Asbestos fibers promote iron oxidation and compete with apoferritin enzymatic activity

ABSTRACT

Asbestos fibers interact with many different proteins and may affect either their structure or functions. The aim of this study was to determine whether ferritin absorbed onto fibers might modify its ferroxidase activity. By measuring apo-ferritin ferroxidase activity, data demonstrated that ferritin in the presence of fibers did not significantly modify this enzymatic activity. However, fibers in the absence of ferritin promoted ferrous iron oxidation. Evidence suggests that asbestos fibers may promote iron oxidation and subsequently affect cellular iron homeostatic mechanisms.

KEYWORDS:

• Asbestos
• iron
• ferritin

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings in this are available from the corresponding author [GZ] upon reasonable request

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Regione Autonoma Friuli Venezia Giulia, Direzione Centrale Salute Politiche sociali e Disabilità. Commissione Amianto: project: Amianto e fibre vetrose: valutazione della tossicità e meccanismi” under Grant # CUP E95H20000020002.