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Abstract
Heavy metals are harmful environmental pollutants that have attracted widespread attention due to their health hazards to human cardiovascular disease. Heavy metals, including lead, cadmium, mercury, arsenic, and chromium, are found in various sources such as air, water, soil, food, and industrial products. Recent research strongly suggests a connection between cardiovascular disease and exposure to toxic heavy metals. Epidemiological, basic, and clinical studies have revealed that heavy metals can promote the production of reactive oxygen species, which can then exacerbate reactive oxygen species generation and induce inflammation, resulting in endothelial dysfunction, lipid metabolism distribution, disruption of ion homeostasis, and epigenetic changes. Over time, heavy metal exposure eventually results in an increased risk of hypertension, arrhythmia, and atherosclerosis. Strengthening public health prevention and the application of chelation or antioxidants, such as vitamins and beta-carotene, along with minerals, such as selenium and zinc, can diminish the burden of cardiovascular disease attributable to metal exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziwei Pan
- Key Laboratory of Combined Multi Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Public Health, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China (Z.P., P.L.)
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China (Z.P., P.L.)
| | - Tingyu Gong
- Shulan International Medical College, Zhejiang Shuren University, Hangzhou, China (T.G.)
| | - Ping Liang
- Key Laboratory of Combined Multi Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Public Health, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China (Z.P., P.L.)
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China (Z.P., P.L.)
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2
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Durante W. Glutamine Deficiency Promotes Immune and Endothelial Cell Dysfunction in COVID-19. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:7593. [PMID: 37108759 PMCID: PMC10144995 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24087593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused the death of almost 7 million people worldwide. While vaccinations and new antiviral drugs have greatly reduced the number of COVID-19 cases, there remains a need for additional therapeutic strategies to combat this deadly disease. Accumulating clinical data have discovered a deficiency of circulating glutamine in patients with COVID-19 that associates with disease severity. Glutamine is a semi-essential amino acid that is metabolized to a plethora of metabolites that serve as central modulators of immune and endothelial cell function. A majority of glutamine is metabolized to glutamate and ammonia by the mitochondrial enzyme glutaminase (GLS). Notably, GLS activity is upregulated in COVID-19, favoring the catabolism of glutamine. This disturbance in glutamine metabolism may provoke immune and endothelial cell dysfunction that contributes to the development of severe infection, inflammation, oxidative stress, vasospasm, and coagulopathy, which leads to vascular occlusion, multi-organ failure, and death. Strategies that restore the plasma concentration of glutamine, its metabolites, and/or its downstream effectors, in conjunction with antiviral drugs, represent a promising therapeutic approach that may restore immune and endothelial cell function and prevent the development of occlusive vascular disease in patients stricken with COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- William Durante
- Department of Medical Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65212, USA
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Rahaman MS, Mise N, Ikegami A, Zong C, Ichihara G, Ichihara S. The mechanism of low-level arsenic exposure-induced hypertension: Inhibition of the activity of the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 318:137911. [PMID: 36669534 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.137911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Revised: 01/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
It is now well-established that arsenic exposure induces hypertension in humans. Although arsenic-induced hypertension is reported in many epidemiological studies, the underlying molecular mechanism of arsenic-induced hypertension is not fully characterized. In the human body, blood pressure is primarily regulated by a well-known physiological system known as the renin-angiotensin system (RAS). Hence, we explored the potential molecular mechanisms of arsenic-induced hypertension by investigating the regulatory roles of the RAS. Adult C57BL/6JJcl male mice were divided into four groups according to the concentration of arsenic in drinking water (0, 8, 80, and 800 ppb) provided for 8 weeks. Arsenic significantly raised blood pressure in arsenic-exposed mice compared to the control group, and significantly raised plasma MDA and Ang II and reduced Ang (1-7) levels. RT-PCR results showed that arsenic significantly downregulated ACE2 and MasR in mice aortas. In vitro studies of endothelial HUVEC cells treated with arsenic showed increased level of MDA and Ang II and lower levels of Ang (1-7), compared with the control. Arsenic significantly downregulated ACE2 and MasR expression, as well as those of Sp1 and SIRT1; transcriptional activators of ACE2, in HUVECs. Arsenic also upregulated markers of endothelial dysfunction (MCP-1, ICAM-1) and inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α) in HUVECs. Our findings suggest that arsenic-induced hypertension is mediated, at least in part, by oxidative stress-mediated inhibition of ACE2 as well as by suppressing the vasoprotective axes of RAS, in addition to the activation of the classical axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Shiblur Rahaman
- Department of Environmental and Preventive Medicine, Jichi Medical University School of Medicine, 3311-1 Yakushiji, Shimotsuke, Tochigi, 329-0498, Japan; Department of Environmental Science and Disaster Management, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali, 3814, Bangladesh; Graduate School of Environmental Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0810, Japan
| | - Nathan Mise
- Department of Environmental and Preventive Medicine, Jichi Medical University School of Medicine, 3311-1 Yakushiji, Shimotsuke, Tochigi, 329-0498, Japan
| | - Akihiko Ikegami
- Department of Environmental and Preventive Medicine, Jichi Medical University School of Medicine, 3311-1 Yakushiji, Shimotsuke, Tochigi, 329-0498, Japan
| | - Cai Zong
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokyo University of Science, 2641 Yamazaki, Noda, 278-8510, Japan
| | - Gaku Ichihara
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokyo University of Science, 2641 Yamazaki, Noda, 278-8510, Japan
| | - Sahoko Ichihara
- Department of Environmental and Preventive Medicine, Jichi Medical University School of Medicine, 3311-1 Yakushiji, Shimotsuke, Tochigi, 329-0498, Japan.
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Balarastaghi S, Rezaee R, Hayes AW, Yarmohammadi F, Karimi G. Mechanisms of Arsenic Exposure-Induced Hypertension and Atherosclerosis: an Updated Overview. Biol Trace Elem Res 2023; 201:98-113. [PMID: 35167029 DOI: 10.1007/s12011-022-03153-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 02/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Arsenic is an abundant element in the earth's crust. In the environment and within the human body, this toxic element can be found in both organic and inorganic forms. Chronic exposure to arsenic can predispose humans to cardiovascular diseases including hypertension, stroke, atherosclerosis, and blackfoot disease. Oxidative damage induced by reactive oxygen species is a major player in arsenic-induced toxicity, and it can affect genes expression, inflammatory responses, and/or nitric oxide homeostasis. Exposure to arsenic in drinking water can lead to vascular endothelial dysfunction which is reflected by an imbalance between vascular relaxation and contraction. Arsenic has been shown to inactivate endothelial nitric oxide synthase leading to a reduction of the generation and bioavailability of nitric oxide. Ultimately, these effects increase the risk of vascular diseases such as hypertension and atherosclerosis. The present article reviews how arsenic exposure contributes to hypertension and atherosclerosis development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soudabeh Balarastaghi
- Department of Pharmacodynamics and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Ramin Rezaee
- International UNESCO Center for Health-Related Basic Sciences and Human Nutrition, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
- Applied Biomedical Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - A Wallace Hayes
- Center for Environmental Occupational Risk Analysis and Management, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Fatemeh Yarmohammadi
- Department of Pharmacodynamics and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Gholamreza Karimi
- Department of Pharmacodynamics and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
- Pharmaceutical Research Center, Pharmaceutical Technology Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
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Wang Y, Zhang J, Zhang X, Zhang H, Cao X, Hu T, Lin J, Tang X, Chen X, Jiang Y, Yan X, Zhuang H, Luo P, Shen L. Study on the Mechanism of Arsenic-Induced Lung Injury Based on SWATH Proteomics Technology. Biol Trace Elem Res 2022:10.1007/s12011-022-03466-2. [PMID: 36333559 DOI: 10.1007/s12011-022-03466-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Chronic arsenic poisoning is a global health problem that affects millions of people, and studies have found that long-term ingestion of arsenic-containing compounds can lead to lung damage, but the exact mechanism is unknown. In this study, Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were used as the research object, and the proteomic analysis method based on sequential window acquisition of all theoretical fragment ions (SWATH) was used to detect the changes in the expression levels of related proteins in the lung tissue of arsenic-exposed rats, and to explore the mechanism of arsenic compound-induced lung injury. The results showed that arsenic exposure resulted in the abnormal expression of collagen type III and proteins involved in metabolic, immune, and cellular processes, leading to the dysfunction of important pathways associated with these proteins, resulting in lung injury. It suggested that the underlying mechanism of arsenic-induced lung injury may be related to oxidative stress, immune injury, cell junction, and collagen type III. This result provides a new research idea for revealing the mechanism of lung injury caused by arsenic exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Wang
- School of Public Health, the key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Ministry of Education, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, People's Republic of China
| | - Jun Zhang
- School of Public Health, the key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Ministry of Education, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, People's Republic of China
| | - Xinglai Zhang
- School of Public Health, the key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Ministry of Education, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, People's Republic of China
| | - Huajie Zhang
- College of Life Science and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, People's Republic of China
| | - Xueshan Cao
- College of Life Science and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, People's Republic of China
| | - Ting Hu
- School of Public Health, the key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Ministry of Education, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, People's Republic of China
| | - Jing Lin
- College of Life Science and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaoxiao Tang
- College of Life Science and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaolu Chen
- School of Public Health, the key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Ministry of Education, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuxuan Jiang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, People's Republic of China
| | - Xi Yan
- School of Public Health, the key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Ministry of Education, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, People's Republic of China
| | - Hongbin Zhuang
- College of Life Science and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, People's Republic of China
| | - Peng Luo
- School of Public Health, the key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Ministry of Education, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, People's Republic of China.
| | - Liming Shen
- School of Public Health, the key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Ministry of Education, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, People's Republic of China.
- College of Life Science and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, People's Republic of China.
- Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen, 518055, People's Republic of China.
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Farzan SF, Eunus HM, Haque SE, Sarwar G, Hasan AR, Wu F, Islam T, Ahmed A, Shahriar M, Jasmine F, Kibriya MG, Parvez F, Karagas MR, Chen Y, Ahsan H. Arsenic exposure from drinking water and endothelial dysfunction in Bangladeshi adolescents. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 208:112697. [PMID: 35007543 PMCID: PMC8917065 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.112697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2021] [Revised: 01/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, with ∼80% of CVD-related deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries. Growing evidence suggests that chronic arsenic exposure may contribute to CVD through its effect on endothelial function in adults. However, few studies have examined the influence of arsenic exposure on cardiovascular health in children and adolescents. To examine arsenic's relation to preclinical markers of endothelial dysfunction, we enrolled 200 adolescent children (ages 15-19 years; median 17) of adult participants in the Health Effects of Arsenic Longitudinal Study (HEALS), in Araihazar, Bangladesh. Participants' arsenic exposure was determined by recall of lifetime well usage for drinking water. As part of HEALS, wells were color-coded to indicate arsenic level (<10 μg/L, 10-50 μg/L, >50 μg/L). Endothelial function was measured by recording fingertip arterial pulsatile volume change and reactive hyperemia index (RHI) score, an independent CVD risk factor, was calculated from these measurements. In linear regression models adjusted for participant's sex, age, education, maternal education, land ownership and body weight, individuals who reported always drinking water from wells with >50 μg/L arsenic had a 11.75% lower level of RHI (95% CI: -21.26, -1.09, p = 0.03), as compared to participants who drank exclusively from wells with ≤50 μg/L arsenic. Sex-stratified analyses suggest that these associations were stronger in female participants. As compared to individuals who drank exclusively from wells with ≤50 μg/L arsenic, the use of wells with >50 μg/L arsenic was associated with 14.36% lower RHI (95% CI: -25.69, -1.29, p = 0.03) in females, as compared to 5.35% lower RHI (95% CI: -22.28, 15.37, p = 0.58) in males for the same comparison. Our results suggest that chronic arsenic exposure may be related to endothelial dysfunction in adolescents, especially among females. Further work is needed to confirm these findings and examine whether these changes may increase risk of later adverse cardiovascular health events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shohreh F Farzan
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | | | | | | | | | - Fen Wu
- Department of Population Health, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | | | | | - Mohammad Shahriar
- UChicago Research Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh; Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Farzana Jasmine
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Muhammad G Kibriya
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Faruque Parvez
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Margaret R Karagas
- Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Yu Chen
- Department of Population Health, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Habibul Ahsan
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
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Durante W. The Emerging Role of l-Glutamine in Cardiovascular Health and Disease. Nutrients 2019; 11:nu11092092. [PMID: 31487814 PMCID: PMC6769761 DOI: 10.3390/nu11092092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2019] [Revised: 08/29/2019] [Accepted: 08/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Emerging evidence indicates that l-glutamine (Gln) plays a fundamental role in cardiovascular physiology and pathology. By serving as a substrate for the synthesis of DNA, ATP, proteins, and lipids, Gln drives critical processes in vascular cells, including proliferation, migration, apoptosis, senescence, and extracellular matrix deposition. Furthermore, Gln exerts potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects in the circulation by inducing the expression of heme oxygenase-1, heat shock proteins, and glutathione. Gln also promotes cardiovascular health by serving as an l-arginine precursor to optimize nitric oxide synthesis. Importantly, Gln mitigates numerous risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia, glucose intolerance, obesity, and diabetes. Many studies demonstrate that Gln supplementation protects against cardiometabolic disease, ischemia-reperfusion injury, sickle cell disease, cardiac injury by inimical stimuli, and may be beneficial in patients with heart failure. However, excessive shunting of Gln to the Krebs cycle can precipitate aberrant angiogenic responses and the development of pulmonary arterial hypertension. In these instances, therapeutic targeting of the enzymes involved in glutaminolysis such as glutaminase-1, Gln synthetase, glutamate dehydrogenase, and amino acid transaminase has shown promise in preclinical models. Future translation studies employing Gln delivery approaches and/or glutaminolysis inhibitors will determine the success of targeting Gln in cardiovascular disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- William Durante
- Department of Medical Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65212, USA.
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Suntararuks S, Worasuttayangkurn L, Akanimanee J, Suriyo T, Nookabkaew S, Srisamut N, Visitnonthachai D, Watcharasit P, Satayavivad J. Sodium arsenite exposure impairs B cell proliferation and enhances vascular inflammation in Plasmodium berghei mouse model. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND PHARMACOLOGY 2019; 66:7-13. [PMID: 30593951 DOI: 10.1016/j.etap.2018.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2018] [Revised: 11/21/2018] [Accepted: 12/14/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Arsenic exposure has been linked to an impaired immune response and inflammation. Our study investigated the effects of sodium arsenite on host immune response and vascular inflammation during malarial infection. Mice were divided into three groups: control (C), Plasmodium berghei infection (I) and sodium arsenite exposure with Plasmodium berghei infection (As-I). The results showed that splenocyte proliferation stimulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and pokeweed mitogen (PWM) was suppressed in the I group, and the suppression was more pronounced in the As-I group, suggesting that acquired immunity in infected mice was worsening following arsenic exposure. ICAM-1, an adhesion protein involved in parasite-infected red blood cell (iRBC) binding to endothelium, and HIF-1α, a hypoxia marker protein in the descending aorta, were increased in the As-I group compared to the I group. Collectively, our results suggest that arsenic may increase host susceptibility to malaria through suppression of B cell proliferation and enhancement of adhesion between iRBC and endothelium by increasing ICAM-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sumitra Suntararuks
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Chulabhorn Research Institute, Bangkok 10210, Thailand
| | | | - Jaratluck Akanimanee
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Chulabhorn Research Institute, Bangkok 10210, Thailand
| | - Tawit Suriyo
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Chulabhorn Research Institute, Bangkok 10210, Thailand; Center of Excellence on Environmental Health and Toxicology (EHT), Office of Higher Education Commission, Ministry of Education, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | - Sumontha Nookabkaew
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Chulabhorn Research Institute, Bangkok 10210, Thailand
| | - Nujorn Srisamut
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Chulabhorn Research Institute, Bangkok 10210, Thailand
| | | | - Piyajit Watcharasit
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Chulabhorn Research Institute, Bangkok 10210, Thailand; Center of Excellence on Environmental Health and Toxicology (EHT), Office of Higher Education Commission, Ministry of Education, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | - Jutamaad Satayavivad
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Chulabhorn Research Institute, Bangkok 10210, Thailand; Center of Excellence on Environmental Health and Toxicology (EHT), Office of Higher Education Commission, Ministry of Education, Bangkok 10400, Thailand.
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Farzan SF, Brickley EB, Li Z, Gilbert-Diamond D, Gossai A, Chen Y, Howe CG, Palys T, Karagas MR. Maternal and infant inflammatory markers in relation to prenatal arsenic exposure in a U.S. pregnancy cohort. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2017; 156:426-433. [PMID: 28410520 PMCID: PMC5477637 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2017.03.056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2016] [Revised: 03/27/2017] [Accepted: 03/30/2017] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Accumulating evidence indicates that arsenic (As), a potent environmental toxicant, may increase cardiovascular disease risk and adversely affect endothelial function at high levels of exposure. Pregnancy is a vulnerable time for both mother and child; however, studies examining the association between prenatal As exposure and plasma biomarkers of inflammation and endothelial function in mothers and newborns are lacking. METHODS We examined maternal urinary As levels at gestational weeks 24-28 and levels of inflammatory biomarkers in plasma from 563 pregnant women and 500 infants' cord blood. We assessed a multiplexed panel of circulating inflammatory and endothelial function markers, including tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα), monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP1), intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM1). RESULTS Compared with the bottom tertile, the highest tertile of maternal urinary As during pregnancy was associated with a 145.2ng/ml (95% CI 4.1, 286.3; p=0.04) increase in cord blood ICAM1 and 557.3ng/ml (95% CI -56.4, 1171.1; p=0.09) increase in cord blood VCAM1. Among mothers, the highest tertile of maternal urinary As during pregnancy was related to a 141.8ng/ml (95% CI 26.1, 257.5; p=0.02) increase maternal plasma VCAM1 levels. Urinary As was unrelated to MCP1 or TNFα in maternal plasma and cord blood. In structural equation models, the association between maternal urinary As and infant VCAM was mediated by maternal levels of VCAM (βmediation: 0.024, 95% CI: 0.002, 0.050). CONCLUSION Our observations indicate that As exposure during pregnancy may affect markers of vascular health and endothelial function in both pregnant women and children, and suggest further investigation of the potential impacts on cardiovascular health in these susceptible populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shohreh F Farzan
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Elizabeth B Brickley
- Children's Environmental Health & Disease Prevention Research Center at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, USA and Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH, USA
| | - Zhigang Li
- Children's Environmental Health & Disease Prevention Research Center at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, USA and Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH, USA
| | - Diane Gilbert-Diamond
- Children's Environmental Health & Disease Prevention Research Center at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, USA and Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH, USA
| | - Anala Gossai
- Children's Environmental Health & Disease Prevention Research Center at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, USA and Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH, USA
| | - Yu Chen
- Department of Population Health, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Caitlin G Howe
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Thomas Palys
- Children's Environmental Health & Disease Prevention Research Center at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, USA and Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH, USA
| | - Margaret R Karagas
- Children's Environmental Health & Disease Prevention Research Center at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, USA and Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH, USA
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Wu F, Jasmine F, Kibriya MG, Liu M, Cheng X, Parvez F, Paul-Brutus R, Paul RR, Sarwar G, Ahmed A, Jiang J, Islam T, Slavkovich V, Rundek T, Demmer RT, Desvarieux M, Ahsan H, Chen Y. Interaction between arsenic exposure from drinking water and genetic susceptibility in carotid intima-media thickness in Bangladesh. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2014; 276:195-203. [PMID: 24593923 DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2014.02.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2013] [Revised: 02/19/2014] [Accepted: 02/22/2014] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Epidemiologic studies that evaluated genetic susceptibility for the effects of arsenic exposure from drinking water on subclinical atherosclerosis are limited. We conducted a cross-sectional study of 1078 participants randomly selected from the Health Effects of Arsenic Longitudinal Study in Bangladesh to evaluate whether the association between arsenic exposure and carotid artery intima-media thickness (cIMT) differs by 207 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 18 genes related to arsenic metabolism, oxidative stress, inflammation, and endothelial dysfunction. Although not statistically significant after correcting for multiple testing, nine SNPs in APOE, AS3MT, PNP, and TNF genes had a nominally statistically significant interaction with well-water arsenic in cIMT. For instance, the joint presence of a higher level of well-water arsenic (≥ 40.4 μg/L) and the GG genotype of AS3MT rs3740392 was associated with a difference of 40.9 μm (95% CI = 14.4, 67.5) in cIMT, much greater than the difference of cIMT associated with the genotype alone (β = -5.1 μm, 95% CI = -31.6, 21.3) or arsenic exposure alone (β = 7.2 μm, 95% CI = -3.1, 17.5). The pattern and magnitude of the interactions were similar when urinary arsenic was used as the exposure variable. Additionally, the at-risk genotypes of the AS3MT SNPs were positively related to the proportion of monomethylarsonic acid (MMA) in urine, which is indicative of arsenic methylation capacity. The findings provide novel evidence that genetic variants related to arsenic metabolism may play an important role in arsenic-induced subclinical atherosclerosis. Future replication studies in diverse populations are needed to confirm the findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fen Wu
- Department of Population Health, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Department of Environmental Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Farzana Jasmine
- Department of Health Studies, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA; The University of Chicago Comprehensive Cancer Center, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Muhammad G Kibriya
- Department of Health Studies, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA; The University of Chicago Comprehensive Cancer Center, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Mengling Liu
- Department of Population Health, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Department of Environmental Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Xin Cheng
- Department of Population Health, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Department of Environmental Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Faruque Parvez
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York City, NY, USA
| | - Rachelle Paul-Brutus
- Department of Health Studies, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA; The University of Chicago Comprehensive Cancer Center, Chicago, IL, USA
| | | | - Golam Sarwar
- U-Chicago Research Bangladesh, Ltd., Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | | | - Jieying Jiang
- Department of Population Health, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Department of Environmental Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Tariqul Islam
- U-Chicago Research Bangladesh, Ltd., Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Vesna Slavkovich
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York City, NY, USA
| | - Tatjana Rundek
- Department of Neurology, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA; Department of Public Health Sciences, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Ryan T Demmer
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York City, NY, USA
| | - Moise Desvarieux
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York City, NY, USA
| | - Habibul Ahsan
- Department of Health Studies, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA; The University of Chicago Comprehensive Cancer Center, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Yu Chen
- Department of Population Health, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Department of Environmental Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
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11
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Oral glutamine supplement inhibits ascites formation in peritoneal carcinomatosis mouse model. Gastroenterol Res Pract 2013; 2013:814054. [PMID: 24194753 PMCID: PMC3806239 DOI: 10.1155/2013/814054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2013] [Accepted: 09/12/2013] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Background. Peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC) accompanied with ascites formation causes several distressing symptoms, resulting in poor quality of life. Methods. Twenty BALB/c nude mice generated by direct orthotopic injection of human pancreatic cancer PANC-1 cells were randomized to receive either a stock laboratory diet or a stock diet supplemented with glutamine. Half of the mice were sacrificed at day 76 to measure the amount of ascitic fluid and pancreatic tumor volume. The remaining mice were subject to survival analysis. Serum albumin levels were estimated every 2 weeks. Results. At day 76, the average amount of ascitic fluid measured in the control group was 1.2 ± 0.3 mL compared to 0.5 ± 0.5 mL from the glutamine-supplemented mice (P = 0.045). The volume of pancreatic tumor was 2.60 ± 0.8 cm3 in the control group and 1.98 ± 1.3 cm3 in glutamine-supplemented mice (P = 0.39). The mean survival time of glutamine-supplemented mice was prolonged from 87 ± 4 to 101 ± 2 days (P = 0.0024). Mean serum albumin levels were higher in the glutamine-supplemented group. Conclusions. This preclinical study showed that oral supplementation of glutamine may provide ascites-reducing activity in pancreatic cancer patients with PC, via a cell-mediated immunity-independent mechanism.
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Wu F, Jasmine F, Kibriya MG, Liu M, Wójcik O, Parvez F, Rahaman R, Roy S, Paul-Brutus R, Segers S, Slavkovich V, Islam T, Levy D, Mey JL, van Geen A, Graziano JH, Ahsan H, Chen Y. Association between arsenic exposure from drinking water and plasma levels of cardiovascular markers. Am J Epidemiol 2012; 175:1252-61. [PMID: 22534204 PMCID: PMC3372314 DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwr464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2011] [Accepted: 11/14/2011] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The authors conducted a cross-sectional study to assess the relation between arsenic exposure from drinking water and plasma levels of markers of systemic inflammation and endothelial dysfunction (matrix metalloproteinase-9, myeloperoxidase, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, soluble E-selectin, soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), and soluble vascular adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1)) using baseline data from 668 participants (age, >30 years) in the Health Effects of Arsenic Longitudinal Study in Bangladesh (2007-2008). Both well water arsenic and urinary arsenic were positively associated with plasma levels of soluble VCAM-1. For every 1-unit increase in log-transformed well water arsenic (ln μg/L) and urinary arsenic (ln μg/g creatinine), plasma soluble VCAM-1 was 1.02 (95% confidence interval: 1.01, 1.03) and 1.04 (95% confidence interval: 1.01, 1.07) times greater, respectively. There was a significant interaction between arsenic exposure and higher body mass index, such that the increased levels of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 and soluble VCAM-1 associated with arsenic exposure were stronger among people with higher body mass index. The findings indicate an effect of chronic arsenic exposure from drinking water on vascular inflammation and endothelial dysfunction that could be modified by body mass index and also suggest a potential mechanism underlying the association between arsenic exposure and cardiovascular disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Yu Chen
- Correspondence to Dr. Yu Chen, Departments of Environmental Medicine and Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, 650 First Avenue, Room 510, New York, NY 10016 (e-mail: )
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Inflammatory responses induced by fluoride and arsenic at toxic concentration in rabbit aorta. Arch Toxicol 2012; 86:849-56. [PMID: 22422340 DOI: 10.1007/s00204-012-0803-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2011] [Accepted: 01/12/2012] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Epidemiological and experimental studies have demonstrated the atherogenic effects of environmental toxicant arsenic and fluoride. Inflammatory mechanism plays an important role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. The aim of the present study is to determine the effect of chronic exposure to arsenic and fluoride alone or combined on inflammatory response in rabbit aorta. We analyzed the expression of genes involved in leukocyte adhesion [P-selectin (P-sel) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1(VCAM-1)], recruitment and transendothelial migration of leukocyte [interleukin-8 (IL-8) and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1)] and those involved in pro-inflammatory cytokines [interleukin-6 (IL-6)]. We found that fluoride and arsenic alone or combined increased the expression of VCAM-1, P-sel, MCP-1, IL-8, and IL-6 at the RNA and protein levels. The gene expressions of inflammatory-related molecules were attenuated when co-exposure to the two toxicants compared with just one of them. We also examined the lipid profile of rabbits exposed to fluoride and (or) arsenic. The results showed that fluoride slightly increased the serum lipids but arsenic decreased serum triglyceride. We showed that inflammatory responses but not lipid metabolic disorder may play a crucial role in the mechanism of the cardiovascular toxicity of arsenic and fluoride.
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Down-regulation of glutamine synthetase enhances migration of rat astrocytes after in vitro injury. Neurochem Int 2010; 58:404-13. [PMID: 21193003 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2010.12.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2010] [Revised: 12/20/2010] [Accepted: 12/20/2010] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Astrocytes undergo reactive transformation in response to physical injury (reactive gliosis) that may impede neural repair. Glutamine synthetase (GS) is highly expressed by astrocytes, and serves a neuroprotective function by converting cytotoxic glutamate and ammonia into glutamine. Glutamine synthetase was down-regulated in reactive astrocytes at the site of mechanical spinal cord injury (SCI) and in cultured astrocytes at the margins of a scratch wound, suggesting that GS may modulate reactive transformation and glial scar development. We evaluated this potential function of GS using siRNA-mediated GS knock-down. Suppression of astrocytic GS by GS siRNA increased cell migration into the scratch wound zone and decreased substrate adhesion as indicated by the number of focal adhesions expressing the adaptor protein paxillin. Migration was enhanced by glutamine and suppressed by glutamate, in contrast to the result expected if enhanced migration was due solely to changes in glutamine and glutamate concomitant with reduced GS activity. The membrane type 1-matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) was up-regulated in GS siRNA-treated astrocytes, while a broad-spectrum MMP antagonist inhibited migration in both wild type and GS knock-down astrocytes. In addition, GS siRNA inhibited expression of integrin β1, while antibody-mediated inhibition of integrin β1 impaired direction-specific protrusion and motility. Thus, GS may modulate motility and substrate adhesion through transmembrane integrin β1 signaling to the cytoskeleton and by MMT-mediated proteolysis of the extracellular matrix.
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Chen Y, Parvez F, Gamble M, Islam T, Ahmed A, Argos M, Graziano JH, Ahsan H. Arsenic exposure at low-to-moderate levels and skin lesions, arsenic metabolism, neurological functions, and biomarkers for respiratory and cardiovascular diseases: review of recent findings from the Health Effects of Arsenic Longitudinal Study (HEALS) in Bangladesh. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2009; 239:184-92. [PMID: 19371619 DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2009.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 177] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2008] [Revised: 12/05/2008] [Accepted: 01/19/2009] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The contamination of groundwater by arsenic in Bangladesh is a major public health concern affecting 35-75 million people. Although it is evident that high levels (>300 microg/L) of arsenic exposure from drinking water are related to adverse health outcomes, health effects of arsenic exposure at low-to-moderate levels (10-300 microg/L) are not well understood. We established the Health Effects of Arsenic Longitudinal Study (HEALS) with more than 20,000 men and women in Araihazar, Bangladesh, to prospectively investigate the health effects of arsenic predominantly at low-to-moderate levels (0.1 to 864 microg/L, mean 99 microg/L) of arsenic exposure. Findings to date suggest adverse effects of low-to-moderate levels of arsenic exposure on the risk of pre-malignant skin lesions, high blood pressure, neurological dysfunctions, and all-cause and chronic disease mortality. In addition, the data also indicate that the risk of skin lesion due to arsenic exposure is modifiable by nutritional factors, such as folate and selenium status, lifestyle factors, including cigarette smoking and body mass index, and genetic polymorphisms in genes related to arsenic metabolism. The analyses of biomarkers for respiratory and cardiovascular functions support that there may be adverse effects of arsenic on these outcomes and call for confirmation in large studies. A unique strength of the HEALS is the availability of outcome data collected prospectively and data on detailed individual-level arsenic exposure estimated using water, blood and repeated urine samples. Future prospective analyses of clinical endpoints and related host susceptibility will enhance our knowledge on the health effects of low-to-moderate levels of arsenic exposure, elucidate disease mechanisms, and give directions for prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Chen
- Departments of Environmental Medicine and Medicine and New York University Cancer Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
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Pai MH, Chien YW, Tsai YH, Hu YM, Yeh SL. Glutamine reduces the expression of leukocyte integrins leukocyte function–associated antigen-1 and macrophage antigen-1 in mice exposed to arsenic. Nutr Res 2008; 28:544-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nutres.2008.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2007] [Revised: 04/16/2008] [Accepted: 05/09/2008] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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17
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Chen Y, Santella RM, Kibriya MG, Wang Q, Kappil M, Verret WJ, Graziano JH, Ahsan H. Association between arsenic exposure from drinking water and plasma levels of soluble cell adhesion molecules. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2007; 115:1415-20. [PMID: 17938729 PMCID: PMC2022642 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.10277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2007] [Accepted: 07/17/2007] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Epidemiologic studies of cardiovascular disease risk factors and appropriate biomarkers in populations exposed to a wide range of arsenic levels are a public health research priority. OBJECTIVE We investigated the relationship between inorganic arsenic exposure from drinking water and plasma levels of soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) and soluble vascular adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1), both markers of endothelial dysfunction and vascular inflammation, in an arsenic-exposed population in Araihazar, Bangladesh. METHODS The study participants included 115 individuals with arsenic-related skin lesions participating in a 2 x 2 randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial of vitamin E and selenium supplementation. Arsenic exposure status and plasma levels of sICAM-1 and sVCAM-1 were assessed at baseline and after 6 months of follow-up. RESULTS Baseline well arsenic, a long-term measure of arsenic exposure, was positively associated with baseline levels of both sICAM-1 and sVCAM-1 and with changes in the two markers over time. At baseline, for every 1-mug/L increase in well arsenic there was an increase of 0.10 ng/mL [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.00-0.20] and 0.33 ng/mL (95% CI, 0.15-0.51) in plasma sICAM-1 and sVCAM-1, respectively. Every 1-microg/L increase in well arsenic was associated with a rise of 0.11 ng/mL (95% CI, 0.01-0.22) and 0.17 ng/mL (95% CI, 0.00-0.35) in sICAM-1 and sVCAM-1 from baseline to follow-up, respectively, in spite of recent changes in urinary arsenic as well as vitamin E and selenium supplementation during the study period. CONCLUSIONS The findings indicate an effect of chronic arsenic exposure from drinking water on vascular inflammation that persists over time and also suggest a potential mechanism underlying the association between arsenic exposure and cardiovascular disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Chen
- Departments of Environmental Medicine and Medicine, and New York University Cancer Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York 10016, USA.
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