Elevated ERCC1 gene expression in blood cells associated with exposure to arsenic from drinking water in Inner Mongolia.
BACKGROUND
Chronic arsenic exposure has been associated with human cancer. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of arsenic exposure on a DNA nucleotide excision repair gene, ERCC1, expression in human blood cells.


METHODS
Water and toenail samples were collected from a total of 327 Inner Mongolian residents for arsenic analysis. Blood samples were collected to determine mRNA expression levels by real-time PCR.


RESULTS
The mRNA levels of ERCC1 expression were positively associated with water arsenic concentration (slope=0.313, p=0.0043) and nail arsenic concentration (slope=0.474, p=0.0073). mRNA levels of ERCC1 expression were significantly correlated with those of OGG1, a base pair excision repair gene (r=0.275, p<0.0001).


CONCLUSIONS
The results showed that mRNA levels of ERCC1 expression were significantly associated with arsenic concentrations in drinking water, implicating the DNA repair response was induced by arsenic exposure.
Mo
Jinyao
J
Center for Environmental Medicine, Asthma and Lung Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
Xia
Yajuan
Y
Ning
Zhixiong
Z
Wade
Timothy J
TJ
Mumford
Judy L
JL
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001151:Arsenic / Q000032:analysis*; D020261:Arsenic Poisoning / Q000235:genetics*; D001773:Blood Cells / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D002648:Child; D002681:China; D045647:DNA Glycosylases / Q000235:genetics; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D004720:Endonucleases / Q000235:genetics*; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009262:Nails / Q000737:chemistry; D011379:Prognosis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D014881:Water Supply / Q000032:analysis*; D055815:Young Adult
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C071447:ERCC1 protein, human; D004720:Endonucleases; D045647:DNA Glycosylases; C479058:oxoguanine glycosylase 1, human; D001151:Arsenic