title: Urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin is associated with heavy metal exposure in welding workers.
abstract: Metals cause nephrotoxicity with acute and/or chronic exposure; however, few epidemiological studies have examined impacts of exposure to metal fumes on renal injury in welding workers. In total, 66 welding workers and 12 office workers were recruited from a shipyard located in southern Taiwan. Urine samples from each subject were collected at the beginning (baseline) and end of the work week (1-week exposure). Personal exposure to PM2.5 was measured. The 8-h mean PM2.5 was 50.3 μg/m(3) for welding workers and 27.4 μg/m(3) for office workers. iTRAQs coupled with LC-MS/MS were used to discover the pathways in response to welding PM2.5 in the urine, suggesting that extracellular matrix (ECM)-receptor interactions are a critical mechanism. ECM-receptor interaction-related biomarkers for renal injury, kidney injury molecule (KIM)-1 and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), were significantly elevated in welding workers post-exposure, as well as were urinary Al, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, and Ni levels. NGAL was more significantly associated with Al (r = 0.737, p < 0.001), Cr (r = 0.705, p < 0.001), Fe (r = 0.709, p < 0.001), and Ni (r = 0.657, p < 0.001) than was KIM-1, suggesting that NGAL may be a urinary biomarker for welding PM2.5 exposure. Nephrotoxicity (e.g., renal tubular injury) may be an emerging concern in occupational health.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, College of Public Health and Nutrition, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.|Department of Public Health, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Kai-Jen
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Chuang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health, Ministry of Labor, New Taipei City, Taiwan.|School of Public Health, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chih-Hong
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City, Taiwan.|School of Respiratory Therapy, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chien-Ling
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Su
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ching-Huang
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.affiliation: Center of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Kaohsiung Municipal Hsiaokang Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Wen-Yi
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Cosmetic Application and Management, St. Mary's Junior College of Medicine, Nursing and Management, Yilan County, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chih-Ming
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: School of Respiratory Therapy, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shu-Chuan
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.affiliation: School of Respiratory Therapy, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.|Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Mauo-Ying
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Bien
authors.affiliation: Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.|Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Cheng-Hsien
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City, Taiwan.|School of Respiratory Therapy, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hsiao-Chi
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Chuang
mesh_terms: D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins / Q000652:urine*; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000652:urine; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid; D005260:Female; D000072596:Hepatitis A Virus Cellular Receptor 1; D006801:Humans; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000652:urine; D000071068:Lipocalin-2; D054834:Lipocalins / Q000652:urine*; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000652:urine; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000652:urine*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000652:urine; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D016272:Occupational Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010316:Particle Size; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D011507:Proteinuria / Q000652:urine; D040901:Proteomics / Q000379:methods; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000652:urine*; D011991:Receptors, Virus; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry; D013997:Time Factors; D014896:Welding
chemical_list: D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins; D015415:Biomarkers; C491143:HAVCR1 protein, human; D000072596:Hepatitis A Virus Cellular Receptor 1; C489506:LCN2 protein, human; D000071068:Lipocalin-2; D054834:Lipocalins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D052638:Particulate Matter; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D011991:Receptors, Virus