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Gupta S. Risk of lung cancer among welders and flame cutters: A systematic review and meta-analysis of case controlled studies. Bull Cancer 2023; 110:1279-1287. [PMID: 37802714 DOI: 10.1016/j.bulcan.2023.08.003] [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: 04/08/2023] [Revised: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/08/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The process of flame-cutting and welding is believed to be highly hazardous for workers involved in related industries. The study aims to provide a comprehensive quantitative effect of the risk of lung cancer due to exposure to welding fumes. METHODS A systematic review was conducted to extract published estimates of Odd's Ratio (OR) of the association of lung cancer and exposure to welding fumes, till 2022. Studies were extracted from the PubMed and Cochrane database and Google Scholar. Studies from all parts of the world were considered. Through a meta-analysis conducted with random effects model, a forest plot was created, and publication bias was checked using a funnel plot. RESULTS The meta-analysis yielded an OR of 1.28 (95% CI 1.055-1.55), with a moderately high heterogeneity between the studies [I2=72%; T2=0.0524;Q=36.12(P<0.001)]. The sensitivity and influence analysis confirmed the absence of highly influential studies that may have led to potentially distorted outcomes. The funnel plot showed no evidence of publication bias among the studies included in this analysis. CONCLUSION As the association between lung cancer and occupational hazards from exposure to welding fumes is certain, there is a need to control and regulate industrial activities that involve welding and flame cutting. Already, restrictions on safe levels of fume in the workplace are in operation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saptorshi Gupta
- International Institute for Population Sciences, Deonar, Mumbai 400088, India.
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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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Susihono W, Gede Adiatmika IP. Assessment of inhaled dust by workers and suspended dust for pollution control change and ergonomic intervention in metal casting industry: A cross-sectional study. Heliyon 2020; 6:e04067. [PMID: 32509992 PMCID: PMC7264714 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e04067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2020] [Revised: 03/20/2020] [Accepted: 05/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Metal casting industry including is an industry which produce high dust pollution (fly ash). Improvements in the form of ergonomic interventions have been carried out by many companies, but do not guarantee all parameters run well. The total indoor suspended dust (TSP) measurement results are not enough to guarantee healthy working conditions. Additional assessment of workers' inhaled dust is needed to change pollution control and work improvement to ergonomics. The design of this study is Cross Sectional Study. Research subjects numbered 84 people. All samples met the inclusion criteria. Measurement results of Characteristic of research subject, Working Environment Conditions, Exposition of dust inhaled by workers, Total Indoor Suspended Dust of the Company (p > 0.05). Found critical hours of workers exposed to dust (fly ash), starting from 4 h after working (Department of Process Cement, Department of Black Sand) and 2 h after working for the Department of Loam. Critical hours exposed to dust (fly ash) used as the basis for company management and regulators to take new policies in controlling fly ash pollution and ergonomic interventions. Ergonomic interventions can be carried out by activating the dust collector at critical hours, applying active resting hours at critical hours and conditioning workers to breathe fresh air. The impact of this ergonomic intervention is a decrease in musculoskeletal complaints by 25.27%, reduction in boredom 25.01%, and an increase in job satisfaction 38.46%.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wahyu Susihono
- Industrial Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, University of Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa, Banten, Indonesia
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4
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Gliga AR, Taj T, Hedmer M, Assarsson E, Rylander L, Albin M, Broberg K. Mild steel welding is associated with alterations in circulating levels of cancer-related proteins. Arch Toxicol 2019; 93:3535-3547. [PMID: 31641807 DOI: 10.1007/s00204-019-02594-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2019] [Accepted: 10/08/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Welding fumes were recently classified as carcinogenic to humans and worldwide millions work as welders or perform welding operations. The purpose of this study was to identify new biomarkers of welding-induced carcinogenesis. We evaluated a panel of 91 putative cancer-related proteins in serum in a cohort of welders working with mild steel (n = 77) and controls (n = 94) from southern Sweden sampled on two occasions 6-year apart using a longitudinal analysis (linear mixed models). The significant results from the longitudinal analysis were tested for reproducibility in welders (n = 88) and controls (n = 69) sampled once during the same sampling period as timepoint 1 or timepoint 2 (linear regression models), i.e., in a cross-sectional setting. The models were adjusted for age, body-mass index, and use of snus. All study participants were non-smokers at recruitment. Exposure to welding fumes was assessed using questionnaires and respirable dust measurement in the breathing zone that was adjusted for personal respiratory protection equipment. The median respirable dust in welders was 0.7 (0.2-4.2) and 0.5 (0.1-1.9) mg/m3 at the first and second timepoints, respectively. We identified 14 cancer-related proteins that were differentially expressed in welders versus controls in the longitudinal analysis, out of which three were also differentially expressed in the cross-sectional analysis (cross-sectional group). Namely, syndecan 1 (SDC1), folate receptor 1 (FOLR1), and secreted protein acidic and cysteine rich (SPARC) were downregulated, in welders compared with controls. In addition, FOLR1 was negatively associated with years welding. Disease and function analysis indicated that the top proteins are related to lung cancer as well as cell invasion and migration. Our study indicates that moderate exposure to welding fumes is associated with changes in circulating levels of putative cancer-related proteins, out of which FOLR1 showed a clear dose-response relationship. It is, however, unclear to which extent these changes are adaptive or potential early biomarkers of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anda R Gliga
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Tahir Taj
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Maria Hedmer
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Eva Assarsson
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Lars Rylander
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Maria Albin
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Karin Broberg
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. .,Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
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5
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Sun B, Shi Y, Yang X, Zhao T, Duan J, Sun Z. DNA methylation: A critical epigenetic mechanism underlying the detrimental effects of airborne particulate matter. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2018; 161:173-183. [PMID: 29883871 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2018.05.083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2018] [Revised: 05/20/2018] [Accepted: 05/29/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to airborne particulate matter (PM) does great harm to the health of human beings. To date, PM exposure has been closely associated with respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, as well as some types of cancer. As the associations of PM with the adverse health effects are well documented in literatures, the underlying mechanisms have not been completely clarified. With the field of epigenetics rising in recent years, PM-associated epigenetic alterations have gradually turned into the hot research topic. DNA methylation is one of the earliest-discovered and best-studied epigenetic mechanisms, of which the alteration can influence the transcription initiation of genes. A number of studies have been published to demonstrate that PM exposure is linked with DNA methylation patterns in the human genome. DNA methylation is the potential regulator of the biological effects of PM exposure. In the present review, DNA methylation related to PM exposure was elaborated on genome-wide and gene-specific methylation. In particular, genome-wide DNA methylation was composed of the alterations in global methylation content and genome-wide methylation profile; gene-specific methylation included the methylation changes in mechanism-related and disease-specific genes. Representative epidemiological and experimental studies were cited to elucidate the viewpoints, focusing on both PM-related methylation changes and the mediating effects of DNA methylation between PM and the health impacts. This review will provide advantageous clues for subsequent studies on the DNA methylation in relation to PM exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baiyang Sun
- Department of Toxicology and Sanitary Chemistry, School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, PR China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, PR China
| | - Yanfeng Shi
- Department of Toxicology and Sanitary Chemistry, School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, PR China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, PR China
| | - Xiaozhe Yang
- Department of Toxicology and Sanitary Chemistry, School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, PR China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, PR China
| | - Tong Zhao
- Department of Toxicology and Sanitary Chemistry, School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, PR China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, PR China
| | - Junchao Duan
- Department of Toxicology and Sanitary Chemistry, School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, PR China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, PR China.
| | - Zhiwei Sun
- Department of Toxicology and Sanitary Chemistry, School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, PR China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, PR China.
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Monastero RN, Vacchi-Suzzi C, Marsit C, Demple B, Meliker JR. Expression of Genes Involved in Stress, Toxicity, Inflammation, and Autoimmunity in Relation to Cadmium, Mercury, and Lead in Human Blood: A Pilot Study. TOXICS 2018; 6:toxics6030035. [PMID: 29986418 PMCID: PMC6160949 DOI: 10.3390/toxics6030035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2018] [Revised: 06/29/2018] [Accepted: 07/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
There is growing evidence of immunotoxicity related to exposure to toxic trace metals, and an examination of gene expression patterns in peripheral blood samples may provide insights into the potential development of these outcomes. This pilot study aimed to correlate the blood levels of three heavy metals (mercury, cadmium, and lead) with differences in gene expression in 24 participants from the Long Island Study of Seafood Consumption. We measured the peripheral blood mRNA expression of 98 genes that are implicated in stress, toxicity, inflammation, and autoimmunity. We fit multiple linear regression models with multiple testing correction to correlate exposure biomarkers with mRNA abundance. The mean blood Hg in this cohort was 16.1 µg/L, which was nearly three times the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reference dose (5.8 µg/L). The levels of the other metals were consistent with those in the general population: the mean Pb was 26.8 µg/L, and the mean Cd was 0.43 µg/L. The expression of three genes was associated with mercury, four were associated with cadmium, and five were associated with lead, although none were significant after multiple testing correction. Little evidence was found to associate metal exposure with mRNA abundance for the tested genes that were associated with stress, toxicity, inflammation, or autoimmunity. Future work should provide a more complete picture of physiological reactions to heavy metal exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca N Monastero
- Stony Brook University School of Medicine, 101 Nicolls Road, Health Sciences Center, Level 4, Stony Brook, NY 11794-8434, USA.
- Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA.
| | - Caterina Vacchi-Suzzi
- Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA.
- Stony Brook University Cancer Center, Stony Brook Medicine 3 Edmund D. Pellegrino Road, Stony Brook, NY 11794-9452, USA.
| | - Carmen Marsit
- Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
| | - Bruce Demple
- Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA.
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Stony Brook Medicine, BST 8-140, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA.
| | - Jaymie R Meliker
- Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA.
- Program in Public Health, Department of Family, Population and Preventive Medicine, Stony Brook University, HSC L3, Rm 071, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA.
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7
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Salas LA, Font-Ribera L, Bustamante M, Sumoy L, Grimalt JO, Bonnin S, Aguilar M, Mattlin H, Hummel M, Ferrer A, Kogevinas M, Villanueva CM. Gene expression changes in blood RNA after swimming in a chlorinated pool. J Environ Sci (China) 2017; 58:250-261. [PMID: 28774616 DOI: 10.1016/j.jes.2017.05.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2016] [Revised: 05/05/2017] [Accepted: 05/05/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to disinfection by-products (DBP) such as trihalomethanes (THM) in swimming pools has been linked to adverse health effects in humans, but their biological mechanisms are unclear. We evaluated short-term changes in blood gene expression of adult recreational swimmers after swimming in a chlorinated pool. Volunteers swam 40min in an indoor chlorinated pool. Blood samples were drawn and four THM (chloroform, bromodichloromethane, dibromochloromethane and bromoform) were measured in exhaled breath before and after swimming. Intensity of physical activity was measured as metabolic equivalents (METs). Gene expression in whole blood mRNA was evaluated using IlluminaHumanHT-12v3 Expression-BeadChip. Linear mixed models were used to evaluate the relationship between gene expression changes and THM exposure. Thirty-seven before-after pairs were analyzed. The median increase from baseline to after swimming were: 0.7 to 2.3 for MET, and 1.4 to 7.1μg/m3 for exhaled total THM (sum of the four THM). Exhaled THM increased on average 0.94μg/m3 per 1 MET. While 1643 probes were differentially expressed post-exposure. Of them, 189 were also associated with exhaled levels of individual/total THM or MET after False Discovery Rate. The observed associations with the exhaled THM were low to moderate (Log-fold change range: -0.17 to 0.15). In conclusion, we identified short-term gene expression changes associated with swimming in a pool that were minor in magnitude and their biological meaning was unspecific. The high collinearity between exhaled THM levels and intensity of physical activity precluded mutually adjusted models with both covariates. These exploratory results should be validated in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas A Salas
- ISGlobal, Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Barcelona, Spain; Department of Epidemiology, The Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH, USA; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Laia Font-Ribera
- ISGlobal, Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain; IMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mariona Bustamante
- ISGlobal, Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain; Genomics and Disease, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Lauro Sumoy
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; Genomics Core Facility, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain; Institute of Predictive and Personalized Medicine of Cancer (IMPPC), Institut Germans Trias i Pujol (IGTP), Can Ruti Campus, Badalona, Spain
| | - Joan O Grimalt
- Department of Environmental Chemistry, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (CSIC), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sarah Bonnin
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; Genomics Core Facility, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Maria Aguilar
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; Genomics Core Facility, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Heidi Mattlin
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; Genomics Core Facility, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Manuela Hummel
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; Genomics Core Facility, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Anna Ferrer
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; Genomics Core Facility, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Manolis Kogevinas
- ISGlobal, Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain; IMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Cristina M Villanueva
- ISGlobal, Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain; IMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute), Barcelona, Spain
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Krishnaraj J, Kowshik J, Sebastian R, Raghavan SC, Nagini S. Exposure to welding fumes activates DNA damage response and redox-sensitive transcription factor signalling in Sprague-Dawley rats. Toxicol Lett 2017; 274:8-19. [DOI: 10.1016/j.toxlet.2017.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2017] [Revised: 03/30/2017] [Accepted: 04/03/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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9
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Blood pressure and expression of microRNAs in whole blood. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0173550. [PMID: 28278198 PMCID: PMC5344460 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0173550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2016] [Accepted: 02/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Blood pressure (BP) is a complex, multifactorial clinical outcome driven by genetic susceptibility, behavioral choices, and environmental factors. Many molecular mechanisms have been proposed for the pathophysiology of high BP even as its prevalence continues to grow worldwide, increasing morbidity and marking it as a major public health concern. To address this, we evaluated miRNA profiling in blood leukocytes as potential biomarkers of BP and BP-related risk factors. Methods The Beijing Truck Driver Air Pollution Study included 60 truck drivers and 60 office workers examined in 2008. On two days separated by 1–2 weeks, we examined three BP measures: systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial pressure measured at both pre- and post-work exams for blood NanoString nCounter miRNA profiles. We used covariate-adjusted linear mixed-effect models to examine associations between BP and increased miRNA expression in both pooled and risk factor-stratified analyses. Results Overall 43 miRNAs were associated with pre-work BP (FDR<0.05). In stratified analyses different but overlapping groups of miRNAs were associated with pre-work BP in truck drivers, high-BMI participants, and usual alcohol drinkers (FDR<0.05). Only four miRNAs were associated with post-work BP (FDR<0.05), in ever smokers. Conclusion Our results suggest that many miRNAs were significantly associated with BP in subgroups exposed to known hypertension risk factors. These findings shed light on the underlying molecular mechanisms of BP, and may assist with the development of a miRNA panel for early detection of hypertension.
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Yang L, Hou XY, Wei Y, Thai P, Chai F. Biomarkers of the health outcomes associated with ambient particulate matter exposure. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2017; 579:1446-1459. [PMID: 27908628 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.11.146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2016] [Revised: 11/18/2016] [Accepted: 11/21/2016] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Epidemiologic evidence supports the positive association of cardiopulmonary morbidity and mortality, and lung cancer risk with exposure to airborne particulate matter (PM). Oxidative stress and inflammation have been proposed to be the major causal factors involved in mediating PM effects on both cardiovascular and pulmonary health outcomes. However, the mechanism whereby PM causes the health effects is not fully elucidated. To evaluate and investigate human exposure to PM, it is essential to have a specific, sensitive and robust characterization of individual exposure to PM. Biomarkers may mark important intermediate steps leading to overt health effects after PM exposure. Thus biomarkers are promising indicators, which could serve as representative measures of the exposure to PM for assessing the health impacts and understanding the mechanism. Indeed, a number of biomarkers are already in use in the field of epidemiological studies and toxicological research. However, we are facing now the challenges to select robust, specific and sensitive biomarkers, which can be employed in large-scale of population to assess the health risk and to monitor the effectiveness of interventions. In this review, we describe a range of biomarkers that are associated with air pollution exposure, particularly markers of oxidative stress, inflammatory factors, and microRNAs, as well as markers of pollutants metabolites. Understanding the nature of the association of these biomarkers with PM exposure may shed some light on the process of selecting biomarkers for large-scale population studies, developing novel preventative and therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lixin Yang
- Department of Environmental Pollution and Health, State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, 100012 Beijing, China.
| | - Xiang-Yu Hou
- School of Public Health and Social Work, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4001, Australia
| | - Yongjie Wei
- Department of Environmental Pollution and Health, State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, 100012 Beijing, China
| | - Phong Thai
- International Laboratory for Air Quality and Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4001, Australia
| | - Fahe Chai
- Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, 100012 Beijing, China.
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Korashy HM, Attafi IM, Famulski KS, Bakheet SA, Hafez MM, Alsaad AMS, Al-Ghadeer ARM. Gene expression profiling to identify the toxicities and potentially relevant human disease outcomes associated with environmental heavy metal exposure. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2017; 221:64-74. [PMID: 27916491 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2016.10.058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2016] [Revised: 10/09/2016] [Accepted: 10/19/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Heavy metals are the most commonly encountered toxic substances that increase susceptibility to various diseases after prolonged exposure. We have previously shown that healthy volunteers living near a mining area had significant contamination with heavy metals associated with significant changes in the expression of some detoxifying genes, xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes, and DNA repair genes. However, alterations of most of the molecular target genes associated with diseases are still unknown. Thus, the aims of this study were to (a) evaluate the gene expression profile and (b) identify the toxicities and potentially relevant human disease outcomes associated with long-term human exposure to environmental heavy metals in mining area using microarray analysis. For this purpose, 40 healthy male volunteers who were residents of a heavy metal-polluted area (Mahd Al-Dhahab city, Saudi Arabia) and 20 healthy male volunteers who were residents of a non-heavy metal-polluted area were included in the study. Total RNA was isolated from whole blood using PAXgene Blood RNA tubes and then reversed transcribed and hybridized to the gene array using the Affymetrix U219 GeneChip. Microarray analysis showed about 2129 genes were identified and differentially altered, among which a shared set of 425 genes was differentially expressed in the heavy metal-exposed groups. Ingenuity pathway analysis revealed that the most altered gene-regulated diseases in heavy metal-exposed groups included hematological and developmental disorders and mostly renal and urological diseases. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction closely matched the microarray data for some genes tested. Importantly, changes in gene-related diseases were attributed to alterations in the genes encoded for protein synthesis. Renal and urological diseases were the diseases that were most frequently associated with the heavy metal-exposed group. Therefore, there is a need for further studies to validate these genes, which could be used as early biomarkers to prevent renal injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hesham M Korashy
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2457, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Ibraheem M Attafi
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2457, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Konrad S Famulski
- Alberta Transplant Applied Genomics Centre, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2S2, Canada
| | - Saleh A Bakheet
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2457, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammed M Hafez
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2457, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdulaziz M S Alsaad
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2457, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdul Rahman M Al-Ghadeer
- Central Laboratory, Research Center, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2457, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
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12
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Ponnampalam SN, Kamaluddin NR, Zakaria Z, Matheneswaran V, Ganesan D, Haspani MS, Ryten M, Hardy JA. A blood-based gene expression and signaling pathway analysis to differentiate between high and low grade gliomas. Oncol Rep 2016; 37:10-22. [PMID: 28004117 PMCID: PMC5355666 DOI: 10.3892/or.2016.5285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2016] [Accepted: 11/15/2016] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The aims of the present study were to undertake gene expression profiling of the blood of glioma patients to determine key genetic components of signaling pathways and to develop a panel of genes that could be used as a potential blood-based biomarker to differentiate between high and low grade gliomas, non-gliomas and control samples. In this study, blood samples were obtained from glioma patients, non-glioma and control subjects. Ten samples each were obtained from patients with high and low grade tumours, respectively, ten samples from non-glioma patients and twenty samples from control subjects. Total RNA was isolated from each sample after which first and second strand synthesis was performed. The resulting cRNA was then hybridized with the Agilent Whole Human Genome (4×44K) microarray chip according to the manufacturer's instructions. Universal Human Reference RNA and samples were labeled with Cy3 CTP and Cy5 CTP, respectively. Microarray data were analyzed by the Agilent Gene Spring 12.1V software using stringent criteria which included at least a 2-fold difference in gene expression between samples. Statistical analysis was performed using the unpaired Student's t-test with a P<0.01. Pathway enrichment was also performed, with key genes selected for validation using droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR). The gene expression profiling indicated that were a substantial number of genes that were differentially expressed with more than a 2-fold change (P<0.01) between each of the four different conditions. We selected key genes within significant pathways that were analyzed through pathway enrichment. These key genes included regulators of cell proliferation, transcription factors, cytokines and tumour suppressor genes. In the present study, we showed that key genes involved in significant and well established pathways, could possibly be used as a potential blood-based biomarker to differentiate between high and low grade gliomas, non-gliomas and control samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen N Ponnampalam
- Cancer Research Center, Institute for Medical Research, Jalan Pahang, 50588 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Nor Rizan Kamaluddin
- Cancer Research Center, Institute for Medical Research, Jalan Pahang, 50588 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Zubaidah Zakaria
- Cancer Research Center, Institute for Medical Research, Jalan Pahang, 50588 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Vickneswaran Matheneswaran
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Malaya Medical Centre, Jalan Universiti, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Dharmendra Ganesan
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Malaya Medical Centre, Jalan Universiti, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | | | - Mina Ryten
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Institute of Neurology, University College London, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - John A Hardy
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Institute of Neurology, University College London, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
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13
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Motta V, Favero C, Dioni L, Iodice S, Battaglia C, Angelici L, Vigna L, Pesatori AC, Bollati V. MicroRNAs are associated with blood-pressure effects of exposure to particulate matter: Results from a mediated moderation analysis. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2016; 146:274-81. [PMID: 26775008 PMCID: PMC5250797 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2016.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2015] [Revised: 12/22/2015] [Accepted: 01/08/2016] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
AIMS Exposure to particulate air pollution is associated with increased blood pressure (BP), a well-established risk factor for cardiovascular disease. To elucidate the mechanisms underlying this relationship, we investigated whether the effects of particulate matter of less than 10μm in aerodynamic diameter (PM10) on BP are mediated by microRNAs. METHODS AND RESULTS We recruited 90 obese individuals and we assessed their PM10 exposure 24 and 48h before the recruitment day. We performed multivariate linear regression models to investigate the effects of PM10 on BP. Using the TaqMan® Low-Density Array, we experimentally evaluated and technically validated the expression levels of 377 human miRNAs in peripheral blood. We developed a mediated moderation analysis to estimate the proportion of PM10 effects on BP that was mediated by miRNA expression. PM10 exposure 24 and 48h before the recruitment day was associated with increased systolic BP (β=1.22mmHg, P=0.019; β=1.24mmHg, P=0.019, respectively) and diastolic BP (β=0.67mmHg, P=0.044; β=0.91mmHg, P=0.007, respectively). We identified nine miRNAs associated with PM10 levels 48h after exposure. A conditional indirect effect (CIE=-0.1431) of PM10 on diastolic BP, which was mediated by microRNA-101, was found in individuals with lower values of mean body mass index. CONCLUSIONS Our data provide evidence that miRNAs are a molecular mechanism underlying the BP-related effects of air pollution exposure, and indicate miR-101 as epigenetic mechanism to be further investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeria Motta
- EPIGET-Epidemiology, Epigenetics and Toxicology Lab-Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20122 Milan, Italy.
| | - Chiara Favero
- EPIGET-Epidemiology, Epigenetics and Toxicology Lab-Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20122 Milan, Italy.
| | - Laura Dioni
- EPIGET-Epidemiology, Epigenetics and Toxicology Lab-Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20122 Milan, Italy.
| | - Simona Iodice
- EPIGET-Epidemiology, Epigenetics and Toxicology Lab-Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20122 Milan, Italy.
| | - Cristina Battaglia
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20129 Milan, Italy.
| | - Laura Angelici
- EPIGET-Epidemiology, Epigenetics and Toxicology Lab-Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20122 Milan, Italy.
| | - Luisella Vigna
- Worker's Health Protection and Promotion Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy.
| | - Angela Cecilia Pesatori
- EPIGET-Epidemiology, Epigenetics and Toxicology Lab-Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20122 Milan, Italy; Epidemiology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy.
| | - Valentina Bollati
- EPIGET-Epidemiology, Epigenetics and Toxicology Lab-Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20122 Milan, Italy.
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14
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Hou L, Barupal J, Zhang W, Zheng Y, Liu L, Zhang X, Dou C, McCracken JP, Díaz A, Motta V, Sanchez-Guerra M, Wolf KR, Bertazzi PA, Schwartz JD, Wang S, Baccarelli AA. Particulate Air Pollution Exposure and Expression of Viral and Human MicroRNAs in Blood: The Beijing Truck Driver Air Pollution Study. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2016; 124:344-50. [PMID: 26068961 PMCID: PMC4786978 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.1408519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2014] [Accepted: 06/10/2015] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are post-transcriptional gene suppressors and potential mediators of environmental effects. In addition to human miRNAs, viral miRNAs expressed from latent viral sequences are detectable in human cells. OBJECTIVE In a highly exposed population in Beijing, China, we evaluated the associations of particulate air pollution exposure on blood miRNA profiles. METHODS The Beijing Truck Driver Air Pollution Study (BTDAS) included 60 truck drivers and 60 office workers. We investigated associations of short-term air pollution exposure, using measures of personal PM2.5 (particulate matter ≤ 2.5 μm) and elemental carbon (EC), and ambient PM10 (≤ 10 μm), with blood NanoString nCounter miRNA profiles at two exams separated by 1-2 weeks. RESULTS No miRNA was significantly associated with personal PM2.5 at a false discovery rate (FDR) of 20%. Short-term ambient PM10 was associated with the expression of 12 miRNAs in office workers only (FDR < 20%). Short-term EC was associated with differential expression of 46 human and 7 viral miRNAs, the latter including 3 and 4 viral miRNAs in office workers and truck drivers, respectively. EC-associated miRNAs differed between office workers and truck drivers with significant effect modification by occupational group. Functional interaction network analysis suggested enriched cellular proliferation/differentiation pathways in truck drivers and proinflammation pathways in office workers. CONCLUSIONS Short-term EC exposure was associated with the expression of human and viral miRNAs that may influence immune responses and other biological pathways. Associations between EC exposure and viral miRNA expression suggest that latent viral miRNAs are potential mediators of air pollution-associated health effects. PM2.5/PM10 exposures showed no consistent relationships with miRNA expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lifang Hou
- Department of Preventive Medicine, and
- Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Address correspondence to L. Hou, Department of Preventive Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 680 North Lake Shore Dr., Suite 1400, Chicago, Illinois 60611 USA. Telephone: (312) 503-4798. E-mail:
| | - Jitendra Barupal
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Bioinformatics Infrastructure Facility, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur and Barupal Research Foundation, Jaisalmer, India
| | - Wei Zhang
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Illinois, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Yinan Zheng
- Institute for Public Health and Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Lei Liu
- Department of Preventive Medicine, and
| | | | - Chang Dou
- Department of Safety Engineering, China Institute of Industrial Health, Beijing, China
| | - John P. McCracken
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Anaité Díaz
- Center for Health Studies, Universidad del Valle de Guatemala, Guatemala City, Guatemala
| | - Valeria Motta
- Center of Molecular and Genetic Epidemiology, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, University of Milan and IRCCS Maggiore Policlinico Hospital, Mangiagalli and Regina Elena Foundation, Milan, Italy
| | - Marco Sanchez-Guerra
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | - Pier Alberto Bertazzi
- Center of Molecular and Genetic Epidemiology, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, University of Milan and IRCCS Maggiore Policlinico Hospital, Mangiagalli and Regina Elena Foundation, Milan, Italy
| | - Joel D. Schwartz
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sheng Wang
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China
| | - Andrea A. Baccarelli
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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15
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Liu C, Xu J, Chen Y, Guo X, Zheng Y, Wang Q, Chen Y, Ni Y, Zhu Y, Joyce BT, Baccarelli A, Deng F, Zhang W, Hou L. Characterization of genome-wide H3K27ac profiles reveals a distinct PM2.5-associated histone modification signature. Environ Health 2015; 14:65. [PMID: 26276146 PMCID: PMC4537530 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-015-0052-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2015] [Accepted: 07/31/2015] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Current studies of environmental health suggest a link between air pollution components, such as particulate matter (PM), and various diseases. However, the specific genes and regulatory mechanisms implicated in PM-induced diseases remain largely unknown. Epigenetic systems such as covalent modification of histones in chromatin may mediate environmental factors in gene regulation. Investigating the relationships between PM exposure and histone modification status may help understand the mechanisms underlying environment-associated health conditions. METHODS In this study, we obtained genome-wide profiles of H3K27ac (histone 3 lysine 27 acetylation), known to be an active gene regulatory histone modification marker, in blood samples collected from four Chinese individuals exposed to high or low PM2.5 (particles with diameters up to 2.5 μm). RESULTS The genome-wide chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-Seq) data indicated a comprehensive differential H3K27ac landscape across the individual genomes, which was associated with high PM2.5. Moreover, a substantial number of these PM2.5-associated differential H3K27ac markers were in genes involved in immune cell activation, potentially linking these epigenetic changes with air pollution-induced immune and inflammatory responses. CONCLUSIONS Our study provides the first genome-wide characterization of H3K27ac profiles in individuals subjected to different exposure levels of PM2.5. Future systematic investigations of the relationships between air pollutants and histone modifications in large population samples are warranted to elucidate the contributions of histone modifications to environment-associated diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cong Liu
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
| | - Junhui Xu
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, China.
| | - Yahong Chen
- Respiratory Department, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China.
| | - Xinbiao Guo
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, China.
| | - Yinan Zheng
- Institute for Public Health and Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.
| | - Qianfei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Genomic and Precision Medicine, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
| | - Yiyong Chen
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, China.
| | - Yang Ni
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, China.
| | - Yidan Zhu
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, China.
| | - Brian Thomas Joyce
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.
- Division of Epidemiology/Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
| | - Andrea Baccarelli
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Furong Deng
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, China.
| | - Wei Zhang
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.
- The Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 680 N. Lake Shore Dr., Suite 1400, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.
| | - Lifang Hou
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.
- The Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 680 N. Lake Shore Dr., Suite 1400, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.
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16
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Muñoz A, Chervona Y, Hall M, Kluz T, Gamble MV, Costa M. Sex-specific patterns and deregulation of endocrine pathways in the gene expression profiles of Bangladeshi adults exposed to arsenic contaminated drinking water. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2015; 284:330-8. [PMID: 25759245 DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2015.02.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2015] [Revised: 02/25/2015] [Accepted: 02/26/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Arsenic contamination of drinking water occurs globally and is associated with numerous diseases including skin, lung and bladder cancers, and cardiovascular disease. Recent research indicates that arsenic may be an endocrine disruptor. This study was conducted to evaluate the nature of gene expression changes among males and females exposed to arsenic contaminated water in Bangladesh at high and low doses. Twenty-nine (55% male) Bangladeshi adults with water arsenic exposure ranging from 50 to 1000 μg/L were selected from the Folic Acid Creatinine Trial. RNA was extracted from peripheral blood mononuclear cells for gene expression profiling using Affymetrix 1.0 ST arrays. Differentially expressed genes were assessed between high and low exposure groups for males and females separately and findings were validated using quantitative real-time PCR. There were 534 and 645 differentially expressed genes (p<0.05) in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of males and females, respectively, when high and low water arsenic exposure groups were compared. Only 43 genes overlapped between the two sexes, with 29 changing in opposite directions. Despite the difference in gene sets both males and females exhibited common biological changes including deregulation of 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase enzymes, deregulation of genes downstream of Sp1 (specificity protein 1) transcription factor, and prediction of estrogen receptor alpha as a key hub in cardiovascular networks. Arsenic-exposed adults exhibit sex-specific gene expression profiles that implicate involvement of the endocrine system. Due to arsenic's possible role as an endocrine disruptor, exposure thresholds for arsenic may require different parameters for males and females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Muñoz
- New York University School of Medicine, Nelson Institute of Environmental Medicine, Tuxedo, NY, USA
| | - Yana Chervona
- New York University School of Medicine, Nelson Institute of Environmental Medicine, Tuxedo, NY, USA
| | - Megan Hall
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, USA
| | - Thomas Kluz
- New York University School of Medicine, Nelson Institute of Environmental Medicine, Tuxedo, NY, USA
| | - Mary V Gamble
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, USA.
| | - Max Costa
- New York University School of Medicine, Nelson Institute of Environmental Medicine, Tuxedo, NY, USA.
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17
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Wang Z, Choi S, Lee J, Huang YT, Chen F, Zhao Y, Lin X, Neuberg D, Kim J, Christiani DC. Mitochondrial Variations in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) Survival. Cancer Inform 2015; 14:1-9. [PMID: 25657573 PMCID: PMC4310616 DOI: 10.4137/cin.s13976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2014] [Revised: 06/04/2014] [Accepted: 06/05/2014] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations in the mtDNA genome have long been suspected to play an important role in cancer. Although most cancer cells harbor mtDNA mutations, the question of whether such mutations are associated with clinical prognosis of lung cancer remains unclear. We resequenced the entire mitochondrial genomes of tumor tissue from a population of 250 Korean patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Our analysis revealed that the haplogroup (D/D4) was associated with worse overall survival (OS) of early-stage NSCLC [adjusted hazard ratio (AHR), 1.95; 95% CI, 1.14–3.33; Ptrend = 0.03]. By comparing the mtDNA variations between NSCLC tissues and matched blood samples, we found that haplogroups M/N and/or D/D4 were hotspots for somatic mutations, suggesting a more complicated mechanism of mtDNA somatic mutations other than the commonly accepted mechanism of sequential accumulation of mtDNA mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaoxi Wang
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sojung Choi
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jinseon Lee
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea
| | | | - Feng Chen
- Nanjing Medical University, School of Public Health, Nanjing, China
| | - Yang Zhao
- Nanjing Medical University, School of Public Health, Nanjing, China
| | - Xihong Lin
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Donna Neuberg
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jhingook Kim
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea
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18
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Ray PD, Yosim A, Fry RC. Incorporating epigenetic data into the risk assessment process for the toxic metals arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, and mercury: strategies and challenges. Front Genet 2014; 5:201. [PMID: 25076963 PMCID: PMC4100550 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2014.00201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 106] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2014] [Accepted: 06/16/2014] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Exposure to toxic metals poses a serious human health hazard based on ubiquitous environmental presence, the extent of exposure, and the toxicity and disease states associated with exposure. This global health issue warrants accurate and reliable models derived from the risk assessment process to predict disease risk in populations. There has been considerable interest recently in the impact of environmental toxicants such as toxic metals on the epigenome. Epigenetic modifications are alterations to an individual's genome without a change in the DNA sequence, and include, but are not limited to, three commonly studied alterations: DNA methylation, histone modification, and non-coding RNA expression. Given the role of epigenetic alterations in regulating gene and thus protein expression, there is the potential for the integration of toxic metal-induced epigenetic alterations as informative factors in the risk assessment process. In the present review, epigenetic alterations induced by five high priority toxic metals/metalloids are prioritized for analysis and their possible inclusion into the risk assessment process is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul D. Ray
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North CarolinaChapel Hill, NC, USA
- Curriculum in Toxicology, School of Medicine, University of North CarolinaChapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Andrew Yosim
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North CarolinaChapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Rebecca C. Fry
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North CarolinaChapel Hill, NC, USA
- Curriculum in Toxicology, School of Medicine, University of North CarolinaChapel Hill, NC, USA
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19
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Moroni B, Viti C, Cappelletti D. Exposure vs toxicity levels of airborne quartz, metal and carbon particles in cast iron foundries. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2014; 24:42-50. [PMID: 23385294 DOI: 10.1038/jes.2013.3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2012] [Accepted: 12/04/2012] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Aerosol dust samples and quartz raw materials from different working stations in foundry plants were characterized in order to assess the health risk in this working environment. Samples were analysed by scanning and transmission electron microscopy coupled with image analysis and microanalysis, and by cathodoluminescence spectroscopy. In addition, the concentration and the solubility degree of Fe and other metals of potential health effect (Mn, Zn and Pb) in the bulk samples were determined by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). Overall, the results indicate substantial changes in quartz crystal structure and texture when passing from the raw material to the airborne dust, which include lattice defects, non-bridging oxygen hole centres and contamination of quartz grains by metal and/or graphite particles. All these aspects point towards the relevance of surface properties on reactivity. Exposure doses have been estimated based on surface area, and compared with threshold levels resulting from toxicology. The possible synergistic effects of concomitant exposure to inhalable magnetite, quartz and/or graphite particles in the same working environment have been properly remarked.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatrice Moroni
- Dipartimento di Ingegneria Civile e Ambientale, University of Perugia, Via Duranti 93, Perugia, Italy
| | - Cecilia Viti
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, University of Siena, Via Laterina 8, Siena, Italy
| | - David Cappelletti
- 1] Dipartimento di Ingegneria Civile e Ambientale, University of Perugia, Via Duranti 93, Perugia, Italy [2] SMAArt Research Center, Dipartimento di Chimica, University of Perugia, Via Elce di Sotto 8, Perugia, Italy
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20
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Wei Y, Wang Z, Chang CY, Fan T, Su L, Chen F, Christiani DC. Global metabolomic profiling reveals an association of metal fume exposure and plasma unsaturated fatty acids. PLoS One 2013; 8:e77413. [PMID: 24143234 PMCID: PMC3797131 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0077413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2013] [Accepted: 09/10/2013] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Welding-associated air pollutants negatively affect the health of exposed workers; however, their molecular mechanisms in causing disease remain largely unclear. Few studies have systematically investigated the systemic toxic effects of welding fumes on humans. Objectives To explore the effects of welding fumes on the plasma metabolome, and to identify biomarkers for risk assessment of welding fume exposure. Methods The two-stage, self-controlled exploratory study included 11 boilermakers from a 2011 discovery panel and 8 boilermakers from a 2012 validation panel. Plasma samples were collected pre- and post-welding fume exposure and analyzed by chromatography/mass spectrometry. Results Eicosapentaenoic or docosapentaenoic acid metabolic changes post-welding were significantly associated with particulate (PM2.5) exposure (p<0.05). The combined analysis by linear mixed-effects model showed that exposure was associated with a statistically significant decline in metabolite change of eicosapentaenoic acid [(95% CI) = −0.013(−0.022∼−0.004); p = 0.005], docosapentaenoic acid n3 [(95% CI) = −0.010(−0.018∼−0.002); p = 0.017], and docosapentaenoic acid n6 [(95% CI) = −0.007(−0.013∼−0.001); p = 0.021]. Pathway analysis identified an association of the unsaturated fatty acid pathway with exposure (pStudy−2011 = 0.025; pStudy−2012 = 0.021; pCombined = 0.009). The functional network built by these fatty acids and their interactive genes contained significant enrichment of genes associated with various diseases, including neoplasms, cardiovascular diseases, and lipid metabolism disorders. Conclusions High-dose exposure of metal welding fumes decreases unsaturated fatty acids with an exposure-response relationship. This alteration in fatty acids is a potential biological mediator and biomarker for exposure-related health disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongyue Wei
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zhaoxi Wang
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Chiung-yu Chang
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Tianteng Fan
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Li Su
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Feng Chen
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - David C. Christiani
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Commodore AA, Zhang J(J, Chang Y, Hartinger SM, Lanata CF, Mäusezahl D, Gil AI, Hall DB, Aguilar-Villalobos M, Vena JE, Wang JS, Naeher LP. Concentrations of urinary 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine and 8-isoprostane in women exposed to woodsmoke in a cookstove intervention study in San Marcos, Peru. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2013; 60:112-22. [PMID: 24041735 PMCID: PMC3863787 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2013.08.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2013] [Revised: 08/16/2013] [Accepted: 08/18/2013] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Nearly half of the world's population is exposed to household air pollution (HAP) due to long hours spent in close proximity to unvented cooking fires. The effect of woodsmoke exposure on oxidative stress was examined by investigating the association between woodsmoke exposure and biomarkers of DNA oxidation (8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine [8-OHdG]) and lipid peroxidation (8-isoprostane) among control and intervention stove users. HAP exposure assessment was conducted within the framework of a community-randomized controlled trial of 51 communities in San Marcos Province, Cajamarca Region, Peru. The first morning urine voids after 48h HAP exposure assessment from a subset of 45 control and 39 intervention stove users were analyzed for 8-OHdG and 8-isoprostane. General linear models and correlation analyses were performed. Urinary oxidative stress biomarkers ranged from 11.2 to 2270.0μg/g creatinine (median: 132.6μg/g creatinine) for 8-OHdG and from 0.1 to 4.5μg/g creatinine (median: 0.8μg/g creatinine) for 8-isoprostane among all study subjects (n=84). After controlling for the effects of traffic in the community and eating food exposed to fire among all subjects, cooking time was weakly, but positively associated with urinary 8-OHdG (r=0.29, p=0.01, n=80). Subjects' real-time personal CO exposures were negatively associated with 8-OHdG, particularly the maximum 30-second CO exposure during the sampling period (r=-0.32, p=0.001, n=73). 48h time integrated personal PM2.5 was negatively, but marginally associated with urinary 8-isoprostane (r=-0.21, p=0.09, n=69) after controlling for the effect of distance of homes to the road. Urinary 8-isoprostane levels reported in the available literature are comparable to results found in the current study. However there were relatively high levels of urinary 8-OHdG compared to data in the available literature for 8-OHdG excretion. Results suggest a sustained systemic oxidative stress among these Peruvian women chronically exposed to wood smoke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adwoa A. Commodore
- Environmental Health Science Department, College of Public Health, University of Georgia Athens, GA USA
| | - Junfeng (Jim) Zhang
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA USA
| | - Yan Chang
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA USA
| | - Stella M. Hartinger
- Instituto de Investigación Nutricional, Lima, Peru
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
| | | | - Daniel Mäusezahl
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Ana I. Gil
- Instituto de Investigación Nutricional, Lima, Peru
| | - Daniel B. Hall
- Department of Statistics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA USA
| | | | - John E. Vena
- Epidemiology and Biostatistics Department, College of Public Health, University of Georgia Athens, GA USA
| | - Jia-Sheng Wang
- Environmental Health Science Department, College of Public Health, University of Georgia Athens, GA USA
| | - Luke P. Naeher
- Environmental Health Science Department, College of Public Health, University of Georgia Athens, GA USA
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De Coster S, van Leeuwen DM, Jennen DGJ, Koppen G, Den Hond E, Nelen V, Schoeters G, Baeyens W, van Delft JHM, Kleinjans JCS, van Larebeke N. Gender-specific transcriptomic response to environmental exposure in Flemish adults. ENVIRONMENTAL AND MOLECULAR MUTAGENESIS 2013; 54:574-588. [PMID: 23653218 DOI: 10.1002/em.21774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2012] [Revised: 02/01/2013] [Accepted: 02/21/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Flanders, Belgium, is one of the most densely populated areas in Europe. The Flemish Environment and Health Survey (2002-2006) aimed at determining exposure to pollutants of neonates, adolescents, and older adults and to assess associated biological and health effects. This study investigated genome wide gene expression changes associated with a range of environmental pollutants, including cadmium, lead, PCBs, dioxin, hexachlorobenzene, p,p'-DDE, benzene, and PAHs. Gene expression levels were measured in peripheral blood cells of 20 adults with relatively high and 20 adults with relatively low combined internal exposure levels, all non-smokers aged 50-65. Pearson correlation was used to analyze associations between pollutants and gene expression levels, separately for both genders. Pollutant- and gender-specific correlation analysis results were obtained. For organochlorine pollutants, analysis within genders revealed that genes were predominantly regulated in opposite directions in males and females. Significantly modulated pathways were found to be associated with each of the exposure biomarkers measured. Pathways and/or genes related to estrogen and STAT5 signaling were correlated to organochlorine exposures in both genders. Our work demonstrates that gene expression in peripheral blood is influenced by environmental pollutants. In particular, gender-specific changes are associated with organochlorine pollutants, including gender-specific modulation of endocrine related pathways and genes. These pathways and genes have previously been linked to endocrine disruption related disorders, which in turn have been associated with organochlorine exposure. Based on our results, we recommend that males and females be considered separately when analyzing gene expression changes associated with exposures that may include chemicals with endocrine disrupting properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sam De Coster
- Study Centre for Carcinogenesis and Primary Prevention of Cancer, Ghent University, Ghent, 9000, Belgium
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Wild CP, Scalbert A, Herceg Z. Measuring the exposome: a powerful basis for evaluating environmental exposures and cancer risk. ENVIRONMENTAL AND MOLECULAR MUTAGENESIS 2013; 54:480-99. [PMID: 23681765 DOI: 10.1002/em.21777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 143] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2013] [Revised: 03/04/2013] [Accepted: 03/06/2013] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Advances in laboratory sciences offer much in the challenge to unravel the complex etiology of cancer and to therefore provide an evidence-base for prevention. One area where improved measurements are particularly important to epidemiology is exposure assessment; this requirement has been highlighted through the concept of the exposome. In addition, the ability to observe genetic and epigenetic alterations in individuals exposed to putative risk factors also affords an opportunity to elucidate underlying mechanisms of carcinogenesis, which in turn may allow earlier detection and more refined molecular classification of disease. In this context the application of omics technologies to large population-based studies and their associated biobanks raise exciting new avenues of research. This review considers the areas of genomics, transcriptomics, epigenomics and metabolomics and the evidence to date that people exposed to well-defined factors (for example, tobacco, diet, occupational exposures, environmental pollutants) have specific omics profiles. Although in their early stages of development these approaches show promising evidence of distinct exposure-derived biological effects and indicate molecular pathways that may be particularly relevant to the carcinogenic process subsequent to environmental and lifestyle exposures. Such an interdisciplinary approach is vital if the full benefits of advances in laboratory sciences and investments in large-scale prospective cohort studies are to be realized in relation to cancer prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher P Wild
- International Agency for Research on Cancer, 150 cours Albert Thomas, Lyon, France.
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McHale CM, Zhang L, Thomas R, Smith MT. Analysis of the transcriptome in molecular epidemiology studies. ENVIRONMENTAL AND MOLECULAR MUTAGENESIS 2013; 54:500-517. [PMID: 23907930 PMCID: PMC5142298 DOI: 10.1002/em.21798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2013] [Revised: 06/07/2013] [Accepted: 06/08/2013] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
The human transcriptome is complex, comprising multiple transcript types, mostly in the form of non-coding RNA (ncRNA). The majority of ncRNA is of the long form (lncRNA, ≥ 200 bp), which plays an important role in gene regulation through multiple mechanisms including epigenetics, chromatin modification, control of transcription factor binding, and regulation of alternative splicing. Both mRNA and ncRNA exhibit additional variability in the form of alternative splicing and RNA editing. All aspects of the human transcriptome can potentially be dysregulated by environmental exposures. Next-generation RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) is the best available methodology to measure this although it has limitations, including experimental bias. The third phase of the MicroArray Quality Control Consortium project (MAQC-III), also called Sequencing Quality Control (SeQC), aims to address these limitations through standardization of experimental and bioinformatic methodologies. A limited number of toxicogenomic studies have been conducted to date using RNA-Seq. This review describes the complexity of the human transcriptome, the application of transcriptomics by RNA-Seq or microarray in molecular epidemiology studies, and limitations of these approaches including the type of cell or tissue analyzed, experimental variation, and confounding. By using good study designs with precise, individual exposure measurements, sufficient power and incorporation of phenotypic anchors, studies in human populations can identify biomarkers of exposure and/or early effect and elucidate mechanisms of action underlying associated diseases, even at low doses. Analysis of datasets at the pathway level can compensate for some of the limitations of RNA-Seq and, as more datasets become available, will increasingly elucidate the exposure-disease continuum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cliona M McHale
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, Genes and Environment Laboratory, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA.
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Kyrtopoulos SA. Making sense of OMICS data in population-based environmental health studies. ENVIRONMENTAL AND MOLECULAR MUTAGENESIS 2013; 54:468-479. [PMID: 23625801 DOI: 10.1002/em.21778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2013] [Revised: 03/06/2013] [Accepted: 03/06/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Although experience from the application of OMICS technologies in population-based environmental health studies is still relatively limited, the accumulated evidence shows that it can allow the identification of features (genes, proteins, and metabolites), or sets of such features, which are targeted by particular exposures or correlate with disease risk. Such features or profiles can therefore serve as biomarkers of exposure or disease risk. Blood-based OMIC profiles appear to reflect to some extent events occurring in target tissues and are associated with toxicity or disease and therefore have the potential to facilitate the elucidation of exposure-disease relationships. Further progress in this direction requires better understanding of the significance of exposure-induced network perturbations for disease initiation and progression and the development of a framework that combines agnostic searches with the utilization of prior knowledge, taking account of particular elements which characterize the structure and evolution of complex systems and brings in principles of systems biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soterios A Kyrtopoulos
- National Hellenic Research Foundation, Institute of Biology, Medicinal Chemistry and Biotechnology, 48, Vassileos Constantinou Avenue, Athens 11635, Greece.
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Kile ML, Fang S, Baccarelli AA, Tarantini L, Cavallari J, Christiani DC. A panel study of occupational exposure to fine particulate matter and changes in DNA methylation over a single workday and years worked in boilermaker welders. Environ Health 2013; 12:47. [PMID: 23758843 PMCID: PMC3700827 DOI: 10.1186/1476-069x-12-47] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2012] [Accepted: 06/04/2013] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Exposure to pollutants including metals and particulate air pollution can alter DNA methylation. Yet little is known about intra-individual changes in DNA methylation over time in relationship to environmental exposures. Therefore, we evaluated the effects of acute- and chronic metal-rich PM2.5 exposures on DNA methylation. METHODS Thirty-eight male boilermaker welders participated in a panel study for a total of 54 person days. Whole blood was collected prior to any welding activities (pre-shift) and immediately after the exposure period (post-shift). The percentage of methylated cytosines (%mC) in LINE-1, Alu, and inducible nitric oxide synthase gene (iNOS) were quantified using pyrosequencing. Personal PM2.5 (particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter ≤ 2.5 μm) was measured over the work-shift. A questionnaire assessed job history and years worked as a boilermaker. Linear mixed models with repeated measures evaluated associations between DNA methylation, PM2.5 concentration (acute exposure), and years worked as a boilermaker (chronic exposure). RESULTS PM2.5 exposure was associated with increased methylation in the promoter region of the iNOS gene (β = 0.25, SE: 0.11, p-value = 0.04). Additionally, the number of years worked as a boilermaker was associated with increased iNOS methylation (β = 0.03, SE: 0.01, p-value = 0.03). No associations were observed for Alu or LINE-1. CONCLUSIONS Acute and chronic exposure to PM2.5 generated from welding activities was associated with a modest change in DNA methylation of the iNOS gene. Future studies are needed to confirm this association and determine if the observed small increase in iNOS methylation are associated with changes in NO production or any adverse health effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Molly L Kile
- Oregon State University, College of Public Health and Human Sciences, 15 Milam, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
| | - Shona Fang
- Harvard School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Andrea A Baccarelli
- Harvard School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Letizia Tarantini
- Center of Molecular and Genetic Epidemiology, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Jennifer Cavallari
- University of Connecticut, School of Medicine, Community Medicine & Health Care, 263 Farmington Avenue, Farmington, CT 06030, USA
| | - David C Christiani
- Harvard School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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Joseph P, Umbright C, Sellamuthu R. Blood transcriptomics: applications in toxicology. J Appl Toxicol 2013; 33:1193-202. [PMID: 23456664 DOI: 10.1002/jat.2861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2012] [Revised: 12/17/2012] [Accepted: 12/21/2012] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
The number of new chemicals that are being synthesized each year has been steadily increasing. While chemicals are of immense benefit to mankind, many of them have a significant negative impact, primarily owing to their inherent chemistry and toxicity, on the environment as well as human health. In addition to chemical exposures, human exposures to numerous non-chemical toxic agents take place in the environment and workplace. Given that human exposure to toxic agents is often unavoidable and many of these agents are found to have detrimental human health effects, it is important to develop strategies to prevent the adverse health effects associated with toxic exposures. Early detection of adverse health effects as well as a clear understanding of the mechanisms, especially at the molecular level, underlying these effects are key elements in preventing the adverse health effects associated with human exposure to toxic agents. Recent developments in genomics, especially transcriptomics, have prompted investigations into this important area of toxicology. Previous studies conducted in our laboratory and elsewhere have demonstrated the potential application of blood gene expression profiling as a sensitive, mechanistically relevant and practical surrogate approach for the early detection of adverse health effects associated with exposure to toxic agents. The advantages of blood gene expression profiling as a surrogate approach to detect early target organ toxicity and the molecular mechanisms underlying the toxicity are illustrated and discussed using recent studies on hepatotoxicity and pulmonary toxicity. Furthermore, the important challenges this emerging field in toxicology faces are presented in this review article.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pius Joseph
- Toxicology and Molecular Biology Branch, Health Effects Laboratory Division, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Morgantown, WV, USA
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Motta V, Angelici L, Nordio F, Bollati V, Fossati S, Frascati F, Tinaglia V, Bertazzi PA, Battaglia C, Baccarelli AA. Integrative Analysis of miRNA and inflammatory gene expression after acute particulate matter exposure. Toxicol Sci 2013; 132:307-16. [PMID: 23358196 DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kft013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are environmentally sensitive inhibitors of gene expression that may mediate the effects of metal-rich particulate matter (PM) and toxic metals on human individuals. Previous environmental miRNA studies have investigated a limited number of candidate miRNAs and have not yet evaluated the functional effects on gene expression. In this study, we wanted to identify PM-sensitive miRNAs using microarray profiling on matched baseline and postexposure RNA from foundry workers with well-characterized exposure to metal-rich PM and to characterize miRNA relations with expression of candidate inflammatory genes. We applied microarray analysis of 847 human miRNAs and real-time PCR analysis of 18 candidate inflammatory genes on matched blood samples collected from foundry workers at baseline and after 3 days of work (postexposure). We identified differentially expressed miRNAs (fold change [FC] > 2 and p < 0.05) and correlated their expression with the inflammatory associated genes. We performed in silico network analysis in MetaCore v6.9 to characterize the biological pathways connecting miRNA-mRNA pairs. Microarray analysis identified four miRNAs that were differentially expressed in postexposure compared with baseline samples, including miR-421 (FC = 2.81, p < 0.001), miR-146a (FC = 2.62, p = 0.007), miR-29a (FC = 2.91, p < 0.001), and let-7g (FC = 2.73, p = 0.019). Using false discovery date adjustment for multiple comparisons, we found 11 miRNA-mRNA correlated pairs involving the 4 differentially expressed miRNAs and candidate inflammatory genes. In silico network analysis with MetaCore database identified biological interactions for all the 11 miRNA-mRNA pairs, which ranged from direct mRNA targeting to complex interactions with multiple intermediates. Acute PM exposure may affect gene regulation through PM-responsive miRNAs that directly or indirectly control inflammatory gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeria Motta
- Exposure, Epidemiology and Risk Program, Department of Environmental Health, Laboratory of Environmental Epigenetics, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.
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29
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Howden R, Kleeberger SR. Genetic and Environmental Influences on Gas Exchange. Compr Physiol 2012; 2:2595-614. [DOI: 10.1002/cphy.c110060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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Multivariate Gene Selection and Testing in Studying the Exposure Effects on a Gene Set. STATISTICS IN BIOSCIENCES 2012; 4:319-338. [PMID: 23264831 DOI: 10.1007/s12561-012-9072-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Studying the association between a gene set (e.g., pathway) and exposures using multivariate regression methods is of increasing importance in genomic studies. Such an analysis is often more powerful and interpretable than individual gene analysis. Since many genes in a gene set are likely not affected by exposures, one is often interested in identifying a subset of genes in the gene set that are affected by exposures. This allows for better understanding of the underlying biological mechanism and for pursuing further biological investigation of these genes. The selected subset of "signal" genes also provides an attractive vehicle for a more powerful test for the association between the gene set and exposures. We propose two computationally simple Canonical Correlation Analysis (CCA) based variable selection methods: Sparse Outcome Selection (SOS) CCA and step CCA, to jointly select a subset of genes in a gene set that are associated with exposures. Several model selection criteria, such as BIC and the new Correlation Information Criterion (CIC), are proposed and compared. We also develop a global test procedure for testing the exposure effects on the whole gene set, accounting for gene selection. Through simulation studies, we show that the proposed methods improve upon an existing method when the genes are correlated and are more computationally efficient. We apply the proposed methods to the analysis of the Normative Aging DNA methylation Study to examine the effects of airborne particular matter exposures on DNA methylations in a genetic pathway.
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Hochstenbach K, van Leeuwen D, Gottschalk R, Gmuender H, Stølevik S, Nygaard U, Løvik M, Granum B, Namork E, van Loveren H, van Delft J. Transcriptomic fingerprints in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells indicative of genotoxic and non-genotoxic carcinogenic exposure. MUTATION RESEARCH/GENETIC TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL MUTAGENESIS 2012; 746:124-34. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mrgentox.2012.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2012] [Accepted: 01/05/2012] [Indexed: 04/11/2023]
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Kam SHY, Singh A, He JQ, Ruan J, Gauvreau GM, O'Byrne PM, Fitzgerald JM, Tebbutt SJ. Peripheral blood gene expression changes during allergen inhalation challenge in atopic asthmatic individuals. J Asthma 2012; 49:219-26. [PMID: 22316092 DOI: 10.3109/02770903.2011.654300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES (1) To investigate the effects of globin mRNA depletion in detecting differential gene expression in peripheral blood and (2) to investigate changes in peripheral blood gene expression in atopic asthmatic individuals undergoing allergen inhalation challenge. METHODS Asthmatic subjects (20-60 years of age, with stable, mild allergic asthma, n = 9) underwent allergen inhalation challenges. All had an early asthmatic response of ≥20% fall in forced expiratory volume in 1 second. Blood was collected immediately prior to and 2 hours after allergen challenge using PAXgene tubes (n = 4) and EDTA tubes (n = 5). Aliquots of the PAXgene blood samples were subjected to globin reduction (PAX-GR). Transcriptome analysis was performed using Affymetrix GeneChip(®) Human Gene 1.0 ST arrays. Data were preprocessed using factor analysis for robust microarray summarization and analyzed using linear models for microarrays. Pathway analyses were performed using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis. RESULTS Globin reduction uncovered probe sets of lower abundance. However, it significantly reduced the ability to detect differentially expressed genes (DEGs) when compared to non-globin-reduced PAXgene samples (PAX-NGR). Combined transcriptional analysis of four PAX-NGR and five EDTA sample pairs identified 1595 DEGs associated with allergen inhalation challenge (false discovery rate ≤ 5%), with the top-ranked network of perturbed biological functions consisting of inflammatory response, cellular movement, and immune cell trafficking. CONCLUSIONS While we have demonstrated a diminished ability to detect DEGs after globin reduction, we have nevertheless identified significant changes in the peripheral blood transcriptome of people with mild asthma 2 hours after allergen inhalation challenge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah H Y Kam
- James Hogg Research Centre, St. Paul's Hospital, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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Sonkoly E, Pivarcsi A. MicroRNAs in inflammation and response to injuries induced by environmental pollution. Mutat Res 2011; 717:46-53. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mrfmmm.2011.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2010] [Revised: 02/02/2011] [Accepted: 02/07/2011] [Indexed: 04/08/2023]
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Schulte PA, Pandalai S, Wulsin V, Chun H. Interaction of occupational and personal risk factors in workforce health and safety. Am J Public Health 2011; 102:434-48. [PMID: 22021293 DOI: 10.2105/ajph.2011.300249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 117] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Most diseases, injuries, and other health conditions experienced by working people are multifactorial, especially as the workforce ages. Evidence supporting the role of work and personal risk factors in the health of working people is frequently underused in developing interventions. Achieving a longer, healthy working life requires a comprehensive preventive approach. To help develop such an approach, we evaluated the influence of both occupational and personal risk factors on workforce health. We present 32 examples illustrating 4 combinatorial models of occupational hazards and personal risk factors (genetics, age, gender, chronic disease, obesity, smoking, alcohol use, prescription drug use). Models that address occupational and personal risk factors and their interactions can improve our understanding of health hazards and guide research and interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul A Schulte
- National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cincinnati, OH 45226, USA.
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Wu MT, Lee TC, Wu IC, Su HJ, Huang JL, Peng CY, Wang W, Chou TY, Lin MY, Lin WY, Huang CT, Pan CH, Ho CK. Whole genome expression in peripheral-blood samples of workers professionally exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Chem Res Toxicol 2011; 24:1636-43. [PMID: 21854004 DOI: 10.1021/tx200181q] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
This study aims to examine global gene expression profiles before and after the work-shift among coke-oven workers (COWs). COWs work six consecutive days and then take two days off. Two blood and urine samples in each worker were collected before starting to work after two days off and end-of-shift in the sixth day of work in 2009. Altered gene expressions (ratio of gene expression levels between end-of-shift and preshift work) were performed by a Human OneArray expression system which probes ~30,000-transcription expression profiling of human genes. Sixteen workers, all men, were enrolled in this study. Median urinary 1-hydroxypyrene (1OHP) levels (μmol/mol creatinine) in end-of-shift work were significantly higher than those in preshift work (2.58 vs 0.29, p = 0.0002). Among the 20,341 genes which passed experimental quality control, 26 gene expression changes, 7 positive and 19 negative, were highly correlated with across-the-shift urinary 1OHP levels (end-of-shift-preshift 1OHP) (p-value <0.001). The high and low exposure groups of across-the-shift urinary 1OHP levels dichotomized in ~2.00 μmol/mol creatinine were able to be distinguished by these 26 genes. Some of them are known to be involved in apoptosis, chromosome stability/DNA repair, cell cycle control/tumor suppressor, cell adhesion, development/spermatogenesis, immune function, and neuronal cell function. These findings in COWs will be an ideal model to study the relationship of PAH exposure with acute changes of gene expressions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming-Tsang Wu
- Department of Family Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
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Rylander C, Dumeaux V, Olsen KS, Waaseth M, Sandanger TM, Lund E. Using blood gene signatures for assessing effects of exposure to perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) in humans: the NOWAC postgenome study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR EPIDEMIOLOGY AND GENETICS 2011; 2:207-216. [PMID: 21915359 PMCID: PMC3166148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2011] [Accepted: 05/21/2011] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) are ubiquitously present in human blood samples and the effects of these compounds on human health are not fully characterized. This study was conducted in order to investigate the applicability of peripheral blood gene expressions for exploring the impact of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) and perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS) exposure on the general population. PFOS, PFOA and PFHxS were analyzed in blood samples from a representative group of 270 healthy, postmenopausal Norwegian women (48-62 years). Gene expression was measured in the same samples using the Applied Biosystems microarray platform. Forty-eight different gene sets, all previously linked to PFAA exposure were explored in relation to the selected PFAAs. Two gene sets, both related to the citric acid cycle, were differentially expressed between the "PFOS high" (>30ng/ml, n=42) and the "PFOS low" (<30ng/ml, n=228) group. Based on the results of this study we believe that blood gene signatures have a large potential for elucidating which biological pathways are being affected by environmental pollutants. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first assessment of the impact of PFAAs on blood gene expressions in humans from the general population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotta Rylander
- Department of Community medicine, University of Tromsø9037 Tromsø, Norway
- Norwegian Institute for Air Research, Fram Research Centre9296 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Vanessa Dumeaux
- Department of Community medicine, University of Tromsø9037 Tromsø, Norway
| | | | - Marit Waaseth
- Department of Community medicine, University of Tromsø9037 Tromsø, Norway
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Tromsø9037 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Torkjel M Sandanger
- Department of Community medicine, University of Tromsø9037 Tromsø, Norway
- Norwegian Institute for Air Research, Fram Research Centre9296 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Eiliv Lund
- Department of Community medicine, University of Tromsø9037 Tromsø, Norway
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Oh JH, Yang MJ, Heo JD, Yang YS, Park HJ, Park SM, Kwon MS, Song CW, Yoon S, Yu IJ. Inflammatory response in rat lungs with recurrent exposure to welding fumes. Toxicol Ind Health 2011; 28:203-15. [DOI: 10.1177/0748233711410906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
As chronic exposure to welding fumes causes pulmonary diseases, such as pneumoconiosis, public concern has increased regarding continued exposure to these hazardous gases in the workplace. In a previous study, the inflammatory response to welding fume exposure was analysed in rat lungs in the case of recurrent exposure and recovery periods. Thus using lung samples, well-annotated by histological observation and biochemical analysis, this study examines the gene expression profiles to identify phenotype-anchored genes corresponding to lung inflammation and the repair phenomenon after recurrent welding fume exposure. Seven genes ( Mmp12, Cd5l, LOC50101, LOC69183, Spp1, and Slc26a4) were found to be significantly up-regulated according to the severity of the lung injury. In addition, the transcription and translation of Trem2, which was up-regulated in response to the repair process, were validated using a real-time polymerase chain reaction, Western blotting, and immunohistochemistry. The differentially expressed genes in the exposure and recovery groups were also classified using k-means and hierarchical clustering, plus their toxicological function and canonical pathways were further analysed using Ingenuity Pathways Analysis Software. As a result, this comprehensive and integrative analysis of the transcriptional changes that occur during repeated exposure provides important information on the inflammation and repair processes after welding-fume-induced lung injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jung-Hwa Oh
- Division of Research and Development, Korea Institute of Toxicology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Mi-Jin Yang
- Division of Inhalation Toxicology, KIT Jeongeup Campus, Jeongeup, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeong-Doo Heo
- Division of Inhalation Toxicology, KIT Jeongeup Campus, Jeongeup, Republic of Korea
| | - Young-Su Yang
- Division of Inhalation Toxicology, KIT Jeongeup Campus, Jeongeup, Republic of Korea
| | - Han-Jin Park
- Division of Research and Development, Korea Institute of Toxicology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Se-Myo Park
- Division of Research and Development, Korea Institute of Toxicology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Myung-Sang Kwon
- Division of Research and Development, Korea Institute of Toxicology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Chang-Woo Song
- Division of Inhalation Toxicology, KIT Jeongeup Campus, Jeongeup, Republic of Korea
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Engineering, University of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Seokjoo Yoon
- Division of Research and Development, Korea Institute of Toxicology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Engineering, University of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Il Je Yu
- Toxicological Research Center, Hoseo University, Asan, Korea
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Cantone L, Nordio F, Hou L, Apostoli P, Bonzini M, Tarantini L, Angelici L, Bollati V, Zanobetti A, Schwartz J, Bertazzi PA, Baccarelli A. Inhalable metal-rich air particles and histone H3K4 dimethylation and H3K9 acetylation in a cross-sectional study of steel workers. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2011; 119:964-9. [PMID: 21385672 PMCID: PMC3222996 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.1002955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 106] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2010] [Accepted: 03/08/2011] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Epidemiology investigations have linked exposure to ambient and occupational air particulate matter (PM) with increased risk of lung cancer. PM contains carcinogenic and toxic metals, including arsenic and nickel, which have been shown in in vitro studies to induce histone modifications that activate gene expression by inducing open-chromatin states. Whether inhalation of metal components of PM induces histone modifications in human subjects is undetermined. OBJECTIVES We investigated whether the metal components of PM determined activating histone modifications in 63 steel workers with well-characterized exposure to metal-rich PM. METHODS We determined histone 3 lysine 4 dimethylation (H3K4me2) and histone 3 lysine 9 acetylation (H3K9ac) on histones from blood leukocytes. Exposure to inhalable metal components (aluminum, manganese, nickel, zinc, arsenic, lead, iron) and to total PM was estimated for each study subject. RESULTS Both H3K4me2 and H3K9ac increased in association with years of employment in the plant (p-trend = 0.04 and 0.006, respectively). H3K4me2 increased in association with air levels of nickel [β = 0.16; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.03-0.3], arsenic (β = 0.16; 95% CI, 0.02-0.3), and iron (β = 0.14; 95% CI, 0.01-0.26). H3K9ac showed nonsignificant positive associations with air levels of nickel (β = 0.24; 95% CI, -0.02 to 0.51), arsenic (β = 0.21; 95% CI, -0.06 to 0.48), and iron (β = 0.22; 95% CI, -0.03 to 0.47). Cumulative exposures to nickel and arsenic, defined as the product of years of employment by metal air levels, were positively correlated with both H3K4me2 (nickel: β = 0.16; 95% CI, 0.01-0.3; arsenic: β = 0.16; 95% CI, 0.03-0.29) and H3K9ac (nickel: β = 0.27; 95% CI, 0.01-0.54; arsenic: β = 0.28; 95% CI, 0.04-0.51). CONCLUSIONS Our results indicate histone modifications as a novel epigenetic mechanism induced in human subjects by long-term exposure to inhalable nickel and arsenic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Cantone
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Università di Milano and Istituto Di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, and Maggiore Hospital, Mangiagalli and Regina Elena Foundation, Milan, Italy
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Huang CC, Lloyd-Jones DM, Guo X, Rajamannan NM, Lin S, Du P, Huang Q, Hou L, Liu K. Gene expression variation between African Americans and whites is associated with coronary artery calcification: the multiethnic study of atherosclerosis. Physiol Genomics 2011; 43:836-43. [PMID: 21521779 DOI: 10.1152/physiolgenomics.00243.2010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Coronary artery calcium (CAC) is a strong indicator of total atherosclerosis burden. Epidemiological data have shown substantial differences in CAC prevalence and severity between African Americans and whites. However, little is known about the molecular mechanisms underlying initiation and progression of CAC. Microarray gene expression profiling of peripheral blood leucocytes was performed from 119 healthy women aged 50 yr or above in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis cohort; 48 women had CAC score >100 and carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) >1 mm, while 71 had CAC <10 and IMT <0.65 mm. When 17 African Americans were compared with 41 whites in the low-CAC group, 409 differentially expressed genes (false discovery rate <5%) were identified. In addition, 316 differentially expressed genes were identified between the high- and low-CAC groups. A substantial overlap between these two gene lists was observed (148 genes, P < 10(-6)). Furthermore, genes expressed lower in African Americans also tend to express lower in individuals with low CAC (correlation 0.69, P = 0.002). Ontology analysis of the 409 race-associated genes revealed significant enrichment in mobilization of calcium and immune/inflammatory response (P < 10(-9)). Of note, 25 of 30 calcium mobilization genes were involved in immune/inflammatory response (P < 10(-10)). Our data suggest a connection between immune response and vascular calcification and the result provides a potential mechanistic explanation for the lower prevalence and severity of CAC in African Americans compared with whites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiang-Ching Huang
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
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Delfino RJ, Staimer N, Vaziri ND. Air pollution and circulating biomarkers of oxidative stress. AIR QUALITY, ATMOSPHERE, & HEALTH 2011; 4:37-52. [PMID: 23626660 PMCID: PMC3634798 DOI: 10.1007/s11869-010-0095-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Chemical components of air pollutant exposures that induce oxidative stress and subsequent inflammation may be partly responsible for associations of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality with airborne particulate matter and combustion-related pollutant gasses. However, epidemiologic evidence regarding this is limited. An exposure-assessment approach is to measure the oxidative potential of particle mixtures because it is likely that hundreds of correlated chemicals are involved in overall effects of air pollution on health. Oxidative potential likely depends on particle composition and size distribution, especially ultrafine particle concentration, and on transition metals and certain semivolatile and volatile organic chemicals. For health effects, measuring systemic oxidative stress in the blood is one feasible approach, but there is no universal biomarker of oxidative stress and there are many potential target molecules (lipids, proteins, DNA, nitric oxide, etc.), which may be more or less suitable for specific study goals. Concurrent with the measurement of oxidative stress, it is important to measure gene and/or protein expression of endogenous antioxidant enzymes because they can modify relations between oxidative stress biomarkers and air pollutants. Conversely, the expression and activities of these enzymes are modified by oxidative stress. This interplay will likely determine the observed effects of air pollutants on systemic inflammatory and thrombotic mediators and related clinical outcomes. Studies are needed to assess the reliability and validity of oxidative stress biomarkers, evaluate differences in associations between oxidative stress biomarkers and various pollutant measurements (mass, chemical components, and oxidative potential), and evaluate impacts of antioxidant responses on these relations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ralph J. Delfino
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, 100 Theory, Suite 100, Irvine, CA 92617-7555, USA
| | - Norbert Staimer
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, 100 Theory, Suite 100, Irvine, CA 92617-7555, USA
| | - Nosratola D. Vaziri
- Nephrology and Hypertension Division, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
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Xia T, Zhao Y, Sager T, George S, Pokhrel S, Li N, Schoenfeld D, Meng H, Lin S, Wang X, Wang M, Ji Z, Zink JI, Mädler L, Castranova V, Lin S, Nel AE. Decreased dissolution of ZnO by iron doping yields nanoparticles with reduced toxicity in the rodent lung and zebrafish embryos. ACS NANO 2011; 5:1223-35. [PMID: 21250651 PMCID: PMC3900638 DOI: 10.1021/nn1028482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 265] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
We have recently shown that the dissolution of ZnO nanoparticles and Zn(2+) shedding leads to a series of sublethal and lethal toxicological responses at the cellular level that can be alleviated by iron doping. Iron doping changes the particle matrix and slows the rate of particle dissolution. To determine whether iron doping of ZnO also leads to lesser toxic effects in vivo, toxicity studies were performed in rodent and zebrafish models. First, we synthesized a fresh batch of ZnO nanoparticles doped with 1-10 wt % of Fe. These particles were extensively characterized to confirm their doping status, reduced rate of dissolution in an exposure medium, and reduced toxicity in a cellular screen. Subsequent studies compared the effects of undoped to doped particles in the rat lung, mouse lung, and the zebrafish embryo. The zebrafish studies looked at embryo hatching and mortality rates as well as the generation of morphological defects, while the endpoints in the rodent lung included an assessment of inflammatory cell infiltrates, LDH release, and cytokine levels in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Iron doping, similar to the effect of the metal chelator, DTPA, interfered in the inhibitory effects of Zn(2+) on zebrafish hatching. In the oropharyngeal aspiration model in the mouse, iron doping was associated with decreased polymorphonuclear cell counts and IL-6 mRNA production. Doped particles also elicited decreased heme oxygenase 1 expression in the murine lung. In the intratracheal instillation studies in the rat, Fe doping was associated with decreased polymorphonuclear cell counts, LDH, and albumin levels. All considered, the above data show that Fe doping is a possible safe design strategy for preventing ZnO toxicity in animals and the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tian Xia
- Division of NanoMedicine, Department of Medicine, Morgantown, WV 26506
| | - Yan Zhao
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, Morgantown, WV 26506
| | - Tina Sager
- National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Morgantown, WV 26506
| | - Saji George
- Division of NanoMedicine, Department of Medicine, Morgantown, WV 26506
| | - Suman Pokhrel
- Foundation Institute of Materials Science, Division of Process & Chemical Engineering, Department of Production Engineering, University of Bremen, Germany
| | - Ning Li
- Division of NanoMedicine, Department of Medicine, Morgantown, WV 26506
| | - David Schoenfeld
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, Morgantown, WV 26506
| | - Huan Meng
- Division of NanoMedicine, Department of Medicine, Morgantown, WV 26506
| | - Sijie Lin
- Division of NanoMedicine, Department of Medicine, Morgantown, WV 26506
| | - Xiang Wang
- Division of NanoMedicine, Department of Medicine, Morgantown, WV 26506
| | - Meiying Wang
- Division of NanoMedicine, Department of Medicine, Morgantown, WV 26506
| | - Zhaoxia Ji
- California NanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095
| | - Jeffrey I. Zink
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095
- California NanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095
| | - Lutz Mädler
- Foundation Institute of Materials Science, Division of Process & Chemical Engineering, Department of Production Engineering, University of Bremen, Germany
- California NanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095
| | - Vincent Castranova
- National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Morgantown, WV 26506
| | - Shuo Lin
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, Morgantown, WV 26506
| | - Andre E. Nel
- Division of NanoMedicine, Department of Medicine, Morgantown, WV 26506
- California NanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095
- Corresponding Author: Andre Nel, M.D., Department of Medicine, Division of NanoMedicine, UCLA School of Medicine, 52-175 CHS, 10833 Le Conte Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1680. Tel: (310) 825-6620, Fax: (310) 206-8107,
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McHale CM, Zhang L, Hubbard AE, Smith MT. Toxicogenomic profiling of chemically exposed humans in risk assessment. Mutat Res 2010; 705:172-83. [PMID: 20382258 PMCID: PMC2928857 DOI: 10.1016/j.mrrev.2010.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2010] [Accepted: 04/01/2010] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Gene-environment interactions contribute to complex disease development. The environmental contribution, in particular low-level and prevalent environmental exposures, may constitute much of the risk and contribute substantially to disease. Systematic risk evaluation of the majority of human chemical exposures, has not been conducted and is a goal of regulatory agencies in the U.S. and worldwide. With the recent recognition that toxicological approaches more predictive of effects in humans are required for risk assessment, in vitro human cell line data as well as animal data are being used to identify toxicity mechanisms that can be translated into biomarkers relevant to human exposure studies. In this review, we discuss how data from toxicogenomic studies of exposed human populations can inform risk assessment, by generating biomarkers of exposure, early effect, and/or susceptibility, elucidating mechanisms of action underlying exposure-related disease, and detecting response at low doses. Good experimental design incorporating precise, individual exposure measurements, phenotypic anchors (pre-disease or traditional toxicological markers), and a range of relevant exposure levels, is necessary. Further, toxicogenomic studies need to be designed with sufficient power to detect true effects of the exposure. As more studies are performed and incorporated into databases such as the Comparative Toxicogenomics Database (CTD) and Chemical Effects in Biological Systems (CEBS), data can be mined for classification of newly tested chemicals (hazard identification), and, for investigating the dose-response, and inter-relationship among genes, environment and disease in a systems biology approach (risk characterization).
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Affiliation(s)
- Cliona M. McHale
- School of Public Health, Division of Environmental Health Sciences, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720
| | - Luoping Zhang
- School of Public Health, Division of Environmental Health Sciences, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720
| | - Alan E. Hubbard
- School of Public Health, Division of Biostatistics, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720
| | - Martyn T. Smith
- School of Public Health, Division of Environmental Health Sciences, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720
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Jönsson LS, Nielsen J, Broberg K. Gene expression analysis in induced sputum from welders with and without airway-related symptoms. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 2010; 84:105-13. [PMID: 20862590 DOI: 10.1007/s00420-010-0579-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2010] [Accepted: 08/23/2010] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To identify changes in gene expression in the airways among welders, with and without lower airway symptoms, working in black steel. METHODS Included were 25 male, non-smoking welders. Each welder was sampled twice; before exposure (after vacation), and after 1 month of exposure. From the welders (14 symptomatic, of whom 7 had asthma-like symptoms), RNA from induced sputum was obtained for gene expression analysis. Messenger RNA from a subset of the samples (n = 7) was analysed with microarray technology to identify genes of interest. These genes were further analysed using quantitative PCR (qPCR; n = 22). RESULTS By comparing samples before and after exposure, the microarray analysis resulted in several functional annotation clusters: the one with the highest enrichment score contained "response to wounding", "inflammatory response" and "defence response". Seven genes were analysed by qPCR: granulocyte colony-stimulating factor 3 receptor (CSF3R), superoxide dismutase 2, interleukin 8, glutathione S-transferase pi 1, tumour necrosis factor alpha-induced protein 6 (TNFAIP6), interleukin 1 receptor type II and matrix metallopeptidase 25 (MMP25). Increased levels of CSF3R, TNFAIP6 and MMP25 were indicated among asthmatic subjects compared to non-symptomatic subjects, although the differences did not reach significance. CONCLUSIONS Workers' exposure to welding fumes changed gene expression in the lower airways in genes involved in inflammatory and defence response. Thus, microarray and qPCR technique can demonstrate markers of exposure to welding fumes and possible disease-related markers. However, further studies are needed to verify genes involved and to further characterise the mechanism for welding fumes-associated lower airway symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lena S Jönsson
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University Hospital, 221 85, Lund, Sweden
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Rollins B, Martin MV, Morgan L, Vawter MP. Analysis of whole genome biomarker expression in blood and brain. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2010; 153B:919-36. [PMID: 20127885 PMCID: PMC3098564 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.31062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 111] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The consistency of peripheral gene expression data and the overlap with brain expression has not been evaluated in biomarker discovery, nor has it been reported in multiple tissues from the same subjects on a genome wide transcript level. The effects of processing whole blood, transformation, and passaged cell lines on gene expression profiling was studied in healthy subjects using Affymetrix arrays. Ficoll extracted peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) transformed lymphocytes, passaged lymphoblastic cell lines (LCLs), and whole blood from Tempus tubes were compared. There were 6,813 transcripts differentially expressed between different methods of blood preparation. Principal component analysis resolved two partitions involving pre- and post-transformation EBV effects. Combining results from Affymetrix arrays, postmortem subjects' brain and PBMC profiles showed co-expression levels of summarized transcripts for 4,103 of 17,859 (22.9%) RefSeq transcripts. In a control experiment, rat hemi-brain and blood showed similar expression levels for 19% of RefSeq transcripts. After filtering transcripts that were not significantly different in abundance between human cerebellum and PBMCs from the Affymetrix exon array the correlation in mean transcript abundance was high as expected (r = 0.98). Differences in the alternative splicing index in brain and blood were found for about 90% of all transcripts examined. This study demonstrates over 4,100 brain transcripts co-expressed in blood samples can be further examined by in vitro and in vivo experimental studies of blood and cell lines from patients with psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ling Morgan
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, 92697-4260 USA
| | - Marquis P. Vawter
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, 92697-4260 USA
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Bollati V, Marinelli B, Apostoli P, Bonzini M, Nordio F, Hoxha M, Pegoraro V, Motta V, Tarantini L, Cantone L, Schwartz J, Bertazzi PA, Baccarelli A. Exposure to metal-rich particulate matter modifies the expression of candidate microRNAs in peripheral blood leukocytes. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2010; 118:763-8. [PMID: 20061215 PMCID: PMC2898851 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.0901300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 248] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2009] [Accepted: 01/08/2010] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Altered patterns of gene expression mediate the effects of particulate matter (PM) on human health, but mechanisms through which PM modifies gene expression are largely undetermined. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are highly conserved, noncoding small RNAs that regulate the expression of broad gene networks at the posttranscriptional level. OBJECTIVES We evaluated the effects of exposure to PM and PM metal components on candidate miRNAs (miR-222, miR-21, and miR-146a) related with oxidative stress and inflammatory processes in 63 workers at an electric-furnace steel plant. METHODS We measured miR-222, miR-21, and miR-146a expression in blood leukocyte RNA on the first day of a workweek (baseline) and after 3 days of work (postexposure). Relative expression of miRNAs was measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction. We measured blood oxidative stress (8-hydroxyguanine) and estimated individual exposures to PM1 (< 1 microm in aerodynamic diameter), PM10 (< 10 microm in aerodynamic diameter), coarse PM (PM10 minus PM1), and PM metal components (chromium, lead, cadmium, arsenic, nickel, manganese) between the baseline and postexposure measurements. RESULTS Expression of miR-222 and miR-21 (using the 2-DeltaDeltaCT method) was significantly increased in postexposure samples (miR-222: baseline = 0.68 +/- 3.41, postexposure = 2.16 +/- 2.25, p = 0.002; miR-21: baseline = 4.10 +/- 3.04, postexposure = 4.66 +/- 2.63, p = 0.05). In postexposure samples, miR-222 expression was positively correlated with lead exposure (beta = 0.41, p = 0.02), whereas miR-21 expression was associated with blood 8-hydroxyguanine (beta = 0.11, p = 0.03) but not with individual PM size fractions or metal components. Postexposure expression of miR-146a was not significantly different from baseline (baseline = 0.61 +/- 2.42, postexposure = 1.90 +/- 3.94, p = 0.19) but was negatively correlated with exposure to lead (beta = -0.51, p = 0.011) and cadmium (beta = -0.42, p = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS Changes in miRNA expression may represent a novel mechanism mediating responses to PM and its metal components.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Bollati
- Center of Molecular and Genetic Epidemiology, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Università degli Studi di Milano and IRCCS Fondazione Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Barbara Marinelli
- Center of Molecular and Genetic Epidemiology, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Università degli Studi di Milano and IRCCS Fondazione Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Pietro Apostoli
- Department of Experimental and Applied Medicine, Occupational Medicine and Industrial Hygiene, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Matteo Bonzini
- Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Insubria, Varese, Italy
| | - Francesco Nordio
- Center of Molecular and Genetic Epidemiology, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Università degli Studi di Milano and IRCCS Fondazione Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Nephrology and Health Sciences, University of Parma Medical School, Parma, Italy
| | - Mirjam Hoxha
- Center of Molecular and Genetic Epidemiology, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Università degli Studi di Milano and IRCCS Fondazione Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Valeria Pegoraro
- Center of Molecular and Genetic Epidemiology, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Università degli Studi di Milano and IRCCS Fondazione Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Valeria Motta
- Center of Molecular and Genetic Epidemiology, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Università degli Studi di Milano and IRCCS Fondazione Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Letizia Tarantini
- Center of Molecular and Genetic Epidemiology, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Università degli Studi di Milano and IRCCS Fondazione Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Laura Cantone
- Center of Molecular and Genetic Epidemiology, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Università degli Studi di Milano and IRCCS Fondazione Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Joel Schwartz
- Exposure, Epidemiology and Risk Program, Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Pier Alberto Bertazzi
- Center of Molecular and Genetic Epidemiology, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Università degli Studi di Milano and IRCCS Fondazione Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Andrea Baccarelli
- Center of Molecular and Genetic Epidemiology, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Università degli Studi di Milano and IRCCS Fondazione Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
- Exposure, Epidemiology and Risk Program, Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Address correspondence to A. Baccarelli, Center of Molecular and Genetic Epidemiology, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Via San Barnaba 8, 20122 Milan, Italy. Telephone: 39-0250320145. Fax: 39-0250320103. E-mail:
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The effects of globin on microarray-based gene expression analysis of mouse blood. Mamm Genome 2010; 21:268-75. [PMID: 20473674 PMCID: PMC2890980 DOI: 10.1007/s00335-010-9261-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2010] [Accepted: 04/14/2010] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The use of mouse blood as a model for human blood is often considered in the development of clinically relevant, gene expression-based disease biomarkers. However, the ability to derive biologically meaningful insights from microarray-based gene expression patterns in mouse whole blood, as in human whole blood, is hindered by high levels of globin mRNA. In order to characterize the effects of globin reduction on gene expression of peripheral mouse blood, we performed gene set enrichment analysis on genes identified as expressed in blood via microarray-based genome-wide transcriptome analysis. Depletion of globin mRNA enhanced the quality of microarray data as shown by improved gene expression detection and increased sensitivity. Compared to genes expressed in whole blood, genes detected as expressed in blood following globin reduction were enriched for low abundance transcripts implicated in many biological pathways, including development, g-protein signaling, and immune response. Broadly, globin reduction resulted in improved detection of expressed genes that serve as molecular binding proteins and enzymes in cellular metabolism, intracellular transport/localization, transcription, and translation, as well as genes that potentially could act as biomarkers for diseases such as schizophrenia. These significantly enriched pathways overlap considerably with those identified in globin-reduced human blood suggesting that globin-reduced mouse blood gene expression studies may be useful for identifying genes relevant to human disease. Overall, the results of this investigation provide a better understanding of the impact of reducing globin transcripts in mouse blood and highlight the potential of microarray-based, globin-reduced, mouse blood gene expression studies in biomarker development.
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Lund E, Dumeaux V. Towards a more functional concept of causality in cancer research. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR EPIDEMIOLOGY AND GENETICS 2010; 1:124-33. [PMID: 21537385 PMCID: PMC3076760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2009] [Accepted: 03/02/2010] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Advances in molecular technologies challenge the different concepts of causality in biology, epidemiology and multistage mathematical models. The lack of integration of the different aspects of causality into a common framework could postpone our attempts to build a human causal model of carcinogenesis. We present here some aspects of differences in methodology, terminology and traditions between the scientific disciplines and propose a research strategy using functional analyses of the transcriptome and epigenetics to illuminate causality in complex biological systems. Overcoming the challenges of biological material collection suitable for such analyses into a prospective design, this could give unique opportunities for verification of mechanistic information from basic biological research in a human model system. The ultimate goal is to obtain a dynamic causal description of the different carcinogenesis stages. The success of this novel approach depends on the biological relationship between the gene expression of the somatic driver mutations or co-expressed genes in tumours and the gene expressions mirrored in peripheral blood along the different stages of carcinogenesis. The use of gene expression profiles and epigenetics could produce a functional concept of causality to explain the human multistage carcinogenic process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eiliv Lund
- Institute of Community Medicine, University of Tromsø 9037 Tromsø, Norway
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Dumeaux V, Olsen KS, Nuel G, Paulssen RH, Børresen-Dale AL, Lund E. Deciphering normal blood gene expression variation--The NOWAC postgenome study. PLoS Genet 2010; 6:e1000873. [PMID: 20300640 PMCID: PMC2837385 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1000873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2009] [Accepted: 02/05/2010] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
There is growing evidence that gene expression profiling of peripheral blood cells is a valuable tool for assessing gene signatures related to exposure, drug-response, or disease. However, the true promise of this approach can not be estimated until the scientific community has robust baseline data describing variation in gene expression patterns in normal individuals. Using a large representative sample set of postmenopausal women (N = 286) in the Norwegian Women and Cancer (NOWAC) postgenome study, we investigated variability of whole blood gene expression in the general population. In particular, we examined changes in blood gene expression caused by technical variability, normal inter-individual differences, and exposure variables at proportions and levels relevant to real-life situations. We observe that the overall changes in gene expression are subtle, implying the need for careful analytic approaches of the data. In particular, technical variability may not be ignored and subsequent adjustments must be considered in any analysis. Many new candidate genes were identified that are differentially expressed according to inter-individual (i.e. fasting, BMI) and exposure (i.e. smoking) factors, thus establishing that these effects are mirrored in blood. By focusing on the biological implications instead of directly comparing gene lists from several related studies in the literature, our analytic approach was able to identify significant similarities and effects consistent across these reports. This establishes the feasibility of blood gene expression profiling, if they are predicated upon careful experimental design and analysis in order to minimize confounding signals, artifacts of sample preparation and processing, and inter-individual differences. As a major defence and transport system, blood cells are capable of adjusting gene expression in response to various clinical, biochemical, and pathological conditions. Here, we expand our understanding about the nature and extent of variation in gene expression from blood among healthy individuals. Using a large representative sample of postmenopausal women (N = 286) in the Norwegian Women and Cancer (NOWAC) postgenome study, we investigated blood gene expression changes due to normal inter-individuality (age, body mass index, fasting status), and exposure variables (smoking, hormone therapy, and medication use) at proportions and levels found in real life situations. Host genes were found to vary by inter-individual (i.e. fasting, BMI) and exposure (i.e. smoking) factors, and these gene lists may be used as a basis for further hypothesis development. Our study also establishes the feasibility of blood gene expression profiling for disease prediction, diagnosis, or prognosis, but underscores the necessity of care in study design and analysis to account for inter-individual differences and confounding signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa Dumeaux
- Institute of Community Medicine, University of Tromsø, Tromsø, Norway.
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Enquobahrie DA, Williams MA, Qiu C, Muhie SY, Slentz-Kesler K, Ge Z, Sorenson T. Early pregnancy peripheral blood gene expression and risk of preterm delivery: a nested case control study. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2009; 9:56. [PMID: 20003277 PMCID: PMC2799378 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2393-9-56] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2009] [Accepted: 12/10/2009] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Preterm delivery (PTD) is a significant public health problem associated with greater risk of mortality and morbidity in infants and mothers. Pathophysiologic processes that may lead to PTD start early in pregnancy. We investigated early pregnancy peripheral blood global gene expression and PTD risk. Methods As part of a prospective study, ribonucleic acid was extracted from blood samples (collected at 16 weeks gestational age) from 14 women who had PTD (cases) and 16 women who delivered at term (controls). Gene expressions were measured using the GeneChip® Human Genome U133 Plus 2.0 Array. Student's T-test and fold change analysis were used to identify differentially expressed genes. We used hierarchical clustering and principle components analysis to characterize signature gene expression patterns among cases and controls. Pathway and promoter sequence analyses were used to investigate functions and functional relationships as well as regulatory regions of differentially expressed genes. Results A total of 209 genes, including potential candidate genes (e.g. PTGDS, prostaglandin D2 synthase 21 kDa), were differentially expressed. A set of these genes achieved accurate pre-diagnostic separation of cases and controls. These genes participate in functions related to immune system and inflammation, organ development, metabolism (lipid, carbohydrate and amino acid) and cell signaling. Binding sites of putative transcription factors such as EGR1 (early growth response 1), TFAP2A (transcription factor AP2A), Sp1 (specificity protein 1) and Sp3 (specificity protein 3) were over represented in promoter regions of differentially expressed genes. Real-time PCR confirmed microarray expression measurements of selected genes. Conclusions PTD is associated with maternal early pregnancy peripheral blood gene expression changes. Maternal early pregnancy peripheral blood gene expression patterns may be useful for better understanding of PTD pathophysiology and PTD risk prediction.
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Lönneborg A, Aarøe J, Dumeaux V, Børresen-Dale AL. Found in transcription: gene expression and other novel blood biomarkers for the early detection of breast cancer. Expert Rev Anticancer Ther 2009; 9:1115-23. [PMID: 19671031 DOI: 10.1586/era.09.31] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Early detection of a growing breast tumor is of key importance for patient survival. Despite limitations, mammography screening has improved the detection of breast tumors, however many tumors are not detected. This is especially true for younger women and women with high breast density. Novel diagnostic blood biomarkers either generated by the tumor and released into the blood, or generated by nontumor cells as a response to the tumor presence, can now potentially help improve the accuracy of early-stage breast cancer detection. They include multicomponent biomarkers, circulating tumor cells and RNA expression of peripheral blood. These novel biomarkers and their potential use will be presented and discussed in this review, with special emphasis on gene expression-based markers.
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