Oxygen toxicity and hemoglobinemia in subjects from a highly polluted town.
Red blood cell activities of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase, two key enzymes responsible for the control of the concentrations of activated oxygen species, were approximately two-fold higher in residents of Vila Parisi (Cubatão, Brazil)--a higher polluted neighborhood--than in a population sample from São Paulo City. The catalase levels were the same in both samples. A concurrent high concentration of methemoglobinemia and sulfhemoglobinemia was encountered in the blood of Vila Parisi residents. These data raise the possibility that the increased rate of oxyhemoglobin oxidation yielding O-.2 and H2O2 may be relevant to mutagenesis induced by HO. radicals.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001938:Brazil; D002374:Catalase / Q000097:blood*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000201:enzymology*; D005260:Female; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008708:Methemoglobinemia / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D010544:Peroxidases / Q000097:blood*; D013436:Sulfhemoglobinemia / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000097:blood*
D000393:Air Pollutants; D010544:Peroxidases; D002374:Catalase; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D010100:Oxygen