title: Laboratory studies of the impact of calcite on in vitro and in vivo effects of coal dust: a potential preventive agent for coal workers' pneumoconiosis?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Bioavailable iron (BAI) in coal, which may play a key role in causing coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP), is present at relatively high levels in Appalachian coals. Calcite decreases BAI and is more plentiful in Western coals than in Appalachian coals, possibly explaining the lower CWP prevalence among Western miners.
  
  
  METHODS
  We measured effects of calcite on BAI in non-cellular and cellular systems involving Pennsylvania (PA) coal dust. We also tested in vivo effects of calcite on transferrin receptor and markers of epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) and inflammation in mice exposed to PA coal.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Calcite rapidly eliminated BAI in an aqueous suspension of PA coal. Ferritin induction in human lung epithelial cells exposed to PA coal was effectively eliminated by calcite. Mouse lung tissue markers indicated increased EMT after exposure to PA coal dust, but not after exposure to PA coal plus calcite. Markers of inflammation increased following exposure to PA coal alone, but not following exposure to PA coal plus calcite.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Additional research may lead to the use of supplemental calcite in coal mining as a safe and effective way to prevent CWP among Appalachian coal miners.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Medicine, New York University (NYU) School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA.
authors.forename: Meena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aladdin
authors.forename: Jinlong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jian
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Lung-Chi
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Robert B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Finkelman
authors.forename: Xi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D055008:Anthracosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D002119:Calcium Carbonate / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002460:Cell Line; D003031:Coal / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D004391:Dust / Q000032:analysis; D058750:Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition / Q000187:drug effects; D005293:Ferritins / Q000378:metabolism; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D010414:Pennsylvania; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011897:Random Allocation; D011990:Receptors, Transferrin / Q000378:metabolism; D013052:Spectrometry, X-Ray Emission
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D003031:Coal; D004391:Dust; D020011:Protective Agents; D011990:Receptors, Transferrin; C480029:Tfrc protein, mouse; D005293:Ferritins; D007501:Iron; D002119:Calcium Carbonate