Kozłowska Lucyna, Santonen Tiina, Duca Radu Corneliu, Godderis Lode, Jagiello Karolina, Janasik Beata, Van Nieuwenhuyse An, Poels Katrien, Puzyn Tomasz, Scheepers Paul T J, Sijko Monika, Silva Maria João, Sosnowska Anita, Viegas Susana, Verdonck Jelle, Wąsowicz Wojciech
Laboratory of Human Metabolism Research, Department of Dietetics, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, 02776 Warsaw, Poland.
Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, 00250 Helsinki, Finland.
Metabolites. 2022 Apr 18;12(4):362. doi: 10.3390/metabo12040362.
Exposure to hexavalent chromium Cr(VI) may occur in several occupational activities, placing workers in many industries at risk for potential related health outcomes. Untargeted metabolomics was applied to investigate changes in metabolic pathways in response to Cr(VI) exposure. We obtained our data from a study population of 220 male workers with exposure to Cr(VI) and 102 male controls from Belgium, Finland, Poland, Portugal and the Netherlands within the HBM4EU Chromates Study. Urinary metabolite profiles were determined using liquid chromatography mass spectrometry, and differences between post-shift exposed workers and controls were analyzed using principal component analysis. Based on the first two principal components, we observed clustering by industrial chromate application, such as welding, chrome plating, and surface treatment, distinct from controls and not explained by smoking status or alcohol use. The changes in the abundancy of excreted metabolites observed in workers reflect fatty acid and monoamine neurotransmitter metabolism, oxidative modifications of amino acid residues, the excessive formation of abnormal amino acid metabolites and changes in steroid and thyrotropin-releasing hormones. The observed responses could also have resulted from work-related factors other than Cr(VI). Further targeted metabolomics studies are needed to better understand the observed modifications and further explore the suitability of urinary metabolites as early indicators of adverse effects associated with exposure to Cr(VI).
在一些职业活动中可能会接触到六价铬（Cr(VI)），这使许多行业的工人面临潜在相关健康后果的风险。应用非靶向代谢组学来研究Cr(VI)暴露后代谢途径的变化。我们的数据来自HBM4EU铬酸盐研究中220名接触Cr(VI)的男性工人和102名来自比利时、芬兰、波兰、葡萄牙和荷兰的男性对照组成的研究人群。使用液相色谱质谱法测定尿代谢物谱，并使用主成分分析来分析轮班后暴露工人与对照组之间的差异。基于前两个主成分，我们观察到按工业铬酸盐应用（如焊接、镀铬和表面处理）聚类，与对照组不同，且不受吸烟状况或饮酒的影响。在工人中观察到的排泄代谢物丰度变化反映了脂肪酸和单胺神经递质代谢、氨基酸残基的氧化修饰、异常氨基酸代谢物的过度形成以及类固醇和促甲状腺激素释放激素的变化。观察到的反应也可能由Cr(VI)以外的与工作相关的因素引起。需要进一步进行靶向代谢组学研究，以更好地理解观察到的修饰，并进一步探索尿代谢物作为与Cr(VI)暴露相关不良反应早期指标的适用性。
