Biological Trace Element Research最新文献

{"title":"Metformin Mitigates the Impact of Arsenic Exposure on the Maternal and Offspring Reproductive System of Female Mice.","authors":"Razieh Bagheri, Seyyed Sajad Daneshi, Samaneh Bina, Marziyeh Haghshenas, Mohammad Javad Khoshnoud, Seyedeh Leili Asadi-Yousefabad, Forouzan Khodaei, Marzieh Rashedinia","doi":"10.1007/s12011-025-04577-2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-025-04577-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Exposure to arsenic causes health problems and is associated with adverse effects on fertility and development. Humans are facing increasing exposure to arsenic from multiple sources, such as drinking water, food products, and industrial processes. The mechanisms behind arsenic-induced reproductive toxicity and its impact on fertility and the development of future generations are investigated by the protective role of metformin (200 mg/kg) against arsenic-induced (20 ppm As₂O₃) ovarian damage in both maternal and offspring generations. Results showed arsenic exposure caused significant weight loss, increased mortality, reduced serum anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) levels, and heightened oxidative stress, indicated by increased reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA), and reduced ovarian antioxidant activity. Gene expression changes related to apoptosis and inflammation, such as BAX, Bcl-2, Bcl-2, caspase-3, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and interleukin-1 (IL-1), were also noted, along with a decrease in HO-1 expression. Arsenic exposure led to a reduction in ovarian follicles and an increase in atretic follicles and uterine thickness. However, metformin significantly reduced ROS and MDA levels, enhanced antioxidant capacity, and protected ovarian tissue by upregulating heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and Bcl-2, modulating apoptotic and inflammatory genes, and preserving AMH levels. The possible protective role of metformin against arsenic-induced toxicity and its detrimental effects aims to improve therapeutic approaches to alleviate the harmful consequences of environmental pollutants, especially arsenic.</p>","PeriodicalId":8917,"journal":{"name":"Biological Trace Element Research","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-03-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143690897","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Role of Glucose Metabolism in the Effects of Serum Metals on Telomere Length: Findings in Chinese Diabetic Population.","authors":"Shuren Ding, Qian Gu, Zhiqiang Zhao, Yirong Xie, Feng Wang, Jieyi Liu, Hongya Li, Heng Su, Qing Wei, Shurong Pi, Fubin Chen, Baixiang Xiao, Yun He","doi":"10.1007/s12011-025-04585-2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-025-04585-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The effects of metal exposure on telomere length have attracted considerable attention, but definitive evidence is still lacking in the diabetic population. Thus, this study was conducted to explore the associations of metal mixture with telomere length and the mediated effects of glucose metabolism among the Chinese diabetic population. Eleven metals in serum and relative telomere length of leucocyte were quantified among 1516 diabetic population based on a large-scale diabetic retinopathy screening program in southern China. Multiple statistical models were used to evaluate the single and joint effects of metal mixture on telomere length. Moreover, to assess the mediating roles of glucose metabolism in the associations between metals and telomere length, mediation analyses were performed. In single-exposure models, serum levels of nickel and thallium were identified to be negatively associated with telomere length, while magnesium showed an inverted U-shaped association with telomere length. Consistent findings from three mixed-exposure analyses indicated that increased serum level of metal mixture was associated with decreased telomere length, with nickel playing a major role in the joint effects of the metals. Mediation analyses further revealed that the associations of nickel and metal mixture with telomere length were partially mediated by glycated hemoglobin, and the mediated proportions were 4.26% and 4.38%, respectively. Moreover, the associations between metals exposure and telomere length were observed to be more prominent in males. Our results indicated that exposure to metal mixture was associated with shortened telomere length, which may be partially mediated by glycated hemoglobin.</p>","PeriodicalId":8917,"journal":{"name":"Biological Trace Element Research","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-03-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143673224","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Association Between Multiple Plasma Toxic Metal and Metalloid Exposures and Hypertension in Elderly Chinese Adults.","authors":"Yiwen Zhang, Xinyue Mu, Junpu Yu, Aimin Yang, Jingli Yang, Rongjie Wu, Fanhui Luo, Bin Luo, Rentong Chen, Li Ma, Jian He","doi":"10.1007/s12011-025-04580-7","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-025-04580-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Although environmental exposure to toxic metals and metalloids is linked with the risk of cardiovascular diseases, the evidence is limited in the elderly. We evaluated the associations between 12 plasma metal levels including aluminum (Al), titanium (Ti), strontium (Sr), lead (Pb), vanadium (V), chromium (Cr), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), cuprum (Cu), zinc (Zn), arsenic (As), and selenium (Se) with prevalence of hypertension in the elderly Chinese population. In this study, stratified cluster sampling was conducted among elderly residents in three communities in Gansu province from June to July 2023, with a total of 330 participants included. The concentrations of metals in whole plasma were measured using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Logistic regression and restricted cubic spline analyses were used to evaluate the dose-response relationship between plasma metal levels and hypertension, with all metal concentrations log-transformed. We applied quantile g-computation (QG-comp) and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) models to examine the associations of both individual metals and metal mixtures with hypertension. After multivariable adjustments, the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for hypertension associated with the highest quartile of metal concentrations compared to the lowest quartile were as follows: 4.20 (1.36, 12.98) for Sr, 3.95 (1.30, 12.03) for V, 3.43 (1.09, 10.78) for Cr, 3.28 (1.16, 9.28) for Cu, 3.28 (1.13, 9.52) for Zn, and 2.87 (0.94, 8.74) for As. Using BKMR and restricted cubic spline analysis, we found that exposure to metal mixtures was positively associated with an increased risk of hypertension, with Ni, Cr, As, and V being the primary contributing factors. In addition, Zn, Ni, and Sr were significantly and positively correlated with hypertension, while plasma titanium levels were negatively associated with hypertension development. These results suggest a complex interaction between various metals and the risk of hypertension in the elderly. Exposure to metal mixtures was positively associated with hypertension risk in elderly Chinese adults, with Ni, Cr, As, and V as key contributors. In addition, Zn, Ni, and Sr are significantly associated with an increased risk of hypertension, while Ti was positively associated with its development.</p>","PeriodicalId":8917,"journal":{"name":"Biological Trace Element Research","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-03-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143673247","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Inflammation May Mediate the Effects of Fluoride on Liver and Kidney Function of Adults: Cross-Sectional Studies in China.","authors":"Minghao Geng, Yi Cheng, Leizhen Duan, Guangshen Dong, Shuo Yang, Xuecheng Jiao, Weihua Jia, Hui Huang, Ming Dou, Xiaoli Fu, Fangfang Yu, Yuhui Du, Guoyu Zhou, Yue Ba","doi":"10.1007/s12011-025-04583-4","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-025-04583-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>To assess associations among fluoride exposure, the inflammation, and liver and kidney functions, a total of 1646 adults aged ≥ 18 years were recruited in cross-sectional studies conducted in 2017 and 2022 in fluorosis areas. Questionnaire surveys were administered to obtain the demographic information. Urine and blood samples were collected for determinations of urinary fluoride (UF), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), total bilirubin (TBIL), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine (SCr), serum uric acid (SUA), and white blood cell (WBC) counts. Linear regressions, generalized linear models, and mediation analyses were employed here. We found that AST, BUN, and SUA increased by 0.589, 0.087, and 4.226 with a 1 mg/L increment of UF, and the SCr showed a negative linear association with UF (β =  - 0.790) in all. Similar results were also observed in female. However, we only found the positive linear association between UF and AST/ALT in male. We also detected a significant modification by gender on associations between UF and values of AST, ALT, BUN, and SCr. Besides, participants with higher UF levels had higher counts of monocytes (β = 0.014) and neutrophils (β = 0.147) both in all and in stratified analyses of gender. Associations between AST/ALT, TBIL, SCr, SUA, and counts of WBC were revealed. In addition, there were mediator effects of monocytes and neutrophils in associations between UF and BUN (or SUA). We observed similar results in the age group of 46-64 years with those in all participants. This study observed a statistically significant association between UF and adult levels of AST, SCr, BUN, SUA, as well as monocyte and neutrophil counts, particularly in females. Furthermore, alterations in monocyte and neutrophil counts partially mediate the association between UF and BUN (or SUA). Our findings reveal the effects of fluoride exposure on liver and kidney function and provide clues for analyzing the relevant mechanism from an inflammatory perspective.</p>","PeriodicalId":8917,"journal":{"name":"Biological Trace Element Research","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-03-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143673176","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"pXRF Skeletal Measurements as an Assessment Tool for Environmental Exposure to Lajes Field-Derived Contaminants (Terceira Island, Azores, Portugal).","authors":"Félix Rodrigues, António Félix Rodrigues, Vítor Matos, Armando Mendes, Maria Teresa Ferreira","doi":"10.1007/s12011-025-04582-5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-025-04582-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Lajes Field is an Atlantic Portuguese military air base that has been used by the USA since the Cold War, primarily for intercontinental refueling. For this purpose, large fuel tanks and an extensive pipeline network were constructed within the municipality of Praia da Vitória, on Terceira Island, Azores. Over the past two decades, fuel leaks were detected and confirmed to have contaminated soils and the aquifers that supply water for public use. For the latter, identified contaminants include TPH, PAH, BTEX, VOCs, and metals. Although risk assessment reports have identified unacceptable risks to human health, and journalistic investigations suggest unusually high cancer rates, no assessment on possible human exposure has been conducted to date. To address this gap, metals, serving as a proxy for overall contamination exposure, were measured using portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) in the First Identified Skeletal Collection of the Azores (CEI/Açores). A total of 64 skeletons with known places of last residence were selected (44 from Angra do Heroísmo, where no exposure risk is present, and 20 from Praia da Vitória, where risk is present). No significant differences in mean ages at death were observed between the groups, and sex distribution was similar. Additionally, soil samples from 46 graves were analyzed to assess potential diagenesis. Greater concentrations of Sb, As, Cd, Cr, Au, Mo, Sr, Sn, U, and Zr were found in individuals from Praia da Vitória (p < 0.05). Soil measurements, Pearson's correlation test, and a principal component analysis suggest that the differences in Zr and As levels can be partially attributed to diagenesis. For the remaining metals, the observed differences likely result from other factors, including potential contamination exposure, particularly for Cd, Cr, and Mo. Although this pioneering study contributes to the ongoing discussion on the subject, further research should be conducted both in the CEI/Açores and the living population to further discuss this issue.</p>","PeriodicalId":8917,"journal":{"name":"Biological Trace Element Research","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-03-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143669033","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Iron as a Modifiable Factor for Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes: Refining and Understanding Causal Estimates Using Mendelian Randomization.","authors":"Yuhang Wu, Linbin He, Chu Liu, Fan Xia, Ziye Li, Lizhang Chen, Tingting Wang","doi":"10.1007/s12011-025-04576-3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-025-04576-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Many observational studies have explored the correlation between iron and adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs). However, existing findings yield inconsistent conclusions, and the causal relationship is unclear. This study is aimed at determining the causal connection between iron status and APOs. A two-sample Mendelian randomization study was conducted utilizing summary data of genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Data for iron status were collected from a GWAS meta-analysis, and data for APOs were obtained from the FinnGen database. The exposure-outcome relationship was explored by employing inverse variance weighting (IVW) with a range of supplementary methods. Additional sensitivity analyses were performed to verify the robustness of the results. The results suggested that increased serum iron was significantly associated with an increased risk of pregnancy hypertension (odds ratio (OR) 1.20, 95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.05-1.38), pre-eclampsia (OR 1.23, 95% CI 1.03-1.47), and pre-eclampsia or eclampsia (OR 1.29, 95% CI 1.08-1.53). The level of transferrin saturation was inversely linked with gestational diabetes (OR 0.91, 95% CI 0.83-0.99) and placenta praevia (OR 0.78, 95% CI 0.61-0.99). Furthermore, genetically predicted total iron binding capacity may augment the risk of spontaneous abortion (OR 1.14, 95% CI 1.06-1.23), ectopic pregnancy (OR 1.17, 95% CI 1.01-1.35), and intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (OR 1.39, 95% CI 1.02-1.90). The study identified the causal link between iron status and APOs, offering new insights to the clinical research on iron status-related pregnancy outcomes. Further studies are required to elucidate the role of iron status in the underlying mechanisms of APOs.</p>","PeriodicalId":8917,"journal":{"name":"Biological Trace Element Research","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-03-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143661927","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Correlation Between Urinary Heavy Metals and Early Childhood Caries in a Typical Industrial and Mining Area.","authors":"Mingkun Sun, Ting Yu, Yufan Zhu, Xuandi Zhang, Ya Chen, Yuhui Dang, Xiaowen Zhang, Shiwei Ai","doi":"10.1007/s12011-025-04579-0","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-025-04579-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In order to assess the association between urinary heavy metals and early childhood caries (ECC), a survey of deciduous tooth decay and urinary heavy metal concentrations of 408 children was conducted in a typical industrial and mining area. The results indicated that urinary heavy metal concentrations were ranked as Zn > Fe > Cu > Pb > Ni > Cd > As > Cr > Mn > Hg. The zero-inflated negative binomial model identified Hg as a significant risk factor for ECC (P25 ~ P75, OR = 3.499; > P75, OR = 3.184). Bayesian kernel machine regression further revealed that Pb, Cd, and Hg were positively correlated with ECC. Additional analysis using the Wilcoxon rank sum test and restricted cubic splines confirmed a positive correlation between the urinary concentrations of Pb, Cd, As, and Hg and the number of ECC (p < 0.05). Moreover, Bayesian kernel function regression and weighted quantile sum regression indicated that combined exposure to heavy metals was positively associated with ECC, with Hg (0.420) being the most dominant contributor, followed by As, Pb, and Cd. In conclusion, this study demonstrated a significant positive correlation between urinary heavy metals and both the occurrence and severity of ECC, with Hg identified as the most influential factor. It was recommended to minimize children's exposure to heavy metals to protect their dental health.</p>","PeriodicalId":8917,"journal":{"name":"Biological Trace Element Research","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-03-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143655826","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Heavy Metal Residues in Raw Cow Milk Collected from Three Major Cities of Odisha, India.","authors":"Anisha Priyadarshini, Jeevan Ranjan Dash","doi":"10.1007/s12011-025-04575-4","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-025-04575-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Environmental pollution, particularly that caused by heavy metals, is a significant global concern in the current period of globalisation and possess a substantial risk to human and animal health through food chain. There have also been reports of heavy metal contamination of cattle and buffalo milk from various parts of India, including Tamilnadu, the Mumbai suburbs, and Northern Gujarat. However, no research has been done to determine whether cow milk from the study area in the state of Odisha contains heavy metal residues. Residue of heavy metals (arsenic, lead, cadmium, mercury and cobalt) in raw cow milk samples collected from three major cities of Odisha was studied. Arsenic was not detected in any of the milk samples. In the milk samples from Bhubaneswar, lead was detected higher than the permissible limit recommended by Codex standard and FSSAI, cadmium was detected close to the permissible limit recommended by Codex standard but below the limit recommended by FSSAI, cobalt and mercury were detected below the permissible limit recommended by Codex standard and FSSAI. In Cuttack and Puri, lead was detected close to the recommended permissible limit but other metals (viz. cadmium, cobalt and mercury) were below the recommended permissible limit. Among the three cities, heavy metals were detected highest in the milk samples from Bhubaneswar than Cuttack and Puri. Three of Odisha's largest cities-Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, and Puri-are rapidly becoming more urbanized and industrialized, with populations and automobiles increasing. This might contaminate water and soil, which would then poison the food chain. This could be the primary way that heavy metals enter the animal body, which would then contaminate milk and animal food. The Pb and Cd residues detected in cow milk from the study areas were alarming. It suggested that the cows reared by Goalas in these study areas do not produce environmentally safe and suitable milk for human consumption.</p>","PeriodicalId":8917,"journal":{"name":"Biological Trace Element Research","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-03-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143655833","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Two-Dose Crossover Iodine Balance Study: Iodine Requirements for Toddlers in China.","authors":"Yan Song, Ying Zhang, Haohao Meng, Jie Liu, Wenwen Gu, Xiru Wang, Zhongna Sang","doi":"10.1007/s12011-025-04573-6","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-025-04573-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>There is a possibility that the iodine requirement for toddlers currently used in China is underestimated. This study aimed to conduct an iodine balance study in Chinese toddlers. We used a two-dose crossover experimental design, relying on the local iodine concentration in drinking water, and adjusting the iodine intake level by adjusting the toddlers' daily consumption of local drinking water. We measured daily iodine intake, excretion, and retention in toddlers and used linear mixed-effects models were used to fit the relationship between total iodine intake and iodine retention. This study involved 26 toddlers aged 2-3 years. Based on the daily total iodine intake and iodine balance values of the toddlers, a mixed effects model was applied to fit the regression curve, and the regression equation was obtained: y = 0.214x - 16.68, from which the EAR and RNI levels of the toddlers were calculated to be approximately 80 µg/day, and 110 µg/day, respectively. In our study, we expected the reference values for daily iodine EAR and RNI levels in toddlers with their current iodine nutrition status to be about 80 µg/day and 110 µg/day, respectively.</p>","PeriodicalId":8917,"journal":{"name":"Biological Trace Element Research","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-03-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143655773","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mechanism of Lung Fibrosis Caused by Rare Earth Samarium Oxide Through Hippo Signaling Pathway and the Intervention of GBE.","authors":"Ruixia Ding, Ying Sun, Teng Ma, Haijing Yin, Yannan Bi, Sheng Li, Li Wang, Xiaohui Wang","doi":"10.1007/s12011-025-04571-8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-025-04571-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>With the ongoing advancement and utilization of rare earth elements, human and environmental exposure to these materials has risen substantially. Samarium oxide (Sm₂O₃), a rare earth element, has been shown to induce pulmonary fibrosis, but the mechanisms are not clear. This study aimed to investigate the primary mechanisms by which rare earth Sm₂O₃ contributes to pulmonary fibrosis in relation to the Hippo signaling pathway and to assess the interventional effects of Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE). A mouse model of pulmonary fibrosis was established through intratracheal administration of a Sm₂O₃ suspension, while human embryonic lung fibroblasts were also treated for intervention studies. The results indicated that compared with the control group, the expression of SAV1, LATS1/2, MST1, YAP1, and TEAD1 genes was significantly up-regulated in the Sm₂O₃ group, while the expression of TAZ gene was down-regulated. Additionally, the levels of p-LATS1, LATS1, YAP, and p-YAP were elevated, suggesting that Sm₂O₃ promotes pulmonary fibrosis through an imbalance and abnormal regulation of the Hippo signaling pathway. Furthermore, human embryonic lung fibroblasts stained with Sm₂O₃ were treated with different dose gradients of GBE, and the expression level of p-LATS1, LATS1, YAP, and p-YAP was decreased as the dose of Sm₂O₃ increased, whereas treatment with GBE increased the expression of these proteins. GBE can mitigate the fibrotic response induced by Sm₂O₃ exposure. These findings demonstrate that Sm₂O₃ induces pulmonary fibrosis, at least in part, by inactivating the Hippo signaling pathway. Further investigation is warranted to fully elucidate the protective mechanisms of GBE and its therapeutic potential in this context.</p>","PeriodicalId":8917,"journal":{"name":"Biological Trace Element Research","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-03-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143655756","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}