Exposure to plastic nanoparticles (PNPs) has become a significant public health and environmental concern due to their pervasive presence and potential toxic effects. However, the long-term effects of different PNPs types, their interactions with other nanoparticles, and effects across sexes, remain poorly understood. This study aimed to evaluate sex-specific physiological, biochemical, and genotoxic effects of chronic exposure to polystyrene nanoparticles (PS-NPs), silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), high-density polyethylene nanoparticles (HDPE-NPs) isolated from food packaging, and a mixture of PS-NPs and AgNPs in male and female rats. Nanoparticles were administered daily for 28 days via oral gavage, after which selected systemic, metabolic, and genotoxic endpoints were assessed. Despite no overt systemic toxicity or major liver damage, we found changes in cholesterol levels, especially in females, and signs of DNA damage, suggesting potential genotoxicity. The combination of PS-NPs/AgNPs triggered liver stress responses, implying additive or synergistic effects. Importantly, females showed greater sensitivity in terms of lipid metabolism, whereas HDPE-NPs-treated male group reduced testicular weight. These findings underscore the necessity of including both sexes in nanoparticle toxicity studies and highlight the need for a better understanding of the health risks of nanoplastics and their interactions with other co-occurring contaminants under realistic exposure conditions.
Phosphogypsum (PG) is classified as a naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) and contains elevated levels of natural radionuclides. This study employed alpha-particle and gamma-ray spectrometry to determine their activity concentrations in PG samples from selected Polish sites. Elemental composition was analysed using energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (ED-XRF) to give information on PG chemical characterization. Radiological hazard indices, including internal and external hazards and the activity concentration index, were calculated. The results show the potential of PG reuse in construction, demonstrated by its radiological profile, which meets recommended safety limits.
Introduction Prostate cancer is one of the most frequently diagnosed malignant tumors in men. Despite significant advances in prevention and treatment, currently available therapeutic methods are not always fully effective, often leading to disease recurrence and metastasis to other organs. In cases of tumor progression, conventional treatments frequently prove insufficient. Modern radioligand therapies, such as the FDA-approved ¹⁷⁷Lu-PSMA-617 (Pluvicto®), demonstrate an efficacy of approximately 45%, with treatment resistance occurring in nearly 40% of patients. Therefore, there is an urgent need for novel, more effective targeted therapeutic approaches.The presented project explores the use of ²²⁵Ac-PSMA I&T therapy as an innovative alternative for the treatment of prostate cancer. Objectives The aim of the study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of an innovative targeted therapy using ²²⁵Ac-PSMA I&T in patients with advanced prostate cancer. Materials and Methods Twenty adult men aged 50 to 78 years with advanced, progressive prostate cancer resistant to hormonal and chemotherapeutic treatment were enrolled in the study. Following the acquisition of informed consent and Ethics Committee approval, the radiopharmaceutical ²²⁵Ac-PSMA I&T was administered in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki (unapproved clinical intervention).The treatment protocol consisted of four therapeutic cycles, each with an activity of 100 kBq/kg body weight, administered at eight-week intervals. Out of the 20 enrolled patients, eight completed all four treatment cycles, while one patient remains under active therapy. In cases of disease progression during treatment, participants were referred for further oncological therapy. Specifically, one patient was referred for further care after three cycles, two patients after two cycles, and nine patients after receiving a single therapy cycle. Results Analysis was performed on patients who completed all four treatment cycles. After two cycles of ²²⁵Ac-PSMA I&T therapy, follow-up ⁶⁸Ga-PSMA PET/CT scans were conducted to assess treatment response.Among the eight evaluated patients, a significant reduction in PSA levels was observed in six patients, stabilization in one patient, and a PSA increase in one patient.The ⁶⁸Ga-PSMA PET/CT scans demonstrated partial remission in five patients, disease stabilization in two patients, and disease progression in one patient.No serious adverse events such as hematopoetic, renal, or hepatic failure were reported. One patient with tumor infiltration of the obturator muscle and sigmoid colon experienced gastrointestinal bleeding; however, this patient continues to participate in the study. Conclusion The results suggest that advanced disease progression may lead to a change in the phenotype of cancer cells towards simultaneous PSA over-expression and increased FDG metabolism, which may have affected the efficacy of the treatment used. Altered cellular metabolism may cause faster elimination of the radio-pharmaceutical, negatively affecting the results of therapy. Due to the limited size of the study group, it is necessary to continue research on a larger cohort of patients. Additionally, the findings emphasize the importance of optimizing patient selection criteria to better identify individuals who are most likely to benefit from ²²⁵Ac-PSMA I&T treatment. Funding Acknowledgements Not applicable
BACKGROUND:Breast cancer remains the most common type of cancer affecting women. The estrogen receptor status of a tumor defines the therapeutic approach, which often includes endocrine treatment. Therefore, identifying potential endocrine-disrupting chemicals is of great importance. METHODS:In this study, we cultured MCF-7 cells supplemented with 17β-estradiol and treated them with silver and polystyrene nanoparticles. We measured the impact of nanoplastics on silver nanoparticle-induced modulation of basic cellular processes. Additionally, we assessed the significance of estrogen signaling in the observed changes induced by these nanomaterials and compared our observations with results obtained on estrogen-deprived MCF-7 cells and ER-negative SK-BR-3 cell line. RESULTS:We observed an induction of proliferation in cells treated with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). In contrast, treatment with citrate silver nanoparticles (AgNPcit) at the same concentration induced cytotoxicity. Polystyrene nanoparticles (PSNPs) modulated the observed effects of silver nanoparticles in a size-dependent manner. Both AgNPs and AgNPcit downregulated the expression of GPER1. Treatment with nanomaterials also led to the modulation of genes linked to estrogen signaling, such as FOS, MYC, CAV1, and EGR3. CONCLUSIONS:Our results suggest that the surface chemistry of silver nanoparticles may facilitate their ability to modulate estrogen signaling and interact with the estrogen receptor. Furthermore, the nanoplastics pollution may influence the cytotoxicity of silver nanoparticles. This paper highlights the importance of endocrine research in breast cancer, particularly within the context of nanoplastics pollution and the use of nanotechnology in breast cancer treatment.
