Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
2
pubmed:dateCreated
2002-7-12
pubmed:abstractText
In order to elucidate the health effects of occupational exposure to traffic fumes, a few biomarkers of early genetic effect were investigated in Rome traffic policemen. One hundred and ninety healthy subjects engaged in traffic control (133 subjects) or in office work (57 subjects) participated the study. For all subjects, detailed information on smoking habits and other potential confounders were recorded by questionnaires. Average exposure of the study groups to benzene and other aromatic hydrocarbons was evaluated in a parallel exposure survey. All workers were genotyped for the following metabolic polymorphisms: CYP1A1 (m1, m2, and m4 variants), CYP2E1 (PstI and RsaI), NQO1 (Hinf1), GSTM1 and GSTT1 (null variants). In this paper, the results of the analysis of sister chromatid exchanges (SCE) in peripheral lymphocytes, and DNA damage by alkaline (pH 13) comet assay in mononuclear blood cells are reported. No statistically significant difference in the frequency of SCE or high frequency cells (HFC) was observed between traffic wardens and office workers (controls), despite the significantly higher exposure to benzene of the former (average group exposure 9.5 versus 3.8microg/m(3), 7h TWA). Conversely, both SCE per cell and HFC were highly significantly (P<0.001) increased in smokers compared to nonsmokers, showing a significant correlation (P<0.001) with the number of cigarettes per day. Multiple regression analyses of data, with metabolic polymorphisms, smoking habits, alcohol consumption, age, gender, and family history of cancer as independent variables, showed that smoking habits, and possibly the CYP2E1 variant genotypes, were the main factors explaining the variance of both SCE and HFC. Within smokers, an association of borderline significance between the CYP1A1 variant genotypes and increased SCE (P=0.050) and HFC (P=0.090) was found. This effect was mainly observed in light smokers (<15 cigarettes per day). The analysis of DNA damage by comet assay did not highlight any statistically significant difference between the exposed and control workers. Moreover, no significant model explaining tail moment variance was obtained by multiple regression analysis using the independent variables shown above. On the whole, these results indicate that exposure to moderate air pollution levels does not result in a detectable increase of genetic damage in blood cells. This evidence does not rule out any possibility of adverse effects, but strongly suggests that in urban residents life-style related factors, such as tobacco smoking, give the prevailing contribution to individual genotoxic burden.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Jul
pubmed:issn
0027-5107
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:day
25
pubmed:volume
518
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
215-24
pubmed:dateRevised
2006-11-15
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed-meshheading:12113772-Adult, pubmed-meshheading:12113772-Air Pollutants, Occupational, pubmed-meshheading:12113772-Cells, Cultured, pubmed-meshheading:12113772-Comet Assay, pubmed-meshheading:12113772-Cytochrome P-450 CYP2E1, pubmed-meshheading:12113772-Environmental Monitoring, pubmed-meshheading:12113772-Female, pubmed-meshheading:12113772-Genotype, pubmed-meshheading:12113772-Humans, pubmed-meshheading:12113772-Italy, pubmed-meshheading:12113772-Lymphocytes, pubmed-meshheading:12113772-Male, pubmed-meshheading:12113772-Middle Aged, pubmed-meshheading:12113772-Mutagens, pubmed-meshheading:12113772-Occupational Exposure, pubmed-meshheading:12113772-Police, pubmed-meshheading:12113772-Polymorphism, Genetic, pubmed-meshheading:12113772-Questionnaires, pubmed-meshheading:12113772-Sister Chromatid Exchange, pubmed-meshheading:12113772-Smoking, pubmed-meshheading:12113772-Urban Health, pubmed-meshheading:12113772-Vehicle Emissions
pubmed:year
2002
pubmed:articleTitle
Biomonitoring of exposure to urban air pollutants: analysis of sister chromatid exchanges and DNA lesions in peripheral lymphocytes of traffic policemen.
pubmed:affiliation
Laboratory of Comparative Toxicology and Ecotoxicology, Istituto Superiore di Sanita', Viale Regina Elena 299, I-00161, Rome, Italy.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't