1
|
Ferri C, Arcangeletti MC, Caselli E, Zakrzewska K, Maccari C, Calderaro A, D'Accolti M, Soffritti I, Arvia R, Sighinolfi G, Artoni E, Giuggioli D. Insights into the knowledge of complex diseases: Environmental infectious/toxic agents as potential etiopathogenetic factors of systemic sclerosis. J Autoimmun 2021; 124:102727. [PMID: 34601207 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaut.2021.102727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2021] [Revised: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a connective tissue disease secondary to three cardinal pathological features: immune-system alterations, diffuse microangiopathy, and fibrosis involving the skin and internal organs. The etiology of SSc remains quite obscure; it may encompass multiple host genetic and environmental -infectious/chemical-factors. The present review focused on the potential role of environmental agents in the etiopathogenesis of SSc based on epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory investigations previously published in the world literature. Among infectious agents, some viruses that may persist and reactivate in infected individuals, namely human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6), and parvovirus B19 (B19V), and retroviruses have been proposed as potential causative agents of SSc. These viruses share a number of biological activities and consequent pathological alterations, such as endothelial dysfunction and/or fibroblast activation. Moreover, the acute worsening of pre-existing interstitial lung involvement observed in SSc patients with symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection might suggest a potential role of this virus in the overall disease outcome. A variety of chemical/occupational agents might be regarded as putative etiological factors of SSc. In this setting, the SSc complicating silica dust exposure represents one of the most promising models of study. Considering the complexity of SSc pathogenesis, none of suggested causative factors may explain the appearance of the whole SSc; it is likely that the disease is the result of a multifactorial and multistep pathogenetic process. A variable combination of potential etiological factors may modulate the appearance of different clinical phenotypes detectable in individual scleroderma patients. The in-deep investigations on the SSc etiopathogenesis may provide useful insights in the broad field of human diseases characterized by diffuse microangiopathy or altered fibrogenesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Clodoveo Ferri
- Rheumatology Unit, Medical School, University of Modena and Reggio E, University-Hospital Policlinico of Modena, Modena, Italy; Rheumatology Unit, Casa di Cura Madonna dello Scoglio, Cotronei (KR), Italy.
| | | | - Elisabetta Caselli
- Section of Microbiology, Department of Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Sciences and LTTA, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Krystyna Zakrzewska
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Clara Maccari
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Adriana Calderaro
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Maria D'Accolti
- Section of Microbiology, Department of Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Sciences and LTTA, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Irene Soffritti
- Section of Microbiology, Department of Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Sciences and LTTA, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Rosaria Arvia
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Gianluca Sighinolfi
- Rheumatology Unit, Medical School, University of Modena and Reggio E, University-Hospital Policlinico of Modena, Modena, Italy.
| | - Erica Artoni
- Rheumatology Unit, Medical School, University of Modena and Reggio E, University-Hospital Policlinico of Modena, Modena, Italy
| | - Dilia Giuggioli
- Rheumatology Unit, Medical School, University of Modena and Reggio E, University-Hospital Policlinico of Modena, Modena, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Ferri C, Artoni E, Sighinolfi GL, Luppi F, Zelent G, Colaci M, Giuggioli D. High serum levels of silica nanoparticles in systemic sclerosis patients with occupational exposure: Possible pathogenetic role in disease phenotypes. Semin Arthritis Rheum 2018; 48:475-481. [DOI: 10.1016/j.semarthrit.2018.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2017] [Revised: 05/31/2018] [Accepted: 06/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
|
3
|
Artoni E, Sighinolfi GL, Gatti AM, Sebastiani M, Colaci M, Giuggioli D, Ferri C. Micro and nanoparticles as possible pathogenetic co-factors in mixed cryoglobulinemia. Occup Med (Lond) 2016; 67:64-67. [PMID: 27694373 DOI: 10.1093/occmed/kqw134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mixed cryoglobulinemia (MC) is a rare multisystem disease whose aetiopathogenesis is not completely understood. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection may have a causative role, and genetic and/or environmental factors may also contribute. AIMS To investigate the presence and possible role of environmental agents in MC. METHODS We recruited 30 HCV-infected MC patients with different clinical manifestations and a control group of 30 healthy, sex-/age-matched volunteers. We collected serum samples from each patient and incubated at 4°C for 7 days to obtain cryoprecipitate samples. We used environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy microanalysis to verify the presence of microparticles (MPs) and nanoparticles (NPs) in serum and cryoprecipitate samples. We evaluated environmental exposure using a medical and occupational history questionnaire for each subject. RESULTS MC patients had a significantly higher risk of occupational exposure (OR 5.6; 95% CI 1.84-17.50) than controls. ESEM evaluation revealed a significantly higher concentration, expressed as number of positive spots (NS), of serum inorganic particles in MC patients compared with controls (mean NS 18, SD = 16 versus NS 5.4, SD = 5.1; P < 0.05). Cryoprecipitate samples of MC patients showed high concentrations of inorganic particles (mean NS 49, SD = 19). We found a strong correlation between NS and cryocrit (i.e. percentage of cryoprecipitate/total serum after centrifugation at 4°C) levels (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS In addition to HCV infection, MPs and NPs might play an important role in the aetiopathogenesis of MC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- E Artoni
- Department of Neuroscience, Biomedical and Metabolic Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena 41125, Italy.,Rheumatology Unit, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena 41124, Italy
| | - G L Sighinolfi
- Rheumatology Unit, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena 41124, Italy,
| | - A M Gatti
- Institute for Advanced Sciences Convergence and International Clean Water Institute, Herndon, VA 20171, USA
| | - M Sebastiani
- Rheumatology Unit, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena 41124, Italy
| | - M Colaci
- Rheumatology Unit, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena 41124, Italy
| | - D Giuggioli
- Rheumatology Unit, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena 41124, Italy
| | - C Ferri
- Rheumatology Unit, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena 41124, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Sighinolfi GL, Artoni E, Gatti AM, Corsi L. Carcinogenic potential of metal nanoparticles in BALB/3T3 cell transformation assay. Environ Toxicol 2016; 31:509-519. [PMID: 25358123 DOI: 10.1002/tox.22063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2014] [Revised: 09/16/2014] [Accepted: 10/01/2014] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Metal-based nanoparticles (NPs), are currently used in many application fields including consumer products, pharmaceuticals, and biomedical treatments. In spite to their wide applications, an in-depth study of their potential toxic effects is still lacking. The aim of the present research was to investigate the potential initiator or promoter-like activity of different metallic NPs such as gold, iron, cobalt, and cerium using the Balb/3T3 two-stage transformation assay. The results indicated that all the selected metallic NPs, except for cobalt, when used as initiators did not induce any transformation in Balb/3T3 cell line. Moreover, Au and Fe3 O4 NPs, when used in place of the tumor promoter treatment TPA, increased significantly the number of Foci/dish as compared to the MCA treatment alone. The number of Foci/dish was 2.6 for Au NPs and 2.13 for Fe3 O4 ones, similar to those obtained by the positive control treatment (MCA + TPA), whereas 1.27 for MCA treatment alone. On the contrary, CeO2 NPs did not show any difference in the number of Foci/dish, as compared to MCA alone, but it decreased the number of foci by 65% in comparison to the positive control (MCA + TPA). As expected, cobalt NPs showed an increased cytotoxicity and only a few surviving cells were found at the time of analysis showing a number of Foci/dish of 0.13. For the first time, our data clearly showed that Au and Fe3 O4 NPs act as promoters in the two stage transformational assay, suggesting the importance to fully investigate the NPs carcinogenic potential with different models.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- G L Sighinolfi
- Life Sciences Department, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - E Artoni
- Department of Neuroscience, Biomedical and Metabolic Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - A M Gatti
- Institute for Advanced Sciences Convergence & Int'l Clean Water Institute, Herndon, Virginia
| | - L Corsi
- Life Sciences Department, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| |
Collapse
|