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Metabolomic assessment of exposure to near-highway ultrafine particles

Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology volume 29, pages 469–483 (2019)Cite this article

Abstract

Exposure to traffic-related air pollutants has been associated with increased risk of adverse cardiopulmonary outcomes and mortality; however, the biochemical pathways linking exposure to disease are not known. To delineate biological response mechanisms associated with exposure to near-highway ultrafine particles (UFP), we used untargeted high-resolution metabolomics to profile plasma from 59 participants enrolled in the Community Assessment of Freeway Exposure and Health (CAFEH) study. Metabolic variations associated with UFP exposure were assessed using a cross-sectional study design based upon low (mean 16,000 particles/cm3) and high (mean 24,000 particles/cm3) annual average UFP exposures. In comparing quantified metabolites, we identified five metabolites that were differentially expressed between low and high exposures, including arginine, aspartic acid, glutamine, cystine and methionine sulfoxide. Analysis of the metabolome identified 316 m/z features associated with UFP, which were consistent with increased lipid peroxidation, endogenous inhibitors of nitric oxide and vehicle exhaust exposure biomarkers. Network correlation analysis and metabolic pathway enrichment identified 38 pathways and included variations related to inflammation, endothelial function and mitochondrial bioenergetics. Taken together, these results suggest UFP exposure is associated with a complex series of metabolic variations related to antioxidant pathways, in vivo generation of reactive oxygen species and processes critical to endothelial function.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by funds received from the National Institute of Health, award numbers ES019776, ES023485, ES025632, ES015462, and OD018006. The contents of this article do not necessarily reflect the views of HEI, or its sponsors, nor do they necessarily reflect the views and policies of the EPA or motor vehicle and engine manufacturers.

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  1. Douglas I. Walker

    Present address: Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Clinical Biomarkers Laboratory, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA

    Douglas I. Walker, Ken Liu, Karan Uppal & Dean P. Jones

  2. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA

    Douglas I. Walker, John L. Durant, Doug Brugge & Kurt D. Pennell

  3. Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA

    Kevin J. Lane

  4. Health Effects Institute, Boston, MA, USA

    Allison P. Patton

  5. Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA

    Doug Brugge

  6. Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA

    Doug Brugge

  7. School of Engineering, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA

    Kurt D. Pennell

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Walker, D.I., Lane, K.J., Liu, K. et al. Metabolomic assessment of exposure to near-highway ultrafine particles. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol 29, 469–483 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41370-018-0102-5

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