Yu R C, Hsu K H, Chen C J, Froines J R
Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of California-Los Angeles School of Public Health, 90095-1772, USA.
Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2000 Nov;9(11):1259-62.
Chronic ingestion of arsenic from drinking water is associated with the occurrence of skin cancer. To clarify the role of arsenic methylation capacity in the development of arsenic-associated skin lesions, an epidemiological case-control study was conducted in the southwestern region of Taiwan, in which 26 skin disorder patients were matched with control subjects. The objective of this study was to determine whether arsenic methylation capacity of patients with skin disorders differed from that of matched controls. Both cases and controls had been exposed to similar high concentrations of arsenic in drinking water. Results indicated that skin lesion cases had higher percents of inorganic arsenic (InAs, 13.1+/-3.7%), methylarsonic acid (MMA, 16.4+/-3.2%), lower percent of dimethylarsinic acid (DMA, 70.5+/-5.8%), and higher ratio of MMA to DMA (MMA/DMA, 0.24+/-0.06) than matched controls (InAs: 11.43+/-2.1%; MMA: 14.6+/-2.6%; DMA: 73.9+/-3.3%; MMA/ DMA: 0.20+/-0.04). Individuals with a higher percentage of MMA (>15.5%) had an odds ratio of developing skin disorder 5.5 times (95% confidence interval, 1.22-24.81) higher than those having a lower percentage of MMA. This association was not confounded by hepatitis B surface antigen, cigarette smoking, or alcohol and tea consumption. It is concluded that arsenic biotransformation including methylation capacity may have a role in the development of arsenic-induced skin disorders.
长期饮用含砷的水与皮肤癌的发生有关。为了阐明砷甲基化能力在砷相关皮肤病变发展中的作用，在台湾西南部地区进行了一项流行病学病例对照研究，将26名皮肤病患者与对照者进行匹配。本研究的目的是确定皮肤病患者的砷甲基化能力是否与匹配的对照者不同。病例组和对照组都接触了相似高浓度的饮用水中的砷。结果表明，与匹配的对照组相比，皮肤病变病例组的无机砷（InAs，13.1±3.7%）、甲基胂酸（MMA，16.4±3.2%）百分比更高，二甲基胂酸（DMA，70.5±5.8%）百分比更低，MMA与DMA的比值（MMA/DMA，0.24±0.06）更高（InAs：11.43±2.1%；MMA：14.6±2.6%；DMA：73.9±3.3%；MMA/DMA：0.20±0.04）。MMA百分比更高（>15.5%）的个体患皮肤病的优势比是MMA百分比更低的个体的5.5倍（95%置信区间，1.22 - 24.81）。这种关联不受乙肝表面抗原、吸烟或饮酒及饮茶的影响。结论是砷的生物转化包括甲基化能力可能在砷诱导的皮肤病变发展中起作用。
