Cirrhotic Liver of Liver Transplant Recipients Accumulate Silver and Co-Accumulate Copper
Open Access
- 11 February 2021
- journal article
- research article
- Published by MDPI AG in International Journal of Molecular Sciences
- Vol. 22 (4), 1782
- https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22041782
Abstract
Silver-based materials are widely used in clinical medicine. Furthermore, the usage of silver containing materials and devices is widely recommended and clinically approved. The impact on human health of the increasing use of silver nanoparticles in medical devices remains understudied, even though Ag-containing dressings are known to release silver into the bloodstream. In this study, we detected a widespread and sometimes significant silver accumulation both in healthy and sick liver biopsies, levels being statistically higher in patients with various hepatic pathologies. 28 healthy and 44 cirrhotic liver samples were investigated. The median amount of 0.049 ppm Ag in livers was measured in cirrhotic livers while the median was 0.0016 ppm for healthy livers (a more than 30-fold difference). The mean tissue concentrations of essential metals, Fe and Zn in cirrhotic livers did not differ substantially from healthy livers, while Cu was positively correlated with Ag. The serum levels of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGTP) was also positively correlated with Ag in cirrhotic livers. The increased Ag accumulation in cirrhotic livers could be a side effect of wide application of silver in clinical settings. As recent studies indicated a significant toxicity of silver nanoparticles for human cells, the above observation could be of high importance for the public health.This publication has 49 references indexed in Scilit:
- Distribution, Elimination, and Toxicity of Silver Nanoparticles and Silver Ions in Rats after 28-Day Oral ExposureACS Nano, 2012
- Time‐dependent biodistribution and excretion of silver nanoparticles in male Wistar ratsJournal of Applied Toxicology, 2012
- Acute toxic effects and gender‐related biokinetics of silver nanoparticles following an intravenous injection in miceJournal of Applied Toxicology, 2012
- Distribution of silver in rats following 28 days of repeated oral exposure to silver nanoparticles or silver acetateParticle and Fibre Toxicology, 2011
- Ctr1 transports silver into mammalian cellsJournal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology, 2010
- ATP7B detoxifies silver in ciliated airway epithelial cellsToxicology and Applied Pharmacology, 2010
- Silver Absorption on Burns After the Application of Acticoat™: Data From Pediatric Patients and a Porcine Burn ModelJournal of Burn Care & Research, 2009
- Biochemical Characterization of the Human Copper Transporter Ctr1Journal of Biological Chemistry, 2002
- Silver Concentrations in Human Tissues. Their Dependence on Dental Amalgam and Other FactorsJournal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology, 1995
- Distribution of 23 elements in the kidney, liver and lungs of workers from a smeltery and refinery in north Sweden exposed to a number of elements and of a control groupScience of The Total Environment, 1980