ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Toluene diisocyanate (TDI) is a highly reactive compound used in the production of, e.g., polyurethane foams and paints. TDI is known to cause respiratory symptoms and diseases. Because TDI causes symptoms in only a fraction of exposed workers, genetic factors may play a key role in disease susceptibility. METHODS: Workers (N = 132) exposed to TDI and a non-exposed group (N = 114) were analyzed for genotype (metabolising genes: CYP1A1*2A, CYP1A1*2B, GSTM1*O, GSTM3*B, GSTP1 I105V, GSTP1 A114V, GSTT1*O, MPO -463, NAT1*3, *4, *10, *11, *14, *15, NAT2*5, *6, *7, SULT1A1 R213H; immune-related genes: CCL5 -403, HLA-DQB1*05, TNF -308, TNF -863) and symptoms of the eyes, upper and lower airways (based on structured interviews). RESULTS: For three polymorphisms: CYP1A1*2A, CYP1A1*2B, and TNF -308 there was a pattern consistent with interaction between genotype and TDI exposure status for the majority of symptoms investigated, although it did reach statistical significance only for some symptoms: among TDI-exposed workers, the CYP1A1 variant carriers had increased risk (CYP1A1*2A and eye symptoms: variant carriers OR 2.0 95% CI 0.68-6.1, p-value for interaction 0.048; CYP1A1*2B and wheeze: IV carriers OR = 12, 1.4-110, p-value for interaction 0.057). TDI-exposed individuals with TNF-308 A were protected against the majority of symptoms, but it did not reach statistical significance. In the non-exposed group, however, TNF -308 A carriers showed higher risk of the majority of symptoms (eye symptoms: variant carriers OR = 2.8, 1.1-7.1, p-value for interaction 0.12; dry cough OR = 2.2, 0.69-7.2, p-value for interaction 0.036). Individuals with SULT1A1 213H had reduced risk both in the exposed and non-exposed groups. Other polymorphisms, showed associations to certain symptoms: among TDI-exposed,NAT1*10 carriers had a higher risk of eye symptoms and CCL5 -403 AG+AA as well as HLA-DQB1 *05 carriers displayed increased risk of symptoms of the lower airways. GSTM1, GSTM3 and GSTP1 only displayed effects on symptoms of the lower airways in the non-exposed group. CONCLUSION: Specific gene-TDI interactions for symptoms of the eyes and lower airways appear to exist. The results suggest different mechanisms for TDI- and non-TDI-related symptoms of the eyes and lower airways.
Subject(s)
Air Pollutants, Occupational/toxicity , Genetic Predisposition to Disease , Occupational Exposure/adverse effects , Respiratory Tract Diseases/chemically induced , Respiratory Tract Diseases/genetics , Toluene 2,4-Diisocyanate/toxicity , Adolescent , Adult , Air Pollutants, Occupational/analysis , Air Pollutants, Occupational/blood , Air Pollutants, Occupational/urine , Allergens/immunology , Biomarkers/blood , Biomarkers/urine , Cross-Sectional Studies , Eye Diseases/blood , Eye Diseases/chemically induced , Eye Diseases/genetics , Eye Diseases/urine , Female , Genotype , Humans , Hypersensitivity/blood , Hypersensitivity/diagnosis , Hypersensitivity/immunology , Male , Middle Aged , Occupational Exposure/analysis , Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide , Respiratory Tract Diseases/blood , Respiratory Tract Diseases/urine , Sweden/epidemiology , Toluene 2,4-Diisocyanate/analysis , Toluene 2,4-Diisocyanate/blood , Toluene 2,4-Diisocyanate/urineABSTRACT
Two membrane-based ELISA systems were used in detecting Toxoplasma antigens and anti-Toxoplasma antibodies in urine samples collected from 54 ophthalmology (22 suggestive active and 32 suggestive past infection) patients and 26 pregnant women attending obstetrics/gynaecology clinic (OGP), suspected of toxoplasmosis by eye examination, past medical records and questionnaire, respectively, in Ghana from mid-February to April 2002. The antigen detecting ELISA was able to demonstrate antigen in 100% (22/22) ophthalmology (active infection) and 62.5% (20/32) ophthalmology (past infection) patients, and 42% (11/26) of OGP which included 3 that were sero-negative prior to and during this study, giving an overall prevalence of 66.3% (53/80). The urinary antigen positive samples also included 6 that were negative for both the Dye Test (DT) and latex agglutination test (LAT). Antigen was not detected in the urine of 22 normal (sero-negative for antibodies to Toxoplasma) individuals. The membrane-based urinary antibody detecting sandwich ELISA also detected anti-Toxoplasma antibodies in 100% (22/22) of ophthalmology (active infection) and 81.3% (26/32) of ophthalmology (past infection) patients, a total of 89% (48/54); and 80.8% (21/26) of OGP with an overall prevalence of 86.3% (69/80), including 7 ophthalmology patients' samples that were sero-negative for both DT and LAT. Antibody sero-positivity of the samples was determined by DT as 87% (47/54) in ophthalmology patients and 73.1% (19/26) in pregnant women, LAT as 85.2% (46/54) and 65.4% (17/26), and an overall prevalence as 82.5% (66/80) and 78.8% (63/80), respectively. The membrane-based ELISA systems appear promising but need to be investigated further for its efficacy as reliable diagnostic tests.
Subject(s)
Antibodies, Protozoan/urine , Antigens, Protozoan/urine , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay/methods , Eye Diseases/parasitology , Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic/urine , Toxoplasma/isolation & purification , Toxoplasmosis/urine , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Animals , Child , Eye Diseases/urine , Female , Ghana/epidemiology , Humans , Latex Fixation Tests , Male , Mice , Middle Aged , Polyvinyls , Pregnancy , Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic/parasitology , Toxoplasma/immunology , Toxoplasmosis/parasitologyABSTRACT
Ocular involvement from primary hyperoxaluria developed in one infant and one teenaged patient. Autopsy procedures in the first case used special histopathologic staining techniques to demonstrate a wider deposition of calcium oxalate crystals within the eye than was previously suspected. Clinical photographs and fluorescein angiograms in the older patient demonstrated a widespread retinal distribution of crystals with a periarterial predilection. This patient also demonstrated a unique acquired black macular lesion.
