title: Potential toxicity of nonregulated asbestiform minerals: balangeroite from the western Alps. Part 3: Depletion of antioxidant defenses.
abstract: The asbestiform fibrous silicate balangeroite exhibits cytotoxic and oxidative properties similar to those exerted by crocidolite asbestos. In human lung epithelial cells A549, balangeroite, like crocidolite, inhibited the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP), one of the main antioxidant intracellular tools; this inhibition was exerted also when PPP was activated by the redox-cycling compound menadione. PPP inhibition may be accounted for by the inhibition of its rate-limiting enzyme, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD). Reduced glutathione (GSH), the most important intracellular antioxidant molecule, was decreased by both balangeroite and crocidolite incubation. This effect was not related to any increased content of oxidized glutathione, or to any enhanced efflux of glutathione, suggesting that balangeroite fibers, like crocidolite, might favor the reaction of GSH with other molecules.
authors.affiliation: Interdepartmental Center G. Scansetti for Studies on Asbestos and other Toxic Particulates, Department of Genetics, Biology, and Biochemistry, University of Torino, Torino, Italy.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gazzano
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Riganti
authors.forename: Maura
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tomatis
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Turci
authors.forename: Amalia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bosia
authors.forename: Bice
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fubini
authors.forename: Dario
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ghigo
mesh_terms: D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism*; D017638:Asbestos, Crocidolite / Q000633:toxicity; D017632:Asbestos, Serpentine / Q000633:toxicity*; D002460:Cell Line; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D005609:Free Radicals / Q000378:metabolism; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D005954:Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D019016:Mineral Fibers / Q000633:toxicity*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D010427:Pentose Phosphate Pathway / Q000187:drug effects; D013481:Superoxides / Q000378:metabolism; D024483:Vitamin K 3 / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D017632:Asbestos, Serpentine; D005609:Free Radicals; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D019016:Mineral Fibers; C497700:balangeroite; D013481:Superoxides; D017638:Asbestos, Crocidolite; D024483:Vitamin K 3; D005954:Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase; D005978:Glutathione; D005947:Glucose