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Cardiovascular Disease-Related Serum Proteins in Workers Occupationally Exposed to Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons

Alhamdow, Ayman LU ; Lindh, Christian LU orcid ; Albin, Maria LU ; Gustavsson, Per LU ; Tinnerberg, Håkan LU and Broberg, Karin LU orcid (2019) In Toxicological Sciences 171(1). p.235-246
Abstract

Chimney sweeps have higher incidence and mortality of cardiovascular disease (CVD), likely related to their exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). In order to identify underlying mechanisms of PAH-related CVD, we here investigated whether PAH exposure was associated with levels of putative CVD-related proteins in serum among currently working chimney sweeps. We enrolled 116 chimney sweeps and 125 unexposed controls, all nonsmoking male workers from Sweden. We measured monohydroxylated PAH metabolites in urine by liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry and a panel of 85 proteins in serum using proximity extension assay. Linear regression analysis adjusted for age and body mass index showed that 25 proteins... (More)

Chimney sweeps have higher incidence and mortality of cardiovascular disease (CVD), likely related to their exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). In order to identify underlying mechanisms of PAH-related CVD, we here investigated whether PAH exposure was associated with levels of putative CVD-related proteins in serum among currently working chimney sweeps. We enrolled 116 chimney sweeps and 125 unexposed controls, all nonsmoking male workers from Sweden. We measured monohydroxylated PAH metabolites in urine by liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry and a panel of 85 proteins in serum using proximity extension assay. Linear regression analysis adjusted for age and body mass index showed that 25 proteins were differentially expressed between chimney sweeps and the controls (p <. 05, adjusted for false discovery rate). Of the 25 proteins, follistatin (FS), prointerleukin-16 (IL-16), and heat shock protein beta-1 (HSP 27) showed positive associations with the monohydroxylated metabolites of PAH in a dose-response manner (p <. 05). Pathway and gene ontology analyses demonstrated that the differentially expressed proteins were mainly involved in inflammatory response and immunological functions, such as leukocyte migration, cell movement of leukocytes, and adhesion of immune cells. In conclusion, we found a number of putative CVD-related proteins differentially expressed, between PAH-exposed and unexposed individuals, and mainly involved in inflammation and immune function. Our data warrant protective measures to reduce PAH exposure and longitudinal investigations of the protein profile in chimney sweeps and other occupational groups exposed to PAH.

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author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
biomarkers, chimney sweeps, circulating, inflammation, PAH metabolites, work-related
in
Toxicological Sciences
volume
171
issue
1
pages
235 - 246
publisher
Oxford University Press
external identifiers
  • pmid:31228248
  • scopus:85076013742
ISSN
1096-6080
DOI
10.1093/toxsci/kfz142
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
Funding Information: This study was financially supported by the Swedish Research Council for Health, Working Life and Welfare (FORTE; grant number 2012-00402), AFA Insurance (AFA Försa€kring; grant number 120115), and Karolinska Institutet. Publisher Copyright: © 2019 The Author(s) 2019. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Toxicology.
id
b07ceb09-e26c-45ca-ad8e-073ba53047bb
date added to LUP
2023-09-26 10:30:22
date last changed
2024-03-07 01:15:24
@article{b07ceb09-e26c-45ca-ad8e-073ba53047bb,
  abstract     = {{<p>Chimney sweeps have higher incidence and mortality of cardiovascular disease (CVD), likely related to their exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). In order to identify underlying mechanisms of PAH-related CVD, we here investigated whether PAH exposure was associated with levels of putative CVD-related proteins in serum among currently working chimney sweeps. We enrolled 116 chimney sweeps and 125 unexposed controls, all nonsmoking male workers from Sweden. We measured monohydroxylated PAH metabolites in urine by liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry and a panel of 85 proteins in serum using proximity extension assay. Linear regression analysis adjusted for age and body mass index showed that 25 proteins were differentially expressed between chimney sweeps and the controls (p &lt;. 05, adjusted for false discovery rate). Of the 25 proteins, follistatin (FS), prointerleukin-16 (IL-16), and heat shock protein beta-1 (HSP 27) showed positive associations with the monohydroxylated metabolites of PAH in a dose-response manner (p &lt;. 05). Pathway and gene ontology analyses demonstrated that the differentially expressed proteins were mainly involved in inflammatory response and immunological functions, such as leukocyte migration, cell movement of leukocytes, and adhesion of immune cells. In conclusion, we found a number of putative CVD-related proteins differentially expressed, between PAH-exposed and unexposed individuals, and mainly involved in inflammation and immune function. Our data warrant protective measures to reduce PAH exposure and longitudinal investigations of the protein profile in chimney sweeps and other occupational groups exposed to PAH.</p>}},
  author       = {{Alhamdow, Ayman and Lindh, Christian and Albin, Maria and Gustavsson, Per and Tinnerberg, Håkan and Broberg, Karin}},
  issn         = {{1096-6080}},
  keywords     = {{biomarkers; chimney sweeps; circulating; inflammation; PAH metabolites; work-related}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{09}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{235--246}},
  publisher    = {{Oxford University Press}},
  series       = {{Toxicological Sciences}},
  title        = {{Cardiovascular Disease-Related Serum Proteins in Workers Occupationally Exposed to Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/toxsci/kfz142}},
  doi          = {{10.1093/toxsci/kfz142}},
  volume       = {{171}},
  year         = {{2019}},
}