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Subramaniam NK, Gagnon N, Makhani K, Kukolj N, Mouradian MH, Giles BH, Srikannan H, Fruh V, Meliker J, Wellenius GA, Mann KK. In vitro and in vivo approaches to assess atherosclerosis following exposure to low-dose mixtures of arsenic and cadmium. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2023; 481:116763. [PMID: 37980961 DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2023.116763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Revised: 10/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/21/2023]
Abstract
Worldwide, millions of people are co-exposed to arsenic and cadmium. Environmental exposure to both metals is linked with a higher risk of atherosclerosis. While studies have characterized the pro-atherosclerotic effects of arsenic and cadmium as single agents, little is known about the potential effects of metal mixtures, particularly at low doses. Here, we used a combination of in vitro and in vivo models to assess the effects of low-dose metals individually and as mixtures on early events and plaque development associated with atherosclerosis. In vitro, we investigated early pro-atherogenic changes in macrophages and endothelial cells with metal treatments. The combined cytotoxic effects of both metals at low concentrations were dose interactive, specifically, synergistic in macrophages, but antagonistic in endothelial cells. Despite this differential behavior across cell types, the mixtures did not initiate early pro-atherogenic events: neither reactive oxygen species generation in macrophages nor adhesion molecule expression on endothelial cells. In vivo, we utilized the well-characterized hyperlipidemic apolipoprotein E knock-out (ApoE-/-) mouse model. Previously, we have shown that low concentrations of arsenic (down to 10 ppb) enhance atherosclerosis in ApoE-/- mice. This model has also been used with cadmium to demonstrate pro-atherogenic effects, although at concentrations above human-relevant exposures. In both sexes, there are some small increases in atherosclerotic lesion size, but very few changes in plaque constituents in the ApoE-/- mouse model. Together, these results suggests that low-dose metal mixtures are not significantly more pro-atherogenic than either metal alone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nivetha K Subramaniam
- Division of Experimental Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
| | - Natascha Gagnon
- Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
| | - Kiran Makhani
- Division of Experimental Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
| | - Nikola Kukolj
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
| | - Michael H Mouradian
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
| | - Braeden H Giles
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
| | - Harinee Srikannan
- Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
| | - Victoria Fruh
- Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Jaymie Meliker
- Program in Public Health, Department of Family, Population, & Preventive Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA.
| | - Gregory A Wellenius
- Center for Climate and Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Koren K Mann
- Division of Experimental Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
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