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Gianì F, Allia F, Trovato MA, Masto R, Pellegriti G, Vigneri R. Antioxidant Defense Capacity Is Reduced in Thyroid Stem/Precursor Cells Compared to Differentiated Thyrocytes. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:11509. [PMID: 37511265 PMCID: PMC10380350 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241411509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Revised: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
There is much evidence linking oxidative stress to thyroid cancer, and stem cells are thought to play a key role in the tumor-initiating mechanism. Their vulnerability to oxidative stress is unexplored. This study aimed to comparatively evaluate the antioxidant capacity of stem/precursor thyroid cells and mature thyrocytes. Human stem/precursor cells and mature thyrocytes were exposed to increasing concentrations of menadione, an oxidative-stress-producing agent, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and cell viability were measured. The expression of antioxidant and detoxification genes was measured via qPCR as well as the total antioxidant capacity and the content of glutathione. Menadione elevated ROS generation in stem/precursor thyroid cells more than in mature thyrocytes. The ROS increase was inversely correlated (p = 0.005) with cell viability, an effect that was partially prevented by the antioxidant curcumin. Most thyroid antioxidant defense genes, notably those encoding for the glutathione-generating system and phase I detoxification enzymes, were significantly less expressed in stem/precursor thyroid cells. As a result, the glutathione level and the total antioxidant capacity in stem/precursor thyroid cells were significantly decreased. This reduced antioxidant defense may have clinical implications, making stem/precursor thyroid cells critical targets for environmental conditions that are not detrimental for differentiated thyrocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fiorenza Gianì
- Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Garibaldi-Nesima Medical Center, 95122 Catania, Italy
| | - Fabio Allia
- Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Garibaldi-Nesima Medical Center, 95122 Catania, Italy
| | | | - Roberta Masto
- Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Garibaldi-Nesima Medical Center, 95122 Catania, Italy
| | - Gabriella Pellegriti
- Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Garibaldi-Nesima Medical Center, 95122 Catania, Italy
- Oncology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Riccardo Vigneri
- Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Garibaldi-Nesima Medical Center, 95122 Catania, Italy
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Gianì F, Masto R, Trovato MA, Malandrino P, Russo M, Pellegriti G, Vigneri P, Vigneri R. Heavy Metals in the Environment and Thyroid Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:4052. [PMID: 34439207 PMCID: PMC8393334 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13164052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2021] [Revised: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent decades, the incidence of thyroid cancer has increased more than most other cancers, paralleling the generalized worldwide increase in metal pollution. This review provides an overview of the evidence supporting a possible causative link between the increase in heavy metals in the environment and thyroid cancer. The major novelty is that human thyroid stem/progenitor cells (thyrospheres) chronically exposed to different metals at slightly increased environmentally relevant concentrations show a biphasic increase in proliferation typical of hormesis. The molecular mechanisms include, for all metals investigated, the activation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2) pathway. A metal mixture, at the same concentration of individual metals, was more effective. Under the same conditions, mature thyrocytes were unaffected. Preliminary data with tungsten indicate that, after chronic exposure, additional abnormalities may occur and persist in thyrocytes derived from exposed thyrospheres, leading to a progeny population of transformation-prone thyroid cells. In a rat model predisposed to develop thyroid cancer, long-term exposure to low levels of metals accelerated and worsened histological signs of malignancy in the thyroid. These studies provide new insight on metal toxicity and carcinogenicity occurring in thyroid cells at a low stage of differentiation when chronically exposed to metal concentrations that are slightly increased, albeit still in the "normal" range.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fiorenza Gianì
- Endocrinology, Garibaldi-Nesima Medical Center, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, 95122 Catania, Italy; (F.G.); (R.M.); (P.M.); (M.R.); (G.P.)
| | - Roberta Masto
- Endocrinology, Garibaldi-Nesima Medical Center, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, 95122 Catania, Italy; (F.G.); (R.M.); (P.M.); (M.R.); (G.P.)
| | | | - Pasqualino Malandrino
- Endocrinology, Garibaldi-Nesima Medical Center, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, 95122 Catania, Italy; (F.G.); (R.M.); (P.M.); (M.R.); (G.P.)
| | - Marco Russo
- Endocrinology, Garibaldi-Nesima Medical Center, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, 95122 Catania, Italy; (F.G.); (R.M.); (P.M.); (M.R.); (G.P.)
| | - Gabriella Pellegriti
- Endocrinology, Garibaldi-Nesima Medical Center, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, 95122 Catania, Italy; (F.G.); (R.M.); (P.M.); (M.R.); (G.P.)
| | - Paolo Vigneri
- Medical Oncology and Center of Experimental Oncology and Hematology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, A.O.U. Policlinico Vittorio Emanuele, 95125 Catania, Italy;
| | - Riccardo Vigneri
- Endocrinology, Garibaldi-Nesima Medical Center, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, 95122 Catania, Italy; (F.G.); (R.M.); (P.M.); (M.R.); (G.P.)
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Cristallography Institute, Catania Section, via P. Gaifami 18, 95126 Catania, Italy
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Gianì F, Masto R, Trovato MA, Franco A, Pandini G, Vigneri R. Thyroid Stem Cells But Not Differentiated Thyrocytes Are Sensitive to Slightly Increased Concentrations of Heavy Metals. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2021; 12:652675. [PMID: 33953698 PMCID: PMC8092438 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2021.652675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Thyroid cancer incidence is markedly increased in volcanic areas where residents are biocontaminated by chronic lifelong exposure to slightly increased metals in the environment. Metals can influence the biology of living cells by a variety of mechanisms, depending not only on the dose and length of exposure but also on the type and stage of differentiation of target cells. We explored the effect of five heavy metals (Cu, Hg, Pd, W and Zn) at nanomolar concentrations (the biocontamination level in residents of the volcanic area in Sicily where thyroid cancer is increased) on stimulating the proliferation of undifferentiated (thyrospheres) and differentiated human thyroid cells. Thyrosphere proliferation was significantly increased after exposure to each individual metal and a greater stimulating effect was observed when a mixture of the examined metals was used. No effect was seen in differentiated thyrocytes. For all metals, the dose-response curve followed a biphasic pattern that is typical of hormesis. Thyrosphere growth concerned the size rather than number, except with the metal mixture. An altered morphology was also observed in metal-treated thyrospheres. Metal-induced proliferation was due to activation of the ERK1/2 pathway, as confirmed by growth inhibition when ERK1/2 signaling was blocked. These studies show that stem/precursor thyroid cells are sensitive to small increases in environmental metal concentrations that are harmless for differentiated thyrocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fiorenza Gianì
- Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Garibaldi-Nesima Medical Center, Catania, Italy
| | - Roberta Masto
- Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Garibaldi-Nesima Medical Center, Catania, Italy
| | | | - Annarita Franco
- Surgical Oncology, Garibaldi-Nesima Medical Center, Catania, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Pandini
- Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Garibaldi-Nesima Medical Center, Catania, Italy
| | - Riccardo Vigneri
- Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Garibaldi-Nesima Medical Center, Catania, Italy
- Crystallography Institute, National Research Council, CNR Catania Section, Catania, Italy
- *Correspondence: Riccardo Vigneri, ;
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