Elements In Hair Research Articles

Abstract 11103: Increase of Oxidative Stress Precipitated by Selenium Deficiency Plays a Role in Cardiac Hypofunction in Uremic Cardiomyopathy

Introduction: Various trace elements are deficient in hemodialysis patients, but the relationship of such deficiencies with cardiac hypofunction is unclear. We examined the deficiencies of trace elements in the blood and hair of hemodialysis patients diagnosed with uremic cardiomyopathy and investigated cardiac hypofunction mechanism from myocardial tissue. Methods: Using blood samples, we measured 25 elements including Se, Mn, Cu, and Zn by high-resolution inductively coupled plasma (ICP) mass spectrometry and ICP emission spectral analysis. We also compared glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx) activation and radical formation potential between the uremic cardiomyopathy patient group (n = 22) and a control group with normal cardiac function (n = 30). Using myocardial tissue, we assessed the exacerbation of oxidative stress by 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine, 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal, and GSHPx staining and microcirculatory disorder by the perivascular fibrosis area ratio (PVFR). We also measured concentrations of elements in hair at the Super Photon ring-8 GeV (SPring-8) facility. Results: Compared with the control group patients, the uremic cardiomyopathy patients had lower selenium (99.7 ± 21.4 vs. 146 ± 23.3 ng/ml, p < 0.00001) and manganese concentrations (0.39 ± 0.15 vs. 0.60 ± 0.12 ng/ml, p < 0.001); they also showed decreased activation of GSHPx (121 ± 33 vs. 328 ± 44 μmol/min/L, p < 0.00001), an antioxidant enzyme involving selenium, with only selenium concentration correlating to left ventricular ejection fraction (p = 0.0009). Oxidative stress marker staining, radical formation potential in serum, and PVFR were all augmented in the uremic cardiomyopathic patients (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Selenium concentration decrease in the serum of hemodialysis patients may reflect a decrease in GSHPx activation, increasing oxidative stress, and precipitating a coronary microcirculatory disorder involved in the cardiac hypofunction seen in uremic cardiomyopathy.

Hair concentration of essential trace elements in adult non-exposed Russian population.

Appropriate reference values of hair trace element content are required for correct interpretation of biomonitoring data. The primary objective of the current study was to estimate the reference values of selected essential trace elements in hair of adult Russian population. Involved in current investigation were 7256 occupationally non-exposed adults aged from 20 to 60 years and living in the European part of Russia. Occipital hair essential metal and metalloid (Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Se, V, Zn) content was estimated using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The reference ranges were calculated in accordance with the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) recommendations. Women were characterized by 55, 18, 58, and 7% higher values of hair Co, Cu, Mn, and Zn content as compared to the values observed in men. At the same time, hair Cr, Fe, Se, and V concentration in men significantly exceeded the respective female values by 65, 13, 20, and 56%. Consequently, the reference ranges of essential hair trace elements content should be separately calculated for both men and women. The obtained reference ranges for hair Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Se, V, and Zn in men were 0.11-0.67, 0.007-0.045, 10.4-22.6, 11.1-40.5, 0.24-1.05, 0.089-0.480, 0.014-0.083, and 125.7-262.8 μg/g, respectively. The respective values estimated for women were 0.06-0.40, 0.011-0.085, 12.1-44.5, 8.9-25.6, 0.32-2.05, 0.094-0.504, 0.010-0.056, and 140.0-315.1 μg/g. The reference ranges for hair Co (0.07-0.50), Cr (0.009-0.073), Cu (11.8-29.2), Fe (9.6-31.5), Mn (0.29-1.76), Se (0.093-0.482), V (0.011-0.069), and Zn (134.7-301.9) content (μg/g) in the general cohort were also calculated.

Role of DnaK in HspR-HAIR interaction of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Heat shock proteins (Hsps) are a highly conserved family of proteins. The regulation of expression of Hsps in Mycobacterium tuberculosis, is regulated both positively and negatively by alternate sigma factors and transcriptional DNA repressors, respectively. HspR is a negative regulator of expression of hsps, DnaK, ClpB, and Acr2 in M. tuberculosis. In this study, we expressed the M. tuberculosis HspR (MtHspR) in E. coli, and functionally characterized it. MtHspR independently bound to its putative cognate DNA, the HAIR element. MtHspR was found to exist in a dynamic mixture of dimeric and monomeric protein and presence of salt led to the formation of trimers which lacked the DNA binding activity. MtHspR was found to be heat stable with a Tm of 66°C. HspR-HAIR binding was stable upto 60°C suggesting that MtHspR is not the heat stress sensor. Mycobacterial DnaK was found to interact directly with MtHspR-HAIR complex in vitro in an ATP independent manner. The DnaK-HspR-HAIR binding pattern altered at high temperatures in the presence of aggregated α-casein substrate, suggesting that DnaK may indirectly be responding to heat stress in a feedback loop mechanism.

Trace elements in scalp hair from potentially exposed individuals in the vicinity of the Bayan Obo mine in Baotou, China.

Mining activities including mineral excavation and ore transportation produce and release large amounts of pollutants to the surrounding environment, raising concerns regarding the effects of environmental exposure to pollutants on human health. The concentration of elements in hair can be used as a biomarker of exposure to chemical elements. In the present study, hair samples from 89 relatively healthy volunteers aged 11-77 years old (57 living near Bayan Obo giant REE-Nb-Fe ore deposit and 32 in non-mining areas) from Baotou (Inner Mongolia, China) were analyzed to determine the contents of 25 chemical elements (Ag, Al, As, Ba, Bi, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cs, Cu, Fe, Ga, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Rb, Se, Tl, U, V and Zn) with the aim of gaining insights about the potential exposure to chemical elements of the population living within the Bayan Obo opencast mining area. The effects of gender and living area on element concentrations in hair were also investigated. The results showed that the mean concentrations of the target elements (Ag, Al, Ba, Cd, Co, Li, Mn, Ni, Pb, Tl, V, Cs, Ga, Rb, U, Bi, Mo, As, Ca, Fe, Mg and Zn) in human hair from the mining area (MA) were primarily higher than that in non-mining areas (NMA). The area of residence had an influence on the presence of select trace elements (As, Cd, Mg, Pb, Tl, U and Zn) in human hair. In addition, the hair samples from MA showed statistically significant differences between males and females for a larger number of elements than those in NMA in which only Ag, Bi and Se were significantly different. This result implies a potential influence of mining activities on residents living in the vicinity. These findings confirm the need for competent authorities to act as early as possible and to implement strategies aimed to protect exposed populations and the entire ecosystem.

Hair elements and healthy aging: a cross-sectional study in Hainan Island, China.

Healthy aging is considered as the core issue of aging population. Centenarians are a symbol of healthy aging. Concentration of elements in hair is an indicator of micronutrient status, which can affect the human health. In the present study, we investigated element concentrations in the scalp hair of 255 healthy centenarians from Hainan Island, China. The pattern of intergenerational transmission of elements and the effects of confounders such as sex, age, education level, smoking habits, alcohol intake, and frequency of hospitalization on hair element concentrations were assessed. For most elements, the load in hair increased significantly through intergenerational transmission (i.e., centenarians<children<grandchildren). Our results also demonstrated that female centenarians had significantly higher concentrations of Ca, Mg, Mn, Se, and Sr but lower levels of Cr and P. The Mn level was statistically significantly lower in the primary studies group. Alcohol intake was positively associated with Cd and Na levels, whereas smoking habits showed no significant effect on all the elements. Furthermore, the frequency of hospitalization was significantly positively associated with Cd, Cu, and Pb concentration. Moreover, our analysis suggested that adequate concentrations of Fe and Se might increase the life span of centenarians, whereas excessive concentrations of P and Pb were harmful to health and reduced life span. These results imply that element concentrations could be manipulated as a therapeutic modality in geriatric disease. They might also provide reference values for diseased subjects, allowing improved diagnoses and more effective therapies, which might support effective policies on health and aging.

Distribution of toxic elements and transfer from the environment to humans traced by using lead isotopes. A case of study in the Sarno River basin, south Italy.

The results of a large geochemical study on various environmental media (soil, stream sediment, groundwater, surface water, lettuce and human hair) of the Sarno River basin, which is one of the most polluted areas in Italy, are presented. Further, it aims to deepen our understanding of the distribution of Pb and its isotope composition for the differentiation between natural and anthropogenic metal sources. Our results show the environmental media to be significantly enriched in Cr, Cu, Pb, Hg, Zn, and to a lesser extent in Sb, Cd and Ni compared to the natural local background variation. The numerous industrial activities (mainly tanneries) have caused environmental pollution especially Cr and Hg in soils and sediment samples. Such contamination is also evident in lettuce and in the hair of the resident population, which shows particularly high values for both Cr and Hg. The unusually high As, Be and Sn concentrations arise mostly from natural sources due to the volcanic nature of the investigated area. Lead isotope measurements indicate a trend suggesting mixing between two end-members, one of clear natural origin (geogenic) and another related to human activities (anthropogenic). Lead isotope results demonstrate that Pb in hair of inhabitants is similar to those in the local topsoil and that gasoline is one of the main, but not the only source of metal pollution. The most important exposure risks within the study area are associated with toxic elements levels in topsoil and stream sediment, and the ingestion of locally grown lettuce. The high concentrations of these elements in hair are a further confirmation of this exposure pathway.

Physiological parameters affecting the hair element content of young Italian population

Hair element characterization of homogeneous population (no-smoker teenagers, 15–19 years, 27 males, 104 females) along with the relationship between elements (32 analyzed by INAA) and some physiological parameters is reported: the inorganic fraction content varies according to sex, hair natural color and hair type. Correlations between elements allowed to extrapolate interesting considerations. Hair color shows slightly positive correlation values for S, Zn, Ba and Mo whereas hair type does not show significant correlations among various elements. Finally, a canonical analysis showed high positive coefficients for some alkaline-earth elements and other of exogenous origin.

Distribution of uranium, thorium and some stable trace and toxic elements in human hair and nails in Niška Banja Town, a high natural background radiation area of Serbia (Balkan Region, South-East Europe)

Human hair and nails can be considered as bio-indicators of the public exposure to certain natural radionuclides and other toxic metals over a long period of months or even years. The level of elements in hair and nails usually reflect their levels in other tissues of body. Niška Banja, a spa town located in southern Serbia, with locally high natural background radiation was selected for the study. To assess public exposure to the trace elements, hair and nail samples were collected and analyzed. The concentrations of uranium, thorium and some trace and toxic elements (Mn, Ni, Cu, Sr, Cd, and Cs) were determined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). U and Th concentrations in hair varied from 0.0002 to 0.0771 μg/g and from 0.0002 to 0.0276 μg/g, respectively. The concentrations in nails varied from 0.0025 to 0.0447 μg/g and from 0.0023 to 0.0564 μg/g for U and Th, respectively. We found significant correlations between some elements in hair and nails. Also indications of spatial clustering of high values could be found. However, this phenomenon as well as the large variations in concentrations of heavy metals in hair and nail could not be explained. As hypotheses, we propose possible exposure pathways which may explain the findings, but the current data does not allow testing them.

Trace elements in scalp hair samples from patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.

BackgroundEpidemiological studies have suggested a possible role of trace elements (TE) in the etiology of several neurological diseases including Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Hair analysis provides an easy tool to quantify TE in human subjects, including patients with neurodegenerative diseases.ObjectiveTo compare TE levels in scalp hair from patients with MS and healthy controls from the same geographic area (Sicily).MethodsICP-MS was used to determine the concentrations of 21 elements (Ag, Al, As, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Li, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Rb, Sb, Se, Sr, U, V and Zn) in scalp hair of 48 patients with relapsing–remitting Multiple Sclerosis compared with 51 healthy controls.ResultsMS patients showed a significantly lower hair concentration of aluminum and rubidium (median values: Al = 3.76 μg/g vs. 4.49 μg/g and Rb = 0.007 μg/g vs. 0.01 μg/g;) and higher hair concentration of U (median values U: 0.014 μg/g vs. 0.007 μg/g) compared to healthy controls. The percentages of MS patients showing hair elemental concentrations greater than the 95th percentile of controls were 20% for Ni, 19% for Ba and U, and 15% for Ag, Mo and Se. Conversely, the percentages of MS patients showing hair elemental concentrations lower than the 5th percentile of healthy controls were 27% for Al, 25% for Rb, 22% for Ag, 19% for Fe, and 16% for Pb. No significant association was found between levels of each TE and age, disease duration or Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score. After stratification by gender, healthy subjects did not show any significant difference in trace element levels, while MS patients showed significant differences (p<0.01) for the concentrations of Ag, Cr, Fe, Ni and Sr. No significant differences were also found, at p<0.01, in relation to the use of cigarettes, consume of water, vegetables and place of living.ConclusionThe different distributions of TE in hair of MS patients compared to controls provides an additional indirect evidence of metabolic imbalance of chemical elements in the pathogenesis of this disease. The increase in U and decrease in Al and Rb levels in MS compared to controls require further assessments as well as the observed different distributions of other elements.

Essential metals profile of the hair and nails of patients with laryngeal cancer

Trace elements have an impact on numerous physiological processes. The monitoring of their levels in the organism allows you to detect not only their deficiencies, but also several illnesses. The aim of this study was to compare the levels of essential elements (calcium, magnesium, zinc, copper, iron, manganese) in hair, nails and serum of both patients with laryngeal cancer and healthy people. The determination of six metals was performed by an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and an inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). The concentration of essential elements in hair and nails of the control group was statistically significantly higher than in the group of patients with laryngeal cancer. In the case of serum, differences were found between the patients and controls in respect of the level of three metals. The results of principal component analysis (PCA) revealed the strong and similar clustering behavior of essential elements in hair and nails. The metals did not correlate between two alternative materials. The present study indicated that, using the level of essential elements in hair and nails as a basis, it is possible to distinguish cancer patients from healthy people. The alternative materials are independent of homeostasis and therefore seem to be more useful in the detection of diseases and mineral deficiencies in human than the classical biological materials, such as blood.

Content of sodium and potassium in tissues and organs of free-ranging European bisons

The study aimed at assessing the sodium and potassium content in chosen tissues and organs of free-ranging European bisons in Bialowieza Primeval Forest depending on the gender and age of animals. In order to determine the content of elements in parenchymal tissues, ribs and hair, the ICP-OES method was used. In the hooves, sodium and potassium were determined with the help of ICP-MS. The sodium content in organs and skin appendages varied from 0.30 in hair to 4.77 mg g-1 in ribs. In the analysis of the age effect, some significant differences were observed between the investigated groups in the sodium content of the hoof wall, namely, a higher mean value was noted in young individuals. The potassium content in the examined samples was within the range of 0.96 in the hoof wall to 3.63 mg g-1 in kidneys. Significant age dependent differences were noted only in the ribs. Sodium and potassium concentrations in the hoof wall were correlated in a highly significant way. Similar dependences also appeared between the content of sodium and potassium in kidneys and liver and kidneys and muscles. On the basis of the results it can be concluded that the status of sodium and potassium supply in the European bison from Bialowieza Forest is adequate.

Urinary stones as a novel matrix for human biomonitoring of toxic and essential elements.

Monitoring of body burden of toxic elements is usually based on analysis of concentration of particular elements in blood, urine and/or hair. Analysis of these matrices, however, predominantly reflects short- or medium-term exposure to trace elements or pollutants. In this work, urinary stones were investigated as a matrix for monitoring long-term exposure to toxic and essential elements. A total of 431 samples of urinary calculi were subjected to mineralogical and elemental analysis by infrared spectroscopy and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The effect of mineralogical composition of the stones and other parameters such as sex, age and geographical location on contents of trace and minor elements is presented. Our results demonstrate the applicability of such approach and confirm that the analysis of urinary calculi can be helpful in providing complementary information on human exposure to trace metals and their excretion. Analysis of whewellite stones (calcium oxalate monohydrate) with content of phosphorus <0.6% has been proved to be a promising tool for biomonitoring of trace and minor elements.

Elements concentrations in the scalp hair of methamphetamine abusers

The concentrations of 16 elements (As, Au, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mg, Mn, Mo, Ni, Se, Sr and Zn) in the hair of 40 methamphetamine (METH) abusers and control subjects were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Comparisons of the element levels in the hair of properly matched METH abuser and control groups revealed significant imbalances in the concentrations of 6 elements (As, Au, Ca, Cu, Mg and Sr) between the abuser and control groups. Ca (p<0.01), Cu (p<0.05), Mg (p<0.01) and Sr (p<0.01) levels are significantly lower in the hair samples of METH abusers compared to control subjects, whereas the As (p<0.01) and Au (p<0.01) concentrations are higher. The concentration of the remaining elements in the hair of METH abusers was similar to the concentration in the control subjects. The geometric means for each element in hair of METH abuser and control subjects are presented. The cause of these alterations is also discussed.

A trace element analysis of hair in stroke with comorbid depression and cognitive impairment

To identify changes in the concentration of trace elements in hair of post stroke patients with comorbid depression and cognitive impairment. Authors examined macro - and trace element hair composition of 63 stroke patients with comorbid depressive and cognitive disorders. The quantity determination was performed by atomic emission spectroscopy. An increase in hair concentrations of conditionally toxic elements Cd and Pb, essential trace elements Cu, Fe, Mn and decrease in concentrations of Zn were found in the patients with comorbid depression compared to reference values. Post stroke patients with comorbid depression and cognitive impairment had disturbances of the metabolism of trace elements involved in the intrinsic systems of homeostasis.

Correlation between minerals in hair as determined by PIXE analysis and nutrient intake conditions

This research looks at the correlation between the quantity of nutrients taken as minerals determined by PIXE analysis and mineral intake calculated in accordance with menu records collected via a total food duplicate method survey conducted on agricultural workers from four inland areas of Iwate Prefecture. Among the major nutrients and minerals taken over a 24 h period, intakes of calorie and carbohydrate of both sexes were found to be slightly high for the off-season, which indicated they had kept on a diet suited for the busy farming season. Intakes of calcium, iron and dietary fiber were also high. While 31 elements were identified from the hair samples collected from subjects, the elements found in all subjects were sulfur, calcium, iron, copper, zinc, and bromine. In many of the elements detected, a great difference between the maximum and minimum values was found. As for potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, copper, of which excess or deficiency could affect health, we examined whether their element content in hair correlates with their amount taken in the body through meals. However, no clear correlation between the two, the elements in hair and meals, was found.

Trace elements in scalp hair and fingernails as biomarkers in clinical studies

Context: There are accumulating evidences that the metabolism of several trace elements might have specific roles in clinical disorders and the pathogenesis of many diseases, such as diabetes mellitus (DM) and hypertension (HT). Objectives: To validate the analytical procedure and compare the levels of Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, and Zn in scalp hair (SH) and fingernails (FN) of patients. Furthermore, to prove that human tissues such as hair and nails are useful in the studies pertaining to chronic body exposure and good biomarkers in clinical studies. Setting and Design: Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy operating conditions were carefully selected and well-optimised in order to maximise the sensitivity for the desired elements and to obtain the best precision and accuracy. Factors affecting analytical and biological variability of the concentrations under study were discussed and carefully optimised. Materials and Methods: Totally, 160 samples of SH and 130 FN were collected from occupants of urban population from different districts adjacent to Taif city, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Different analytical procedures were investigated, and the most reliable one was developed and validated. Method Validity: The validity of the method was checked by standard addition method. The recoveries were in the range of 96.2-105.7%. Results: Cd, Cr, Cu, and Pb levels in SH were significantly higher in DM and HT compared to control groups, whereas, Zn was significantly lower. Cd and Pb levels in FN were significantly higher in DM and HT, whereas, Cr and Zn were lower, and Cu was in the same levels as compared to the control group. Conclusion: These findings may be consistent with those obtained in other studies, confirming that the deficiency and efficiency of trace elements play a role in clinical disorders and the pathogenesis of many diseases.

Biomonitoring of arsenic, cadmium, lead, manganese and mercury in urine and hair of children living near mining and industrial areas

Huelva (South West Spain) and its surrounding municipalities represent one of the most polluted estuaries in the world owing to the discharge of mining and industrial related pollutants in their proximity. A biomonitoring study was conducted to assess exposure to arsenic and some trace metals (cadmium, mercury, manganese and lead) in urine and scalp hair from a representative sample of children aged 6–9years (n=261). This is the only study simultaneously analyzing those five metal elements in children urine and hair. The potential contribution of gender, water consumption, residence area and body mass index on urinary and hair metal concentrations was also studied. Urine levels of cadmium and total mercury in a proportion (25–50%) of our children population living near industrial/mining areas might have an impact on health, likely due to environmental exposure to metal pollution. The only significant correlation between urine and hair levels was found for mercury. Children living near agriculture areas showed increased levels of cadmium and manganese (in urine) and arsenic (in hair). In contrast, decreased urine Hg concentrations were observed in children living near mining areas. Girls exhibited significantly higher trace metal concentrations in hair than boys. The greatest urine arsenic concentrations were found in children drinking well/spring water. Although human hair can be a useful tool for biomonitoring temporal changes in metal concentrations, levels are not correlated with those found in urine except for total mercury, thus providing additional information.

Coverage intervals for trace elements in human scalp hair are site specific

Coverage intervals for trace elements in human scalp hair commonly provide the basis for interpreting laboratory results and also in comparative decision-making processes regarding exposure risk assessment. This short communication documents, by some examples, that those computed for human hair are to be considered site specific, as they reflect local environmental conditions; also each geographic area has a typical profile of hair elemental composition of its inhabitants. Therefore, the levels of trace elements in hair are not strictly comparable between different areas of the world. This issue is particularly relevant when identification of anomalous environmental exposures are requested or even in detecting physiological disorders.

Age and gender features of the content of macro and trace elements in the organisms of children from the European North

The content of 28 macro and trace elements (Al, Ag, Li, B, Ba, Bi, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ga, In, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, Mo, P, Zn, Se, Tl, Pb, Sr, S, and Si) in the hair of children and teenagers living in the European North of the Russian Federation (Arkhangelsk oblast) was studied by atomic emission spectrometry with inductively coupled argon plasma. Both a decrease and an increase in the content of certain elements were detected. The dynamics of the content of the above-mentioned elements in the hair of the same children in different years was traced. Significant individual variability of macro- and trace element status of northern children and certain gender dependence was revealed.

CROSS-CORRELATION BETWEEN PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGICAL STATE, STRESS AND PROVISION WITH CHEMICAL ELEMENTS IN FIRST AID SERVICES EMPLOYEES

The article has presented the results of a survey of 54 healthcare workers of a first aid station (FAS) in Khanty-Mansiysk including psychophysiological examination, determination of stress hormones in blood and content of chemical elements in hair. It has been found that doctors and paramedic visiting teams had a low level of subjective comfort and were highly exposed to stress negative effects. Analysis of cortisone and adrenaline concentrations in blood was high in more than a third of the examined persons. In more than a half of the FAS medical field force, there has been found deficiency of different degrees in provision with vital chemical elements responsible for psychoemotional sphere, namely, magnesium and potassium.