Untargeted metabolomic analysis of human serum samples associated with exposure levels of Persistent organic pollutants indicate important perturbations in Sphingolipids and Glycerophospholipids levels.
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are distributed globally and are associated with adverse health effects in humans. A study combining gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), high resolution mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTof-MS) and chemometrics for the analysis of adult human serum samples was undertaken. Levels of serum POPs found were in the low range of what has been reported in similar populations across Europe (median 33.84 p, p'-DDE, 3.02 HCB, 83.55 β-HCH, 246.62 PCBs ng/g lipids). Results indicated that compounds concentrations were significantly different between the two groups of POPs exposure (high vs low) and classes (DDE, β-HCH, HCB, PCBs). Using orthogonal partial last-squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA), multivariate models were created for both modes of acquisition and POPs classes, explaining the maximum amount of variation between sample groups (positive mode R2 = 98-90%; Q2 = 94-75%; root mean squared error of validation (RMSEV) = 12-20%: negative mode R2 = 98-91%; Q2 = 94-81%; root mean squared error of validation (RMSEV) = 10-19%. In the serum samples analyzed, a total 3076 and 3121 ions of interest were detected in positive and negative mode respectively. Of these, 40 were found to be significantly different (p < 0.05) between exposure levels. Sphingolipids and Glycerophospholipids lipids families were identified and found significantly (p < 0.05) different between high and low POPs exposure levels. This study has shown that the elucidation of metabolomic fingerprints may have the potential to be classified as biomarkers of POPs exposure.
Institute for Global Food Security, Queen's University, Belfast, 18-30 Malone Road, BT9 5BN, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom; Astrobiology Centre (INTA-CSIC), Dept. of Planetology and Habitability, Torrejón de Ardóz 28850, Madrid, Spain. Electronic address: dcarrizo@cab.inta-csic.es.
Daniel
D
Carrizo
Institute for Global Food Security, Queen's University, Belfast, 18-30 Malone Road, BT9 5BN, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom.
Olivier P
OP
Chevallier
UKCRC Centre of Excellence for Public Health (Northern Ireland), Institute of Clinical Science B, Royal Victoria Hospital, Grosvenor Road, Belfast, BT12 6BJ, United Kingdom.
Jayne V
JV
Woodside
Centre for Public Health, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Science, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT12 6BA, United Kingdom.
Sarah F
SF
Brennan
Centre for Public Health, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Science, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT12 6BA, United Kingdom.
Marie M
MM
Cantwell
Institute for Global Food Security, Queen's University, Belfast, 18-30 Malone Road, BT9 5BN, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom.
Geraldine
G
Cuskelly
Institute for Global Food Security, Queen's University, Belfast, 18-30 Malone Road, BT9 5BN, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom.
Christopher T
CT
Elliott
D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D003633:Dichlorodiphenyl Dichloroethylene / Q000097:blood*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000097:blood*; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D020404:Glycerophospholipids / Q000097:blood*; D006581:Hexachlorobenzene / Q000097:blood*; D001556:Hexachlorocyclohexane / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055432:Metabolomics; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000097:blood*; D013107:Sphingolipids / Q000097:blood*
D015415:Biomarkers; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D020404:Glycerophospholipids; D013107:Sphingolipids; D003633:Dichlorodiphenyl Dichloroethylene; D006581:Hexachlorobenzene; D001556:Hexachlorocyclohexane; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls; C023888:beta-hexachlorocyclohexane
Human exposure; Metabolomics fingerprint; Multivariate analysis; OPLS-DA; Persistent organic pollutants