A non-targeted metabolomics study on serum of occupational people exposed with nanometer titanium dioxide particles (TiO(2)-NPs)

Abstract

Objective: To study the changes of serum metabolic profile of occupational people exposed with nanometer titanium dioxide particles (TiO(2)-NPs), and to explore the biomarkers and injury mechanism of TiO(2)-NPs health effects. Methods: From June 2020 to June 2021, a TiO(2)-NPs production enterprise was selected as the research site by a typical sampling method, 64 people in the TiO(2)-NPs exposure group were selected from the enterprise, and 62 people of the logistics administrative staff in the same enterprise were selected as the control group, and blood samples were collected using non-anticoagulant blood collection tubes. After the samples were methanol-precipitated, the untargeted metabolomic data was collected by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry, and biomarkers were screened and metabolic pathway analysis was performed. Results: 46 different metabolites were screened out by P<0.05 and variable importance projection index (VIP) value >1, mainly including glycerides, sphingomyelin, glycerophospholipid, fatty acyl, etc.; By ROC analysis to determine 3-hydroxy-4, 5-dimethyl-2 (5H) - furanone, 4-aminobiphenyl, heptanoylcarnitine, Hexadecanedioic acid mono-L-carnitine ester, Ibutilide, LysoPA (18∶1 (9Z) /0∶0), LysoPC (18∶0), PC (16∶0/16∶0), PC (16∶0/20: 4 (5Z, 8Z, 11Z, 14Z) ), PC (P-18∶1 (9Z) /P-18∶1 (9Z) ) 10 candidate biomarkers; involving changes in 4 metabolic pathways, namely glycerophospholipid metabolism, sphingolipid metabolism, phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan acid biosynthesis, linoleic acid metabolism. Conclusion: Occupational exposure to TiO(2)-NPs has a significant impact on serum metabolic profiles.