Markers for carcinogenicity among butadiene-polymer workers in China.
We examined a spectrum of genotoxic and other outcomes in 41 butadiene-polymer production workers and 38 nonexposed controls, in China, to explore the role of butadiene in human carcinogenesis. Among butadiene-exposed workers, median air exposure was 2 ppm (6-h TWA), due largely to intermittent high-level exposures. Compared to unexposed subjects, butadiene-exposed workers had greater levels of hemoglobin N-(2,3,4-trihydroxybutyl)valine (THBVal) adducts (P<0.0001), and adduct levels tended to correlate, among butadiene-exposed workers, with air measures (P=0.03). Butadiene-exposed workers did not differ, however, from unexposed workers with respect to frequency of uninduced or diepoxybutane-induced sister chromatid exchanges, aneuploidy as measured by fluorescence in situ hybridization of chromosomes 1, 7, 8 and 12, glycophorin A variants or lymphocyte hprt somatic mutation. Also among the exposed, greater THBVal levels were not associated with increases in uninduced sister chromatid exchanges, aneuploidy, glycophorin A, or hprt mutations. Butadiene-exposed workers had greater lymphocyte (P=0.002) and platelet counts (P=0.07) and lymphocytes as a percent of white blood cells were moderately correlated with greater THBVal levels (Spearman's rho=0.32, P=0.07). Among butadiene-exposed workers, several serum cytokines correlated with THBVal adduct levels. Overall, the study demonstrated exposure to butadiene in these workers, by a variety of short-term and long-term measures, but did not show specific genotoxic effects, at the chromosomal or gene levels, related to that exposure.
Hayes
R B
RB
Occupational Epidemology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, EPS 8114, Bethesda, MD, USA. hayes@mail.nih.gov
Zhang
L
L
Swenberg
J A
JA
Yin
S N
SN
Xi
L
L
Wiencke
J
J
Bechtold
W E
WE
Yao
M
M
Rothman
N
N
Haas
R
R
O'Neill
J P
JP
Wiemels
J
J
Dosemeci
M
M
Li
G
G
Smith
M T
MT
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D002070:Butadienes / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D002681:China; D005260:Female; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009152:Mutagenicity Tests; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D011108:Polymers / Q000633:toxicity; D012854:Sister Chromatid Exchange / Q000187:drug effects
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D015415:Biomarkers; D002070:Butadienes; D002273:Carcinogens; D006454:Hemoglobins; D011108:Polymers; C031763:1,3-butadiene