TY - JOUR T1 - Differential protein folding and chemical changes in lung tissues exposed to asbestos or particulates. JF - Sci Rep Y1 - 2015 A1 - Pascolo, Lorella A1 - Borelli, Violetta A1 - Canzonieri, Vincenzo A1 - Gianoncelli, Alessandra A1 - Birarda, Giovanni A1 - Bedolla, Diana E A1 - Salomè, Murielle A1 - Vaccari, Lisa A1 - Calligaro, Carla A1 - Cotte, Marine A1 - Hesse, Bernhard A1 - Luisi, Fernando A1 - Zabucchi, Giuliano A1 - Melato, Mauro A1 - Rizzardi, Clara AB -

Environmental and occupational inhalants may induce a large number of pulmonary diseases, with asbestos exposure being the most risky. The mechanisms are clearly related to chemical composition and physical and surface properties of materials. A combination of X-ray fluorescence (μXRF) and Fourier Transform InfraRed (μFTIR) microscopy was used to chemically characterize and compare asbestos bodies versus environmental particulates (anthracosis) in lung tissues from asbestos exposed and control patients. μXRF analyses revealed heterogeneously aggregated particles in the anthracotic structures, containing mainly Si, K, Al and Fe. Both asbestos and particulates alter lung iron homeostasis, with a more marked effect in asbestos exposure. μFTIR analyses revealed abundant proteins on asbestos bodies but not on anthracotic particles. Most importantly, the analyses demonstrated that the asbestos coating proteins contain high levels of β-sheet structures. The occurrence of conformational changes in the proteic component of the asbestos coating provides new insights into long-term asbestos effects.

VL - 5 U1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26159651?dopt=Abstract ER -