Plasma metabonomics investigation reveals involvement of fatty acid oxidation in hematotoxicity in Chinese benzene-exposed workers with low white blood cell count.
Rongli SunKai XuQiaoyun ZhangXiaoyun JiangZhaodi ManLihong YinJuan ZhangYuepu PuPublished in: Environmental science and pollution research international (2018)
Benzene is an environmental and occupational contaminant. Health hazards associated with occupational benzene exposure is a major public health problem in China. In this study, we analyzed metabolite profiles among plasma samples collected from benzene-exposed workers with low white blood cell count (BLWs) and healthy controls using high-performance liquid chromatography-time-of-flight mass spectrometry. To screen potential benzene hematotoxicity biomarkers and metabolic pathways, principal component analysis was used to examine metabolite profile changes in plasma samples. The alterations in fatty acid oxidation (FAO) pathway were consistent with our previous findings in a mouse model; hence, two key genes were selected and verified in WBC samples. A total of nine identified metabolites were significantly changed in BLWs, which were involved in glutathione metabolism, porphyrin metabolism, lipid metabolism pathway, and FAO metabolism. Furthermore, compared with healthy controls, the mRNA expressions of carnitine acyltransferase (CRAT) and ACADVL were significantly increased in BLWs. Particularly, WBC counts was negatively correlated with the expression of AVADVL in BLWs. These aberrant metabolites could act as potential biomarkers for benzene hematotoxicity. In addition, fatty acid oxidation pathway may play a critical role in the development of hematotoxicity caused by benzene.
Keyphrases
- fatty acid
- public health
- high performance liquid chromatography
- mouse model
- hydrogen peroxide
- human health
- cell therapy
- stem cells
- poor prognosis
- risk assessment
- tandem mass spectrometry
- photodynamic therapy
- gene expression
- genome wide
- electron transfer
- dna methylation
- nitric oxide
- simultaneous determination
- high throughput
- global health