Study of Biological-Effect Monitoring to Arsenic Exposure

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In recent years, arsenic contamination to drinking water is a cause, and a large-scale chronic arsenic poisoning occurs in China. Exposure doses of iAs were approximately 1 mg or more a day. The mean urinary total arsenic (iAs + metabolites) level in the 36 subjects was 2.39 = 0.67 mu As/L, composed of 15% iAs, 20% monomethylated arsenic (MA) and 65% dimethylated arsenic (DMA). The tendency for excretion of urinary MA and DMA keep pace with lAs, and increased was observed by the patients with chronic arsenic poisoning. The difference of sex difference was observed by 2nd methylation for iAs in vivo. The mean hair total arsenic level in the 29 subjects was 1.82 mug As/g, composed of 88% iAs and 12% DMA.As for DMA concentration in hair, the tendency which rose was shown to lAs exposure.Histopathologically, significant alteration in epidermis was not observed in mice of the exposed groups. In contrast, dermis in the exposed animals showed moderately thick collagen bundles compared with control animals. Seven of 12 exposed animals showed significantly thickened collagen bundles in dermis. The mRNA expressions of GM-CSF and TGFalpha were enhanced moderately in the exposed animals compared with those of control animals. This result shows arsenic induces tight skin in mice and suggests that up-regulations of collagen production might responsible on the tightened skin in arsenic poisoning probably via induction of GM-CSF and TGFalpha.