of mutagenicity in asbestos fiber-induced carcinogenicity and other diseases. JOURNAL OF TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. PART B, CRITICAL REVIEWS 2011; 14:179-245. [PMID: 21534089 PMCID: PMC3118525 DOI: 10.1080/10937404.2011.556051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
The cellular and molecular mechanisms of how asbestos fibers induce cancers and other diseases are not well understood. Both serpentine and amphibole asbestos fibers have been shown to induce oxidative stress, inflammatory responses, cellular toxicity and tissue injuries, genetic changes, and epigenetic alterations in target cells in vitro and tissues in vivo. Most of these mechanisms are believe to be shared by both fiber-induced cancers and noncancerous diseases. This article summarizes the findings from existing literature with a focus on genetic changes, specifically, mutagenicity of asbestos fibers. Thus far, experimental evidence suggesting the involvement of mutagenesis in asbestos carcinogenicity is more convincing than asbestos-induced fibrotic diseases. The potential contributions of mutagenicity to asbestos-induced diseases, with an emphasis on carcinogenicity, are reviewed from five aspects: (1) whether there is a mutagenic mode of action (MOA) in fiber-induced carcinogenesis; (2) mutagenicity/carcinogenicity at low dose; (3) biological activities that contribute to mutagenicity and impact of target tissue/cell type; (4) health endpoints with or without mutagenicity as a key event; and finally, (5) determinant factors of toxicity in mutagenicity. At the end of this review, a consensus statement of what is known, what is believed to be factual but requires confirmation, and existing data gaps, as well as future research needs and directions, is provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah X. L. Huang
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Marie-Claude Jaurand
- INSERM (Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale), Paris, France
| | - David W. Kamp
- Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - John Whysner
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Tom K. Hei
- Address correspondence to Tom K. Hei, Center for Radiological Research, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University. 630 West 168th Street, New York, NY 10032, USA. E-mail:
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Rinaudo C, Croce A, Musa M, Fornero E, Allegrina M, Trivero P, Bellis D, Sferch D, Toffalorio F, Veronesi G, Pelosi G. Study of inorganic particles, fibers, and asbestos bodies by variable pressure scanning electron microscopy with annexed energy dispersive spectroscopy and micro-Raman spectroscopy in thin sections of lung and pleural plaque. APPLIED SPECTROSCOPY 2010; 64:571-577. [PMID: 20537223 DOI: 10.1366/000370210791414380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
In a previous work it has been demonstrated that micro-Raman spectroscopy is a technique able to recognize crystalline phases on untreated samples. In that case, inorganic particles and uncoated fibers from bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) of a patient affected by pneumoconiosis were identified and characterized. In this work the technique is applied to asbestos bodies, that is, to coated fibers, and on crystallizations and fibrous phases observed in the plural plaque from patients affected by mesothelioma. From the Raman analysis the abundant fibrous material observed in the pleural area is talc, whereas rounded grains in the pleural tissue show the Raman spectrum of apatite, a calcium phosphate mineral particular to bones. In the pulmonary tissue many asbestos bodies, consisting of the incorporated fibers coated by iron-rich proteins, were observed. Under the 632.8 nm laser beam of the spectrometer, photo-crystallization of hematite in the iron-rich material forming the asbestos bodies can be proposed by the changes in the Raman spectra acquired during subsequent acquisitions. Nevertheless, the identification of the mineral phase constituting the incorporated fiber was possible by analyzing the Raman spectra; the results were confirmed by variable pressure scanning electron microscopy with annexed energy dispersive spectroscopy (VP-SEM-EDS) analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caterina Rinaudo
- Dipartimento di Scienze dell'Ambiente e della Vita-Università del Piemonte Orientale, Alessandria, 15121, Italy.
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19
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Hillegass JM, Shukla A, MacPherson MB, Bond JP, Steele C, Mossman BT. Utilization of gene profiling and proteomics to determine mineral pathogenicity in a human mesothelial cell line (LP9/TERT-1). JOURNAL OF TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. PART A 2010; 73:423-436. [PMID: 20155583 PMCID: PMC2838458 DOI: 10.1080/15287390903486568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Identifying and understanding the early molecular events that underscore mineral pathogenicity using in vitro screening tests is imperative, especially given the large number of synthetic and natural fibers and particles being introduced into the environment. The purpose of the work described here was to examine the ability of gene profiling (Affymetrix microarrays) to predict the pathogenicity of various materials in a human mesothelial cell line (LP9/TERT-1) exposed to equal surface area concentrations (15 x 10(6) or 75 x 10(6) microm(2)/cm(2)) of crocidolite asbestos, nonfibrous talc, fine titanium dioxide (TiO(2)), or glass beads for 8 or 24 h. Since crocidolite asbestos caused the greatest number of alterations in gene expression, multiplex analysis (Bio-Plex) of proteins released from LP9/TERT-1 cells exposed to crocidolite asbestos was also assessed to reveal if this approach might also be explored in future assays comparing various mineral types. To verify that LP9/TERT-1 cells were more sensitive than other cell types to asbestos, human ovarian epithelial cells (IOSE) were also utilized in microarray studies. Upon assessing changes in gene expression via microarrays, principal component analysis (PCA) of these data was used to identify patterns of differential gene expression. PCA of microarray data confirmed that LP9/TERT-1 cells were more responsive than IOSE cells to crocidolite asbestos or nonfibrous talc, and that crocidolite asbestos elicited greater responses in both cell types when compared to nonfibrous talc, TiO(2), or glass beads. Bio-Plex analysis demonstrated that asbestos caused an increase in interleukin-13 (IL-13), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). These responses were generally dose-dependent (bFGF and G-CSF only) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha independent (except for G-CSF). Thus, microarray and Bio-Plex analyses are valuable in determining early molecular responses to fibers/particles and may directly contribute to understanding the etiology of diseases caused by them. The number and magnitude of changes in gene expression or "profiles" of secreted proteins may serve as valuable metrics for determining the potential pathogenicity of various mineral types. Hence, alterations in gene expression and cytokine/chemokine changes induced by crocidolite asbestos in LP9/TERT-1 cells may be indicative of its increased potential to cause mesothelioma in comparison to the other nonfibrous materials examined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jedd M. Hillegass
- Department of Pathology, University of Vermont College of Medicine, 89 Beaumont Avenue, Given E203, Burlington, VT 05405-0068
| | - Arti Shukla
- Department of Pathology, University of Vermont College of Medicine, 89 Beaumont Avenue, Given E203, Burlington, VT 05405-0068
| | - Maximilian B. MacPherson
- Department of Pathology, University of Vermont College of Medicine, 89 Beaumont Avenue, Given E203, Burlington, VT 05405-0068
| | - Jeffrey P. Bond
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Vermont College of Medicine, 95 Carrigan Drive, Stafford 201, Burlington, VT 05405-0084
| | - Chad Steele
- Departments of Medicine and Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, 1900 University Boulevard, THT 437A, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Brooke T. Mossman
- Department of Pathology, University of Vermont College of Medicine, 89 Beaumont Avenue, Given E203, Burlington, VT 05405-0068
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Nakamura E, Makishima A, Hagino K, Okabe K. Accumulation of radium in ferruginous protein bodies formed in lung tissue: association of resulting radiation hotspots with malignant mesothelioma and other malignancies. PROCEEDINGS OF THE JAPAN ACADEMY. SERIES B, PHYSICAL AND BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES 2009; 85:229-39. [PMID: 19644223 PMCID: PMC3561846 DOI: 10.2183/pjab.85.229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2009] [Accepted: 05/19/2009] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
While exposure to fibers and particles has been proposed to be associated with several different lung malignancies including mesothelioma, the mechanism for the carcinogenesis is not fully understood. Along with mineralogical observation, we have analyzed forty-four major and trace elements in extracted asbestos bodies (fibers and proteins attached to them) with coexisting fiber-free ferruginous protein bodies from extirpative lungs of individuals with malignant mesothelioma. These observations together with patients' characteristics suggest that inhaled iron-rich asbestos fibers and dust particles, and excess iron deposited by continuous cigarette smoking would induce ferruginous protein body formation resulting in ferritin aggregates in lung tissue. Chemical analysis of ferruginous protein bodies extracted from lung tissues reveals anomalously high concentrations of radioactive radium, reaching millions of times higher concentration than that of seawater. Continuous and prolonged internal exposure to hotspot ionizing radiation from radium and its daughter nuclides could cause strong and frequent DNA damage in lung tissue, initiate different types of tumour cells, including malignant mesothelioma cells, and may cause cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eizo Nakamura
- The Pheasant Memorial Laboratory for Geochemistry and Cosmochemistry (PML), Institute for Study of the Earth's Interior, Okayama University, Tottori, Japan.
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21
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Bernstein D, Castranova V, Donaldson K, Fubini B, Hadley J, Hesterberg T, Kane A, Lai D, McConnell EE, Muhle H, Oberdorster G, Olin S, Warheit DB. Testing of Fibrous Particles: Short-Term Assays and Strategies. Inhal Toxicol 2008; 17:497-537. [PMID: 16040559 DOI: 10.1080/08958370591001121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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22
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Ribak J, Ribak G. Human health effects associated with the commercial use of grunerite asbestos (amosite): Paterson, NJ; Tyler, TX; Uxbridge, UK. Regul Toxicol Pharmacol 2008; 52:S82-90. [DOI: 10.1016/j.yrtph.2007.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2007] [Accepted: 10/03/2007] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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23
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Hevel JM, Olson-Buelow LC, Ganesan B, Stevens JR, Hardman JP, Aust AE. Novel functional view of the crocidolite asbestos-treated A549 human lung epithelial transcriptome reveals an intricate network of pathways with opposing functions. BMC Genomics 2008; 9:376. [PMID: 18687144 PMCID: PMC2533023 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-9-376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2007] [Accepted: 08/07/2008] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Although exposure to asbestos is now regulated, patients continue to be diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, fibrosis and lung carcinoma because of the long latent period between exposure and clinical disease. Asbestosis is observed in approximately 200,000 patients annually and asbestos-related deaths are estimated at 4,000 annually[1]. Although advances have been made using single gene/gene product or pathway studies, the complexity of the response to asbestos and the many unanswered questions suggested the need for a systems biology approach. The objective of this study was to generate a comprehensive view of the transcriptional changes induced by crocidolite asbestos in A549 human lung epithelial cells. Results A statistically robust, comprehensive data set documenting the crocidolite-induced changes in the A549 transcriptome was collected. A systems biology approach involving global observations from gene ontological analyses coupled with functional network analyses was used to explore the effects of crocidolite in the context of known molecular interactions. The analyses uniquely document a transcriptome with function-based networks in cell death, cancer, cell cycle, cellular growth, proliferation, and gene expression. These functional modules show signs of a complex interplay between signaling pathways consisting of both novel and previously described asbestos-related genes/gene products. These networks allowed for the identification of novel, putative crocidolite-related genes, leading to several new hypotheses regarding genes that are important for the asbestos response. The global analysis revealed a transcriptome that bears signatures of both apoptosis/cell death and cell survival/proliferation. Conclusion Our analyses demonstrate the power of combining a statistically robust, comprehensive dataset and a functional network genomics approach to 1) identify and explore relationships between genes of known importance 2) identify novel candidate genes, and 3) observe the complex interplay between genes/gene products that function in seemingly different processes. This study represents the first function-based global approach toward understanding the response of human lung epithelial cells to the carcinogen crocidolite. Importantly, our investigation paints a much broader landscape for the crocidolite response than was previously appreciated and reveals novel paths to study. Our graphical representations of the function-based global network will be a valuable resource to model new research findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joan M Hevel
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Utah State University, Logan, USA.
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24
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Borelli V, Brochetta C, Melato M, Rizzardi C, Polentarutti M, Busatto C, Vita F, Abbate R, Gotter R, Zabucchi G. A procedure for the isolation of asbestos bodies from lung tissue by exploiting their magnetic properties: a new approach to asbestos body study. JOURNAL OF TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. PART A 2007; 70:1232-40. [PMID: 17573637 DOI: 10.1080/15287390701380906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
The role of asbestos bodies (and associated proteinacious coating) in asbestos associated diseases is not well understood. Currently employed methods of isolation of these bodies employ harsh chemicals that lead to destruction of their proteinacious coating. In this work a method was developed that enabled the purification of whole, integral, unmodified asbestos bodies (AB) by exploiting their magnetic properties. Albumin and ferritin were found to be the major proteins associated with AB isolated from lung tissue of mesothelioma patients. Magnetically isolated AB were shown to be cytotoxic and to activate free radical production from inflammatory cells at a higher extent than that induced by bodies obtained by chemical digestion. The finding that hypochlorite-treated AB induce DNA damage, while AB obtained by the method described in this article failed to do so, together with the differential behavior of these bodies toward inflammatory cells, suggests that native asbestos bodies should be used to investigate the pathogenetic role of these structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Violetta Borelli
- Department of Physiology and Pathology, University of Trieste, Italy.
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Gulumian M. An update on the detoxification processes for silica particles and asbestos fibers: successess and limitations. JOURNAL OF TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. PART B, CRITICAL REVIEWS 2005; 8:453-83. [PMID: 16188731 DOI: 10.1080/10937400590952547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Inhalation of asbestos fibers and crystalline silica produces a number of diseases including fibrosis and cancer. Investigations into the mechanisms involved in mineral particle-induced toxicity indicated the importance of their surfaces in the pathological consequences. Masking of the surface sites has therefore featured prominently in a number of detoxification processes that have been investigated. The majority of the detoxification processes were, however, conducted to elucidate the involvement of a particular surface site in the toxicity of a specific mineral. Others were investigated with the aim of large industrial applications to be applied during mining, handling, processing, transporting, and disposing of minerals. It can be concluded that, to date, there is no single detoxification process that could be applied universally to all different types of mineral particles. Those that have shown some success could not completely abolish all adverse effects. Further elucidation of mechanisms of particle-induced toxicity may open new possibilities for detoxification processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Gulumian
- National Institute for Occupational Health (NIOH) and Department of Hematology and Molecular Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
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Abstract
The evidence presented in this article demonstrates that asbestos fibers may be genotoxic to mesothelial cells through their distinctive structure and chemistry and through their interactions with complex cellular response mechanisms. Reactive oxygen and nitrogen species play a key role. Understanding the balance between these complex mechanisms that permit neoplastic transformation and facilitate the proliferation of tumor cells is the focus of current investigation in the development of mesothelial malignancy. In human disease, the persistence of asbestos fibers in the lung and pleural tumor is a critical feature that links the exposure to asbestos with the development of disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- John J Godleski
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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Gulumian M. The ability of mineral dusts and fibres to initiate lipid peroxidation. Part II: relationship to different particle-induced pathological effects. Redox Rep 2001; 5:325-51. [PMID: 11140744 DOI: 10.1179/135100000101535906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Exposure to pathogenic mineral dusts and fibres is associated with pulmonary changes including fibrosis and cancer. Investigations into aetiological mechanisms of these diseases have identified modifications in specific macromolecules as well as changes in certain early processes, which have preceded fibrosis and cancer. Peroxidation of lipids is one such modification, which is observed following exposure to mineral dusts and fibres. Their ability to initiate lipid peroxidation and the parameters that determine this ability have recently been reviewed. Part II of this review examines the relationship between the capacity of mineral dusts and fibres to initiate lipid peroxidation and a number of pathological changes they produce. The oxidative modification of polyunsaturated fatty acids is a major contributor to membrane damage in cells and has been implicated in a great variety of pathological processes. In most pathological conditions where an induction of lipid peroxidation is observed it is assumed to be the consequence of disease, without further establishing if the induction of lipid peroxidation may have preceded or accompanied the disease. In the great majority of instances, however, despite the difficulty in proving this association, a causal relationship between lipid peroxidation and disease cannot be ruled out.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Gulumian
- National Centre for Occupational Health and Department of Haematology and Molecular Medicine, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
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Otero Areán C, Barceló F, Fenoglio I, Fubini B, Llabrés i Xamena FX, Tomatis M. Free radical activity of natural and heat treated amphibole asbestos. J Inorg Biochem 2001; 83:211-6. [PMID: 11237261 DOI: 10.1016/s0162-0134(00)00191-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
The amphibole minerals amosite and crocidolite were subjected to calcination and to hydrothermal treatment in order to study the effect of these heat treatments on the ability of the minerals to trigger formation of free radicals, which is known to be a main factor causing asbestosis and other asbestos-induced diseases. Free radical activity of the natural and heat treated minerals was studied by using supercoiled DNA (pUC18 plasmid) as a target molecule, and also by means of EPR spectroscopy. It was shown that after calcination of the natural minerals at 1073 K their free radical activity was strongly decreased These results, which may have relevant consequences for asbestos technology, were correlated with concomitant alteration of the structure and surface chemistry of the minerals during calcination.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Otero Areán
- Departamento de Química, Universidad de las Islas Baleares, Palma de Mallorca, Spain
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Affiliation(s)
- D W Kamp
- Department of Medicine, Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine, Veterans Affairs Chicago Health Care System (Lakeside Division) and Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA
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Areán CO, Barceló F, Fubini B. Free radical activity of mineral fibres containing adsorbed ferritin: Detection using supercoiled DNA. RESEARCH ON CHEMICAL INTERMEDIATES 1999. [DOI: 10.1163/156856799x00284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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Rosenthal GJ, Simeonova P, Corsini E. Asbestos toxicity: an immunologic perspective. REVIEWS ON ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH 1999; 14:11-20. [PMID: 10372416 DOI: 10.1515/reveh.1999.14.1.11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Asbestos has long been associated with a number of life threatening pulmonary diseases, including asbestosis and mesothelioma. While the lung is the primary target organ for asbestos toxicity, a number of clinical and experimental studies over the past 30 years have shown that the immune system may also be altered by exposure to asbestos at occupationally relevant concentrations. Whereas early clinical studies generally focused on systemic observations of immune alteration, more recent studies have assessed the immunological changes occurring in the lung, the primary target organ of asbestos. This review will focus on the investigations that examine the influence of asbestos on systemic and local immunity, as well as the role that the immune system may play in asbestos-related disease.
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Rosenthal GJ, Corsini E, Simeonova P. Selected new developments in asbestos immunotoxicity. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 1998; 106 Suppl 1:159-169. [PMID: 9539011 PMCID: PMC1533262 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.98106s1159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Research over the past three decades has shown that the mammalian immune system can be altered by the occupational exposure of asbestos. Early clinical studies generally focused on systemic observations of immune alteration such as the number and function of peripheral lymphocytes and monocytes. More recently as the regulatory influence of local immunity in health and disease becomes more defined, immunologic changes occurring in the lung, the primary target organ of asbestos, have been significant areas of investigation. This review will focus on recent studies that examine the influence of asbestos on pulmonary immunity as well as the role of host immune competence in asbestos-related disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- G J Rosenthal
- Telos Biosystems Incorporated, Boulder, Colorado, USA.
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Fubini B. Surface reactivity in the pathogenic response to particulates. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 1997; 105 Suppl 5:1013-1020. [PMID: 9400693 PMCID: PMC1470126 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.97105s51013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
The peculiar characteristics of dust toxicity are discussed in relation to the processes taking place at the particle-biological medium interface. Because of surface reactivity, toxicity of solids is not merely predictable from chemical composition and molecular structure, as with water soluble compounds. With particles having the same bulk composition, micromorphology (the thermal and mechanical history of dust and adsorption from the environment) determines the kind and abundance of active surface sites, thus modulating reactivity toward cells and tissues. The quantitative evaluation of doses is discussed in comparisons of dose-response relationships obtained with different materials. Responses related to the surface of the particle are better compared on a per-unit surface than per-unit weight basis. The role of micromorphology, hydrophilicity, and reactive surface cations in determining the pathogenicity of inhaled particles is described with reference to silica and asbestos toxicity. Heating crystalline silica decreases hydrophilicity, with consequent modifications in membranolytic potential, retention, and transport. Transition metal ions exposed at the surface generate free radicals in aqueous suspensions. Continuous redox cycling of iron, with consequent activation-reactivation of the surface sites releasing free radicals, could account for the long-term pathogenicity caused by the inhalation of iron-containing fibers. In various pathogenicities caused by mixed dusts, the contact between components modifies toxicity. Hard metal lung disease is caused by exposure to mixtures of metals and carbides, typically cobalt (Co) and tungsten carbide (WC), but not to single components. Toxicity stems from reactive oxygen species generation in a mechanism involving both Co metal and WC in mutual contact. A relationship between the extent of water adsorption and biopersistence is proposed for vitreous fibers. Modifications of the surface taking place in vivo are described for ferruginous bodies and for the progressive comminution of chrysotile asbestos fibers.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Fubini
- Università di Torino, Facoltà di Farmacia, Dipartimento di Chimica Inorganica, Italy.
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Gold J, Amandusson H, Krozer A, Kasemo B, Ericsson T, Zanetti G, Fubini B. Chemical characterization and reactivity of iron chelator-treated amphibole asbestos. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 1997; 105 Suppl 5:1021-1030. [PMID: 9400694 PMCID: PMC1470174 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.97105s51021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Iron in amphibole asbestos is implicated in the pathogenicity of inhaled fibers. Evidence includes the observation that iron chelators can suppress fiber-induced tissue damage. This is believed to occur via the diminished production of fiber-associated reactive oxygen species. The purpose of this study was to explore possible mechanisms for the reduction of fiber toxicity by iron chelator treatments. We studied changes in the amount and the oxidation states of bulk and surface iron in crocidolite and amosite asbestos that were treated with iron-chelating desferrioxamine, ferrozine, sodium ascorbate, and phosphate buffer solutions. The results have been compared with the ability of the fibers to produce free radicals and decompose hydrogen peroxide in a cell-free system in vitro. We found that chelators can affect the amount of iron at the surface of the asbestos fibers and its valence, and that they can modify the chemical reactivity of these surfaces. However, we found no obvious or direct correlations between fiber reactivity and the amount of iron removed, the amount of iron at the fiber surface, or the oxidation state of surface iron. Our results suggest that surface Fe3+ ions may play a role in fiber-related carboxylate radical formation, and that desferrioxamine and phosphate groups detected at treated fiber surfaces may play a role in diminishing and enhancing, respectively, fiber redox activity. It is proposed that iron mobility in the silicate structure may play a larger role in the chemical reactivity of asbestos than previously assumed.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Gold
- Department of Applied Physics, Chalmers University of Technology, Goteborg, Sweden.
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Gilmour PS, Brown DM, Beswick PH, MacNee W, Rahman I, Donaldson K. Free radical activity of industrial fibers: role of iron in oxidative stress and activation of transcription factors. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 1997; 105 Suppl 5:1313-1317. [PMID: 9400744 PMCID: PMC1470182 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.97105s51313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
We studied asbestos, vitreous fiber (MMVF10), and refractory ceramic fiber (RCF1) from the Thermal Insulation Manufacturers' Association fiber repository regarding the following: free radical damage to plasmid DNA, iron release, ability to deplete glutathione (GSH), and activate redox-sensitive transcription factors in macrophages. Asbestos had much more free radical activity than any of the man-made vitreous fibers. More Fe3+ was released than Fe2+ and more of both was released at pH 4.5 than at pH 7.2. Release of iron from the different fibers was generally not a good correlate of ability to cause free radical injury to the plasmid DNA. All fiber types caused some degree of oxidative stress, as revealed by depletion of intracellular GSH. Amosite asbestos upregulated nuclear binding of activator protein 1 transcription factor to a greater level than MMVF10 and RCF1; long-fiber amosite was the only fiber to enhance activation of the transcription factor nuclear factor kappa B (NF kappa B). The use of cysteine methyl ester and buthionine sulfoximine to modulate GSH suggested that GSH homeostasis was important in leading to activation of transcription factors. We conclude that the intrinsic free radical activity is the major determinant of transcription factor activation and therefore gene expression in alveolar macrophages. Although this was not related to iron release or ability to deplete macrophage GSH at 4 hr, GSH does play a role in activation of NF kappa B.
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Affiliation(s)
- P S Gilmour
- Department of Biological Sciences, Napier University, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
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Donaldson K, Brown DM, Mitchell C, Dineva M, Beswick PH, Gilmour P, MacNee W. Free radical activity of PM10: iron-mediated generation of hydroxyl radicals. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 1997; 105 Suppl 5:1285-9. [PMID: 9400739 PMCID: PMC1470141 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.97105s51285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that particulate matter < or = 10 microns in aerodynamic diameter (PM10) particles have the ability to generate free radical activity at their surface. We collected PM10 filters from the Edinburgh, United Kingdom, Enhanced Urban Network sampling site, removed particles from the filter, and tested their ability to cause free radical damage to supercoiled plasmid DNA. We found that the PM10 particles did cause damage to the DNA that was mediated by hydroxyl radicals, as shown by inhibition of the injury with mannitol. The PM10-associated hydroxyl radical activity was confirmed using a high-performance liquid chromatography-based assay to measure the hydroxyl radical adduct of salicylic acid. Desferrioxamine abolished the hydroxyl radical-mediated injury, which suggests that iron was involved. Analysis of PM10 filters confirmed the presence of large amounts of iron and leaching studies confirmed that the PM10 samples could release substantial amounts of Fe(III) and lesser amounts of Fe(II). To investigate the size of the particles involved in the hydroxyl radical injury, we centrifuged the suspension of PM10 to clarity, tested the clear supernatant, and found that it had all of the suspension activity. We conclude, therefore, that the free radical activity is derived either from a fraction that is not centrifugeable on a bench centrifuge, or that the radical generating system is released into solution.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Donaldson
- Department of Biological Sciences, Napier University, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
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Gardi C, Calzoni P, Ferrali M, Comporti M. Iron mobilization from crocidolite as enhancer of collagen content in rat lung fibroblasts. Biochem Pharmacol 1997; 53:1659-65. [PMID: 9264318 DOI: 10.1016/s0006-2952(97)00050-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Asbestos exposure causes pulmonary fibrosis by mechanisms that remain uncertain. There is increasing evidence that iron from asbestos is responsible for many of its effects. In this paper, we investigated the effect of iron mobilized from crocidolite asbestos on collagen content in rat lung fibroblast cultures under serum-free conditions. Crocidolite (2, 4, 6 microg/cm2 well) increased collagen content in a dose-dependent manner (+42 +/- 8, +92 +/- 10, and +129 +/- 13% vs controls). This effect was specific for collagen, since it did not alter total protein content and was inhibited by the iron chelator deferoxamine (DFO). Preincubation of crocidolite with citrate (1 mM) for 48 hr resulted in iron mobilization (51 microM) and increased collagen production (>3-fold) in treated cells. These effects occurred without the intervention of serum factors. The absence of cell damage, proliferation or lipid peroxidation leads to the supposition that iron from crocidolite per se may act as a profibrogenic agent. Although the in vivo participation of other cells and factors cannot be excluded, we conclude that iron released from crocidolite plays a role in collagen increase occurring during asbestosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Gardi
- Institute of General Pathology, University of Siena, Italy
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Gilmour PS, Brown DM, Lindsay TG, Beswick PH, MacNee W, Donaldson K. Adverse health effects of PM10 particles: involvement of iron in generation of hydroxyl radical. Occup Environ Med 1996; 53:817-22. [PMID: 8994401 PMCID: PMC1128615 DOI: 10.1136/oem.53.12.817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 158] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Environmental particles < 10 microns average aerodynamic diameter (PM10) are associated with mortality, exacerbation of airways diseases, and decrement in lung function. It is hypothesised that PM10 particles, along with other pathogenic particles, generate free radicals at their surface in reactions involving iron, and that this is a factor in the pathogenicity of PM10 particles. Identification of free radical activity in PM10 and examination of the content and role of iron in this process was undertaken. METHODS Free radical activity was detected with a supercoiled plasmid, phi X174 RF1 DNA, and measured as scission of the supercoiled DNA (mediated by free radicals) by scanning laser densitometry. The role of the hydroxyl radical was confirmed by the use of the specific scavenger mannitol, and the role of iron investigated with the iron chelator desferrioxamine-B (DSF-B). Iron released from PM10 particles at pH 7.2 and pH 4.6 (to mimic conditions on the lung surface and in macrophage phagolysosomes, respectively) was assessed spectrophotometrically with the Fe++ chelator ferrozine and the Fe+ + + chelator DSF-B. RESULTS PM10 particles showed significant free radical activity by their ability to degrade supercoiled DNA. A substantial part of this activity was due to the generation of hydroxyl radicals, as shown by partial protection with mannitol. Similarly, DSF-B also conferred protection against the damage caused to plasmid DNA indicating the role of iron in generation of hydroxyl radicals. Negligible Fe++ was released at either pH 7.2 or pH 4.6 by contrast with Fe+ + +, which was released in substantial quantities at both pHs, although twice as much was released at pH 4.6. CONCLUSIONS PM10 particles generate the hydroxyl radical, a highly deleterious free radical, in aqueous solution. This occurs by an iron dependent process and hydroxyl radicals could play a part in the pathogenicity of PM10 particles. Iron release was greatest at the pH of the lysosome (pH 4.6) indicating that iron may be mobilised inside macrophages after phagocytosis, leading to oxidative stress in the macrophages.
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Affiliation(s)
- P S Gilmour
- Department of Biological Sciences and Advanced Materials Centre, Napier University, Edinburgh, Scotland
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Abstract
Any foreign body containing iron may be (or become) highly toxic in vivo. If its solubility in water is poor, surface chemistry governs the reactivity at the solid-liquid interface. Iron toxicity thus increases with the extent of exposed surface. Iron of endogenous origin may also be deposited on the particle surface and be activated under particular circumstances. The chemical processes that implicate surface iron as a primary cause of toxicity are: free radical release, mobilization by chelators, iron-catalyzed reactions. Three kinds of solids are compared: (i) well-known toxic materials, for example asbestos; (ii) non-toxic iron oxides; and (iii) model solids with surface exposed iron prepared for investigations on the reactivity of iron in biological media. The iron content of the solid is not directly related to the biological response: only a small fraction of ions, in a well-defined coordination and redox state, appears involved in the toxicity of the mineral dust.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Fubini
- Università di Torino, Facoltà di Farmacia, Dipartimento di Chimica Inorganica, Chimica Fisica e Chimica dei Materiali, Italy
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