title: Using lymphocyte and plasma Hsp70 as biomarkers for assessing coke oven exposure among steel workers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hsp70, an early-response protein induced when organisms are confronted with simple or complicated environmental stresses, can act as either a cellular protector or a danger signal.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The goal of this study was to evaluate levels of lymphocyte and/or plasma Hsp70 as biomarkers for assessing exposure response to complex coke oven emissions (COEs).
  
  
  METHODS
  We recruited 101 coke oven workers and determined levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) exposure, urinary 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP), genotoxic damage by comet assay and micronuclei test, and other markers of damage, including plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). These were compared to levels of lymphocyte (intra-cellular) and plasma (extracellular) Hsp70 using Western blots and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA), respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We observed a COEs-related dose-dependent increase in levels of DNA damage, micronuclei rate, MDA concentration, and LDH activity. Lymphocyte Hsp70 levels increased in the intermediate-exposure group (1.39 +/- 0.88) but decreased in the high-exposure group (1.10 +/- 0.55), compared with the low-exposure group. In contrast, plasma Hsp70 levels progressively increased as the dose of exposure increased. Negative correlations were seen between lymphocyte Hsp70 levels and olive tail moment and LDH activity in the intermediate- and high-exposure groups. However, we observed positive correlations between plasma Hsp70 levels and LDH activity in the low and intermediate groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In workers exposed to COEs, high lymphocyte Hsp70 levels may provide protection and high plasma Hsp70 levels may serve as a danger marker. Larger validation studies are needed to establish the utility of Hsp70 as a response marker.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
authors.forename: Xiaobo
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Jinping
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.forename: Fengjie
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Jianya
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Huashan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Weihong
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Robert M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Tanguay
authors.forename: Tangchun
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D002681:China; D003077:Coke / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D004249:DNA Damage; D019652:Extraction and Processing Industry; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D048629:Micronuclei, Chromosome-Defective; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D011721:Pyrenes / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D013232:Steel
chemical_list: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D015415:Biomarkers; D003077:Coke; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins; D011721:Pyrenes; D013232:Steel; C033146:1-hydroxypyrene