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AS 2008: Arsenic exposure a nd health effects in Inner Mongolia: studies on cardiac, diabetes and cancer-related effects
Citation:
MUMFORD, J. S., T. J. WADE, Y. Xia, J. Mo, AND W. Sanders. AS 2008: Arsenic exposure a nd health effects in Inner Mongolia: studies on cardiac, diabetes and cancer-related effects. Presented at 2nd International Congress :Arsenic from Nature to Humans(AS2008), Valencia, SPAIN, May 21 - 23, 2008.
Impact/Purpose:
research results
Description:
Chronic arsenic exposure via drinking water has been of great public health concern world wide. Arsenic exposure has been associated with human cancers, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. The objectives of this study were to investigate health effects of arsenic and to assess dose-response relationships on cardiac, diabetic and cancer-related effects in Ba Men, Inner Mongolia. A total of 654 Ba Men residents chronically exposed to arsenic via well water (0.1 to 826 ?g/L) participated in this study. Arsenic exposure was assessed by determining arsenic levels in drinking water, toenails and urine. Arsenic effects examined included: (1) ECG QT interval prolongation for cardiac effects, (2) hemoglobin A1c (glycosylated hemoglobin) for diabetes risk, and (3) cancer-related effects including DNA and chromosome damage, gene expression of DNA repair genes (OGG1 and ERCC1) and human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT), which is relevant in cell proliferation. ECG QTc intervals were determined and QTc interval ? 0.45 seconds was considered to be prolonged. The results showed that QTc interval prolongation was associated with water arsenic levels (p<0.001) showing a dose-response relationship. Females were more susceptible to QT interval prolongation than males. Hemglobin A1c was determined in blood samples and showed positive association with water arsenic levels (p<0.001). DNA fragmentation in buccal cells by TUNEL assay was associated with arsenic exposure starting at the levels of arsenic exposure at 430-690 ?g/L, whereas, increased micronucleus frequency (a measurement for chromosome damage) was associated with arsenic exposure starting at lower concentrations at 100-300 ?g/L. The mRNA levels for OGG1, ERCC1 and hTERT in blood cells were positively associated with water arsenic levels (p<0.01). These results demostrated that we were able to use ECGs and biomarkers to link arsenic exposure to cardiac effects, diabetic risk and cancer-related effects and show dose-response relationships. (This abstract does not reflect US EPA policy.)