Papers

Peer-reviewed Open access
Jul, 2009

Accumulation of radium in ferruginous protein bodies formed in lung tissue: Association of resulting radiation hotspots with malignant mesothelioma and other malignancies

Proceedings of the Japan Academy Series B: Physical and Biological Sciences
  • Eizo Nakamura
  • ,
  • Akio Makishima
  • ,
  • Kyoko Hagino
  • ,
  • Kazunori Okabe

Volume
85
Number
7
First page
229
Last page
239
Language
English
Publishing type
Research paper (scientific journal)
DOI
10.2183/pjab.85.229
Publisher
JAPAN ACAD

While exposure to fibers and particles has been proposed to be associated with several different lung malignancies including mesothelioma, the mechanism for the carcinogenesis is not fully understood. Along with mineralogical observation, we have analyzed forty-four major and trace elements in extracted asbestos bodies (fibers and proteins attached to them) with coexisting fiber-free ferruginous protein bodies from extirpative lungs of individuals with malignant mesothelioma,. These observations together with patients' characteristics suggest that inhaled iron-rich asbestos fibers and dust particles, and excess iron deposited by continuous cigarette smoking would induce ferruginous protein body formation resulting in ferritin aggregates in lung tissue. Chemical analysis of ferruginous protein bodies extracted from lung tissues reveals anomalously high concentrations of radioactive radium, reaching millions of dines higher concentration than that of seawater. Continuous and prolonged internal exposure to hotspot ionizing radiation from radium and its daughter nuclides could cause strong and frequent DNA damage in lung tissue, initiate different types of tumour cells, including malignant mesothelioma cells, and may cause cancers.

Link information
DOI
https://doi.org/10.2183/pjab.85.229
PubMed
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19644223
Web of Science
https://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcAuth=JSTA_CEL&SrcApp=J_Gate_JST&DestLinkType=FullRecord&KeyUT=WOS:000268918400002&DestApp=WOS_CPL
Scopus
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?partnerID=HzOxMe3b&scp=70349993393&origin=inward Open access
Scopus Citedby
https://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.uri?partnerID=HzOxMe3b&scp=70349993393&origin=inward
ID information
  • DOI : 10.2183/pjab.85.229
  • ISSN : 0386-2208
  • eISSN : 1349-2896
  • Pubmed ID : 19644223
  • SCOPUS ID : 70349993393
  • Web of Science ID : WOS:000268918400002

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