Relationship of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon exposure with peripheral blood lymphocyte DNA damage in coke oven workers / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the relationship between lymphocyte DNA damage and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) exposure in coke oven workers.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Two hundred and thirty-five coke oven workers and 30 controls were selected in this study. Alkaline single-cell gel electrophoresis was used to evaluate the lymphocyte DNA damage, HPLC was employed to measure 1-hydroxypyrene levels in spot urine samples which were obtained at the end of a workweek (4 days of 8 hours/day) and personal information including occupational exposure, age, sex, smoking and drinking status was collected by the questionnaire.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The lymphocyte DNA damage level expressed as olive moment in coke oven workers was significantly higher than that of controls [2.47 (0.22 approximately 46.68) vs 0.94 (0.42 approximately 4.21), P < 0.01], and correlation between urinary 1-hydroxypyrene concentrations and olive moment was found (Spearman Partial correlation coefficient = 0.22, P < 0.01) in coke oven workers. The 1.9 of olive moment value was used as the limit to determine whether the subject DNA damage was positive. The coke oven workers had significantly higher risk in DNA damage (adjusted OR = 5.38, 95% CI = 2.07 approximately 14.08) than did controls, and dose-response relationships were also found between external exposure (exposure category) or internal doses (urinary 1-hydroxypyrene) and DNA damage.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>There are dose-effect and dose-response relationships between PAHs exposure and lymphocyte DNA damage in coke oven workers.</p>

Genetic damage in peripheral blood lymphocyte of coke oven workers / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate DNA and chromosome damage in peripheral blood lymphocyte of coke oven workers exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>One hundred and thirty-seven coke oven workers and 50 controls without occupational PAHs exposure were investigated. Comet assay and cytokinesis-block micronucleus (CBMN) detection were used to evaluate DNA and chromosomal damage levels in peripheral blood lymphocyte. Urinary 1-hydroxypyrene level was used to assess the personal internal PAHs exposure dose. Personal information including occupational history, age, sex, smoking and drinking status was collected by questionnaire.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Urinary 1-hydroxypyrene level in coke oven workers [(5.76 +/- 1.04) micro mol/mol Cr] was significantly higher than that in controls [(0.70 +/- 0.32) micro mol/mol Cr]. The rate of CBMN and comet tail moment of lymphocyte in coke oven workers [8.0 per thousand (0.0 per thousand - 30.0 per thousand ) and 2.09 (0.31 - 75.41), respectively] were higher than those in controls [3.5 per thousand (0.0 per thousand - 13.0 per thousand ) and 1.05 (0.11 - 6.63), P < 0.05]. In controls, the comet moment in smokers was significantly higher than that in non-smokers [1.44 (0.23 - 6.63) vs 0.81 (0.11 - 3.47), P < 0.05]. According to the length of work, 137 coke oven workers were classified into 3 groups i.e. 0.5 yrs , 16.0 yrs and 22.0 yrs group, and the comet moments were 1.34 (0.31 - 37.84), 2.32 (0.49 - 52.97) and 3.20 (0.45 - 75.41) respectively after adjusting the age, sex, smoking, drinking and level of urinary 1-hydroxy-pyrene. There was a rising tendency along with the increase in length of work.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Under present PAHs exposure levels, both comet assay and Cytokinesis-block micronucleus test could detect PAHs-induced genotoxicity in coke oven workers, and comet assay is more suitable to assess the cumulative damage effect on DNA.</p>