Abstract
Arsenic is carcinogenic to human beings, and environmental exposure to arsenic is a public health issue that affects large populations around the world. Thus, studies are needed to determine the mode of action of arsenic and to prevent harmful effects that arise from arsenic intake. In particular, knowledge of the effects of arsenic exposure in individuals who are undergoing a carcinogenesis process is lacking. The present study was performed in mice to evaluate the effect of chronic As3+ administration on peritoneal and alveolar macrophages; the As3+ was administered in drinking water over 9 months and there was a two-stage carcinogenesis process. At the end of the experiment, the number of tumors stabilized to below the control values, but the tumors showed increased malignancy. Our objective was to evaluate the systemic effects of chronic As3+ingestion in a population of macrophages that was derived from the peritoneal cavity and the broncho-alveolar trunk of cancerized mice since they are the first line of defense in the immune system. The results showed that the macrophages under all conditions retained their ability to self-regulate their metabolic reactivity. This feature was more evident in peritoneal macrophages than in alveolar macrophages. Furthermore, an increase in the number of macrophages from animals receiving higher doses of As3+ compared to untreated animals was observed. These findings indicate that certain parameters associated with two-stage skin carcinogenesis are modified by the presence of As3+ in drinking water.
Highlights
Inorganic arsenic is typically found on the surface of rocks in the form of arsenic metal compounds
The aim of this study was to test whether the auto-regulation of oxidative stress in macrophages using mice drinking water with different concentrations of As3+ was maintained when they were concomitantly subjected to a two-stage carcinogenesis process.The analysis of the macrophage behavior in cancerized animals that were subjected to a microenvironment with sustained, potentially toxic levels of As3+ is a useful tool to elucidate the role they would play during a carcinogenic process and to explore the potential effect of arsenic on carcinogenesis
Peritoneal macrophages In the animals whose drinking water was supplemented with A20 and A200 (Figure 3), the cell density in the peritoneal exudate showed higher values than that of the controls (As 0 and Co)
Summary
Inorganic arsenic is typically found on the surface of rocks in the form of arsenic metal compounds. The exposure of living organisms to arsenic is unavoidable, varying according to local geochemical characteristics as well as the level of anthropogenic activity. Arsenic has different chemical forms in the environment, and As transport and distribution are complex due to its cycle as generated by water, soil and air [1]. The intake of drinking water is the primary route of entry for humans living in areas with high levels of inorganic arsenic [2]. Chronic exposure to arsenic in humans is associated with several cancers and many other pathological effects; these effects include clinical skin signs such as hyperhidrosis, hyperkeratosis and arsenical melanodermia [4], peripheral vascular disorders, dark abrasions on the feet (black foot disease) [5], alterations in the peripheral nervous system [6], diffuse pulmonary fibrosis and broncho-pulmonary lesions [7]
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