Increased DNA Damage of Lymphocytes in Korean Male Smokers / 예방의학회지

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the levels of DNA damage in human lymphocytes caused by smoking and other lifestyle factors. METHODS: The study population consisted of 173 normal healthy male adults from 21 to 59 years old. The demographic and lifestyle variables were obtained from administered questionnaires. The level of lymphocytic DNA damage in the peripheral blood was evaluated by the Comet assay. Statistical analyses were done by general linear model analysis and Dunnett's multiple comparison. RESULTS: The difference in DNA damage between smokers and non-smokers was statistically significant. The means for the Tail%DNA were found to be 10.48 in the current smokers and 9.60 in the non-smokers (p<0.05). The tail moment means were 1.58 and 1.45 (p<0.05) for the current smokers and non-smokers, respectively. The number of cigarettes smoked per day did not result in a significant difference in the level of DNA damage among the smokers. Other lifestyle factors such as age, and drinking and exercise habits were not related to DNA damage. CONCLUSIONS: The DNA damage in the lymphocytes of smokers was found to be significantly higher than that for non-smokers. However, the number of cigarettes smoked per day was not related to DNA damage. Further study is needed to evaluate the relationship between the amount of smoking and level of damage to DNA. In addition, the status of DNA repair activities should be assessed.

[Human multi-route exposure assessment of lead and cadmium for Korean volunteers].

OBJECTIVES: We wanted to evaluate the main route of exposure to lead and cadmium for the general population in Korea by using multi-route and multi-media exposure assessment METHODS: Samples of air at the homes, samples of the food and water and peripheral blood samples were collected from thirty volunteers living in Seoul (the metropolitan area), Yong-in (the suburban area) and Ansan (the industrial area) in 2001. Graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometric methods were used for the determination of the Pb and Cd levels in the air, food, water and blood samples. RESULTS: The average intake of lead through the air, drinking water and food were 5.06 microg/day (26.3%), 0.002 microg /day (0.1%), and 16.4 microg/day (73.6%), respectively. The average intake of cadmium through the air, drinking water and food were 0.082 microg/day (0.9%), 0.001 microg/day (0.007%), and 12.61 microg/day (99.0%), respectively. The blood lead level was statistically higher in the male subjects than in the female subjects (3.39 and 2.22 microg/dl, respectively), and only gender was a significant variable on the multiple regression analysis for blood lead. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that the intake of lead and cadmium through food was the major route of exposure. A policy to reduce the pollutants according to the exposure routes should be established. However, more studies will be needed to support these data for the general population.

Evaluation of biological monitoring markers using genomic and proteomic analysis for automobile emission inspectors and waste incinerating workers exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons or 2,3,7,8,-tetracholrodedibenzo-p-dioxins

In this study, we investigated the effects of PAHs and dioxin on mRNA and plasma protein expression using genomic and proteomic analysis for automobile emission inspectors and waste incineration workers. About 54 workers from automobile emission inspection offices, 31 workers from waste incinerating company and 84 unexposed healthy subjects were enrolled in this study. Urine and air samples were collected and analyzed by HPLC and GC/MS. Comet assays were carried out to evaluate any DNA damage in mononuclear and polynuclear cells. A significant difference in Olive tail moments in mononuclear cells was observed between exposed and control subjects (P <0.0001). To examine the differences of the gene expression profile in automobile emission inspectors and waste incineration workers, radioactive complementary DNA microarrays were used to evaluate changes in the expression of 1,152 total genes. The gene expression profiles showed that 11 genes were up-regulated and 4 genes were down-regulated in waste incinerating workers as compared with controls. Plasma proteins were analyzed by 2-dimentional electrophoresis with pH 3-10 NL IPG Dry strip. The protein expression profiles showed that 8 proteins were up- regulated and 1 protein, haptoglobin, was down- regulated in automobile emission inspectors and waste incineration workers. Serum paraoxonase/ arylesterase was found only in the plasma of waste incineration workers. The expression of genes and proteins involved in oxidative stress were up-regulated in both automobile emission inspectors and waste incineration workers. Several proteins, such as transthyrethin, sarcolectin and haptoglobin, that were highly up- or down-regulated, could serve as biological monitoring markers for future study.