A review of disrupted biological response associated with volatile organic compound exposure: Insight into identification of biomarkers.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are widespread harmful atmospheric pollutants, which have long been concerned and elucidated to be one of the risks of acute and chronic diseases for human, such as leukemia and cancer. Although numerous scientific studies have documented the potential adverse outcomes caused by VOC exposure, the mechanisms which biological response pathways of these VOC disruption remain poorly understood. Therefore, the identification of biochemical markers associated with metabolism, health effects and diseases orientation can be an effective means of screening biological targets for VOC exposure, which provide evidences to the toxicity assessment of compounds. The current review aims to understand the mechanisms underlying VOCs-elicited adverse outcomes by charactering various types of biomarkers. VOCs-related biomarkers from three aspects were summarized through in vitro, animal and epidemiological studies. i) Unmetabolized and metabolized VOC biomarkers in human samples for assessing exposure characteristics in different communities; ii) Adverse endpoint effects related biomarkers, mainly including (anti)oxidative stress, inflammation response and DNA damage; iii) Omics-based molecular biomarkers alteration in gene, protein, lipid and metabolite aspects associated with biological signaling pathway disorders response to VOC exposure. Further research, advanced machine learning and bioinformation approaches combined with experimental results are urgently needed to ascertain the selection of biomarkers and further illuminate toxic mechanisms of VOC exposure. Finally, VOCs-induced disease causes can be predicted with proven results.