Microcystins Exposure and the Risk of Metabolic Syndrome: A Cross-Sectional Study in Central China

A growing body of evidence indicates that microcystins (MCs) exposure may cause metabolic diseases. However, studies exploring the effects of MCs exposure on the risk of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in humans are currently lacking, and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we conducted a cros...

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Main Authors: Shuidong Feng, Yuke Zeng, Fengmei Song, Minxue Shen, Fei Yang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-12-01
Series:Toxins
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/16/12/542
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author Shuidong Feng
Yuke Zeng
Fengmei Song
Minxue Shen
Fei Yang
author_facet Shuidong Feng
Yuke Zeng
Fengmei Song
Minxue Shen
Fei Yang
author_sort Shuidong Feng
collection DOAJ
description A growing body of evidence indicates that microcystins (MCs) exposure may cause metabolic diseases. However, studies exploring the effects of MCs exposure on the risk of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in humans are currently lacking, and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we conducted a cross-sectional study in central China to explore the effect of serum MCs on MetS, and assessed the mediation effects of the inflammation biomarker, white blood cell (WBC) level, in this relationship. The relationships among MCs and WBC level and risk of MetS were assessed using binary logistic and linear regression. Mediation analysis was used to explore possible mechanisms underlying those associations by employing R software (version 4.3.1). Compared to the lowest quartile of MCs, the highest quartile had an increased risk of MetS (odds ratio [OR] = 2.10, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.19, 3.70), with a dose–response relationship (<i>p</i> for trend < 0.05). WBCs mediated 11.14% of the association between serum MCs and triglyceride (TG) levels, but did not mediate the association of MCs exposure with MetS. This study firstly reveals that MCs exposure is an independent risk factor for MetS in a dose–response manner, and suggests that WBC level could partially mediate the association of MCs exposure with TG levels.
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spelling doaj-art-9843e260ab014fae9623225a6f9f42332025-08-20T02:57:21ZengMDPI AGToxins2072-66512024-12-01161254210.3390/toxins16120542Microcystins Exposure and the Risk of Metabolic Syndrome: A Cross-Sectional Study in Central ChinaShuidong Feng0Yuke Zeng1Fengmei Song2Minxue Shen3Fei Yang4Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, The Key Laboratory of Typical Environmental Pollution and Health Hazards of Hunan Province, School of Public Health, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang 421001, ChinaDepartment of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, The Key Laboratory of Typical Environmental Pollution and Health Hazards of Hunan Province, School of Public Health, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang 421001, ChinaDepartment of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, The Key Laboratory of Typical Environmental Pollution and Health Hazards of Hunan Province, School of Public Health, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang 421001, ChinaHunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Social Medicine and Health Management, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha 410000, ChinaDepartment of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, The Key Laboratory of Typical Environmental Pollution and Health Hazards of Hunan Province, School of Public Health, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang 421001, ChinaA growing body of evidence indicates that microcystins (MCs) exposure may cause metabolic diseases. However, studies exploring the effects of MCs exposure on the risk of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in humans are currently lacking, and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we conducted a cross-sectional study in central China to explore the effect of serum MCs on MetS, and assessed the mediation effects of the inflammation biomarker, white blood cell (WBC) level, in this relationship. The relationships among MCs and WBC level and risk of MetS were assessed using binary logistic and linear regression. Mediation analysis was used to explore possible mechanisms underlying those associations by employing R software (version 4.3.1). Compared to the lowest quartile of MCs, the highest quartile had an increased risk of MetS (odds ratio [OR] = 2.10, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.19, 3.70), with a dose–response relationship (<i>p</i> for trend < 0.05). WBCs mediated 11.14% of the association between serum MCs and triglyceride (TG) levels, but did not mediate the association of MCs exposure with MetS. This study firstly reveals that MCs exposure is an independent risk factor for MetS in a dose–response manner, and suggests that WBC level could partially mediate the association of MCs exposure with TG levels.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/16/12/542microcystinsmetabolic syndromemediationcross-sectional study
spellingShingle Shuidong Feng
Yuke Zeng
Fengmei Song
Minxue Shen
Fei Yang
Microcystins Exposure and the Risk of Metabolic Syndrome: A Cross-Sectional Study in Central China
Toxins
microcystins
metabolic syndrome
mediation
cross-sectional study
title Microcystins Exposure and the Risk of Metabolic Syndrome: A Cross-Sectional Study in Central China
title_full Microcystins Exposure and the Risk of Metabolic Syndrome: A Cross-Sectional Study in Central China
title_fullStr Microcystins Exposure and the Risk of Metabolic Syndrome: A Cross-Sectional Study in Central China
title_full_unstemmed Microcystins Exposure and the Risk of Metabolic Syndrome: A Cross-Sectional Study in Central China
title_short Microcystins Exposure and the Risk of Metabolic Syndrome: A Cross-Sectional Study in Central China
title_sort microcystins exposure and the risk of metabolic syndrome a cross sectional study in central china
topic microcystins
metabolic syndrome
mediation
cross-sectional study
url https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/16/12/542
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AT yukezeng microcystinsexposureandtheriskofmetabolicsyndromeacrosssectionalstudyincentralchina
AT fengmeisong microcystinsexposureandtheriskofmetabolicsyndromeacrosssectionalstudyincentralchina
AT minxueshen microcystinsexposureandtheriskofmetabolicsyndromeacrosssectionalstudyincentralchina
AT feiyang microcystinsexposureandtheriskofmetabolicsyndromeacrosssectionalstudyincentralchina