Environmental exposure and health effects in a highly polluted area of Northern Italy: a narrative review

Alias, Carlotta; Benassi, Laura; Bertazzi, Luca; Sorlini, Sabrina; Volta, Marialuisa; Gelatti, Umberto

doi:10.1007/s11356-018-4040-5

Cited by 19 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…The processes of epigenetic adaptation can be difficult to understand and even unacceptable for many researchers as there are a huge number of studies (more than 80,000 in the PubMed database) reporting health effects outcomes directly linked to environmental exposure [ 73 , 74 , 75 , 76 ]. Some studies presented direct health effect consequences after acute exposure or early stages of chronic exposure [ 73 ].…”

Section: Epigenetic Aspects Of Human Adaptation To Environmental Pmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Some studies presented direct health effect consequences after acute exposure or early stages of chronic exposure [ 73 ]. In contrast, chronic exposure in areas with long-time “environmental pressure” could produce significant health effects in the future [ 75 ]. Especially this observation related to chronic exposure represents a direct link between the process of epigenetic adaptation and the health effect risks in later life.…”

Section: Epigenetic Aspects Of Human Adaptation To Environmental Pmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Molecular Mechanisms of Adaptive Response Related to Environmental Stress

Rössnerová

Izzotti

Pulliero

et al. 2020

IJMS

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The exposure of living organisms to environmental stress triggers defensive responses resulting in the activation of protective processes. Whenever the exposure occurs at low doses, defensive effects overwhelm the adverse effects of the exposure; this adaptive situation is referred to as “hormesis”. Environmental, physical, and nutritional hormetins lead to the stimulation and strengthening of the maintenance and repair systems in cells and tissues. Exercise, heat, and irradiation are examples of physical hormetins, which activate heat shock-, DNA repair-, and anti-oxidative-stress responses. The health promoting effect of many bio-actives in fruits and vegetables can be seen as the effect of mildly toxic compounds triggering this adaptive stimulus. Numerous studies indicate that living organisms possess the ability to adapt to adverse environmental conditions, as exemplified by the fact that DNA damage and gene expression profiling in populations living in the environment with high levels of air pollution do not correspond to the concentrations of pollutants. The molecular mechanisms of the hormetic response include modulation of (a) transcription factor Nrf2 activating the synthesis of glutathione and the subsequent protection of the cell; (b) DNA methylation; and (c) microRNA. These findings provide evidence that hormesis is a toxicological event, occurring at low exposure doses to environmental stressors, having the benefit for the maintenance of a healthy status.

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Section: Epigenetic Aspects Of Human Adaptation To Environmental Pmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Epigenetic Aspects Of Human Adaptation To Environmental Pmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Molecular Mechanisms of Adaptive Response Related to Environmental Stress

Rössnerová

Izzotti

Pulliero

et al. 2020

IJMS

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“…Currently, humans have been constantly exposed to a wide variety of environmental pollutants from natural and anthropogenic sources (Alias et al, 2019;Ma et al, 2019). Some of these toxic agents might act as endocrine disruptors, inducing different health effects (Borges et al, 2017;Choi, Yoo, & Lee, 2004;Guerra, Scarano, Toledo, Franci, & Kempinas, 2010;Paumgartten, 2003).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reproductive disorders in female rats after prenatal exposure to sodium arsenite

Souza

Ervilha

Coimbra

et al. 2019

J of Applied Toxicology

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Arsenic is a metalloid widely found in the environment in organic and inorganic forms. Exposure to inorganic arsenic forms via drinking water has been associated with an increased incidence of negative health effects, including reproductive disorders and dysfunction of the endocrine system. However, the impact of arsenic exposure on female reproductive development is still unclear. Therefore, in the present study, we evaluated the effects of prenatal exposure to arsenic on the initial sexual development and puberty onset, and in the morphology of the female reproductive organs, estrous cycle regularity and fertility parameters during adulthood. To do that, pregnant female Wistar rats were exposed to 10 mg/L sodium arsenite via drinking water from gestational day (GD) 1 until GD 21 and the female offspring was evaluated in different postnatal days. Our results showed that prenatal arsenic exposure induced a decrease of litter weight and morphological masculinization in females at postnatal day 1. Moreover, these females had a delay in the age of puberty onset and alteration in estrous cycle number and length. During adulthood, females from the sodium arsenite group showed an increase in endometrium, myometrium and perimetrium areas, and an imbalance in uterine antioxidant enzyme activity. These animals also presented an increase in post‐implantation loss and reabsorption number, leading to reduced viable fetus number. In conclusion, prenatal arsenic exposure in rats was able to promote female masculinization, alter sexual development and impair reproductive performance.

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“…Heavy metal (HM) ions (that have atomic density above 4–4.5 g/cm 3 ) are proclaimed by worldwide organizations like WHO, USEPA, and EPA as a risk to living species mainly due to their nonbiodegradable nature and tendency to bioaccumulate . Major causes of heavy metal toxicity in living organisms have been attributed to urbanization and a concomitant exponential increase in human activities such as the indiscriminate use of pesticides and fertilizers, metal mining processes, automobile productions, bio solids and manures incineration, and liberation of industrial and municipal wastewater in drinking water bodies, which has irreversibly affected the natural environment . Heavy metals can cause serious health hazards depending on the type of metal intoxication, its concentration and duration of exposure .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…1 Major causes of heavy metal toxicity in living organisms have been attributed to urbanization and a concomitant exponential increase in human activities such as the indiscriminate use of pesticides and fertilizers, metal mining processes, automobile productions, bio solids and manures incineration, and liberation of industrial and municipal wastewater in drinking water bodies, which has irreversibly affected the natural environment. 2 Heavy metals can cause serious health hazards depending on the type of metal intoxication, its concentration and duration of exposure. 3 Although copper and zinc are considered as essential trace elements for human metabolism, yet, their excessive consumption can cause a number of complications, few being: major organ damage and failure, biocatalytic inhibition, DNA mutations, anemia, reduction in growth, and reproduction.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Amino Acid-Fabricated Glassy Carbon Electrode for Efficient Simultaneous Sensing of Zinc(II), Cadmium(II), Copper(II), and Mercury(II) Ions

et al. 2019

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Herein, we present a greener approach to achieve an ultrasensitive, selective, and viable sensor engineered by amino acids as a recognition layer for simultaneous electrochemical sensing of toxic heavy metals (HMs). Electrochemical techniques like electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), cyclic voltammetry (CV), and square-wave anodic stripping voltammetry (SWASV) were applied to demonstrate sensing capabilities of the designed analytical tool. The comparative results of different amino acids demonstrate alanine’s superior performance with a well-resolved and enhanced current signal for target metal ions due to strong complexation of its functional moieties. The working conditions for alanine-modified GCE were optimized by investigating the effect of alanine concentration, different supporting electrolytes, pH values, accumulation potentials, and time. The limits of detection for Zn2+, Cd2+, Cu2+, and Hg2+ were found to be 8.92, 5.77, 3.01, and 5.89 pM, respectively. The alanine-modified electrode revealed absolute discrimination ability, stability, and ultrasensitivity toward metal ions even in the presence of multifold interfering species. Likewise, greener modifier-designed electrodes possessed remarkable electrocatalytic activity, cost affordability, reproducibility, and applicability for picomolar level detection of HM ions in real water sample matrixes. Theoretical calculations for the HM–amino acid interaction also support a significantly improved mediator role of the alanine modifier that is consistent with the experimental findings.

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Environmental exposure and health effects in a highly polluted area of Northern Italy: a narrative review

Cited by 19 publications

References 37 publications

The Molecular Mechanisms of Adaptive Response Related to Environmental Stress

The Molecular Mechanisms of Adaptive Response Related to Environmental Stress

Reproductive disorders in female rats after prenatal exposure to sodium arsenite

Amino Acid-Fabricated Glassy Carbon Electrode for Efficient Simultaneous Sensing of Zinc(II), Cadmium(II), Copper(II), and Mercury(II) Ions

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