Nanoscale transformations of amphiboles within human alveolar epithelial cells.

Amphibole asbestos is related to lung fibrosis and several types of lung tumors. The disease-triggering mechanisms still challenge our diagnostic capabilities and are still far from being fully understood. The literature focuses primarily on the role and formation of asbestos bodies in lung tissues, but there is a distinct lack of studies on amphibole particles that have been internalized by alveolar epithelial cells (AECs). These internalized particles may directly interact with the cell nucleus and the organelles, exerting a synergistic action with asbestos bodies (AB) from a different location. Here we document the near-atomic- to nano-scale transformations induced by, and taking place within, AECs of three distinct amphiboles (anthophyllite, grunerite, "amosite") with different Fe-content and morphologic features. We show that: (i) an Fe-rich layer is formed on the internalized particles, (ii) particle grain boundaries are transformed abiotically by the internal chemical environment of AECs and/or by a biologically induced mineralization mechanism, (iii) the Fe-rich material produced on the particle surface does not contain large amounts of P, in stark contrast to extracellular ABs, and (iv) the iron in the Fe-rich layer is derived from the particle itself. Internalized particles and ABs follow two distinct formation mechanisms reaching different physicochemical end-states.

Dimensions of elongated mineral particles: a study of more than 570 fibers from more than 90 cases with implications for pathogenicity and classification as asbestiform vs. cleavage fragments.

Asbestos is well-recognized as the cause of a variety of disorders of the respiratory tract, including neoplastic as well as non-neoplastic conditions. Fiber dimensions and biopersistence are important determinants of the pathologic response, and analytical electron microscopy is a powerful technique for determining the fiber content of lung tissue samples. For decades our laboratory has examined lung tissue samples counting fibers measuring 5 µm or greater in length. More recent observations have indicated that fibers 10 µm or greater in length are pathogenic, and that a length of 10 µm and diameter less than 1.0 µm are useful features for distinguishing asbestiform fibers from cleavage fragments. We examined more than 570 fibers from more than 90 cases to determine the dimensions of fibers that might be classified as asbestos. The vast majority of fibers classified as amosite or crocidolite met the criteria for length greater than 10 µm and diameter less than 1.0 µm. However, a significant proportion of fibers classified as tremolite, actinolite, or anthophyllite did not meet these criteria. These findings have important implications for the identification and classification of elongated mineral particles, both in terms of pathogenicity as well as classification as asbestiform vs. cleavage fragments.

Evaluations of the Carcinogenicity of Carbon Nanotubes, Fluoro-Edinite, and Silicon Carbide by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).

We reported the evaluations of the carcinogenicity of fluoro-edinite, silicon carbide, and carbon nanotubes performed by IARC working group in October 2014. For carbon nanotubes (CNTs), multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT)-7 was classified as Group 2B, and MWCNTs without MWCNT-7 and single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) were classified as not classifiable in terms of their carcinogenicity to humans. There is sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity for MWCNT-7 in experimental animals, limited evidence for other MWCNTs, and inadequate evidence for SWCNTs. The mechanic evidence for CNTs was not strong. Fluoro-edinite was classified as carcinogenic to humans (Group 1) on the basis of sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity to humans and experimental animals. Silicon carbide was classified into silicon carbide fibers and whiskers. Silicon carbide fibers were evaluated as possibly carcinogenic to humans (Group 2B) on the basis of limited evidence of carcinogenicity to humans. Silicon carbide whiskers were evaluated as probably carcinogenic to humans (Group 2A) on the basis of sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity to experimental animals and the similarity of their physicochemical properties to those of asbestos in terms of the mechanism of carcinogenicity. We report the process of progression in meeting and discuss how to determine the evidence and the evaluation of the carcinogenicity of the three materials.

Libby amphibole-induced mesothelial cell autoantibodies bind to surface plasminogen and alter collagen matrix remodeling.

Lamellar pleural thickening (LPT) is a fibrotic disease induced by exposure to Libby amphibole (LA) asbestos that causes widespread scarring around the lung, resulting in deterioration of pulmonary function. Investigating the effects of autoantibodies to mesothelial cells (MCAA) present in the study populations has been a major part of the effort to understand the mechanism of pathogenesis. It has been shown in vitro that human mesothelial cells (Met5a) exposed to MCAA increase collagen deposition into the extracellular matrix (ECM). In this study, we sought to further elucidate how MCAA drive increased collagen deposition by identifying the protein targets bound by MCAA on the cellular surface using biotinylation to label and isolate surface proteins. Isolated surface protein fractions were identified as containing MCAA targets using ELISA The fractions that demonstrated binding by MCAA were then analyzed by tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) and MASCOT analysis. The most promising result from the MASCOT analysis, plasminogen (PLG), was tested for MCAA binding using purified human PLG in an ELISA We report that serum containing MCAA bound at an optical density (OD) 3 times greater than that of controls, and LA-exposed subjects had a high frequency of positive tests for anti-PLG autoantibodies. This work implicates the involvement of the plasminogen/plasmin system in the mechanism of excess collagen deposition in Met5a cells exposed to MCAA Elucidating this mechanism could contribute to the understanding of LPT.

Molecular engineering of a fluorescent bioprobe for sensitive and selective detection of amphibole asbestos.

Fluorescence microscopy-based affinity assay could enable highly sensitive and selective detection of airborne asbestos, an inorganic environmental pollutant that can cause mesothelioma and lung cancer. We have selected an Escherichia coli histone-like nucleoid structuring protein, H-NS, as a promising candidate for an amphibole asbestos bioprobe. H-NS has high affinity to amphibole asbestos, but also binds to an increasingly common asbestos substitute, wollastonite. To develop a highly specific Bioprobe for amphibole asbestos, we first identified a specific but low-affinity amosite-binding sequence by slicing H-NS into several fragments. Second, we constructed a streptavidin tetramer complex displaying four amosite-binding fragments, resulting in the 250-fold increase in the probe affinity as compared to the single fragment. The tetramer probe had sufficient affinity and specificity for detecting all the five types of asbestos in the amphibole group, and could be used to distinguish them from wollastonite. In order to clarify the binding mechanism and identify the amino acid residues contributing to the probe's affinity to amosite fibers, we constructed a number of shorter and substituted peptides. We found that the probable binding mechanism is electrostatic interaction, with positively charged side chains of lysine residues being primarily responsible for the probe's affinity to asbestos.

In vitro study of biofunctional indicators after exposure to asbestos-like fluoro-edenite fibres.

The in vitro biological response to fluoro-edenite (FE) fibres, an asbestos-like amphibole, was evaluated in lung alveolar epithelial A549, mesothelial MeT-5A and monocyte-macrophage J774 cell lines. The mineral has been found in the vicinity of the town of Biancavilla (Catania, Sicily), where an abnormal incidence of mesothelioma has been documented. Cell motility, distribution of polymerized actin, and synthesis of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and of beta-catenin, critical parameters for tumour development, progression and survival, were investigated in A549 and MeT-5A cells exposed to 50 microg/ml FE fibres for 24 hr and 48 hr. The levels of cyclooxygenase (COX-2) and prostaglandin (PGE2), two molecules involved in cancer pathogenesis by affecting mitogenesis, cell adhesion, immune surveillance and apoptosis, were measured in J774 cells treated with FE fibres under the same experimental conditions. Finally, FE fibres were studied by SEM and EDS analysis to investigate their chemical composition. Exposure of A549 and MeT-5A cells to FE fibres affected differentially phalloidin-stained cytoplasmic F-actin networks, cell motility and VEGF and beta-catenin expression according to the different sensitivity of the two cell lines. In J774 cells it induced a significant increase in COX-2 expression, as assessed by Western blot analysis, and in the concentration of PGE2, measured in culture media by ELISA. SEM-EDS investigations demonstrated two types of FE fibres, edenite and fluoro-edenite, differing in chemical composition and both recognizable as calcic amphiboles. Fibre width ranged from less than 1 microm (prevalently 0.5 microm) to 2-3 microm (edenite) up to several microm (fluoro-edenite); length ranged from about 6 to 80 microm (edenite) up to some hundred microm (fluoro-edenite). Results provide convincing evidence that FE fibres are capable of inducing in vitro functional modifications in a number of parameters with crucial roles in cancer development and progression. Inhaled FE fibres have the potential to induce mesothelioma, even though their ability to penetrate lung alveoli depends on their aerodynamic diameter.

Internalization of Libby amphibole asbestos and induction of oxidative stress in murine macrophages.

The community members of Libby, MT, have experienced significant asbestos exposure and developed numerous asbestos-related diseases including fibrosis and lung cancer due to an asbestos-contaminated vermiculite mine near the community. The form of asbestos in the contaminated vermiculite has been characterized in the amphibole family of fibers. However, the pathogenic effects of these fibers have not been previously characterized. The purpose of this study is to determine the cellular consequences of Libby amphibole exposure in macrophages compared to another well-characterized amphibole fiber; crocidolite asbestos. Our results indicate that Libby asbestos fibers are internalized by macrophages and localize to the cytoplasm and cytoplasmic vacuoles similar to crocidolite fibers. Libby asbestos fiber internalization generates a significant increase in intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) as determined by dichlorofluorescein diacetate and dihydroethidine fluorescence indicating that the superoxide anion is the major contributing ROS generated by Libby asbestos. Elevated superoxide levels in macrophages exposed to Libby asbestos coincide with a significant suppression of total superoxide dismutase activity. Both Libby and crocidolite asbestos generate oxidative stress in exposed macrophages by decreasing intracellular glutathione levels. Interestingly crocidolite asbestos, but not Libby asbestos, induces significant DNA damage in macrophages. This study provides evidence that the difference in the level of DNA damage observed between Libby and crocidolite asbestos may be a combined consequence of the distinct chemical compositions of each fiber as well as the activation of separate cellular pathways during asbestos exposure.

Degradation, bioactivity, and cytocompatibility of diopside, akermanite, and bredigite ceramics.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of three bioceramics in the CaO-SiO(2)-MgO systems with different composition on the in vitro degradation, bioactivity, and cytocompatibility. The degradation was evaluated through the activation energy of Si ion release from ceramics and the weight loss of the ceramics in Tris-HCl buffers. The in vitro bioactivity of the ceramics was investigated by analysis of apatite-formation ability in the simulated body fluid (SBF). The cytocompatibility was evaluated through osteoblast morphology and proliferation. The results showed that the activation energy of Si ion release increased and the degradation decreased from bredigite to diopside ceramics with the increase of Mg content, and the apatite-formation ability in SBF decreased. The Ca, Si, and Mg containing ionic products from three ceramics could stimulate cell proliferation at lower concentration, and inhibit cell proliferation with the increase of ion concentrations. Furthermore, osteoblasts could adhere, spread, and proliferate on three ceramic disks, and cell proliferation on diopside was more obvious than that on other two ceramic disks.

Behaviour of the new asbestos amphibole fluor-edenite in different lung cell systems.

The aim of the present research was to determine whether the recently identified and characterized new fibrous amphibole fluoro-edenite may induce a cytopathic response in cultured cells. The final goal was to gain suggestions on the potentiality of fluoro-edenite to be harmful to human beings. Epidemiological studies, in fact, have shown an excess of developing mesothelioma among residents in Biancavilla, a town in eastern Sicily located in the Etna volcanic area. Therefore, we treated human lung fibroblasts, human lung alveolar epithelial cancer cell line A549 and monocyte-macrophage cell line J774 with fluoro-edenite or crocidolite; the latter used as a highly toxic amphibole asbestos reference. Our results show that fluoro-edenite may induce functional modifications and affects some biochemical parameters in tested cell cultures in a concentration and time dependent manner. However, the observed functional modifications induced by fluoro-edenite are generally less dramatic than those induced by crocidolite and more evident on human lung alveolar epithelial cancer cell line A549 with respect to those obtained on human lung fibroblasts or monocyte-macrophage cell line J774. The sequence of the damage is hypothesised to be as follows: at increasing fluoro-edenite concentrations, and/or treatment times, the increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) production could trigger significant DNA damage in cell cultures, concomitantly with drop in cell metabolism and increase in lactic dehydrogenase release. In conclusion, according to our data, fluoro-edenite appears as a probable carcinogenic agent, responsible for the high incidence of malignant pleural mesothelioma in Biancavilla.

Reactive oxygen metabolite production induced by asbestos and glass fibers: effect of fiber milling.

Particle stimulated chemiluminescence (CL) production by human polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMN) has been utilized to evaluate the pathogenicity of mineral and glass fibers with the understanding that reactive oxygen metabolites (ROM) production as measured by CL is etiopathogenically related to fiber toxicity. In the present study to investigate the specific pathogenic role of fiber number and dimensions, CL production from PMN exposed to anthophyllite asbestos mineral and glass fiber samples milled for different time periods was measured. Almost all the fibrous particles in the glass fiber sample were destroyed after milling for 30 minutes. With anthophyllite, the total number of fibrous particles remained almost constant for up to 240 minutes of milling, although the size of fibrous particles was reduced. CL produced by the same mass of glass fiber was elevated after milling for 15 minutes, but then declined when the milling time was further increased. Similarly, with anthophyllite, the production of CL was elevated at the first period of milling for 30 minutes, but then declined at the longer milling times. The level of CL produced was not correlated to the total number of fibrous particles, for both the glass fiber and the anthophyllite samples. Likewise for the glass fiber and anthophyllite samples, no specific range of fiber dimension was correlated to the peak hight CL production. These findings indicate that neither the total number, nor the specific range of fiber dimension solely determines CL production. As a consequence, it may be concluded that other physiochemical factors, such as the surface reactive characteristics of milled fibers, may be more closely related to CL production by PMN.

On the mechanism of cogenotoxic action between ingested amphibole asbestos fibres and benzo[a]pyrene: I. Urinary and serum mutagenicity studies with rats.

Recently, there has been concern that ingested asbestos may cause an increase in cancer incidence in populations exposed to fibre-contaminated drinking water. Although animal experiments failed to demonstrate carcinogenicity of the oral asbestos exposure, the high adsorption capacity of the fibres creates the possibility of cocarcinogenic action with adsorbed organics. In a simple in vivo model we demonstrated earlier that UICC crocidolite and anthophyllite asbestos fibres were able to adsorb carcinogen molecules from aqueous solutions. When orally administered, these fibres increased the sister chromatid exchange frequency in bone marrow cells of rats. In the present study we tried to follow the desorption and metabolization processes of carcinogenic benzo[a]pyrene molecules transported by the ingested fibres using the highly sensitive Salmonella/Ames mutagenicity assay. The bacterial test was performed on concentrated serum and urine samples of the treated animals by using the TA98 and 100 strains in the presence and absence of liver microsomal and deconjugating enzymes. All sets of urine and serum samples failed to show mutagenic activity indicating a lack of both desorption in the serum and the ability of the liver to metabolize. Considering our results, the cytogenetic impact demonstrated earlier in the bone marrow can be explained by a local action of accumulated and transported carcinogen molecules.

Enhanced retention of asbestos fibers in the airways of human smokers.

To determine whether cigarette smoke increases the pulmonary retention of asbestos, we compared the asbestos-fiber burden in the airway mucosa of six cigarette smokers who had received heavy occupational asbestos exposure with that in a group of six subjects with similar exposure who were never smokers. The groups were matched in terms of age, sex, years of exposure, and mean parenchymal amosite burden. We found that the concentration of amosite in airway mucosa was significantly elevated (by approximately sixfold) in smokers (p < 0.02). Chrysotile parenchymal burdens were statistically similar in both groups, but the chrysotile airway burden was again higher (by approximately 50-fold) in smokers (p < 0.006). There were no differences in airway or parenchymal tremolite burdens between the two groups. Fibers of all three types of asbestos recovered from the airway mucosa or parenchyma of smokers were shorter than fibers recovered from nonsmokers, an observation in accord with experimental data suggesting that cigarette smoke leads to retention of shorter fibers. These findings indicate that cigarette smoking causes enhanced accumulation of both amosite and chrysotile in the airway mucosa. This process may play a role in potentiating the pathologic effects of asbestos.

Deposition and clearance of chrysotile asbestos.

Studies of human lungs indicate that, for virtually all types of exposure, the relative proportion of amphibole asbestos retained in the lung far exceeds the proportion in the original dust and, conversely, the relative proportion of chrysotile is far less than that in the original dust. Although amphiboles appear to accumulate in lung in proportion to exposure and chrysotile does not, failure of chrysotile deposition is probably not the reason for the disproportionate retention of amphibole fibres. The available data suggest that chrysotile is deposited in the parenchyma but is cleared extremely rapidly, with the vast bulk of fibres removed from human lungs within weeks to months after inhalation; by comparison, amphibole clearance half-lives are of the order of years to decades. The mechanisms of preferential chrysotile clearance remain uncertain, but fragmentation of chrysotile into short fibres, possibly accompanied by extremely rapid dissolution of such fibres, appears to be important in this process. Chrysotile fibres do penetrate to the periphery of the lung, so that differences in mesothelial pathogenicity of chrysotile and amphiboles in regard to mesothelioma are not caused by failure of chrysotile to reach the pleura. The theory that the tremolite contaminant rather than the chrysotile itself is the cause of 'chrysotile-induced' disease (especially mesothelioma) is consistent with the available human data, but the contrary ideas that disease is caused either by the total transient burden of inhaled chrysotile fibres or by a small, sequestered, long-retained fraction of chrysotile fibres still need to be excluded.

Free radical generation during interaction of chrysotile asbestos with natural compounds.

Free radical generation was found after the addition of some natural biological substances (adrenaline, ascorbate, ubiquinone Q9, etc.) to a chrysotile asbestos suspension. This was detected by the chemiluminescent method with lucigenin as an indicator. The detailed study of the chemiluminescent reaction in the adrenaline-chrysotile system indicated that the reaction required hydroxyl ions, which arose in the chrysotile suspension, and was accompanied by a superoxide radical formation. At the same time, the radical production was very low in suspensions of amphybole asbestos, talc, and quartz, which could not alkalinize the water medium. On the basis of these results, it may be concluded that chrysotile has a unique ability to generate free radicals upon interaction with some biological molecules in a water medium. This fact may explain the great carcinogenicity of chrysotile. The injection of cigarette smoke solution into chrysotile (but not into amphibole asbestos or talc) suspension induced intensive chemiluminescence. This suggests that smoke aggravates the effect of chrysotile on human health by increasing free radical generation on the surface of the fibers.