Relative miRNA and mRNA expression involved in arsenic methylation.

Three arsenic species in urine are measured using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. RT-PCR is performed to detect the expression levels of AS3MT, 3 miRNAs, and 17 relative mRNAs in 43 workers producing arsenic trioxide, 36 workers who stopped exposure to arsenic for 85 days, and 24 individuals as the control group. The concentrations of urinary arsenic are very high in workers. A negative correlation between AS3MT and MiR-548c-3p is found. There exist significant changes for most selected miRNAs and mRNAs in workers. There are no significant differences between workers who stopped exposure to arsenic and the control group for most miRNAs and mRNAs, but the MiR-548c-3p levels show significant changes. Similar positive correlations between the expression of AS3MT and all selected mRNAs are found. Negative correlations between the expression of MiR-548c-3p and many relative mRNAs are found as well. AS3MT and MiR-548c-3p may regulate arsenic methylation jointly, which when involved in a group of relative mRNAs may play roles in arsenic metabolism and epigenetic changes caused by this metabolism.