Metabolic Features of Increased Gut Permeability, Inflammation, and Altered Energy Metabolism Distinguish Agricultural Workers at Risk for Mesoamerican Nephropathy

Nathan H. Raines, Dominick A. Leone, Cristina O’Callaghan-Gordo, Oriana Ramirez-Rubio, Juan José Amador, Damaris Lopez Pilarte, Iris S. Delgado, Jessica H. Leibler, Nieves Embade, Rubén Gil-Redondo, Chiara Bruzzone, Maider Bizkarguenaga, Madeleine K. Scammell, Samir M. Parikh, Oscar Millet, Daniel R. Brooks, David J. Friedman

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

6 Scopus citations

Abstract

Mesoamerican nephropathy (MeN) is a form of chronic kidney disease found predominantly in young men in Mesoamerica. Strenuous agricultural labor is a consistent risk factor for MeN, but the pathophysiologic mechanism leading to disease is poorly understood. We compared the urine metabolome among men in Nicaragua engaged in sugarcane harvest and seed cutting (n = 117), a group at high risk for MeN, against three referents: Nicaraguans working less strenuous jobs at the same sugarcane plantations (n = 78); Nicaraguans performing non-agricultural work (n = 102); and agricultural workers in Spain (n = 78). Using proton nuclear magnetic resonance, we identified 136 metabolites among participants. Our non-hypothesis-based approach identified distinguishing urine metabolic features in the high-risk group, revealing increased levels of hippurate and other gut-derived metabolites and decreased metabolites related to central energy metabolism when compared to referent groups. Our complementary hypothesis-based approach, focused on nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) related metabolites, and revealed a higher kynurenate/tryptophan ratio in the high-risk group (p = 0.001), consistent with a heightened inflammatory state. Workers in high-risk occupations are distinguishable by urinary metabolic features that suggest increased gut permeability, inflammation, and altered energy metabolism. Further study is needed to explore the pathophysiologic implications of these findings.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number325
JournalMetabolites
Volume13
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 2023

Keywords

  • Mesoamerican nephropathy (MeN)
  • agriculture
  • chronic kidney disease of nontraditional cause (CKDnt)
  • chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology (CKDu)
  • hippurate
  • kynurenate
  • manual labor
  • nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+)
  • tryptophan

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Biology

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