Porphyrins as early biomarkers for arsenic exposure in animals and humans.
We studied the effect of arsenic exposure on the haem biosynthetic pathway in the rat and humans. Significant increases in protoporphyrin IX, coproporphyrin III, coproporphyrin I were observed in the blood, liver and kidney, and in the urine of rats after a single dose of arsenic. The level of increase was dependent on the arsenic species present. Most of porphyrin concentrations in the tissues increased within 24 hr and urinary excretion elevated within 48 hr. In the human study, we collected urine samples from 113 people who live in Xing Ren of Guizhou Province, a coal-borne arsenicosis endemic area in southwest of PR China and from 30 people who live in Xing Yi (about 80 km southwest of Xing Ren) where arsenicosis is not prevalent. We analyzed the urinary porphyrins using HPLC. Results indicate that all urinary porphyrins were higher in the arsenic exposed group than those in the control group. Women, children and older age people spend much of their time indoors, they had greater increases of urinary arsenic and porphyrins. They were the higher risk groups among the study subjects. A positive correlation between the urinary arsenic levels and porphyrin concentrations demonstrated the effect of arsenic on haem biosynthesis. Significant alteration in the porphyrin excretion profiles of the younger age (<20 y) arsenic exposed group suggested that porphyrins could be used as early warning biomarkers for chronic exposure to arsenic.
Wang
J P
JP
National Research Centre for Environmental Toxicology, The University of Queensland, 39 Kessels Road, Coopers Plains, Brisbane QLD 4108, Australia.
Qi
L
L
Zheng
B
B
Liu
F
F
Moore
M R
MR
Ng
J C
JC
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D001151:Arsenic / Q000097:blood* / Q000633:toxicity* / Q000652:urine*; D015415:Biomarkers; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003306:Coproporphyrins / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism / Q000652:urine; D003404:Creatinine / Q000652:urine; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D011166:Porphyrins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D011524:Protoporphyrins / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism / Q000652:urine; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013997:Time Factors; D014018:Tissue Distribution
D015415:Biomarkers; D003306:Coproporphyrins; D011166:Porphyrins; D011524:Protoporphyrins; C026971:coproporphyrin III; C031467:coproporphyrin I; D003404:Creatinine; C028025:protoporphyrin IX; D001151:Arsenic