Progress in research of relationship between metal or metalloid and persistent organic pollutants exposures and cardiovascular disease / 中华流行病学杂志

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of mortality and healthy life expectancy loss, ranking first in causing the global burden of disease. In addition to the traditional CVD risk factors, such as hypertension and diabetes, environmental chemical pollutants may also play a role in the development of CVD. This paper summarizes the evidence regarding the relation of exposures to metal or metalloid and persistent organic pollutants with risk for CVD and introduces the research progress in the relation between the exposures to two environmental chemical pollutants and CVD risk. The study aims to provide scientific evidence for the effective prevention of CVD through the management of chemical pollutants in environment.

Progress in research of deaths and disease burden of major chronic diseases caused by indoor and outdoor air pollution in China / 中华流行病学杂志

Health damage including chronic disease caused by air pollution have attracted increasing attention. With the acceleration of industrialization and urbanization, the emission of air pollutants has increased, and its association with chronic diseases has become a research trending topic. Cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and chronic respiratory disease are the major chronic diseases, causing about 86.6% of the total deaths in China. The prevention and control of chronic diseases, especially the etiologic prevention, is a major public health issue related to national health. This article summarizes the recent progress in research of association of indoor and outdoor air pollution with all-cause mortality, the deaths and disease burden of four major chronic diseases, i.e. cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and chronic respiratory disease, and puts forward suggestions for the reduction of the burden caused by chronic diseases due to air pollution to provide a theoretical foundation to revise air quality standards in China.

Prior development of occupational health for healthy China / 中华疾病控制杂志

Since the founding of the People’s Republic of China in the past 70 years, occupational health in China has gradually established its distinctive occupational health regulations, personnel training system, scientific research and work models, and has achieved considerable development and progress. This paper reviews the establishment and development of occupational health, affirms the achievements, presents the current problems and looks to the future. Prior development of occupational health will make greater contributions to the implementation of a healthy China strategy and coordinated economic and social development.

Association of smoking status with incident cardiovascular disease in the middle-aged and older male populations / 中华疾病控制杂志

Objective To investigate the association of smoking status with incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) and its subtypes among the middle-aged and older male populations. Methods This study included 13 940 males from Dongfeng-Tongji (DFTJ) cohort who were free of coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke, cancer or severely abnormal electrocardiogram (ECG) at baseline. All participants completed baseline questionnaires, physical examinations, clinical biochemical tests and blood sample collection. Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate the hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confident intervals (CI) for the association analyses. Results Compared with never smokers, current smokers had significant higher risks of CVD, CHD and stroke, the adjusted HRs of current smokers who smoked for more than 40 pack-years were 1.49 (95% CI: 1.32-1.68, Ptrend=0.001), 1.40 (95% CI: 1.22-1.62, Ptrend=0.026) and 1.59 (95% CI: 1.26-2.00, Ptrend=0.029) for CVD, CHD and stroke, respectively; and the adjusted HRs of current smokers who started smoking before 20 years old were 1.29 (95% CI: 1.06-1.58, Ptrend=0.007) and 1.30 (95% CI: 1.03-1.64, Ptrend=0.010) for CVD and CHD, respectively. Former smokers who had quitted smoking for 10 or more years had significant lower risks of CVD (HR: 0.80, 95% CI: 0.71-0.91, Ptrend=0.017) and stroke (HR: 0.65, 95% CI: 0.50-0.84, Ptrend=0.207) when comparing to current smokers. Conclusions Smoking is significantly associated with higher risks of CVD, CHD and stroke, and greater amount of smoking and earlier age at smoking initiation are associated with a higher risk of CVD. Smoking cessation can reduce the risk of CVD.

Association between genetic polymorphisms in pre-miR-146a and pre-miR-196a2 and genetic damage levels among coke oven workers / 中华预防医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the association of rs2910164 G > C polymorphism and rs11614913 T > C polymorphism in pre-miR-146a and pre-miR-196a2 with genetic damage levels in coke oven workers.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 575 nonsmoking workers who have worked for more than one year in a coke-oven plant at Wuhan, Hubei Province were enrolled in this study in September to October, 2010. The general characteristics as well as blood and urine samples were collected. The genetic damage levels were detected by cytokinesis-block micronucleus cytom assay and represented as micronucleus (MN) frequencies of binucleate cells in peripheral blood lymphocytes. The rs2910164 G > C polymorphisms in pre-miR-146a and rs11614913 T > C polymorphisms in pre-miR-196a2 were genotyped by using TaqMan assay. The plasma concentrations of benzo[a]pyrene-diolepoxide (BPDE)-albumin adducts were determined by using ELISA. All data were analyzed, the frequency ratio (FR) and 95%CI were calculated.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Totally, 575 workers were taken into consideration. The rs2910164 C allele was associated with increased MN frequencies in the coke oven workers (P trend = 0.025), and the MN frequencies were higher in rs2910164 CC genotype carriers (4.38 ± 3.46) than in wild-type rs2910164 GG genotype carriers (4.02 ± 3.09) (FR = 1.18, 95%CI:1.04-1.34). The further stratified analyses by working years, gender, alcohol consumption, and the levels of BPDE-albumin adducts showed that the effects of rs2910164 C allele in increasing MN frequencies were robust in subjects who were males (FR = 1.11, 95%CI:1.02-1.20), nondrinkers (FR = 1.07, 95%CI:1.00-1.14), working years less than 20 (FR = 1.12, 95%CI:1.03-1.22), and workers with lower BPDE-albumin adducts levels (FR = 1.11, 95%CI:1.02-1.21) (P trend = 0.011, 0.044, 0.006 and 0.020, respectively). In addition, the MN frequencies were higher in workers with rs11614913 TC genotype (4.27 ± 2.91) than workers with rs11614913 TT genotype (3.90 ± 3.32) (FR = 1.12, 95%CI:1.02-1.23).Workers carried both rs2910164 GG and rs11614913 TT genotypes were set as a control, and the MN frequencies of workers with both rs2910164 CC and rs11614913 CC genotypes (5.32 ± 4.94) were 1.51 (1.21-1.89) times higher than the control (3.75 ± 3.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The rs2910164 C allele in pre-miR-146a and rs11614913 C allele in pre-miR-196a2 were associated with increased genetic damage levels in coke oven workers.</p>

The increase of micronuclei frequencies of peripheral blood lymphocyte in plywood workers exposed accumulatively to formaldehyde / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effects of occupational exposure to formaldehyde on the micronuclei frequencies in peripheral blood lymphocytes of workers.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Two hundred thirty six plywood workers were divided into 3 exposure groups (low, middle and high) according to internal exposure biomarker (formaldehyde human serum albumin conjugate, FA-HSA), which was detected by ELISA. The concentrations of formaldehyde (FA) in air of two workshops were measure using the high performance liquid chromatography. Cytokinesis-block micronucleus (CBMN) test was used to detect the micronuclei frequencies of peripheral blood lymphocyte in 236 workers.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The average concentrations of FA in the low and high exposure workshops were 0.58 +/- 0.20 and 1.48 +/- 0.61 mg/m3, respectively, there was significant difference (P < 0.01). The average concentrations of serum FA-HAS of workers in two workshops were 69.22 +/- 15.37 and 136.29 +/- 89.49 pg/ml, respectively, there was significant difference (P < 0.01). The results of CBMN test showed that the micronucleus frequencies in low, middle and high exposure groups were 1.94 +/- 1.72, 2.10 +/- 1.92 and 2.10 +/- 1.70 per thousand, respectively, there were no significant differences between groups. However, the micronucleus frequencies in accumulative low, middle and high exposure groups were 1.36 +/- 1.36, 2.31 +/- 1.81 and 2.49 +/- 1.92 per thousand, respectively, there were significant differences between different accumulative exposure groups (P < 0.01). The results of correlation analysis indicated that there was a positive correlation between accumulative exposure levels and micronucleus frequencies (r(s) = 0.321, P < 0.01). The accumulative exposure doses may be a risk factor for high micronucleus frequencies in workers exposed to FA (P(trend) = 0.002).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>FA-HSA levels can serve as an internal exposure biomarker for assessing the exposure level of workers exposed to FA. Accumulative formaldehyde exposure resulted in an increase of micronuclei frequencies of peripheral blood lymphocyte in plywood workers.</p>

Using the stable HSPA1A promoter-driven luciferase reporter HepG2 cells to assess the overall toxicity of coke oven emissions / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>Using the stable HSPA1A (HSP70-1) promoter-driven luciferase reporter HepG2 cells (HepG2/HSPA1A cells) to assess the overall toxicity of coke oven emissions.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The stable HepG2/HSPA1A cells were treated with different concentrations of coke oven emissions (COEs) collected from the top, side, and bottom of a coke oven battery for 24 h. After the treatments, luciferase activity, cell viability, malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration, Olive tail moment, and micronuclei frequency were determined, respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The bottom COEs induced significant increases (P < 0.01) in relative luciferase activity up to 1.4 times the control level at 0.15 µg/L. The low dose of side COEs (0.02 µg/L) led to a significant increase (P < 0.01) in relative luciferase activity that progressively increased to 2.1 times the control level at 65.4 µg/L. The top COEs produced a strong dose-dependent induction of relative luciferase activity up to over 5 times the control level at the highest concentration tested (202 µg/L). In HepG2/HSPA1A cells treated with the bottom COEs, relative luciferase activity was positively correlated with MDA concentration (r = 0.404, P < 0.05). For the three COEs samples, positive correlations were observed between relative luciferase activity and Olive tail moment and micronuclei frequency.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The relative luciferase activity in HepG2/HSPA1A cells can sensitively reflect the overall toxicity of COEs. The stable HepG2/HSPA1A cells can be used for rapid screening of the overall toxicity of complex air pollutants in the workplace.</p>

Effects of smoking on the concentrations of urinary 10 metabolites of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in coke oven workers / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the effects of smoking on urinary 10 metabolites of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the coke oven workers.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Occupational health examination was performed on 1401 coke oven workers in one coking plant, their urine were collected respectively. The concentrations of the ten monohydroxy polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in urine were detected by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The 1401 workers were divided into four groups, namely control, adjunct workplaces, bottom and side, top group according to their workplaces and the different concentrations of PAHs in the environment. The concentrations of the ten monohydroxy polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons between smokers and nonsmokers in each workplace group were compared using analysis of covariance, respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The levels of concentrations of the sixteen polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons we detected at control were significantly higher than those at other areas (P < 0.05). Comparing the ten monohydroxy polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons levels between smokers and nonsmokers, the levels of 1-hydroxynaphthalene and 2-hydroxynaphthalene among smokers were higher than nonsmokers with statistically significance in control, adjunct workplaces, bottom and side and top groups (P < 0.05). However, the levels of 1-hydroxypyrene had no statistically significant differences between the four areas.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Urinary 1-hydroxynaphthalene and 2-hydroxynaphthalene may be used as biomarkers for the impact of smoking on monohydroxy polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the coke oven workers.</p>

The dose response decrease of lung function associated with the urinary polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons metabolites in coke oven workers / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To analyze the relationship between metabolites of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and lung function in coke oven workers, and to provide scientific basis for further exploring the potential mechanism and developing the preventing strategies of the workers' early lung damage.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We measured carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, benzene soluble matter, particulate matters, and PAHs at different workplaces of a coke oven plant. Detailed information on demography and occupational health condition of 912 workers were collected. We divided these workers into control group and coke oven group according to their workplaces and the different concentrations of COEs in the environment. We detected 10 urinary PAH metabolites and lung function using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and spirometric tests, respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>FEV(1.0) (91.12 ± 13.31) and FEV(1.0)/FVC (108.61 ± 20.37) of the coke oven group is significantly lower than the control group (94.16 ± 15.57, 113.45 ± 19.70). In the coke oven group, the hydroxyphenanthrene and 1-hydroxypyrene are negatively correlated with FEV(1.0)/FVC (β = -0.136, β = -0.100), Ptrend < 0.05 for all.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The dose response decrease of lung function is associated with the urinary PAH metabolites in coke oven workers. Indicated that the long exposure to PAHs may cause the early lung damage in coke oven workers, phenanthrene and pyrene may be the main factors.</p>

Characteristics of particulate matter pollution in coke oven plant / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the characteristics of particulate matter pollution in coke oven plant, so as to provide scientific data for establishing occupational exposure limits for coke oven emissions.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Concentrations of CO, SO₂, BSM, BTEX (concentrations of benzene, toluene and xylene were determined in this study), PM₁₀, PM₂.₅, 16 selected PAHs in PM₁₀ and PM₂.₅ were determined in the work environment of a coke oven plant in Wuhan. The work environment was divided into the adjunct area, the bottom of, the side of and the top of coke oven.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The concentrations of CO, SO₂, BSM, BETX, PM₁₀, PM₂.₅, PAHs in PM₁₀ and PM₂.₅ were significantly related to working environmental categories, respectively, and were increasing as the adjunct area < bottom < side < top (P (trend) < 0.05). PM₁₀ was statistically significantly correlated with CO, SO₂, benzene, BTEX and BSM (0.705, 0.823, 0.664, 0.624 and 0.734, respectively). PM₂.₅ was statistically significantly correlated with CO, SO₂, benzene, BTEX and BSM (0.635, 0.916, 0. 680, 0.553 and 0.726, respectively). BSM was statistically significantly correlated with benzene (0.689). The ratios of PM₂.₅ to PM₁₀ between different work environments were not significantly different in one-way ANOVA (P > 0.05). The distribution of aromatic rings and the concentrations of total benzo[a] pyrene equivalents in PM₁₀ and PM₂.₅ were not statistically different between work environments.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The concentrations of particulate matter was related with other contents of coke oven emissions in coke work environment, and the contents and types of PAHs in PM₁₀ and PM₂.₅ were similar.</p>

Relevance between single nucleotide polymorphisms in nicotinic acetylcholine receptor genes and DNA damage levels in coke oven workers / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the relevance between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in CHRNA3-CHRNB4-CHRNA5 gene cluster and DNA damage levels in the coke oven workers.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 309 male subjects from a steel plant in Northern China were divided into high exposure group (154 workers) and low exposure group (155 workers) according to the concentrations of plasma benzoapyrene-r-7, t-8, t-9, c-10-tetrahydrotetrol-albumin (BPDE-Alb) adducts. DNA damage levels of peripheral blood lymphocytes were examined by comet assay. Allelic discrimination of SNPs in CHRNA3-CHRNB4-CHRNA5 gene cluster were detected using Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The Olive tail moment (OTM) (1.23 ± 1.05) of peripheral blood lymphocytes in the high exposure group was significantly higher than that (0.80 ± 1.07) in the low exposure group (P < 0.01). In the high exposure group, OTM (1.64 ± 0.17) of subjects with rs667282CC genotype was significantly higher than those (0.95 ± 0.13 or 1.09 ± 0.11) of subjects with rs667282CT genotype or rs667282TT + CT genotype (P < 0.01); OTM (1.60 ± 0.17) of subjects with GG genotype at rs12910984 site was significantly higher than those (0.92 ± 0.13 or 1.07 ± 0.10) of subjects with AG genotype or AG + AA genotype (P < 0.01); OTM (1.35 ± 0.17 or 1.64 ± 0.17) of the TA/TA or CG/CG diplotype carriers was significantly higher than that (0.89 ± 0.13) of TA/CG diplotype carriers (P < 0.05). However, the relevance between genotypes of these SNPs and the DNA damage levels was not found in the low exposure group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The rs667282CC genotype and rs12910984GG genotype on CHRNA3-CHRNB4-CHRNA5 gene cluster are associated with increased DNA damage levels in the high PAHs exposure group.</p>

Association of cooking oil fumes exposure and oxidative DNA damage among occupational exposed populations / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Previous investigations indicate that cooks are exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) from cooking oil fumes (COF). However, Emission of PAH and their carcinogenic potencies from cooking oil fumes sources have not been investigated among cooks.</p><p><b>AIMS</b>To investigate the urinary excretion of a marker for oxidative DNA damage, 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), in different groups of cooks and different exposure groups, and to study the association between 8-OHdG and 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP), a biological marker for PAH exposure.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Urine samples were collected from different groups of cooks (n = 86) and from unexposed controls (n = 36), all are male with similar age and smoking habits. The health status, occupational history, smoking, and alcohol consumption 24 hours prior to sampling was estimated from questionnaires. The urinary samples were frozen for later analyses of 8-OHdG and 1-OHP by high performance liquid chromatography.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Excretion in urine of 8-OHdG were similar for controls (mean 1.2 µmol/mol creatinine, n = 36), and for those who had been in the kitchen room with exhaust hood operation (mean 1.5 µmol/mol creatinine, n = 45). COF exposed cooks without exhaust hood operation had increased excretion of 8-OHdG (mean 2.3 µmol/mol creatinine, n = 18). The difference between this group and the unexposed controls was significant. The urinary levels of ln 1-OHP and ln 8-OHdG were still significantly correlated in a multiple regression analysis.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Results indicate that exposure to PAH or possibly other compounds in COF may cause oxidative DNA damage.</p>

Study on the association of -689C/T polymorphism in the PPARgamma2 promoter with myocardial infarction / 中华医学遗传学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the association of -689C/T polymorphism in the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma2 (PPARgamma2) promoter with myocardial infarction (MI).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>This is a case-control study, which included 194 subjects with MI and 693 subjects without MI in nondiabetic Han population in Wuhan. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism was used to determine the -689C-->T substitution.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The CC,CT, and TT genotype frequencies of -689C/T polymorphism were 88.1%,11.9%,and 0.0 in MI patients and 93.1%,6.6%,and 0.3% in controls, respectively (CC vs. CT+TT, P=0.025). The -689T allele was an independent risk factor for MI (OR=2.125, 95%CI: 1.206-3.744, P=0.009) after adjusting for age,sex,waist circumference,body mass index, smoking, alcohol drinking, physical activities, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol, triglyceride, level. The -689T allele carriers had significantly higher TC levels than noncarriers [(5.05+/-1.16) mmol/L vs. (4.78+/-1.05) mmol/L, P=0.004] in the total population.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The PPARgamma2 promoter -689C/T polymorphism is associated with an increased risk of MI.</p>

Significant positive correlation of plasma BPDE-albumin adducts to urinary 1-hydroxypyrene in coke oven workers / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the application of BPDE-albumin adducts as monitoring biomarkers for coke oven workers exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and to explore possible relationship between BPDE-albumin adducts and urinary 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP) levels in them.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty-seven coke oven workers from a coke plant and 47 controls without the occupational exposure to PAHs were recruited in this study. The levels of plasma BPDE-albumin adducts and urinary 1-OHP were analyzed using high performance liquid chromatography.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The median levels of BPDE-albumin adducts (42.10 fmol/mg albumin) and urinary 1-OHP (5.46 micromol/mol creatinine) were significantly higher in coke oven workers than in controls (14.16 fmol/mg albumin, 2.96 micromol/mol creatinine, respectively; P<0.01). Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that coke oven workers were at higher risk of having BPDE-albumin adduct levels above 25.30 micromol/mg albumin (OR=1.79, P<0.01) and urinary 1-OHP levels above 4.13 micromol/mol creatinine (OR=2.45, P<0.05). There was a positive correlation between the levels of BPDE-albumin adducts and urinary 1-OHP in all subjects (rs=0.349, P<0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>BPDE-albumin adduct is a useful biomarker for monitoring long-term exposure to PAHs, and plasma BPDE-albumin adducts level is significantly correlated to urinary 1-OHP levels in coke oven workers.</p>

Relationship between heat shock protein 72 and DNA genetic damage in peripheral blood lymphocytes of coke oven workers / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the relationship between heat shock protein 72 (Hsp72) and DNA genetic damage in peripheral blood lymphocytes of coke oven workers and the role of Hsp72 in protection of cells from genetic damage induced by coke oven emissions.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Two hundred and sixty-seven coke oven workers and thirty controls without occupational PAHs exposure were investigated. Benzo[a]pyrene concentrations in the ambient air individually collected were assayed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Western Blot was used to measure Hsp72 levels and Comet assay was used to evaluate DNA damage degree. Personal information was collected by questionnaire.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The Hsp72 level (G+/-S(G)) and olive comet tail moment (G+/-S(G) of peripheral blood lymphocytes in high-exposure workers (1.24 +/- 0.42 and 4.49 +/- 1.24) were significantly higher than those in low-exposure workers (1.01 +/- 0.35 and 2.99 +/- 1.10, P < 0.05) and control (0.85 +/- 0.34 and 2.40 +/- 1.00, P < 0.05) respectively. The Hsp72 median level of all subjects was used as the limit to divide subjects into high Hsp72 level group and low Hsp72 level group. The rate with high Hsp72 level was 36.7%, 43.1% and 58.3% in control, low exposure and high exposure workers respectively and had a rising tendency following exposure level (P = 0.003). In high Hsp72 level group Hsp72 level in high exposure workers was significantly higher than that in control (P < 0.05), and there was a rising tendency along with the increase of exposed levels. But the olive comet tail moment had no significant difference among three exposed groups (P > 0.05). In low Hsp72 level group there no difference among three exposed groups about Hsp72 levels. The olive comet tail moment in high exposure workers was significantly higher than that in low exposure workers and control (P < 0.01) and high exposure workers in Hsp72 positive group and there was a rising tendency along with the increase of exposed levels. Hsp72 levels had strong negative correlation with the olive comet tail moment (r = -0.503, P < 0.01) in high exposure workers.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The coke oven emissions can induce hsp72 expression. Hsp72 play a role of protecting cells from DNA damage induced by coke oven emissions.</p>

Influences of excision repair cross complementation group 4 genetic variations on DNA damage in lymphocytes among coke oven workers / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the relationship between excision repair cross complementation group 4 ERCC4 gene polymorphisms and DNA damage in lymphocytes of coke oven workers and controls.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Two hundred and forty-six coke oven workers and one hundred and twenty-seven controls were recruited in the study, and peripheral vein blood was drawn after over night fasting. Comet assay was used to evaluate DNA damage, and TaqMan-MGB probes were used to analyze ERCC4 genetic variations including the three Tagged-single nucleotide polymorphisms (Tag SNPs), referred to rs744154, rs3136079 and rs31870 which were picked out from Hapmap database. Then haplotypes were reconstructed by PHASE2.0.2 software.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The lymphocytes Olive TM value of coke oven workers was significantly higher than that of controls (1.26+/-1.12 vs 0.52+/-0.97, P<0.01). Among coke oven workers, no significant difference was found between the Olive TM of those with different genotypes or haplotype pairs at ERCC4 gene (P>0.05). However, in the control group, the TG genotype carriers had higher Olive TM than the TT and GG genotype carriers (0.26+/-0.96 vs 0.66+/-0.98 and 0.66+/-0.51, P<0.05), and the CTG/CTG haplotype pairs carriers had the highest Olive TM (0.69+/-1.01), and no CTG haplotype carriers had the lowest Olive TM (0.25+/-0.80), and the difference was borderline (P=0.08).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The gene polymorphism at ERCC4 gene has no effects on the DNA damage of lymphocytes in coke oven workers, but the TG genotype carriers has lower DNA damage in the control. DNA damage is influenced by the interaction of genetic and environmental factors.</p>

Relationship between dust exposure and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases and heat shock protein 72 and 73 in lymphocytes among coal miners / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To assess the expression of Hsp72 and Hsp73 in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and to evaluate their roles in damage from coal dust exposure.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A case control study of 50 coal miners suffering from COPD and 50 healthy coal miners were selected from one coal mine. The levels of Hsp72 and Hsp73 in peripheral blood lymphocytes were determined by flow cytometry for all subjects.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>(1) The expression of basic Hsp72 of peripheral blood lymphocytes for patients and controls was not different from that inducible expressed Hsp72 by 42 degrees C heat stress or by BPDE exposure. (2) The expression of Hsp72 in COPD patients (17.7 +/- 4.9) was significantly lower than that in healthy coal miners (22.6 +/- 10.0) (P < 0.01). On the other hand, the expression of Hsp73 in COPD patients (33.5 +/- 11.7) was higher than that in healthy coal miners (19.6 +/- 5.9) (P < 0.01). (3) A-positive relationship between the expression of Hsp72 and cumulative inhaling coal dust exposure was observed. No relationship was found between Hsp73 and cumulative inhaling coal dust exposure.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The decreased expressions of Hsp72 in peripheral blood lymphocytes of COPD coal miners.</p>

Polymorphisms of hsp 60 gene in Chinese Han people / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To identify the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the regulatory and coding regions of heat shock protein 60 gene and search for its genetic makers in Chinese Han people.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The 5' flank region, parts of the exons and introns of hsp60 gene were resequenced to identify the SNPs in Chinese Han people, and then the sequenced results to the Japanese, European and African's data in National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) and HapMap databases were compared.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>One novel SNP was identified in exon 2 resulting in synonymous variant and the G allele frequency was 0.025. There were 11 reported SNPs in the sequenced region. The minor allele frequencies of rs1116734, rs3749095, rs1050347, rs8539 were 0.51, 0.30, 0.29, 0.49. The heterozygosity of the other 7 SNPs was 0. The distributions of rs1116734, rs1050347, rs8539, rs3749095 in Chinese Han people were similar to the Japanese's. The hsp60 rs3749095 which was not found in Japanese people was a high-frequency SNP in Chinese Han people; the distribution of rs8539 in Chinese Han people was quite different from European and African's (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The SNPs of hsp60 in Chinese Han people are different from the other peoples. The SNPs of hsp60 gene rs1116734, rs3749095, rs1050347, rs8539 are very common in Chinese Han people and might be used for candidate genetic markers of hsp60 gene.</p>

The influence of occupational exposure and smoking on lung ventilation of coke oven workers / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the influence of occupational exposure and smoking on lung ventilation function of coke oven workers.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Environmental monitoring was performed on the top, side and bottom of some coke ovens. Lung ventilation function test was performed in 234 coke oven workers.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The poison concentration in environment had such tendency as it was the highest on the top, then the side, and the lowest at the bottom. The standardized forced expiratory volume in the 1st second (FEV(1), 90.8% +/- 8.6%) and forced expiratory rate (FEV(1)%, 95.4% +/- 12.4%) of those coke oven workers who smoked were significantly lower than those non-smoking workers (100.9% +/- 14.3%, 108.9% +/- 17.6%); among those smoking workers, the partial correlation coefficients between forced vital capacity (FVC) and benzene soluble, benzopyrene, and smoking index were -0.249, -0.187 and -0.368 respectively; and the coefficients between FEV(1) and the three aspects were -0.255, -0.191 and -0.388; and the coefficients between FEV(1)% and them were -0.131, -0.107 and -0.065. Among those non-smoking workers, the coefficients between benzene solubles and FVC, FEV(1) and FEV(1)% were -0.154, -0.052 and -0.176, and between benzopyrene and them were -0.121, -0.037 and -0.159.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The lung ventilation function of coke oven workers has certain negative correlation with both occupational exposure and smoking.</p>

Glutathione S-transferase M1, T1 genotypes and the risk of mountain sickness / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the relationship between genetic polymorphisms of glutathione S-transferase (GST) M1, T1 and susceptibility to mountain sickness.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Forty-three soldiers with acute mountain sickness and 80 healthy soldiers matching with sex/age and training under the same condition were divided into case group and control group. A multiple polymerase chain reaction method was used to detect GSTM1 and GSTT1 genes in genomic DNA isolated from peripheral blood cells from both cases and controls.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The frequency of the GSTT1 positive genotype was significantly higher in cases (69.8%) than in controls (42.5%) (P = 0.004, OR = 3.12, 95% CI 1.42 approximately 6.86). The frequency of GSTM1 negative genotype was also higher in cases (72.1%) than in controls (52.5%) (P = 0.03, OR = 2.34, 95% CI 1.05 approximately 5.02). Persons with both GSTM1 and GSTT1 negative genotypes had 5-fold more risk than those with GSTT1 negative and GSTM1 positive genotypes in developing mountain sickness (OR = 5.04, 95% CI: 1.00 approximately 25.3).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Genetic polymorphisms of glutathione S-transferase M1, T1 may be the risk factors in the development of mountain sickness.</p>