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Nano Letters Jul 2024Nanosized ultrafine particles (UFPs) from natural and anthropogenic sources are widespread and pose serious health risks when inhaled by humans. However, tracing the...
Nanosized ultrafine particles (UFPs) from natural and anthropogenic sources are widespread and pose serious health risks when inhaled by humans. However, tracing the inhaled UFPs is extremely difficult, and the distribution, translocation, and metabolism of UFPs remain unclear. Here, we report a label-free, machine learning-aided single-particle inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (spICP-MS) approach for tracing the exposure pathways of airborne magnetite nanoparticles (MNPs), including external emission sources, and distribution and translocation using a mouse model. Our results provide quantitative analysis of different metabolic pathways in mice exposed to MNPs, revealing that the spleen serves as the primary site for MNP metabolism (84.4%), followed by the liver (11.4%). The translocation of inhaled UFPs across different organs alters their particle size. This work provides novel insights into the fate of UFPs as well as a versatile and powerful platform for nanotoxicology and risk assessment.
PubMed: 38954740
DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.4c01937 -
Aging Jun 2024Senescent cells contribute to tissue aging and underlie the pathology of chronic diseases. The benefits of eliminating senescent cells have been demonstrated in several...
Senescent cells contribute to tissue aging and underlie the pathology of chronic diseases. The benefits of eliminating senescent cells have been demonstrated in several disease models, and the efficacy of senolytic drugs is currently being tested in humans. Exercise training has been shown to reduce cellular senescence in several tissues; however, the mechanisms responsible remain unclear. We found that myocyte-derived factors significantly extended the replicative lifespan of fibroblasts, suggesting that myokines mediate the anti-senescence effects of exercise. A number of proteins within myocyte-derived factors were identified by mass spectrometry. Among these, pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) exerted inhibitory effects on cellular senescence. Eight weeks of voluntary running increased levels in skeletal muscles and suppressed senescence markers in the lungs. The administration of PEDF reduced senescence markers in multiple tissues and attenuated the decline in respiratory function in the pulmonary emphysema mouse model. We also showed that blood levels of PEDF inversely correlated with the severity of COPD in patients. Collectively, these results strongly suggest that PEDF contributes to the beneficial effects of exercise, potentially suppressing cellular senescence and its associated pathologies.
PubMed: 38954512
DOI: 10.18632/aging.205976 -
Journal of Materials Chemistry. B Jul 2024Foodborne pathogens including () are responsible for over 600 million global incidences of illness annually, posing a significant threat to public health. Inductively...
Foodborne pathogens including () are responsible for over 600 million global incidences of illness annually, posing a significant threat to public health. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), coupled with element labeling strategies, has emerged as a promising platform for multivariate and accurate pathogen detection. However, achieving high specificity and sensitivity remains a critical challenge. Herein, we synthesize clustered magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) and popcorn-shaped gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) to conjugate capture and report DNA probes for , respectively. These engineered nanoparticles facilitate the identification of DNA through a sandwich hybridization technique. ICP-MS quantification of Au within the sandwich-structure complexes allows for precise detection. The unique morphology of the AuNPs and MNPs increases the available sites for probe attachment, enhancing the efficiency of DNA capture, broadening the detection range to 10-10 copies mL, and achieving a low detection limit of 1 copy mL, and the overall assay time is 70 min. The high specificity of this method is verified by anti-interference assays against ten other pathogens. The recovery was 96.8-102.8% for detecting DNA in biological samples. As these specially designed nanoparticles may facilitate the attachment of various proteins and nucleic acid probes, they may become an effective platform for detecting multiple pathogens.
PubMed: 38954469
DOI: 10.1039/d4tb00291a -
ACS Applied Bio Materials Jul 2024Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) can help mitigate the spread of respiratory infections through the early detection of viruses, pathogens, and other biomarkers in...
Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) can help mitigate the spread of respiratory infections through the early detection of viruses, pathogens, and other biomarkers in human waste. The need for sample collection, shipping, and testing facilities drives up the cost of WBE and hinders its use for rapid detection and isolation in environments with small populations and in low-resource settings. Given the ubiquitousness and regular outbreaks of respiratory syncytial virus, SARS-CoV-2, and various influenza strains, there is a rising need for a low-cost and easy-to-use biosensing platform to detect these viruses locally before outbreaks can occur and monitor their progression. To this end, we have developed an easy-to-use, cost-effective, multiplexed platform able to detect viral loads in wastewater with several orders of magnitude lower limit of detection than that of mass spectrometry. This is enabled by wafer-scale production and aptamers preattached with linker molecules, producing 44 chips at once. Each chip can simultaneously detect four target analytes using 20 transistors segregated into four sets of five for each analyte to allow for immediate statistical analysis. We show our platform's ability to rapidly detect three virus proteins (SARS-CoV-2, RSV, and Influenza A) and a population normalization molecule (caffeine) in wastewater. Going forward, turning these devices into hand-held systems would enable wastewater epidemiology in low-resource settings and be instrumental for rapid, local outbreak prevention.
PubMed: 38954405
DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.4c00484 -
Environmental Science and Pollution... Jul 2024Seed coating with pesticides is used extensively for the protection of both seeds and plants against pests. In this study, the uptake and transport of seed-coating...
Seed coating with pesticides is used extensively for the protection of both seeds and plants against pests. In this study, the uptake and transport of seed-coating pesticides (insecticides), including cyantraniliprole (CYN) and thiamethoxam (THX), were investigated. The translocation of these pesticides from the soil to the plant and their accumulation in different plant parts were also calculated. After sowing the seeds with seed coating pesticides, soil and plant samples were taken across the study area. These samples were extracted and analyzed in liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). CYN and THX were used in maize plants for the first time to observe soil degradation kinetics, and CYN showed a higher half-life than THX in soil. Both pesticides have been taken up by the corn maize plant and transferred and accumulated to the upper parts of the plant. Although the THX concentration was between 2.240 and 0.003 mg/kg in the root, between 3.360 and 0.085 mg/kg in the stem, it was between 0.277 and 3.980 mg/kg in the leaf, whereas CYN was detected at higher concentrations. The concentration of CYN was 1.472 mg/ kg and 0.079 mg/kg in the roots and stems of the maize plant, respectively. However, the bioconcentration factor (BCF) indicates the soil-to-plant accumulation of CYN from 28 to 34.6 and that of 12.5 to 4567.1 for THX on different sampling days. The translocation factor (TF) represents the ratio of pesticides absorbed from the stem and transported to the roots. For CYN, TFstem ranges from 3.6 to 20.5, while for THX, it varies between 1.5 and 26.8, indicating a higher translocation rate for THX. The ratio of leaf to root concentration are 3.6 to 20.5 for CYN and 1.8 to 87.7 for THX, demonstrating effective translocation for both pesticides. The TF values for both pesticides are above 1, signifying successful root-to-stem-to-leaf movement. Notably, THX exhibits a notably higher transport rate compared to CYN.
PubMed: 38954337
DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-34135-7 -
Biological Trace Element Research Jul 2024This study investigated heavy metal contamination in dried fish sold in Guangzhou, China, and evaluated the resultant non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic health risks....
This study investigated heavy metal contamination in dried fish sold in Guangzhou, China, and evaluated the resultant non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic health risks. Dried fish samples were purchased from Baiyun, Tianhe, Panyu, and Yuexiu districts in Guangzhou, where the population is substantial. They were randomly acquired in bustling supermarkets and farmers' markets, targeting the most popular dried fish in these areas. Sixty samples from five dried fish types (Stolephorus chinensis, Thamnaconus modestus, Nemipterus-virgatus, river fish, Ctenopharyngodon idella) were analyzed for chromium (Cr), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and mercury (Hg) content. Quantification of the heavy metals were carried out by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) for Cr, As, Cd, and Pb, and an automatic mercury analyzer for Hg. The median concentration of these heavy metals in dried fish were 0.358 mg/kg, 2.653 mg/kg, 0.032 mg/kg, 0.083 mg/kg, and 0.042 mg/kg, respectively. Pollution severity was ranked as dried Nemipterus-virgatus > dried Stolephorus chinensis > dried Thamnaconus modestus > dried river fish > dried Ctenopharyngodon idella, with As being the most predominant pollutant. All fish types showed severe As pollution. Non-carcinogenic risks were identified in the consumption of dried Nemipterus-virgatus and dried Stolephorus chinensis for both genders, while potential carcinogenic risks were associated with four of the fish types. Women faced higher health risks than men from dried fish consumption. Consequently, we advise consumers to minimize their intake of dried fish and regulatory agencies conduct regular monitoring of heavy metal levels in commercially available dried fish to avert potential health risks.
PubMed: 38954322
DOI: 10.1007/s12011-024-04291-5 -
Environmental Geochemistry and Health Jul 2024Shaanxi Province is located in the most important molybdenum ore district in the world, but a lot of molybdenum tailings have been released, polluting the environment...
Shaanxi Province is located in the most important molybdenum ore district in the world, but a lot of molybdenum tailings have been released, polluting the environment and wasting resources seriously. Taking eleven tailing samples collected at the main molybdenum tailings ponds in Shaanxi Province as the research object, the physical, chemical, and mineralogical characteristics were studied through scanning electron microscope, X-ray fluorescence, X-ray diffraction, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer, and others. The ecological risk and utilization potential of molybdenum tailings were investigated through leaching test, geo-accumulation index, potential ecological risk assessment, and other methods. The results demonstrated that the main chemical and mineralogical composition of various molybdenum tailings in Shaanxi Province is similar, and the predominant mineral composition is muscovite, quartz, microcline, and calcite. The potential ecological risk of heavy metals in six molybdenum tailings is high, while Pb and Cd are the main pollution risk elements. Molybdenum tailings contain considerable amounts of critical minerals with huge potential economic value, and molybdenum tailings with high environmental hazards could be converted into a possible source for critical minerals by recovering the critical minerals and repurposing the secondary tailings as an additive or cement substitute. This study provides an innovative idea for the pollution treatment of molybdenum tailings and indicates the prospect of molybdenum tailings as a secondary source for critical minerals.
Topics: Molybdenum; China; Environmental Monitoring; Risk Assessment; Mining; Spectrometry, X-Ray Emission; Metals, Heavy; X-Ray Diffraction; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; Soil Pollutants
PubMed: 38954233
DOI: 10.1007/s10653-024-02049-5 -
Methods in Molecular Biology (Clifton,... 2024The large-scale proteomic analysis of Dictyostelium discoideum has contributed to our understanding of intracellular as well as secreted proteins in this versatile model...
The large-scale proteomic analysis of Dictyostelium discoideum has contributed to our understanding of intracellular as well as secreted proteins in this versatile model eukaryote. Mass spectrometry-based proteomic analysis is a robust, sensitive, and rapid analytical method for identification and characterization of proteins extracted from tissues, cells, cell fractions, or pull-down assays. The availability of core facilities which make proteomics inexpensive and easy to do has facilitated a wide range of research projects. In this chapter, we present a simple standard methodology to extract proteins and prepare samples from D. discoideum for mass spectrometry and methods to analyze the identified proteins.
Topics: Dictyostelium; Proteomics; Mass Spectrometry; Protozoan Proteins; Proteome
PubMed: 38954210
DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3894-1_17 -
Methods in Molecular Biology (Clifton,... 2024Largely due to its simplicity, while being more like human cells compared to other experimental models, Dictyostelium continues to be of great use to discover basic...
Largely due to its simplicity, while being more like human cells compared to other experimental models, Dictyostelium continues to be of great use to discover basic molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways underlying evolutionarily conserved biological processes. However, the identification of new protein interactions implicated in signaling pathways can be particularly challenging in Dictyostelium due to its extremely fast signaling kinetics coupled with the dynamic nature of signaling protein interactions. Recently, the proximity labeling method using engineered ascorbic acid peroxidase 2 (APEX2) in mammalian cells was shown to allow the detection of weak and/or transient protein interactions and also to obtain spatial and temporal resolution. Here, we describe a protocol for successfully using the APEX2-proximity labeling method in Dictyostelium. Coupled with the identification of the labeled proteins by mass spectrometry, this method expands Dictyostelium's proteomics toolbox and should be widely useful for identifying interacting partners involved in a variety of biological processes in Dictyostelium.
Topics: Dictyostelium; Ascorbate Peroxidases; Proteomics; Protein Interaction Mapping; Mass Spectrometry; Protozoan Proteins; Humans; DNA-(Apurinic or Apyrimidinic Site) Lyase; Signal Transduction; Staining and Labeling; Endonucleases; Multifunctional Enzymes
PubMed: 38954202
DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3894-1_9 -
Chemistry (Weinheim An Der Bergstrasse,... Jul 2024A radical trapping method based on an SH2' homolytic substitution reaction was applied to study the mechanism of a photochemical spirocyclisation of indole-ynones in the...
A radical trapping method based on an SH2' homolytic substitution reaction was applied to study the mechanism of a photochemical spirocyclisation of indole-ynones in the presence of thiols. Starting material, products and a range of trapped radical intermediates were simultaneously detected in reaction mixtures by mass spectrometry (MS). The trapped intermediates included both initiating and main chain propagating radicals. These data made it possible to propose a self-initiation mechanism consistent with the originally postulated photoexcitation of an intramolecular electron donor-acceptor complex of the substrate. The effect of thiol structure on the MS peak intensity of the reaction components was rationalised in terms of the relative stability of the radical intermediates. The results were compared to a simpler related reaction, a photochemical thiol-ene addition where reagents, products and trapped intermediate radicals were also detected by MS. Relative MS peak intensities were again explained by a combination of electronic and steric effects on the stability of intermediate radicals. Overall, SH2' radical trapping was demonstrated to be a powerful experimental technique for providing mechanistic evidence on photochemical and other organic radical reactions.
PubMed: 38954146
DOI: 10.1002/chem.202401500