title: Monitoring protein expression by proteomics: human plasma exposed to benzene.
abstract: Low levels and long term exposure to benzene is associated with hematotoxicity including aplastic anemia, acute myelogenous leukemia, and lymphoma. Current biomonitoring methods such as urinary phenol, S-phenylmercapturic acid, and trans-trans muconic acid were found to be unreliable as analytical methods to detect benzene exposure. Therefore, to search for a specific protein for biomonitoring benzene exposure, we investigated plasma proteins from workers (n = 50) at a printing company who were exposed to benzene, by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. The protein profiles are significantly different (p < 0.05) between benzene exposed and unexposed groups, as identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization/time of flight mass spectrometry and confirmed by Western blot analyses. T cell receptor beta chain (TCR beta), FK506-binding protein, and matrix metalloproteinase-13 were expressed only in benzene exposed workers. In addition, interleukin-4 receptor alpha chain and T cell surface glycoprotein CD1b precursor were found to be up-regulated in the plasma of benzene exposed workers. When we treated Jurkat cells with benzene (10 microM-10 mM), TCR beta expression was increased in the membrane more than 6-9-fold compared to untreated cells. In addition, the amount of TCR beta released into the culture media, at benzene concentrations greater than 50 microM, increased up to 10 mM. Therefore, TCR beta levels in plasma could be used as a biomarker and a possible therapeutic target for benzene exposure.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Medical Science Research Center, Korea University, Seoul 136-701, Korea.
authors.forename: Won-A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Joo
authors.forename: Mee-Jeong
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Won-kyu
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Son
authors.forename: Hyun-Ju
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Do-Youn
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Eunil
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Chan-Wha
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D001554:Benzene / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017364:Collagenases / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D015180:Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional; D006801:Humans; D053509:Matrix Metalloproteinase 13; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D020543:Proteome / Q000032:analysis; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization; D022021:Tacrolimus Binding Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D020543:Proteome; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; D017364:Collagenases; C507079:MMP13 protein, human; D053509:Matrix Metalloproteinase 13; D022021:Tacrolimus Binding Proteins; D001554:Benzene