Exposure to traffic exhausts and oxidative DNA damage.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the relations between exposure to traffic exhausts and indicators of oxidative DNA damage among highway toll station workers.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study of 47 female highway toll station workers exposed to traffic exhausts and 27 female office workers as a reference group. Exposure assessment was based on average and cumulative traffic density and a biomarker of exposure, urinary 1-hydroxypyrene-glucuronide (1-OHPG). Urinary 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) was used as a biomarker of oxidative DNA damage. Plasma nitric oxide (NO) was measured as an indicator of oxidative stress related to traffic exhaust exposure.


RESULTS
The mean concentration of urinary 8-OHdG was substantially higher among the exposed non-smokers (13.6 microg/g creatinine) compared with the reference non-smokers (7.3 microg/g creatinine; difference 6.3, 95% CI 3.0 to 9.6). The mean concentration of NO among the exposed (48.0 micromol/l) was also higher compared with the reference non-smokers (37.6 micromol/l; difference 10.4, 95% CI -0.4 to 21.2). In linear regression adjusting for confounding, a change in log(8-OHdG) was statistically significantly related to a unit change in log(1-OHPG) (beta = 0.372, 95% CI 0.081 to 0.663).


CONCLUSIONS
Results indicate that exposure to traffic exhausts increases oxidative DNA damage. Urinary 8-OHdG is a promising biomarker of traffic exhaust induced oxidative stress.
Lai
C-H
CH
Department of Public Health, National Defence Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan 114, ROC. lgh@ndmctsgh.edu.tw
Liou
S-H
SH
Lin
H-C
HC
Shih
T-S
TS
Tsai
P-J
PJ
Chen
J-S
JS
Yang
T
T
Jaakkola
J J K
JJ
Strickland
P T
PT
D000080242:8-Hydroxy-2'-Deoxyguanosine; D000328:Adult; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000633:toxicity*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000652:urine; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004249:DNA Damage; D003849:Deoxyguanosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000652:urine; D005260:Female; D005965:Glucuronates / Q000652:urine; D006801:Humans; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000097:blood; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D011721:Pyrenes; D001335:Vehicle Emissions / Q000633:toxicity*
C093851:1-hydroxypyrene-glucuronide; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D015415:Biomarkers; D005965:Glucuronates; D011721:Pyrenes; D001335:Vehicle Emissions; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D000080242:8-Hydroxy-2'-Deoxyguanosine; D003849:Deoxyguanosine