Metabolomic Evaluation of Air Pollution-related Bone Damage and Potential Mediation

Res Sq [Preprint]. 2023 Mar 28:rs.3.rs-2652887. doi: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2652887/v1.

Abstract

Ambient air pollution has been associated with bone damage. However, no studies have evaluated the metabolomic response to air pollutants and its potential influence on bone health in postmenopausal women. We analyzed data from WHI participants with plasma samples. Whole-body, total hip, femoral neck, and spine BMD at enrollment and follow-up (Y1, Y3, Y6). Daily particulate matter NO, NO2, PM10 and SO2 were averaged over 1-, 3-, and 5-year periods before metabolomic assessments. Statistical analyses included multivariable-adjusted linear mixed models, pathways analyses, and mediation modeling. NO, NO2, and SO2, but not PM10, were associated with taurine, inosine, and C38:4 phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), at all averaging periods. We found a partial mediation of C38:4 PE in the association between 1-year average NO and lumbar spine BMD (p-value: 0.032). This is the first study suggesting that a PE may partially mediate air pollution-related bone damage in postmenopausal women.

Publication types

  • Preprint

Grants and funding

This study was supported by the National Institutes of Health (R01ES025225; P30ES009089; R01AG069120; R01ES032242; R01ES027747; R35ES031688; R01AG058704). The WHI program is funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through contracts 75N92021D00001, 75N92021D00002, 75N92021D00003, 75N92021D00004, 75N92021D00005. A list of contributors to WHI science is available at https://www.whi.org/doc/WHI-Investigator-Long-List.pdf.