Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology最新文献

Acute effects of physical exercise on biomarkers of the trace elements selenium, zinc, copper, and iron 体育锻炼对微量元素硒、锌、铜和铁的生物标志物的急性影响

IF 3.6 3区医学 Q2 BIOCHEMISTRY & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology

Pub Date : 2026-01-29 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtemb.2026.127828

Rebecca Simon , Wiebke Röhr , Maria Schwarz , Hajo Haase , Christian Puta , Anna P. Kipp

Background

Physical activity is important for a healthy lifestyle but may have side effects, especially when performed in an excessive manner. This includes effects on the immune system but can also result in a higher need for certain micronutrients such as the trace elements selenium, zinc, copper, and iron.

Objective

This study aimed to characterize short-term effects of a standardized 1-minute sit-to-stand-test (STST) on serum concentrations of these trace elements.

Methods

20 healthy individuals performed the STST. Capillary blood samples were drawn 10 min before, immediately after, 30, and 60 min post-exercise. Lactate, glucose, and blood cell counts were determined together with the systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), systemic inflammatory response index (SIRI) and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR). The trace element concentrations and the biomarkers free zinc (fZn), and selenoprotein P (SELENOP) were analysed. All values except for fZn and NLR were adjusted for hemoconcentration.

Results

Immediately after the STST, the levels of copper and selenium decreased significantly, which subsequently returned to baseline values. SELENOP levels showed a similar pattern to that of total selenium concentrations but only increased significantly after 60 min, compared to immediately after exercise. In contrast, no changes were observed for total zinc concentrations. FZn increased significantly immediately after the STST, before decreasing. Iron levels were higher immediately after the STST and rose significantly after 60 min. The cellular inflammatory markers NLR and SII decreased significantly after exercise and then increased compared to pre-test values. However, this was only significant for NLR. In contrast, SIRI increased continuously after physical activity, reaching significantly higher values after 60 min.

Conclusion

Short-term acute physical exercise modulates serum trace element concentrations together with inflammatory parameters. Accordingly, these might be connected to each other which should be analyzed after more extensive, long-term or repeated exercise.

体育活动对健康的生活方式很重要，但也可能有副作用，特别是当运动过度时。这包括对免疫系统的影响，但也可能导致对某些微量元素的更高需求，如微量元素硒、锌、铜和铁。目的：本研究旨在描述标准化1分钟坐立测试（STST）对这些微量元素血清浓度的短期影响。方法20例健康人行STST检查。在运动前10 min、运动后立即、运动后30 min和运动后60 min抽取毛细血管血样。测定乳酸、葡萄糖和血细胞计数，以及全身免疫炎症指数（SII）、全身炎症反应指数（SIRI）和中性粒细胞与淋巴细胞比值（NLR）。分析了微量元素浓度、游离锌（fZn）、硒蛋白P （SELENOP）等生物标志物。除fZn和NLR外，所有值均根据血液浓度进行调整。结果经STST处理后，血清中铜和硒的含量立即下降，随后恢复到基线水平。SELENOP水平表现出与总硒浓度相似的模式，但与运动后立即相比，仅在60 min后显著增加。相比之下，总锌浓度没有变化。FZn在STST后立即显著升高，然后下降。铁水平在STST后立即升高，并在60 min后显著升高。细胞炎症标志物NLR和SII在运动后显著下降，然后与测试前相比有所增加。然而，这只对NLR有意义。相比之下，体力活动后SIRI持续增加，在60 min后达到明显较高的值。结论短期急性体育锻炼可调节血清微量元素浓度及炎症参数。因此，这些可能是相互联系的，应该在更广泛、长期或重复的练习后进行分析。

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引用次数: 0

Dose and food matrix effects on selenium retention in mouse tissues from selenium-rich vegetables and rice: Implications for selenium bioavailability 剂量和食物基质对富硒蔬菜和大米中硒在小鼠组织中的保留的影响：对硒生物利用度的影响

IF 3.6 3区医学 Q2 BIOCHEMISTRY & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology

Pub Date : 2026-01-29 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtemb.2026.127829

Jin-Feng Xi , Xin-Ying Lin , Ning Wang , Jin-Lei Yang , Dongmei Zhou , Hong-Bo Li

Selenium (Se) deficiency is a widespread health issue. Investigating the differences in Se bioavailability in agricultural products can provide valuable insights into prioritizing food choices for Se biofortification strategies. This study investigated the effects of food matrix (rice and vegetables) and Se dose on Se retention in tissue by administering SeMet, SeCys₂, MeSeCys, and Se-rich rice and vegetables to mice at varying doses. Results showed that following ingestion of vegetables and rice, Se accumulation in mouse liver and kidneys exhibited non-linear increases with Se doses. Additionally, by giving mice celery, rice, SeMet, SeCys₂, and MeSeCys with different Se doses, Se concentration in liver and kidneys of both male and female mice increased non-linearly with dose, plateauing at higher dose levels, suggesting relative lower retention when doses were higher. This was not due to lower Se absorption in the intestine at higher Se doses, as Se fecal elimination factors (FEFs) in both female and male mice were stable across SeMet doses. However, higher Se doses caused increased urinary excretion, as evidenced by urinary Se excretion factors (UEFs) rising with escalating SeMet doses, leading to lower increases in Se tissue retention under higher Se doses. Further comparing Se tissue retention from rice and celery with same concentrations and species, celery consumption resulted in significantly lower Se accumulation and higher FEFs, suggesting lower Se bioavailability for celery than rice. Our findings demonstrate that Se dose and food matrix collectively shape Se bioavailability, offering a framework to address global deficiencies while balancing efficacy and safety.

硒（Se）缺乏是一个广泛的健康问题。研究农产品中硒生物利用度的差异可以为硒生物强化策略的优先食物选择提供有价值的见解。本研究通过给小鼠不同剂量的SeMet、SeCys2、MeSeCys和富硒水稻和富硒蔬菜，研究了食物基质（大米和蔬菜）和硒剂量对组织硒潴留的影响。结果表明，在摄入蔬菜和大米后，小鼠肝脏和肾脏的硒积累随硒剂量呈非线性增加。此外，给小鼠不同剂量的芹菜、大米、SeMet、SeCys2和MeSeCys，雄性和雌性小鼠的肝脏和肾脏中的硒浓度随剂量呈非线性增加，在高剂量水平下趋于稳定，表明剂量越高，硒的滞留量相对较低。这并不是因为高硒剂量降低了肠道对硒的吸收，因为雌性和雄性小鼠的硒粪便消除因子（FEFs）在SeMet剂量下都是稳定的。然而，高硒剂量导致尿硒排泄增加，正如尿硒排泄因子（UEFs）随着SeMet剂量的增加而上升所证明的那样，导致高硒剂量下硒组织潴留的增加较低。进一步比较相同浓度和品种的水稻和芹菜的硒组织滞留量，芹菜的消耗显著降低了硒积累量，显著提高了fef，表明芹菜的硒生物利用度低于水稻。我们的研究结果表明，硒剂量和食物基质共同塑造了硒的生物利用度，为解决全球硒缺乏提供了一个框架，同时平衡了有效性和安全性。

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引用次数: 0

Determinants of iron, zinc, and copper concentrations in the hair of dogs and cats 猫狗毛发中铁、锌、铜浓度的决定因素

IF 3.6 3区医学 Q2 BIOCHEMISTRY & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology

Pub Date : 2026-01-27 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtemb.2026.127826

Emanuela Badea , Gheorghe Valentin Goran , Cristina Ţoca

Trace elements such as iron (Fe), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn) are essential dietary components that support a broad range of biochemical and physiological functions. Despite being required in trace amounts, disturbances in their homeostasis can lead to a wide range of health issues. Their assessment in biological matrices, including hair, in companion animals continues to be explored as a means of understanding nutritional status, environmental exposure, and pathological conditions. However, data for companion animals remain limited. This study evaluated the influence of selected individual (sex, age) and environmental (diet type, living environment) factors on Fe, Zn, and Cu concentrations in the hair of clinically healthy dogs and cats living in Bucharest, Romania. Elemental quantification was performed using ICP-MS following acid digestion. Median concentrations were compared using Mann–Whitney U and Kruskal–Wallis tests, and associations among elements were evaluated using Spearman’s rank correlation with Benjamini–Hochberg correction (FDR 0.05) to control for false discoveries. Dogs exhibited significantly higher hair Fe (168.29 µg/g) and Cu (6.99 µg/g) concentrations than cats (57.67 µg/g Fe; 5.86 µg/g Cu), whereas Zn levels were similar between species (93.12 µg/g in dogs; 101.20 µg/g in cats). Sex, age, and diet type showed no significant influence on Fe, Zn, or Cu in either species. In contrast, the living environment significantly affected Fe levels: dogs kept outdoors had markedly higher Fe concentrations (312.21 µg/g) than indoor dogs (78.31 µg/g), and the same pattern was observed in cats (111.05 µg/g in outdoor cats; 40.52 µg/g in indoor cats), while Zn and Cu remained unaffected. All pairwise correlations among Fe, Zn, and Cu were positive and remained statistically significant after FDR correction. Zn–Cu demonstrated the strongest association in both species (ρ = 0.773 in dogs; ρ = 0.883 in cats), with cats showing overall stronger inter-element correlations than dogs. These findings contribute to the limited reference data on companion animal hair mineral profiles and highlight the potential value of hair analysis for exploring environmental influences and trace element interactions in dogs and cats.

微量元素如铁（Fe）、铜（Cu）和锌（Zn）是必需的膳食成分，支持广泛的生化和生理功能。尽管需要微量，但体内平衡的紊乱会导致广泛的健康问题。它们在伴侣动物的生物基质（包括毛发）中的评估，将继续作为了解营养状况、环境暴露和病理状况的手段进行探索。然而，伴侣动物的数据仍然有限。本研究评估了选定的个体（性别、年龄）和环境（饮食类型、生活环境）因素对生活在罗马尼亚布加勒斯特的临床健康犬猫毛发中铁、锌和铜浓度的影响。酸消化后采用ICP-MS进行元素定量。使用Mann-Whitney U检验和Kruskal-Wallis检验比较中位浓度，并使用Spearman等级相关和Benjamini-Hochberg校正（FDR 0.05）来评估元素之间的相关性，以控制错误发现。狗的毛铁（168.29 µg/g）和铜（6.99 µg/g）浓度明显高于猫（57.67 µg/g Fe; 5.86 µg/g Cu），而锌含量在不同物种之间相似（狗93.12 µg/g；猫101.20 µg/g）。性别、年龄和饮食类型对两种动物的铁、锌和铜含量均无显著影响。相比之下，生活环境显著影响铁水平：户外养狗的铁浓度（312.21 µg/g）明显高于室内养狗（78.31 µg/g），猫的铁浓度也明显高于室内养狗（111.05 µg/g；室内养猫40.52 µg/g），而Zn和Cu则不受影响。FDR校正后，铁、锌和铜之间的所有两两相关均为正相关，且仍具有统计学意义。锌-铜在两个物种中表现出最强的相关性（狗的ρ = 0.773；猫的ρ = 0.883），猫的元素间相关性总体上强于狗。这些发现有助于提供伴侣动物毛发矿物质谱的有限参考数据，并突出毛发分析在探索狗和猫的环境影响和微量元素相互作用方面的潜在价值。

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引用次数: 0

Associations of individual and combined alterations in essential trace metal levels with breast cancer risk: A case-control study in Tanzania 必需微量金属水平的个体和组合改变与乳腺癌风险的关系：坦桑尼亚的一项病例对照研究

IF 3.6 3区医学 Q2 BIOCHEMISTRY & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology

Pub Date : 2026-01-23 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtemb.2026.127823

Emmanuel Njale , John A.M. Mahugija , Dativa J. Shilla , Nyimvua S. Mbare

Background

Both deficiency and excess of essential trace metals may be linked to an increased risk of breast cancer. Alterations in trace metal concentrations have been noted in breast cancer patients, but their relationships with breast cancer remain unclear. The aim of this study was to explore the associations between alterations in trace metals levels and breast cancer.

Methods

Urinary trace metals were determined in 100 breast cancer patients and 80 controls using an inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrophotometer (ICP-AES). An unconditional binary logistic regression model was used to assess the impact of individual metals on breast cancer, while Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) was applied to uncover possible non-linear, interactive, and combined metal effects on breast cancer. Results. In multivariable models, the second quartile of Cu (OR = 10.83, 95 % CI: 2.54–46.23) and Se in third (OR = 8.54, 95 % CI: 1.25–58.20) and highest (OR = 11.87, 95 % CI: (1.65–85.20) quartiles were significantly associated with increased breast cancer risk, while the second quartile of Co (OR = 0.15, 95 % CI: 0.02–0.96) was significantly connected to a reduced risk. The analysis of combined effects revealed that higher concentrations of trace metal mixtures were associated with breast cancer, with Cu contributing the most to the overall relationship within the mixture.

Conclusion

Alteration in urinary Co levels was linked to a lower risk of breast cancer, while Cu and Se were associated with increased risks. The combined effect of the metal mixture was also linked to breast cancer. It is recommended that further large-scale and population longitudinal studies can be conducted in order to clarify or confirm these findings.

基本微量金属的缺乏和过量都可能与乳腺癌风险增加有关。乳腺癌患者体内微量金属浓度的变化已被发现，但其与乳腺癌的关系尚不清楚。这项研究的目的是探索微量金属水平变化与乳腺癌之间的关系。方法采用电感耦合等离子体原子发射分光光度计（ICP-AES）对100例乳腺癌患者和80例对照组进行了微量金属测定。使用无条件二元逻辑回归模型评估单个金属对乳腺癌的影响，而使用贝叶斯核机回归（BKMR）来揭示可能的非线性，交互和联合金属对乳腺癌的影响。结果。在多变量模型中，Cu的第二个四分位数（OR = 10.83, 95 % CI: 2.54-46.23）和Se的第三个四分位数（OR = 8.54, 95 % CI: 1.25-58.20）和Se的最高四分位数（OR = 11.87, 95 % CI: 1.65-85.20）与乳腺癌风险增加显著相关，而Co的第二个四分位数（OR = 0.15, 95 % CI: 0.02-0.96）与风险降低显著相关。综合效应分析显示，较高浓度的微量金属混合物与乳腺癌有关，其中铜在混合物的整体关系中贡献最大。结论尿中Co水平的改变与乳腺癌风险降低有关，而Cu和Se则与风险增加有关。金属混合物的综合作用也与乳腺癌有关。建议进一步进行大规模和人口纵向研究，以澄清或证实这些发现。

{"title":"Associations of individual and combined alterations in essential trace metal levels with breast cancer risk: A case-control study in Tanzania","authors":"Emmanuel Njale , John A.M. Mahugija , Dativa J. Shilla , Nyimvua S. Mbare","doi":"10.1016/j.jtemb.2026.127823","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jtemb.2026.127823","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Both deficiency and excess of essential trace metals may be linked to an increased risk of breast cancer. Alterations in trace metal concentrations have been noted in breast cancer patients, but their relationships with breast cancer remain unclear. The aim of this study was to explore the associations between alterations in trace metals levels and breast cancer.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Urinary trace metals were determined in 100 breast cancer patients and 80 controls using an inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrophotometer (ICP-AES). An unconditional binary logistic regression model was used to assess the impact of individual metals on breast cancer, while Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) was applied to uncover possible non-linear, interactive, and combined metal effects on breast cancer. <em>Results</em>. In multivariable models, the second quartile of Cu (OR = 10.83, 95 % CI: 2.54–46.23) and Se in third (OR = 8.54, 95 % CI: 1.25–58.20) and highest (OR = 11.87, 95 % CI: (1.65–85.20) quartiles were significantly associated with increased breast cancer risk, while the second quartile of Co (OR = 0.15, 95 % CI: 0.02–0.96) was significantly connected to a reduced risk. The analysis of combined effects revealed that higher concentrations of trace metal mixtures were associated with breast cancer, with Cu contributing the most to the overall relationship within the mixture.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Alteration in urinary Co levels was linked to a lower risk of breast cancer, while Cu and Se were associated with increased risks. The combined effect of the metal mixture was also linked to breast cancer. It is recommended that further large-scale and population longitudinal studies can be conducted in order to clarify or confirm these findings.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49970,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology","volume":"94 ","pages":"Article 127823"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-01-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146049167","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Functionalization of carbon nano-onions for potential biomedical applications 纳米碳洋葱的功能化及其潜在的生物医学应用

IF 3.6 3区医学 Q2 BIOCHEMISTRY & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology

Pub Date : 2026-01-23 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtemb.2026.127822

Mariana Prodana , Daniela Ionita , Calin C. Moise , Oana A. Lazar , Marius Enachescu , Narcisa Mederle

Multi-shell fullerenes, known as carbon nano-onions (CNOs), are one of the allotrope forms of carbon that have received less research efforts compared to other carbon allotropes, e.g., carbon nanotubes, graphene, etc. In this work, we report the synthesis of “in-house made” CNOs, prepared by pulsed laser ablation technique, and we demonstrate the functionalization of CNOs with carboxylic groups followed by cisplatin adsorption, as a hybrid functionalization method. The results involve platinum-oxidizing nano-onions for further applications in the biomedical field, knowing that functionalization of CNOs with different functional groups improves their solubility and biocompatibility, resulting in an increased ability to penetrate the cells. The chemical composition, molecular structure, and morphological properties of the prepared samples were characterized by micro-Raman spectroscopy, Attenuated Total Reflection Infrared Transformed Fourier spectroscopy (FTIR), and High-Resolution Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (HR-STEM) equipped with the Energy-Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy module. The amount of Pt ion release from the cisplatin functionalized samples was studied using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS).

多壳富勒烯，被称为碳纳米洋葱（CNOs），是碳的同素异形体之一，与碳纳米管、石墨烯等其他碳同素异形体相比，研究工作较少。在这项工作中，我们报道了用脉冲激光烧蚀技术合成“自制”的CNOs，并证明了CNOs与羧基的功能化，然后顺铂吸附，作为一种混合功能化方法。研究结果涉及到铂氧化纳米洋葱在生物医学领域的进一步应用，知道用不同的官能团功能化CNOs可以提高其溶解度和生物相容性，从而提高穿透细胞的能力。利用微拉曼光谱、衰减全反射红外变换傅立叶光谱（FTIR）和配备能量色散x射线光谱模块的高分辨率扫描透射电子显微镜（hrstem）对制备的样品的化学成分、分子结构和形态性质进行了表征。采用电感耦合等离子体质谱法（ICP-MS）研究顺铂功能化样品的铂离子释放量。

{"title":"Functionalization of carbon nano-onions for potential biomedical applications","authors":"Mariana Prodana , Daniela Ionita , Calin C. Moise , Oana A. Lazar , Marius Enachescu , Narcisa Mederle","doi":"10.1016/j.jtemb.2026.127822","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jtemb.2026.127822","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Multi-shell fullerenes, known as carbon nano-onions (CNOs), are one of the allotrope forms of carbon that have received less research efforts compared to other carbon allotropes, e.g., carbon nanotubes, graphene, etc. In this work, we report the synthesis of “<em>in-house made</em>” CNOs, prepared by pulsed laser ablation technique, and we demonstrate the functionalization of CNOs with carboxylic groups followed by cisplatin adsorption, as a hybrid functionalization method. The results involve platinum-oxidizing nano-onions for further applications in the biomedical field, knowing that functionalization of CNOs with different functional groups improves their solubility and biocompatibility, resulting in an increased ability to penetrate the cells. The chemical composition, molecular structure, and morphological properties of the prepared samples were characterized by micro-Raman spectroscopy, Attenuated Total Reflection Infrared Transformed Fourier spectroscopy (FTIR), and High-Resolution Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (HR-STEM) equipped with the Energy-Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy module. The amount of Pt ion release from the cisplatin functionalized samples was studied using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS).</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49970,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology","volume":"94 ","pages":"Article 127822"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-01-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146049168","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Curcumin-selenium nanoparticles: A promising approach in disease prevention and treatment 姜黄素硒纳米颗粒：一种有前途的疾病预防和治疗方法

IF 3.6 3区医学 Q2 BIOCHEMISTRY & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology

Pub Date : 2026-01-23 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtemb.2026.127824

Sahar Ghoflchi , Sercan Karav , Hossein Hosseini , Amirhossein Sahebkar

Curcumin, the primary active ingredient from turmeric's rhizome, and selenium, a vital human element, have received significant scientific attention in medical research. The combination of curcumin and selenium has been considered an emerging approach to preventing and treating diseases due to their ability to reduce oxidative stress, regulate inflammation, and enhance the immune system. The use of nanotechnology, especially in the form of curcumin-selenium nanoparticles (CurSeNPs), has provided a novel solution to overcome the limitations of the use of curcumin and selenium, such as the low bioavailability of curcumin and the toxicity of selenium at high doses. This review aims to explore the research on the effects of CurSeNPs on various diseases and assess their therapeutic potential. This review aims to evaluate previous studies exploring the effects of Cur–SeNPs on various diseases.

姜黄根茎的主要活性成分姜黄素和人体重要元素硒在医学研究中受到了极大的科学关注。姜黄素和硒的结合被认为是预防和治疗疾病的一种新兴方法，因为它们具有减少氧化应激、调节炎症和增强免疫系统的能力。纳米技术的应用，特别是姜黄素-硒纳米颗粒（CurSeNPs）的应用，为克服姜黄素和硒的局限性提供了一种新的解决方案，例如姜黄素的低生物利用度和高剂量硒的毒性。本文旨在探讨CurSeNPs在多种疾病中的作用，并评价其治疗潜力。本文综述了curr - senps在多种疾病中的作用。

引用次数: 0

It’s a gator tale: Alligator lung cells resist hexavalent chromium-induced DNA repair inhibition and chromosome instability 这是一个鳄鱼的故事：鳄鱼肺细胞抵抗六价铬诱导的DNA修复抑制和染色体不稳定

IF 3.6 3区医学 Q2 BIOCHEMISTRY & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology

Pub Date : 2026-01-13 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtemb.2026.127820

Aggie R. Williams, Sandra S. Diven, Idoia Meaza, John Pierce Wise Sr

Background

Hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] is an environmental pollutant that is widely distributed across several ecosystems, such as the aquatic environment, due to human activities. The American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) is a top predator in the aquatic ecosystem that can inhale environmental contaminants, including Cr(VI), through airborne deposition, water surface exposure, and resuspended particles from contaminated sediments. Although Cr(VI) is a well-known human carcinogen, its health effects in alligators remain poorly understood.

Methods

We exposed alligator lung cells to zinc chromate for 24 h or 120 h. Cytotoxicity was measured with a colony formation assay. Genotoxicity was measured with a chromosomal aberration assay and the neutral comet assay. To assess DNA repair activity, RAD51 and RAD51D foci were measured using immunofluorescence.

Results

Our data showed Cr(VI) induced cytotoxicity and genotoxicity in alligator lung cells. DNA double strand breaks were elevated following both 24 and 120 h exposures with similar levels at both time points. The amount of chromosome damage increased following 24 h exposure but was reduced after 120 h exposure. We found in contrast to human lung cells, alligator lung cells had active DNA repair at both timepoints.

Conclusions

In this study, we evaluated the cytotoxic, genotoxic, and DNA repair response effects of particulate Cr(VI) in alligator lung cells after acute (24 h) and prolonged (120 h) exposures. These data indicate alligators have evolved protective measures against DNA damage induced by Cr at the cellular or molecular levels, which likely leads to protection against other chemical carcinogens that cause DNA double strand breaks. These findings inform chemical carcinogenesis in humans and support the use of alligators as sentinel species for monitoring the health impacts of Cr(VI) contamination in aquatic environments.

六价铬[Cr(VI)]是一种由于人类活动而广泛分布于水生环境等多种生态系统中的环境污染物。美洲短吻鳄（短吻鳄密西西比）是水生生态系统中的顶级捕食者，可以通过空气沉积、水面暴露和污染沉积物中的重悬浮颗粒吸入环境污染物，包括Cr（VI）。虽然铬（VI）是一种众所周知的人类致癌物，但它对短吻鳄的健康影响仍知之甚少。方法将鳄鱼肺细胞暴露于铬酸锌中24 h或120 h。用菌落形成试验测定细胞毒性。用染色体畸变试验和中性彗星试验测定遗传毒性。为了评估DNA修复活性，采用免疫荧光法检测RAD51和RAD51D病灶。结果Cr（VI）对鳄鱼肺细胞具有细胞毒性和遗传毒性。DNA双链断裂在24和120 h暴露后均升高，两个时间点的水平相似。暴露24 h后染色体损伤量增加，暴露120 h后染色体损伤量减少。我们发现，与人类肺细胞相比，鳄鱼肺细胞在两个时间点都有活跃的DNA修复。结论在本研究中，我们评估了颗粒Cr（VI）在急性（24 h）和长期（120 h）暴露后对鳄鱼肺细胞的细胞毒性、基因毒性和DNA修复反应的影响。这些数据表明，短吻鳄在细胞或分子水平上已经进化出了保护措施，以防止铬引起的DNA损伤，这可能导致对其他导致DNA双链断裂的化学致癌物的保护。这些发现为人类的化学致癌作用提供了信息，并支持使用短吻鳄作为监测水生环境中Cr（VI）污染对健康的影响的哨兵物种。

{"title":"It’s a gator tale: Alligator lung cells resist hexavalent chromium-induced DNA repair inhibition and chromosome instability","authors":"Aggie R. Williams, Sandra S. Diven, Idoia Meaza, John Pierce Wise Sr","doi":"10.1016/j.jtemb.2026.127820","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jtemb.2026.127820","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] is an environmental pollutant that is widely distributed across several ecosystems, such as the aquatic environment, due to human activities. The American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) is a top predator in the aquatic ecosystem that can inhale environmental contaminants, including Cr(VI), through airborne deposition, water surface exposure, and resuspended particles from contaminated sediments. Although Cr(VI) is a well-known human carcinogen, its health effects in alligators remain poorly understood.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We exposed alligator lung cells to zinc chromate for 24 h or 120 h. Cytotoxicity was measured with a colony formation assay. Genotoxicity was measured with a chromosomal aberration assay and the neutral comet assay. To assess DNA repair activity, RAD51 and RAD51D foci were measured using immunofluorescence.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Our data showed Cr(VI) induced cytotoxicity and genotoxicity in alligator lung cells. DNA double strand breaks were elevated following both 24 and 120 h exposures with similar levels at both time points. The amount of chromosome damage increased following 24 h exposure but was reduced after 120 h exposure. We found in contrast to human lung cells, alligator lung cells had active DNA repair at both timepoints.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>In this study, we evaluated the cytotoxic, genotoxic, and DNA repair response effects of particulate Cr(VI) in alligator lung cells after acute (24 h) and prolonged (120 h) exposures. These data indicate alligators have evolved protective measures against DNA damage induced by Cr at the cellular or molecular levels, which likely leads to protection against other chemical carcinogens that cause DNA double strand breaks. These findings inform chemical carcinogenesis in humans and support the use of alligators as sentinel species for monitoring the health impacts of Cr(VI) contamination in aquatic environments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49970,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology","volume":"93 ","pages":"Article 127820"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-01-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145976851","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

The toxic effect of Cu2+ on cultured astrocytes of the rat cerebral cortex is associated with the nucleolar stress Cu2+对培养的大鼠大脑皮层星形胶质细胞的毒性作用与核核应激有关

IF 3.6 3区医学 Q2 BIOCHEMISTRY & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology

Pub Date : 2026-01-13 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtemb.2026.127821

Nickolay K. Isaev , Elizaveta E. Genrikhs , Elena A. Smirnova , Wenzhu Wang , Alina E. Lapieva , Sergey A. Golyshev , Dmitry N. Voronkov , Anna B. Strizhkova , Arseniy K. Berdnikov , Elena V. Stelmashook

Copper-induced cell death (cuproptosis) is implicated in the pathogenesis of Wilson's disease, there-fore it is important to understand how copper ions can affect brain astrocytes, as these cells play an important role in copper metabolism. The cultured astrocytes were incubated with various concentra-tions of CuCl₂ (0.025–0.2 mM) for 24 h. CuCl₂ caused dose-dependent decrease in cell viability. Statistically significant decrease in cell viability (85 %) was detected at 0.05 mM Cu²⁺ . Higher con-centrations of copper (0.1 mM and 0.2 mM) reduced cell viability to 80 % and 59 %, respectively. The concentration 0.1 mM was used for further experiments. In the surviving cells treated with 24 h Cu²⁺ , there was a significant increase in the level of the p53 protein and changes in the localization of nucleophosmin/B23 in nuclei of cultured astrocytes, increase in the size of the nucleoli to 2.47 ± 0.1 µm² compared to 1.35 ± 0.04 µm² in the control and a decrease in the mitochondrial membrane potential. The electron microscopy showed that copper induced a redistribution of the dense fibrillar component to the nucleolar periphery and a disorganization of the whole nucleolar structure. Our results show that the nucleoli are one of the main targets of Cu-induced damage, leading to the development of nucleolar stress.

铜诱导的细胞死亡（cuprotosis）与Wilson病的发病机制有关，因此了解铜离子如何影响脑星形胶质细胞是很重要的，因为这些细胞在铜代谢中起着重要作用。将培养的星形胶质细胞与不同浓度的CuCl2（0.025-0.2 mM）孵育24 h。CuCl2引起细胞活力的剂量依赖性降低。在0.05 mM Cu2+时，细胞活力显著降低（85 %）。较高浓度的铜（0.1 mM和0.2 mM）分别使细胞存活率降低到80 %和59 %。进一步实验采用浓度0.1 mM。在24 h Cu2+处理的存活细胞中，培养的星形胶质细胞细胞核中p53蛋白水平显著升高，核磷蛋白/B23的定位发生变化，核核大小增加到2.47 ± 0.1µm2，而对照组为1.35 ± 0.04µm2，线粒体膜电位下降。电镜观察表明，铜诱导致密纤维成分向核仁周围重新分布，并破坏整个核仁结构。结果表明，核仁是cu诱导损伤的主要靶点之一，导致核仁应力的发展。

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引用次数: 0

ZIP3 is essential for the encephalitogenic function of pTh17 cells by regulating intracellular zinc levels ZIP3通过调节细胞内锌水平对pTh17细胞的致脑功能至关重要

IF 3.6 3区医学 Q2 BIOCHEMISTRY & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology

Pub Date : 2026-01-07 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtemb.2026.127819

Dominik Drmić , Liwei Wang , Lucile Noyer , Li Zhong , Stefan Feske

Background

Zinc (Zn²⁺) is the second most abundant trace metal in eukaryotes and essential for many cellular functions. It possesses well-established immunomodulatory properties and disruption of Zn²⁺ signaling compromises immune functions resulting in immunodeficiency. In addition, Zn²⁺ has been implicated in several autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS).

Methods

We used a forward genomic screen to identify Zn²⁺ transporters that control the function of encephalitogenic T helper (Th) 17 cells, and thus, drive CNS inflammation in the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) mouse model of MS. We measured cytosolic Zn²⁺ levels in T cells with a genetically encoded Zn²⁺ reporter and used confocal microscopy to determine the subcellular localization of ZIP3. We used shRNA and CRISPR gene editing to delete Slc39a3 (encoding ZIP3) to determine its role in CD4⁺ T cells in vitro and pathogenic Th17 (pTh17) cells in vivo in EAE.

Results

Using a shRNA screen in myelin-specific pTh17 cells in vivo, we found that ZIP3 is required for their expansion in the CNS of mice with EAE. When ectopically expressed, ZIP3 was located predominantly in the Golgi apparatus. Deletion of Slc39a3 resulted in decreased cytosolic Zn²⁺ levels selectively in pTh17 cells without affecting those in non-polarized CD4⁺ T cells. Slc39a3-deficient pTh17 cells showed an increased susceptibility to apoptotic cell death and reduced CD69 expression in vitro, while proliferation and cytokine production remained intact. Slc39a3 deletion in pTh17 cells significantly reduced the severity of EAE by reducing leukocyte infiltration of the CNS.

Conclusions

ZIP3 is essential for the encephalitogenic function of pTh17 cells and promoting EAE, likely by regulating cytosolic Zn²⁺ levels.

锌（Zn2+）是真核生物中含量第二丰富的微量金属，对许多细胞功能至关重要。它具有完善的免疫调节特性，破坏Zn2+信号会损害免疫功能，导致免疫缺陷。此外，Zn2+与多种自身免疫性疾病如多发性硬化症（MS）有关。方法采用正向基因组筛选方法，在实验性自身免疫性脑脊髓炎（EAE）小鼠模型中鉴定控制脑源性T辅助（Th） 17细胞功能的Zn2+转运体，从而驱动中枢神经系统炎症。利用遗传编码的Zn2+报告基因检测T细胞胞浆中Zn2+水平，并使用共聚焦显微镜确定ZIP3的亚细胞定位。我们采用shRNA和CRISPR基因编辑的方法删除Slc39a3（编码ZIP3），以确定其在EAE中体外CD4+ T细胞和体内致病性Th17 （pTh17）细胞中的作用。结果通过对髓磷脂特异性pTh17细胞的shRNA筛选，我们发现ZIP3是EAE小鼠中枢神经系统扩增所必需的。异位表达时，ZIP3主要位于高尔基体中。Slc39a3的缺失导致pTh17细胞中细胞内Zn2+水平选择性降低，而不影响非极化CD4+ T细胞。在体外实验中，slc39a3缺失的pTh17细胞对凋亡细胞死亡的易感性增加，CD69表达降低，而增殖和细胞因子产生保持不变。pTh17细胞中Slc39a3缺失通过减少中枢神经系统的白细胞浸润，显著降低EAE的严重程度。结论szip3可能通过调节胞浆Zn2+水平，对pTh17细胞的致脑功能和EAE的促进起重要作用。

{"title":"ZIP3 is essential for the encephalitogenic function of pTh17 cells by regulating intracellular zinc levels","authors":"Dominik Drmić , Liwei Wang , Lucile Noyer , Li Zhong , Stefan Feske","doi":"10.1016/j.jtemb.2026.127819","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jtemb.2026.127819","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Zinc (Zn<sup>2+</sup>) is the second most abundant trace metal in eukaryotes and essential for many cellular functions. It possesses well-established immunomodulatory properties and disruption of Zn<sup>2+</sup> signaling compromises immune functions resulting in immunodeficiency. In addition, Zn<sup>2+</sup> has been implicated in several autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS).</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We used a forward genomic screen to identify Zn<sup>2+</sup> transporters that control the function of encephalitogenic T helper (Th) 17 cells, and thus, drive CNS inflammation in the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) mouse model of MS. We measured cytosolic Zn<sup>2+</sup> levels in T cells with a genetically encoded Zn<sup>2+</sup> reporter and used confocal microscopy to determine the subcellular localization of ZIP3. We used shRNA and CRISPR gene editing to delete <em>Slc39a3</em> (encoding ZIP3) to determine its role in CD4<sup>+</sup> T cells <em>in vitro</em> and pathogenic Th17 (pTh17) cells <em>in vivo</em> in EAE.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Using a shRNA screen in myelin-specific pTh17 cells <em>in vivo</em>, we found that ZIP3 is required for their expansion in the CNS of mice with EAE. When ectopically expressed, ZIP3 was located predominantly in the Golgi apparatus. Deletion of <em>Slc39a3</em> resulted in decreased cytosolic Zn<sup>2+</sup> levels selectively in pTh17 cells without affecting those in non-polarized CD4<sup>+</sup> T cells. <em>Slc39a3-</em>deficient pTh17 cells showed an increased susceptibility to apoptotic cell death and reduced CD69 expression <em>in vitro</em>, while proliferation and cytokine production remained intact. <em>Slc39a3</em> deletion in pTh17 cells significantly reduced the severity of EAE by reducing leukocyte infiltration of the CNS.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>ZIP3 is essential for the encephalitogenic function of pTh17 cells and promoting EAE, likely by regulating cytosolic Zn<sup>2+</sup> levels.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49970,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology","volume":"93 ","pages":"Article 127819"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-01-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145976850","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

NK cell-derived exosomes restrict Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection by inhibiting cellular ferroptosis NK细胞来源的外泌体通过抑制细胞铁下垂来限制结核分枝杆菌感染

IF 3.6 3区医学 Q2 BIOCHEMISTRY & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology

Pub Date : 2026-01-07 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtemb.2026.127817

Linzhi Yue , Xuan Wang , Tao Ma , Yumei Dai , Wenya Du , Tongrui Fang , Ziyan Shang , Guofu Wang , Ling Geng , Tao Wang , Lixian Wu

Background

Tuberculosis (TB) continues to pose a formidable global health threat, prompting the exploration of novel treatment strategies. The role of trace elements, especially iron, in TB pathogenesis is becoming increasingly recognized. Ferroptosis, an iron-dependent cell death process, has emerged as a key antimicrobial mechanism. This study aims to investigate whether exosomes derived from natural killer cells (NK-exo) can enhance host immune resistance to Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) through the regulation of ferroptosis.

Methods

We evaluated the therapeutic potential of NK-exo in both MTB-infected Ana-1 macrophages and a mouse model. Western blotting and RT-qPCR were employed to detect changes in the expression of ferroptosis proteins. Histopathological damage was assessed via H&E staining, and bacterial loads were quantified by CFU assays. To establish ferroptosis suppression as the mechanism through which NK-exo mitigates MTB infection, we treated cells with the ferroptosis activator RSL3 and examine whether this intervention consequently reversed the protective effects of NK-exo.

Results

In both infected macrophages and mouse lung tissues, NK-exo treatment reduced the MTB load and effectively suppressed ROS accumulation and ferroptosis. Mechanistically, NK-exo exhibited dual regulation of the ferroptosis pathway by upregulating the expression of GPX4 while concomitantly downregulating the expression of SLC7A11, ACSL4, and TFRC. Crucially, the protective effects of NK-exo were abolished by co-treatment with RSL3, confirming that its mechanism hinges on the regulation of the ferroptosis pathway.

Conclusion

NK-exo mitigates MTB infection-induced lipid peroxidation and histopathological damage by targeting pivotal regulators of ferroptosis. These findings highlight the promise of NK-exo as a novel, cell-free immunotherapeutic strategy for Tuberculosis.

结核病（TB）继续对全球健康构成巨大威胁，促使人们探索新的治疗策略。微量元素，特别是铁，在结核病发病中的作用越来越被认识到。铁死亡是一种铁依赖性细胞死亡过程，已成为一种重要的抗微生物机制。本研究旨在探讨自然杀伤细胞衍生的外泌体（NK-exo）是否能通过调控铁死亡来增强宿主对结核分枝杆菌（MTB）的免疫抗性。方法研究NK-exo对mtb感染的Ana-1巨噬细胞和小鼠模型的治疗潜力。采用Western blotting和RT-qPCR检测铁下垂蛋白的表达变化。H&；E染色评估组织病理学损伤，CFU测定细菌负荷。为了确定铁下垂抑制是NK-exo减轻MTB感染的机制，我们用铁下垂激活剂RSL3处理细胞，并检查这种干预是否因此逆转了NK-exo的保护作用。结果NK-exo处理在感染巨噬细胞和小鼠肺组织中均能降低MTB负荷，有效抑制ROS积累和铁下垂。在机制上，NK-exo通过上调GPX4的表达，同时下调SLC7A11、ACSL4和TFRC的表达，表现出对铁下垂途径的双重调控。至关重要的是，NK-exo的保护作用通过与RSL3共处理而被消除，证实其机制取决于对铁凋亡途径的调节。结论nk -exo通过靶向铁下垂的关键调节因子减轻结核分枝杆菌感染引起的脂质过氧化和组织病理学损伤。这些发现突出了NK-exo作为一种新的无细胞结核病免疫治疗策略的前景。

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引用次数: 0