title: Elevated ERCC1 gene expression in blood cells associated with exposure to arsenic from drinking water in Inner Mongolia.
abstract: 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.
authors: Center for Environmental Medicine, Asthma and Lung Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
authors: Jinyao
authors: J
authors: Mo
authors: Yajuan
authors: Y
authors: Xia
authors: Zhixiong
authors: Z
authors: Ning
authors: Timothy J
authors: TJ
authors: Wade
authors: Judy L
authors: JL
authors: Mumford
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: 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