Jinye Hu1, Yuling Bao2, Hui Huang3, Zhan Zhang1, Feng Chen3, Lei Li4, Qian Wu5. 1. The Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education and Department of Health Inspection and Quarantine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China. 2. Department of Respiratory, Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China. 3. Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China. 4. The Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education and Department of Health Inspection and Quarantine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China. lilei@njmu.edu.cn. 5. The Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education and Department of Health Inspection and Quarantine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China. wuqian@njmu.edu.cn.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) is a potential risk factor for asthma prevalence. This study aims to explore whether PAHs exposure is associated with childhood asthma by altering microbial diversity and metabolic profiles. METHODS: Thirty children with asthma and 30 children as control in Nanjing, China were recruited. Urinary 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHPyr) level was determined by UPLC-Orbitrap-MS as a PAHs exposure biomarker. Logistic regression was conducted to investigate the association between 1-OHPyr and childhood asthma. Microbial diversity was analyzed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Metabolic profiles were obtained by UPLC-Orbitrap-MS methods. Differential microbiota and metabolites were screened and selected as response biomarkers or intermediates. Mediation analysis was conducted to assess the association between PAHs and asthma mediated by intermediates. RESULTS: Participating children with and without asthma aged 6.43 ± 2.23 years. The urinary 1-OHPyr level ranged from 0.10 to 1.51 μmol/mol (creatinine corrected) in the participants. The urinary 1-OHPyr level was associated with childhood asthma (OR = 7.21, 95% CI: 1.03-50.42 per 1 μmol/mol unit). Microbial diversity was decreased in the group with asthma and there was a significant shift in the abundance of Proteobacteria (at the phylum level), Veillonella and Prevotella (at the genus level). The enrichment pathway analysis showed that differentially expressed metabolites were involved in purine metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and lipid and fatty acid metabolism. The urinary 1-OHPyr level was associated with the abundance of Actinomyces sp. oral clone IO076 and 7-methylguanine that showed a mediation effect on the association between urinary 1-OHPyr levels and childhood asthma by mediation analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Urinary 1-OHPyr exposure was associated with childhood asthma, microbial diversity, and metabolic profiles. Microbial diversity and metabolic profiles may be intermediates as response biomarkers to PAHs exposure in childhood asthma. Further research is needed to confirm these study results and determine the underlying mechanism.
BACKGROUND: Exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) is a potential risk factor for asthma prevalence. This study aims to explore whether PAHs exposure is associated with childhood asthma by altering microbial diversity and metabolic profiles. METHODS: Thirty children with asthma and 30 children as control in Nanjing, China were recruited. Urinary 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHPyr) level was determined by UPLC-Orbitrap-MS as a PAHs exposure biomarker. Logistic regression was conducted to investigate the association between 1-OHPyr and childhood asthma. Microbial diversity was analyzed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Metabolic profiles were obtained by UPLC-Orbitrap-MS methods. Differential microbiota and metabolites were screened and selected as response biomarkers or intermediates. Mediation analysis was conducted to assess the association between PAHs and asthma mediated by intermediates. RESULTS: Participating children with and without asthma aged 6.43 ± 2.23 years. The urinary 1-OHPyr level ranged from 0.10 to 1.51 μmol/mol (creatinine corrected) in the participants. The urinary 1-OHPyr level was associated with childhood asthma (OR = 7.21, 95% CI: 1.03-50.42 per 1 μmol/mol unit). Microbial diversity was decreased in the group with asthma and there was a significant shift in the abundance of Proteobacteria (at the phylum level), Veillonella and Prevotella (at the genus level). The enrichment pathway analysis showed that differentially expressed metabolites were involved in purine metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and lipid and fatty acid metabolism. The urinary 1-OHPyr level was associated with the abundance of Actinomyces sp. oral clone IO076 and 7-methylguanine that showed a mediation effect on the association between urinary 1-OHPyr levels and childhood asthma by mediation analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Urinary 1-OHPyr exposure was associated with childhood asthma, microbial diversity, and metabolic profiles. Microbial diversity and metabolic profiles may be intermediates as response biomarkers to PAHs exposure in childhood asthma. Further research is needed to confirm these study results and determine the underlying mechanism.
Authors: Kelly J Brunst; Patrick H Ryan; Cole Brokamp; David Bernstein; Tiina Reponen; James Lockey; Gurjit K Khurana Hershey; Linda Levin; Sergey A Grinshpun; Grace LeMasters Journal: Am J Respir Crit Care Med Date: 2015-08-15 Impact factor: 21.405
Authors: R T Stein; D Sherrill; W J Morgan; C J Holberg; M Halonen; L M Taussig; A L Wright; F D Martinez Journal: Lancet Date: 1999-08-14 Impact factor: 79.321
Authors: Rachel L Miller; Robin Garfinkel; Cynthia Lendor; Lori Hoepner; Zheng Li; Lovisa Romanoff; Andreas Sjodin; Larry Needham; Frederica P Perera; Robin M Whyatt Journal: Pediatr Allergy Immunol Date: 2009-12-09 Impact factor: 6.377
Authors: Nasser M Al-Daghri; Majed S Alokail; Sherif H Abd-Alrahman; Hossam M Draz; Sobhy M Yakout; Mario Clerici Journal: Environ Health Date: 2013-01-03 Impact factor: 5.984