VELA ROMERO, LOURDES AMPARO

Preferred name
VELA ROMERO, LOURDES AMPARO
Main Affiliation
SF
ORCID
0000-0002-5785-8441
Scopus Author ID
57224361513

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    DNA Damage and Bisphenol Levels in Chronic Kidney Disease Patients Undergoing Hemodialysis
    (MDPI AG, 2025-10-17)
    Cesar Emilio Ruiz
    ;
    VELA ROMERO, LOURDES AMPARO  
    ;
    Martí Nadal
    ;
    Neus González
    ;
    Ricard Marcos
    Bisphenol (BP) compounds are widely present in the environment, primarily due to their use as plastic additives. These substances involve health risks, particularly as endocrine disruptors. While the general population is chronically exposed, patients with end-stage chronic kidney disease undergoing hemodialysis (HD-CKD) represent a particularly vulnerable group. This is due to both impaired renal clearance of circulating BPs and potential contamination from plastic-containing dialyzers used in extracorporeal blood circulation. In this longitudinal study, from the 35 HD-CKD patients initially selected, 25 changed their conventional dialyzers to BPA-free dialyzers for 6 months. Blood serum samples were collected, at baseline and after the intervention, to quantify levels of five BP analogues: Bisphenol A (BPA), Bisphenol AF (BPAF), Bisphenol F (BPF), Bisphenol B (BPB), and Bisphenol S (BPS). Genotoxicity was assessed using the comet assay and the micronucleus test on peripheral white blood cells. Among the analyzed BPs, only BPAF showed a statistically significant reduction when using BPA-free dialyzers. In terms of genotoxicity, a significant decrease was observed only in primary DNA damage (mainly DNA strand breaks), with no notable changes in chromosomal damage. This is the first study to detect multiple BP analogues in HD-CKD patients, beyond BPA, and to associate human exposure to BPs with DNA damage biomarkers. The observed reduction in DNA damage in parallel with decreased BPAF levels highlights the importance of monitoring and minimizing BP exposure of this high-risk population.
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    Polystyrene Nanoplastics as Carriers of Metals. Interactions of Polystyrene Nanoparticles with Silver Nanoparticles and Silver Nitrate, and Their Effects on Human Intestinal Caco-2 Cells
    (MDPI AG, 2021-06-09)
    Josefa Domenech
    ;
    Constanza Cortés
    ;
    VELA ROMERO, LOURDES AMPARO  
    ;
    Ricard Marcos
    ;
    Alba Hernández
    <jats:p>Environmental plastic wastes are continuously degraded to their micro and nanoforms. Since in the environment they coexist with other pollutants, it has been suggested that they could act as vectors transporting different toxic trace elements, such as metals. To confirm this, we have assessed the potential interactions between nanopolystyrene, as a model of nanoplastic debris, and silver compounds (silver nanoparticles and silver nitrate), as models of metal contaminant. Using TEM-EDX methodological approaches, we have been able to demonstrate metal sorption by nanopolystyrene. Furthermore, using Caco-2 cells and confocal microscopy, we have observed the co-localization of nanopolystyrene/nanosilver in different cellular compartments, including the cell nucleus. Although the internalization of these complexes showed no exacerbated cytotoxic effects, compared to the effects of each compound alone, the silver/nanopolystyrene complexes modulate the cell’s uptake of silver and slightly modify some harmful cellular effects of silver, such as the ability to induce genotoxic and oxidative DNA damage.</jats:p>
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    Effects of true-to-life PET nanoplastics using primary human nasal epithelial cells
    (Elsevier BV, 2023-06)
    Balasubramanyam Annangi
    ;
    Aliro Villacorta
    ;
    VELA ROMERO, LOURDES AMPARO  
    ;
    Alireza Tavakolpournegari
    ;
    Ricard Marcos
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    Titanium-doped PET nanoplastics of environmental origin as a true-to-life model of nanoplastic
    (Elsevier BV, 2023-07)
    Aliro Villacorta
    ;
    VELA ROMERO, LOURDES AMPARO  
    ;
    Michelle Morataya-Reyes
    ;
    Raquel Llorens-Chiralt
    ;
    Laura Rubio
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    Fluorescent labeling of micro/nanoplastics for biological applications with a focus on “true-to-life" tracking
    (Elsevier BV, 2024-09)
    Aliro Villacorta
    ;
    Camila Cazorla-Ares
    ;
    Victor Fuentes-Cebrian
    ;
    Iris H. Valido
    ;
    VELA ROMERO, LOURDES AMPARO  
    The increased environmental presence of micro-/nanoplastics (MNPLs) and the potential health risks associated with their exposure classify them as environmental pollutants with special environmental and health concerns. Consequently, there is an urgent need to investigate the potential risks associated with secondary MNPLs. In this context, using “true-to-life” MNPLs, resulting from the laboratory degradation of plastic goods, may be a sound approach. These non-commercial secondary MNPLs must be labeled to track their presence/journeys inside cells or organisms. Because the cell internalization of MNPLs is commonly analyzed using fluorescence techniques, the use of fluorescent dyes may be a sound method to label them. Five different compounds comprising two chemical dyes (Nile Red and Rhodamine-B), one optical brightener (Opticol), and two industrial dyes (Amarillo Luminoso and iDye PolyPink) were tested to determine their potential for such applications. Using commercial standards of polystyrene nanoplastics (PSNPLs) with an average size of 170 nm, different characteristics of the selected dyes such as the absence of impact on cell viability, specificity for plastic staining, no leaching, and lack of interference with other fluorochromes were analyzed. Based on the overall data obtained in the wide battery of assays performed, iDye PolyPink exhibited the most advantages, with respect to the other compounds, and was selected to effectively label “true-to-life” MNPLs. These advantages were confirmed using a proposed protocol, and labeling titanium-doped PETNPLs (obtained from the degradation of milk PET plastic bottles), as an example of “true-to-life” secondary NPLs. These results confirmed the usefulness of iDye PolyPink for labeling MNPLs and detecting cell internalization.
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    Biological Impact of True-to-Life PET and Titanium-Doped PET Nanoplastics on Human-Derived Monocyte (THP-1) Cells
    (MDPI AG, 2025-07-04)
    Aliro Villacorta
    ;
    Michelle Morataya-Reyes
    ;
    VELA ROMERO, LOURDES AMPARO  
    ;
    Jéssica Arribas Arranz
    ;
    Joan Martín-Perez
    In the environment, plastic waste degrades into small particles known as microplastics and nanoplastics (MNPLs), depending on their size. Given the potential harmful effects associated with MNPL exposure, it is crucial to develop environmentally representative particles for hazard assessment. These so-called true-to-life MNPLs are generated through in-house degradation of real-world plastic products. In this study, we produced titanium-doped nanoplastics (NPLs) from opaque polyethylene terephthalate (PET) milk bottles, which contain titanium dioxide as a filler. The resulting PET(Ti)-NPLs were thoroughly characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), mass spectrometry (MS), dynamic light scattering (DLS), ζ-potential measurements, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Human-derived THP-1 monocytes were employed to investigate particle uptake kinetics, dosimetry, and genotoxicity. A combination of flow cytometry and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) enabled the quantification of internalized particles, while the comet assay assessed DNA damage. The results revealed dose- and time-dependent effects of PET(Ti)-NPLs on THP-1 cells, particularly in terms of internalization. Titanium doping facilitated detection and influenced genotoxic outcomes. This study demonstrates the relevance of using environmentally representative nanoplastic models for evaluating human health risks and underscores the importance of further mechanistic research.