Cadmium Exposure and Noncommunicable Diseases in Environmentally Exposed Brazilian Population: Cross-Sectional Study without Association of GSTP1 Polymorphism

Abstract

Cadmium (Cd) is a toxic metal which is harmful to humans and the environment. Cd levels and adverse effects may be associated with genetic polymorphisms in genes involved in its toxicokinetics. This study investigated Cd levels in 198 residents of a condominium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, built on industrial steel slag waste and the influence of glutathione S-transferase pi isoform 1 (GSTP1) rs1695 A>G polymorphism. Polymorphism was genotyped using a validated TaqMan assay; Cd levels were measured in blood (BCd) and urine (UCd) by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. Associations were evaluated by multiple logistic regression, odds ratios (ORs), and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The mean Cd levels were 0.70 ± 0.20 µg L−1 (BCd), 0.58 ± 0.57 µg L−1 (UCd), and 0.61 ± 0.65 µg g−1 in urine corrected by creatinine (UcCd), and the Cd results were above tolerable levels (BCd > 0.5 µg L−1) in 87.4% of subjects. Higher blood Cd levels (>0.69 µg L−1) were associated with respiratory disease (OR = 2.4; 95%CI = 1.2–5.0), as almost 30% of people with respiratory diseases had higher Cd levels. The GSTP1 rs1695AA genotype frequency was 38.1%, and there were no significant differences between the SNP and Cd levels. High Cd levels and a high prevalence of diseases highlight the importance of implementing public policies and the continuous monitoring of this at-risk population.