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Zhuang Y, Li L, Zhang Y, Liu X, Zeng B, Zhu B, Dai F. Single and mixed effects of multiple volatile organic compounds exposure on hematological parameters in the U.S. adult population. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 355:141825. [PMID: 38552802 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.141825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/18/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Most research exploring the correlation between volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and hematological parameters have focused on single VOCs. Our study aimed to explore the single and combined effects of VOCs on hematological parameters through three statistical models. METHODS Data from 4 cycles of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) were used in this study. The correlations between single exposure to 16 VOCs and hematological parameters in the general population were assessed by weighted multiple linear regression. Weighted quantile sum (WQS) and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) models were used to explore the relationship between the combined important VOCs selected by the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) and hematological parameters, as well as the effects of smoking status on them. RESULTS A total of 4089 adults were included in the study. We found that a variety of VOCs were significantly associated with hematological parameters. Among them, N-acetyl-S-(benzyl)-l-cysteine (BMA) was significantly negatively correlated with white blood cell (WBC), red blood cell (RBC), lymphocyte, and neutrophil counts. N-acetyl-S-(3-hydroxypropyl-1-methyl)-l-cysteine (HPMMA) was significantly positively correlated with WBC, monocyte, lymphocyte, and neutrophil counts. In the WQS analysis, the WQS index of the VOCs mixtures was positively correlated with WBC (β: 0.031; P < 0.001), monocyte (0.023; P = 0.021), and neutrophil (0.040; P = 0.001) counts, while negatively associated with RBC (-0.013; P < 0.001) counts. The BKMR model revealed that combined exposure to VOCs levels ≥70th percentile was significantly associated with lower RBC counts, and BMA was identified as the dominant contributor. Smoking significantly influenced the relationship between VOCs and hematological parameters. CONCLUSIONS Our study indicated the effects of single and overall VOCs exposure on hematological parameters and suggested the hematotoxicity as well as pro-inflammatory effects of VOCs, which had strong public health implications for reducing the potential health hazards of VOCs exposure to the hematologic system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Zhuang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Laifu Li
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Yanqi Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Xuna Liu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Beibei Zeng
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Boxu Zhu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Fei Dai
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.
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Chen Q, Deng Q, Liu Y, Long Z, Li S, Liu Q, Lv Y, Qin J, Yang A, Huang Y, Tan Z, Wang D, Xing X, Xiao Y. Co-exposure of petrochemical workers to noise and mixture of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene, and styrene: Impact on mild renal impairment and interaction. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 346:123628. [PMID: 38395129 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.123628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
Epidemiological evidence concerning effects of simultaneous exposure to noise and benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene, and styrene (BTEXS) on renal function remains uncertain. In 2020, a cross-sectional study was conducted among 1160 petrochemical workers in southern China to investigate effects of their co-exposure on estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and mild renal impairment (MRI). Noise levels were assessed using cumulative noise exposure (CNE). Urinary biomarkers for BTEXS were quantified. We found the majority of workers had exposure levels to noise and BTEXS below China's occupational exposure limits. CNE, trans, trans-muconic acid (tt-MA), and the sum of mandelic acid and phenylglyoxylic acid (PGMA) were linearly associated with decreased eGFR and increased MRI risk. We observed U-shaped associations for both N-acetyl-S-phenyl-L-cysteine (SPMA) and o-methylhippuric acid (2-MHA) with MRI. In further assessing the joint effect of BTEXS (β, -0.164 [95% CI, -0.296 to -0.033]) per quartile increase in all BTEXS metabolites on eGFR using quantile g-computation models, we found SPMA, tt-MA, 2-MHA, and PGMA played pivotal roles. Additionally, the risk of MRI associated with tt-MA was more pronounced in workers with lower CNE levels (P = 0.004). Multiplicative interaction analysis revealed antagonisms of CNE and PGMA on MRI risk (P = 0.034). Thus, our findings reveal negative dose-effect associations between noise and BTEXS mixture exposure and renal function in petrochemical workers. With the exception of toluene, benzene, xylene, ethylbenzene, and styrene are all concerning pollutants for renal dysfunction. Effects of benzene, ethylbenzene, and styrene exposure on renal dysfunction were more pronounced in workers with lower CNE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingfei Chen
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, No. 74 Zhongshan Road 2, Guangzhou, 510080, Guangdong, China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, No. 74 Zhongshan Road 2, Guangzhou, 510080, Guangdong, China
| | - Qifei Deng
- School of Public Health, Guangzhou Medical University, Xinzao Town, Panyu District, Guangzhou, 511436, Guangdong, China
| | - Yan Liu
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, No. 74 Zhongshan Road 2, Guangzhou, 510080, Guangdong, China
| | - Zihao Long
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, No. 74 Zhongshan Road 2, Guangzhou, 510080, Guangdong, China
| | - Shuangqi Li
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, No. 74 Zhongshan Road 2, Guangzhou, 510080, Guangdong, China
| | - Qing Liu
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, No. 74 Zhongshan Road 2, Guangzhou, 510080, Guangdong, China
| | - Yanrong Lv
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, No. 74 Zhongshan Road 2, Guangzhou, 510080, Guangdong, China
| | - Jingyao Qin
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, No. 74 Zhongshan Road 2, Guangzhou, 510080, Guangdong, China
| | - Aichu Yang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Occupational Disease Prevention and Treatment, Guangdong Province Hospital for Occupational Disease Prevention and Treatment, No. 68 Haikang Street, Guangzhou, 510300, Guangdong, China
| | - Yongshun Huang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Occupational Disease Prevention and Treatment, Guangdong Province Hospital for Occupational Disease Prevention and Treatment, No. 68 Haikang Street, Guangzhou, 510300, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhaoqing Tan
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, No. 74 Zhongshan Road 2, Guangzhou, 510080, Guangdong, China
| | - Dongsheng Wang
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, No. 74 Zhongshan Road 2, Guangzhou, 510080, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiumei Xing
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, No. 74 Zhongshan Road 2, Guangzhou, 510080, Guangdong, China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, No. 74 Zhongshan Road 2, Guangzhou, 510080, Guangdong, China
| | - Yongmei Xiao
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, No. 74 Zhongshan Road 2, Guangzhou, 510080, Guangdong, China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, No. 74 Zhongshan Road 2, Guangzhou, 510080, Guangdong, China.
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Cox LA, Thompson WJ, Mundt KA. Interventional probability of causation (IPoC) with epidemiological and partial mechanistic evidence: benzene vs. formaldehyde and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Crit Rev Toxicol 2024; 54:252-289. [PMID: 38753561 DOI: 10.1080/10408444.2024.2337435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Causal epidemiology for regulatory risk analysis seeks to evaluate how removing or reducing exposures would change disease occurrence rates. We define interventional probability of causation (IPoC) as the change in probability of a disease (or other harm) occurring over a lifetime or other specified time interval that would be caused by a specified change in exposure, as predicted by a fully specified causal model. We define the closely related concept of causal assigned share (CAS) as the predicted fraction of disease risk that would be removed or prevented by a specified reduction in exposure, holding other variables fixed. Traditional approaches used to evaluate the preventable risk implications of epidemiological associations, including population attributable fraction (PAF) and the Bradford Hill considerations, cannot reveal whether removing a risk factor would reduce disease incidence. We argue that modern formal causal models coupled with causal artificial intelligence (CAI) and realistically partial and imperfect knowledge of underlying disease mechanisms, show great promise for determining and quantifying IPoC and CAS for exposures and diseases of practical interest. METHODS We briefly review key CAI concepts and terms and then apply them to define IPoC and CAS. We present steps to quantify IPoC using a fully specified causal Bayesian network (BN) model. Useful bounds for quantitative IPoC and CAS calculations are derived for a two-stage clonal expansion (TSCE) model for carcinogenesis and illustrated by applying them to benzene and formaldehyde based on available epidemiological and partial mechanistic evidence. RESULTS Causal BN models for benzene and risk of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) incorporating mechanistic, toxicological and epidemiological findings show that prolonged high-intensity exposure to benzene can increase risk of AML (IPoC of up to 7e-5, CAS of up to 54%). By contrast, no causal pathway leading from formaldehyde exposure to increased risk of AML was identified, consistent with much previous mechanistic, toxicological and epidemiological evidence; therefore, the IPoC and CAS for formaldehyde-induced AML are likely to be zero. CONCLUSION We conclude that the IPoC approach can differentiate between likely and unlikely causal factors and can provide useful upper bounds for IPoC and CAS for some exposures and diseases of practical importance. For causal factors, IPoC can help to estimate the quantitative impacts on health risks of reducing exposures, even in situations where mechanistic evidence is realistically incomplete and individual-level exposure-response parameters are uncertain. This illustrates the strength that can be gained for causal inference by using causal models to generate testable hypotheses and then obtaining toxicological data to test the hypotheses implied by the models-and, where necessary, refine the models. This virtuous cycle provides additional insight into causal determinations that may not be available from weight-of-evidence considerations alone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louis A Cox
- Cox Associates and University of Colorado, Denver, CO, USA
| | | | - Kenneth A Mundt
- Independent Consultants in Epidemiology, Amherst, MA, USA
- Adjunct Professor of Epidemiology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
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Yin Z, Ou R, Zhu Y, Liu Z, Huang J, Zhong Q, Li G, Zhang Q, Liu S. Coniferyl ferulate alleviate xylene-caused hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell toxicity by Mgst2. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1334445. [PMID: 38523643 PMCID: PMC10957570 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1334445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Xylene exposure is known to induce toxicity in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs), leading to bone marrow suppression and potential leukemogenesis. However, research on the gene expression profiles associated with xylene-induced toxicity in HSPCs, and effective therapeutic interventions, remains scarce. In our study, we employed single-cell RNA sequencing to capture the transcriptomic shifts within bone marrow HSPCs both prior to and following treatment with coniferyl ferulate (CF) in a mouse model of xylene-induced hematotoxicity. Subsequently, we pinpointed CF as a targeted agent using SPR-LC/MS analysis. This enabled us to confirm the link between the gene Mgst2 and specific cellular subtypes. Our data revealed that CF significantly countered the reduction of both monocyte and neutrophil progenitor cells, which are commonly affected by xylene toxicity. Through targeted analysis, we identified Mgst2 as a direct molecular target of CF. Notably, Mgst2 is preferentially expressed in neutrophil progenitor cells and is implicated in mitochondrial metabolic processes. By selectively inhibiting Mgst2 in bone marrow, we observed amelioration of xylene-induced hematotoxic effects. In summary, our findings suggest that coniferyl ferulate can mitigate the detrimental impact of xylene on hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells by targeting Mgst2, particularly within subpopulations of neutrophil progenitors. This discovery not only advances our comprehension of the cellular response of HSPCs to xenobiotic stressors like xylene but also identifies CF and Mgst2 as potential therapeutic targets for alleviating xylene-induced hematotoxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Guangchao Li
- *Correspondence: Guangchao Li, ; Qing Zhang, ; Shuang Liu,
| | - Qing Zhang
- Department of Hematology, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shuang Liu
- Department of Hematology, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
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Wang T, Cao Y, Xia Z, Christiani DC, Au WW. Review on novel toxicological effects and personalized health hazard in workers exposed to low doses of benzene. Arch Toxicol 2024; 98:365-374. [PMID: 38142431 DOI: 10.1007/s00204-023-03650-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023]
Abstract
Several recent reports indicate health hazards for workers with below occupational limit exposure to benzene (BZ). Our updated review indicates that such low exposures induced traditional as well as novel toxicity/genotoxicity, e.g., increased mitochondria copy numbers, prolongation of telomeres, impairment of DNA damage repair response (DDRR), perturbations of expression in non-coding RNAs, and epigenetic changes. These abnormalities were associated with alterations of gene expression and cellular signaling pathways which affected hematopoietic cell development, expression of apoptosis, autophagy, etc. The overarching mechanisms for induction of health risk are impaired DDRR, inhibition of tumor suppressor genes, and changes of MDM2-p53 axis activities that contribute to perturbed control for cancer pathways. Evaluation of the unusual dose-responses to BZ exposure indicates cellular over-compensation and reprogramming to overcome toxicity and to promote survival. However, these abnormal mechanisms also promote the induction of leukemia. Further investigations indicate that the current exposure limits for workers to BZ are unacceptable. Based on these studies, the new exposure limits should be less than 0.07 ppm rather than the current 1 ppm. This review also emphasizes the need to conduct appropriate bioassays, and to provide more reliable decisions on health hazards as well as on exposure limits for workers. In addition, it is important to use scientific data to provide significantly improved risk assessment, i.e., shifting from a population- to an individual-based risk assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tongshuai Wang
- Hongqiao International Institute of Medicine, Shanghai Tongren Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200336, China
| | - Yiyi Cao
- School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Zhaolin Xia
- Department of Occupational Health & Toxicology, School of Public Health, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- School of Public Health, Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, 830011, China
| | - David C Christiani
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard University TH Chan School of Public Health, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - William W Au
- School of Public and Population Health, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA.
- Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, China.
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Babigumira R, Veierød MB, Hosgood HD, Samuelsen SO, Bråtveit M, Kirkeleit J, Rothman N, Lan Q, Silverman DT, Friesen MC, Shala NK, Grimsrud TK, Stenehjem JS. Benzene exposure and risk of lung cancer in the Norwegian Offshore Petroleum Worker cohort: a prospective case-cohort study. Occup Environ Med 2023:oemed-2023-109139. [PMID: 38154914 DOI: 10.1136/oemed-2023-109139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The objective of our study was to examine whether occupational exposure to benzene is associated with lung cancer among males in the Norwegian Offshore Petroleum Workers cohort. METHODS Among 25 347 male offshore workers employed during 1965-1998, we conducted a case-cohort study with 399 lung cancer cases diagnosed between 1999 and 2021, and 2035 non-cases sampled randomly by 5-year birth cohorts. Individual work histories were coupled to study-specific job-exposure matrices for benzene and other known lung carcinogens. Weighted Cox regression was used to estimate HRs and 95% CIs for the associations between benzene exposure and lung cancer, by major histological subtypes, adjusted for age, smoking and occupational exposure to welding fumes, asbestos and crystalline silica. Missing data were imputed. RESULTS For lung cancer (all subtypes combined), HRs (95% CIs) for the highest quartiles of benzene exposure versus unexposed were 1.15 (0.61 to 2.35) for cumulative exposure, 1.43 (0.76 to 2.69) for duration, and 1.22 (0.68 to 2.18) for average intensity (0.280≤P-trend≤0.741). For 152 adenocarcinoma cases, a positive trend was observed for exposure duration (P-trend=0.044). CONCLUSIONS In this cohort of offshore petroleum workers generally exposed to low average levels of benzene, we did not find an overall clear support for an association with lung cancer (all subtypes combined), although an association was suggested for duration of benzene exposure and adenocarcinoma. The limited evidence might be due to restricted statistical power.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronnie Babigumira
- Department of Research, Cancer Registry of Norway, Oslo, Norway
- Oslo Centre for Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Department of Biostatistics, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo Faculty of Medicine, Oslo, Norway
| | - Marit B Veierød
- Oslo Centre for Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Department of Biostatistics, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo Faculty of Medicine, Oslo, Norway
| | - H Dean Hosgood
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
| | | | - Magne Bråtveit
- Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Jorunn Kirkeleit
- Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Department of Occupational Medicine and Epidemiology, National Institute of Occupational Health (NIOH), Oslo, Norway
| | - Nathaniel Rothman
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Qing Lan
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Debra T Silverman
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Melissa C Friesen
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Nita Kaupang Shala
- Department of Research, Cancer Registry of Norway, Oslo, Norway
- Oslo Centre for Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Department of Biostatistics, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo Faculty of Medicine, Oslo, Norway
| | - Tom K Grimsrud
- Department of Research, Cancer Registry of Norway, Oslo, Norway
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