Welding fume inhalation exposure and high-fat diet change lipid homeostasis in rat liver

Abstract

It is estimated that greater than 1 million workers are exposed to welding fume (WF) by inhalation daily. The potentially toxic metals found in WF are known to cause multiple adverse pulmonary and systemic effects, including cardiovascular disease, and these metals have also been shown to translocate to the liver. This occupational exposure combined with a high fat (HF) Western diet, which has been shown to cause hyperlipidemia and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), has the potential to cause significant mixed exposure metabolic changes in the liver. The goal of this study was to use matrix assisted laser desorption ionization imaging mass spectrometry (MALDI-IMS) to analyze the spatial distribution and abundance changes of lipid species in Sprague Dawley rat liver maintained on a HF diet combined with WF inhalation. The results of the MALDI-IMS analysis revealed unique hepatic lipid profiles for each treatment group. The HF diet group had significantly increased abundance of triglycerides and phosphatidylinositol lipids, as well as decreased lysophosphatidic lipids and cardiolipin. Ceramide-1-phosphate was found at higher abundance in the regular (REG) diet WF-exposed group which has been shown to regulate the eicosanoid pathway involved in pro-inflammatory response. The results of this study showed that the combined effects of WF inhalation and a HF diet significantly altered the hepatic lipidome. Additionally, pulmonary exposure to WF alone increased lipid markers of inflammation.

The Association Between Inflammatory and Oxidative Stress Biomarkers and Plasma Metabolites in a Longitudinal Study of Healthy Male Welders

“…This study showed that the combined effects of welding fume inhalation and a high-fat diet significantly altered the hepatic lipidome and researchers found higher abundance of ceramide-1-phosphate in the regular diet welding fume-exposed group which has been shown to regulate the eicosanoid pathway involved in pro-inflammatory response. 25 Thus, our study is the first study focused on the longitudinal association between metabolic profile and inflammatory biomarkers in a working population. The knowledge generated from this study can be generalized to broader active working population.…”

High-fat Western diet consumption exacerbates silica-induced pulmonary inflammation and fibrosis

“…Further associations between diet and occupational-exposure related toxicity have been shown in animal studies. Rats fed a HFWD and exposed to occupational welding fumes developed increased kidney toxicity, altered serum enzyme and protein levels [11] , [12] , and the hepatic lipidome was altered [12] , compared to animals fed a standard diet (STD).…”

An original biomarker for the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases and their complications: Telomere length

“…Boyce G. R. et al showed that the combined effects of welding fume inhalation and a high fat Western diet significantly altered the hepatic lipidome. Additionally, pulmonary exposure to welding fume alone increased lipid markers of inflammation [ 5 ]. Tsoukalas D. et al found that urine organic acid levels related to the mechanisms of energy production and detoxification were associated with the presence of autoimmune diseases [ 6 ].…”