Disturbed glucose homeostasis and its increased allostatic load in response to individual, joint and fluctuating air pollutants exposure: Evidence from a longitudinal study in prediabetes.

We investigated the effect of individual, joint and fluctuating exposure to air pollution (PM, BC, NO, NH, OM, SO, PM, NO, SO, O) on glucose metabolisms among prediabetes, and simultaneously explored the modifying effect of lifestyle. We conducted a longitudinal study among prediabetes during 2018-2022. Exposure windows within 60-days moving averages and their variabilities were calculated.

Inflammation as a pathway for heavy metal-induced liver damage-Insights from a repeated-measures study in residents exposed to metals and bioinformatics analysis.

Background: Epidemiological studies on heavy metal exposure and liver injury are predominantly cross-sectional, lacking longitudinal data and exploration of potential mechanisms.

Method: We conducted a repeated-measures study in Northeast China from 2016 to 2019, involving 322 participants. Linear mixed models (LMM) and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) were employed to explore the associations between individual and mixed blood metal concentrations [chromium (Cr), cadmium (Cd), vanadium (V), manganese (Mn), lead (Pb)] and liver function biomarkers [alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), albumin (ALB), globulin (GLB), total protein (TP)].

Heavy metals and elderly kidney health: A multidimensional study through Enviro-target Mendelian Randomization.

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), closely linked to environmental factors, poses a significant public health challenge. This study, based on 529 triple-repeated measures from key national environmental pollution area and multiple gene-related public databases, employs various epidemiological and bioinformatics models to assess the impact of combined heavy metal exposure (Chromium [Cr], Cadmium [Cd], and Lead [Pb]) on early renal injury and CKD in the elderly. Introducing the novel Enviro-Target Mendelian Randomization method, our research explores the causal relationship between metals and CKD.

Complex interplay of heavy metals and renal injury: New perspectives from longitudinal epidemiological evidence.

Background: Epidemiological studies have reported associations between heavy metals and renal function. However, longitudinal studies are required to further validate these associations and explore the interactive effects of heavy metals on renal function and their directional influence.

Method: This study, conducted in Northeast China from 2016 to 2021, included a four-time repeated measures design involving 384 participants (1536 observations).

Joint and interactive effects of metal mixtures on liver damage: Epidemiological evidence from repeated-measures study.

Background: The impact of heavy metals on liver function has been examined in numerous epidemiological studies. However, these findings lack consistency and longitudinal validation.

Methods: In this study, we conducted three follow-up surveys with 426 participants from Northeast China.

Threshold effect of urinary chromium on kidney function biomarkers: Evidence from a repeated-measures study.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a public health concern worldwide, and chromium exposure may be a risk factor due to its potential nephrotoxicity. However, research on the association between chromium exposure and kidney function especially the potential threshold effect of chromium exposure is limited. A repeated-measures study involving 183 adults (641 observations) was conducted from 2017 to 2021 in Jinzhou, China.

Association of environmental exposure to chromium with differential DNA methylation: An epigenome-wide study.

Previous studies have reported that chromium (Cr)-induced epigenetic alterations and DNA methylation play a vital role in the pathogenesis of diseases induced by chromium exposure. Epigenomic analyses have been limited and mainly focused on occupational chromium exposure; their findings are not generalizable to populations with environmental Cr exposure. We identified the differential methylation of genes and regions to elucidate the mechanisms of toxicity related to environmental chromium exposure.

Independent, combine and interactive effects of heavy metal exposure on dyslipidemia biomarkers: A cross-sectional study in northeastern China.

Dyslipidemia is a common disease in the older population and represents a considerable disease burden worldwide. Epidemiological and experimental studies have indicated associations between heavy metal exposure and dyslipidemia; few studies have investigated the effects of heavy metal mixture and interactions between metals on dyslipidemia. We recruited 1121 participants living in heavy metal-contaminated and control areas in northeast China from a cross-sectional survey (2017-2019).

Association between urine metals and liver function biomarkers in Northeast China: A cross-sectional study.

Background: After heavy metals enter the body, they affect a variety of organs, particularly the main metabolic organ, the liver. Moreover, people are more likely to be exposed to multiple metals than to a single metal. We explored the associations between exposure to a heavy metal mixture and liver function biomarkers.