Immune response prevalence to formaldehyde-human serum albumin molecular adduct in a healthy population.
Formaldehyde (F) covalently binds human serum albumin (HSA), giving rise to the molecular adduct, F-HSA, with F as a hapten. Humoral immune response to the adduct provides a biological marker of F exposure. A new indirect competitive enzyme immunoassay (displacement assay) using an in vitro conjugate F-HSA adduct with a 10:1 ratio was developed to titrate serum anti-F-HSA antibodies. 219 healthy subjects were examined using this assay. Examination of the data using multivariate regression analysis revealed a significant association between the F exposure marker and smoking variables in both smokers (p < 0.001) and ex-smokers (p < 0.01). No association was found between F exposure marker values and age, sex, residence, or profession. Except for the fact that the smoking variable subdivided the population into smokers, ex-smokers, and non-smokers, a significant association was found in non-smokers concerning professional exposure (p < 0.03). Results confirm that the Displacement Assay (sensitivity 96% and specificity 71%) is a useful method of evaluating F exposure, especially in large-scale public health monitoring. In order to evaluate the importance of other exposure sources, such as F pollution in indoor and outdoor air, an interesting follow up to our study would be an evaluation of a possible increase of anti-F-HSA immune response in non-smokers.
Carraro
E
E
Department of Hygiene and Community Medicine, University of Turin, Italy.
Gasparini
S
S
Petrini
T
T
Oitana
P
P
Gilli
G
G
D000917:Antibody Formation; D015415:Biomarkers; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005557:Formaldehyde / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D012016:Reference Values; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine / Q000276:immunology*; D012907:Smoking / Q000276:immunology
D015415:Biomarkers; C044105:formaldehyde-serum albumin; D005557:Formaldehyde; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine