ABSTRACT
Objective The aim of our study was to investigate the influence of hexavalent chromium exposure on mRNA expression of cell cycle related genes in electroplating workers, and to provide population data for investigating the toxic mechanisms of hexavalent chromium. Methods A total of 155 cases of workers occupationally exposed to hexavalent chromium were selected, including 89 males and 66 females, and the average age of workers was 39.65±8.856 years old. Questionnaire was used to collect essential information of workers. Peripheral blood was collected from electroplating workers. The inductively couple plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MAS) was used to measure total blood chromium content. The workers were divided into four groups according to the blood chromium content. After extracting total RNA from whole blood and reverse transcription, the mRNA expression levels of p16 and CDK6 genes were detected by real-time quantitative PCR. Meanwhile, the levels of blood chromium (BCr) and the mRNA expression of p16 and CDK6 genes were compared among four groups. The impact of BCr, smoking habits, drinking habits, gender on the mRNA expression of CDK6 gene was analyzed. Results The levels of BCr in group 1 to 4 were 0.04ppb, 0.47±0.29 ppb, 2.76±1.16 ppb, 9.36 ±4.38 ppb, respectively, and the difference between every two groups was significant (P<0.05) . The median of p16 gene expression in four groups was 4.22, 7.19, 7.47, and 14.60, respectively, and the difference between every two groups was not significant (P>0.05) . The mRNA expression levels of CDK6 gene in groups 2 to 4 were 15.05, 8.03 and 24.81, respectively, which were significantly higher than that in group 1 (P<0.05) . The results of logistic regression showed that the level of Bcr was the main influence factor, while smoking habits, drinking habits and gender had no obvious impact on the mRNA expression of CDK6 gene. Conclusions Long-term exposure of hexavalent chromium led to higher mRNA expression of CDK6 gene, and it may serve as a biomarker for workers occupationally exposed to hexavalent chromium.
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Objective To investigate the employers' and employees' satisfaction of Zhejiang Province on occupation health examination and diagnosis of occupational diseases, and to guide and to standardize the occupation health examination and occupational disease diagnosis. Methods A random sample of 953 employers, 1791 workers with health examination and 135 workers with diagnosis of occupational diseases were selected in the survey, and the questionnaire about the Satisfuction on occupation health examination and occupation disease diagnosis were used in this survey. Results A total of 2879 questionnaires were sent out, in which 2841 valid questionnaires were returned, and the effective recovery rate was 98.68%. The recognition rates on comfortable environment, clear instructions process, workflow notification, and attention notification were all above 98%. The satisfaction rates for all items were above 86%, and the total satisfaction rate was 89.27% . The total satisfaction rates of workers with health examination, workers with diagnosis of occupational diseases and employers were 89.28%, 82.03%, and 90.22%, respectively. The recognition rates on clear instructions process and attention notification, and the satisfaction rates on service attitude, result information and overall satisfaction were significantly different between different types of respondents (P<0.05) . The results of pair wise comparison showed that the satisfaction rates of workers with diseases diagnosis on service attitude, results information and overall satisfaction were significantly lower than those of employers (P<0.05) . The overall satisfaction rate of workers with diagnosis of occupational diseases was lower than that of workers with health examination (P=0.011) . The recognition rates of workers with health examination on clear instructions process and attentions notification were lower than those of employers (P<0.016) . There was a significant difference in the overall satisfaction between respondents in different regions (P<0.01) . Conclusion The service of occupational health examination and occupational disease diagnosis services should be further improved. We should better learn the demands of employees and employers, improve service attitude, optimize service processes, shorten service time, and improve service quality and satisfaction.
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<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effect of N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) on calcium homeostasis and calpain I and II gene expression in human hepatocytes (HL-7702).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>HL-7702 cells were exposed to different concentrations of DMF (10, 25, 50, 100, or 200 mmol/L); other HL-7702 cells, which were used as a control group, were exposed to the equal volume of DMEM; the intracellular Ca(2+) concentration was monitored using the calcium fluorescent probe (fluo-3/AM). After 24-h exposure to DMF (10, 25, 50, 100, 150, or 200 mmol/L), the morphology of hepatocytes was observed under an inverted phase contrast microscope, and the cell viability was measured by MTT assay. After 24-h exposure to DMF (10, 25, 50, 100, or 150 mmol/L), the mRNA expression levels of calpain I and II in hepatocytes were measured by real-time quantitative PCR.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>There were significant differences in cell viability among different exposure groups (P < 0.01); the 50, 100, 150, and 200 mmol/L DMF exposure groups had a significantly lower cell viability than the control group (P < 0.05). Under the inverted phase contrast microscope, HL-7702 cells gradually lost the original shape, with swelling and shrinking, as the dose of DMF increased, and those treated with 150 mmol/L DMF even became round and floated. The fluorescence density of fluo-3 in hepatocytes increased as the dose of DMF rose, demonstrating a dose-response relationship, and there were significant differences among these exposure groups (P < 0.05). There were significant differences in mRNA expression levels of calpain I and II among these exposure groups (P < 0.01), and the expression increased as the dose of DMF rose; but DMF did not promote the mRNA expression of calpain I at a concentration of 150 mmol/L.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>DMF can cause damage to hepatocytes, which is related to intracellular calcium increase and calpain mRNA increase.</p>
Subject(s)
Humans , Calcium , Metabolism , Calpain , Metabolism , Cell Line , Dimethylformamide , Pharmacology , Hepatocytes , MetabolismABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>to investigate whether pirfenidone (PFD) presents the antifibrotic effect in silicosis of rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>SD rats were randomly divided into five groups: the non-treat group, the normal saline group, the normal saline + PFD group, the SiO2 group, the SiO2 + PFD group. Rats except in the non-treat group were intratracheally instilled with SiO2 (25 mg/ml) or normal saline. The rats in normal saline + PFD group and the SiO2 + PFD group were given PFD (50 mg/kg) orally the next day after instillation and throughout the study. Rats were respectively sacrificed 7, 21, 42 days after instillation. The pathology changes were evaluated by Haematoxylin-eosin (HE), Van Gieson and Foot staining, and the hydroxyproline (HYP) content of pulmonary tissue was determined.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>compared with the SiO2 group, PFD could relieve the fibrotic changes in the lungs of rats. The fibrotic degree in silicotic lesions of lungs was lower in the SiO2 + PFD group than that of SiO2 group. The HYP content in the lungs of the SiO2 + PFD group [(0.75 ± 0.12) mg/g] was significantly lower than that of the SiO2 group [(1.19 ± 0.17) mg/g] at 42 days after instillation (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>these data support that PFD has an antifibrotic effect against SiO2 induced lung fibrosis in rats, Which appears to be changing collagen accumulation and inhibiting pulmonary fibrosis.</p>