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Foreman AL, Warth B, Hessel EVS, Price EJ, Schymanski EL, Cantelli G, Parkinson H, Hecht H, Klánová J, Vlaanderen J, Hilscherova K, Vrijheid M, Vineis P, Araujo R, Barouki R, Vermeulen R, Lanone S, Brunak S, Sebert S, Karjalainen T. Adopting Mechanistic Molecular Biology Approaches in Exposome Research for Causal Understanding. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:7256-7269. [PMID: 38641325 PMCID: PMC11064223 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c07961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/21/2024]
Abstract
Through investigating the combined impact of the environmental exposures experienced by an individual throughout their lifetime, exposome research provides opportunities to understand and mitigate negative health outcomes. While current exposome research is driven by epidemiological studies that identify associations between exposures and effects, new frameworks integrating more substantial population-level metadata, including electronic health and administrative records, will shed further light on characterizing environmental exposure risks. Molecular biology offers methods and concepts to study the biological and health impacts of exposomes in experimental and computational systems. Of particular importance is the growing use of omics readouts in epidemiological and clinical studies. This paper calls for the adoption of mechanistic molecular biology approaches in exposome research as an essential step in understanding the genotype and exposure interactions underlying human phenotypes. A series of recommendations are presented to make the necessary and appropriate steps to move from exposure association to causation, with a huge potential to inform precision medicine and population health. This includes establishing hypothesis-driven laboratory testing within the exposome field, supported by appropriate methods to read across from model systems research to human.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy L. Foreman
- European
Molecular Biology Laboratory & European Bioinformatics Institute
(EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton CB10 1SD, U.K.
| | - Benedikt Warth
- Department
of Food Chemistry and Toxicology, University
of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Ellen V. S. Hessel
- National
Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Antonie van Leeuwenhoeklaan 9, 3721 MA Bilthoven, The Netherlands
| | - Elliott J. Price
- RECETOX,
Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, Brno 60200, Czech Republic
| | - Emma L. Schymanski
- Luxembourg
Centre for Systems Biomedicine, University
of Luxembourg, 6 avenue
du Swing, L-4367 Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | - Gaia Cantelli
- European
Molecular Biology Laboratory & European Bioinformatics Institute
(EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton CB10 1SD, U.K.
| | - Helen Parkinson
- European
Molecular Biology Laboratory & European Bioinformatics Institute
(EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton CB10 1SD, U.K.
| | - Helge Hecht
- RECETOX,
Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, Brno 60200, Czech Republic
| | - Jana Klánová
- RECETOX,
Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, Brno 60200, Czech Republic
| | - Jelle Vlaanderen
- Institute
for Risk Assessment Sciences, Division of Environmental Epidemiology, Utrecht University, Heidelberglaan 8 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Klara Hilscherova
- RECETOX,
Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, Brno 60200, Czech Republic
| | - Martine Vrijheid
- Institute
for Global Health (ISGlobal), Barcelona
Biomedical Research Park (PRBB), Doctor Aiguader, 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat
Pompeu Fabra, Carrer
de la Mercè, 12, Ciutat Vella, 08002 Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red
Epidemiología
y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Av. Monforte de Lemos, 3-5. Pebellón 11, Planta 0, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Paolo Vineis
- Department
of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College, London SW7 2AZ, U.K.
| | - Rita Araujo
- European Commission, DG Research and Innovation, Sq. Frère-Orban 8, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium
| | | | - Roel Vermeulen
- Institute
for Risk Assessment Sciences, Division of Environmental Epidemiology, Utrecht University, Heidelberglaan 8 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Sophie Lanone
- Univ Paris Est Creteil, INSERM, IMRB, F-94010 Creteil, France
| | - Søren Brunak
- Novo
Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200 København, Denmark
| | - Sylvain Sebert
- Research
Unit of Population Health, University of
Oulu, P.O. Box 8000, FI-90014 Oulu, Finland
| | - Tuomo Karjalainen
- European Commission, DG Research and Innovation, Sq. Frère-Orban 8, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium
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2
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Salles FJ, Frydas IS, Papaioannou N, Schultz DR, Luz MS, Rogero MM, Sarigiannis DA, Olympio KPK. Occupational exposure to potentially toxic elements alters gene expression profiles in formal and informal Brazilian workers. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 236:116835. [PMID: 37543127 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.116835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/07/2023]
Abstract
Chemical elements, such as toxic metals, have previously demonstrated their ability to alter gene expression in humans and other species. In this study, microarray analysis was used to compare the gene expression profiles of different occupational exposure populations: a) informal workers who perform soldering of jewelry inside their houses (n = 22) in São Paulo (SP) State; and b) formal workers from a steel company (n = 10) in Rio de Janeiro (RJ) state, Brazil. Control participants were recruited from the same neighborhoods without occupational chemical exposure (n = 19 in SP and n = 8 in RJ). A total of 68 blood samples were collected and RNA was extracted and hybridized using an Agilent microarray platform. Data pre-processing, statistical and pathway analysis were performed using GeneSpring software. Different expression was detected by fold-change analysis resulting in 16 up- and 33 down-regulated genes in informal workers compared to the control group. Pathway analysis revealed genes enriched in MAPK, Toll-like receptor, and NF-kappa B signaling pathways, involved in inflammatory and immune responses. In formal workers, 20 up- and 50 down-regulated genes were found related to antimicrobial peptides, defensins, neutrophil degranulation, Fc-gamma receptor-dependent phagocytosis, and pathways associated with atherosclerosis development, which is one of the main factors involved in the progression of cardiovascular diseases. The gene IFI27 was the only one commonly differentially expressed between informal and formal workers and is known to be associated with various types of cancer. In conclusion, differences in gene expression related to occupational exposure are mainly associated with inflammation and immune response. Previous research has identified a link between inflammation and immune responses and the development of chronic diseases, suggesting that prolonged occupational exposures to potentially toxic elements in Brazilian metal workers could lead to negative health outcomes. Further analysis should be carried out to investigate its direct effects and to validate causal associations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernanda Junqueira Salles
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, University of Sao Paulo, Av. Dr. Arnaldo, 715, Cerqueira Cesar, CEP 01246-904, São Paulo, SP, Brazil; The Human Exposome Research Group/ Expossoma e Saúde do Trabalhador - eXsat, School of Public Health, University of Sao Paulo, Av. Dr. Arnaldo, 715, Cerqueira César, Sao Paulo, SP, 01246-000, Brazil.
| | - Ilias S Frydas
- Environmental Engineering Laboratory, Department of Chemical Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, 54124, Greece; HERACLES Research Center on the Exposome and Health, Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Innovation, Balkan Center, Bldg. B, 10th Km Thessaloniki-Thermi Road, 57001, Greece.
| | - Nafsika Papaioannou
- Environmental Engineering Laboratory, Department of Chemical Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, 54124, Greece; HERACLES Research Center on the Exposome and Health, Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Innovation, Balkan Center, Bldg. B, 10th Km Thessaloniki-Thermi Road, 57001, Greece.
| | - Dayna R Schultz
- Environmental Engineering Laboratory, Department of Chemical Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, 54124, Greece; HERACLES Research Center on the Exposome and Health, Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Innovation, Balkan Center, Bldg. B, 10th Km Thessaloniki-Thermi Road, 57001, Greece.
| | - Maciel Santos Luz
- Laboratory of Metallurgical Process, Institute for Technological Research, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil.
| | - Marcelo Macedo Rogero
- Nutritional Genomics and Inflammation Laboratory, Department of Nutrition, School of Public Health, University of Sao Paulo, 01246-904 São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Dimosthenis A Sarigiannis
- Environmental Engineering Laboratory, Department of Chemical Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, 54124, Greece; HERACLES Research Center on the Exposome and Health, Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Innovation, Balkan Center, Bldg. B, 10th Km Thessaloniki-Thermi Road, 57001, Greece; National Hellenic Research Foundation, Athens, Greece; Environmental Health Engineering, Science, Technology and Society Department, School for Advanced Study (IUSS), Pavia, Italy.
| | - Kelly Polido Kaneshiro Olympio
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, University of Sao Paulo, Av. Dr. Arnaldo, 715, Cerqueira Cesar, CEP 01246-904, São Paulo, SP, Brazil; The Human Exposome Research Group/ Expossoma e Saúde do Trabalhador - eXsat, School of Public Health, University of Sao Paulo, Av. Dr. Arnaldo, 715, Cerqueira César, Sao Paulo, SP, 01246-000, Brazil.
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3
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Kim S, Hollinger H, Radke EG. 'Omics in environmental epidemiological studies of chemical exposures: A systematic evidence map. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2022; 164:107243. [PMID: 35551006 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2022.107243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Revised: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Systematic evidence maps are increasingly used to develop chemical risk assessments. These maps can provide an overview of available studies and relevant study information to be used for various research objectives and applications. Environmental epidemiological studies that examine the impact of chemical exposures on various 'omic profiles in human populations provide relevant mechanistic information and can be used for benchmark dose modeling to derive potential human health reference values. OBJECTIVES To create a systematic evidence map of environmental epidemiological studies examining environmental contaminant exposures with 'omics in order to characterize the extent of available studies for future research needs. METHODS Systematic review methods were used to search and screen the literature and included the use of machine learning methods to facilitate screening studies. The Populations, Exposures, Comparators and Outcomes (PECO) criteria were developed to identify and screen relevant studies. Studies that met the PECO criteria after full-text review were summarized with information such as study population, study design, sample size, exposure measurement, and 'omics analysis. RESULTS Over 10,000 studies were identified from scientific databases. Screening processes were used to identify 84 studies considered PECO-relevant after full-text review. Various contaminants (e.g. phthalate, benzene, arsenic, etc.) were investigated in epidemiological studies that used one or more of the four 'omics of interest: epigenomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics . The epidemiological study designs that were used to explore single or integrated 'omic research questions with contaminant exposures were cohort studies, controlled trials, cross-sectional, and case-control studies. An interactive web-based systematic evidence map was created to display more study-related information. CONCLUSIONS This systematic evidence map is a novel tool to visually characterize the available environmental epidemiological studies investigating contaminants and biological effects using 'omics technology and serves as a resource for investigators and allows for a range of applications in chemical research and risk assessment needs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Kim
- Superfund and Emergency Management Division, Region 2, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, NY, USA.
| | - Hillary Hollinger
- Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, NC, USA.
| | - Elizabeth G Radke
- Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, D.C, USA.
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4
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Zhang P, Carlsten C, Chaleckis R, Hanhineva K, Huang M, Isobe T, Koistinen VM, Meister I, Papazian S, Sdougkou K, Xie H, Martin JW, Rappaport SM, Tsugawa H, Walker DI, Woodruff TJ, Wright RO, Wheelock CE. Defining the Scope of Exposome Studies and Research Needs from a Multidisciplinary Perspective. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY LETTERS 2021; 8:839-852. [PMID: 34660833 PMCID: PMC8515788 DOI: 10.1021/acs.estlett.1c00648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Revised: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
The concept of the exposome was introduced over 15 years ago to reflect the important role that the environment exerts on health and disease. While originally viewed as a call-to-arms to develop more comprehensive exposure assessment methods applicable at the individual level and throughout the life course, the scope of the exposome has now expanded to include the associated biological response. In order to explore these concepts, a workshop was hosted by the Gunma University Initiative for Advanced Research (GIAR, Japan) to discuss the scope of exposomics from an international and multidisciplinary perspective. This Global Perspective is a summary of the discussions with emphasis on (1) top-down, bottom-up, and functional approaches to exposomics, (2) the need for integration and standardization of LC- and GC-based high-resolution mass spectrometry methods for untargeted exposome analyses, (3) the design of an exposomics study, (4) the requirement for open science workflows including mass spectral libraries and public databases, (5) the necessity for large investments in mass spectrometry infrastructure in order to sequence the exposome, and (6) the role of the exposome in precision medicine and nutrition to create personalized environmental exposure profiles. Recommendations are made on key issues to encourage continued advancement and cooperation in exposomics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei Zhang
- Gunma
University Initiative for Advanced Research (GIAR), Gunma University, Maebashi, Gunma 371-8511, Japan
- Division
of Physiological Chemistry 2, Department of Medical Biochemistry and
Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm SE-171 77, Sweden
- Key
Laboratory of Drug Quality Control and Pharmacovigilance (Ministry
of Education), State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicine, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, P. R. China
| | - Christopher Carlsten
- Air
Pollution Exposure Laboratory, Division of Respiratory Medicine, Department
of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V5Z 1M9, Canada
| | - Romanas Chaleckis
- Gunma
University Initiative for Advanced Research (GIAR), Gunma University, Maebashi, Gunma 371-8511, Japan
- Division
of Physiological Chemistry 2, Department of Medical Biochemistry and
Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm SE-171 77, Sweden
| | - Kati Hanhineva
- Department
of Life Technologies, Food Chemistry and Food Development Unit, University of Turku, Turku 20014, Finland
- Department
of Biology and Biological Engineering, Chalmers
University of Technology, Gothenburg SE-412 96, Sweden
- Department
of Clinical Nutrition and Public Health, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio 70210, Finland
| | - Mengna Huang
- Channing
Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and
Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Tomohiko Isobe
- The
Japan Environment and Children’s Study Programme Office, National Institute for Environmental Sciences, 16-2 Onogawa, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8506, Japan
| | - Ville M. Koistinen
- Department
of Life Technologies, Food Chemistry and Food Development Unit, University of Turku, Turku 20014, Finland
- Department
of Clinical Nutrition and Public Health, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio 70210, Finland
| | - Isabel Meister
- Gunma
University Initiative for Advanced Research (GIAR), Gunma University, Maebashi, Gunma 371-8511, Japan
- Division
of Physiological Chemistry 2, Department of Medical Biochemistry and
Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm SE-171 77, Sweden
| | - Stefano Papazian
- Science
for Life Laboratory, Department of Environmental Science, Stockholm University, Stockholm SE-114 18, Sweden
| | - Kalliroi Sdougkou
- Science
for Life Laboratory, Department of Environmental Science, Stockholm University, Stockholm SE-114 18, Sweden
| | - Hongyu Xie
- Science
for Life Laboratory, Department of Environmental Science, Stockholm University, Stockholm SE-114 18, Sweden
| | - Jonathan W. Martin
- Science
for Life Laboratory, Department of Environmental Science, Stockholm University, Stockholm SE-114 18, Sweden
| | - Stephen M. Rappaport
- Division
of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720-7360, United States
| | - Hiroshi Tsugawa
- RIKEN Center
for Sustainable Resource Science, 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 230-0045, Japan
- RIKEN Center
for Integrative Medical Sciences, 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 230-0045, Japan
- Department
of Biotechnology and Life Science, Tokyo
University of Agriculture and Technology, 2-24-16 Nakamachi, Koganei, Tokyo 184-8588 Japan
- Graduate
School of Medical life Science, Yokohama
City University, 1-7-22
Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama 230-0045, Japan
| | - Douglas I. Walker
- Department
of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York10029-5674, United States
| | - Tracey J. Woodruff
- Program
on Reproductive Health and the Environment, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143, United States
| | - Robert O. Wright
- Department
of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York10029-5674, United States
| | - Craig E. Wheelock
- Gunma
University Initiative for Advanced Research (GIAR), Gunma University, Maebashi, Gunma 371-8511, Japan
- Division
of Physiological Chemistry 2, Department of Medical Biochemistry and
Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm SE-171 77, Sweden
- Department
of Respiratory Medicine and Allergy, Karolinska
University Hospital, Stockholm SE-141-86, Sweden
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Bocato MZ, Bianchi Ximenez JP, Hoffmann C, Barbosa F. An overview of the current progress, challenges, and prospects of human biomonitoring and exposome studies. JOURNAL OF TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. PART B, CRITICAL REVIEWS 2019; 22:131-156. [PMID: 31543064 DOI: 10.1080/10937404.2019.1661588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Human Biomonitoring (HB), the process for determining whether and to what extent chemical substances penetrated our bodies, serves as a useful tool to quantify human exposure to pollutants. In cases of nutrition and physiologic status, HB plays a critical role in the identification of excess or deficiency of essential nutrients. In pollutant HB studies, levels of substances measured in body fluids (blood, urine, and breast milk) or tissues (hair, nails or teeth) aid in the identification of potential health risks or associated adverse effects. However, even as a widespread practice in several countries, most HB studies reflect exposure to a single compound or mixtures which are measured at a single time point in lifecycle. On the other hand, throughout an individual's lifespan, the contact with different physical, chemical, and social stressors occurs at varying intensities, differing times and durations. Further, the interaction between stressors and body receptors leads to dynamic responses of the entire biological system including proteome, metabolome, transcriptome, and adductome. Bearing this in mind, a relatively new vision in exposure science, defined as the exposome, is postulated to expand the traditional practice of measuring a single exposure to one or few chemicals at one-time point to an approach that addresses measures of exposure to multiple stressors throughout the lifespan. With the exposome concept, the science of exposure advances to an Environment-Wide Association Perspective, which might exhibit a stronger relationship with good health or disease conditions for an individual (phenotype). Thus, this critical review focused on the current progress of HB and exposome investigations, anticipating some challenges, strategies, and future needs to be taken into account for designing future surveys.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Zuccherato Bocato
- Laboratório de Toxicologia Analítica e de Sistemas, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo , Ribeirão Preto , Brazil
| | - João Paulo Bianchi Ximenez
- Laboratório de Toxicologia Analítica e de Sistemas, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo , Ribeirão Preto , Brazil
| | - Christian Hoffmann
- Departmento de Alimentos e Nutrição Experimental Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade de São Paulo , São Paulo , Brazil
| | - Fernando Barbosa
- Laboratório de Toxicologia Analítica e de Sistemas, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo , Ribeirão Preto , Brazil
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Xue J, Lai Y, Liu CW, Ru H. Towards Mass Spectrometry-Based Chemical Exposome: Current Approaches, Challenges, and Future Directions. TOXICS 2019; 7:toxics7030041. [PMID: 31426576 PMCID: PMC6789759 DOI: 10.3390/toxics7030041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2019] [Revised: 08/12/2019] [Accepted: 08/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The proposal of the “exposome” concept represents a shift of the research paradigm in studying exposure-disease relationships from an isolated and partial way to a systematic and agnostic approach. Nevertheless, exposome implementation is facing a variety of challenges including measurement techniques and data analysis. Here we focus on the chemical exposome, which refers to the mixtures of chemical pollutants people are exposed to from embryo onwards. We review the current chemical exposome measurement approaches with a focus on those based on the mass spectrometry. We further explore the strategies in implementing the concept of chemical exposome and discuss the available chemical exposome studies. Early progresses in the chemical exposome research are outlined, and major challenges are highlighted. In conclusion, efforts towards chemical exposome have only uncovered the tip of the iceberg, and further advancement in measurement techniques, computational tools, high-throughput data analysis, and standardization may allow more exciting discoveries concerning the role of exposome in human health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingchuan Xue
- Center for Environmental Health and Susceptibility, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Yunjia Lai
- Center for Environmental Health and Susceptibility, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Chih-Wei Liu
- Center for Environmental Health and Susceptibility, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Hongyu Ru
- Department of Population Health and Pathobiology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA.
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Improved Preventive Effects of Combined Bioactive Compounds Present in Different Blueberry Varieties as Compared to Single Phytochemicals. Nutrients 2018; 11:nu11010061. [PMID: 30597948 PMCID: PMC6356906 DOI: 10.3390/nu11010061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2018] [Revised: 12/18/2018] [Accepted: 12/24/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Blueberries contain many different phytochemicals which might be responsible for their disease preventive properties. In a previously conducted human dietary intervention study, we showed that a 4-week intervention with blueberry–apple juice protected the participants against oxidative stress and modulated expression of genes involved in different genetic pathways contributing to the antioxidant response. The present study investigates the effect of different blueberry varieties (Elliot, Draper, Bluecrop, and Aurora, and the blueberry–apple juice from our previous human dietary intervention study), and four different single compounds (vitamin C, peonidin, cyanidin, and quercetin) on antioxidant capacity and gene expression changes in colonic cells in vitro, and compares the outcome with the earlier in vivo findings. The results demonstrate that all blueberry varieties as well as the blueberry–apple juice were more effective in reducing oxidative stress as compared to the single compounds (e.g., DNA strand break reduction: EC50: Elliot 8.3 mg/mL, Aurora and Draper 11.9 mg/mL, blueberry–apple juice 12.3 mg/mL, and Bluecrop 12.7 mg/mL; single compounds). In addition, the gene expression profiles (consisting of 18 selected genes from the in vivo study) induced by the blueberry varieties were more similar to the profile of the human intervention study (range 44–78%). The blueberry variety Elliot showed the strongest and most similar effects, almost 80% of gene expression modulations were similar compared to the in vivo results. From the single compounds (range 17–44%), quercetin induced the most comparable gene expression changes, i.e., 44%. This approach could be useful in agriculture for identifying crop varieties containing combinations of phytochemicals which show optimal preventive capacities.
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8
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Irimie AI, Braicu C, Cojocneanu R, Magdo L, Onaciu A, Ciocan C, Mehterov N, Dudea D, Buduru S, Berindan-Neagoe I. Differential Effect of Smoking on Gene Expression in Head and Neck Cancer Patients. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2018; 15:ijerph15071558. [PMID: 30041465 PMCID: PMC6069101 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph15071558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2018] [Revised: 07/11/2018] [Accepted: 07/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Smoking is a well-known behavior that has an important negative impact on human health, and is considered to be a significant factor related to the development and progression of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs). Use of high-dimensional datasets to discern novel HNSCC driver genes related to smoking represents an important challenge. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) analysis was performed in three co-existing groups of HNSCC in order to assess whether gene expression landscape is affected by tobacco smoking, having quit, or non-smoking status. We identified a set of differentially expressed genes that discriminate between smokers and non-smokers or based on human papilloma virus (HPV)16 status, or the co-occurrence of these two exposome components in HNSCC. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways classification shows that most of the genes are specific to cellular metabolism, emphasizing metabolic detoxification pathways, metabolism of chemical carcinogenesis, or drug metabolism. In the case of HPV16-positive patients it has been demonstrated that the altered genes are related to cellular adhesion and inflammation. The correlation between smoking and the survival rate was not statistically significant. This emphasizes the importance of the complex environmental exposure and genetic factors in order to establish prevention assays and personalized care system for HNSCC, with the potential for being extended to other cancer types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Iulia Irimie
- Department of Prosthetic Dentistry and Dental Materials, Division Dental Propaedeutics, Aesthetic, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, 23 Marinescu Street, Cluj-Napoca 40015, Romania.
| | - Cornelia Braicu
- Research Center for Functional Genomics and Translational Medicine, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 23 Marinescu Street, Cluj-Napoca 40015, Romania.
| | - Roxana Cojocneanu
- Research Center for Functional Genomics and Translational Medicine, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 23 Marinescu Street, Cluj-Napoca 40015, Romania.
| | - Lorand Magdo
- Research Center for Functional Genomics and Translational Medicine, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 23 Marinescu Street, Cluj-Napoca 40015, Romania.
| | - Anca Onaciu
- MEDFUTURE-Research Center for Advanced Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Iuliu Hatieganu, 23 Marinescu Street, Cluj-Napoca 40015, Romania.
| | - Cristina Ciocan
- MEDFUTURE-Research Center for Advanced Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Iuliu Hatieganu, 23 Marinescu Street, Cluj-Napoca 40015, Romania.
| | - Nikolay Mehterov
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University-Plovdiv, 15-А Vassil Aprilov Blvd., Plovdiv 4000, Bulgaria.
- Technological Center for Emergency Medicine, 15-А Vassil Aprilov Blvd., Plovdiv 4000, Bulgaria.
| | - Diana Dudea
- Department of Prosthetic Dentistry and Dental Materials, Division Dental Propaedeutics, Aesthetic, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, 23 Marinescu Street, Cluj-Napoca 40015, Romania.
| | - Smaranda Buduru
- Prosthetics and Dental Materials, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, 32 Clinicilor Street, Cluj-Napoca 400006, Romania.
| | - Ioana Berindan-Neagoe
- Research Center for Functional Genomics and Translational Medicine, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 23 Marinescu Street, Cluj-Napoca 40015, Romania.
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University-Plovdiv, 15-А Vassil Aprilov Blvd., Plovdiv 4000, Bulgaria.
- Department of Functional Genomics and Experimental Pathology, The Oncology Institute Ion Chiricuta, Republicii 34th Street, Cluj-Napoca 400015, Romania.
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9
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Corella D, Coltell O, Macian F, Ordovás JM. Advances in Understanding the Molecular Basis of the Mediterranean Diet Effect. Annu Rev Food Sci Technol 2018; 9:227-249. [PMID: 29400994 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-food-032217-020802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Increasingly, studies showing the protective effects of the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) on different diseases (cardiovascular, diabetes, some cancers, and even total mortality and aging indicators) are being published. The scientific evidence level for each outcome is variable, and new studies are needed to better understand the molecular mechanisms whereby the MedDiet may exercise its effects. Here, we present recent advances in understanding the molecular basis of MedDiet effects, mainly focusing on cardiovascular diseases but also discussing other related diseases. There is heterogeneity in defining the MedDiet, and it can, owing to its complexity, be considered as an exposome with thousands of nutrients and phytochemicals. We review MedDiet composition and assessment as well as the latest advances in the genomic, epigenomic (DNA methylation, histone modifications, microRNAs, and other emerging regulators), transcriptomic (selected genes and whole transcriptome), and metabolomic and metagenomic aspects of the MedDiet effects (as a whole and for its most typical food components). We also present a critical review of the limitations of the studies undertaken and propose new analyses and greater bioinformatic integration to better understand the most important molecular mechanisms whereby the MedDiet as a whole, or its main food components, may exercise their protective effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dolores Corella
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, School of Medicine, University of Valencia, Valencia, 46010, Spain; .,CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, 28029, Spain
| | - Oscar Coltell
- CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, 28029, Spain.,Department of Computer Languages and Systems, School of Technology and Experimental Sciences, Universitat Jaume I, Castellón, 12071, Spain
| | - Fernando Macian
- Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY 10461, USA
| | - José M Ordovás
- Nutrition and Genomics Laboratory, JM-USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts 02111, USA.,Department of Cardiovascular Epidemiology and Population Genetics, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), Madrid, 28029, Spain.,IMDEA Alimentación, Madrid, 28049, Spain
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10
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Pan P, Huang YW, Oshima K, Yearsley M, Zhang J, Yu J, Arnold M, Wang LS. An immunological perspective for preventing cancer with berries. JOURNAL OF BERRY RESEARCH 2018; 8:163-175. [PMID: 30159104 PMCID: PMC6110394 DOI: 10.3233/jbr-180305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Berries and their phytochemicals have well documented chemopreventive roles, but understanding their ability to regulate cancer immunology is only beginning to be explored. The literature, including human studies, suggests that berry components can modulate our immune system to delay cancer development. Moreover, their wide spectrum of phytochemicals suggests that they might influence the functions of multiple immune cells and different aspects of cancer immunity. Cancer immune-therapies are showing promise for some types of cancer because they boost T cells' ability to recognize tumor cells - an essential prelude to destruction. Recognition occurs after dendritic cells present antigen, such as tumor antigen, to T cells, generating an adaptive response. Therefore, the potential of berries to aid cancer immune-therapies by, for example, regulating dendritic cells, warrants further investigation in animal and human studies. More information is also needed about berries' effects on the entire spectrum of immunity so that a comprehensive view can inform efforts to use berries to enhance immune responses during cancer prevention and treatment. This review summarizes the effects of berries as anti-tumor agents from the immunological perspective in tumor-bearing animals and humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pan Pan
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Yi-Wen Huang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Kiyoko Oshima
- Department of Pathology, John Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Martha Yearsley
- Department of Pathology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Jianying Zhang
- Center for Biostatistics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Jianhua Yu
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology, College of Medicine, Comprehensive Cancer Center and The James Cancer Hospital, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Mark Arnold
- Department of Surgery, The Ohio State University, OH, USA
| | - Li-Shu Wang
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
- Corresponding author: Li-Shu Wang, Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Medical College of Wisconsin, RM C4930, 8701 Watertown Plank Rd, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA. Tel.: +1 414 955 2827; Fax: +1 414 955 6059; .
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11
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van Breda SGJ, de Kok TMCM. Smart Combinations of Bioactive Compounds in Fruits and Vegetables May Guide New Strategies for Personalized Prevention of Chronic Diseases. Mol Nutr Food Res 2017; 62. [PMID: 29108107 DOI: 10.1002/mnfr.201700597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2017] [Revised: 10/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
There is ample scientific evidence suggesting that the health benefits of eating the right amounts of a variety of vegetables and fruit are the consequence of the combined action of different phytochemicals. The present review provides an update of the scientific literature on additive and synergistic effects of mixtures of phytochemicals. Most research has been carried out in in vitro systems in which synergistic or additive effects have been established on the level of cell proliferation, apoptosis, antioxidant capacity, and tumor incidence, accompanied by changes in gene and protein expression in relevant pathways underlying molecular mechanisms of disease prevention. The number of human dietary intervention studies investigating complex mixtures of phytochemicals is relatively small, but showing promising results. These studies have demonstrated that combining transcriptomic data with phenotypic markers provide insight into the relevant cellular processes which contribute to the antioxidant response of complex mixtures of phytochemicals. Future studies should be designed as short-term studies testing different combinations of vegetables and fruit, in which markers for disease outcome as well as molecular ('omics)-markers and genetic variability between subjects are included. This will create new opportunities for food innovation and the development of more personalized strategies for prevention of chronic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone G J van Breda
- Department of Toxicogenomics, GROW - School for Oncology and Developmental Biology, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Theo M C M de Kok
- Department of Toxicogenomics, GROW - School for Oncology and Developmental Biology, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, the Netherlands
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12
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McAllister K, Mechanic LE, Amos C, Aschard H, Blair IA, Chatterjee N, Conti D, Gauderman WJ, Hsu L, Hutter CM, Jankowska MM, Kerr J, Kraft P, Montgomery SB, Mukherjee B, Papanicolaou GJ, Patel CJ, Ritchie MD, Ritz BR, Thomas DC, Wei P, Witte JS. Current Challenges and New Opportunities for Gene-Environment Interaction Studies of Complex Diseases. Am J Epidemiol 2017; 186:753-761. [PMID: 28978193 PMCID: PMC5860428 DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwx227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 106] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2016] [Revised: 03/14/2017] [Accepted: 03/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Recently, many new approaches, study designs, and statistical and analytical methods have emerged for studying gene-environment interactions (G×Es) in large-scale studies of human populations. There are opportunities in this field, particularly with respect to the incorporation of -omics and next-generation sequencing data and continual improvement in measures of environmental exposures implicated in complex disease outcomes. In a workshop called "Current Challenges and New Opportunities for Gene-Environment Interaction Studies of Complex Diseases," held October 17-18, 2014, by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and the National Cancer Institute in conjunction with the annual American Society of Human Genetics meeting, participants explored new approaches and tools that have been developed in recent years for G×E discovery. This paper highlights current and critical issues and themes in G×E research that need additional consideration, including the improved data analytical methods, environmental exposure assessment, and incorporation of functional data and annotations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Leah E. Mechanic
- Correspondence to Dr. Leah E. Mechanic, Genomic Epidemiology Branch, Epidemiology and Genomics Research Program, Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute, 9609 Medical Center Drive, Room 4E104, MSC 9763, Bethesda, MD 20892 (e-mail: )
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13
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Vrijens K, Winckelmans E, Tsamou M, Baeyens W, De Boever P, Jennen D, de Kok TM, Den Hond E, Lefebvre W, Plusquin M, Reynders H, Schoeters G, Van Larebeke N, Vanpoucke C, Kleinjans J, Nawrot TS. Sex-Specific Associations between Particulate Matter Exposure and Gene Expression in Independent Discovery and Validation Cohorts of Middle-Aged Men and Women. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2017; 125:660-669. [PMID: 27740511 PMCID: PMC5381989 DOI: 10.1289/ehp370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2015] [Revised: 08/12/2016] [Accepted: 08/22/2016] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Particulate matter (PM) exposure leads to premature death, mainly due to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. OBJECTIVES Identification of transcriptomic biomarkers of air pollution exposure and effect in a healthy adult population. METHODS Microarray analyses were performed in 98 healthy volunteers (48 men, 50 women). The expression of eight sex-specific candidate biomarker genes (significantly associated with PM10 in the discovery cohort and with a reported link to air pollution-related disease) was measured with qPCR in an independent validation cohort (75 men, 94 women). Pathway analysis was performed using Gene Set Enrichment Analysis. Average daily PM2.5 and PM10 exposures over 2-years were estimated for each participant's residential address using spatiotemporal interpolation in combination with a dispersion model. RESULTS Average long-term PM10 was 25.9 (± 5.4) and 23.7 (± 2.3) μg/m3 in the discovery and validation cohorts, respectively. In discovery analysis, associations between PM10 and the expression of individual genes differed by sex. In the validation cohort, long-term PM10 was associated with the expression of DNAJB5 and EAPP in men and ARHGAP4 (p = 0.053) in women. AKAP6 and LIMK1 were significantly associated with PM10 in women, although associations differed in direction between the discovery and validation cohorts. Expression of the eight candidate genes in the discovery cohort differentiated between validation cohort participants with high versus low PM10 exposure (area under the receiver operating curve = 0.92; 95% CI: 0.85, 1.00; p = 0.0002 in men, 0.86; 95% CI: 0.76, 0.96; p = 0.004 in women). CONCLUSIONS Expression of the sex-specific candidate genes identified in the discovery population predicted PM10 exposure in an independent cohort of adults from the same area. Confirmation in other populations may further support this as a new approach for exposure assessment, and may contribute to the discovery of molecular mechanisms for PM-induced health effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen Vrijens
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Ellen Winckelmans
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Maria Tsamou
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Willy Baeyens
- Department of Analytical and Environmental Chemistry, Free University of Brussels, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Patrick De Boever
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium
- Environmental Risk and Health Unit, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Mol, Belgium
| | - Danyel Jennen
- Department of Toxicogenomics, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Theo M. de Kok
- Department of Toxicogenomics, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Elly Den Hond
- Environmental Risk and Health Unit, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Mol, Belgium
- Provincial Institute for Hygiene, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Wouter Lefebvre
- Environmental Risk and Health Unit, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Mol, Belgium
| | - Michelle Plusquin
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Hans Reynders
- Environment, Nature and Energy Department, Flemish Government, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Greet Schoeters
- Environmental Risk and Health Unit, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Mol, Belgium
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- University of Southern Denmark, Institute of Public Health, Department of Environmental Medicine, Odense, Denmark
| | - Nicolas Van Larebeke
- Department of Radiotherapy and Nuclear Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | | | - Jos Kleinjans
- Department of Toxicogenomics, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Tim S. Nawrot
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Leuven University, Leuven, Belgium
- Address correspondence to T.S. Nawrot, Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Agoralaan gebouw D, B-3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium. Telephone: 0032/11-26.83.82. E-mail:
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14
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Abstract
Although 'exposome' research has started to appear, and the concept is fascinating, we still have little proof-of-principle. This issue of Mutagenesis reports a few examples of exposome research, showing that the approach is providing the first results. In this Commentary, I develop the example of epigenome-wide methylation studies related to smoking as a success story, that fits well with previous research in humans and in vitro on mechanisms of carcinogenesis, and also with conceptual models such as Cairns' model based on asymmetric division of stem cells. The field of exposomics merges different disciplines, notably biology and mathematics, but also the evolutionary theory, and can possibly lead to interesting breakthroughs in the next years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paolo Vineis
- MRC/PHE Centre for Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, Room 511 (5th floor), St Mary's Campus, Norfolk Place, London W2 1PG, UK
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