Downregulation of Serum PTEN Expression in Mercury-Exposed Population and PI3K/AKT Pathway-Induced Inflammation  

作　　者：MEI Peng DING En Min YIN Hao Yang DING Xue Xue WANG Huan WANG Jian Feng HAN Lei ZHANG Heng Dong ZHU Bao Li 

机构地区：[1]School of Public Health,Nanjing Medical University,Nanjing 210000,Jiangsu,China [2]Institute of Occupational Disease Prevention,Jiangsu Province Center for Disease Prevention and Control,Nanjing 21000,Jiangsu,China [3]Suzhou Center for Disease Prevention and Control,Suzhou 215004,Jiangsu,China [4]Center for Global Health,School of Public Health,Nanjing Medical University,Nanjing 210000,Jiangsu,China

出　　处：《Biomedical and Environmental Sciences》2024年第4期354-366,共13页生物医学与环境科学（英文版）

基　　金：supported by the Jiangsu Province’s Outstanding Medical Academic Leader Program [CXTDA2017029];the Jiangsu Provincial Key Medical Discipline [ZDXK202249].

摘　　要：Objective This study investigated the impact of occupational mercury(Hg) exposure on human gene transcription and expression, and its potential biological mechanisms.Methods Differentially expressed genes related to Hg exposure were identified and validated using gene expression microarray analysis and extended validation. Hg-exposed cell models and PTEN lowexpression models were established in vitro using 293T cells. PTEN gene expression was assessed using qRT-PCR, and Western blotting was used to measure PTEN, AKT, and PI3K protein levels. IL-6 expression was determined by ELISA.Results Combined findings from gene expression microarray analysis, bioinformatics, and population expansion validation indicated significant downregulation of the PTEN gene in the high-concentration Hg exposure group. In the Hg-exposed cell model(25 and 10 μmol/L), a significant decrease in PTEN expression was observed, accompanied by a significant increase in PI3K, AKT, and IL-6 expression.Similarly, a low-expression cell model demonstrated that PTEN gene knockdown led to a significant decrease in PTEN protein expression and a substantial increase in PI3K, AKT, and IL-6 levels.Conclusion This is the first study to report that Hg exposure downregulates the PTEN gene, activates the PI3K/AKT regulatory pathway, and increases the expression of inflammatory factors, ultimately resulting in kidney inflammation.

关 键 词：PTEN Occupational mercury exposure Occupational health PI3K/AKT pathway 293T cell IL-6 

分 类 号：R114[医药卫生—卫生毒理学]