Evaluation of the effect of serum cystatin-C and ACE I/D and ACE G2350A polymorphisms on kidney function among hypertensive sewage workers

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international 2021, Vol.28 (2), p.1619-1626
• Main Authors: Taha, Mona M., Shahy, Eman M., Mahdy-Abdallah, Heba, Ibrahim, Khadiga S., El Tahlawy, Eman M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aquatic Pollution; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Blood levels; Blood pressure; blood serum; Cadmium; Conjugation; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diastolic pressure; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Environmental science; Gene polymorphism; genes; Genotype; Genotype & phenotype; heterozygosity; Humans; Hypertension; Hypertension - genetics; Injury analysis; Kidney; Occupational exposure; Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A - genetics; Polymorphism; Polymorphism, Genetic; Renal function; Renal tubules; Research Article; Sewage; urine; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollution Control
• ISSN: 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-10579-5

Cadmium (Cd) as nephrotoxicant metal exerts its potent effect mainly on renal tubules disturbing its functions. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 55 sewage workers occupationally exposed to Cd and 50 control subjects. The study aimed to assess the effect of low-level Cd exposure on blood pressure and renal function in terms of serum cystatin-C levels. The associations between genetic polymorphisms of ACEI/D and ACE G2350A and hypertension and tubular injury among workers were studied. We analyzed blood and urine Cd concentration (U-Cd), serum cystatin-C, ACE I/D polymorphisms, and ACE G2350A, and blood pressure was measured. Results recorded a significant rise in serum and U-Cd and cystatin-C levels in sewage workers compared with controls. Significant distribution in genotype frequency of ACE I/D and ACE G2350A gene was detected. An association in DD genotype of ACE I/D with a rise in serum and U-Cd was observed in workers. In wild type genotype GG of ACE G2350A gene, a significant rise in serum cystatin-C levels and diastolic pressure was found while in heterozygote genotype GA significant rise in U-Cd levels was detected. Also, the association of AA genotype of ACE G2350A gene with a significant rise in serum and U-Cd and cystatin-C levels was shown among workers compared with control groups. Our findings indicated an association of ACE DD polymorphism in conjugation with GG genotype of ACE2 with hypertension and tubular injury in sewage workers.