Arsenic Species and Lipid Metabolism Under Low-to-Moderate Exposure
A cross-sectional study examined urinary arsenic species and lipid metabolism in NHANES and a Chinese adult population, revealing associations between dimethylarsinic acid and LDL-C levels.
The relationship between low-to-moderate arsenic exposure and lipid metabolism remains unclear, particularly regarding different urinary arsenic species and the potential role of the urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR). This study addresses a gap in understanding how specific arsenic metabolites influence metabolic parameters in laboratory-relevant contexts.
Researchers conducted a cross-sectional analysis using data from NHANES 2009–2020 and an adult population from Zhaodong, China. The NHANES dataset included 2,104 participants representing over 52 million adults, while the Zhaodong cohort comprised 310 individuals. Creatinine-adjusted urinary total arsenic (UTA) and dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) served as primary exposure indicators, with monomethylarsonic acid (MMA), arsenite (AsIII), and arsenate (AsV) evaluated in supplementary analyses.
Triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C), and UACR were examined as outcomes. Multivariable regression, restricted cubic spline, subgroup, and mediation analyses were performed. In NHANES, after multivariable adjustment, UTA and DMA were positively associated with LDL-C levels, with beta values of 0.68 and 0.85, respectively. Both associations remained significant after false discovery rate correction (q < 0.1). Restricted cubic spline analyses revealed a nonlinear association between DMA and LDL-C.
In the Zhaodong population, the highest quartile of DMA was associated with lower odds of abnormal LDL-C compared with the lowest quartile. In NHANES, both UTA and DMA were positively associated with UACR. Mediation analyses did not support a meaningful mediating role of UACR, although small negative indirect effects were observed in the LDL-C models involving UTA and DMA. Supplementary exploratory analyses involving MMA, AsIII, and AsV yielded several nominal associations.
Low-to-moderate urinary arsenic exposure may be associated with altered LDL-C levels and increased UACR, with species- and population-specific differences. The mediation analyses did not support a meaningful mediating role of UACR. Prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings. This research provides data relevant for toxicological assessment but does not constitute medical advice or clinical recommendations.