Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 18, 2025
A Murine Pancreatic Islet Cell-based Screening for Diabetogenic Environmental Chemicals
Published on: June 25, 2018
Bisphenol mixtures, metal mixtures and type 2 diabetes mellitus: Insights from metabolite profiling
Ze Yang1, Hongbo Liu2, Jiemin Wei2
1Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China; Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environment, Nutrition, and Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China; Center for International Collaborative Research on Environment, Nutrition and Public Health, Tianjin 300070, China; Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Major Diseases in the Population, Ministry of Education, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China; Department of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050017, China.
Background:
Little is known about the combined effect of bisphenol mixtures and metal mixtures on type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) risk, and the mediating roles of metabolites.
Methods:
The study included 606 pairs of T2DM cases and controls matched by age and sex, and information of participants was collected through questionnaires and laboratory tests. Serum bisphenol and plasma metal concentrations were measured using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), respectively. Widely targeted metabolomics was employed to obtain the serum metabolomic profiles. Conditional logistic regression models were used to assess the single associations of bisphenols and metals with T2DM risk after multivariable adjustment. Additionally, the joint effects of bisphenol mixtures and metal mixtures were examined using quantile-based g-computation (QG-C) models. Furthermore, differential metabolites associated with T2DM were identified, and mediation analyses were performed to explore the role of metabolites in the associations of bisphenols and metals with T2DM risk.
Results:
The results showed bisphenol mixtures were associated with an increased T2DM risk, with bisphenol A (BPA) identified as the primary contributor. While the association between metal mixtures and T2DM remained inconclusive, cobalt (Co), iron (Fe), and zinc (Zn) showed the highest weight indices for T2DM risk. A total of 154 differential metabolites were screened between the T2DM cases and controls. Mediation analyses indicated that 9 metabolites mediated the association between BPA and T2DM, while L-valine mediated the association between Zn and T2DM risk.
Conclusions:
The study indicated that BPA, Co, Fe, and Zn were the primary contributors to increased T2DM risk, and metabolites played a mediating role in the associations of BPA and Zn with the risk of T2DM. Our findings contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying the associations of bisphenols and metals with T2DM.
Related Concept Videos
01:22Diabetes Mellitus: Type 2 and Gestational
01:20Pathophysiology of Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is characterized by autoimmune-mediated destruction of pancreatic β cells, with environmental factors potentially triggering this process in genetically susceptible individuals. Despite many not having a family history, certain genes increase susceptibility,...
01:36Carbohydrate Metabolism
Starch accounts for approximately 60% of the carbohydrates consumed by humans. Since amylase enzymes cannot function in the stomach's acidic environment, starch can only be digested in the mouth and small intestine. Simple sugars are found naturally in milk and fruits in...