高砷暴露致皮肤损伤人群尿砷代谢产物分析

目的 探讨高砷暴露致皮肤损伤人群尿砷代谢的特点.方法 应用氢化物发生.冷阱捕获.原子吸收分光光度法测定高砷暴露地Ⅸ(水砷浓度分别为0.21、0.24、0.36 mg/L)皮肤损伤组人群(77人)和未见皮肤损伤对照组人群(77人,性别、年龄1:1配比)尿中无机砷(iAs)、一甲基胂酸(MMA)和二甲基胂酸(DMA)含量.以iAs、MMA及DMA的总和表示总砷(tAs)水平;以iAs/tAs、MMMtAs和DMA/tAs分别计算iAs%、MMA%、DMA%;以(MMA+DMA)/tAs及DMM(MMA+DMA)分别计算一甲基化率(FMR)和二甲基化率(SMR)水平.结果 皮肤损伤组人群与对照组人群相比尿中各形态砷化合物及总砷含量差异无统计学意义(JD>0.05),而皮肤损伤组尿iAs%水平高于对照组,DMA%、FMR和SMR水平低于对照组差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05).皮肤损伤组人群中男性SMR水平显著低于女性,且尿中MMA%显著高于女性(P<0.05).结论 高砷暴露情况下,出现皮肤损伤症状的人群对砷的甲基化能力较低.

Abstract：

Objective To explore the characteristics of urine arsenic metabolism of people with skin lesion. Methods The levels of inorganic arsenic (iAs), monomethylated arsenic (MMA), dimethylated arsenic (DMA) in urine were detected with hydride generation-cold trap-atomic absorption spectroscopy among population exposed to higher levels of arsenide (0.24 ,0.36,0.21 mg/L), which consisted of skin lesion group(n=77) and non-skin lesion group (n=77,control group) in Apr.,2009 . Total arsenic (tAs) , iAs %, MMA%, DMA%, the first methylation ratio (FMR) and the secondary methylation ratio (SMR) were calculated as iAs + MMA+ DMA , iAs/tAs, MMA/tAs, DMA/tAs, (MMA + DMA)/ tAs and DMA/(MMA + DMA), respectively. Results No significant difference was observed in urinary concentrations of arsenic species and tAs between two groups (P>0.05), iAs% was much higher and the levels of FMR, SMR and DMA% were significantly lower in skin lesion group compared with the control (P<0.05). There were statistically significant differences in iAs% and SMR between males and females of the skin lesion group(P<0.05). Conclusion The arsenic methylation capacity of the persons with skin lesions is lower at high arsenic exposure.     

Folate, homocysteine, and arsenic metabolism in arsenic-exposed individuals in Bangladesh

Chronic exposure to arsenic is occurring throughout South and East Asia due to groundwater contamination of well water. Variability in susceptibility to arsenic toxicity may be related to nutritional status. Arsenic is methylated to monomethylarsonic acid (MMA) and dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) via one-carbon metabolism, a biochemical pathway that is dependent on folate. The majority of one-carbon metabolism methylation reactions are devoted to biosynthesis of creatine, the precursor of creatinine. Our objectives of this cross-sectional study were to characterize the relationships among folate, cobalamin, homocysteine, and arsenic metabolism in Bangladeshi adults. Water arsenic, urinary arsenic, urinary creatinine, plasma folate, cobalamin, and homocysteine were assessed in 1,650 adults; urinary arsenic metabolites were analyzed for a subset of 300 individuals. The percentage of DMA in urine was positively associated with plasma folate (r = 0.14, p = 0.02) and negatively associated with total homocysteine (tHcys; r = -0.14, p = 0.01). Conversely, percent MMA was negatively associated with folate (r = -0.12, p = 0.04) and positively associated with tHcys (r = 0.21, p = 0.0002); percent inorganic arsenic (InAs) was negatively associated with folate (r = -0.12, p = 0.03). Urinary creatinine was positively correlated with percent DMA (r = 0.40 for males, p < 0.0001; 0.25 for females, p = 0.001), and with percent InAs (r = -0.45 for males, p < 0.0001; -0.20 for females, p = 0.01). Collectively, these data suggest that folate, tHcys, and other factors involved in one-carbon metabolism influence arsenic methylation. This may be particularly relevant in Bangladesh, where the prevalence of hyperhomocysteinemia is extremely high.     

饮水型砷暴露对人群甲基化代谢能力的影响

目的探讨饮水型砷暴露对人群甲基化代谢能力的影响。方法以带有砷化物预处理装置的原子吸收分光光度计测定砷暴露人群及无砷暴露对照人群血、尿中无机砷(iAs)、甲基胂(MMA)、二甲基胂(DMA)含量。以iAs、MMA及DMA的总和表示总胂(tAs)水平;以(MMA+DMA)/tAs及DMA/(MMA+DMA)分别计算一甲基化率(PMI)和二甲基化率(SMI)水平。结果砷暴露人群血中iAs、MMA、DMA、tAs及PMI水平均显著高于相应对照人群的水平,而SMI水平显著低于对照人群。尿中MMA水平分别与血中PMI及SMI水平呈显著正相关(r=0.419,P<0.01)及负相关(r=-0.326,P<0.05)。暴露组和对照组血中各种砷化物水平及甲基化率水平在男女间差异无显著性。结论砷暴露人群与无砷暴露人群相比甲基化率有差异,PMI显著增高,SMI显著降低。人群甲基化率无显著性别差异。     

内蒙古不同浓度砷暴露人群尿砷代谢产物研究

目的 测定内蒙古地区饮用高砷水人群尿砷代谢产物，探讨不同人群砷代谢的特点。方法 采用氢化物发生原子吸收分光光度法检测尿中不同形态的砷代谢产物。结果 2个暴露组人群尿中无机砷（iAs，inorganic arserlic）、甲基砷（MMA，monomethylarsine）、二甲基砷（DMA．dimethylarsine）和总砷（TAs，total arserlic）均高于对照组（P〈0．05）；同样砷暴露水平下，尿中各形态砷含量及其相对比在不同性别问的差异均无统计学意义（P〉0．05），儿童DMA／MMA和DMA％高于成人（P〈0．05），MMA％低于成人（P〈0．05）；2个暴露组儿童、成人分别与对照组比较，暴露组MMA／ias、DMA／MMA、DMA／iAs、DMA％显降低（P〈0．05），而iAs％、MMA％显增高（P〈0．05）；高暴露组与低暴露组相比，儿童DMA／MMA、DMA／iAs、DMA％显增高（P〈0．05），iAs％、MMA％显降低（P〈0．05）。结论 相同砷暴露水平下，男女对砷的甲基化能力无差别，儿童二甲基化能力高于成人。高砷暴露可能降低人群对砷的生物甲基化能力。[编按]     

Folate and arsenic metabolism: a double-blind, placebo-controlled folic acid-supplementation trial in Bangladesh

BACKGROUND: Populations in South and East Asia and many other regions of the world are chronically exposed to arsenic-contaminated drinking water. To various degrees, ingested inorganic arsenic (InAs) is methylated to monomethylarsonic acid (MMA) and dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) via folate-dependent one-carbon metabolism; impaired methylation is associated with adverse health outcomes. Consequently, folate nutritional status may influence arsenic methylation and toxicity. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that folic acid supplementation of arsenic-exposed adults would increase arsenic methylation. DESIGN: Two hundred adults in a rural region of Bangladesh, previously found to have low plasma concentrations of folate (相似文献   

Consumption of folate-related nutrients and metabolism of arsenic in Bangladesh

BACKGROUND: Inorganic arsenic (InAs) is metabolized to monomethylarsonic acid (MMA) and dimethylarsinic acid (DMA), and this methylation facilitates urinary arsenic excretion. Previous studies suggest that persons with more complete methylation, characterized as greater proportions of DMA and lesser proportions of MMA and InAs in urine, have a lower risk of adverse arsenic-related health outcomes. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine whether the capacity to methylate arsenic differs by nutrient intake. DESIGN: Participants were 1016 Bangladeshi adults exposed to arsenic in drinking water. Nutrient intake was assessed with a validated food-frequency questionnaire. Multivariate regression analyses were used to examine associations of nutrients with urinary arsenic metabolite profiles. RESULTS: In multivariate analyses, higher intakes of cysteine, methionine, calcium, protein, and vitamin B-12 were associated with lower percentages of InAs and higher ratios of MMA to InAs in urine. Higher intakes of niacin (beta=0.22, P=0.02) and choline (beta=0.10, P=0.02) were associated with higher DMA-to-MMA ratios, after adjustment for age, sex, smoking, total urinary arsenic, and total energy intake. CONCLUSIONS: Findings from the current study show the influence of multiple nutrients on arsenic methylation. In particular, this study highlights the potential importance of dietary intakes of cysteine, methionine, niacin, vitamin B-12, and choline on health effects of arsenic by modulating its metabolism.     

A Prospective Study of Arsenic Exposure,Arsenic Methylation Capacity,and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease in Bangladesh

Background: Few prospective studies have evaluated the influence of arsenic methylation capacity on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk.Objective: We evaluated the association of arsenic exposure from drinking water and arsenic methylation capacity with CVD risk.Method: We conducted a case–cohort study of 369 incident fatal and nonfatal cases of CVD, including 211 cases of heart disease and 148 cases of stroke, and a subcohort of 1,109 subjects randomly selected from the 11,224 participants in the Health Effects of Arsenic Longitudinal Study (HEALS).Results: The adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) for all CVD, heart disease, and stroke in association with a 1-SD increase in baseline well-water arsenic (112 µg/L) were 1.15 (95% CI: 1.01, 1.30), 1.20 (95% CI: 1.04, 1.38), and 1.08 (95% CI: 0.90, 1.30), respectively. aHRs for the second and third tertiles of percentage urinary monomethylarsonic acid (MMA%) relative to the lowest tertile, respectively, were 1.27 (95% CI: 0.85, 1.90) and 1.55 (95% CI: 1.08, 2.23) for all CVD, and 1.65 (95% CI: 1.05, 2.60) and 1.61 (95% CI: 1.04, 2.49) for heart disease specifically. The highest versus lowest ratio of urinary dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) to MMA was associated with a significantly decreased risk of CVD (aHR = 0.54; 95% CI: 0.34, 0.85) and heart disease (aHR = 0.54; 95% CI: 0.33, 0.88). There was no significant association between arsenic metabolite indices and stroke risk. The effects of incomplete arsenic methylation capacity—indicated by higher urinary MMA% or lower urinary DMA%—with higher levels of well-water arsenic on heart disease risk were additive. There was some evidence of a synergy of incomplete methylation capacity with older age and cigarette smoking.Conclusions: Arsenic exposure from drinking water and the incomplete methylation capacity of arsenic were adversely associated with heart disease risk.     

Distribution of urinary selenium and arsenic among pregnant women exposed to arsenic in drinking water

Inorganic arsenic (In-As) is a well-known toxicant and carcinogen found naturally in surface and groundwater around the world. Exposure can cause skin lesions, adverse reproductive outcomes, and cancer. There are two main pathways of arsenic (As) metabolism in humans: the reduction reactions, and the oxidative methylation reactions, where methyl groups are attached to As compounds to form monomethylarsenate (MMA) and dimethylarsenate (DMA). MMA, DMA, and In-As are excreted in urine. Urinary levels of another metalloid, selenium (Se), have recently been shown to be associated with increased As excretion and altered metabolite distribution. This study investigates this association, using data collected in a larger prospective study of arsenic and reproductive effects in Chile. This analysis included 93 pregnant women from Antofagasta. Data on demographic, behavioral, and other characteristics were obtained via interviews conducted by trained midwives, and spot urine samples were analyzed for As and Se concentration using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Urinary Se levels were found to be correlated with urinary As levels in bivariate analysis (r = 0.68, P < 0.01). Multiple linear regression analyses revealed that higher urinary Se levels were associated with increased urinary As excretion, increased %DMA, and decreased %In-As. The results of this study suggest that in populations exposed to arsenic, Se intake may be correlated with urinary As excretion, and may alter As methylation.     

Dietary intake and arsenic methylation in a U.S. population

Millions of people worldwide are exposed to arsenic-contaminated drinking water, and ingestion of inorganic arsenic (InAs) has been associated with increased risks of cancer. The primary metabolic pathway of ingested InAs is methylation to monomethyl arsenic (MMA) and dimethyl arsenic (DMA). However, people vary greatly in the degree to which they methylate InAs, and recent evidence suggests that those who excrete high proportions of ingested arsenic as MMA are more susceptible than others to arsenic-caused cancer. To date, little is known about the factors that determine interindividual differences in arsenic methylation. In this study, we assessed the effect of diet on arsenic metabolism by measuring dietary intakes and urinary arsenic methylation patterns in 87 subjects from two arsenic-exposed regions in the western United States. Subjects in the lower quartile of protein intake excreted a higher proportion of ingested InAs as MMA (14.6 vs. 11.6%; p = 0.01) and a lower proportion as DMA (72.3 vs. 77.0%; p = 0.01) than did subjects in the upper quartile of protein intake. Subjects in the lower quartile of iron, zinc, and niacin intake also had higher urinary percent MMA and lower percent DMA levels than did subjects with higher intakes of these nutrients. These associations were also seen in multivariate regression analyses adjusted for age, sex, smoking, and total urinary arsenic. Given the previously reported links between high percent MMA and increased cancer risks, these findings are consistent with the theory that people with diets deficient in protein and other nutrients are more susceptible than others to arsenic-caused cancer.     

Arsenic methylation patterns before and after changing from high to lower concentrations of arsenic in drinking water.

Inorganic arsenic (In-As), an occupational and environmental human carcinogen, undergoes biomethylation to monomethylarsonate (MMA) and dimethylarsinate (DMA). It has been proposed that saturation of methylation capacity at high exposure levels may lead to a threshold for the carcinogenicity of In-As. The relative distribution of urinary In-As, MMA, and DMA is used as a measure of human methylation capacity. The most common pathway for elevated environmental exposure to In-As worldwide is through drinking water. We conducted a biomarker study in northern Chile of a population chronically exposed to water naturally contaminated with high arsenic content (600 micrograms/l). In this paper we present the results of a prospective follow-up of 73 exposed individuals, who were provided with water of lower arsenic content (45 micrograms/l) for 2 months. The proportions of In-As, MMA, and DMA in urine were compared before and after intervention, and the effect of other factors on the distribution of arsenic metabolites was also analyzed. The findings of this study indicate that the decrease in arsenic exposure was associated with a small decrease in the percent In-As in urine (from 17.8% to 14.6%) and in the MMA/DMA ratio (from 0.23 to 0.18). Other factors such as smoking, gender, age, years of residence, and ethnicity were associated mainly with changes in the MMA/DMA ratio, with smoking having the strongest effect. Nevertheless, the factors investigated accounted for only about 20% of the large interindividual variability observed. Genetic polymorphisms in As-methylating enzymes and other co-factors are likely to contribute to some of the unexplained variation. The changes observed in the percent In-As and in the MMA/DMA ratio do not support an exposure-based threshold for arsenic methylation in humans.     

Methylation study of a population environmentally exposed to arsenic in drinking water.

Methylation is considered the detoxification pathway for inorganic arsenic (InAs), an established human carcinogen. Urinary speciation analysis is used to assess the distribution of metabolites [monomethylarsonate (MMA), dimethylarsinate (DMA), and unmethylated arsenic (InAs)], as indicators of methylation capacity. We conducted a large biomarker study in northern Chile of a population chronically exposed to high levels of arsenic in drinking water. We report the results of the methylation study, which focused on the effects of exposure and other variables on the percent InAs, MMA, DMA, and the ratio of MMA to DMA in urine. The study consisted of 122 people in a town with arsenic water levels around 600 micrograms/l and 98 participants in a neighboring town with arsenic levels in water of about 15 micrograms/l. The corresponding mean urinary arsenic levels were 580 micrograms/l and 60 micrograms/l, of which 18.4% and 14.9% were InAs, respectively. The main differences were found for MMA:DMA; exposure, smoking, and being male were associated with higher MMA:DMA, while longer residence, Atacameño ethnicity, and being female were associated with lower MMA:DMA. Together, these variables explained about 30% of the variability in MMA:DMA. Overall, there was no evidence of a threshold for methylation capacity, even at very high exposures, and the interindividual differences were within a much wider range than those attributed to the variables investigated. The differences in percent InAs were small and within the ranges of other studies of background exposure levels. The biological significance of MMA:DMA, which was more than 1.5 times greater in the exposed group, and its relationship to sex, length of exposure, and ethnicity need further investigation because its relevance to health risk is not clear.     

Family correlations of arsenic methylation patterns in children and parents exposed to high concentrations of arsenic in drinking water

We investigated the evidence of a familial contribution to urinary methylation patterns in families ingesting arsenic in drinking water. Arsenic methylation can be assessed by measuring urinary levels of inorganic arsenic (InAs) and its methylated metabolites, monomethylarsonate (MMA), and dimethylarsinate (DMA). Methylation activity is reflected in the ratios: InAs/methylated arsenic (InAs/metAs) and MMA/DMA. Eleven families from Chile were selected because of their long-term exposure to very high levels of arsenic in drinking water (735-762 microg/L). Each family consisted of a father, a mother, and two children. We measured urinary arsenic and its methylated metabolites for each participant (n = 44). The intraclass correlation coefficients showed that 13-52% of the variations in the methylation patterns were from being a member of a specific family. Family correlations were calculated for father-mother, parent-child, and sibling-sibling pairs. Methylation patterns correlated strongly between siblings [r = 0.78 for InAs/metAs, 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.34-0.94; r = 0.82 for MMA/DMA, 95%CI, 0.43-0.95] compared to lower correlations in father-mother pairs (r = 0.18, r = -0.01, respectively), after adjustment for total urinary arsenic, age, and sex. Family correlations were not notably altered when adjustments were made for specific blood micronutrients (methionine, homocysteine, folate, vitamin B6, selenium, and vitamin B12 potentially related to methylation. We also report on a family pedigree with high prevalence of arsenic-induced effects. Participants from this family had low InAs/metAs values, which is consistent with increased toxicity of trivalent methylated arsenic species. Despite our small sample size, we observed that methylation patterns aggregate in families and are correlated in siblings, providing evidence of a genetic basis for the variation in arsenic methylation. Larger studies with more extensive pedigrees will need to be conducted to confirm these findings.     

Variability in human metabolism of arsenic

Estimating the nature and extent of human cancer risks due to arsenic (As) in drinking water is currently of great concern, since millions of persons worldwide are exposed to arsenic, primarily through natural enrichment of drinking water drawn from deep wells. Humans metabolize and eliminate As through oxidative methylation and subsequent urinary excretion. While there is debate as to the role of methylation in activation/detoxification, variations in arsenic metabolism may affect individual risks of toxicity and carcinogenesis. Using data from three populations, from Mexico, China, and Chile, we have analyzed the distribution in urine of total arsenic and arsenic species (inorganic arsenic (InAs), monomethyl arsenic (MMA), and dimethyl arsenic (DMA). Data were analyzed in terms of the concentration of each species and by evaluating MMA:DMA and (MMA+DMA):InAs ratios. In all persons most urinary As was present as DMA. Male:female differences were discernible in both high- and low-exposure groups from all three populations, but the gender differences varied by populations. The data also indicated bimodal distributions in the ratios of DMA to InAs and to MMA. While the gene or genes responsible for arsenic methylation are still unknown, the results of our studies among the ethnic groups in this study are consistent with the presence of functional genetic polymorphisms in arsenic methylation leading to measurable differences in toxicity. This analysis highlights the need for continuing research on the health effects of As in humans using molecular epidemiologic methods.     

Arsenic drinking water exposure and urinary excretion among adults in the Yaqui Valley, Sonora, Mexico

The objective of this study was to determine arsenic exposure via drinking water and to characterize urinary arsenic excretion among adults in the Yaqui Valley, Sonora, Mexico. A cross-sectional study was conducted from July 2001 to May 2002. Study subjects were from the Yaqui Valley, Sonora, Mexico, residents of four towns with different arsenic concentrations in their drinking water. Arsenic exposure was estimated through water intake over 24 h. Arsenic excretion was assessed in the first morning void urine. Total arsenic concentrations and their species arsenate (As V), arsenite (As III), monomethyl arsenic (MMA), and dimethyl arsenic (DMA) were determined by HPLC/ICP-MS. The town of Esperanza with the highest arsenic concentration in water had the highest daily mean intake of arsenic through drinking water, the mean value was 65.5 microg/day. Positive correlation between total arsenic intake by drinking water/day and the total arsenic concentration in urine (r = 0.50, P < 0.001) was found. Arsenic excreted in urine ranged from 18.9 to 93.8 microg/L. The people from Esperanza had the highest geometric mean value of arsenic in urine, 65.1 microg/L, and it was statistically significantly different from those of the other towns (P < 0.005). DMA was the major arsenic species in urine (47.7-67.1%), followed by inorganic arsenic (16.4-25.4%), and MMA (7.5-15%). In comparison with other reports the DMA and MMA distribution was low, 47.7-55.6% and 7.5-9.7%, respectively, in the urine from the Yaqui Valley population (except the town of Cocorit). The difference in the proportion of urinary arsenic metabolites in those towns may be due to genetic polymorphisms in the As methylating enzymes of these populations.     

长期高砷暴露人群砷甲基化与皮肤损害关系的研究

目的探讨长期高砷暴露人群砷代谢差异与砷致皮肤损害之间的关系。方法随机选取某砷污染村庄常住居民327名,进行问卷调查和体格检查。二乙基二硫代氨基甲酸银比色法检测发总砷含量,离子色谱氢化物发生原子荧光法测定尿中四种砷代谢形态。结果发砷含量总体较高,但不同程度皮肤损害的4组间发砷含量差异无显著性;尿中DMA和MMA浓度随着年龄增加有上升的趋势,且与皮肤损害程度呈显著正相关,而无机砷浓度与皮肤损害未见显著相关;重度组人群尿中MMA相对比例显著高于其它3组,而重度组DMA/MMA比值显著低于对照组和轻度组;MMA比例与皮肤损害程度呈显著正相关,DMA/MMA比值与皮肤损害程度呈显著负相关;男性对砷的蓄积能力高于女性,但对砷的甲基化能力低于女性;40岁以上人群对砷的甲基化能力高于40岁以下成人;吸烟者和饮酒者对砷的甲基化代谢水平分别低于非吸烟者和非饮酒者。结论砷在人体内的甲基化代谢水平受性别、年龄、吸烟和饮酒等多因素影响;砷致皮肤损伤程度与砷在体内的甲基化程度有关。     

Intra-individual variation in the metabolism of inorganic arsenic

OBJECTIVE: Inorganic arsenic is metabolized to methylarsonic acid (MMA) and dimethylarsinic acid (DMA), which are excreted in the urine. Previous studies have shown a marked inter-individual variation in the metabolism, but the within-person variation is unknown. Therefore, we determined the variation in the relative amount of urinary arsenic metabolites, i.e., inorganic arsenic, MMA and DMA, over time in women living in an Andean village with elevated arsenic levels in drinking water. METHODS: For our investigation of the individual day-to-day variation, daily spot urine samples were collected (at the same time of the day) for 5 consecutive days by 15 women. For our investigation of the within-day variation, seven women collected all the urine voided over a 72-h period, each voided into a separate container. RESULTS: Repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed no significant day-to-day variation, either in the relative distribution of inorganic arsenic metabolites (inorganic arsenic, MMA and DMA), or in the concentration of the metabolites. However, the percentage of DMA was slightly higher (on average 5.0%; P=0.003) and the percentage of inorganic arsenic lower (on average 5.8%; P=0.001) during the morning/day (03:00-15:00) compared with the evening/night (15:00-03:00). No within-day variation in the percentage of MMA was observed. CONCLUSION: The arsenic methylation efficiency of an individual is remarkably stable over time.     

Profile of urinary arsenic metabolites during pregnancy

Chronic exposure to inorganic arsenic (In-As) from drinking water is associated with different health effects, including skin, lung, bladder, and kidney cancer as well as vascular and possibly reproductive effects. In-As is metabolized through the process of methylation, resulting in the production and excretion of methylated species, mainly monomethylarsenate (MMA) and dimethylarsenate (DMA). Because a large percentage of the dose is excreted in urine, the distribution of urinary In-As, MMA, and DMA is considered a useful indicator of methylation patterns in human populations. Several factors affect these patterns, including sex and exposure level. In this study, we investigated the profile of urinary In-As, MMA, and DMA of pregnant women. Periodic urine samples were collected from early to late pregnancy among 29 pregnant women living in Antofagasta, Chile, who drank tap water containing 40 micro g/L In-As. The total urinary arsenic across four sampling periods increased with increasing weeks of gestation, from an initial mean value of 36.1 to a final value of 54.3 micro g/L. This increase was mainly due to an increase in DMA, resulting in lower percentages of In-As and MMA and a higher percentage of DMA. Our findings indicate that among women exposed to moderate arsenic from drinking water during pregnancy, changes occur in the pattern of urinary arsenic excretion and metabolite distribution. The toxicologic significance of this is not clear, given recent evidence suggesting that intermediate methylated species may be highly toxic. Nevertheless, this study suggests that arsenic metabolism changes throughout the course of pregnancy, which in turn may have toxicologic effects on the developing fetus. Key words: arsenic, arsenic metabolism, arsenic methylation, Chile, pregnancy, urinary arsenic.     

Urinary arsenic species, toenail arsenic, and arsenic intake estimates in a Michigan population with low levels of arsenic in drinking water

The large disparity between arsenic concentrations in drinking water and urine remains unexplained. This study aims to evaluate predictors of urinary arsenic in a population exposed to low concentrations (≤50?μg/l) of arsenic in drinking water. Urine and drinking water samples were collected from a subsample (n=343) of a population enrolled in a bladder cancer case-control study in southeastern Michigan. Total arsenic in water and arsenic species in urine were determined using ICP-MS: arsenobetaine (AsB), arsenite (As[III]), arsenate (As[V]), methylarsenic acid (MMA[V]), and dimethylarsenic acid (DMA[V]). The sum of As[III], As[V], MMA[V], and DMA[V] was denoted as SumAs. Dietary information was obtained through a self-reported food intake questionnaire. Log(10)-transformed drinking water arsenic concentration at home was a significant (P<0.0001) predictor of SumAs (R(2)=0.18). Associations improved (R(2)=0.29, P<0.0001) when individuals with less than 1?μg/l of arsenic in drinking water were removed and further improved when analyses were applied to individuals who consumed amounts of home drinking water above the median volume (R(2)=0.40, P<0.0001). A separate analysis indicated that AsB and DMA[V] were significantly correlated with fish and shellfish consumption, which may suggest that seafood intake influences DMA[V] excretion. The Spearman correlation between arsenic concentration in toenails and SumAs was 0.36 and between arsenic concentration in toenails and arsenic concentration in water was 0.42. Results show that arsenic exposure from drinking water consumption is an important determinant of urinary arsenic concentrations, even in a population exposed to relatively low levels of arsenic in drinking water, and suggest that seafood intake may influence urinary DMA[V] concentrations.     

Urinary excretion of inorganic arsenic and its metabolites after repeated ingestion of sodium metaarsenite by volunteers

Summary Arsenic (125, 250, 500 or 1000 g as NaAsO₂) was administered orally once a day for five consecutive days to 4 volunteers who refrained from eating marine organisms during the experiment. Urine was collected during 24-h periods starting one day before the first administration and up to 14 days later. The following determinations were performed: total arsenic, inorganic arsenic (As;), monomethyl arsenic (MMA) and dimethylarsinic (DMA) acids. In each case, the sum of As;, MMA and DMA approximated very closely the urinary concentration of total arsenic determined after mineralisation of the urine sample. It was concluded that these arsenicals are the only metabolic forms of arsenic following absorption of inorganic arsenic. Since a steady state in the urinary excretion of arsenic is reached within 5 days, our results demonstrated that at equilibrium, the total amount of arsenic excreted in urine per day amounts to 60% of the ingested dose. Speciation of the arsenic metabolites in urine indicated that the arsenic methylation capacity of the human body was not yet saturated, even with an oral daily dose of 1000 g As for 5 days. However, when the administration of arsenic was stopped, the biological half life of arsenic in urine increased slightly with the dose (from 39 h at 125 g to 59 h at 1000 g). Determination of inorganic arsenic, MMA and DMA in urine appears to be the method of choice for the biological monitoring of workers exposed to inorganic arsenic since these measurements are not influenced by the presence of organoarsenicals from marine origin. From the linear relationship found in this study between arsenic administered and that excreted in urine, it was estimated that a time-weighted average exposure of 50 g As/m³ would lead to an average urinary excretion of 220 g As (sum of As_i, MMA and DMA) per gram creatinine.     

Study on the relationship between GSTM1, GSTT1 gene polymorphisms and arsenic methylation level

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between genetic polymorphisms of GSTT1, GSTM1 and arsenic methylation level. METHODS: 247 residents in an industrial arsenic polluted village were randomly selected as subjects. The genetic polymorphisms of GSTM1 and GSTT1 were detected by multiple PCR method. Urinary inorganic arsenic (iAs), monomethylarsenic acid (MMA) and dimethylarsenic acid (DMA) concentrations were determined by ion chromatogram combined with HG-AFS. RESULTS: No significant differences in the relative proportion of urinary iAs, MMA and DMA were observed between the individuals with GSTT1 positive genotype and the individuals with GSTT1 null genotype. No significant differences in the relative proportion of urinary iAs, MMA and DMA were observed between the individuals with GSTM1 positive genotype and the individuals with GSTM1 null genotype. And no significant differences in the relative proportion of urinary iAs, MMA and DMA was observed among the individuals with different GSTM1 and GSTT1 associated genotype. CONCLUSION: The polymorphisms of GSTT1 and GSTM1 were not associated with arsenic metabolism level in the studied population.