Biological Trace Element Research

, Volume 116, Issue 1, pp 53–59 | Cite as

Effects of rare earth elements on telomerase activity and apoptosis of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells

  • Li Yu
  • Yucheng Dai
  • Zhaokang Yuan
  • Jie Li
Article

Abstract

To study the effects of rare earth exposure on human telomerase and apoptosis of mononuclear cells from human peripheral blood (PBMNCs). The blood contents of 15 rare earth elements, including La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, and Y, were measured by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Telomeric repeat amplification protocol assay and flow cytometer analysis were carried out to analyze the telomerase activity and apoptosis of PBMNCs, respectively. The total content of rare earth elements in the blood showed significant differences between the exposed group and the control group. The rare earth exposure increased the telomerase activity and the percentages of cells in the S-phase and the G2/M phase in PBMNCs, but it had no effect on the apoptotic rate of PBMNCs. Under the exposure to lower concentrations of rare earth elements, the telomerase activity of PBMNCs in the exposed group was higher than that of the control group, and there was no effect on the apoptotic rate of PBMNCs, but promoted the diploid DNA replication and increased the percentages of G2/M- and S-phase cells.

Index Entries

Metals rare earth telomerase apoptosis peripheral blood 

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. 1.
    R. C. Allshire, M. Dempster, and N. D. Hashite, Human telomeres contain at least three types of G-rich repeat distributed non-randomly, Nucleic Acids Res. 26, 4611–4627 (1989).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  2. 2.
    V. A. Zakian, Structure and function of telomeres, Annu. Rev Genet. 23, 579–604 (1989).PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  3. 3.
    T. Delange, L. Shiue, R. M. Myers, et al., Structure and variability of human chromosome ends, Mol. Cell. Biol. 10, 518–527 (1990).Google Scholar
  4. 4.
    E. H. Blackburn, Telomerases, Annu. Rev. Biochem. 61, 113–119 (1992).PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  5. 5.
    W. M. Sun and H. Q. Wang, Methodology of Cytokine Investigation, W. M. Sun, ed., People's Medical Publishing House, Beijing Vol. 2, p. 142 (1999).Google Scholar
  6. 6.
    C. M. Counter, J. Gutpa, C. B. Harley, et al., Telomerase activity in normal leukocytes and in hematologic malignancies, Blood 85, 2315–2320 (1996).Google Scholar
  7. 7.
    K. Hiyama, Y. Hirai, S. Kyoizumi, et al., Activation of telomerase in human lymphocytes and hematopoietic progenitor cell. J. Immunol. 155, 3711–3715 (1995).PubMedGoogle Scholar
  8. 8.
    Y. Wang, L. Z. An, and J. X. Zhang, Effects of cerium and gadolinium in vitro on normal diploid cells, Rare Earth J. China 16 (3), 252–256 (1998).Google Scholar

Copyright information

© Humana Press Inc 2007

Authors and Affiliations

  • Li Yu
    • 1
  • Yucheng Dai
    • 1
  • Zhaokang Yuan
    • 2
  • Jie Li
    • 1
  1. 1.Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Department of Hematology, Second Affiliated HospitalNanchang UniversityNanchang Jiangxi ProvinceChina
  2. 2.Department of Prevent Medicine, College of MedicineNanchang UniversityNanchang, Jiangxi ProvinceChina

Personalised recommendations