Systemic biomarker profiles associated with PAHs exposure in women from industrial and non-industrial areas: Network...

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ubiquitous environmental contaminants, yet their potential health relevance in women remains incompletely characterized. This study investigated serum PAHs levels in women from industrial and non-industrial areas and examined their associations with biomarker profiles across multiple biological systems using network analysis and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). Fasting serum samples from 235 women were analyzed for PAHs using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS), alongside a panel of subclinical indicators. Mean ∑PAHs concentrations were significantly higher in women from the industrial region (142.65 ± 91.83 ng/mL) compared with those from the non-industrial area (63.32 ± 48.97 ng/mL) (P < 0.001). Higher PAHs levels were associated with variations in several biomarker profiles, including White Blood Cells (WBC), neutrophils, Red Blood Cells (RBC), Hemoglobin (HB), Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST), Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT), Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH), C-reactive Protein (CRP), as well as inflammatory markers like Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNF-α). PLS-SEM results suggested that smoking behaviors were associated with PAHs levels and with patterns of biomarker variation across these systems. Network analysis identified 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) as a highly central node (betweenness = 0.873, out-degree = 10), suggesting a potential link between PAH exposure and altered biomarker profiles. Overall, these findings highlight biomarker patterns associated with PAH exposure and suggest potential biological pathways that warrant further investigation in longitudinal studies.