Journal
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
Volume 417, Issue -, Pages 32-38Publisher
ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2011.12.019
Keywords
Mercury biomarker; Single nucleotide polymorphism; Nerve function; Metallothionein; Glutathione; Selenoprotein
Categories
Funding
- Michigan Dental Association
- University of Michigan Center for Occupational Health and Safety Engineering's NIOSH Training [T42 OH 008455-04]
- Michigan Institute for Clinical and Health Research [UL1RR024986]
- NIEHS Environmental Toxicology and Epidemiology Training [T32 007062]
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Mercury (Hg) is a potent neurotoxicant. We hypothesized that single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes coding glutathione-related proteins, selenoproteins and metallothioneins may modify the relationship of mercury biomarkers with changes in peripheral nerve function. Dental professionals (n = 515) were recruited in 2009 and 2010. Sensory nerve function (onset latency, peak latency and amplitude) of the median, ulnar and sural nerves was recorded. Samples of urine, hair and DNA were collected. Covariates related to demographics, nerve function and elemental and methyl-mercury exposure were also collected. Subjects included 244 dentists (47.4%) and 269 non-dentists (52.2%; mostly dental hygienists and dental assistants). The mean mercury levels in urine (1.06 mu g/L) and hair (0.51 mu g/g) were not significantly different from the US general population (0.95 mu g/L and 0.47 mu g/g, respectively). In multivariate linear models predicting nerve function adjusting for covariates, only 3 out of a total of 504 models showed stable and statistically significant interaction of SNPs with mercury biomarkers. Overall, given the possibility of false positives, the results suggested little evidence of effect modification of the SNPs on the relationship between mercury biomarkers with peripheral nerve function at exposure levels that are relevant to the general US population. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available