The effects and potential mechanisms of essential metals on the associations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons with blood cell-based inflammation markers

Xiaojing Liao; Haimei Wu; Kang Liu; Yansen Bai; Degang Wu; Chaofan Guo; Xin Liu; Zhaorui Zhang; Yongshun Huang; Na Zhao; Yongmei Xiao; Qifei Deng

doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2024.123856

The effects and potential mechanisms of essential metals on the associations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons with blood cell-based inflammation markers

Environ Pollut. 2024 May 15:349:123856. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.123856. Epub 2024 Mar 29.

Authors

Xiaojing Liao¹, Haimei Wu¹, Kang Liu², Yansen Bai², Degang Wu², Chaofan Guo¹, Xin Liu¹, Zhaorui Zhang², Yongshun Huang³, Na Zhao³, Yongmei Xiao¹, Qifei Deng⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, Guangdong, China.
² School of Public Health, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, Guangdong, China.
³ Department of Occupational Medicine, Guangdong Province Hospital for Occupational Disease Prevention and Treatment, Guangzhou, 510300, Guangdong, China.
⁴ Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, Guangdong, China; School of Public Health, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, Guangdong, China. Electronic address: dengqifei@126.com.

PMID: 38556152
DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.123856

Abstract

Background: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are well-acknowledged pro-inflammatory chemicals, but their associations with blood cell-based inflammatory biomarkers need further investigation. Moreover, the effects and mechanisms of essential metals on PAH-related inflammation remain poorly understood.

Objects: To elucidate the associations of PAHs on inflammatory biomarkers, as well as the effects and mechanisms of essential metals on these associations.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 1388 coke oven workers. We analyzed the modification effects of key essential metal(s) on PAHs-inflammatory biomarkers associations. To explore the possible mechanisms from an inflammation perspective, we performed a bioinformatic analysis on the genes of PAHs and essential metals obtained from the Comparative Toxicogenomics Database (CTD) and performed a mediation analysis.

Results: We observed associations of PAHs and essential metals with lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) (P < 0.05). PAH mixtures were inversely associated with LMR (β_QGC-index = -0.18, P < 0.001), with 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OH-Pyr) being the most prominent contributor (weight = 63.37%), whereas a positive association between essential metal mixtures and LMR was observed (β_QGC-index = 0.14, P < 0.001), with tin being the most significant contributor (weight = 51.61%). An inverse association of 1-OH-Pyr with LMR was weakened by increased tin exposure (P < 0.05). The CTD database showed that PAHs and tin compounds co-regulated 22 inflammation-associated genes, but they regulated most genes in opposite directions. Further identified the involvement of oxidative stress and mediation analysis showed that the mediation effect of 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) on 1-OH-Pyr-LMR association presented heterogeneity between low and high tin tertile groups (I² = 37.84%).

Conclusion: 1-OH-Pyr and tin were significantly associated with LMR. Modification effects indicated that the inverse association of 1-OH-Pyr with LMR was mitigated with an increase in tin. The mediation effect of 8-OHdG on the inverse association of 1-OH-Pyr with LMR may be partially dependent on tin.

Keywords: Essential metals; Inflammation; Modification effect; Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; Regulatory network.

MeSH terms

Adult
Biomarkers* / blood
Coke
Cross-Sectional Studies
Humans
Inflammation*
Male
Metals
Middle Aged
Occupational Exposure*
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons* / toxicity

Substances

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons
Biomarkers
Metals
Coke