Elsevier

Medical Hypotheses

Volume 77, Issue 5, November 2011, Pages 815-817
Medical Hypotheses

Nanocolloidal amorphous silica in drinking water as an autoimmunity trigger in Finland

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mehy.2011.07.044Get rights and content

Abstract

Previously, a curious observation was made that indicated high iodine concentrations in the raw (ground) water of a water treatment plant wells is associated with a high prevalence of autoimmune hypothyreosis in consumers. When fractionating this water with liquid chromatography (HPLC), iodine elutes in the same fractions as humic substances. Humic substances are determined by measuring light absorbance at 280 nm from the fractions.

The prevalence of autoimmune hypothyreosis in the Finnish municipalities varies approximately ten fold. In Finland, water is distributed by the municipal water works, and every municipal water work has its own water source. Water sources in the municipalities with a high prevalence of autoimmune hypothyreosis are at least at times synclinal (the water flows from the flood lake to the aquifer). This kind of flood lake is a suitable environment for the synthesis of ternary system amorphous silica/humus/iodine nanocolloid (Asi/Hu/I) particles. According to our proposed hypothesis, Asi/Hu/I nanocolloid particles in tap water are internalised by thyrocytes via the sodium iodide symporter (NIS), indicating receptor-mediated endocytosis. Receptor-mediated endocytosis is quick and efficient so that enough amorphous silica nanoparticles are internalised inside thyrocytes to denature various intracellular proteins (e.g., thyroglobulin), thereby affecting the immunoreactivity of proteins, which triggers the autoimmunity process. In this article, we present observations that support this hypothesis.

Introduction

The prevalence and the incidence of autoimmune diseases have increased dramatically in developed countries over the last few decades [1]. The prevalence of some autoimmune diseases (insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, multiple sclerosis) in Finland is almost the highest in the world [2].

For an autoimmune disease to occur, there must be a genetic predisposition and an environmental trigger(s). The human genotype cannot change dramatically in a few decades, indicating that new environmental triggers must play a decisive role in the observed increase in the prevalence and incidence of autoimmune diseases [1]. Researchers have listed a number of factors that are known to function as environmental triggers of autoimmune diseases, including mercury, iodine, vinyl chloride, l-tryptophan, particulates, canavanine, organic solvents, silica, ultraviolet radiation, ozone and various pathogens [3]. None of these environmental triggers are thought to be prevalent in Finland. I approach this problem by examining one common, clear-cut autoimmune disease.

Section snippets

Autoimmune thyroiditis as a clue

Getting acquainted with overt hypothyreosis in Finland (its epidemiology and regional distribution at the municipal level) and the landscapes in Finland is the basis of the proposed hypothesis. Autoimmune thyroiditis is the cause of hypothyreosis in over 80% of cases [4]. There are no statistical figures concerning the prevalence of overt hypothyreosis in Finland, but the figures of the rights to free medicine (levothyroxine) granted to overt hypothyreotic patients are available. The rights are

Hypothesis

My hypothesis is that the tap water in the Finnish municipalities with a high prevalence of hypothyreosis contains nanosized colloids, which consist of three components. The core of these colloids contain ASi, which is coated by humic substances to which the iode is bound. I call this kind of colloidal particle a ternary system amorphous silica/humus/iodine particle (ASi/Hu/I). The thyrocyte concentrates iodine via the sodium iodide symporter (NIS). According to my hypothesis, the ternary

Observations that support the hypothesis

1. The typical aquifer in the municipalities with high prevalence of hypothyreosis is located near a lake or bond in which spring flooding is common. In this type of lake, diatom production is high [8], and diatomaceous earth accumulates in the bottom sediment. The water of this kind of small lake is rich in humic substances and humic-bound iodine. Thus, these lakes are suitable environments for the formation of ASi/Hu/I colloids. These aquifers are at times synclinal (water flows from the

Discussion

There are unexplained trends in human health in Finland and in Western countries in general, such as the increase in the prevalence of autoimmune diseases, mammary carcinoma and lymphoma malignum.

Endocytosis is a common cell function. Many particles, both naturally occurring and synthetic, that are efficiently internalised into cells are polymeric in structure, including ASi. Particle uptake into cells is determined by the molar mass and the size of the polymeric particle. Various substances,

Funding

No grants.

Conflict of interest

None declared.

References (22)

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