Metabolic profiles associated with exposure to ambient particulate air pollution: findings from the Betula cohort

• Published in: Frontiers in Public Health
• Main Authors: Wasif Raza, Anders Öhman, Katja M. Kanninen, Pasi Jalava, Xiao-wen Zeng, Tosca O. E. de Crom, M. Arfan Ikram, Anna Oudin
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2024
• Subjects: air pollution; environmental epidemiology; metabolomics; dementia; cognitive disorders; Public aspects of medicine; RA1-1270; Northern Sweden
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1401006; https://doaj.org/article/08d17fab718d4e879d742a9ec061547e

IntroductionAir pollution is a significant contributor to morbidity and mortality globally and has been linked to an increased risk of dementia. Previous studies within the Betula cohort in Northern Sweden have demonstrated associations between air pollution and dementia, as well as distinctive metabolomic profiles in dementia patients compared to controls. This study aimed to investigate whether air pollution is associated with quantitative changes in metabolite levels within this cohort, and whether future dementia status would modify this association.MethodsBoth short-term and long-term exposure to air pollution were evaluated using high spatial resolution models and measured data. Air pollution from vehicle exhaust and woodsmoke were analyzed separately. Metabolomic profiling was conducted on 321 participants, including 58 serum samples from dementia patients and a control group matched for age, sex, and education level, using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.ResultsNo statistically significant associations were found between any metabolites and any measures of short-term or long-term exposure to air pollution. However, there were trends potentially suggesting associations between both long-term and short-term exposure to air pollution with lactate and glucose metabolites. Notably, these associations were observed despite the lack of correlation between long-term and short-term air pollution exposure in this cohort. There were also tendencies for associations between air pollution from woodsmoke to be more pronounced in participants that would later develop dementia, suggesting a potential effect depending on urban/rural factors.DiscussionWhile no significant associations were found, the trends observed in the data suggest potential links between air pollution exposure and changes in lactate and glucose metabolites. These findings provide some new insights into the link between air pollution and metabolic markers in a low-exposure setting. However, addressing existing limitations is crucial to improve ...