Heavy Metal(loid) Accumulation in the Ovarian Tissue of Free-Ranging Queens and Bitches Inhabiting Highly Polluted Urban Environments

Testis metal toxicity remediation by agro-food waste: evidence of a protective effect of melon seed husk extract Cucumeropsis mannii silica nanoparticles on gonadotropin and sex steroid hormones

Male fertility is strongly affected by the overexpression of free radicals induced by heavy metals. The aim of this study was to produce nanoparticles from the agro-food waste, Cucumeropsis mannii melon seed husk extract (MSHE), whose burned seeds in Nigeria become incorporated into the soil contributing to pollution; and to propose a potential remediation biomarker adoptable to a metal-exposed animal model. Sol-gel precipitated melon husk silica nanoparticles were characterized by spectrophotometric and X-ray diffraction analysis. Biochemical and histopathological tests were performed on male albino rats divided into 8 groups orally exposed to Ni, Al, and Ni/Al both alone as well as co-administrated with MSHE at several dosages. Metal exposure reduced levels of plasma gonadotropin hormones follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), Luteinizing Hormone (LH), and the sex steroid hormone testosterone, but MSHE co-administration increased them. MSHE treatment alone also raised FSH and LH levels compared to the metal-exposed groups. Plasma gonadotropin prolactin (PRL) levels were higher in each group examined, whereas MSHE co-administration significantly lowered them. Additionally, MSHE treatment alone exhibited lower PRL levels than the mixture-exposed groups and increased testosterone levels. Plasma hormonal results were confirmed by regeneration of testis architecture, testis lipid peroxidation decreases, and testis antioxidant increases. Use of agro-food waste nanoparticles has significant implications as evaluated with male albino rat plasma hormone levels. MSHE may ameliorate Ni-Al mixture-induced testicular toxicity and may be a useful future therapeutic tool.

Associations of Essential and Non-Essential Trace Elements' Levels in the Blood, Serum, and Urine in Women with Premature Ovarian Insufficiency

Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) is poorly understood, with causes identified in only 25% of cases. Emerging evidence suggests links between trace elements (TEs) and POI. This study is the first to compare concentrations of manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), selenium (Se), molybdenum (Mo), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), and lead (Pb) across urine, serum, and whole blood in women with POI compared to healthy controls (HC), aiming to explore their distribution and potential associations with POI. This cross-sectional-case-control study enrolled 81 participants (40 POI patients and 41 healthy controls) at the University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Slovenia. Blood and urine samples were collected to quantify basic biochemical parameters using standard clinical chemistry methods and concentrations of Mn, Cu, Zn, Se, Mo, As, Cd, Hg, and Pb using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Participants also completed questionnaires on socio-demographics, medical history, lifestyle, and nutrition. Data was analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test, Student's t-tests, Fisher exact test, logistic regression models adjusted on body mass index (BMI), age, hematocrit, and Kendall's tau correlation. Women with POI had significantly higher BMI and red blood cell (RBC) indices, including hemoglobin, hematocrit, and red cell distribution width (RDW), compared to controls. A larger proportion of POI patients resided in rural agricultural areas. Liver and kidney function assessments showed no significant differences between the groups. Adjusted models revealed that POI patients had significantly lower urinary levels of Cu, Zn, Se, Mo, Cd, Hg, and Pb than controls, while whole blood Mn levels were higher. Serum Cu levels were significantly elevated in POI patients, whereas Pb, Cd, and Hg were lower. No significant differences were observed for As. Correlation analysis showed several strong to moderate associations among TEs across biofluids, but only weak correlations were found between TEs and demographic or biochemical factors. This study suggests potential associations between TEs and POI in women. Notably, most TEs (Zn, Se, Cu, Mo, Cd, Hg, Pb) were significantly lower in the urine of the POI group, while Cu, Cd, Hg, and Pb showed significant differences in both urine and serum.

Selenium Content in the Gonads of Healthy Cats (Felis catus) and Cats with Impaired Homeostasis from the Warsaw Area (Poland)

The aim of the present study was to evaluate selenium content in the gonads of healthy cats and those with impaired homeostasis with the use of fluorescence spectroscopy. Higher concentrations of selenium were found in the gonads of the male domestic cats studied. The average content of this element in the testes of healthy males was: 0.59 mg·kg-1 while 0.47 mg·kg-1 wet weight was recorded in the ovaries of females. In the case of individuals with impaired homeostasis, higher values of selenium were found in the ovaries of obese females (0.40 mg·kg-1), while in the case of females with diagnosed malignancy of the mammary gland, the average values were lower and amounted to 0.31 mg·kg-1 wet weight of tissue. On the basis of statistical analysis, significant differences were found according to sex, age, and disturbed homeostasis of the individuals studied. An association was found between low Se in the gonads and obesity, as well as the presence of mammary gland neoplastic lesions. In addition, Se content was found to decrease with age in females, which can reduce resistance to oxidative stress.

Pets, Genuine Tools of Environmental Pollutant Detection

In a shared environment, our companion animals became unintended sentinels for pollutant exposure consequences, developing even earlier similar conditions to humans. This review focused on the human-pet cohabitation in an environment we all share. Alongside other species, canine and feline companions are veritable models in human medical research. The latency period for showing chronic exposure effects to pollutants is just a few years in them, compared to considerably more, decades in humans. Comparing the serum values of people and their companion animals can, for example, indicate the degree of poisonous lead load we are exposed to and of other substances as well. We can find 2.4 times higher perfluorochemicals from stain- and grease-proof coatings in canine companions, 23 times higher values of flame retardants in cats, and 5 times more mercury compared to the average levels tested in humans. All these represent early warning signals. Taking these into account, together with the animal welfare orientation of today's society, finding non-invasive methods to detect the degree of environmental pollution in our animals becomes paramount, alongside the need to raise awareness of the risks carried by certain chemicals we knowingly use.