Seric concentrations of copper, chromium, manganesum, nickel and selenium in aerobic, anaerobic and mixed professional sportsmen.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to determine changes in serum concentrations of trace elements Cooper (Cu), Chromiun (Cr), Manganesum (Mn), Nickel (Ni) and Selenium (Se) in high-level sportsmen. METHODS: Eighty professional athletes of different metabolic modalities, were recruited before the start of their training period. Thirty one sedentary participants of the same geographic area constituted the control group. Cu, Cr, Mn, Ni and Se analysis was performed by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). RESULTS: Higher concentrations of Cr (p < 0.001), Mn (p < 0.085), and Ni (p < 0.001) were found in sportsmen in comparison to controls, inversely, Se values were lower (p < 0.001) among sportsmen. When sportsmen were classified by metabolic modalities, it was found that aerobic-anaerobic group had higher (p < 0.01) Cu concentrations than controls and the other sportsmen. The highest Cr values were found in aerobic participants. For Mn, the major levels were found in aerobic and aerobic-anaerobic groups as well (p < 0.001). The lowest Se levels were found among anaerobic sportsmen (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: This research showed that daily, continuum physical training induced alterations in serum essential minerals concentrations, as well as that these changes can be dependent of the exercise modality practiced.

A two-generation inhalation reproductive toxicity study upon the exposure to manganese chloride.

A number of published studies have suggested that high levels of exposure to manganese, especially those found in occupational settings, can adversely affect the reproductive system. The objective of this study was therefore to investigate if these findings can be replicated using the Sprague Dawley rat and, if so, to identify those parts of the reproductive system are more susceptible. Male and female rats were exposed to manganese dichloride (MnCl2) via inhalation at concentrations of 0 (air-control); 5, 10 and 20µg/L air over 10 weeks (F0) and over 11 weeks (F1) prior to mating, and then throughout mating, gestation and lactation until termination after the F1 and F2 generation had reached Day 21 of lactation respectively. Animals were monitored for clinical signs of toxicity and for effects on body weight, food consumption, effects on the entire reproductive system including maternal care. The offspring were monitored for survival and growth up to weaning. Blood samples were taken from all adult animals for bioanalytical of manganese analysis prior to dosing, prior to mating and prior to weaning/necropsy. There were no deaths related to treatment, though respiratory tract effects were observed in F0 animals in the mid and high dose animals. Body weight and food consumption were affected at high dose in both generation. There were no treatment-related effects on the oestrous cycles, mating performance, sexual maturity, fertility or duration of gestation or litter size, the sperm motility, count of morphology (sperm) or the ovary follicle scoring in either generation. The No Observed Effect Level (NOEL) for reproductive performance was considered to be the target dose level of 20µg/L. Based on these findings, manganese chloride could not be considered a reprotoxicant under these conditions of exposure. Therefore, soluble and insoluble forms of inorganic manganese compounds by extrapolation cannot be considered as reprotoxicants.

Metabolomic analyses of body fluids after subchronic manganese inhalation in rhesus monkeys.

Neurotoxicity is linked with high-dose manganese inhalation. There are few biomarkers that correlate with manganese exposure. Blood manganese concentrations depend upon the magnitude and duration of the manganese exposure and inconsistently reflect manganese exposure concentrations. The objective of this study was to search for novel biomarkers of manganese exposure in the urine and blood obtained from rhesus monkeys following subchronic manganese sulfate (MnSO(4)) inhalation. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to identify putative biomarkers. Juvenile rhesus monkeys were exposed 5 days/week to airborne MnSO(4) at 0, 0.06, 0.3, or 1.5 mg Mn/m(3) for 65 exposure days or 1.5 mg Mn/m(3) for 15 or 33 days. Monkeys exposed to MnSO(4) at >or= 0.06 mg Mn/m(3) developed increased brain manganese concentrations. A total of 1097 parent peaks were identified in whole blood and 2462 peaks in urine. Principal component analysis was performed on a subset of 113 peaks that were found to be significantly changed following subchronic manganese exposure. Using the Nearest Centroid analysis, the subset of 113 significantly perturbed components predicted globus pallidus manganese concentrations with 72.9% accuracy for all subchronically exposed monkeys. Using the five confirmed components, the prediction rate for high brain manganese levels remained > 70%. Three of the five identified components, guanosine, disaccharides, and phenylpyruvate, were significantly correlated with brain manganese levels. In all, 27 metabolites with statistically significant expression differences were structurally confirmed by MS-MS methods. Biochemical changes identified in manganese-exposed monkeys included endpoints relate to oxidative stress (e.g., oxidized glutathione) and neurotransmission (aminobutyrate, glutamine, phenylalanine).

Brain manganese accumulation is inversely related to gamma-amino butyric acid uptake in male and female rats.

Iron (Fe) is an essential trace metal involved in numerous cellular processes. Iron deficiency (ID) is reported as the most prevalent nutritional problem worldwide. Increasing evidence suggests that ID is associated with altered neurotransmitter metabolism and a risk factor for manganese (Mn) neurotoxicity. Though recent studies have established differences in which the female brain responds to ID-related neurochemical alterations versus the male brain, little is known about the interactions of dietary ID, Mn exposure, and sex on gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA). Male and female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four dietary treatment groups: control (CN), control/Mn supplemented, ID, and ID/Mn supplemented. After 6 weeks of treatment, both ID diets caused a highly significant decrease in Fe concentrations across all brain regions compared to CN in both sexes. Both ID and Mn supplementation led to significant accumulation of Mn across all brain regions in both sexes. There was no main effect of sex on Fe or Mn accumulation. Striatal synaptosomes were utilized to examine the effect of dietary intervention on (3)H-GABA uptake. At 4 weeks, there was a significant correlation between Fe concentration and (3)H-GABA uptake in male rats (p < 0.05). At 6 weeks, there was a significant inverse correlation between Mn concentration and (3)H-GABA uptake in male and female rats and a postitive correlation between Fe concentration and (3)H-GABA uptake in female rats (p < 0.05). In conclusion, ID-associated Mn accumulation is similar in both sexes, with Mn levels affecting GABA uptake in both sexes in a comparable fashion.

Postnatal manganese exposure attenuates cocaine-induced locomotor activity and reduces dopamine transporters in adult male rats.

In the present study, we examined whether exposing rats to manganese (Mn) during the preweanling period would affect basal or cocaine-induced locomotor activity in adulthood and reduce the number of striatal dopamine transporter binding sites. On postnatal day (PD) 1-21, rats were given oral supplements of vehicle or Mn chloride (250 or 750 microg/day). Striatal Mn and iron (Fe) accumulation as well as serum Fe levels were measured on PD 14, PD 21, and PD 90. Throughout the dosing period, rats were evaluated on standard measures of sensory and motor development. During adulthood, the basal and cocaine-induced locomotor activity of vehicle- and Mn-exposed rats was assessed using automated testing chambers. After completion of behavioral testing, striatal dopamine transporter binding sites were measured using [(3)H]GBR 12935. Results showed that early Mn exposure enhanced striatal Mn accumulation on PD 14 and PD 21, while depressing serum Fe levels on PD 21. Exposure to Mn on PD 1-21 did not affect striatal or serum Mn or Fe levels on PD 90. During the second postnatal week, Mn-exposed rat pups performed more poorly than controls on a negative geotaxis task, however basal motor activity of preweanling rat pups was not affected by Mn treatment. When tested in adulthood, basal locomotor activity of vehicle- and Mn-exposed rats also did not differ. In contrast, adult rats previously exposed to 750 microg/day Mn showed an enhanced locomotor response when challenged with 10 mg/kg cocaine. A different pattern of results occurred after treatment with a higher dose of the psychostimulant, because Mn-exposed rats showed an attenuated locomotor response when given 20 mg/kg cocaine. Importantly, Mn-exposed rats exhibited long-term reductions in striatal dopamine transporter binding sites. Considered together, these results indicate that postnatal Mn exposure has long-term behavioral and neurochemical effects that can persist into adulthood.