Mercury in Pancreatic Cells of People with and without Pancreatic Cancer

Pamphlett, Roger; Colebatch, Andrew J.; Doble, Philip; Bishop, David

doi:10.3390/ijerph17238990

Cited by 11 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 67 publications

(97 reference statements)

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“…A key finding of this study is that mercury is commonly present in human adult thyroid follicular cells, raising the possibility that mercury could contribute to several thyroid disorders (S1 Fig) . Other toxic metals such as cadmium and lead are also found in the human thyroid, suggesting synergistic interactions between toxic metals could enhance mercury toxicity in thyroid cells [24]. We were unable to ascertain why usually only some follicular cells contained mercury, but this variability in cellular mercury appears to be common in human tissues such as the brain [25], pituitary [26], pancreas [27] and breast [28]. Of note, follicular cells within a single follicle can be flattened on one side and cuboidal or columnar on the other, indicating the presence of functional polarity [23].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

Mercury in the human thyroid gland: Potential implications for thyroid cancer, autoimmune thyroiditis, and hypothyroidism

2021

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Objective Mercury and other toxic metals have been suggested to be involved in thyroid disorders, but the distribution and prevalence of mercury in the human thyroid gland is not known. We therefore used two elemental bio-imaging techniques to look at the distribution of mercury and other toxic metals in the thyroid glands of people over a wide range of ages. Materials and methods Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded thyroid tissue blocks were obtained from 115 people aged 1–104 years old, with varied clinicopathological conditions, who had thyroid samples removed during forensic/coronial autopsies. Seven-micron sections from these tissue blocks were used to detect intracellular inorganic mercury using autometallography. The presence of mercury was confirmed using laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry which can detect multiple elements. Results Mercury was found on autometallography in the thyroid follicular cells of 4% of people aged 1–29 years, 9% aged 30–59 years, and 38% aged 60–104 years. Laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry confirmed the presence of mercury in samples staining with autometallography, and detected cadmium, lead, iron, nickel and silver in selected samples. Conclusions The proportion of people with mercury in their thyroid follicular cells increases with age, until it is present in over one-third of people aged 60 years and over. Other toxic metals in thyroid cells could enhance mercury toxicity. Mercury can trigger genotoxicity, autoimmune reactions, and oxidative damage, which raises the possibility that mercury could play a role in the pathogenesis of thyroid cancers, autoimmune thyroiditis, and hypothyroidism.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

Mercury in the human thyroid gland: Potential implications for thyroid cancer, autoimmune thyroiditis, and hypothyroidism

2021

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“…In addition to causing somatic mutations in adult kidney cells, mercury in proximal tubule progenitor cells in the foetus could be genotoxic since mercury in non-toxic doses passes through the placenta and enters foetal renal tubules [ 87 ]. It would be of interest to assess how often proximal tubules adjacent to human renal cell carcinomas contain mercury, in the same way as has been done in breast and pancreatic cancers [ 49 , 88 ]. However, because mercury is so commonly found in adult human proximal tubules, large numbers of tumour and non-tumour samples would be needed to assess whether kidney mercury is in fact associated with renal cell carcinoma.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Prevalence of Inorganic Mercury in Human Kidneys Suggests a Role for Toxic Metals in Essential Hypertension

Pamphlett

Doble

Bishop

2021

Toxics

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The kidney plays a dominant role in the pathogenesis of essential hypertension, but the initial pathogenic events in the kidney leading to hypertension are not known. Exposure to mercury has been linked to many diseases including hypertension in epidemiological and experimental studies, so we studied the distribution and prevalence of mercury in the human kidney. Paraffin sections of kidneys were available from 129 people ranging in age from 1 to 104 years who had forensic/coronial autopsies. One individual had injected himself with metallic mercury, the other 128 were from varied clinicopathological backgrounds without known exposure to mercury. Sections were stained for inorganic mercury using autometallography. Laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) was used on six samples to confirm the presence of autometallography-detected mercury and to look for other toxic metals. In the 128 people without known mercury exposure, mercury was found in: (1) proximal tubules of the cortex and Henle thin loops of the medulla, in 25% of kidneys (and also in the man who injected himself with mercury), (2) proximal tubules only in 16% of kidneys, and (3) Henle thin loops only in 23% of kidneys. The age-related proportion of people who had any mercury in their kidney was 0% at 1–20 years, 66% at 21–40 years, 77% at 41–60 years, 84% at 61–80 years, and 64% at 81–104 years. LA-ICP-MS confirmed the presence of mercury in samples staining with autometallography and showed cadmium, lead, iron, nickel, and silver in some kidneys. In conclusion, mercury is found commonly in the adult human kidney, where it appears to accumulate in proximal tubules and Henle thin loops until an advanced age. Dysfunctions of both these cortical and medullary regions have been implicated in the pathogenesis of essential hypertension, so these findings suggest that further studies of the effects of mercury on blood pressure are warranted.

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“…Heavy metal additives incorporated into plastics to imbue specific properties can also potentiate diseases. Cadmium, mercury, and arsenic can induce carcinogenesis, while copper and cobalt can induce the formation of ROS [ 76 , 77 , 78 , 79 , 80 ]. Heavy metals have been also shown to be associated with dry eye disease.…”

Section: Proposed Mechanisms Of Tissue and Cell Damagementioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of Microplastics on the Ocular Surface

Lim

Seah

et al. 2023

IJMS

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Plastics are synthetic materials made from organic polymers that are ubiquitous in daily living and are especially important in the healthcare setting. However, recent advances have revealed the pervasive nature of microplastics, which are formed by degradation of existing plastic products. Although the impact on human health has yet to be fully characterised, there is increasing evidence that microplastics can trigger inflammatory damage, microbial dysbiosis, and oxidative stress in humans. Although there are limited studies investigating their effect on the ocular surface, studies of microplastics on other organs provide some insights. The prevalence of plastic waste has also triggered public outcry, culminating in the development of legislation aimed at reducing microplastics in commercial products. We present a review outlining the possible sources of microplastics leading to ocular exposure, and analyse the possible mechanisms of ocular surface damage. Finally, we examine the utility and consequences of current legislation surrounding microplastic regulation.

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Mercury in Pancreatic Cells of People with and without Pancreatic Cancer

Cited by 11 publications

References 67 publications

Mercury in the human thyroid gland: Potential implications for thyroid cancer, autoimmune thyroiditis, and hypothyroidism

Mercury in the human thyroid gland: Potential implications for thyroid cancer, autoimmune thyroiditis, and hypothyroidism

The Prevalence of Inorganic Mercury in Human Kidneys Suggests a Role for Toxic Metals in Essential Hypertension

Impact of Microplastics on the Ocular Surface

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