The ability of arsenic metabolism affected the expression of lncRNA PANDAR, DNA damage, or DNA methylation in peripheral blood lymphocytes of laborers.

Abstract

Arsenic has been associated with significant effects on human health. Exposure to inorganic arsenic has been associated with the changes in gene expression. Promoter of CDKN1A antisense DNA damage activated RNA (PANDAR) expression is induced by p53 protein and DNA damage response. Here, we investigated whether the ability of arsenic metabolism in individuals affected the expression of PANDAR, DNA damage, and DNA methylation. Levels of gene expression and DNA damage were examined by the quantitative polymerase chain reaction and DNA methylation was measured by the methylation-sensitive high-resolution melting curve. In our study, we demonstrated that arsenic exposure increased PANDAR expression and DNA damage among arsenic smelting plant laborers. The PANDAR expression and DNA damage were positively linked to monomethylarsonic acid % (R = 0.25, p < 0.05 and R = 0.32, p < 0.01) and negatively linked to dimethylarsinic acid % (R = -0.21, p < 0.05 and R = -0.31, p < 0.01). Subjects with low primary methylation index had increased levels of DNA damage (51.62 ± 2.96 vs. 60.93 ± 3.10, p < 0.05) and methylation (17.14 (15.88-18.51) vs. 15.83 (14.82-18.00), p < 0.05). Subjects with low secondary methylation index had increased levels of PANDAR expression (4.88 ± 0.29 vs. 4.07 ± 0.23, p < 0.01) and DNA damage (17.38 (15.88-19.29) vs. 15.83 (14.82-17.26), p < 0.01). DNA methylation of PANDAR gene was linked to the regulation of its expression in peripheral blood lymphocytes among laborers (Y = -2.08 × X + 5.64, p < 0.05). These findings suggested arsenic metabolism ability and exposure affected the expression of PANDAR, DNA damage, and DNA methylation.