[Smoking, the level of DNA adducts and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the association between DNA adducts (DNA-BPDE) and smoking, and the association of DNA adducts with the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).


METHODS
DNA-BPDE were tested with competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in passive smoking rats. DNA-BPDE were also tested in 68 people including smokers and non-smokers, and in 88 patients with COPD and 87 healthy smoking control subjects. Pre- and post-stimulation with benzo[a]pyrene diol epoxide (BPDE), DNA-BPDE of lymphocytes were tested in 20 patients with COPD and 20 healthy smoking control subjects. The dynamic process of apoptosis was analyzed by flow cytometry.


RESULTS
(1) Smoking and DNA-BPDE: (1) With more days of passive smoking, the level of DNA-BPDE in rats increased, the correlation coefficient being 0.90. (2) With increasing of smoking index, the level of DNA-BPDE increased in the 68 healthy people, the correlation coefficient being 0.67. (2) DNA-BPDE and COPD: In patients with COPD and the controls, DNA-BPDE (per 10(7) nucleotides) were 91 +/- 23 and 67 +/- 15, the difference being significant (P < 0.01). Pre- and post-stimulation with BPDE, the DNA-BPDE were 94.5 +/- 24.1 and 106.1 +/- 27.3 in the 20 patients with COPD, but these were 68.3 +/- 15.8 and 72.5 +/- 16.7 in the controls. The difference between pre- and post-stimulation in the COPD group and the healthy smoking control group was significant (P < 0.01). (3) The apoptosis rate of T-lymphocytes and B-lymphocytes were 18.5% +/- 3.1% and 5.8% +/- 0.6% in COPD, but were 9.5% +/- 1.8% and 5.2% +/- 0.7% in the healthy smoking control subjects, the difference being significant (P < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
There is a significant association between the levels of DNA-BPDE and smoking. DNA-BPDE may result in cell damage and cell apoptosis, and may contribute to the pathogenesis of COPD.
Xie
Jun-gang
JG
Department of Respiratory Medicine, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong Science and Technology University, Wuhan 430030, China.
Xu
Yong-jian
YJ
Zhang
Zhen-xiang
ZX
Ni
Wang
W
Chen
Shi-xin
SX
D015123:7,8-Dihydro-7,8-dihydroxybenzo(a)pyrene 9,10-oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018736:DNA Adducts / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D004249:DNA Damage; D004260:DNA Repair; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D008173:Lung Diseases, Obstructive / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*
D018736:DNA Adducts; D015123:7,8-Dihydro-7,8-dihydroxybenzo(a)pyrene 9,10-oxide