Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39492902›Full record

ArticleHeliyon2024

Ferritin adsorption onto chrysotile asbestos fibers influences the protein secondary structure.

Martina Zangari, Federica Piccirilli, Lisa Vaccari, Cristian Radu, Paola Zacchi, Annalisa Bernareggi, Sara Leone, Giuliano Zabucchi, Violetta Borelli

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Heliyon, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Martina ZangariDepartment of Physics, University of Trieste, 34127, Trieste, Italy.
Federica PiccirilliArea Science Park, Padriciano 99, 34149, Trieste, Italy.
Lisa VaccariElettra Sincrotrone Trieste, S.S. 14 - km 163,5, 34149, Basovizza, Trieste, Italy.
Cristian RaduNational Institute of Materials Physics, Atomistilor 405A, 077125, Magurele, jud. Ilfov, Romania.
Paola ZacchiDepartment of Life Science, University of Trieste, via via Valerio 28-28/1, 34127, Trieste, Italy.
Annalisa BernareggiDepartment of Life Science, University of Trieste, via via Valerio 28-28/1, 34127, Trieste, Italy.
Sara LeoneFiber laboratory, Azienda Sanitaria Giiuliano Isontina (ASUGI), Trieste, Italy.
Giuliano ZabucchiDepartment of Life Science, University of Trieste, via via Valerio 28-28/1, 34127, Trieste, Italy.
Violetta BorelliDepartment of Life Science, University of Trieste, via via Valerio 28-28/1, 34127, Trieste, Italy.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Asbestos fiber exposure triggers chronic inflammation and cancer. Asbestos fibers can adsorb different types of proteins. The mechanism of this adsorption, not yet completely understood, has been studied in detail mainly with serum albumin and was shown to induce structural changes in the bound protein. The findings of these works regarded mainly the changes of the protein structure, independently of any relation with asbestos-related diseases. For the first time, we have focused our attention to the consequences of the interaction between asbestos fibers and ferritin, a protein involved in iron metabolism, which is strongly modified in asbestos-related diseases. Even if it is known that ferritin can be adsorbed by asbestos fibers, the results of this interaction for the ferritin secondary structure has not previously been studied. One consequence of asbestos-ferritin interaction, is the formation of the so-called ferruginous/asbestos bodies (ABs). In the AB-coating material, the secondary structure of ferritin is modified, and at present, it is unclear whether or not this modification is a direct consequence of the asbestos interaction. In the present study, chrysotile asbestos, more than other asbestos fiber types tested, was found to rapidly bind holo-ferritin, and the presence of iron seemed to play a key role in this process, since iron-free apo-ferritin was adsorbed at a lower level, and iron-saturated chrysotile lost its ferritin-adsorbing capacity. To directly study the details of ferritin adsorption on asbestos fibers, High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HR-TEM) was employed together with FTIR microspectroscopy and Infrared nanoscopy, which to the best of our knowledge, have not previously been used for this purpose. Chrysotile-bound apo-ferritin underwent a significant change in secondary structure, showing a shift from a prevalent α-helix to a β-sheet conformation. Conversely, the adsorbed holo-ferritin structure appeared to be only weakly modified. These findings add a new potential mechanism to the toxic activities of asbestos: the fibers can modify the structure, and very likely, the function of adsorbed proteins. This, in relation to ferritin, could be a key mechanism in cell iron homeostasis alteration, typically reported in asbestos-related diseases.

Indexed as

Apo-ferritinAsbestos fibersHolo-ferritinIron

Identifiers

PMID39492902
PMCPMC11530830

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.