Expression of Genes Involved in Stress, Toxicity, Inflammation, and Autoimmunity in Relation to Cadmium, Mercury, and Lead in Human Blood: A Pilot Study
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...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2018-07-01
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| Series: | Toxics |
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| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/6/3/35 |
| _version_ | 1798045939286409216 |
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| author | Rebecca N. Monastero Caterina Vacchi-Suzzi Carmen Marsit Bruce Demple Jaymie R. Meliker |
| author_facet | Rebecca N. Monastero Caterina Vacchi-Suzzi Carmen Marsit Bruce Demple Jaymie R. Meliker |
| author_sort | Rebecca N. Monastero |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | 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. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T23:30:17Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b48320a74fe4424ab03684db742b12ba |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2305-6304 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T23:30:17Z |
| publishDate | 2018-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Toxics |
| spelling | doaj.art-b48320a74fe4424ab03684db742b12ba2022-12-22T03:57:11ZengMDPI AGToxics2305-63042018-07-01633510.3390/toxics6030035toxics6030035Expression of Genes Involved in Stress, Toxicity, Inflammation, and Autoimmunity in Relation to Cadmium, Mercury, and Lead in Human Blood: A Pilot StudyRebecca N. Monastero0Caterina Vacchi-Suzzi1Carmen Marsit2Bruce Demple3Jaymie R. Meliker4Stony Brook University School of Medicine, 101 Nicolls Road, Health Sciences Center, Level 4, Stony Brook, NY 11794-8434, USAStony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USADepartment of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30322, USAStony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USAStony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USAThere 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.http://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/6/3/35HgCdPbmRNAFish |
| spellingShingle | Rebecca N. Monastero Caterina Vacchi-Suzzi Carmen Marsit Bruce Demple Jaymie R. Meliker Expression of Genes Involved in Stress, Toxicity, Inflammation, and Autoimmunity in Relation to Cadmium, Mercury, and Lead in Human Blood: A Pilot Study Toxics Hg Cd Pb mRNA Fish |
| title | Expression of Genes Involved in Stress, Toxicity, Inflammation, and Autoimmunity in Relation to Cadmium, Mercury, and Lead in Human Blood: A Pilot Study |
| title_full | Expression of Genes Involved in Stress, Toxicity, Inflammation, and Autoimmunity in Relation to Cadmium, Mercury, and Lead in Human Blood: A Pilot Study |
| title_fullStr | Expression of Genes Involved in Stress, Toxicity, Inflammation, and Autoimmunity in Relation to Cadmium, Mercury, and Lead in Human Blood: A Pilot Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Expression of Genes Involved in Stress, Toxicity, Inflammation, and Autoimmunity in Relation to Cadmium, Mercury, and Lead in Human Blood: A Pilot Study |
| title_short | Expression of Genes Involved in Stress, Toxicity, Inflammation, and Autoimmunity in Relation to Cadmium, Mercury, and Lead in Human Blood: A Pilot Study |
| title_sort | expression of genes involved in stress toxicity inflammation and autoimmunity in relation to cadmium mercury and lead in human blood a pilot study |
| topic | Hg Cd Pb mRNA Fish |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/6/3/35 |
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