2. Academic Validation
  3. Antimony induces oxidative stress to impair enteroendocrine cells and disrupt glucose homeostasis

Antimony induces oxidative stress to impair enteroendocrine cells and disrupt glucose homeostasis

  • J Hazard Mater. 2025 Nov 25:501:140617. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2025.140617.
Lanfei Jin 1,  Longtao Zhu 2,  Chengdong Wu 3,  Weiqiong Jin 2,  Ke Liu 2,  Junxuan Peng 4,  Xin Xu 4,  Xiaolong Ge 4,  Ying Zhu 2,  Xiaole Sheng 5,  Rongpan Bai 6,  Guangdi Chen 7
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of General Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital and Institute of Environmental Medicine, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310016, China; Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Precise Diagnosis and Treatment of Abdominal Infection, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China.
  • 2 Department of Public Health, and Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China.
  • 3 Department of Thyroid Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310020, China.
  • 4 Department of General Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital and Institute of Environmental Medicine, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310016, China.
  • 5 Department of General Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital and Institute of Environmental Medicine, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310016, China; Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Precise Diagnosis and Treatment of Abdominal Infection, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 6 Department of General Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital and Institute of Environmental Medicine, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310016, China; Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Precise Diagnosis and Treatment of Abdominal Infection, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 7 Department of Public Health, and Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
PMID: 41337963 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2025.140617
Abstract

Enteroendocrine L and K cells play pivotal roles in glucose homeostasis through producing the key intestinal Hormones GLP-1 and GIP, respectively. Antimony (Sb) exposure has been associated with an elevated risk of diabetes, but the molecular mechanisms involved remain poorly understood. In this study, we identified a significant inverse correlation between urinary Sb levels and clinical glycemic markers. We further demonstrated that Sb exposure impairs the function of enteroendocrine L and K cells, leading to reduced production of GLP-1 and GIP, thereby disrupting systemic glucose regulation. Mechanistically, Sb-induced oxidative stress modulates crucial signaling pathways, inhibiting GLP-1 expression and suppressing GIP expression via downregulation of essential transcription factors. These findings provide novel insights into the pathogenic link between environmental Sb exposure and metabolic dysfunction, offering a mechanistic basis for epidemiological associations of Sb with diabetes.

Keywords

Antimony; Enteroendocrine cells; Glucose homeostasis; Oxidative stress.

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