Associations of Metal Mixtures with Lipid Profiles: Exploring the Mediating Role of Testosterone in a Cross-Sectional Study.

Metal exposure is a critical driver for dyslipidemia, yet the associations and underlying mechanisms between them remain uncertain. This study aimed to investigate the relationships between metal exposure, lipid profile, and total testosterone (TT) and to explore the mediating role of TT in 548 manganese-exposed male workers. We quantified 15 blood metals alongside serum lipid profiles [total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)] and TT levels.

Zinc Mitigates the Combined Neurotoxicity of Binary Metal Mixtures via Mitophagy and Mitochondrial Fusion.

Environmental metal mixtures can cause combined neurotoxicity, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Mitochondria are crucial for energy metabolism in the nervous system, and their dysfunction leads to neurodegeneration. Zinc (Zn) is a coenzyme of many mitochondrial enzymes that controls mitochondrial function.

Association of Blood Metals and Metal Mixtures with the Myocardial Enzyme Profile: An Occupational Population-Based Study in China.

To investigate a cross-sectional association between blood metal mixture and myocardial enzyme profile, we quantified creatine kinase (CK), creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB), lactate dehydrogenase (LD), α-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase (α-HBD), and aspartate transaminase (AST) levels among participants from the manganese-exposed workers healthy cohort (MEWHC) (n = 544). The levels of 22 metals in blood cells were determined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) penalized regression model was utilized for screening metals.

Cross-sectional and Longitudinal Associations Between Metal Mixtures and Serum C3, C4: Result from the Manganese‑exposed Workers Healthy Cohort.

Exposure to metal mixtures compromises the immune system, with the complement system connecting innate and adaptive immunity. Herein, we sought to explore the relationships between blood cell metal mixtures and the third and fourth components of serum complement (C3, C4). A total of 538 participants were recruited in November 2017, and 289 participants were followed up in November 2021.

Associations of metal mixtures with thyroid function and potential interactions with iodine status: results from a cross-sectional study in MEWHC.

Few studies are available on associations between metal mixture exposures and disrupted thyroid hormone homeostasis; particularly, the role of iodine status was ignored. Here, we aimed to explore the cross-sectional relationship of blood cell metals with thyroid homeostasis and explore the potential modifying effect of iodine status. Among 328 workers from the manganese-exposed workers healthy cohort (MEWHC), we detected thyroid function parameters: thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), total triiodothyronine (TT3), free triiodothyronine (FT3), total tetraiodothyronine (TT4), free tetraiodothyronine (FT4) as well as calculated sum activity of peripheral deiodinases (G) and thyroid's secretory capacity (G).

Causal Effect of Genetically Determined Blood Copper Concentrations on Multiple Diseases: A Mendelian Randomization and Phenome-Wide Association Study.

Unlabelled: Exposures to copper have become a health concern. We aim to explore the broad clinical effects of blood copper concentrations. A total of 376,346 Caucasian subjects were enrolled.

Zinc homeostasis may reverse the synergistic neurotoxicity of heavy metal mixtures in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Heavy metal mixtures can cause nerve damage. However, the combined effects of metal mixtures are extremely complex and rarely studied. Zinc (Zn) homeostasis plays an integral role in neural function, but the role of Zn homeostasis in the toxicity of metal mixtures is not well understood.

Relationship of multiple metals mixture and osteoporosis in older Chinese women: An aging and longevity study.

Osteoporosis has become a major health problem in older women. Previous studies have linked individual metals exposure with osteoporosis, but combined effects remain inconclusive. We aimed to explore the individual and combined association between multiple metals mixture and osteoporosis risk in older Chinese women.

Metal mixtures with longitudinal changes in lipid profiles: findings from the manganese-exposed workers healthy cohort.

The majority of epidemiological investigations on metal exposures and lipid metabolism employed cross-sectional designs and focused on individual metal. We explored the associations between metal mixture exposures and longitudinal changes in lipid profiles and potential sexual heterogeneity. We recruited 250 men and 73 women, aged 40 years at baseline (2012), and followed them up in 2020, from the manganese-exposed workers healthy cohort.

Genome-wide association and Mendelian randomization study of blood copper levels and 213 deep phenotypes in humans.

Metal elements are present in the human body, and their levels in the blood have important impacts on health. In this study, 2488 Chinese individuals were included in a genome-wide association study of 21 serum metal levels, with approximately 179,000 East Asian individuals in a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis, and 628,000 Europeans in a two-sample MR analysis. We identified two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) rs35691438 and rs671 that were significantly associated with serum copper levels (SCLs).

Causal relationships between blood calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, selenium, phosphorus, copper, and lead levels and multisystem disease outcomes in over 400,000 Caucasian participants.

Background & Aims: Metal elements have been associated with a wide range of clinical outcomes. The available epidemiological evidence for these associations is often inconsistent and suffers from confounding and reverse causation. We aimed to explore the broad clinical effects of varying blood metal element levels and possible underlying mechanisms.

Sex-specific associations of exposure to metal mixtures with telomere length change: Results from an 8-year longitudinal study.

Studies on the relationships between exposure to metal mixtures and telomere length (TL) are limited, particularly longitudinal studies. Few studies are available on the potential sex-specific associations between metal exposures and TL change. We examined blood metal concentrations and TL at baseline (August 2012) and follow-up (June 2020) among 316 participants in a ferro-manganese refinery.

MR-PheWAS for the causal effects of serum magnesium on multiple disease outcomes in Caucasian descent.

Magnesium is integral to many physiological processes, whereas variations in its levels, even within the normal range, can have critical implications for health. To explore the broad clinical effects of varying serum magnesium levels, we performed a two-sample Mendelian randomization and phenome-wide association study (MR-PheWAS) in the UK Biobank cohort. In total, MR-PheWAS analysis implicated a causal role of serum magnesium levels in five disease groups and six disease outcomes.

The impacts of different anticoagulants and long-term frozen storage on multiple metal concentrations in peripheral blood: a comparative study.

It is important but remains unclear whether ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and sodium heparin anticoagulants have different impacts on the levels of various metals in peripheral blood after long-term frozen storage. The concentrations of 22 metals (Al, As, Ba, Ca, Cd, Cr, Co, Cu, Mn, Mg, Mo, Ni, Fe, Pb, Rb, Se, Sn, Sb, Sr, Ti, V, Zn) in whole blood, blood cells and plasma from 22 healthy participants were determined twice, 18 months apart, using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The mean percentage error (MPE) and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) were calculated to evaluate the impact of the anticoagulants and long-term frozen storage on metal concentrations, respectively.

Sex-specific associations of plasma metals and metal mixtures with glucose metabolism: An occupational population-based study in China.

Studies with multi-pollutant approach on the relationships between multiple metals and fasting plasma glucose (FPG) are limited. Few studies are available on the potential sex-specific associations between metal exposures and glucose metabolism. We explored the associations between 22 plasma metals and FPG level among the 769 participants from the manganese-exposed workers healthy cohort in China.

Associations of prenatal exposure to multiple metals with testicular volume and anogenital distance in infant boys: A longitudinal cohort study.

Background: Human are widely exposed to multiple metals, some of which have suspected reproductive toxicity, but no human studies have investigated the developmental effects of prenatal metal exposure.

Objectives: We aimed to evaluate the associations between prenatal multiple metal exposure and reproductive development in boys at 2-3 years using multi-pollutant approach.

Methods: This prospective study used data of 564 mother-child pairs recruited from the Guangxi Birth Cohort Study.

High manganese exposure decreased the risk of high triglycerides in workers: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Manganese (Mn) participates in lipid metabolism. However, the associations between Mn exposure and dyslipidaemia is unclear.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study.

Occupational exposure to manganese and risk of creatine kinase and creatine kinase-MB elevation among ferromanganese refinery workers.

Background: Elevated exposure to manganese (Mn) could induce cardiovascular dysfunction. However, limited research is available on the effects of occupational Mn exposure on myocardial enzymes. We aimed to evaluate the relationships between Mn exposure and myocardial enzyme elevation among Mn-exposed workers.

Associations between manganese exposure and multiple immunological parameters in manganese-exposed workers healthy cohort.

Background: Manganese (Mn) ions play a crucial role in the immune response. The immunotoxicity of Mn is rarely reported compared with the neurotoxicity of Mn.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the associations between chronic Mn exposure and immunological parameters in occupational Mn-exposed workers.

Plasma metals and serum bilirubin levels in workers from manganese-exposed workers healthy cohort (MEWHC).

Few studies specifically address the possible associations between multiple-metal exposures and liver damage among the occupational population. This study aimed to explore the cross-sectional relationships of plasma metals with liver function parameters. For 571 on-the-spot workers in the manganese-exposed workers healthy cohort (MEWHC), we determined liver function parameters: total bilirubin (TBILI), direct bilirubin (DBILI), indirect bilirubin (IBILI), alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST).

Association between long-term occupational manganese exposure and bone quality among retired workers.

Despite well documents for manganese-induced neurological deficits, limited researches are available for effects of manganese (Mn) exposure on the bone. Here we aimed to explore the associations between long-term occupational Mn exposure and bone quality among retired workers. We conducted a cross-sectional study of 304 exposed subjects (n, male = 161 and female = 143) and 277 control retired workers (n, male = 65 and female = 212) recruited from a ferromanganese refinery.

The association between serum iron status and risk of asthma: a 2-sample Mendelian randomization study in descendants of Europeans.

Background: Observational studies present conflicting results about a possible association of iron status with asthma risk, pointing to potential modifiable targets for prevention.

Objective: The aim of this study was to use Mendelian randomization (MR) to estimate associations between iron status and asthma risk.

Methods: We used the Genetics of Iron Status consortium to identify genetic variants that could be used as instrumental variables for the effect of systemic iron status.

Associations between multiple serum metal exposures and low birth weight infants in Chinese pregnant women: A nested case-control study.

To investigate the associations between prenatal exposure to single metal and multiple metals and the risk of low birth weight (LBW), we conducted a nested case-control study of 246 LBW and 406 NBW mother-infant pairs based on a prospective birth cohort study. 22 serum metals were detected by inductively coupled plasma quadruple mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Categorical analyses showed serum Co and Ti were associated with LBW (Co: 3rd vs 4th.

Follow-up of the manganese-exposed workers healthy cohort (MEWHC) and biobank management from 2011 to 2017 in China.

Background: Long-term excess exposure to environmental manganese (Mn) can lead to multi-system damage, especially in occupational populations. Therefore, we established a manganese-exposed workers healthy cohort (MEWHC), focusing on the systemic health effects related to Mn exposure. Here, we aimed to describe the follow-up activity for the MEWHC study and establish a standardized biological sample bank for the scientific management of high-quality biospecimens and the attached data from 2011 to 2017.

Manganese in blood cells as an exposure biomarker in manganese-exposed workers healthy cohort.

Elevated exposure to manganese (Mn) has long been a public health concern. However, there is currently no consensus on the best exposure biomarker. Here we aimed to investigate the exposomic characteristics of plasma metals among Mn-exposed workers and explore the potential biomarkers of Mn exposure in the blood pool.