title: Analysis of fibulin-3 after exposure to asbestos-like fibers.
abstract: A significantly increased incidence of malignant mesothelioma in Biancavilla (Sicily, Italy) has been ascribed to exposure to fluoro-edenite, a fibrous amphibole extracted from a local stone quarry. Fibulin-3 is a highly conserved glycoprotein proposed as a biomarker for malignant mesothelioma that belongs to the family of extracellular matrix proteins. Previous studies demonstrated high Fibulin-3 plasma levels in workers with pleural plaques exposed to fluoro-edenite. Therefore, in order to gain insight into the biomolecular mechanisms of fluoro-edenite toxicity, we performed the analysis of Fibulin-3 expression by immunohistochemistry in the lung samples derived from sheep belonging to the area of Biancavilla. Furthermore, an in vitro model of exposed fluoro-edenite fibroblasts was used to perform functional experiments to better understand the modulation of Fibulin-3 expression. The percentage of immunostained area by Fibulin-3 was very much higher in exposed lungs compared with non-exposed ones. The Fibulin-3 protein level was significantly expressed in primary human lung fibroblasts exposed to 50 and 100µg/ml of fluoro-edenite fibers for 72h, compared to the unexposed controls. The results from the present study further demonstrate the implication of Fibulin-3 during fluoro-edenite exposure. This would endorse our previous results regarding the use of Fibulin-3 as a possible screening biomarker for fluoro-edenite exposed individuals, thereby contributing to the monitoring of the population at risk. The present study also suggested that the Fibulin-3 overexpression may reflect a defensive response of the tissues after exogenous stimuli and may be implicated in cancer development, especially in the context of fluoro-edenite contamination. However, further studies are necessary in order to make Fibulin-3 a customized screening tool.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Occupational Medicine, University of Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Venerando
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rapisarda
authors.affiliation: Department "G.F. Ingrassia", Section of Hygiene and Public Health, University of Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Rosario
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Caltabiano
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Anatomy and Histology Section, School of Medicine, University of Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Musumeci
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Anatomy and Histology Section, School of Medicine, University of Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Castrogiovanni
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Physiology Section, School of Medicine, University of Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Margherita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ferrante
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Occupational Medicine, University of Catania, Italy. Electronic address: cledda@unict.it.
authors.forename: Caterina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ledda
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Anatomy and Histology Section, School of Medicine, University of Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lombardo
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Physiology Section, School of Medicine, University of Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Adriana Carol Eleonora
authors.initials: ACE
authors.lastname: Graziano
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Physiology Section, School of Medicine, University of Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Venera
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cardile
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Anatomy and Histology Section, School of Medicine, University of Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Loreto
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity; D000818:Animals; D017636:Asbestos, Amphibole / Q000633:toxicity*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects*; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007558:Italy; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D012756:Sheep
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D017636:Asbestos, Amphibole; D015415:Biomarkers; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; C060820:fibulin; C492470:fluor-edenite
keywords: Asbestos; Biancavilla; Cancer; Fibroblasts; Fibulin-3; Fluoro-edenite; Lung; Malignant pleural mesothelioma