1
|
Luo X, Sun J, Kong D, Lei Y, Gong F, Zhang T, Shen Z, Wang K, Luo H, Xu Y. The role of germanium in diseases: exploring its important biological effects. J Transl Med 2023; 21:795. [PMID: 37940963 PMCID: PMC10634018 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-023-04643-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023] Open
Abstract
With the development of organic germanium and nanotechnology, germanium serves multiple biological functions, and its potential value in biochemistry and medicine has increasingly captured the attention of researchers. In recent years, germanium has gradually gained significance as a material in the field of biomedicine and shows promising application prospects. However, there has been a limited amount of research conducted on the biological effects and mechanisms of germanium, and a systematic evaluation is still lacking. Therefore, the aim of this review is to systematically examine the application of germanium in the field of biomedicine and contribute new insights for future research on the functions and mechanisms of germanium in disease treatment. By conducting a comprehensive search on MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases, we systematically reviewed the relevant literature on the relationship between germanium and biomedicine. In this review, we will describe the biological activities of germanium in inflammation, immunity, and antioxidation. Furthermore, we will discuss its role in the treatment of neuroscience and oncology-related conditions. This comprehensive exploration of germanium provides a valuable foundation for the future application of this element in disease intervention, diagnosis, and prevention.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Luo
- Yunnan Technological Innovation Centre of Drug Addiction Medicine, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650032, China
- Department of Gastrointestinal and Hernia Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650032, China
| | - Jiaxue Sun
- Yunnan Technological Innovation Centre of Drug Addiction Medicine, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650032, China
- Department of Gastrointestinal and Hernia Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650032, China
| | - Deshenyue Kong
- Yunnan Technological Innovation Centre of Drug Addiction Medicine, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650032, China
- Department of Gastrointestinal and Hernia Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650032, China
| | - Yi Lei
- Department of Gastrointestinal and Hernia Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650032, China
| | - Fangyou Gong
- Department of Gastrointestinal and Hernia Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650032, China
| | - Tong Zhang
- Department of Gastrointestinal and Hernia Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650032, China
| | - Zongwen Shen
- Department of Gastrointestinal and Hernia Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650032, China
| | - Kunhua Wang
- Yunnan Technological Innovation Centre of Drug Addiction Medicine, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650032, China.
- Yunnan University, Kunming, 650032, China.
| | - Huayou Luo
- Department of Gastrointestinal and Hernia Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650032, China.
| | - Yu Xu
- Yunnan Technological Innovation Centre of Drug Addiction Medicine, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650032, China.
- Department of Gastrointestinal and Hernia Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650032, China.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Killilea DW, Killilea AN. Mineral requirements for mitochondrial function: A connection to redox balance and cellular differentiation. Free Radic Biol Med 2022; 182:182-191. [PMID: 35218912 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2022.02.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Revised: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Professor Bruce Ames demonstrated that nutritional recommendations should be adjusted in order to 'tune-up' metabolism and reduce mitochondria decay, a hallmark of aging and many disease processes. A major subset of tunable nutrients are the minerals, which despite being integral to every aspect of metabolism are often deficient in the typical Western diet. Mitochondria are particularly rich in minerals, where they function as essential cofactors for mitochondrial physiology and overall cellular health. Yet substantial knowledge gaps remain in our understanding of the form and function of these minerals needed for metabolic harmony. Some of the minerals have known activities in the mitochondria but with incomplete regulatory detail, whereas other minerals have no established mitochondrial function at all. A comprehensive metallome of the mitochondria is needed to fully understand the patterns and relationships of minerals within metabolic processes and cellular development. This brief overview serves to highlight the current progress towards understanding mineral homeostasis in the mitochondria and to encourage more research activity in key areas. Future work may likely reveal that adjusting the amounts of specific nutritional minerals has longevity benefits for human health.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David W Killilea
- Office of Research, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | - Alison N Killilea
- Department of Molecular & Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Thomas O, Le Bot B, Verrey D, Durand S, Harpet C, Froment A, Jégou B. High lead level in the Alps in XIXth century, learning from the analysis of 138 historical hair stands. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 286:131658. [PMID: 34416585 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.131658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Revised: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Analysis of hair is known to provide useful information about environmental and toxic exposures. Very little historical use has been made of this type of investigation. Here we study 138 human hair samples from 19th century in France. In order to examine the potential association between contamination and historical health impacts, we characterized contamination by 33 elements in a set of hair strands sampled during the last quarter of the 19th century in the Savoy region of France. After a selected washing step on 138 hair strands conserved at the Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle in Paris (France), we assessed the presence of inorganics by ICP/MS, and lead level was higher than values reported in literature. We then compared concentrations and distributions between women and men, sampling locations and crossing gender and geographical origin. Hair lead level was high throughout Savoy at the end of the 19th century: significantly higher for people living in towns or industrial valleys, and lower for those of countryside and mountains areas. Environmental and economic changes (industrialization and urbanization with water adduction and leaded paints), living habits (kitchenware, cosmetics, wine, and tobacco), and local features (mines exploitation, railroad development, and industrialized narrow valleys) could be envisaged for explaining the level of lead contamination. In the same period, the two main industrial valleys of Savoy (Maurienne and Tarentaise) had high rates of endemic goiter and cretinism and among the highest hair lead levels. Other lines of evidence will need to be explore to investigate a possible link between historical Pb exposure and goiter in the study area.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- O Thomas
- Univ Rennes, EHESP, Inserm, Irset (Institut de Recherche en Santé, Environnement et Travail) - UMR_S 1085, F-35000, Rennes, France
| | - B Le Bot
- Univ Rennes, EHESP, Inserm, Irset (Institut de Recherche en Santé, Environnement et Travail) - UMR_S 1085, F-35000, Rennes, France.
| | - D Verrey
- Univ Rennes, EHESP, Inserm, Irset (Institut de Recherche en Santé, Environnement et Travail) - UMR_S 1085, F-35000, Rennes, France
| | - S Durand
- Univ Rennes, EHESP, Inserm, Irset (Institut de Recherche en Santé, Environnement et Travail) - UMR_S 1085, F-35000, Rennes, France
| | - C Harpet
- Univ Rennes, EHESP, Inserm, Irset (Institut de Recherche en Santé, Environnement et Travail) - UMR_S 1085, F-35000, Rennes, France; Univ Rennes, EHESP, CNRS, ARENES-UMR_S 6051, F-35000, Rennes, France
| | - A Froment
- Musée National d'histoire Naturelle (MNHN), Paris, France
| | - B Jégou
- Univ Rennes, EHESP, Inserm, Irset (Institut de Recherche en Santé, Environnement et Travail) - UMR_S 1085, F-35000, Rennes, France
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Muhammad Z, Ramzan R, Zhang R, Zhao D, Gul M, Dong L, Zhang M. Assessment of In Vitro and In Vivo Bioremediation Potentials of Orally Supplemented Free and Microencapsulated Lactobacillus acidophilus KLDS Strains to Mitigate the Chronic Lead Toxicity. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2021; 9:698349. [PMID: 34796165 PMCID: PMC8592972 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2021.698349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Lead (Pb) is a pestilent and relatively nonbiodegradable heavy metal, which causes severe health effects by inducing inflammation and oxidative stress in animal and human tissues. This is because of its significant tolerance and capability to bind Pb (430 mg/L) and thermodynamic fitness to sequester Pb in the Freundlich model (R2 = 0.98421) in vitro. Lactobacillus acidophilus KLDS1.1003 was selected for further in vivo study both in free and maize resistant starch (MRS)–based microencapsulated forms to assess its bioremediation aptitude against chronic Pb lethality using adult female BALB/c mice as a model animal. Orally administered free and microencapsulated KLDS 1.1003 provided significant protection by reducing Pb levels in the blood (127.92 ± 5.220 and 101.47 ± 4.142 µg/L), kidneys (19.86 ± 0.810 and 18.02 ± 0.735 µg/g), and liver (7.27 ± 0.296 and 6.42 ± 0.262 µg/g). MRS-microencapsulated KLDS 1.0344 improved the antioxidant index and inhibited changes in blood and serum enzyme concentrations and relieved the Pb-induced renal and hepatic pathological damages. SEM and EDS microscopy showed that the Pb covered the surfaces of cells and was chiefly bound due to the involvement of the carbon and oxygen elements. Similarly, FTIR showed that the amino, amide, phosphoryl, carboxyl, and hydroxyl functional groups of bacteria and MRS were mainly involved in Pb biosorption. Based on these findings, free and microencapsulated L. acidophilus KLDS 1.0344 could be considered a potential dietetic stratagem in alleviating chronic Pb toxicity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zafarullah Muhammad
- Key Laboratory of Functional Foods, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs/Guangdong Key Laboratory of Agricultural Products Processing, Sericultural & Agri-Food Research Institute, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Rabia Ramzan
- College of Food Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Ruifen Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Functional Foods, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs/Guangdong Key Laboratory of Agricultural Products Processing, Sericultural & Agri-Food Research Institute, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Dong Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Functional Foods, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs/Guangdong Key Laboratory of Agricultural Products Processing, Sericultural & Agri-Food Research Institute, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Mehak Gul
- Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan Medical & Dental College, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Lihong Dong
- Key Laboratory of Functional Foods, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs/Guangdong Key Laboratory of Agricultural Products Processing, Sericultural & Agri-Food Research Institute, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Mingwei Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Functional Foods, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs/Guangdong Key Laboratory of Agricultural Products Processing, Sericultural & Agri-Food Research Institute, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Wang YS, Teng GQ, Zhou H, Dong CL. Germanium Reduces Inflammatory Damage in Mammary Glands During Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Mastitis in Mice. Biol Trace Elem Res 2020; 198:617-626. [PMID: 32144718 DOI: 10.1007/s12011-020-02106-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2020] [Accepted: 02/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Ge is a trace element needed for good nutrition and health protection in animals and humans. Ge can be consumed by drinking or eating or administered by injection and transferred with the blood to exert pharmacological activities. The blood is important in the formation of milk. Mastitis is a serious health hazard in animals and humans. The present study explored the effect of Ge on mastitis and the potential underlying mechanism. A mastitis mouse model was established with LPS. mMECs were prepared for study in vitro. Histopathological changes showed that Ge had a protective effect on mammary gland tissues. Ge inhibited MPO activity to reduce inflammatory cell infiltration during mastitis. ELISA and qPCR results for tissues and cells showed that the expression of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 was decreased and that of IL-10 was increased by Ge in a dose-dependent manner in mastitis. An analysis of protein phosphorylation was performed with sandwich ELISAs for both tissues and mMECs. The results showed that Ge significantly inhibited the phosphorylation of IκB, NF-κB p65, p38, ERK, and JNK, which was dramatically increased by LPS. These results demonstrate that Ge has an inhibitory effect on inflammation that protects mammary gland tissues by inhibiting NF-κB and MAPK pathway activation and reducing TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 expression. Ge may be an effective clinical treatment for mastitis and other inflammatory diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yong-Sheng Wang
- Animal Science and Technology College, Jilin Agricultural Science and Technology University, Jilin, 132101, People's Republic of China.
| | - Guo-Qing Teng
- Animal Science and Technology College, Jilin Agricultural Science and Technology University, Jilin, 132101, People's Republic of China
| | - Han Zhou
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 132101, People's Republic of China
| | - Chun-Liu Dong
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 132101, People's Republic of China
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
|
7
|
Nakhaee S, Amirabadizadeh A, Zarban A, Nasirizade M, Salmani Mood M, Ataei H, Shariatmadari MR, Brent J, Mehrpour O. The reference value of blood lead level among the general adult population of eastern Iran. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND HEALTH. PART A, TOXIC/HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING 2019; 54:1287-1292. [PMID: 31328627 DOI: 10.1080/10934529.2019.1640580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2019] [Revised: 06/23/2019] [Accepted: 06/25/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this study to the estimate the lead concentrations in the blood of the adult population in South Khorasan Province, evaluate factors related to high lead blood concentrations and establish lead reference values (RVs) in our study population. In cross-sectional study, 400 people who lived in the province of South Khorasan in 2017 were selected. Demographic information was collected and clinical examinations were performed. As the geometric means, blood lead concentration (BLC) was expressed, 10th, 50th, 90th, and 95th percentiles, and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of the 95th percentile. The upper limits rounded values of the 95% CI with the 95th percentile were applied to calculate RVs. Mean BLC was 6.02 ± 7.41 µg dL-1, median of BLC was 4.4 µg dL-1 (IQR: 2.9-6.5; range 0.9-54.7 µg dL-1). One hundred and twenty-five (31.2%) participants had BLCs between 5 and 10.0 µg dL-1, 40 (10.0%) between 10 and 20.0 µg dL-1, and 15 (3.8%%) over 20 µg dL-1. The RVs for BLC for men and women were 16 [95% CI: 10.13-15.96] µg dL-1 and 15 [95% CI: 9.81-14.45] µg dL-1, respectively. Higher BLCs were significantly associated with age, gender, hemoglobin, white blood cell count, and serum phosphorus concentration. This bio-monitoring study of BLCs in the general population of South Khorasan Province offers important demographic and lifestyle factors-stratified reference data. It is essential to continue efforts to reduce lead exposure.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Samaneh Nakhaee
- Medical Toxicology and Drug Abuse Research Center (MTDRC), Birjand University of Medical Sciences , Birjand , Iran
| | - Alireza Amirabadizadeh
- Medical Toxicology and Drug Abuse Research Center (MTDRC), Birjand University of Medical Sciences , Birjand , Iran
| | - Asghar Zarban
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Birjand University of Medical Sciences , Birjand , Iran
| | - Manizhe Nasirizade
- Medical Toxicology and Drug Abuse Research Center (MTDRC), Birjand University of Medical Sciences , Birjand , Iran
| | - Maryam Salmani Mood
- Medical Toxicology and Drug Abuse Research Center (MTDRC), Birjand University of Medical Sciences , Birjand , Iran
| | - Homeira Ataei
- Medical Toxicology and Drug Abuse Research Center (MTDRC), Birjand University of Medical Sciences , Birjand , Iran
| | | | - Jeffery Brent
- School of medicine, University of Colorado , Aurora , CO , USA
| | - Omid Mehrpour
- Medical Toxicology and Drug Abuse Research Center (MTDRC), Birjand University of Medical Sciences , Birjand , Iran
- Rocky Mountain Poison & Drug Safety (RMPDS) , Denver , CO , USA
| |
Collapse
|