Increased Zn/Glutathione Levels and Higher Superoxide Dismutase-1 Activity as Biomarkers of Oxidative Stress in Women with Long-Term Dental Amalgam Fillings: Correlation between Mercury/Aluminium Levels (in Hair) and Antioxidant Systems in Plasma - PubMed (original) (raw)

Increased Zn/Glutathione Levels and Higher Superoxide Dismutase-1 Activity as Biomarkers of Oxidative Stress in Women with Long-Term Dental Amalgam Fillings: Correlation between Mercury/Aluminium Levels (in Hair) and Antioxidant Systems in Plasma

María Eugenia Cabaña-Muñoz et al. PLoS One. 2015.

Abstract

Background: The induction of oxidative stress by Hg can affect antioxidant enzymes. However, epidemiological studies have failed to establish clear association between dental fillings presence and health problems.

Objectives: To determine whether heavy metals (in hair), antioxidant enzymes (SOD-1) and glutathione levels could be affected by the chronic presence of heavy metals in women who had dental amalgam fillings.

Materials and methods: 55 hair samples (42 females with amalgam fillings and 13 female control subjects) were obtained. All subjects (mean age 44 years) who had dental amalgam filling for more than 10 years (average 15 years). Certain metals were quantified by ICP-MS (Mass Spectrophotometry) in hair (μg/g: Al, Hg, Ba, Ag, Sb, As, Be, Bi, Cd, Pb, Pt, Tl, Th, U, Ni, Sn, Ti) and SOD-1 and Glutathione (reduced form) levels in plasma. Data were compared with controls without amalgams, and analyzed to identify any significant relation between metals and the total number of amalgam fillings, comparing those with four or less (n = 27) with those with more than four (n = 15). As no significant differences were detected, the two groups were pooled (Amlgam; n = 42).

Findings: Hg, Ag, Al and Ba were higher in the amalgam group but without significant differences for most of the heavy metals analyzed. Increased SOD-1 activity and glutathione levels (reduced form) were observed in the amalgam group. Aluminum (Al) correlated with glutathione levels while Hg levels correlated with SOD-1. The observed Al/glutathione and Hg/SOD-1 correlation could be adaptive responses against the chronic presence of mercury.

Conclusions: Hg, Ag, Al and Ba levels increased in women who had dental amalgam fillings for long periods. Al correlated with glutathione, and Hg with SOD-1. SOD-1 may be a possible biomarker for assessing chronic Hg toxicity.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing Interests: The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest. All authors do not have competing interests and financial disclosures that declare from CIROM or other affiliations. There is no employment, consultancy, patents, or products in development that could interfere with the publication of this manuscript in PLOS ONE. The authors confirm that this does not affect PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials, as detailed online in our guide for authors. This does not alter the authors' adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials.

Figures

Fig 1

Fig 1. Changes in heavy metal levels in hair (μg/g of hair) from women with dental amalgam fillings for more than ten10 years (n = 42) as compared to controls (n = 13).

[A] mercury (Hg), [B] aluminium (Al), [C] silver (Ag) and [D] barium (Ba). Amalgam (Pooled; n = 42); (<4; n = 27), (>4; n = 15), (control; n = 13). * p<0.05 vs control.

Fig 2

Fig 2. Changes on [A] superoxide dismutase activity SOD-1, [B] reduced glutathione and [C] Zn levels in women with dental amalgam fillings (n = 42) as compare to controls (n = 13).

* p<0.05 vs control.

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This study has been supported by own findings from Maria Eugenia Cabaña (CIROM Clinic (Murcia, Spain; personnal money). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

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