[Quantitative classification-based occupational health management for electroplating enterprises in Baoan District of Shenzhen, China].

OBJECTIVE: To improve the occupational health management levels in electroplating enterprises with quantitative classification measures and to provide a scientific basis for the prevention and control of occupational hazards in electroplating enterprises and the protection of workers' health. METHODS: A quantitative classification table was created for the occupational health management in electroplating enterprises. The evaluation indicators included 6 items and 27 sub-items, with a total score of 100 points. Forty electroplating enterprises were selected and scored according to the quantitative classification table. These electroplating enterprises were classified into grades A, B, and C based on the scores. RESULTS: Among 40 electroplating enterprises, 11 (27.5%) had scores of >85 points (grade A), 23 (57.5%) had scores of 60∼85 points (grade B), and 6 (15.0%) had scores of <60 points (grade C). CONCLUSION: Quantitative classification management for electroplating enterprises is a valuable attempt, which is helpful for the supervision and management by the health department and provides an effective method for the self-management of enterprises.

Possible role of DNA polymerase beta in protecting human bronchial epithelial cells against cytotoxicity of hydroquinone.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the toxicological mechanism of hydroquinone in human bronchial epithelial cells and to investigate whether DNA polymerase beta is involved in protecting cells from damage caused by hydroquinone. METHODS: DNA polymerase beta knock-down cell line was established via RNA interference as an experimental group. Normal human bronchial epithelial cells and cells transfected with the empty vector of pEGFP-C1 were used as controls. Cells were treated with different concentrations of hydroquinone (ranged from 10 micromol/L to 120 micromol/L) for 4 hours. MTT assay and Comet assay [single-cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE)] were performed respectively to detect the toxicity of hydroquinone. RESULTS: MTT assay showed that DNA polymerase beta knock-down cells treated with different concentrations of hydroquinone had a lower absorbance value at 490 nm than the control cells in a dose-dependant manner. Comet assay revealed that different concentrations of hydroquinone caused more severe DNA damage in DNA polymerase beta knock-down cell line than in control cells and there was no significant difference in the two control groups. CONCLUSIONS: Hydroquinone has significant toxicity to human bronchial epithelial cells and causes DNA damage. DNA polymerase beta knock-down cell line appears more sensitive to hydroquinone than the control cells. The results suggest that DNA polymerase beta is involved in protecting cells from damage caused by hydroquinone.

[Construction of "pEGFP-C1-pU6-dsRNA" recombinant for human DNA polymerase beta RNA interference].

OBJECTIVE: To clone the "pEGFP-C1-pU6-dsRNA" recombinant for human DNA polymerase beta RNA interference, to provide research tool for the study on the function of DNA polymerase beta in repairing of human DNA damaged by environmental chemical pollutants (ECPs). METHODS: According to the gene sequence of polymerase beta cDNA published in Genbank, double strand RNA(dsRNA) sequence which was used in RNA interference was designed by dsRNA oligonucleotide designer and synthesized by chemical methods. DNA recombination technology was used to insert the up related dsRNA sequence into the vector of pSIREN-RetroQ, and then the "pSIREN-RetroQ-dsRNA" recombinant was obtained. After E. coli DH5alpha was transformed with the "pSIREN-RetroQ-dsRNA" recombinant and screened with ampicillin for positive clones, plasmid was extracted and digested by EcoR I and Bgl II , the fragment of"pU6-dsRNA"was purified. And then the "pU6-dsRNA"fragment was cloned into the vector of pEGFP-C1 by recombination technology, the recombinant of "pEGFP-C1-pU6-dsRNA" was obtained and identified by restriction endonuclease analysis and sequencing. RESULTS: The "pEGFP-C1-pU6-dsRNA" recombinant lied in the predicted band, and the sequence of insert was identical to the designed target fragment. CONCLUSION: The "pEGFP-C1-pU6-dsRNA" recombinant was successfully cloned for human DNA polymerase beta RNA interference, it was an important research tool for the further study.

[Construction of short hairpin RNA vector of inhibiting poly ADP-ribose polymerase activity].

OBJECTIVE: To construct expressing vector of short hairpin RNA (shRNA) in order to inhibit human PARP1 activity. METHODS: 2 pairs of 64 base oligos for hairpin RNA expression which targeted PARP1 gene were chemically synthesized and annealed then ligased with pSIREN-RetroQ vector with BamH II and EcoR I . Cut by EcoR t and Bgl II, shRNA and its upstream U6, which have 330 bp, were inserted into the same treated pEGFP-C1 vecter to construct GFP expression plasmids that inhibited hPARP1 protein shRNA plasmid (pEGFP-C1P). Oligos with a scrambled sequence were used as a negative control. RESULTS: Recombinant pEGFP-C1P1, pEGFP-C1P2 and pEGFP-C1N vectors was identified by digestion with EcoR I and Bgl II and confirmed by sequencing analysis with U6 primer. The results demonstrated that the 330 bp had been inserted into the expected site. Furthermore, the insertion sequence was exactly correct. CONCLUSION: pEGFP-C1-shRNA system has been constructed successfully. This will facilitate the study of PARP1's DNA repairing function.