All that glitters is not gold: metal induced inflammation as a key factor in age related diseases

Transcription

1 All that glitters is not gold: metal induced inflammation as a key factor in age related diseases Vera Stejskal, PhD Associate Professor of Immunology University of Stockholm 9th Annual Anti Ageing Conference London (AACL 2012) Copyright MELISA Medica Foundation 2012

2 Which of the following statements are true?

3 GOLD SERUM Containing 24k gold to help prevent the breakdown of collagen and elastin and improve elasticity and firmness

4 GOLDFINGER Jill Masterson died of skin suffocation after this scene was filmed.

5 GOLD EXPOSURE Gold is the second most common metal allergen

6 Only one statement is true

7 Neutrophil Cytokines reactive oxygen intermediates Macrophage reactive oxygen intermediate glycoproteins B cell cytokines Cytokines reactive oxygen intermediates Inflammation cytokines cytokines T cell cytokines Inflammation is present in many chronic diseases

8 Causes of inflammation Viruses Microbes Foods Metals

9 Dental: Hg, Au, Pd, Sn, Ag, Ni Medicine: Fe, TiO2 Cosmetics: TiO2, Cd, Pb, Hg Foodstuffs: Hg, TiO2, Au, Ni, Fe Vaccines: Al, Hg Smoking: Ni, As, Cd, Pb Body implants: Co, Cr, TiO 2, Ni Exposure to metals

10 Metals in food and drink More on:

11 Healthy foods? High in nickel

12 Nickel allergy A healthy diet may be high in nickel and pose a problem for nickel allergic persons Foods with a high nickel content are beans, spinach, broccoli, seeds, whole grains, oatmeal, tea, chocolate Typical symptom from nickel intake in allergic individuals will be dermatitis but can also be more severe like chronic fatigue and muscle pain and twitching Orthodontic braces, surgical clips and dental bridges may contain high concentrations of nickel

13 FDA recognises mercury allergy June 2008: The US Food and Drug administration put a warning on their website regarding the safety of amalgam fillings: If you are allergic to any of the metals in dental amalgam, you should not get amalgam fillings. If you believe you have an allergy or sensitivity to mercury or any of the other metals in dental amalgam (such as silver, tin, or copper), you should discuss treatment options with your dentist.

14 Effects of mercury in the cardiovascular system (apart from possible allergy) 1. Oxidative stress 2. Inflammation 3. Thrombosis 4. Vascular smooth muscle proliferation and migration 5. Endothelial dysfunction 6. Dyslipidemia (oxidation of high density lipoprotein and paraxonase) 7. Immune dysfunction 8. Mitochondrial dysfunction Ref: Houston 2011, Role of mercury toxicity in hypertension, cardiovascular disease and stroke. J Clinical Hypertension, v 13, p

15 Titanium a new allergen

16 Macrophages cannot digest titanium dioxide and act as the transporters of metal ions through the blood and lymph to the brain and other organs Melanocyte (macrophages) accumulate titanium which causes cell death Titanium dioxide (E171) Melanin Melanocytes are present in the skin but also in the brain

17 Yellow canaries How to diagnose susceptible groups?

18 Diagnostic tests Blood mineral analysis (serum or whole blood) Urine (pre or post chelation) Hair mineral analysis screening MELISA testing for hypersensitivity

19 Differentiate between: Toxic effects higher doses single exposure lower specificity lower genetic influence Immunological effects lower doses chronic exposure higher specificity higher genetic influence, only certain individuals are affected

20 Metal allergy (cellular hypersensitivity) Ni Positive response: Cell growth and division Hg Negative response : No cell growth or division

21 Metals cause allergy and autoimmunity Mercury is a potent allergen Transition metals used in dentistry bind strongly to proteins and thus are immunologically active

22 How metals cause autoimmunity Metals bind to SH groups changing enzyme and protein structure SH Hg, Ag, Au, Ni, Ti S Hg, S Ag, S Au, S Ni, S Ti Own cells Foreign cells Tolerated by immune system Zzz Attacked by immune system Allergy Autoimmunity 007 With license to kill!

23 Fatigue is frequent in chronic diseases Hippocampus Stimulation of hypothalamuspituitary adrenal (HPA) axis can be caused by inflammation products, so called cytokines. STRESS Pituitary Hormones ACTH Pituitary Hypothalamus Glucocorticoids Adrenals

24 Most frequent metal allergens 3,162 patients with CFS, 116 healthy subjects Positive tests % Metal specific lymphocytes: biomarkers of sensitivity in man Stejskal, V, et al. Neuroendo Lett 1999; 20:

25 Reactivity to metals in CFS group and in control subjects MELISA in 111 patients and 116 controls Inorganic mercury, phenylmercury and gold: highly significant differences (P<0.001) Cadmium, titanium, lead and palladium: significant differences (P<0.01) Methylmercury and silver significant differences (P<0.05) Stejskal et al. 1999

26 Health after dental metal replacement in metal allergic allergic patients with CFS Stejskal et al. 1999

27 Case 1: SC Multi symptoms for 40 yrs Born 1956 Aged 10: first amalgam fillings were placed Urticaria and rashes throughout teenage years suspected nickel allergy Aged 35: Underwent tubal ligation with a Filshie clips (containing nickel) Developed gallstones and gall bladder removed (gallstones contained Ni) Metal crowns were placed (contained 75% nickel) Developed intense abdominal pains and diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome

28 SC After additional crowns and bridgework experienced muscle pain and weakness diagnosis of fibromyalgia Aged 53: MELISA testing

29 Stimulation Index SC: MELISA test

30 SC: MELISA test Stimulation Index Crowns made up of 75% nickel

31 SC: Treatment 2009/2010: Tubal clips removed, all dental work replaced with composite and zirconium August 2010: Dramatic health improvement, no IBS symptoms, no fibromyalgia symptoms

32 Patient questionnaire questionnaire.php

33 HK was diagnosed with Parkinson s Disease in 1998, aged 44

34 Case 2: HK Parkinson s s disease Diagnosed in 1998, aged 44 After one year placed on standard anti Parkinson s medication Initially this alleviated the symptoms, but soon her condition started to worsen Assumed this was due to the apparently inevitable progression of Parkinson s Stopped taking medication before a consultation some symptoms disappeared Abandoned the orthodox treatment

35 HK Tested for heavy metal toxicity: toxic overload of mercury and copper Detoxification program: Amalgam fillings removed Less tremors and improved mobility Fatigue failed to lift suspected metal allergy MELISA test showed reaction against gold, nickel and cadmium Gold crown removed and pursued low nickel diet Fatigue had decreased too Symptoms now less serious than at time of diagnosis

36 Multiple sclerosis affects 2.5 million people worldwide Plaques (demyelination) Neuron Oligodendrocyte Myelin Role of oligodendrocytes in the demyelination process

37 Multiple sclerosis study 106 patients with multiple sclerosis o 82 F and 24 M 144 healthy controls o 80 F and 64 M Results: o Highly significant difference in lymphocyte reactivity to following metals: MeHg, Au, Pd, Pb, Ti, Ni

38 Case 3: DF Multiple sclerosis Female, born 1980 from Wodonga Australia Non smoker Orthodontic braces cobalt chrome nickel crown 1994 Experienced metal taste in the mouth Bleeding gums 1 root filling 2006 Clinical nickel allergy MS diagnosed 2011

39 DF MELISA test strongly positive to nickel Removed nickel containing metal crown MRI 2011 MRI 2012 Lesions are gone

40 Increased reactivity to metals has been found in the following diseases: Multiple Sclerosis (Prochazkova 2003, 2006), (Stejskal 2006) Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (Stejskal 1994, 1999) Rheumatoid Arthritis (Prochazkova 2003, Stejskal 2006) Crohn's Disease Fibromyalgia (Öckert 2006) Amyotropic Lateral Sclerosis (Pleva 2000) Cardiovascular disease Lupus Erythematosis (Prochazkova 2003) Oral Lichen Planus (Stejskal 1996) Oral burning and itching (Stejskal 2006) Skin diseases such as eczema or psoriasis, (Prochazkova 2003; Venclikova 2003) (Kohdera, Ionescu) Sjögren's syndrome (Prochazkova 2003) Autoimmune thyroiditis (Sterzl 1999, Prochazkova 2003, 2006, Hybenova 2010)

41 Disease associations Coeliac disease + Thyroidism Systemic Autoimmune Disorders in Celiac Disease, Fasano A 2006 Diabetes + Coeliac disease Systemic autoimmune disorders in Celiac disease, Fasano A 2006 Diabetes + Vascular issues Additional Autoimmune Disease Found in 33% of Patients at Type 1 Diabetes Onset Diabetes Care, Triolo TM et al Cardiovascular disease + arthritis Cardiovascular disease in rheumatoid arthritis, Kaplan MJ 2006 Lupus + Cardiovascular disease Cardiovascular co morbidity in rheumatic diseases, Turesson et al MS + Thyroid disease Co occurrence of autoimmune thyroid disease in an MS cohort, Sloka JS et al Cancer + autoimmune disease Excess of autoimmune and chronic inflammatory disorders in patients with lymphoma compared with all cancer patients, van de Schans SA et al Primary Biliary Cirrhosis + Autoimmune diseases Comorbidities in primary biliary cirrhosis: A controlled interview based study of 1032 patients, ME Gershwin et al. 2005

42 Common denominator? Cardiovascular diseases Diabetes Connective tissue disorders Sjögren's syndrome Thyroidism Coeliac disease Multiple sclerosis Primary biliary cirrhosis ADHD

43 Diagnose the allergy Reduce exposure to problem metals Detoxify Inflammation is reduced Beneficial effect on health Stejskal et al 2006

44 Thank you for your attention!