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Home » Archive » 2022

TDK conference 2022

Effects of metal oxide inhalation on the transcription of some hormone receptors in the brain, examined in in vivo mouse model
Di Gennaro Kinga Anna - year 5
University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest, Department of Physiology and Biochemistry
Supervisors: Dr. Dávid Sándor Kiss, Dr. Csaba Kővágó

Abstract:

In this research, the effect of metal oxide particle inhalation during the application of manual metal arc welding (MMA) technologies is evaluated using mouse model. Neurodegenerative effects of metal oxide nanoparticles to enter the body through fume inhalation is evaluated using observations of the central nervous system (CNS). The main focal areas chosen for this study includes the appraisal of gene expressions in terms of estrogen receptors (ER-α, β), thyroid receptors (TR-α, β) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPAR-γ); it is assumed that changes in the expression of these receptor genes can induce degenerative diseases.

Therefore, this study aims to fill significant knowledge gaps on the effect of inhalable metal oxides on cellular physiological processes through the assessment of potential alterations in the expression of these receptors due to welding fumes inhalation; and the evaluation as to how such changes in gene expressions can be associated with the quantitative presence of released metal ions, thus drawing relevance to the health risks of personnel and potential abatement strategies.

Tissue sampling occurred after 24 (acute) and 96 hours (sub-chronic) incubation times using 8-week-old BALB/C mice - of both sexes - exposed to MMA fumes for 4 hours. To examine CNS, samples were taken from the areas of the olfactory bulb, neocortex, hippocampus, thalamus, hypothalamus, and cerebellum. Hormone receptor expression was measured using qPCR techniques.

Results benchmarked against reference samples show the largest changes in gene expression in the olfactory bulb and the hypothalamus. Furthermore, compared to the control measurements, the data show that in the sub-chronic groups, the gene expression changed in all of the five receptors in the examined six brain regions. This was not the case at the acute exposure levels, i.e., gene expressions do not significantly differ from the control values. These results show, for the first time, that specific brain regions impacted by the presence of metals can be identified using the method applied. Additionally, the direction of changes in gene expression of hormone receptors can be identified. In conclusion, metal oxide particles present in welding fumes can have an effect on certain receptors of the CNS, thus potentially leading onto the appearance of neurodegenerative symptoms. Further research is required to explore the relevant biological impacts, e.g., transport of metals to cells, the associated intracellular metabolic pathways.



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