Exploring the link between Di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) exposure and muscle mass: A systematic investigation utilizing NHANES data analysis, network toxicology and molecular docking approaches

Sarcopenia is a syndrome characterized by a progressive, widespread decline in muscle mass and strength. DEHP, a plasticizer involved in daily life and widely used, has been found in various everyday items and causes developmental dysregulation, reproductive impairments, tumorigenesis, and transgene...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Jia-qi Hao, Biao Ran, Shu-yue Hu, Zi-xuan Zhuang, Jia-wan Zhang, Meng-rui Xiong, Rui Wang, Wen Zhuang, Mo-jin Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-04-01
Series:Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651325004683
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850265883692236800
author Jia-qi Hao
Biao Ran
Shu-yue Hu
Zi-xuan Zhuang
Jia-wan Zhang
Meng-rui Xiong
Rui Wang
Wen Zhuang
Mo-jin Wang
author_facet Jia-qi Hao
Biao Ran
Shu-yue Hu
Zi-xuan Zhuang
Jia-wan Zhang
Meng-rui Xiong
Rui Wang
Wen Zhuang
Mo-jin Wang
author_sort Jia-qi Hao
collection DOAJ
description Sarcopenia is a syndrome characterized by a progressive, widespread decline in muscle mass and strength. DEHP, a plasticizer involved in daily life and widely used, has been found in various everyday items and causes developmental dysregulation, reproductive impairments, tumorigenesis, and transgenerational disease. However, much remains to be discovered regarding the association between exposure to this environmental toxin and sarcopenia, as well as the toxic targets and molecular mechanisms. This research elucidated the relationship between contact with DEHP and the development of sarcopenia by integrating NHANES data analysis, network toxicology, and molecular docking. 3199 adults were enrolled, and multiple linear regressions were performed to reveal a significant negative correlation between lnDEHP and ALMBMI. Eighty-eight targets associated with DEHP and sarcopenia were identified. Subsequent STRING and Cytoscape screening stressed 20 key targets, including CASP3, BCL2, MMP9, BCL2L1, APP, and CTSS. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses revealed that these targets are involved in ligand-receptor interactions, apoptosis, and calcium signaling pathways. Molecular docking simulations using CB-dock confirmed the high-affinity binding interactions between DEHP and these key targets. This study validated the relationship between DEHP exposure and muscle mass. Further, it provided a theoretical basis for investigating the molecular mechanisms of DEHP exposure-induced skeletal muscle toxicity.
format Article
id doaj-art-be05d22ffcbd4f9c949703ae51b7880f
institution OA Journals
issn 0147-6513
language English
publishDate 2025-04-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety
spelling doaj-art-be05d22ffcbd4f9c949703ae51b7880f2025-08-20T01:54:18ZengElsevierEcotoxicology and Environmental Safety0147-65132025-04-0129511813210.1016/j.ecoenv.2025.118132Exploring the link between Di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) exposure and muscle mass: A systematic investigation utilizing NHANES data analysis, network toxicology and molecular docking approachesJia-qi Hao0Biao Ran1Shu-yue Hu2Zi-xuan Zhuang3Jia-wan Zhang4Meng-rui Xiong5Rui Wang6Wen Zhuang7Mo-jin Wang8Gastric Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; Department of General Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, ChinaDepartment of Urology, Institute of Urology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, ChinaNeonatology Department, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, ChinaDepartment of General Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; Colorectal Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, ChinaGastric Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; Department of General Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, ChinaGastric Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; Department of Urology, Institute of Urology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, ChinaDepartment of Gastroenterology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, ChinaGastric Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; Department of General Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, ChinaGastric Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; Department of General Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; Corresponding author at: Gastric Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.Sarcopenia is a syndrome characterized by a progressive, widespread decline in muscle mass and strength. DEHP, a plasticizer involved in daily life and widely used, has been found in various everyday items and causes developmental dysregulation, reproductive impairments, tumorigenesis, and transgenerational disease. However, much remains to be discovered regarding the association between exposure to this environmental toxin and sarcopenia, as well as the toxic targets and molecular mechanisms. This research elucidated the relationship between contact with DEHP and the development of sarcopenia by integrating NHANES data analysis, network toxicology, and molecular docking. 3199 adults were enrolled, and multiple linear regressions were performed to reveal a significant negative correlation between lnDEHP and ALMBMI. Eighty-eight targets associated with DEHP and sarcopenia were identified. Subsequent STRING and Cytoscape screening stressed 20 key targets, including CASP3, BCL2, MMP9, BCL2L1, APP, and CTSS. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses revealed that these targets are involved in ligand-receptor interactions, apoptosis, and calcium signaling pathways. Molecular docking simulations using CB-dock confirmed the high-affinity binding interactions between DEHP and these key targets. This study validated the relationship between DEHP exposure and muscle mass. Further, it provided a theoretical basis for investigating the molecular mechanisms of DEHP exposure-induced skeletal muscle toxicity.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651325004683DEHPAppendicular lean massSarcopeniaNHANESNetwork toxicologyMolecular docking
spellingShingle Jia-qi Hao
Biao Ran
Shu-yue Hu
Zi-xuan Zhuang
Jia-wan Zhang
Meng-rui Xiong
Rui Wang
Wen Zhuang
Mo-jin Wang
Exploring the link between Di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) exposure and muscle mass: A systematic investigation utilizing NHANES data analysis, network toxicology and molecular docking approaches
Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety
DEHP
Appendicular lean mass
Sarcopenia
NHANES
Network toxicology
Molecular docking
title Exploring the link between Di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) exposure and muscle mass: A systematic investigation utilizing NHANES data analysis, network toxicology and molecular docking approaches
title_full Exploring the link between Di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) exposure and muscle mass: A systematic investigation utilizing NHANES data analysis, network toxicology and molecular docking approaches
title_fullStr Exploring the link between Di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) exposure and muscle mass: A systematic investigation utilizing NHANES data analysis, network toxicology and molecular docking approaches
title_full_unstemmed Exploring the link between Di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) exposure and muscle mass: A systematic investigation utilizing NHANES data analysis, network toxicology and molecular docking approaches
title_short Exploring the link between Di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) exposure and muscle mass: A systematic investigation utilizing NHANES data analysis, network toxicology and molecular docking approaches
title_sort exploring the link between di 2 ethylhexyl phthalate dehp exposure and muscle mass a systematic investigation utilizing nhanes data analysis network toxicology and molecular docking approaches
topic DEHP
Appendicular lean mass
Sarcopenia
NHANES
Network toxicology
Molecular docking
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651325004683
work_keys_str_mv AT jiaqihao exploringthelinkbetweendi2ethylhexylphthalatedehpexposureandmusclemassasystematicinvestigationutilizingnhanesdataanalysisnetworktoxicologyandmoleculardockingapproaches
AT biaoran exploringthelinkbetweendi2ethylhexylphthalatedehpexposureandmusclemassasystematicinvestigationutilizingnhanesdataanalysisnetworktoxicologyandmoleculardockingapproaches
AT shuyuehu exploringthelinkbetweendi2ethylhexylphthalatedehpexposureandmusclemassasystematicinvestigationutilizingnhanesdataanalysisnetworktoxicologyandmoleculardockingapproaches
AT zixuanzhuang exploringthelinkbetweendi2ethylhexylphthalatedehpexposureandmusclemassasystematicinvestigationutilizingnhanesdataanalysisnetworktoxicologyandmoleculardockingapproaches
AT jiawanzhang exploringthelinkbetweendi2ethylhexylphthalatedehpexposureandmusclemassasystematicinvestigationutilizingnhanesdataanalysisnetworktoxicologyandmoleculardockingapproaches
AT mengruixiong exploringthelinkbetweendi2ethylhexylphthalatedehpexposureandmusclemassasystematicinvestigationutilizingnhanesdataanalysisnetworktoxicologyandmoleculardockingapproaches
AT ruiwang exploringthelinkbetweendi2ethylhexylphthalatedehpexposureandmusclemassasystematicinvestigationutilizingnhanesdataanalysisnetworktoxicologyandmoleculardockingapproaches
AT wenzhuang exploringthelinkbetweendi2ethylhexylphthalatedehpexposureandmusclemassasystematicinvestigationutilizingnhanesdataanalysisnetworktoxicologyandmoleculardockingapproaches
AT mojinwang exploringthelinkbetweendi2ethylhexylphthalatedehpexposureandmusclemassasystematicinvestigationutilizingnhanesdataanalysisnetworktoxicologyandmoleculardockingapproaches