Pedro Juan Espitia-Perez
@unisinu.edu.co
Professor in Health Sciences Faculty
Universidad del Sinú
EDUCATION
Master degree in Biological Sciences: Biochemistry
Scopus Publications
Scopus Publications
Karina Pastor-Sierra, Lyda Espitia-Pérez, Pedro Espitia-Pérez, Ana Peñata-Taborda, Hugo Brango, Claudia Galeano-Páez, Osnamir Elías Bru-Cordero, Marien Palma-Parra, Sonia M. Díaz, Carlos Trillos,et al.
Elsevier BV
Marcela E. Varona-Uribe, Sonia M. Díaz, Ruth-Marien Palma, Leonardo Briceño-Ayala, Carlos Trillos-Peña, Eliana M. Téllez-Avila, Lyda Espitia-Pérez, Karina Pastor-Sierra, Pedro Juan Espitia-Pérez, and Alvaro J. Idrovo
MDPI AG
The contexts where there are mining and agriculture activities are potential sources of risk to human health due to contamination by chemical mixtures. These contexts are frequent in several Colombian regions. This study explored the potential association between the frequency of micronuclei and pesticides and elements in regions with ferronickel (Montelibano, Córdoba) and gold (Nechí, Antioquia) mining, and a closed native mercury mine (Aranzazu, Caldas), with an emphasis in the potential effect of selenium as a potential chelator. A cross-sectional study was carried out with 247 individuals. Sociodemographic, occupational, and toxicological variables were ascertained. Blood and urine samples were taken for pesticide analysis (5 organophosphates, 4 organochlorines, and 3 carbamates), 68 elements were quantified in hair, and micronuclei were quantified in lymphocytes. The mixtures of elements were grouped through principal component analysis. Prevalence ratios were estimated with robust variance Poisson regressions to explore associations. Interactions of selenium with toxic elements were explored. The highest concentrations of elements were in the active mines. The potentially most toxic chemical mixture was observed in the ferronickel mine. Pesticides were detected in a low proportion of participants (<2.5%), except paraoxon-methyl in blood (27.55%) in Montelibano and paraoxon-ethyl in blood (18.81%) in Aranzazu. The frequency of micronuclei was similar in the three mining contexts, with means between 4 to 7 (p = 0.1298). There was great heterogeneity in the exposure to pesticides and elements. The “hormetic effect” of selenium was described, in which, at low doses, it acts as a chelator in Montelibano and Aranzazu, and at high doses, it can enhance the toxic effects of other elements, maybe as in Nechí. Selenium can serve as a protective agent, but it requires adaptation to the available concentrations in each region to avoid its toxic effects.
Claudia Galeano-Páez, Dina Ricardo-Caldera, Luisa Jiménez-Vidal, Ana Peñata-Taborda, Andrés Coneo-Pretelt, Margarita Rumié-Mendoza, Alicia Humanez Álvarez, Shirley Salcedo-Arteaga, Gean Arteaga-Arroyo, Karina Pastor-Sierra,et al.
MDPI AG
Oil exploitation, drilling, transportation, and processing in refineries produces a complex mixture of chemical compounds, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which may affect the health of populations living in the zone of influence of mining activities (PZOI). Thus, to better understand the effects of oil exploitation activities on cytogenetic endpoint frequency, we conducted a biomonitoring study in the Hitnü indigenous populations from eastern Colombia by using the cytokinesis micronucleus cytome assay (CBMN-cyt). PAH exposure was also measured by determine urine 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP) using HPLC. We also evaluated the relationship between DNA damage and 1-OHP levels in the oil exploitation area, as well as the modulating effects of community health factors, such as Chagas infection; nutritional status; and consumption of traditional hallucinogens, tobacco, and wine from traditional palms. The frequencies of the CBMN-cyt assay parameters were comparable between PZOI and Hitnü populations outside the zone of influence of mining activities (POZOI); however, a non-significant incremental trend among individuals from the PZOI for most of the DNA damage parameters was also observed. In agreement with these observations, levels of 1-OHP were also identified as a risk factor for increased MN frequency (PR = 1.20) compared to POZOI (PR = 0.7). Proximity to oil exploitation areas also constituted a risk factor for elevated frequencies of nucleoplasmic bridges (NPBs) and APOP-type cell death. Our results suggest that genetic instability and its potential effects among Hitnü individuals from PZOI and POZOI could be modulated by the combination of multiple factors, including the levels of 1-OHP in urine, malnutrition, and some traditional consumption practices.
Claudia Galeano-Páez, Pedro Espitia-Pérez, Luisa Jimenez-Vidal, Karina Pastor-Sierra, Shirley Salcedo-Arteaga, Luz Stella Hoyos-Giraldo, Adriana Gioda, Tatiana Dillenburg Saint’Pierre, Solange Cristina García, Hugo Brango,et al.
Elsevier BV
Helen Tais da Rosa-Silva, Alana Castro Panzenhagen, Pedro Espitia-Pérez, Alexsander Alves Teixeira, Alice Roitman, Roberto Farina Almeida, Luana Heimfarth, and José Cláudio Fonseca Moreira
Elsevier BV
Helen Tais da Rosa-Silva, Alana Castro Panzenhagen, Victória Schmidtt, Alexsander Alves Teixeira, Pedro Espitia-Pérez, Álvaro de Oliveira Franco, Moara Mingori, José F. Torres-Ávila, Carlos Eduardo Schnorr, Paolla Rissi Silva Hermann,et al.
Elsevier BV
Luisa Jiménez-Vidal, Pedro Espitia-Pérez, José Torres-Ávila, Dina Ricardo-Caldera, Shirley Salcedo-Arteaga, Claudia Galeano-Páez, Karina Pastor-Sierra, and Lyda Espitia-Pérez
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Abstract Background Nickel and nickel-containing compounds (NCC) are known human carcinogens. However, the precise molecular mechanisms of nickel-induced malignant transformation remain unknown. Proposed mechanisms suggest that nickel and NCC may participate in the dual activation/inactivation of enzymatic pathways involved in cell defenses against oxidative damage, where Nuclear factor-erythroid 2 related factor 2 (Nrf2) plays a central role. Methods For assessing the potential role of proteins involved in the Nrf2-mediated response to nickel and NCC exposure, we designed an interactome network using the STITCH search engine version 5.0 and the STRING software 10.0. The major NCC-protein interactome (NCPI) generated was analyzed using the MCODE plugin, version 1.5.1 for the detection of interaction modules or subnetworks. Main centralities of the NCPI were determined with the CentiScape 2.2 plugin of Cytoscape 3.4.0 and main biological processes associated with each cluster were assessed using the BiNGO plugin of Cytoscape 3.4.0. Results Water-soluble NiSO4 and insoluble Ni3S2 were the most connected to proteins involved in the NCPI network. Nfr2 was detected as one of the most relevant proteins in the network, participating in several multifunctional protein complexes in clusters 1, 2, 3 and 5. Ontological analysis of cluster 3 revealed several processes related to unfolded protein response (UPR) and response to endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Conclusions Cellular response to NCC exposure was very comparable, particularly concerning oxidative stress response, inflammation, cell cycle/proliferation, and apoptosis. In this cellular response, Nfr2 was highly centralized and participated in several multifunctional protein complexes, including several related to ER-stress. These results add evidence on the possible Ni2+ induced – ER stress mainly associated with insoluble NCC. In this scenario, we also show how protein degradation mediated by ubiquitination seems to play key roles in cellular responses to Ni.
Alice Kunzler, Camila Tiefensee Ribeiro, Juciano Gasparotto, Lyvia Lintzmaier Petiz, Helen Thais da Rosa Silva, Jeferson Delgado da Silva, Rafael Bortolin, Priscila Oliveira de Souza, Fabiano Barreto, Pedro Espitia-Perez,et al.
Elsevier BV
Pedro Espitia-Pérez, Suelen Marin Albino, Lyda Espitia-Pérez, Hugo Brango, Helen da Rosa, Alexandre Kleber Silveira, Diogo Pompéu Moraes, Camila Cerveira, Moara Mingori, Camila Tiefensee Ribeiro,et al.
Elsevier BV
Lyda Espitia-Pérez, Juliana da Silva, Hugo Brango, Pedro Espitia-Pérez, Karina Pastor-Sierra, Shirley Salcedo-Arteaga, Claudia T. de Souza, Johnny F. Dias, Luz Stella Hoyos-Giraldo, Miguel Gómez-Pérez,et al.
Elsevier BV
Pedro Espitia-Pérez, Suelen Marin Albino, Helen Tais da Rosa, Alexandre Kleber Silveira, Lyda Espitia-Pérez, Hugo Brango, Diogo Pompéu Moraes, Paolla Rissi Silva Hermann, Moara Mingori, Fabiano Barreto,et al.
Elsevier BV
Lyda Espitia-Pérez, Marcia Arteaga - Pertuz, José Salvador Soto, Pedro Espitia-Pérez, Shirley Salcedo-Arteaga, Karina Pastor–Sierra, Claudia Galeano–Páez, Hugo Brango, Juliana da Silva, and João A.P. Henriques
Elsevier BV
Lyda Espitia-Pérez, Juliana da Silva, Pedro Espitia-Pérez, Hugo Brango, Shirley Salcedo-Arteaga, Luz Stella Hoyos-Giraldo, Claudia T. de Souza, Johnny F. Dias, Dayana Agudelo-Castañeda, Ana Valdés Toscano,et al.
Elsevier BV