The Potential Contribution of Hexavalent Chromium to the Carcinogenicity of Chrysotile Asbestos

Autor(en)

Martin Walter, Walter D. C. Schenkeveld, Maura Tomatis, Karin Schelch, Barbara Peter-Voroesmarty, Gerald Geroldinger, Lars Gille, Maria C. Bruzzoniti, Francesco Turci, Stephan M. Kraemer, Michael Grusch

Abstrakt

Chrysotile asbestos is a carcinogenic mineral that has abundantly been used in industrial and consumer applications. The carcinogenicity of the fibers is partly governed by reactive Fe surface sites that catalyze the generation of highly toxic hydroxyl radicals (HO

^•) from extracellular hydrogen peroxide (H

₂O

₂). Chrysotile also contains Cr, typically in the low mass permille range. In this study, we examined the leaching of Cr from fibers at the physiological lung pH of 7.4 in the presence and absence of H

₂O

₂. Furthermore, we investigated the potential of cells from typical asbestos-burdened tissues and cancers to take up Cr leached from chrysotile in PCR expression, immunoblot, and cellular Cr uptake experiments. Finally, the contribution of Cr to fiber-mediated H

₂O

₂decomposition and HO

^•generation was studied. Chromium readily dissolved from chrysotile fibers in its genotoxic and carcinogenic hexavalent redox state upon oxidation by H

₂O

₂. Lung epithelial, mesothelial, lung carcinoma, and mesothelioma cells expressed membrane-bound Cr(VI) transporters and accumulated Cr up to 10-fold relative to the Cr(VI) concentration in the spiked medium. Conversely, anion transporter inhibitors decreased cellular Cr(VI) uptake up to 45-fold. Finally, chromium associated with chrysotile neither decomposed H

₂O

₂nor contributed to fiber-mediated HO

^•generation. Altogether, our results support the hypothesis that Cr may leach from inhaled chrysotile in its hexavalent state and subsequently accumulate in cells of typically asbestos-burdened tissues, which could contribute to the carcinogenicity of chrysotile fibers. However, unlike Fe, Cr did not significantly contribute to the adverse radical production of chrysotile.

Organisation(en)

Department für Umweltgeowissenschaften

Externe Organisation(en)

Università degli Studi di Torino, Medizinische Universität Wien, Veterinärmedizinische Universität Wien

Journal

Chemical Research in Toxicology

Band

35

Seiten

2335-2347

Anzahl der Seiten

13

ISSN

0893-228X

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.chemrestox.2c00314

Publikationsdatum

12-2022

Peer-reviewed

Ja

ÖFOS 2012

106026 Ökosystemforschung, 105906 Umweltgeowissenschaften

Schlagwörter

ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete

Toxicology

Sustainable Development Goals

SDG 3 – Gesundheit und Wohlergehen

Link zum Portal

https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/de/publications/e125ab0e-72cd-4853-b206-aa0180be9dd9