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Gill RF, Mathieu PA, Lash LH, Rosenspire AJ. Naturally occurring autoimmune disease in (NZB X NZW) F1 mice is correlated with suppression of MZ B cell development due to aberrant B Cell Receptor (BCR) signaling, which is exacerbated by exposure to inorganic mercury. Toxicol Sci 2023; 197:kfad120. [PMID: 37952249 PMCID: PMC10823778 DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfad120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Autoimmune diseases are multifactorial and include environmental as well as genetic drivers. Although much progress has been made in understanding the nature of genetic underpinnings of autoimmune disease, by comparison much less is understood regarding how environmental factors interact with genetics in the development of autoimmunity and autoimmune disease. In this report, we utilize the (NZB X NZW) F1 mouse model of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). Mercury is a xenobiotic that is environmentally ubiquitous and is epidemiologically linked with the development of autoimmunity. Among other attributes of human SLE, (NZB X NZW) F1 mice spontaneously develop autoimmune-mediated kidney disease. It has been previously shown that if (NZB X NZW) F1 mice are exposed to inorganic mercury (Hg2+), the development of autoimmunity, including autoimmune kidney pathology, is accelerated. We now show that in these mice the development of kidney disease is correlated with a decreased percentage of marginal zone (MZ) B cells in the spleen. In Hg2+-intoxicated mice, kidney disease is significantly augmented, and matched by a greater decrease in MZ B cell splenic percentages than found in control mice. In Hg2+- intoxicated mice, the decrease in MZ B cells appears to be linked to aberrant B Cell Receptor (BCR) signal strength in transitory 2 (T2) B cells, developmental precursors of MZ B cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Randall F Gill
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan 48201, USA
| | - Patricia A Mathieu
- Department of Pharmacology, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan 48201, USA
| | - Lawrence H Lash
- Department of Pharmacology, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan 48201, USA
| | - Allen J Rosenspire
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan 48201, USA
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2
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Carruthers NJ, Guo C, Gill R, Stemmer PM, Rosenspire AJ. Mercury intoxication disrupts tonic signaling in B cells, and may promote autoimmunity due to abnormal phosphorylation of STIM-1 and other autoimmunity risk associated phosphoproteins involved in BCR signaling. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2023; 474:116607. [PMID: 37348680 PMCID: PMC10534200 DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2023.116607] [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: 03/16/2023] [Revised: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023]
Abstract
Epidemiological studies link exposure to mercury with autoimmune disease. Unfortunately, in spite of considerable effort, no generally accepted mechanistic understanding of how mercury functions with respect to the etiology of autoimmune disease is currently available. Nevertheless, autoimmune disease often arises because of defective B cell signaling. Because B cell signaling is dependent on phosphorylation cascades, in this report, we have focused on how mercury intoxication alters phosphorylation of B cell proteins in antigen-non stimulated (tonic) mouse (BALB/c) splenic B cells. Specifically, we utilized mass spectrometric techniques to conduct a comprehensive unbiased global analysis of the effect of inorganic mercury (Hg2+) on the entire B cell phosphoproteome. We found that the effects were pleotropic in the sense that large numbers of pathways were impacted. However, confirming our earlier work, we found that the B cell signaling pathway stood out from the rest, in that phosphoproteins which had sites which were affected by Hg2+, exhibited a much higher degree of connectivity, than components of other pathways. Further analysis showed that many of these BCR pathway proteins had been previously linked to autoimmune disease. Finally, dose response analysis of these BCR pathway proteins showed STIM1_S575, and NFAT2_S259 are the two most Hg2+ sensitive of these sites. Because STIM1_S575 controls the ability of STIM1 to regulate internal Ca2+, we speculate that STIM1 may be the initial point of disruption, where Hg2+ interferes with B cell signaling leading to systemic autoimmunity, with the molecular effects pleiotropically propagated throughout the cell by virtue of Ca2+ dysregulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- N J Carruthers
- Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States of America
| | - C Guo
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States of America
| | - R Gill
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States of America
| | - P M Stemmer
- Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States of America
| | - A J Rosenspire
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States of America.
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3
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Fukushige M, Lu X, Satoh M, Oda M, Ohba T, Katoh T. Association between antinuclear antibody positivity and chemical exposure among pregnant Japanese women: A cross-sectional study based on the Japan environment and Children's study. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2023; 248:114094. [PMID: 36610096 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2022.114094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Revised: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Antinuclear antibodies (ANAs) are detected in healthy individuals, they are more prevalent in women than in men. Pregnant women are immunologically unique, but epidemiological data on ANA positivity in them remain limited. The exposure received from the mother during the fetal period impacts the future health of the fetus and has thus received increased attention in recent years. Thus, we investigated the association between ANA positivity and chemical exposure among pregnant Japanese women, registered in the Japan Environment and Children's Study (JECS). ANA titers were assessed by indirect immunofluorescence with HEp-2 cells at a cutoff dilution of 1:40. Sociodemographic and other data were obtained in the JECS from a self-administered questionnaire. We analyzed 1,235 Japanese women in their first trimester of pregnancy. The ANA prevalence was 17.2%. Among ANA-positive women, a speckled pattern was the most common (95.3%), followed by a homogeneous pattern (72.3%). Exposure to chemicals more than once a week significantly increased the probability of ANA positivity (kerosene, petroleum, benzene, or gasoline: adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 2.11; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.03-4.34; chlorine bleach or germicide: AOR, 1.97; 95% CI, 1.10-3.54; organic solvents: AOR, 5.34; 95% CI, 1.40-20.36; and photocopying machines or laser printers: AOR, 1.73; 95% CI, 1.17-2.54). ANA positivity was associated with exposure to several chemicals in Japanese women. Our exploratory results suggested that ANAs as potential markers of chemical exposure warrant further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mami Fukushige
- Department of Nursing, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, 4-24-1 Kuhonji, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto-shi, Kumamoto, 862-0976, Japan; Department of Public Health, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Kuhonji, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto-shi, Kumamoto, 860-8556, Japan; Kumamoto University Regional Centre, The Japan Environment and Children's Study (JECS), 718, Medical Research Building, 1-1-1 Honjo, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto-shi, Kumamoto, 860-8556, Japan.
| | - Xi Lu
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Kuhonji, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto-shi, Kumamoto, 860-8556, Japan
| | - Minoru Satoh
- Department of Clinical Nursing, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, 1-1 Iseigaoka, Yahatanishi-ku, Kitakyushu-shi, Fukuoka, 807-8555, Japan; Department of Medicine, Kitakyushu Yahata-Higashi Hospital, 2-1-17 Nishihonmachi, Yahatahigashi-ku, Kitakyushu-shi, Fukuoka, 805-0061, Japan
| | - Masako Oda
- Kumamoto University Regional Centre, The Japan Environment and Children's Study (JECS), 718, Medical Research Building, 1-1-1 Honjo, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto-shi, Kumamoto, 860-8556, Japan
| | - Takashi Ohba
- Kumamoto University Regional Centre, The Japan Environment and Children's Study (JECS), 718, Medical Research Building, 1-1-1 Honjo, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto-shi, Kumamoto, 860-8556, Japan; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Life Science, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Chuo-ku, Kitakyushu-shi, Fukuoka, 860-8556, Japan
| | - Takahiko Katoh
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Kuhonji, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto-shi, Kumamoto, 860-8556, Japan; Kumamoto University Regional Centre, The Japan Environment and Children's Study (JECS), 718, Medical Research Building, 1-1-1 Honjo, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto-shi, Kumamoto, 860-8556, Japan
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4
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Guo C, Mattingly RR, Stemmer PM, Rosenspire AJ. At low levels, inorganic mercury interference with antigen signaling is associated with modifications to a panel of novel phosphoserine sites in B cell receptor pathway proteins. Toxicol In Vitro 2023; 89:105564. [PMID: 36736710 DOI: 10.1016/j.tiv.2023.105564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Revised: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/29/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Epidemiological studies indicate that human and animal exposure to environmental mercury (Hg) disrupts normal immune system function, but the molecular mechanism responsible for this is still unresolved. We have previously utilized phospho-proteomic mass spectrometry to demonstrate that in the absence of B Cell Receptor (BCR) stimulation, exposure of B cells to Hg induces significant changes to a great many elements of the BCR signaling pathway in a concentration dependent manner. In this report, we have extended those initial findings by utilizing mass spectrometry to evaluate in detail the effect of low-level Hg exposure on BCR induced phospho-proteomic changes. Specifically, murine WEHI-231 B lymphoma cells were exposed to environmentally relevant levels of Hg with or without concomitant BCR stimulation. The cellular phospho-proteomes were then profiled by LC-MS/MS. We found that for low-level exposures, Hg interference with signal transduction across the BCR pathway was predominantly associated with modification of phosphorylation of 12 phosphosites located on seven different proteins. Nine sites were serine, two sites tyrosine and one site threonine. Most of these sites are novel, in the sense that only the two tyrosine and one of the serine sites have previously been reported to be associated with BCR signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunna Guo
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Raymond R Mattingly
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27834, USA
| | - Paul M Stemmer
- Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA.
| | - Allen J Rosenspire
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA.
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5
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Abraham Tharakan PK, Seethalekshmy NV. Beautification Gone Awry: Membranous Glomerulonephritis Following Use of Skin Lightening Cream Containing Mercury. Indian J Dermatol 2022; 67:837. [PMID: 36998857 PMCID: PMC10043663 DOI: 10.4103/ijd.ijd_616_21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/01/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - N V Seethalekshmy
- Department of Pathology, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Kochi, Kerala, India E-mail:
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Han K, Ju MJ, Kim DH, Choi YH. Environmental exposures to lead, cadmium, and mercury and pterygium in Korean adults. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:55058-55068. [PMID: 35314935 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-19250-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2021] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Pterygium, one of the most common eye disorders, is an abnormal fibrovascular proliferation extending from the conjunctiva to the cornea. The mechanism of development in pterygium has not been fully elucidated; however, oxidative stress is suggested to be one of the major causes. Heavy metals such as lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and mercury (Hg) enter the human body and induce oxidative stress. However, no study has investigated the association of these heavy metals with pterygium. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the associations of environmental exposures to Pb, Cd, and Hg with pterygium in the Korean general adults. We analyzed data from 6,587 adults (≥ 20 years of age) who participated in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) 2008-2011. Pterygium was diagnosed as the presence of a wing-shaped fibrovascular growth. The exposures of Pb, Cd, and Hg were estimated by measuring blood concentrations. The prevalence of pterygium in this study population was 4.0% (348 subjects). After adjusting for potential confounders, the Pb level in blood was found to have a significant dose-dependent association with pterygium (p for trend = 0.001), and its highest quintile (vs. the lowest) had an odds ratio (OR) of 2.22 (95% CI: 1.30, 3.78) for pterygium. The Hg level in blood in the second quintile (vs. the lowest) had an OR of 1.64 (95% CI: 1.04, 2.59) for pterygium. In conclusion, this study suggests that environmental exposures to Pb and Hg in the Korean general adults may be related to the development of pterygium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyunghee Han
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Gachon University College of Medicine, Incheon, Korea
| | - Min Jae Ju
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Gachon University College of Medicine, Incheon, Korea
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, GAIHST, Gachon University, Incheon, Korea
| | - Dong Hyun Kim
- Department of Ophthalmology, Gil Medical Center, Gachon University College of Medicine, Incheon, Korea
| | - Yoon-Hyeong Choi
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Gachon University College of Medicine, Incheon, Korea.
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, GAIHST, Gachon University, Incheon, Korea.
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The Role of Exposomes in the Pathophysiology of Autoimmune Diseases I: Toxic Chemicals and Food. PATHOPHYSIOLOGY 2021; 28:513-543. [PMID: 35366249 PMCID: PMC8830458 DOI: 10.3390/pathophysiology28040034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2021] [Revised: 12/11/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Autoimmune diseases affect 5–9% of the world’s population. It is now known that genetics play a relatively small part in the pathophysiology of autoimmune disorders in general, and that environmental factors have a greater role. In this review, we examine the role of the exposome, an individual’s lifetime exposure to external and internal factors, in the pathophysiology of autoimmune diseases. The most common of these environmental factors are toxic chemicals, food/diet, and infections. Toxic chemicals are in our food, drink, common products, the air, and even the land we walk on. Toxic chemicals can directly damage self-tissue and cause the release of autoantigens, or can bind to human tissue antigens and form neoantigens, which can provoke autoimmune response leading to autoimmunity. Other types of autoimmune responses can also be induced by toxic chemicals through various effects at the cellular and biochemical levels. The food we eat every day commonly has colorants, preservatives, or packaging-related chemical contamination. The food itself may be antigenic for susceptible individuals. The most common mechanism for food-related autoimmunity is molecular mimicry, in which the food’s molecular structure bears a similarity with the structure of one or more self-tissues. The solution is to detect the trigger, remove it from the environment or diet, then repair the damage to the individual’s body and health.
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8
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Chen KH, Yu HC, Chang YC. Analysis of dental amalgam fillings on primary Sjögren's syndrome: A population-based case-control study in Taiwan. Medicine (Baltimore) 2021; 100:e28031. [PMID: 34964800 PMCID: PMC8615304 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000028031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2020] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Primary Sjören's syndrome (pSS) is an autoimmune disease characterized by the inflammatory infiltrate and progressive dysfunction of salivary glands. Dental amalgam with mercury has been raised the public concerns regarding its purported mercury toxicity from dental amalgam to possible systemic inflammatory and immune reactions.In this study, a nationwide population-based database was employed to investigate the association of amalgam filling (AMF) and the risk of pSS. A retrospective case-control study was sourced from the Taiwanese National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) from 2000 to 2013. Case and control groups were matched by sex, age, urbanization level, monthly income, and comorbidities using the propensity score method with a 1:1 ratio. In this study, 5848 cases and 5848 controls were included.The results demonstrated no statistically significant differences between AMF and pSS (odds ratio [OR]: 0.974, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.904-1.049). In addition, pSS was also not associated with AMF for women (OR: 0.743, 95% CI = 0.552-1.000) and men (OR: 1.006, 95% CI = 0.670-1.509), respectively.Taken together, evidence demonstrated that the association of AMF and pSS was inconsistent from this robust register databank.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kun-Huang Chen
- The College of Management and Design, Ming Chi University of Technology, New Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Artificial Intelligence, CTBC Business School, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Hui-Chieh Yu
- School of Dentistry, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Chao Chang
- School of Dentistry, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Department of Dentistry, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
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9
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Movassagh H, Halchenko Y, Sampath V, Nygaard UC, Jackson B, Robbins D, Li Z, Nadeau KC, Karagas MR. Maternal gestational mercury exposure in relation to cord blood T cell alterations and placental gene expression signatures. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2021; 201:111385. [PMID: 34129869 PMCID: PMC8478717 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.111385] [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: 03/25/2021] [Revised: 05/18/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The immunotoxic impacts of mercury during early life is poorly understood. We investigated the associations between gestational mercury exposure and frequency of cord blood T cells as well as placental gene expression. Frequency of natural Treg cells was positively associated with prenatal and postpartum mercury toenail concentrations. Frequency of NKT and activated naïve Th cells was positively associated with prenatal toenail mercury concentrations and number of maternal silver-mercury dental amalgams, respectively. Placental gene expression analyses revealed distinct gene signatures associated with mercury exposure. Decreased placental expression of a histone demethylase, KDM4DL, was associated with both higher prenatal and postpartum maternal toenail mercury levels among male infants and remained statistically significant after adjustment for fish and seafood consumption. The results suggest that gestational exposure to mercury concentrations contribute to alterations in both T cells and gene expression in placenta at birth. These alterations may inform mechanisms of mercury immunotoxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hesam Movassagh
- Sean N. Parker Center for Allergy and Asthma Research, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Yuliya Halchenko
- Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine and the Children's Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Research Center at Dartmouth; Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Vanitha Sampath
- Sean N. Parker Center for Allergy and Asthma Research, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Unni C Nygaard
- Sean N. Parker Center for Allergy and Asthma Research, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA; Department of Environmental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health; Oslo, Norway
| | - Brian Jackson
- Department of Earth Sciences, Dartmouth College; Hanover, NH, USA
| | - David Robbins
- Department of Surgery, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine; Miami, FL, USA
| | - Zhigang Li
- Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine and the Children's Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Research Center at Dartmouth; Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Kari C Nadeau
- Sean N. Parker Center for Allergy and Asthma Research, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA.
| | - Margaret R Karagas
- Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine and the Children's Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Research Center at Dartmouth; Hanover, NH, USA
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10
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Yuen RCF, Tsao SY. Embracing cancer immunotherapy with vital micronutrients. World J Clin Oncol 2021; 12:712-724. [PMID: 34631438 PMCID: PMC8479349 DOI: 10.5306/wjco.v12.i9.712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Revised: 06/16/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy is now commonly prescribed to cancer patients, but autoimmune-related adverse events are considerable. For severe, life-threatening side effects, cessation of therapy seems unavoidable, let alone intensive medical care required for patching up the adverse events. Even without serious adverse events, the response rates are too low and various combinatory regimens have been tried. However, toxicities are also added on, unless the adjuvant agents have remarkably few side effects. Actually, micronutrients are usually taken by a majority of cancer patients as nutritional support or to boost the immune function, let alone hoping to counteract treatment side effects. Recent studies have shown that combinations of micronutrients exert pleiotropic effects in controlling tumor growth and metastasis by modulating the tumor microenvironment, enhancing gut microbiota immune functions, and providing adjunct nutritional support to micronutrient deficient cancer patients. A higher than recommended dietary allowance micronutrient dose is proposed to reduce the toxic free radicals generated as a result of immunotherapy and tumor metabolism. This is not only helpful for managing treatment side effects but also enhancing treatment efficacy. As micronutrient supplementation is also useful to improve patients’ quality of life, prolong survival, and sustain compliance to immunotherapy, further investigations are mandatory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raymond C-F Yuen
- Department of Occupational and Family Medicine, Hosanna Clinic, Singapore 370051, Singapore
| | - Shiu-Ying Tsao
- Department of Clinical Research, Hong Kong SAR Oncology Centre, Hong Kong, China
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11
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Kennedy SN, Keogh M, Levin M, Castellini JM, Lian M, Fadely BS, Rea LD, O'Hara TM. Regional variations and relationships among cytokine profiles, white blood cell counts, and blood mercury concentrations in Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus) pups. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 775:144894. [PMID: 33631572 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.144894] [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: 11/16/2020] [Revised: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 12/27/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The Steller sea lion (SSL) population west of 144°W longitude experienced a significant population decline. While there appears to be a stable or increasing population trend in rookeries in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) and Southeast Alaska (SEA), some rookeries within the Aleutian Islands (AI) have failed to recover. Previous studies found regional differences in whole blood total mercury concentrations ([THg]) showing more than 20% of AI pups had [THg] above critical thresholds for increased risk of immunological effects and other adverse outcomes. Measurements of immune cell-signaling proteins can be used to evaluate the immune status of marine mammals in relation to [THg]. We compared serum cytokine and chemokine concentrations in pups among regions (AI, eastern GOA, SEA), and examined associations among cytokines, chemokines, white blood cell (WBC) counts, and [THg]. Considering liver is an important target organ for mercury and immune protein synthesis we additionally examined the relationship of [THg] with liver-related enzymes serum aspartate (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT). We observed regional differences in cytokine and chemokine measurements and immune protein associations. There was a positive association between total WBC counts and [THg] in AI pups, whereas a negative association between lymphocytes and [THg] in SEA pups. These findings may indicate regional variation in proliferation and differentiation of hematopoietic cells, differences in immune system development, and/or a difference in antigenic stimuli. No associations between [THg] and cytokines, chemokines, AST or ALT were found. Observed regional differences in cytokine and chemokine milieu during gestational and early development in SSL pups could lead to an imbalance in cell differentiation that could impact immunological resiliency in juvenile and adult life stages. We report concentration ranges of a suite of cytokines and chemokines which may prove to be a useful metric for ecotoxicology and risk assessment studies in SSLs and other wildlife.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie N Kennedy
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA; Harvard Medical School and Division of Gastroenterology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Mandy Keogh
- Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of Wildlife Conservation, Juneau, AK, USA.
| | - Milton Levin
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA.
| | - J Margaret Castellini
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA.
| | - Marianne Lian
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA; Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA.
| | - Brian S Fadely
- Marine Mammal Laboratory, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, Seattle, WA, USA.
| | - Lorrie D Rea
- Institute of Northern Engineering, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA.
| | - Todd M O'Hara
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA; Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA.
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12
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Jain RB. Associations between concentrations of selected perfluoroalkyl acids and concentrations of blood cadmium, lead, and total mercury. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 28:26537-26544. [PMID: 33483932 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-12493-w] [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: 11/08/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Data (N = 2552) from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey for US adults aged ≥ 20 years for 2011-2016 were analyzed to estimate the associations between the concentrations of blood cadmium, lead, and total mercury and the concentrations of seven perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAA), namely, 2-(N-Methyl-perfluorooctane sulfonamido) acetic acid (MPAH), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA), perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnDA), perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS). Concentrations of blood cadmium were negatively associated with the concentrations of PFHxS (β = - 0.05428, p < 0.01) and PFOS (β = - 0.0212, p = 0.02). Concentrations of blood lead were positively associated with the concentrations of MPAH (β = 0.03301, p < 0.01), PFOA (β = 0.04783, p = 0.01), PFNA (β = 0.11761, p < 0.01), PFDA (β = 0.08007, p < 0.01), PFUA (β = 0.11382, p < 0.01), and PFOS (β = 0.04996, p = 0.02). Percent increases in the concentration of blood lead were 0.32%, 0.46%, 1.13%, 0.77%, 1.09%, and 0.48% for 10% increases in the concentrations of MPAH, PFOA, PFNA, PFDA, PFUA, and PFOS, respectively. Concentrations of blood total mercury were positively associated with the concentrations of PFNA (β = 0.37105, p < 0.01), PFDA (β = 0.46875, p < 0.01), PFUA (β = 0.56934, p < 0.01), and PFOS (β = 0.17557, p < 0.01). Percent increases in the concentration of blood total mercury were 3.6%, 4.57%, 5.58%, and 1.69% for 10% increases in the concentrations of PFNA, PFDA, PFUA, and PFOS, respectively. Associations between the concentrations of PFAAs with blood total mercury were substantially stronger than the concentrations with blood lead. Higher the carbon chain length for PFAAs, stronger were the associations between PFAAs with lead and mercury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ram B Jain
- 2959 Estate View Court, Dacula, GA, 30019, USA.
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Charoenwoodhipong P, Harlow SD, Marder W, Hassett AL, McCune WJ, Gordon C, Helmick CG, Barbour KE, Wang L, Mancuso P, Somers EC, Zick SM. Dietary Omega Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Intake and Patient-Reported Outcomes in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: The Michigan Lupus Epidemiology and Surveillance Program. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken) 2020; 72:874-881. [PMID: 31074595 PMCID: PMC6842394 DOI: 10.1002/acr.23925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2018] [Accepted: 05/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To examine associations between dietary intake of omega-3 (n-3; generally antiinflammatory) and omega-6 (n-6; generally proinflammatory) fatty acids and patient-reported outcomes in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). METHODS This study was based on the population-based Michigan Lupus Epidemiology and Surveillance cohort. Estimates of n-3 and n-6 intake were derived from Diet History Questionnaire II items (past year with portion size version). Patient-reported outcomes included self-reported lupus activity (Systemic Lupus Activity Questionnaire [SLAQ]). Multivariable regression, adjusted for age, sex, race, and body mass index, was used to assess associations between absolute intake of n-3 and n-6, as well as the n-6:n-3 ratio, and patient-reported outcomes. RESULTS Among 456 SLE cases, 425 (93.2%) were female, 207 (45.4%) were African American, and the mean ± SD age was 52.9 ± 12.3 years. Controlling for potential confounders, the average SLAQ score was significantly higher by 0.3 points (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 0.1, 0.6; P = 0.013) with each unit increase of the n-6:n-3 ratio. Both lupus activity and Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) sleep disturbance scores were lower with each 1-gram/1,000 kcal increase of n-3 fatty acids (SLAQ regression coefficient β = -0.8 [95% CI -1.6, 0.0]; P = 0.055; PROMIS sleep β = -1.1 [95% CI -2.0, -0.2]; P = 0.017). Higher n-3 intakes were nonsignificantly associated with lower levels of depressive symptoms and comorbid fibromyalgia, and with higher quality of life, whereas results for the n6:n3 ratio trended in the opposite direction. CONCLUSION This population-based study suggests that higher dietary intake of n-3 fatty acids and lower n-6:n-3 ratios are favorably associated with patient-reported outcomes in SLE, particularly self-reported lupus activity and sleep quality.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Lu Wang
- University of MichiganAnn Arbor
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McSorley EM, van Wijngaarden E, Yeates AJ, Spence T, Mulhern MS, Harrington D, Thurston SW, Love T, Jusko TA, Allsopp PJ, Conway MC, Davidson PW, Myers GJ, Watson GE, Shamlaye CF, Strain JJ. Methylmercury and long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids are associated with immune dysregulation in young adults from the Seychelles child development study. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2020; 183:109072. [PMID: 32007747 PMCID: PMC7213642 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2019.109072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2019] [Revised: 12/20/2019] [Accepted: 12/20/2019] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Exposure to the environmental toxicant mercury (Hg) has been associated with immune dysregulation, including autoimmune disease, but few human studies have examined methylmercury (MeHg) exposure from fish consumption. OBJECTIVES We examined associations between MeHg exposure and biological markers of autoimmunity and inflammation while adjusting for long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA). METHOD At age 19 years, hair total Hg (Y19Hg), LCPUFA status, a panel of 13 antinuclear antibodies (ANA), total serum immunoglobulins (Ig) IgG, IgA, and IgM and serum markers of inflammation (IL-1, IL-2, IL-6, IL-10, C-reactive protein (CRP), IFN-γ, TNF-α) were measured in the Seychelles Child Development Study (SCDS) Main Cohort (n = 497). Multivariable regression models investigated the association between Y19Hg and biomarkers, adjusting for prenatal total hair Hg (MatHg) and other relevant covariates, and with and without adjustment for LCPUFA. RESULTS With each 1 ppm increase in Y19Hg (mean 10.23 (SD 6.02) ppm) we observed a 4% increased odds in a positive Combined ANA following adjustment for the n6:n3 LCPUFA ratio (β = 0.036, 95%; CI: 0.001, 0.073). IgM was negatively associated with Y19Hg (β = -0.016, 95%CI: 0.016, -0.002) in models adjusted for n-3, n-6 LCPUFA and when separately adjusted for the n-6:n-3 LCPUFA ratio. No associations were observed with MatHg. Total n-3 LCPUFA status was associated with reduced odds of a positive anti-ribonuclear protein (RNP) A. The n-3 LCPUFA were negatively associated with IL-6, IL-10, CRP, IFN-γ, TNF-α and positively with TNF-α:IL-10. There were positive associations between the n-6:n-3 ratio and IL-6, IL-10, CRP, IFN-γ, TNF-α and a negative association with TNF-α:IL-10. DISCUSSION The Y19Hg exposure was associated with higher ANA and lower IgM albeit only following adjustment for the n-3 LCPUFA or the n-6:n-3 LCPUFA ratio. The clinical significance of these findings is unclear, but warrant follow up at an older age to determine any relationship to the onset of autoimmune disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emeir M McSorley
- The Nutrition Innovation Centre for Food and Health (NICHE), School of Biomedical Sciences, Ulster University, Coleraine, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom.
| | | | - Alison J Yeates
- The Nutrition Innovation Centre for Food and Health (NICHE), School of Biomedical Sciences, Ulster University, Coleraine, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
| | - Toni Spence
- The Nutrition Innovation Centre for Food and Health (NICHE), School of Biomedical Sciences, Ulster University, Coleraine, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
| | - Maria S Mulhern
- The Nutrition Innovation Centre for Food and Health (NICHE), School of Biomedical Sciences, Ulster University, Coleraine, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
| | - Donald Harrington
- The School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Sally W Thurston
- The School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Tanzy Love
- The School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Todd A Jusko
- The School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Philip J Allsopp
- The Nutrition Innovation Centre for Food and Health (NICHE), School of Biomedical Sciences, Ulster University, Coleraine, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
| | - Marie C Conway
- The Nutrition Innovation Centre for Food and Health (NICHE), School of Biomedical Sciences, Ulster University, Coleraine, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
| | - Philip W Davidson
- The School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Gary J Myers
- The School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Gene E Watson
- The School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, NY, United States
| | | | - J J Strain
- The Nutrition Innovation Centre for Food and Health (NICHE), School of Biomedical Sciences, Ulster University, Coleraine, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
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Bjørklund G, Peana M, Dadar M, Chirumbolo S, Aaseth J, Martins N. Mercury-induced autoimmunity: Drifting from micro to macro concerns on autoimmune disorders. Clin Immunol 2020; 213:108352. [PMID: 32032765 DOI: 10.1016/j.clim.2020.108352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2020] [Revised: 02/02/2020] [Accepted: 02/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) is widely recognized as a neurotoxic metal, besides it can also act as a proinflammatory agent and immunostimulant, depending on individual exposure and susceptibility. Mercury exposure may arise from internal body pathways, such as via dental amalgams, preservatives in drugs and vaccines, and seafood consumption, or even from external pathways, i.e., occupational exposure, environmental pollution, and handling of metallic items and cosmetics containing Hg. In susceptible individuals, chronic low Hg exposure may trigger local and systemic inflammation, even exacerbating the already existing autoimmune response in patients with autoimmunity. Mercury exposure can trigger dysfunction of the autoimmune responses and aggravate immunotoxic effects associated with elevated serum autoantibodies titers. The purpose of the present review is to provide a critical overview of the many issues associated with Hg exposure and autoimmunity. In addition, the paper focuses on individual susceptibility and other health effects of Hg.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geir Bjørklund
- Council for Nutritional and Environmental Medicine, Mo i Rana, Norway.
| | - Massimiliano Peana
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
| | - Maryam Dadar
- Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Karaj, Iran
| | - Salvatore Chirumbolo
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy; CONEM Scientific Secretary, Verona, Italy
| | - Jan Aaseth
- Research Department, Innlandet Hospital Trust, Brumunddal, Norway
| | - Natália Martins
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal; Institute for Research and Innovation in Health (I3S), University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
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Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: Pathogenesis at the Functional Limit of Redox Homeostasis. OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY 2019; 2019:1651724. [PMID: 31885772 PMCID: PMC6899283 DOI: 10.1155/2019/1651724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2019] [Revised: 08/15/2019] [Accepted: 09/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a disease characterized by the production of autoreactive antibodies and cytokines, which are thought to have a major role in disease activity and progression. Immune system exposure to excessive amounts of autoantigens that are not efficiently removed is reported to play a significant role in the generation of autoantibodies and the pathogenesis of SLE. While several mechanisms of cell death-based autoantigenic exposure and compromised autoantigen removal have been described in relation to disease onset, a significant association with the development of SLE can be attributed to increased apoptosis and impaired phagocytosis of apoptotic cells. Both apoptosis and impaired phagocytosis can be caused by hydrogen peroxide whose cellular production is enhanced by exposure to endogenous hormones or environmental chemicals, which have been implicated in the pathogenesis of SLE. Hydrogen peroxide can cause lymphocyte apoptosis and glutathione depletion, both of which are associated with the severity of SLE. The cellular accumulation of hydrogen peroxide is facilitated by the myriad of stimuli causing increased cellular bioenergetic activity that enhances metabolic production of this toxic oxidizing agent such as emotional stress and infection, which are recognized SLE exacerbating factors. When combined with impaired cellular hydrogen peroxide removal caused by xenobiotics and genetically compromised hydrogen peroxide elimination due to enzymatic polymorphic variation, a mechanism for cellular accumulation of hydrogen peroxide emerges, leading to hydrogen peroxide-induced apoptosis and impaired phagocytosis, enhanced autoantigen exposure, formation of autoantibodies, and development of SLE.
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Elevated blood mercury level has a non-linear association with infertility in U.S. women: Data from the NHANES 2013-2016. Reprod Toxicol 2019; 91:53-58. [PMID: 31756438 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2019.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2019] [Revised: 11/13/2019] [Accepted: 11/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Mercury is a ubiquitous toxic heavy metal associated with an increased risk of female infertility; however, the evidence supporting this is limited and controversial. We aimed to explore the relationship between the total blood mercury and infertility in 1796 selected participants from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) (2013-2016). We found no significant association between mercury and infertility based on a fully-adjusted model (OR 1.04; 95 % CI 0.91, 1.19), and the results remained robust in a series of sensitive analysis. However, a non-linear relationship was detected. By a two-piecewise linear regression model and recursive algorithm, we identified an inflection point of 5.278 μg/L, when blood mercury was >5.278 μg/L, a 1-unit increase in mercury (log2) was associated with 157 % greater adjusted odds of infertility (OR 2.57; 95 % CI 1.12, 5.87). Our findings provide new insights to advance the research of the link between mercury and infertility.
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Pamphlett R, Kum Jew S. Mercury Is Taken Up Selectively by Cells Involved in Joint, Bone, and Connective Tissue Disorders. Front Med (Lausanne) 2019; 6:168. [PMID: 31380381 PMCID: PMC6659129 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2019.00168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2019] [Accepted: 07/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: The causes of most arthropathies, osteoarthritis, and connective tissue disorders remain unknown, but exposure to toxic metals could play a part in their pathogenesis. Human exposure to mercury is common, so to determine whether mercury could be affecting joints, bones, and connective tissues we used a histochemical method to determine the cellular uptake of mercury in mice. Whole neonatal mice were examined since this allowed histological assessment of mercury in joint, bone, and connective tissue cells. Materials and Methods: Pregnant mice were exposed to a non-toxic dose of 0.5 mg/m3 of mercury vapor for 4 h a day on gestational days 14-18. Neonates were sacrificed at postnatal day 1, fixed in formalin, and transverse blocks of the body were processed for paraffin embedding. Seven micrometer sections were stained for inorganic mercury using silver nitrate autometallography, either alone or combined with CD44 immunostaining to detect progenitor cells. Control neonates were not exposed to mercury during gestation. Results: Uptake of mercury was marked in synovial cells, articular chondrocytes, and periosteal and tracheal cartilage cells. Mercury was seen in fibroblasts in the dermis, aorta, esophagus and striated muscle, some of which were CD44-positive progenitor cells, and in the endothelial cells of small blood vessels. Mercury was also present in renal tubules and liver periportal cells. Conclusions: Mercury is taken up selectively by cells that are predominantly affected in rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. In addition, fibroblasts in several organs often involved in multisystem connective tissue disorders take up mercury. Mercury provokes the autoimmune, inflammatory, genetic, and epigenetic changes that have been described in a range of arthropathies and bone and connective tissue disorders. These findings support the hypothesis that mercury exposure could trigger some of these disorders, particularly in people with a genetic susceptibility to autoimmunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roger Pamphlett
- Discipline of Pathology, Brain and Mind Centre, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Department of Neuropathology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Stephen Kum Jew
- Discipline of Pathology, Brain and Mind Centre, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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Kindgren E, Guerrero-Bosagna C, Ludvigsson J. Heavy metals in fish and its association with autoimmunity in the development of juvenile idiopathic arthritis: a prospective birth cohort study. Pediatr Rheumatol Online J 2019; 17:33. [PMID: 31266504 PMCID: PMC6604193 DOI: 10.1186/s12969-019-0344-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2019] [Accepted: 06/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The etiology of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) is poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to examine the possible influence of early nutrition on later development of JIA. METHODS In a population-based prospective birth cohort of 15,740 children we collected nutritional data, including fish consumption, and biological samples during pregnancy, at birth and at different ages. 16 years after study inclusion we identified 42 children with JIA, of whom 11 were positive for Antinuclear Antibodies (ANA). Heavy metals were analysed in cord blood of all 42 JIA patients and 40 age and sex-matched controls. A multivariable logistic regression model, adjusted for relevant factors, was used as well as Mann-Whitney U-test. RESULTS Fish consumption more than once a week during pregnancy as well as during the child's first year of life was associated with an increased risk of JIA (aOR 4.5 (1.95-10.4); p < 0.001 and aOR 5.1 (2.1-12.4) p < 0.001) and of ANA-positivity (aOR 2.2 (1.4-3.6); p = 0.002 and p < 0.001). Concentrations of Al, Cd, Hg and Li in cord blood were significantly higher in the JIA-group than in controls. The ANA-positive, all of whom had consumed fish >once/week their first year, had significantly higher concentrations of Al (p < 0.001), Cd (p = 0.003), and Li (p < 0.001) in cord blood than controls. Frequency of fish consumption correlated with concentrations of Cd (p = 0.003), Li (p = 0.015) and Hg (p = 0.011). CONCLUSIONS Moderate exposure to heavy metals, associated with fish consumption, during pregnancy and early childhood may cause effects on the immune system of the offspring, resulting in ANA positivity and JIA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik Kindgren
- Department of Pediatrics, Västervik Hospital, Västervik, Sweden. .,Division of Pediatrics, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden. .,Department of Pediatrics, Skaraborg Hospital, SE-541 85 Skövde, Skövde, Sweden.
| | - Carlos Guerrero-Bosagna
- 0000 0001 2162 9922grid.5640.7Avian Behavioural Genomics and Physiology Group, IFM Biology, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Johnny Ludvigsson
- 0000 0001 2162 9922grid.5640.7Division of Pediatrics, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden ,Crown Princess Victoria Children’s Hospital, Region Östergötland, Linköping, Sweden
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Merino JJ, Parmigiani-Izquierdo JM, Toledano Gasca A, Cabaña-Muñoz ME. The Long-Term Algae Extract ( Chlorella and Fucus sp) and Aminosulphurate Supplementation Modulate SOD-1 Activity and Decrease Heavy Metals (Hg ++, Sn) Levels in Patients with Long-Term Dental Titanium Implants and Amalgam Fillings Restorations. Antioxidants (Basel) 2019; 8:antiox8040101. [PMID: 31014007 PMCID: PMC6523211 DOI: 10.3390/antiox8040101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2019] [Revised: 04/08/2019] [Accepted: 04/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The toxicity of heavy metals such as Hg++ is a serious risk for human health. We evaluated whether 90 days of nutritional supplementation (d90, n = 16) with Chlorella vulgaris (CV) and Fucus sp extracts in conjunction with aminosulphurate (nutraceuticals) supplementation could detox heavy metal levels in patients with long-term titanium dental implants (average: three, average: 12 years in mouth) and/or amalgam fillings (average: four, average: 15 years) compared to baseline levels (d0: before any supplementation, n = 16) and untreated controls (without dental materials) of similar age (control, n = 21). In this study, we compared levels of several heavy metals/oligoelements in these patients after 90 days (n = 16) of nutritional supplementation with CV and aminozuphrates extract with their own baseline levels (d0, n = 16) and untreated controls (n = 21); 16 patients averaging 44 age years old with long-term dental amalgams and titanium implants for at least 10 years (average: 12 years) were recruited, as well as 21 non-supplemented controls (without dental materials) of similar age. The following heavy metals were quantified in hair samples as index of chronic heavy metal exposure before and after 90 days supplementation using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and expressed as μg/g of hair (Al, Hg++, Ba, Ag, Sb, As, Be, Bi, Cd, Pb, Pt, Tl, Th, U, Ni, Sn, and Ti). We also measured several oligoelements (Ca++, Mg++, Na+, K+, Cu++, Zn++, Mn++, Cr, V, Mo, B, I, P, Se, Sr, P, Co, Fe++, Ge, Rb, and Zr). The algae and nutraceutical supplementation during 90 consecutive days decreased Hg++, Ag, Sn, and Pb at 90 days as compared to baseline levels. The mercury levels at 90 days decreased as compared with the untreated controls. The supplementation contributed to reducing heavy metal levels. There were increased lithium (Li) and germanium (Ge) levels after supplementation in patients with long-term dental titanium implants and amalgams. They also (d90) increased manganesum (Mn++), phosphorum (P), and iron (Fe++) levels as compared with their own basal levels (d0) and the untreated controls. Finally, decreased SuperOxide Dismutase-1 (SOD-1) activity (saliva) was observed after 90 days of supplementation as compared with basal levels (before any supplementation, d0), suggesting antioxidant effects. Conversely, we detected increased SOD-1 activity after 90 days as compared with untreated controls. This SOD-1 regulation could induce antioxidant effects in these patients. The long-term treatment with algae extract and aminosulphurates for 90 consecutive days decreased certain heavy metal levels (Hg++, Ag, Sn, Pb, and U) as compared with basal levels. However, Hg++ and Sn reductions were observed after 90 days as compared with untreated controls (without dental materials). The dental amalgam restoration using activated nasal filters in conjunction with long-term nutritional supplementation enhanced heavy metals removal. Finally, the long-term supplementation with these algae and aminoazuphrates was safe and non-toxic in patients. These supplements prevented certain deficits in oligoelements without affecting their Na+/K+ ratios after long-term nutraceutical supplementation.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Joaquín Merino
- Clínica CIROM, Centro de Implantología and Rehabilitación Oral Multidisciplinaria, 30001 Murcia, Spain.
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Emeny RT, Korrick SA, Li Z, Nadeau K, Madan J, Jackson B, Baker E, Karagas MR. Prenatal exposure to mercury in relation to infant infections and respiratory symptoms in the New Hampshire Birth Cohort Study. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2019; 171:523-529. [PMID: 30743244 PMCID: PMC6561090 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2019.01.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2018] [Revised: 01/08/2019] [Accepted: 01/10/2019] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mechanistic studies support the potential for mercury (Hg) to alter immunity, including via in utero exposure. As yet, there are few prospective studies of in utero Hg exposure and subsequent immune-related outcomes, especially in infancy. OBJECTIVES We investigated the association of biomarkers of prenatal Hg exposure and maternal silver-mercury dental amalgams with the occurrence of infant allergy, respiratory infection, and respiratory symptoms in the first year of life. METHODS The New Hampshire Birth Cohort Study (NHBCS) ascertained information on infant allergies, infections and symptoms through telephone interviews at 4, 8 and 12 months postpartum and measured total Hg in maternal toenails collected at ~28-30 weeks gestation. Information on maternal fish consumption and presence of dental amalgams was obtained from a questionnaire administered at study enrollment at 24-28 weeks. A total of 1321 NHBCS mother-infant pairs had at least one Hg exposure measure (toenail Hg or information on dental amalgams) and information on dietary fish intake. Generalized linear models and generalized estimating equation models with Poisson regression adjusted for potential confounders (maternal age, level of education, parity, smoking, alternative Healthy Eating Index-2010, infant sex, gestational age, feeding mode, and day care attendance) were used to assess the association between infant outcomes and prenatal toenail Hg levels. We subsetted this analysis on mothers who consumed fish (n = 706) as a measure of in utero methylmercury (MeHg) exposure. Associations between infant outcomes and dental amalgams as a measure of in utero inorganic Hg exposure were assessed among mothers who did not consume fish (n = 218). RESULTS Among women who ate fish during pregnancy, higher maternal toenail Hg concentrations were associated with an increased risk of lower respiratory infections and respiratory symptoms requiring a doctor visit among infants age 9-12 months (relative risk (RR) 1.4 (95% CI: 1.1, 1.9) and 1.2 (95% CI: 1.0, 1.4) respectively), whereas a reduced risk of lower respiratory infections was observed among infants 0-4 months of age (RR = 0.7 (95% CI: 0.5, 1.0). We found little to no evidence of associations of toenail Hg with upper respiratory infections, allergy or eczema at any age to one year. Among infants of mothers who did not consume fish, we found an elevated risk of upper respiratory infections requiring a doctor visit in relation to having dental amalgams during pregnancy (RR = 1.5 (95% CI: 1.1, 2.1)). Overall, weaker associations were observed with lower respiratory infections, respiratory symptoms, and medically confirmed allergies, and there was no association with eczema. CONCLUSIONS Our analyses of a US birth cohort, along with prior mechanistic work, raise the possibility that gestational Hg exposure through fish/seafood consumption and dental amalgams may alter respiratory infections and respiratory symptoms in infants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca T Emeny
- Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH, USA; The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH, USA
| | - Susan A Korrick
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Zhigang Li
- Children's Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Research Center at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, USA; Department of Biostatistics, College of Public Health and Health Professions & College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Kari Nadeau
- Division of Immunology and Allergy, Stanford Medical School and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Juliette Madan
- Division of Neonatology, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH, USA
| | - Brian Jackson
- Trace Element Analysis Lab, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Emily Baker
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH, USA
| | - Margaret R Karagas
- Children's Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Research Center at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, USA; Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH, USA.
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Pollard KM, Cauvi DM, Toomey CB, Hultman P, Kono DH. Mercury-induced inflammation and autoimmunity. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2019; 1863:129299. [PMID: 30742953 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2019.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2018] [Revised: 01/12/2019] [Accepted: 02/01/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Human exposure to mercury leads to a variety of pathologies involving numerous organ systems including the immune system. A paucity of epidemiological studies and suitable diagnostic criteria, however, has hampered collection of sufficient data to support a causative role for mercury in autoimmune diseases. Nevertheless, there is evidence that mercury exposure in humans is linked to markers of inflammation and autoimmunity. This is supported by experimental animal model studies, which convincingly demonstrate the biological plausibility of mercury as a factor in the pathogenesis of autoimmune disease. SCOPE OF THE REVIEW In this review, we focus on ability of mercury to elicit inflammatory and autoimmune responses in both humans and experimental animal models. MAJOR CONCLUSIONS Although subtle differences exist, the inflammatory and autoimmune responses elicited by mercury exposure in humans and experimental animal models show many similarities. Proinflammatory cytokine expression, lymphoproliferation, autoantibody production, and nephropathy are common outcomes. Animal studies have revealed significant strain dependent differences in inflammation and autoimmunity suggesting genetic regulation. This has been confirmed by the requirement for individual genes as well as genome wide association studies. Importantly, many of the genes required for mercury-induced inflammation and autoimmunity are also required for idiopathic systemic autoimmunity. A notable difference is that mercury-induced autoimmunity does not require type I IFN. This observation suggests that mercury-induced autoimmunity may arise by both common and specific pathways, thereby raising the possibility of devising criteria for environmentally associated autoimmunity. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE Mercury exposure likely contributes to the pathogenesis of autoimmunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Michael Pollard
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Scripps Research, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA, 92037, United States of America.
| | - David M Cauvi
- Department of Surgery and Center for Investigations of Health and Education Disparities, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive #0739, La Jolla, CA 92093, United States of America.
| | - Christopher B Toomey
- Shiley Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive #0946, La Jolla, CA 92093.
| | - Per Hultman
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.
| | - Dwight H Kono
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Scripps Research, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA, 92037, United States of America.
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Cabaña-Muñoz ME, Parmigiani-Izquierdo JM, Camacho Alonso F, Merino JJ. Increased Systemic Malondialdehyde Levels and Decreased Mo/Co, Co/Fe 2+ Ratios in Patients with Long-Term Dental Titanium Implants and Amalgams. J Clin Med 2019; 8:jcm8010086. [PMID: 30642082 PMCID: PMC6352171 DOI: 10.3390/jcm8010086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2018] [Revised: 12/19/2018] [Accepted: 01/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION the biological safety of dental biomaterials has been questioned in human studies. MATERIAL AND METHODS Several heavy metals/oligoelements were compared by Inductive Coupled Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) in hair samples from 130 patients (n = 54 patients with long-term titanium dental implants and amalgams (A + I group), 51 patients with long-term dental amalgam alone (A group), as well as controls (n = 25: without dental materials) of similar age. All patients (except controls) had had titanium dental implants and/or dental amalgams for at least 10 years (average: 17). We evaluated whether A + I patients could present higher systemic malondialdehyde levels (MDA) as compared to the A group. RESULTS The A + I group have lower molybdenum levels (A + I) and reduced Mo/Co and Mo/Fe2+ ratios, which could predispose them to oxidative stress by raising MDA levels as compared to the A group alone; our findings suggest that higher Co levels could enhance oxidative stress in the A + I group. However, there were no differences on metals from titanium alloy (Ti-6Al), Cr from crowns or Hg2+, Sn, Zn2+, Cu2+ levels between the A + I and A groups. CONCLUSION patients with long-term dental titanium and amalgams have systemic oxidative stress due to rising MDA levels and lower Mo/Co and Mo/Fe2+ ratios than those with amalgams alone.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Fabio Camacho Alonso
- Full Proffesor of Oral Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain.
- Hospital General Universitario Morales Meseguer, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain.
| | - José Joaquín Merino
- Centro CIROM, Centro de Implantología y Rehabilitación Oral Multidisciplinaria, 30001 Murcia, Spain.
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Grygiel-Górniak B, Rogacka N, Puszczewicz M. Antinuclear antibodies in healthy people and non-rheumatic diseases - diagnostic and clinical implications. Reumatologia 2018; 56:243-248. [PMID: 30237629 PMCID: PMC6142026 DOI: 10.5114/reum.2018.77976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2018] [Accepted: 08/02/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The presence of antinuclear antibodies (ANA) is mainly associated with connective tissue diseases (CTD). In addition, their presence is found in healthy people. These antibodies are more common in women and the elderly. Some drugs and xenobiotics are also important for the development of autoimmunity and ANA synthesis. Moreover, the deficiency of vitamin D in the body of patients correlates with occurrence of these antibodies. Unlike the healthy group, a positive ANA count was observed in patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) and in people with immune disorders. Antinuclear antibodies in low counts are also found in the course of chronic bacterial or viral infection and in patients with hematological malignancies. Also the possibility of false positive results, which may be caused by the choice of method used to determine antibodies, should be borne in mind. Taking into account all these factors, it is concluded that the ANA result itself has no diagnostic value.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bogna Grygiel-Górniak
- Department of Rheumatology and Internal Medicine, Poznań University of Medical Sciences, Poland
| | - Natalia Rogacka
- Department of Rheumatology and Internal Medicine, Poznań University of Medical Sciences, Poland
| | - Mariusz Puszczewicz
- Department of Rheumatology and Internal Medicine, Poznań University of Medical Sciences, Poland
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25
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Ratio of Mercury Concentration to PCB Concentration Varies with Sex of White Sucker (Catostomus commersonii). ENVIRONMENTS 2018. [DOI: 10.3390/environments5090094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The whole-fish total mercury (Hg) concentrations were determined in 25 mature female and 26 mature male white suckers (Catostomus commersonii) caught during their spawning run in the Kewaunee River, a tributary to Lake Michigan. The age of each fish was estimated using thin-sectioned otoliths, and total length (TL) and weight were determined for each fish. When adjusted for the effect of age, males were found to be 7% higher in Hg concentration than females. Nearly all (about 98%) of the Hg found in the white suckers was determined to be methylmercury. In an earlier study on the same 51 white suckers from the Kewaunee River spawning run, males were found to be 18% higher than females in polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) concentration. We determined that the ratio of Hg concentration to PCB concentration in females was significantly higher than that in males. Thus, sex significantly interacted with contaminant type (Hg or PCBs) in determining contaminant concentrations. The most plausible explanation for this interaction was that males eliminated Hg at a faster rate than females, most likely due to the boosting of the Hg-elimination rate by certain androgens such as testosterone and 11-ketotestosterone. Hg concentrations in the white suckers were well below federal guidelines for fish consumption.
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Reid A, Franklin P, de Klerk N, Creaney J, Brims F, Musk B, Pfau J. Autoimmune antibodies and asbestos exposure: Evidence from Wittenoom, Western Australia. Am J Ind Med 2018; 61:615-620. [PMID: 29797780 DOI: 10.1002/ajim.22863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Studies comparing different forms of asbestos are rare, and limited by the failure to compare results with unexposed populations. We compare autoimmune responses among former workers and residents of the crocidolite mining and milling town of Wittenoom, Western Australia, with an unexposed population. METHODS ANA testing using indirect immunofluorescence was performed on randomly selected serum samples from Wittenoom workers or residents and compared with those from participants of another unexposed cohort study. RESULTS ANA scores were higher in the Wittenoom participants compared with Busselton and the odds of being ANA positive was fivefold greater among Wittenoom participants than Busselton (OR 5.5, 95%CI 2.3-13.0). CONCLUSIONS This study is the first to report increased ANA positivity among persons exposed exclusively to crocidolite. This finding of a high frequency of positive ANA tests among crocidolite-exposed subjects may be an indicator for an increased risk of systemic autoimmune diseases and needs further scrutiny.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison Reid
- School of Public Health; Curtin University; Bentley Western Australia
| | - Peter Franklin
- School of Population and Global Health; University of Western Australia; Perth Australia
| | - Nick de Klerk
- Telethon Kids Institute; University of Western Australia; Crawley Australia
| | - Jenette Creaney
- National Centre for Asbestos Related Disease; Medical School; University of Western Australia; Crawley Australia
| | - Fraser Brims
- Curtin Medical School; Faculty of Health Sciences; Curtin University; Bentley Australia
- Department of Respiratory Medicine; Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital; Perth Western Australia
| | - Bill Musk
- School of Population and Global Health; University of Western Australia; Perth Australia
| | - Jean Pfau
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology; Montana State University; Bozeman Montana
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Inflammatory response following in vitro exposure to methylmercury with and without n-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from systemic lupus erythematosus patients compared to healthy controls. Toxicol In Vitro 2018; 52:272-278. [PMID: 29778720 DOI: 10.1016/j.tiv.2018.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2018] [Revised: 05/10/2018] [Accepted: 05/15/2018] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Methylmercury (MeHg) is a proposed environmental stimulus in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Humans are primarily exposed to MeHg through fish consumption. Fish are also important sources of n-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LCPUFA). This in vitro study investigated the inflammatory response of isolated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), when exposed to either MeHg alone or with added n-3 LCPUFA, from SLE patients (N = 12) compared to healthy sex matched controls (N = 12). The PBMCs were isolated and exposed to 200 nM of MeHg for 24 h with or without pre-exposure to eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) or docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) at a concentration of 100 μM each. Supernatants were analyzed for the inflammatory markers. Following exposure to MeHg, mean TNF-α concentrations were significantly higher in SLE patients (2226.01 ± 348.98pg/ml) compared to controls (701.40 ± 680.65 pg/ml) (P = .008). Pre-exposure of cells with MeHg and EPA resulted in a significantly higher concentration of IL-8 in supernatants from SLE patients (2137.83 ± 1559.01 pg/ml) compared to that of the controls (879.26 ± 979.49 pg/ml) (P = .030). EPA and DHA attenuated the pro-inflammatory inducing effects of MeHg in SLE and control cells. In summary, exposure to MeHg stimulated a higher TNF-α response in SLE patients compared with healthy controls; nevertheless the presence of n-3 LCPUFA reduced the overall inflammatory response, albeit to a lesser degree in SLE patients.
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28
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Gao ZY, Li MM, Wang J, Yan J, Zhou CC, Yan CH. Blood mercury concentration, fish consumption and anthropometry in Chinese children: A national study. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2018; 110:14-21. [PMID: 29113684 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2017.08.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2017] [Revised: 07/31/2017] [Accepted: 08/26/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study sought to obtain national cross-sectional data for blood mercury levels and risk factors for mercury exposure in Chinese children aged 0 to 6years to provide evidence to support preventive measures for reducing childhood blood mercury levels. METHODS A multi-stage, stratified, clustered random sampling survey was conducted May 2013-Mar 2015. Shanghai, Jilin, Shanxi, Guangdong, Qinghai, Yunnan and Hubei, which are located in seven different geographical regions in China, were selected as the study field. A total of 14,202 children aged 0-6years participated in the study. Whole-blood venous samples (3ml) were collected from the subjects for mercury exposure assessment. The DMA-80 was applied for mercury detection, and a health questionnaire gathering information on related confounders was completed by the subjects' parents of the subjects after they received guidance from the investigators. A general linear model was used for the primary descriptive statistical analysis. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95%CIs for the risk factors were estimated using unconditional logistic regression. RESULTS A total of 14,202 eligible samples were collected. The mean mercury level was 1.39μg/L. Other results were as follows: median 1.23μg/L, p25 0.86μg/L, p75 1.73μg/L, and GM 1.10μg/L. Of the seven geographical regions, Qinghai, in northwestern China, had a median mercury level of 0.37μg/L, which was significantly lower than the mercury level in Guangdong, in southeastern China (2.01μg/L). The median blood mercury level of children in suburban areas was 1.34μg/L, which was remarkably higher than that of children in rural areas (1.09μg/L). Dichotomous subgroups were generated using the median mercury concentration. Unconditional logistic regression analysis revealed that fish consumption may contribute to increased blood mercury levels (p<0.05). Additionally, we observed significantly positive associations between mercury concentrations and the children's anthropometric characteristics (BMI; p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Blood mercury concentrations among Chinese children aged 0-6years were considered low, and children who consumed more marine fish, freshwater fish and shellfish tended to have higher mercury concentrations. Our study suggests that children's growth is likely affected by the positive effects of mercury, which may have implications concerning the positive effects of fish consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen-Yan Gao
- Department of Child and Adolescent Healthcare, Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, PR China
| | - Min-Ming Li
- Department of Child and Adolescent Healthcare, Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, PR China
| | - Ju Wang
- Department of Child and Adolescent Healthcare, Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, PR China
| | - Jin Yan
- Department of Child and Adolescent Healthcare, Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, PR China
| | - Can-Can Zhou
- Department of Child and Adolescent Healthcare, Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, PR China
| | - Chong-Huai Yan
- Department of Child and Adolescent Healthcare, Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, PR China.
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29
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Carruthers NJ, Rosenspire AJ, Caruso JA, Stemmer PM. Low level Hg 2+ exposure modulates the B-cell cytoskeletal phosphoproteome. J Proteomics 2017; 173:107-114. [PMID: 29199152 DOI: 10.1016/j.jprot.2017.11.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2017] [Revised: 10/31/2017] [Accepted: 11/28/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Exposure of Wehi-231 B-cells to Hg2+ for 5min resulted in concentration dependent changes in protein phosphorylations. Phosphorylation was quantified using mass spectrometry to analyze TiO2 and anti-pTyr antibody selected phosphopeptides from Wehi-231 digests. The most frequent and largest amplitude responses to Hg2+ exposure were increased phosphorylation although a decrease was observed for 1% of phosphoproteins detected in the untreated cells. A subset of proteins responded with an increase in phosphorylation to Hg2+ exposure at low micromolar concentrations. The majority of proteins required Hg2+ over 20μM in order to increase phosphorylation. Ser/Thr phosphorylations are prominent in the cytoskeletal organization and the GTPase signaling systems and these systems are notable as the primary ones responding to the lowest concentrations of Hg2+. Systems that required higher concentrations of Hg2+ to increase phosphorylation included immune receptor signaling. The proteins for which an increase in phosphorylation occurred at Hg2+ above 20μM have a higher proportion of pTyr sites. Anti Ig stimulation of Wehi-231 cells confirmed that cytoskeletal protein phosphorylation and GTPase signaling are modulated in physiologically relevant B-cell receptor activation. Candidate kinases that respond to Hg2+ exposure at the low μM concentrations include MAP Kinase 1, CaM Kinase II delta and PAK2. SIGNIFICANCE Mercury (Hg) is a wide spread environmental toxicant. Epidemiological and laboratory studies suggest that exposure to environmental Hg at current levels, which have been perceived to be non-toxic, may contribute to immune system dysfunction and autoimmune disease in humans and animals respectively. While we have previously shown that exposure of B lymphocytes to low levels of mercury interferes with B-cell receptor signaling mediated by post transcriptional phosphorylation events, overall the mechanism that is responsible for increased autoimmunity in mercury exposed human or animal populations is not well understood. The current study evaluated the dose dependent actions of mercury to change phosphorylation in the Wehi-231 cell line, an immature B-cell model in which actions of mercury on development of cell function can be evaluated. The study identified the cytoskeletal proteins as the most sensitive to modulation by mercury with changes in Ser/Thr phosphorylation being observed at the lowest concentrations of mercury. These findings indicate that the actions of mercury on B-cell immune function and development are at least in part likely mediated through changes in cytoskeletal protein phosphorylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas J Carruthers
- Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Allen J Rosenspire
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Joseph A Caruso
- Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Paul M Stemmer
- Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA.
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30
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Blossom SJ, Gilbert KM. Epigenetic underpinnings of developmental immunotoxicity and autoimmune disease. CURRENT OPINION IN TOXICOLOGY 2017; 10:23-30. [PMID: 30613805 DOI: 10.1016/j.cotox.2017.11.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The concordance rate for developing autoimmune disease in identical twins is around 50% demonstrating that gene and environmental interactions contribute to disease etiology. The environmental contribution to autoimmune disease is a wide-ranging concept including exposure to immunotoxic environmental chemicals. Because the immune system is immature during development suggests that adult-onset autoimmunity may originate when the immune system is particularly sensitive. Among the pollutants most closely associated with inflammation and/or autoimmunity include Bisphenol-A, mercury, TCDD, and trichloroethylene. These toxicants have been shown to impart epigenetic changes (e.g., DNA methylation) that may alter immune function and promote autoreactivity. Here we review these autoimmune-promoting toxicants and their relation to immune cell epigenetics both in terms of adult and developmental exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah J Blossom
- University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Arkansas Children's Research Institute, 13 Children's Way, Little Rock, AR 72202, USA
| | - Kathleen M Gilbert
- University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Arkansas Children's Research Institute, 13 Children's Way, Little Rock, AR 72202, USA
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31
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Jain RB. Trends in and factors affecting the observed levels of urinary inorganic and total blood mercury among US children, adolescents, adults, and senior citizens over 2005-2012. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND PHARMACOLOGY 2017; 56:268-281. [PMID: 29055217 DOI: 10.1016/j.etap.2017.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2017] [Revised: 09/02/2017] [Accepted: 09/04/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Data from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) for 2005-2012 were used to (i) study adjusted and unadjusted trends in the levels of urinary inorganic mercury (UIHG) and total blood mercury (TBHG) and (ii) factors that affect the observed levels of UIHG and TBHG among children aged 1-5 (CHLD15) and 6-11 (CHLD611) years, adolescents aged 12-19 years (ADOL), adults aged 20-64 years (ADLT), and senior citizens aged >=65 years (SNR). Decrease in adjusted levels of UIHG for each 2-year NHANES cycle for CHLD611 was 0.08114ng/L, 0.08379ng/L for ADOLs, and 0.12ng/L for ADLTs. Decreases in adjusted levels (AGM) of TBHG for each 2-year NHANES cycle were: 0.0632ng/L for CHLD15, 0.10239ng/L for CHLD611, 0.06424ng/L for ADOLs, and 0.056088ng/L for ADLTs. Among CHLD15 (0.34 vs. 0.39μg/L, p<0.01) and CHLD611 (0.42 vs. 0.44μg/L, p=0.04), males had lower AGMs for TBHG than females but among ADLTs (0.84 vs. 0.80μg/L, p<0.01) and SNRs (0.82 vs. 0.71μg/L, p<0.01) the reverse was true. For UIHG, for ADLTs (0.33 vs. 0.45μg/L, p<0.01) and SNRs (0.27 vs. 0.35μg/L, p<0.01) males had lower AGMs than females. Irrespective of age, those who were in unclassified race/ethnic group had the highest AGMs when compared with non-Hispanic whites, non-Hispanic blacks, and Mexican Americans and the differences, more often than not, were statistically significant (p<0.01). Irrespective of age, fish and shellfish consumption during the last 30days was associated with higher AGMs for both UIHG and TBHG than when fish and shellfish were not consumed and the differences were always statistically significant (p<0.01). Nonsmoker ADLTs (0.86 vs. 0.78μg/L, p<0.01) and SNRs (0.83 vs. 0.71μg/L, p<0.01) were found to have higher adjusted levels of TBHG than smokers. It is hypothesized that constituents in tobacco smoke may accelerate excretion of mercury from the body.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ram B Jain
- Private Consultant, Dacula, 2959 Estate View Ct, Dacula GA 30019, USA.
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32
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Kleffner I, Eichler S, Ruck T, Schüngel L, Pfeuffer S, Polzer P, Dittrich R, Dziewas R, Gross CC, Göbel K, Wiendl H, Kehrel BE, Meuth SG. An Enigmatic Case of Acute Mercury Poisoning: Clinical, Immunological Findings and Platelet Function. Front Neurol 2017; 8:517. [PMID: 29033890 PMCID: PMC5625000 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2017.00517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2017] [Accepted: 09/15/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Severe mercury intoxication is very rare in developed countries, but still occurs as the result of volatile substance abuse, suicide attempts, occupational hazards, or endemic food ingestion as reported in the cases of public health disasters in Iraq and in Minamata Bay, Japan. Here, we describe the dramatic physical and cognitive decline of a 23-year-old patient caused by a severe methyl mercury (MeHg) intoxication of unknown origin. We show serial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the patient’s brain, as well as ex vivo analyses of blood and cerebrospinal fluid including multicolor flow cytometric measurements, functional assays of hemostaseologic efficacy, and evaluation of regulatory effector molecules. Together with the clinical history, our findings show the progressive neuronal degeneration accompanying the deterioration of the patient. Moreover, the ex vivo analyses display alterations of thrombocyte function and coagulation, as well as an immunological milieu facilitating autoimmunity. Despite the successful reduction of the MeHg concentration in the patient’s blood with erythrocyte apheresis and chelator therapy, his condition did not improve and led to a persistent vegetative state. This case illustrates the neurotoxicity of MeHg following severe intoxication for the first time by serial MRI. Data on immune-cell and thrombocyte function as well as on coagulation in mercury poisoning reveal potential implications for anticoagulation and immunomodulatory treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilka Kleffner
- Department of Neurology, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - Susann Eichler
- Department of Neurology, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - Tobias Ruck
- Department of Neurology, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - Lisa Schüngel
- Department of Anesthesiology, Intensive Care and Pain Medicine, Experimental and Clinical Haemostasis, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - Steffen Pfeuffer
- Department of Neurology, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - Philipp Polzer
- Institute for Clinical Radiology, University Hospital Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - Ralf Dittrich
- Department of Neurology, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - Rainer Dziewas
- Department of Neurology, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | | | - Kerstin Göbel
- Department of Neurology, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - Heinz Wiendl
- Department of Neurology, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - Beate E Kehrel
- Department of Anesthesiology, Intensive Care and Pain Medicine, Experimental and Clinical Haemostasis, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - Sven G Meuth
- Department of Neurology, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany
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Caruso JA, Carruthers N, Shin N, Gill R, Stemmer PM, Rosenspire A. Mercury alters endogenous phosphorylation profiles of SYK in murine B cells. BMC Immunol 2017; 18:37. [PMID: 28716125 PMCID: PMC5514489 DOI: 10.1186/s12865-017-0221-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2017] [Accepted: 07/07/2017] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Epidemiological evidence and animal models suggest that exposure to low and non-neurotoxic concentrations of mercury may contribute to idiosyncratic autoimmune disease. Since defects in function and signaling in B cells are often associated with autoimmunity, we investigated whether mercury exposure might alter B cell responsiveness to self-antigens by interfering with B cell receptor (BCR) signal transduction. In this study we determined the effects of mercury on the protein tyrosine kinase SYK, a critical protein involved in regulation of the BCR signaling pathway. METHODS Phosphorylation sites of murine SYK were mapped before and after treatment of WEHI cell cultures with mercury, or with anti-IgM antibody (positive control) or pervanadate (a potent phosphatase inhibitor). Phosphopeptides were enriched by either titanium dioxide chromatography or anti-phosphotyrosine immunoaffinity, and analyzed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Select SYK phosphosite cluster regions were profiled for responsiveness to treatments using multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) methodology. RESULTS A total of 23 phosphosites were identified with high probability in endogenous SYK, including 19 tyrosine and 4 serine residues. For 10 of these sites phosphorylation levels were increased following BCR activation. Using MRM to profile changes in phosphorylation status we found that 4 cluster regions, encompassing 8 phosphosites, were activated by mercury and differentially responsive to all 3 treatments. Phosphorylation of tyrosine-342 and -346 residues were most sensitive to mercury exposure. This cluster is known to propagate normal BCR signal transduction by recruiting adaptor proteins such as PLC-γ and Vav-1 to SYK during formation of the BCR signalosome. CONCLUSIONS Our data shows that mercury alters the phosphorylation status of SYK on tyrosine sites known to have a role in promoting BCR signals. Considering the importance of SYK in the BCR signaling pathway, these data suggest that mercury can alter BCR signaling in B cells, which might affect B cell responsiveness to self-antigen and have implications with respect to autoimmunity and autoimmune disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph A Caruso
- Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Center for Urban Responses to Environmental Stressors (CURES), Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA.
| | - Nicholas Carruthers
- Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Center for Urban Responses to Environmental Stressors (CURES), Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA
| | - Namhee Shin
- Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Center for Urban Responses to Environmental Stressors (CURES), Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA
| | - Randal Gill
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Center for Urban Responses to Environmental Stressors (CURES), Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA
| | - Paul M Stemmer
- Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Center for Urban Responses to Environmental Stressors (CURES), Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA
| | - Allen Rosenspire
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Center for Urban Responses to Environmental Stressors (CURES), Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA
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Monastero RN, Karimi R, Nyland JF, Harrington J, Levine K, Meliker JR. Mercury exposure, serum antinuclear antibodies, and serum cytokine levels in the Long Island Study of Seafood Consumption: A cross-sectional study in NY, USA. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2017; 156:334-340. [PMID: 28390301 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2017.03.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2017] [Revised: 03/23/2017] [Accepted: 03/25/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) is a well-known neurotoxin, and has been more recently studied specifically as an immunotoxin. In experimental and a few epidemiologic studies, Hg has been associated with distinct cytokine profiles and antinuclear antibody (ANA) positivity, though patterns at lower levels of exposure, typical of seafood consumers with a western diet, are not well characterized. Seafood consumers (n=287) recruited on Long Island, NY completed food frequency and health questionnaires and provided blood for analysis of Hg, poly-unsaturated fatty acids (omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids), selenium (Se), ANA, and several cytokines (IL-1β, IL-4, IL-10, TNF-α, IL-17, IFN-γ, and IL-1ra). Logistic and linear regression analyses were conducted to evaluate associations between serum Hg and cytokines and ANA. Adjusted models accounted for gender, age, ethnicity, income, education, smoking, BMI, selenium, omega-3 fatty acids, omega-6 fatty acids, omega-6/omega-3 ratio, and fish intake. Sex-stratified models were also generated with the expectation that immune profiles would differ between women and men. Median blood Hg was 4.58µg/L with 90th %ile =19.8µg/L. Nine individuals displayed ANA positivity at serum titers above 1:80; many of the cytokines were below detection limits, and the ability to detect was used in the logistic regression analyses. In linear and logistic regression analyses, Hg was not significantly associated with any of the seven investigated cytokines or with ANA-positivity. Therefore, Hg was not associated with altered immune profiles in this population of seafood consumers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca N Monastero
- Undergraduate Studies, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-8338, United States of America; Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-8338, United States of America.
| | - Roxanne Karimi
- Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-8338, United States of America; School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-5000, United States of America; Consortium for Inter-Disciplinary Environmental Research, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-5000, United States of America.
| | - Jennifer F Nyland
- Salisbury University Department of Biological Sciences, Henson Science Hall, 232, Salisbury, MD 21801, United States of America.
| | - James Harrington
- RTI International, Trace Inorganics Laboratory, RTP, NC 27709, United States of America.
| | - Keith Levine
- RTI International, Trace Inorganics Laboratory, RTP, NC 27709, United States of America.
| | - Jaymie R Meliker
- Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-8338, United States of America; Consortium for Inter-Disciplinary Environmental Research, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-5000, United States of America; Program in Public Health, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-8338, United States of America; Department of Family, Population, and Preventive Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-8338, United States of America.
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Geier DA, Kern JK, Geier MR. Increased risk for an atypical autism diagnosis following Thimerosal-containing vaccine exposure in the United States: A prospective longitudinal case-control study in the Vaccine Safety Datalink. J Trace Elem Med Biol 2017; 42:18-24. [PMID: 28595786 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtemb.2017.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2016] [Revised: 02/21/2017] [Accepted: 03/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Thimerosal is an organic-mercury (Hg)-containing compound (49.55% Hg by weight) historically added to many multi-dose vials of vaccine as a preservative and still added to some vaccines today. Concerns about the toxic effects from Thimerosal-containing childhood vaccines and the risk of an atypical autism diagnosis were evaluated in this study. METHODS A hypothesis-testing, prospective longitudinal, case-control study assessed exposure to Hg from Thimerosal-containing hepatitis B vaccines (TM-HepB) among cases diagnosed with atypical autism (n=164) and controls (n=15,216). Automated medical records for subjects born from 1991 to 2000 and continuously enrolled in the Vaccine Safety Datalink (VSD) database were examined. RESULTS Cases diagnosed with atypical autism were statistically significantly more likely to have received greater overall and dose-dependent exposures to Hg from TM-HepB vaccines administered within the first month of life, first two months of life, and first six months of life than the controls. Similar phenomena were observed when cases and controls were separated by gender. CONCLUSIONS Routine childhood vaccination is an important public health tool to reduce infectious diseases. The present study provides important epidemiological evidence significantly associating increasing Hg exposure from Thimerosal-containing childhood vaccines and the subsequent risk of atypical autism diagnosis, and suggests that Thimerosal should be eliminated from vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A Geier
- The Institute of Chronic Illnesses, Inc, Silver Spring, MD, 20905, United States; CoMeD, Inc, Silver Spring, MD, 20905, United States.
| | - Janet K Kern
- The Institute of Chronic Illnesses, Inc, Silver Spring, MD, 20905, United States; CoMeD, Inc, Silver Spring, MD, 20905, United States.
| | - Mark R Geier
- The Institute of Chronic Illnesses, Inc, Silver Spring, MD, 20905, United States; CoMeD, Inc, Silver Spring, MD, 20905, United States.
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Zhang J, Cavallari JM, Fang SC, Weisskopf MG, Lin X, Mittleman MA, Christiani DC. Application of linear mixed-effects model with LASSO to identify metal components associated with cardiac autonomic responses among welders: a repeated measures study. Occup Environ Med 2017; 74:810-815. [PMID: 28663305 PMCID: PMC5740538 DOI: 10.1136/oemed-2016-104067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2016] [Revised: 04/07/2017] [Accepted: 05/10/2017] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Background Environmental and occupational exposure to metals is ubiquitous worldwide, and understanding the hazardous metal components in this complex mixture is essential for environmental and occupational regulations. Objective To identify hazardous components from metal mixtures that are associated with alterations in cardiac autonomic responses. Methods Urinary concentrations of 16 types of metals were examined and ‘acceleration capacity’ (AC) and ‘deceleration capacity’ (DC), indicators of cardiac autonomic effects, were quantified from ECG recordings among 54 welders. We fitted linear mixed-effects models with least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) to identify metal components that are associated with AC and DC. The Bayesian Information Criterion was used as the criterion for model selection procedures. Results Mercury and chromium were selected for DC analysis, whereas mercury, chromium and manganese were selected for AC analysis through the LASSO approach. When we fitted the linear mixed-effects models with ‘selected’ metal components only, the effect of mercury remained significant. Every 1 µg/L increase in urinary mercury was associated with −0.58 ms (−1.03, –0.13) changes in DC and 0.67 ms (0.25, 1.10) changes in AC. Conclusion Our study suggests that exposure to several metals is associated with impaired cardiac autonomic functions. Our findings should be replicated in future studies with larger sample sizes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinming Zhang
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA
| | - Jennifer M Cavallari
- Department of Community Medicine and Health Care, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, USA
| | - Shona C Fang
- Department of Epidemiology, New England Research Institute, Watertown, USA
| | - Marc G Weisskopf
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA
| | - Xihong Lin
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA
| | - Murray A Mittleman
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA.,Cardiovascular Epidemiology Research Unit, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
| | - David C Christiani
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA.,Pulmonary and Critical Care Division, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
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Gill R, McCabe MJ, Rosenspire AJ. Low level exposure to inorganic mercury interferes with B cell receptor signaling in transitional type 1 B cells. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2017; 330:22-29. [PMID: 28668464 DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2017.06.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2017] [Revised: 06/09/2017] [Accepted: 06/27/2017] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) has been implicated as a factor contributing to autoimmune disease in animal models and humans. However the mechanism by which this occurs has remained elusive. Since the discovery of B cells it has been appreciated by immunologists that during the normal course of B cell development, some immature B cells must be generated that produce immunoglobulin reactive to self-antigens (auto-antibodies). However in the course of normal development, the vast majority of immature auto-reactive B cells are prevented from maturing by processes collectively known as tolerance. Autoimmune disease arises when these mechanisms of tolerance are disrupted. In the B cell compartment, it is firmly established that tolerance depends in part upon negative selection of self-reactive immature (transitional type 1) B cells. In these cells negative selection depends upon signals generated by the B Cell Receptor (BCR), in the sense that those T1 B cells who's BCRs most strongly bind to, and so generate the strongest signals to self-antigens are neutralized. In this report we have utilized multicolor phosphoflow cytometry to show that in immature T1 B cells Hg attenuates signal generation by the BCR through mechanisms that may involve Lyn, a key tyrosine kinase in the BCR signal transduction pathway. We suggest that exposure to low, environmentally relevant levels of Hg, disrupts tolerance by interfering with BCR signaling in immature B cells, potentially leading to the appearance of mature auto-reactive B cells which have the ability to contribute to auto-immune disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Gill
- Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Biochemistry, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - M J McCabe
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - A J Rosenspire
- Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Biochemistry, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States; Center for Urban Responses to Environmental Stressors (CURES), Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States.
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Somers EC, Monrad SU, Warren JS, Solano M, Schnaas L, Hernandez-Avila M, Tellez-Rojo MM, Hu H. Antinuclear antibody prevalence in a general pediatric cohort from Mexico City: discordance between immunofluorescence and multiplex assays. Clin Epidemiol 2016; 9:1-8. [PMID: 28053555 PMCID: PMC5192054 DOI: 10.2147/clep.s121632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To characterize antinuclear antibody (ANA) prevalence according to distinct assay methodologies in a pediatric cohort from Mexico City, and to further examine associations with age and sex. METHODS Serum ANA were measured by indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and multiplex immunoassay in 114 children aged 9-17 years. IFA was considered positive at a cutoff titer of ≥1:80. Agreement between assay methods was assessed by kappa statistic. Sensitivity, specificity, and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of the multiplex were computed with IFA as the reference standard. RESULTS Of the 114 children (mean age 14.7 [standard deviation 2.1] years; 54 [47%] female), 18 of 114 (15.8%) were ANA positive by IFA, and 11 of 114 (9.6%) by 11-antigen multiplex assay. ANA prevalence was higher in females compared with males by both of the methods (ratios 1.6-1.9 to 1). Agreement between tests was classified as slight by kappa (κ=0.177 [95% CI -0.051, 0.406]). The multiplex immunoassay had sensitivity of 22.2% (95% CI 6.4, 47.6) and specificity of 92.7% (95% CI 85.6, 97.0), and failed to capture 3 of 4 (75%) of the high-titer (≥1:1280) IFA-positives. CONCLUSION Up to 15% of children in this general population cohort were ANA positive, with a higher rate of positivity among females according to both assay methods. Substantial discordance in ANA results was found between IFA and multiplex methods, even for high-titer IFA positives. These findings underscore the need to sufficiently account for assay characteristics when interpreting ANA test results, and support IFA as the more appropriate assay for studies of subclinical autoimmunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily C Somers
- Divison of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine; Department of Environmental Health Sciences; Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology
| | | | - Jeffrey S Warren
- Division of Clinical Pathology, Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Maritsa Solano
- Center for Nutrition and Health Research, National Institute of Public Health, Cuernavaca, Morelos
| | - Lourdes Schnaas
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, National Institute of Perinatology, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Mauricio Hernandez-Avila
- Center for Nutrition and Health Research, National Institute of Public Health, Cuernavaca, Morelos
| | - Martha Maria Tellez-Rojo
- Center for Nutrition and Health Research, National Institute of Public Health, Cuernavaca, Morelos
| | - Howard Hu
- Occupational and Environmental Health, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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Gill R, Jen KL, McCabe MJJ, Rosenspire A. Dietary n-3 PUFAs augment caspase 8 activation in Staphylococcal aureus enterotoxin B stimulated T-cells. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2016; 309:141-8. [PMID: 27614254 DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2016.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2016] [Revised: 08/19/2016] [Accepted: 09/02/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Epidemiological studies have linked consumption of n-3 PUFAs with a variety of beneficial health benefits, particularly with respect to putative anti-inflammatory effects. Unfortunately, many of these results remain somewhat controversial because in most instances there has not been a linkage to specific molecular mechanisms. For instance, dietary exposure to low levels of mercury has been shown to be damaging to neural development, but concomitant ingestion of n-3 PUFAs as occurs during consumption of fish, has been shown to counteract the detrimental effects. As the mechanisms mediating the neurotoxicity of environmental mercury are not fully delineated, it is difficult to conceptualize a testable molecular mechanism explaining how n-3 PUFAs negate its neurotoxic effects. However, environmental exposure to mercury also has been linked to increased autoimmunity. By way of a molecular understanding of this immuno-toxic association, disruption of CD95 signaling is well established as a triggering factor for autoimmunity, and we have previously shown that environmentally relevant in vitro and dietary exposures to mercury interfere with CD95 signaling. In particular we have shown that activation of caspase 8, as well as downstream activation of caspase 3, in response to CD95 agonist stimulation is depressed by mercury. More recently we have shown in vitro that the n-3 PUFA docosahexaenoic acid counteracts the negative effect of mercury on CD95 signaling by restoring caspase activity. We hypothesized that concomitant ingestion of n-3 PUFAs with mercury might be protective from the immuno-toxic effects of mercury, as it is with mercury's neuro-toxic effects, and in the case of immuno-toxicity this would be related to restoration of CD95 signal strength. We now show that dietary ingestion of n-3 PUFAs generally promotes CD95 signaling by upregulating caspase 8 activation. Apart from accounting for the ability of n-3 PUFAs to specifically counteract autoimmune sequelae of mercury exposure, this novel finding for the first time suggests a testable molecular mechanism explaining the overall anti-inflammatory properties of n-3 PUFAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Gill
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - K L Jen
- Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States; Center for Urban Responses to Environmental Stressors (CURES), Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - M J J McCabe
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - A Rosenspire
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States; Center for Urban Responses to Environmental Stressors (CURES), Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States.
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40
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Siedlikowski M, Bradley M, Kubow S, Goodrich JM, Franzblau A, Basu N. Bioaccessibility and bioavailability of methylmercury from seafood commonly consumed in North America: In vitro and epidemiological studies. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2016; 149:266-273. [PMID: 26896323 PMCID: PMC4907874 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2016.02.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2016] [Revised: 02/09/2016] [Accepted: 02/09/2016] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Methylmercury (MeHg) is a global contaminant of concern and human exposures are largely realized via seafood consumption. While it is assumed that 95-100% of the ingested MeHg from seafood reaches systemic circulation, recent in vitro studies have yielded results to suggest otherwise. Of the published studies to have characterized the bioaccessibility or bioavailability of MeHg from seafood, only a handful of seafood species have been characterized, there exists tremendous variability in data within and across species, few species of relevance to North America have been studied, and none of the in vitro studies have adapted results to an epidemiology study. The objective of the current study was two-fold: (a) to characterize in vitro MeHg bioaccessibility and bioavailability from ten commonly consumed types of seafood in North America; and (b) to apply the bioaccessibility and bioavailability data from the in vitro study to an existing human MeHg exposure assessment study. Raw seafood samples (cod, crab, halibut, salmon, scallop, shrimp, tilapia, and three tuna types: canned light, canned white, fresh) were purchased in Montreal and their MeHg concentrations generally overlapped with values reported elsewhere. The bioaccessibility of MeHg from these samples ranged from 50.1±19.2 (canned white tuna) to 100% (shrimp and scallop) of the amount measured in the raw undigested sample. The bioavailability of MeHg from these samples ranged from 29.3±10.4 (crab) to 67.4±9.7% (salmon) of the value measured in the raw undigested sample. There were significant correlations between the initial MeHg concentration in seafood with the percent of that Hg that was bioaccessible (r=-0.476) and bioavailable (r=-0.294). When the in vitro data were applied to an existing MeHg exposure assessment study, the estimated amount of MeHg absorbed into systemic circulation decreased by 25% and 42% when considering bioaccessibility and bioavailability, respectively. When the in vitro data were integrated into a regression model relating dietary MeHg intake from seafood with hair and blood Hg biomarkers, there were no differences in key model parameters when comparing the default model (that assumes 100% bioavailability) with models adjusted for the in vitro bioaccessibility and bioavailability data. In conclusion this work adds to a growing number of studies that together suggest that MeHg bioavailability from seafood may be less than 100%, but also documents the challenges when integrating such in vitro data into human exposure and risk assessments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maia Siedlikowski
- Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, H9X 3V9
| | - Mark Bradley
- Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, H9X 3V9
| | - Stan Kubow
- Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, H9X 3V9
| | - Jaclyn M Goodrich
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Alfred Franzblau
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Niladri Basu
- Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, H9X 3V9; Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
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Li XJ, Wang YS, Yang SY, Tang X, Liu L, Zhou B, Wang XF, Zhu YF, Huang YQ, He SZ. Determination of metallothioneins based on the enhanced peroxidase-like activity of mercury-coated gold nanoparticles aggregated by metallothioneins. Mikrochim Acta 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s00604-016-1828-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
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Strickland FM, Patel D, Khanna D, Somers E, Robida AM, Pihalja M, Swartz R, Marder W, Richardson B. Characterisation of an epigenetically altered CD4(+) CD28(+) Kir(+) T cell subset in autoimmune rheumatic diseases by multiparameter flow cytometry. Lupus Sci Med 2016; 3:e000147. [PMID: 27099767 PMCID: PMC4823547 DOI: 10.1136/lupus-2016-000147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2016] [Revised: 03/08/2016] [Accepted: 03/09/2016] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Objectives Antigen-specific CD4+ T cells epigenetically modified with DNA methylation inhibitors overexpress genes normally suppressed by this mechanism, including CD11a, CD70, CD40L and the KIR gene family. The altered cells become autoreactive, losing restriction for nominal antigen and responding to self-class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules without added antigen, and are sufficient to cause a lupus-like disease in syngeneic mice. T cells overexpressing the same genes are found in patients with active lupus. Whether these genes are co-overexpressed on the same or different cells is unknown. The goal of this study was to determine whether these genes are overexpressed on the same or different T cells and whether this subset of CD4+ T cells is also present in patients with lupus and other rheumatic diseases. Methods Multicolour flow cytometry was used to compare CD11a, CD70, CD40L and KIR expression on CD3+CD4+CD28+ T cells to their expression on experimentally demethylated CD3+CD4+CD28+ T cells and CD3+CD4+CD28+ T cells from patients with active lupus and other autoimmune diseases. Results Experimentally demethylated CD4+ T cells and T cells from patients with active lupus have a CD3+CD4+CD28+CD11ahiCD70+CD40LhiKIR+ subset, and the subset size is proportional to lupus flare severity. A similar subset is found in patients with other rheumatic diseases including rheumatoid arthritis, systemic sclerosis and Sjögren's syndrome but not retroperitoneal fibrosis. Conclusions Patients with active autoimmune rheumatic diseases have a previously undescribed CD3+CD4+CD28+CD11ahiCD70+CD40LhiKIR+ T cell subset. This subset may play an important role in flares of lupus and related autoimmune rheumatic diseases, provide a biomarker for disease activity and serve as a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of lupus flares.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faith M Strickland
- Rheumatology Division, Department of Internal Medicine , The University of Michigan Medical School , Ann Arbor, Michigan , USA
| | - Dipak Patel
- Rheumatology Division, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Eli Lilly and Company, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Dinesh Khanna
- Rheumatology Division, Department of Internal Medicine , The University of Michigan Medical School , Ann Arbor, Michigan , USA
| | - Emily Somers
- Rheumatology Division, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Department of Environmental Health Sciences, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, The University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Aaron M Robida
- Biomedical Research Core, Flow Cytometry, The University of Michigan , Ann Arbor, Michigan , USA
| | - Michael Pihalja
- Biomedical Research Core, Flow Cytometry, The University of Michigan , Ann Arbor, Michigan , USA
| | - Richard Swartz
- Rheumatology Division, Department of Internal Medicine , The University of Michigan Medical School , Ann Arbor, Michigan , USA
| | - Wendy Marder
- Rheumatology Division, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, The University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Bruce Richardson
- Rheumatology Division, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Department of Medicine, Ann Arbor VA Medical Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
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Dinse GE, Jusko TA, Whitt IZ, Co CA, Parks CG, Satoh M, Chan EK, Rose KM, Walker NJ, Birnbaum LS, Zeldin DC, Weinberg CR, Miller FW. Associations Between Selected Xenobiotics and Antinuclear Antibodies in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999-2004. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2016; 124:426-36. [PMID: 26252071 PMCID: PMC4829978 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.1409345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2014] [Accepted: 08/04/2015] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Potential associations between background environmental chemical exposures and autoimmunity are understudied. OBJECTIVES Our exploratory study investigated exposure to individual environmental chemicals and selected mixtures in relation to the presence of antinuclear antibodies (ANA), a widely used biomarker of autoimmunity, in a representative sample of the U.S. METHODS This cross-sectional analysis used data on 4,340 participants from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1999-2004), of whom 14% were ANA positive, to explore associations between ANA and concentrations of dioxins, dibenzofurans, polychlorinated biphenyls, organochlorines, organophosphates, phenols, metals, and other environmental exposures and metabolites measured in participants' serum, whole blood, or urine. For dioxin-like compounds with toxic equivalency factors, we developed and applied a new statistical approach to study selected mixtures. Lognormal models and censored-data methods produced estimates of chemical associations with ANA in males, nulliparous females, and parous females; these estimates were adjusted for confounders and accommodated concentrations below detectable levels. RESULTS Several associations between chemical concentration and ANA positivity were observed, but only the association in males exposed to triclosan remained statistically significant after correcting for multiple comparisons (mean concentration ratio = 2.8; 95% CI: 1.8, 4.5; p < 0.00001). CONCLUSIONS These data suggest that background levels of most xenobiotic exposures typical in the U.S. population are not strongly associated with ANA. Future studies should ideally reduce exposure misclassification by including prospective measurement of the chemicals of concern and should track changes in ANA and other autoantibodies over time. CITATION Dinse GE, Jusko TA, Whitt IZ, Co CA, Parks CG, Satoh M, Chan EKL, Rose KM, Walker NJ, Birnbaum LS, Zeldin DC, Weinberg CR, Miller FW. 2016. Associations between selected xenobiotics and antinuclear antibodies in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999-2004. Environ Health Perspect 124:426-436; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1409345.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregg E. Dinse
- Biostatistics Center, Social & Scientific Systems, Inc., Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Todd A. Jusko
- Departments of Public Health Sciences and Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York, USA
| | - Irene Z. Whitt
- Division of Rheumatology and Immunology, Department of Internal Medicine, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Caroll A. Co
- Biostatistics Center, Social & Scientific Systems, Inc., Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Christine G. Parks
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Minoru Satoh
- Department of Clinical Nursing, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Edward K.L. Chan
- Department of Oral Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Kathryn M. Rose
- Biostatistics Center, Social & Scientific Systems, Inc., Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Nigel J. Walker
- Division of the National Toxicology Program, NIEHS, NIH, DHHS, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Linda S. Birnbaum
- Laboratory of Toxicology and Toxicokinetics, National Cancer Institute, NIH, DHHS, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | | | - Clarice R. Weinberg
- Biostatistics and Computational Biology Branch, NIEHS, NIH, DHHS, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
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Mercury Accumulation, and the Mercury-PCB-Sex Interaction, in Lake Whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis). ENVIRONMENTS 2016. [DOI: 10.3390/environments3010007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Gribble MO, Karimi R, Feingold BJ, Nyland JF, O'Hara TM, Gladyshev MI, Chen CY. Mercury, selenium and fish oils in marine food webs and implications for human health. JOURNAL OF THE MARINE BIOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED KINGDOM. MARINE BIOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED KINGDOM 2016; 96:43-59. [PMID: 26834292 PMCID: PMC4720108 DOI: 10.1017/s0025315415001356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2015] [Accepted: 07/23/2015] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Humans who eat fish are exposed to mixtures of healthful nutrients and harmful contaminants that are influenced by environmental and ecological factors. Marine fisheries are composed of a multitude of species with varying life histories, and harvested in oceans, coastal waters and estuaries where environmental and ecological conditions determine fish exposure to both nutrients and contaminants. Many of these nutrients and contaminants are thought to influence similar health outcomes (i.e., neurological, cardiovascular, immunological systems). Therefore, our understanding of the risks and benefits of consuming seafood require balanced assessments of contaminants and nutrients found in fish and shellfish. In this paper, we review some of the reported benefits of fish consumption with a focus on the potential hazards of mercury exposure, and compare the environmental variability of fish oils, selenium and mercury in fish. A major scientific gap identified is that fish tissue concentrations are rarely measured for both contaminants and nutrients across a range of species and geographic regions. Interpreting the implications of seafood for human health will require a better understanding of these multiple exposures, particularly as environmental conditions in the oceans change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew O. Gribble
- Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Roxanne Karimi
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Beth J. Feingold
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University at Albany School of Public Health, State University of New York, Rensselaer, NY, USA
| | - Jennifer F. Nyland
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Todd M. O'Hara
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Natural Science and Mathematics, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA
| | - Michail I. Gladyshev
- Institute of Biophysics of Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Akademgorodok, Krasnoyarsk, Russia
- Siberian Federal University, Krasnoyarsk, Russia
| | - Celia Y. Chen
- Department of Biological Sciences – Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA
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Mercury in Hair Is Inversely Related to Disease Associated Damage in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2015; 13:ijerph13010075. [PMID: 26703710 PMCID: PMC4730466 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph13010075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2015] [Revised: 12/02/2015] [Accepted: 12/14/2015] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune inflammatory disease, and environmental factors are proposed to exacerbate existing symptoms. One such environmental factor is mercury. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between exposure to mercury (Hg) and disease activity and disease associated damage in Total Hg concentrations in hair and urine were measured in 52 SLE patients. Dental amalgams were quantified. Disease activity was assessed using three indexes including the British Isles Lupus Assessment Group Index (BILAG). Disease associated damage was measured using the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/American College of Rheumatology SLICC/ACR Damage Index. Pearson’s correlation identified a significant negative correlation between hair Hg and BILAG (r = −0.323, p = 0.029) and SLICC/ACR (r = −0.377, p = 0.038). Multiple regression analysis identified hair Hg as a significant predictor of disease associated damage as determined by SLICC/ACR (β = −0.366, 95% confidence interval (CI): −1.769, −0.155 p = 0.019). Urinary Hg was not related to disease activity or damage. Fish consumption is the primary route of MeHg exposure in humans and the inverse association of hair Hg with disease activity observed here might be explained by the anti-inflammatory effects of n-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids also found in fish.
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Anglen J, Gruninger SE, Chou HN, Weuve J, Turyk ME, Freels S, Stayner LT. Occupational mercury exposure in association with prevalence of multiple sclerosis and tremor among US dentists. J Am Dent Assoc 2015; 146:659-668.e1. [DOI: 10.1016/j.adaj.2015.05.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2015] [Revised: 05/12/2015] [Accepted: 05/17/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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Guimarães LE, Baker B, Perricone C, Shoenfeld Y. Vaccines, adjuvants and autoimmunity. Pharmacol Res 2015; 100:190-209. [PMID: 26275795 PMCID: PMC7129276 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2015.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 135] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2015] [Accepted: 08/05/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Vaccines and autoimmunity are linked fields. Vaccine efficacy is based on whether host immune response against an antigen can elicit a memory T-cell response over time. Although the described side effects thus far have been mostly transient and acute, vaccines are able to elicit the immune system towards an autoimmune reaction. The diagnosis of a definite autoimmune disease and the occurrence of fatal outcome post-vaccination have been less frequently reported. Since vaccines are given to previously healthy hosts, who may have never developed the disease had they not been immunized, adverse events should be carefully accessed and evaluated even if they represent a limited number of occurrences. In this review of the literature, there is evidence of vaccine-induced autoimmunity and adjuvant-induced autoimmunity in both experimental models as well as human patients. Adjuvants and infectious agents may exert their immune-enhancing effects through various functional activities, encompassed by the adjuvant effect. These mechanisms are shared by different conditions triggered by adjuvants leading to the autoimmune/inflammatory syndrome induced by adjuvants (ASIA syndrome). In conclusion, there are several case reports of autoimmune diseases following vaccines, however, due to the limited number of cases, the different classifications of symptoms and the long latency period of the diseases, every attempt for an epidemiological study has so far failed to deliver a connection. Despite this, efforts to unveil the connection between the triggering of the immune system by adjuvants and the development of autoimmune conditions should be undertaken. Vaccinomics is a field that may bring to light novel customized, personalized treatment approaches in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luísa Eça Guimarães
- The Zabludowicz Center for Autoimmune Diseases, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel
| | - Britain Baker
- The Zabludowicz Center for Autoimmune Diseases, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel
| | - Carlo Perricone
- Reumatologia, Dipartimento di Medicina Interna e Specialità Mediche, Sapienza Università di Roma, Italy
| | - Yehuda Shoenfeld
- The Zabludowicz Center for Autoimmune Diseases, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel; Incumbent of the Laura Schwarz-kipp chair for research of autoimmune diseases, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Israel.
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Cardenas A, Koestler DC, Houseman EA, Jackson BP, Kile ML, Karagas MR, Marsit CJ. Differential DNA methylation in umbilical cord blood of infants exposed to mercury and arsenic in utero. Epigenetics 2015; 10:508-15. [PMID: 25923418 DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2015.1046026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Mercury and arsenic are known developmental toxicants. Prenatal exposures are associated with adverse childhood health outcomes that could be in part mediated by epigenetic alterations that may also contribute to altered immune profiles. In this study, we examined the association between prenatal mercury exposure on both DNA methylation and white blood cell composition of cord blood, and evaluated the interaction with prenatal arsenic exposure. A total of 138 mother-infant pairs with postpartum maternal toenail mercury, prenatal urinary arsenic concentrations, and newborn cord blood were assessed using the Illumina Infinium Methylation450 array. White blood cell composition was inferred from DNA methylation measurements. A doubling in toenail mercury concentration was associated with a 2.5% decrease (95% CI: 5.0%, 1.0%) in the estimated monocyte proportion. An increase of 3.5% (95% CI: 1.0, 7.0) in B-cell proportion was observed for females only. Among the top 100 CpGs associated with toenail mercury levels (ranked on P-value), there was a significant enrichment of loci located in North shore regions of CpG islands (P = 0.049), and the majority of these loci were hypermethylated (85%). Among the top 100 CpGs for the interaction between arsenic and mercury, there was a greater than expected proportion of loci located in CpG islands (P = 0.045) and in South shore regions (P = 0.009) and all of these loci were hypermethylated. This work supports the hypothesis that mercury may be contributing to epigenetic variability and immune cell proportion changes, and suggests that in utero exposure to mercury and arsenic, even at low levels, may interact to impact the epigenome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andres Cardenas
- a School of Biological and Population Health Sciences; College of Public Health and Human Sciences; Oregon State University ; Corvallis , OR , USA
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