title: GSTM1 and TNF-alpha gene polymorphisms and relations between blood lead and inflammatory markers in a non-occupational population.
abstract: Inflammation is known to be an important underlying condition in the development of a variety of diseases. To investigate whether blood lead induces inflammatory reactions in non-occupationally exposed adults and the effects of genetic susceptibility associated with GSTM1 and TNF-alpha gene polymorphisms on this inflammatory response, we measured blood lead levels in 300 healthy university students. Total serum TNF-alpha and IL-6 levels and WBC counts were determined to evaluate the inflammatory response. Allelic loss of GSTM1 and the TNF-alpha-308 G>A polymorphism were determined by PCR and RFLP. Positive relations between blood lead and three inflammation biomarkers were shown in male subjects with blood lead > or =2.51microg/dl (median value) (TNF-alpha, p=0.015; IL-6, p=0.082; and WBC, p=0.044). However, subgroup analysis by genotype showed an effect of blood lead on the three biomarkers only in individuals with the GSTM1 null (TNF-alpha, p=0.020; IL-6, p=0.096; and WBC, p=0.017) or TNF-alpha GG (TNF-alpha, p=0.017; IL-6, p=0.088; and WBC, p=0.095) genotype, and not in individuals with GSTM1 present (all three inflammatory biomarkers, p>0.1) or the TNF-alpha GA or AA (all three biomarkers, p>0.1) genotype. These results suggest that blood lead affects the inflammatory response and that GSTM1 and TNF-alpha gene polymorphisms are genetic factors associated with lead-induced inflammatory response.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 28 Yongon-dong, Chongno-gu, Seoul 110-799, Republic of Korea. jhkim777@snu.ac.kr
authors.forename: Jin Hee
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Kwan-Hee
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Dong Ho
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.forename: Daehee
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Soo-Hun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Yun-Chul
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Hong
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000483:Alleles; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D007854:Lead / Q000097:blood*; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D013334:Students; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D005982:Glutathione Transferase; D015850:Interleukin-6; D007854:Lead; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha