Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology最新文献

{"title":"Iron regulates lipid droplet formation in hepatocytes via heme oxygenase-1 mediated ferroptosis","authors":"Wan Ma ,&nbsp;Li Jia ,&nbsp;Jing Zhao ,&nbsp;Yunqin Li ,&nbsp;Jingxia Kong ,&nbsp;Huahua Du","doi":"10.1016/j.jtemb.2025.127719","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jtemb.2025.127719","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Iron overload has been implicated in the disruption of hepatic lipid metabolism, potentially contributing to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and other hepatic disorders. However, the underlying mechanisms connecting iron overload to lipid metabolism dysregulation remain elusive. This study aimed to investigate the effect of iron overload on lipid droplet formation, and to explore the regulatory mechanism of iron overload on lipid metabolism through the lens of ferroptosis.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Iron overload and ferroptosis models were established by treating AML12 mouse hepatocytes with ferric ammonium citrate (FAC) or erastin, a classical ferroptosis inducer, respectively. Lipid droplet formation, mitochondria morphology, and lipid peroxidation index were detected.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Perilipin 2 (PLIN2), a lipid droplet-specific marker, exhibited a 1.2-fold increase (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.01) at 50 μM FAC, but decreased by 23 % (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.05) at higher concentrations (250 μM or 500 μM). Similarly, in erastin-induced ferroptosis hepatocytes, PLIN2 expression progressively declined with increasing erastin concentrations, showing a 29 % reduction (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.05) at 30 μM, accompanied by a reduction in both the size and number of lipid droplets. Notably, both FAC and erastin treatments resulted in an initial increase in lipid droplet levels at low concentrations, followed by a decrease at higher concentrations. Additionally, both iron overload and ferroptosis significantly upregulated heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) expression, whose overexpression exacerbated ferroptosis and diminished lipid storage.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Our findings showed that iron overload perturbs hepatocyte lipid metabolism, with ferroptosis playing a pivotal role in lipid regulation through HO-1-mediated mechanisms.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49970,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology","volume":"91 ","pages":"Article 127719"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-08-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144865151","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}

{"title":"Uptaken aluminium accumulates in mitochondria","authors":"Mirna Rita Tenan,&nbsp;Stefano Jacopo Mandriota,&nbsp;André-Pascal Sappino","doi":"10.1016/j.jtemb.2025.127718","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jtemb.2025.127718","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Aluminium is a toxic element and a suspected human carcinogen. Despite this, being highly versatile, currently not classified as a carcinogenic, mutagenic and reprotoxic (CMR) chemical, and widely used, it is absorbed daily from a variety of products. Absorbed aluminium circulates systemically mainly via Transferrin (TF) and accumulates in human organs. Cellular incorporation of aluminium has been unequivocally demonstrated, but the subcellular localisation of the internalised metal requires clarification. Aluminium was previously shown to predominantly accumulate in granular-reticular organelles mainly concentrated in the perinuclear compartment. In this study we investigated the identity of these organelles. To this purpose, we developed a protocol to combine Lumogallion staining, which detects aluminium, with organelle-specific immunofluorescence. In MCF10A human mammary epithelial cells exposed to AlCl₃ for 3 h, aluminium does not co-localise with Calreticulin, a marker of the Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) - an organelle that forms a network contiguous with the nuclear membrane - thus suggesting that the ER is not the primary site of aluminium accumulation. Neither does aluminium co-localises with TF receptor 1 (TFR1), thus making the involvement of endosomes in the process of aluminium internalisation unlikely. In contrast, in both human and murine mammary epithelial cells, aluminium specific Lumogallion fluorescence tightly co-localises with the fluorescence emitted by the mitochondrial probe MitoTracker in the perinuclear area. Our results provide strong experimental evidence that upon cellular uptake, aluminium accumulates in the mammalian mitochondrion.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49970,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology","volume":"91 ","pages":"Article 127718"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-08-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144886119","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}

{"title":"Possible mechanisms for protective effect of Naringenin on sodium arsenic-induced-testicular toxicity","authors":"Hana Sheykhi ,&nbsp;Fereshtesadat Fakhredini ,&nbsp;Mohammad Javad Khodayar ,&nbsp;Darioush Bijan Nejad ,&nbsp;Layasadat Khorsandi","doi":"10.1016/j.jtemb.2025.127722","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jtemb.2025.127722","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Sodium arsenite (SA), one of the compounds of arsenic, affects multiorgan systems including male reproduction. This study investigated whether Naringenin (NGN) could mitigate sodium SA-induced testicular toxicity by evaluating apoptosis, autophagy, and oxidative stress.</div></div><div><h3>Methodes</h3><div>Male NMRI mice were given 40 mg/L SA in drinking water with or without intragastrically 50 mg/kg NGN for 35 days. Histology, serum testosterone concentration, Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, caspase-3 activity, and expression of autophagy-related biomarkers have been assessed. Malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), catalase (CAT), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels in testicular tissue were examined for the evaluation of oxidative stress.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>SA caused histological damage and significantly increased Caspase-3 activity, the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, while reducing testosterone concentration. Elevated MDA content and GSH, CAT, SOD levels indicate oxidative stress induced by SA in the mouse testicles (p &lt; 0.05). The increased expression of Beclin-1 and ATG5, the elevated ratio of LC3-II/LC3- I proteins, and the diminished expression of the mTOR gene indicate autophagy induced by SA. NGN decreased the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, and expression of Beclin-1, ATG5, LC3-II/ LC3-I ratio, while increasing mTOR gene expression. NGN could decrease oxidative stress and improve the histology and testosterone concentration in the SA-treated animals.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>NGN improves spermatogenesis by suppressing apoptosis, autophagy, and oxidative stress in SA-treated mice.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49970,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology","volume":"91 ","pages":"Article 127722"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-08-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144867467","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}

{"title":"Association between serum metal levels and NLRP3 gene polymorphisms with cognitive function in aluminum workers: A combined epidemiological and genetic study","authors":"Youxing Li ,&nbsp;Wenxue Li ,&nbsp;Yaqin Pang ,&nbsp;Yufang Cen ,&nbsp;Rongqing Xiao ,&nbsp;Yinxia Lin ,&nbsp;Boya Li ,&nbsp;Jingyi Lu ,&nbsp;Yincai Lan ,&nbsp;Ahmad Razali Bin Ishak ,&nbsp;Guangzi Qi ,&nbsp;Mohd Shukri Bin Mohd Aris","doi":"10.1016/j.jtemb.2025.127712","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jtemb.2025.127712","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Metals, genes, and cognitive function are closely related. This study evaluated serum metal levels, NLRP3 gene polymorphisms, and their association with cognitive function in aluminum workers.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 478 aluminum workers. Serum metal levels were measured using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS), and cognitive function was assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scale. Generalized Linear Models (GLM), Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (Lasso) regression, Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression (BKMR), and Weighted Quantile Sum (WQS) were used to analyze the relationship between metal exposure, cognitive function, and the interaction with NLRP3 gene polymorphisms.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Zinc (Zn) levels were positively associated with MoCA scores (β= 4.73, 95 % CI: 0.54, 8.92). A metal mixture (Na, Zn, Co, Mo, Ti, Sr, Ba) below the 60th percentile also showed a positive correlation with MoCA scores. The NLRP3 rs3806265C/C and rs4612666C/T and T/T genotypes were negatively associated with MoCA scores (β= −0.91, 95 % CI: −1.64, −0.17; β= −0.61, 95 % CI: −1.19, −0.02; β= −0.86, 95 % CI: −1.62, −0.10). In individuals with the C/T genotype of rs3806265 and rs4612666, Zn was positively associated with MoCA scores (β= 5.99, 95 % CI: 0.60, 11.38; β= 6.46, 95 % CI: 0.80, 12.12).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Decreased serum Zn levels may increase cognitive dysfunction risk. Individuals carrying the NLRP3 rs3806265C/C and rs4612666C/T or T/T more susceptible to cognitive decline. Individuals carrying the rs3806265C/T and rs4612666C/T genotypes are more likely to cause cognitive decline in the presence of Zn deficiency.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49970,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology","volume":"91 ","pages":"Article 127712"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-08-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144840965","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}

{"title":"Chronic arsenic exposure and cardiometabolic biomarkers in adolescents in the MINIMat longitudinal study","authors":"Evana Akhtar ,&nbsp;Anjan Kumar Roy ,&nbsp;Md. Ahsanul Haq ,&nbsp;Md. Jakarea ,&nbsp;Anjuman Ara ,&nbsp;Aliya Naheed ,&nbsp;Md. Anisur Rahman ,&nbsp;Ondine S. von Ehrenstein ,&nbsp;Maria Kippler ,&nbsp;Yukiko Wagatsuma ,&nbsp;Rubhana Raqib","doi":"10.1016/j.jtemb.2025.127717","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jtemb.2025.127717","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>It is well-established that environmental factors, including pollutants, can increase cardiometabolic disease (CMD) risk in adults, but evidence regarding the influence already perceivable earlier in life is limited. In a longitudinal birth cohort, we have shown that early life arsenic exposure was associated with altered CMD biomarkers among young children. Herein, we assessed whether the association between arsenic exposure and CMD biomarkers persists at adolescent age. MINIMat adolescents (n = 460) who have been repeatedly followed-up from <em>in utero</em> to 4.5, and 9 years were enrolled at 15 years of age. Total urinary arsenic (U-As), blood pressure (BP), as well as plasma lipids [total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low density lipoproteins (LDL), high-density lipoproteins (HDL)], oxidized LDL, glucose, and blood hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) were measured. Associations were explored using multivariate and logistic regression models. Child U-As at 4.5 years (median: 57 µg/L), but not concurrent U-As (median: 29 µg/L), was positively associated with systolic (β=1.71) and diastolic BP (β=1.94) (p &lt; 0.05) in adolescence. Concurrent U-As was non-linearly associated with CMD biomarkers at adolescence, with turning points at U-As 35 µg/L for BP and TG; and 20 µg/L for TC, LDL, HDL, glucose and HbA1C. Above the cut-off, the odds of exceeding normal ranges of systolic and diastolic BP, TC and TG were 1.70, 2.75, 1.90 and 2.25 times higher, respectively, while the odds of having HDL levels below the reference range was 2.70 times higher, compared to those having U-As below the cut-off. Sustained arsenic exposure from early childhood, at relatively low levels, was associated with dyslipidemia in adolescence.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49970,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology","volume":"91 ","pages":"Article 127717"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-08-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144831173","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}

{"title":"Zingerone ameliorates sodium arsenite-induced cardiotoxicity in rats by suppressing oxidative stress and inflammation via Nrf2 /GCLMGCLC signaling pathways","authors":"Özge Kandemir ,&nbsp;Fatih Mehmet Kandemir ,&nbsp;Nurhan Akaras ,&nbsp;Sefa Küçükler ,&nbsp;Cihan Gür ,&nbsp;Mustafa İleritürk ,&nbsp;Hasan Şimşek ,&nbsp;Murat Gül","doi":"10.1016/j.jtemb.2025.127716","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jtemb.2025.127716","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Arsenic toxicity is a serious threat to human health, transmitted through many factors in the environment, especially water and contaminated food. Epidemiologic studies have reported that arsenite increases mortality and morbidity by causing cardiac damage, but the mechanism of action on cardiotoxicity remains to be elucidated. Zingerone (ZNG) obtained from ginger root is a monomer with pharmacological effects such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer. This study was conducted to investigate the protective potential of zingerone against sodium arsenite-induced cardiac damage in rats. Sodium arsenite (SA) (10 mg/kg) was administered to rats for 14 days to induce cardiotoxicity, while zingerone (25 and 50 mg/kg) was administered for treatment. Then, oxidative stress markers, inflammatory factors, and apoptosis-related proteins were evaluated by molecular and biochemical methods. It was also supported by histological and immunohistochemical stainings. According to the results, ZNG treatment significantly reduced SA-induced altered cardiac functions. Compared with the SA group, rats co-treated with SA and ZNG showed a significant decrease in oxidant markers and an increase in antioxidant levels. Additionally, ZNG treatment regulated the expression of NRF2, HO-1, NQO1, GCLM, and GCLC genes related to oxidative stress. Moreover, treatment with ZNG significantly inhibited arsenite-induced apoptosis (p53, Apaf-1, Bax, Bcl-2, Casp-3, Casp-6, Casp-9) while reducing the levels of inflammatory mediators including NF-κB, TNF-α, IL-1β, COX-2 and iNOS in cardiac tissue. Finally, co-administration of ZNG with SA reduced SA-induced cardiac histopathological changes in rats. The results of this study suggest that ZNG may provide an alternative for clinical inflammation control through antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49970,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology","volume":"91 ","pages":"Article 127716"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-08-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144826790","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}

{"title":"Transcriptomic analysis of Cr(VI)-induced changes in C2C12 cells during myogenic differentiation","authors":"Sun Young Park,&nbsp;Hong Sun","doi":"10.1016/j.jtemb.2025.127714","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jtemb.2025.127714","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] is an environmental toxicant extensively used in a variety of industrial processes including chrome plating, leather tanning, textile manufacturing, aircraft production, and stainless-steel production. Our previous study reported that exposure to Cr(VI) inhibited C2C12 myogenic differentiation in a dose-dependent manner, yet the transcriptional mechanisms underlying Cr(VI)-induced disruption of myogenesis remains poorly understood. This study aimed to characterize the global transcriptional alterations during C2C12 myogenic differentiation and identify molecular pathways disrupted upon Cr(VI) exposure.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>C2C12 cells were differentiated in the presence of 0, 2, or 5 μM of Cr(VI) and collected at differentiation days 0, 1, 2, and 4. Whole transcriptome analysis of a total of 30 samples (with 3 biological replicates per condition) was performed using RNA-sequencing followed by differential gene expression analysis, unsupervised fuzzy c-means clustering, GO biological processes functional annotation, and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Cr(VI) exposure resulted in a massive transcriptomic change in differentiating C2C12 cells. Fuzzy c-means clustering identified 12 distinct gene expression patterns, with Clusters 3, 10, and 12 showing significant overlap with Cr(VI)-regulated genes. Functional enrichment analyses revealed Cr(VI) alters genes involved in early-stage cell cycle regulation and DNA repair as well as terminal differentiation processes like sarcomere organization and muscle contraction. Specifically, Cr(VI) suppressed expression of key structural and contractile genes and disrupted pathways essential for myogenic differentiation, cell cycle regulation and DNA damage repair. Furthermore, Cr(VI) disrupted Hippo signaling by downregulating Tead4 and its downstream myogenic targets such as MyoG, Cav3, Mustn1, and Dysf suggesting a mechanism for impaired differentiation.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>This study highlights the widespread alterations of Cr(VI) exposure on transcriptional programs – including structural development, genomic stability, and cell cycle withdrawal – governing muscle development and maturation, offering insight into how Cr(VI) exposure affects skeletal muscle health.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49970,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology","volume":"91 ","pages":"Article 127714"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-08-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144826791","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}

{"title":"Carvacrol mitigates Mercury chloride induced neurotoxicity by regulation of NRF-2/HO-1/NF-κB expression","authors":"Nurhan Akaras ,&nbsp;Hasan Şimşek ,&nbsp;Mustafa İleritürk ,&nbsp;Sefa Küçükler ,&nbsp;Cihan Gür ,&nbsp;Fatih Mehmet Kandemir","doi":"10.1016/j.jtemb.2025.127715","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jtemb.2025.127715","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Mercury chloride (HgCl2) is an environmental pollutant that has serious toxic effects on the central nervous system. Carvacrol (CRV), which has phytotherapeutic, pharmacological, biological, and aromatic properties, has neuroprotective effects. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible neuroprotective effect of CRV on HgCl2-induced central neurotoxicity in rats.</div><div>In the study, HgCl₂ (1.23 mg/kg) and CRV (25 or 50 mg/kg) alone or their combinations were administered to rats for 7 days. Then, the proteins and pathological changes specific to autophagy, apoptosis, inflammation and oxidative stress processes in the brain tissue were analyzed by biochemical, molecular, histological and immunohistochemical methods. It was determined that CRV treatment significantly increased antioxidant enzyme (catalase, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase) activities and non-enzymatic (glutathione) antioxidants while reducing HgCl₂-induced lipid peroxidation. In addition, it was determined that Nrf-2, HO-1, NQO1 mRNA transcript levels, which are among the oxidative stress parameters of CRV administration, increased. It was observed that HgCl₂ increased the expression of NF-κB, TNF-α, IL-1β, iNOS and nNOS cytokines and Rage, STAT3, NLRP3, MAPK14, MAPK15 and JNK, whereas CRV treatment suppressed these genes. In this study, it was determined that HgCl₂ induces apoptotic (caspase-3, Bax, Bcl-2) and autophagic (Beclin-1) markers, whereas CRV can protect brain tissues from the destructive effect of H HgCl₂ by showing anti-apoptotic and anti-autophagic. In addition, decreased Akt-2 and Foxo1 expression and increased GFAP levels in HgCl₂-induced brain tissue were regulated after CRV administration. The H&amp;E staining results showed that CRV preserved the histological architecture and integrity of the cerebral cortex.</div><div>The findings of this study indicate that CRV has neuropreventive potential against HgCl₂-induced neurotoxicity by reducing oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis and autophagy.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49970,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology","volume":"91 ","pages":"Article 127715"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-08-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144831099","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}

{"title":"Elevated blood lead and metal levels among occupationally exposed tribal fishermen in Tamil Nadu, India","authors":"Dhananjayan Venugopal ,&nbsp;Ravichandran Beerappa ,&nbsp;Panjakumar Karunamoorthy ,&nbsp;Jawahar Salavath ,&nbsp;Mala Ambikabathy ,&nbsp;Shridhar Kondhalkar ,&nbsp;Gopalakrishnan Ayyaru ,&nbsp;Thamaraikannan Mohankumar","doi":"10.1016/j.jtemb.2025.127713","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jtemb.2025.127713","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Fishermen are exposed to hazardous substances, including metals, through fishing-related activities, posing significant health risks, particularly among vulnerable tribal communities in mangrove ecosystems.</div></div><div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>This study assessed blood metal levels among tribal fishermen from Pichavaram, Tamil Nadu, India.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Blood samples from 53 fishermen were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) to quantify chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn). Occupational exposure data were collected through surveys, and findings were compared to international reference values (RV95).</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The mean ± SD concentrations of Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn were 884 ± 804, 441 ± 427, 95 ± 93, 157 ± 147, 208 ± 172, and 2841 ± 2695 µg/L, respectively—markedly exceeding international reference values (RV95). Blood lead levels (BLLs) were of particular concern. About 74 % of the participants exceeded the CDC reference values of 5 µg/dL, 55 % surpassed the ACGIH biological exposure index value of 20 µg/dL, and 15 % exceeded the OSHA occupational threshold limit of 40 µg/dL. Fishnet makers had the highest mean BLLs (269 µg/L), likely due to direct contact with lead-based fishing sinkers. A significant differences in metal load (p &lt; 0.01) was observed between occupational roles and elevated blood metal concentrations, with non-users of personal protective equipment (PPE) exhibiting higher metal burdens.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Tribal fishermen in Pichavaram face significant health risks from elevated toxic trace metal exposure, especially lead. Immediate interventions, such as promoting personal protective equipment (PPE), stricter regulations, and educational programs, are essential. This pioneering study underscores the need for effective public health policies to safeguard fishing communities and highlights occupational hazards in vulnerable populations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49970,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology","volume":"91 ","pages":"Article 127713"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-08-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144867466","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}

{"title":"Letter to the editor: Sex difference in the association between dietary iron intake and bone mineral density in adolescents aged 12–19: A cross-sectional study","authors":"Yicheng Zhu,&nbsp;Qilong Lai,&nbsp;Peijie You,&nbsp;Guanyi Gong,&nbsp;Liu Yang,&nbsp;Hong Jiang,&nbsp;Xiaochun Li,&nbsp;Jintao Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.jtemb.2025.127710","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jtemb.2025.127710","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We read with great interest the article by Li et al. (2025) [1] titled “Sex difference in the association between dietary iron intake and bone mineral density in adolescents aged 12–19: A cross-sectional study”, recently published in the Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology. The authors present compelling evidence for a sex-specific relationship between dietary iron intake and bone mineral density (BMD), identifying a significant positive association in male adolescents but not in females. This work is timely and of clinical relevance, considering the critical window of adolescence for optimizing peak bone mass and the widespread concern regarding inadequate micronutrient intake in youth. A notable strength of this study is its use of a large, nationally representative NHANES dataset and rigorous multivariable modeling to adjust for key covariates. The stratified analyses by sex and detection of significant interactions further underscore the potential role of sex hormones, growth patterns, and nutrient metabolism in modulating skeletal health trajectories during adolescence. To further enrich this line of inquiry, we wish to offer several perspectives for future research directions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49970,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology","volume":"91 ","pages":"Article 127710"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144772539","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}