Towards a quantitative model to predict the toxicity/pathogenicity potential of mineral fibers

Gualtieri, Alessandro F.

doi:10.1016/j.taap.2018.05.012

Cited by 49 publications

(134 citation statements)

References 51 publications

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“…According to the so-called "Stanton hypothesis", carcinogenic asbestos fibres are longer than 8.0 µm and thinner than 0.25 µm (see Figure 4). Following that model, needle-shaped fibres with "Stanton size" cannot be removed by phagocytic cells like macrophages [53,54], triggering the typical asbestos-induced patho-biological mechanisms (i.e., generation of free radicals, cell and DNA damage, chronic inflammatory reaction, delivery of chemical carcinogens) [15]. Of the amphibole fibres investigated in our work, 75% met the length criteria proposed by the Stanton hypothesis, whereas 50% were thicker than the "Stanton-size thickness".…”

Section: Comparison With Literature Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

Mineral Fibres and Asbestos Bodies in Human Lung Tissue: A Case Study

et al. 2019

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One of the open questions regarding the asbestos problem is the fate of the mineral fibres in the body once inhaled and deposited in the deep respiratory system. In this context, the present paper reports the results of an electron microscopy study of both mineral fibres and asbestos bodies found in the lung tissue of a patient who died of malignant mesothelioma due to past occupational exposure. In concert with previous in vivo animal studies, our data provide evidence that amphibole asbestos fibres are durable in the lungs, whereas chrysotile fibres are transformed into a silica‐rich product, which can be easily cleared. Amphibole fibres recovered from samples of tissue of the deceased display a high degree of crystallinity but also show a very thin amorphous layer on their surface; 31% of the fibres are coated with asbestos bodies consisting of a mixture of ferroproteins (mainly ferritin). Here, we propose an improved model for the coating process. Formation of a coating on the fibres is a defence mechanism against fibres that are longer than 10 µm and thinner than 0.5 µm, which macrophages cannot engulf. The mature asbestos bodies show signs of degradation, and the iron stored in ferritin may be released and potentially increase oxidative stress in the lung tissue.

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Section: Comparison With Literature Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

Mineral Fibres and Asbestos Bodies in Human Lung Tissue: A Case Study

et al. 2019

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“…x-3 rather than vice versa-may suggest that elongated and other anisotropic particle morphologies may be often, but not always, more toxic to the cells than their rounder counterparts. This insight would be drawn in analogy to the shape effect observed in calcified deposits in atherosclerotic plaque, 78 asbestos in lung disease, 79 and filamentous bacteria that are less efficiently phagocytosed than bacilli or cocci. 80 Our previous study demonstrated that rounder CP particle morphologies translate to a greater antimicrobial potency, but only when sizes of these particles are lower than those of their plate-and needle-shaped analogues.…”

Section: −mentioning

confidence: 99%

Calcium phosphate nanoparticles as intrinsic inorganic antimicrobials: In search of the key particle property

et al. 2019

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One of the main goals of materials science in the 21st century is the development of materials with rationally designed properties as substitutes for traditional pharmacotherapies. At the same time, there is a lack of understanding of the exact material properties that induce therapeutic effects in biological systems, which limits their rational optimization for the related medical applications. This study sets the foundation for a general approach for elucidating nanoparticle properties as determinants of antibacterial activity, with a particular focus on calcium phosphate nanoparticles. To that end, nine physicochemical effects were studied and a number of them were refuted, thus putting an end to frequently erred hypotheses in the literature. Rather than having one key particle property responsible for eliciting the antibacterial effect, a complex synergy of factors is shown to be at work, including (a) nanoscopic size; (b) elevated intracellular free calcium levels due to nanoparticle solubility; (c) diffusivity and favorable electrostatic properties of the nanoparticle surface, primarily low net charge and high charge density; and (d) the dynamics of perpetual exchange of ultrafine clusters across the particle/solution interface. On the positive side, this multifaceted mechanism is less prone to induce bacterial resistance to the therapy and can be a gateway to the sphere of personalized medicine. On a more problematic side, it implies a less intense effect compared to single-target molecular therapies and a difficulty of elucidating the exact mechanisms of action, while also making the rational design of theirs for this type of medical application a challenge.

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“…It is important to remark that the adverse effects induced in vivo by asbestos, in addition to the fibers' biodurability, depend on its chemical composition, crystal structure, surface properties and morphology, as well as on the load of fibers (IARC 2012;Gualtieri et al 2017). To objectively and quantitatively compare the hazard represented by the different mineral fibers and especially chrysotile and amphibole asbestos, Gualtieri (2018) recently proposed a quantitative predictive model of toxicity/pathogenicity of minerals fibers based on the physical/chemical and morphological parameters that affect the biological activity. This model delivers an index (FPTI) aimed at ranking the toxicity and pathogenicity of mineral fibers (Gualtieri 2018;Mossman and Gualtieri 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Characterization and assessment of the potential toxicity/pathogenicity of Russian commercial chrysotile

Giuseppe

Zoboli

Nodari

et al. 2021

American Mineralogist

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Today, cancer is one of the main health issues faced in the workplace, with asbestos an important carcinogen in the occupational environment. Among the asbestos minerals, chrysotile is the main species of socio-economic and industrial relevance. Although chrysotile asbestos is classified as a “carcinogenic substance” by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), this fiber is still mined and used in Russia. The effective health hazard posed by the Russian commercial chrysotile has not been quantitatively assessed to date. In this work, the potential toxicity/pathogenicity of Russian chrysotile was quantitatively determined using the fiber potential toxicity index (FPTI) model. This model was applied to a representative commercial chrysotile from the Orenburg region, Russia, whose morphometric, crystal-chemical, surface activity, and biodurability related parameters were determined. We have quantitatively assessed that the toxicity/pathogenicity potential of Russian chrysotile (FPTI = 2.4) is lower than that of amphibole asbestos species but higher than the threshold limit set for “safe” mineral fibers (FPTI = 2.0), although it does not contain impurities of amphibole asbestos. Differences with other chrysotile samples were discussed, and it was found that the investigated Russian commercial chrysotile shares several features with the Italian Balangero chrysotile, indicating that widespread concern on commercial Russian chrysotile is justified.

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Towards a quantitative model to predict the toxicity/pathogenicity potential of mineral fibers

Cited by 49 publications

References 51 publications

Mineral Fibres and Asbestos Bodies in Human Lung Tissue: A Case Study

Mineral Fibres and Asbestos Bodies in Human Lung Tissue: A Case Study

Calcium phosphate nanoparticles as intrinsic inorganic antimicrobials: In search of the key particle property

Characterization and assessment of the potential toxicity/pathogenicity of Russian commercial chrysotile

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