Exploring serum trace element shifts: Implications for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia

Background

Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) represents a premalignant state presumably related to perturbations in circulating levels of trace elements.

Materials and methods

Employing inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), we quantified essential and toxic trace elements in the sera of 60 women diagnosed with CIN and 60 age-matched healthy counterparts.

Results

Our investigation revealed a noteworthy higher levels in serum of Mn, Zn, and Pb, as well as lower levels in Ni, Se, Rb, and Mo levels within the CIN cohort. Levels of Mn, Zn, and Pb were higher by approximately 5.5-fold, 3.0-fold, and 7.5-fold, respectively, while Mo levels exhibited an approximate 4.5-fold reduction in CIN sera compared to the control group. While the study provided valuable insights into trace element variations, it’s important to note that the adult Serbian population is considered Zn-deficient, so the Zn data should be interpreted with caution. Age stratification (30–40 vs. 40–50 vs. 50–60 years), smoking status (smokers vs. nonsmokers), and CIN severity (CIN 2 vs. CIN 3) yielded no significant disparities in elemental profiles. Among the 10 proposed ratios, 5 demonstrated a significant surge in CIN sera relative to controls: Mn/Se, Mn/Mo, Zn/Se, Zn/Mo, and Se/Mo. Correlation analysis of trace element levels revealed a predominantly consistent pattern between CIN cases and healthy subjects, except for Zn and its negative correlations (antagonistic interactions) with other analyzed trace elements.

Conclusion

Our findings underscore differences in serum levels of specific trace elements in CIN cases versus controls, implicating their potential involvement in the underlying pathophysiological cascades culminating in cervical neoplasms.