Urinary metal mixtures and cataract: Findings from a U.S. population-based study and network pharmacology analysis

To analyze the effects of various urinary metals on cataract using National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data.

Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between nine urinary metals and cataract. Weighted quantile sum (WQS) was used to analyze the positive and negative effects of various metals on cataract. The global and independent effects were analyzed using Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR). Network pharmacological analysis was used to explore the mechanism of metals on cataract.

A total of 2207 participants were participated in the study. After excluding the influence of covariates, it was found that the concentrations of Ba, Sb, and Tl were significantly correlated with the prevalence of cataract. WQS showed that Cd, Pb, and Ba had the strongest negative effects on cataracts, while Tu and Co had the strongest positive effects. BKMR showed that the overall effect of nine urinary metals had no significant relationship with cataract, there was a significant positive correlation between Co and cataract, and a significant negative correlation between Pb and cataract under certain conditions. Co and cataract interact through various pathways, including Interleukin-4 and Interleukin-13 signaling. AKT1 may be the key protein in the correlation.

Urinary metal concentrations may be associated with the risk of ocular outcomes. While our findings suggest potential links between Co and cataract, these results should be interpreted with caution due to the cross-sectional nature of the data. Further longitudinal studies are needed to confirm these associations and to explore possible threshold levels for clinical or public health monitoring.