The groundbreaking research conducted at the University of Cordoba has illuminated the cumulative health risks of environmental pollutants, particularly the toxic amalgamation of metal and pharmaceutical residues that infiltrate our water and food sources. This study has not only underscored the potential mitigating effects of incorporating selenium into the diet but also provided a new perspective on the complex interplay of these dangers.
Daily exposure to potentially harmful external substances is unavoidable in modern life. Metals like arsenic, cadmium, and mercury, alongside pharmaceutical residues such as diclofenac and flumequine, often find their way into our environment in concentrations that, when combined, surpass their individual threat levels due to synergistic interactions. This complex interplay escalates their toxicity, posing a significant health risk.
The magnitude of the impact of environmental pollution on living organisms cannot be overstated. Developing safety regulations that limit human exposure to these pollutants is of utmost importance. However, the issue becomes exponentially more intricate when dealing with pollutant mixtures. Even at doses deemed acceptable for each individual compound, their combined effect can lead to unforeseen and potentially severe consequences.
Aiming to demystify the health implications of these “contaminant cocktails,” a research team from the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department at the University of Cordoba embarked on a study. The team, consisting of Nieves Abril, Paula Huertas, María José Prieto, and Juan Jurado, specifically focused on a prevalent environmental mixture that accumulates through the food chain: a concoction of metals and drugs.
The study meticulously explored the interaction between these contaminants through a controlled exposure of mice to the mixture, observing its effects on liver protein expression over two weeks. Professor Nieves Abril elaborated on their method, highlighting their use of shotgun proteomics to identify significant alterations in protein behaviour compared to a control group. This approach unveiled a synergistic damage enhancement when these contaminants were combined, leading to a compromised health state.
Upon analyzing 275 sentinel proteins, the researchers could map out the disrupted metabolic pathways and their detrimental health effects. They noted an overactive defence response, which paradoxically inflicted more harm by continuously triggering antioxidant defences without allowing them to deactivate. This phenomenon resulted in significant oxidative stress, rendering many proteins dysfunctional.
In its search for a solution, the study pointed towards selenium, a mineral commonly found in dietary supplements. A separate group of mice treated with selenium showed a marked improvement in handling the molecular damage inflicted by the pollutants. Selenium, though an oxidant in its own right, fostered a controlled activation of the body’s defensive mechanisms, enhancing its overall resilience against such contaminants.
This research, supported by the Research Support (SCAI) and Experimental Animals (SAEX) services, has expanded our understanding of the threats posed by everyday pollutants and offered a glimmer of hope. Selenium supplementation is a viable method to alleviate the adverse health effects caused by our constant exposure to a mixture of environmental pollutants.
More information: Paula V. Huertas-Abril et al, Proteomic analysis of the hepatic response to a pollutant mixture in mice. The protective action of selenium, Science of The Total Environment. DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166558
Journal information: Science of The Total Environment Provided by University of Córdoba
