[Relationship between the expression of heat shock protein and genetic damage in peripheral blood of workers exposed to coke oven emissions].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the relationship between the expression of heat shock protein 90, 60 and 27 (HSP90, HSP60 and HSP27) and genetic damage in peripheral blood of workers exposed to coke oven emissions.


METHODS
288 coke oven workers in a steel factory were divided into the high-dose group and the low-dose group on the basis of environment monitoring result and work place. There were 172 men in high-dose group (workers who worked at the oven top and oven side) and 116 men in low-dose group (workers who worked at the oven bottom and others who were engaged to aided work). 38 workers unexposed occupationally to carcinogenic substances were selected as the control group, who were employed in medical therapy unit nearby 2 kilometers from the steel factory. Their general information, history of personal and occupational exposure, and the work environment were investigated. Blood samples were collected immediately after a shift at the end of a working day from 288 coke oven workers and 38 control workers. Levels of HSP90, HSP60 and HSP27 in peripheral blood lymphocytes were measured by Western blot, and the degree of DNA damage was detected by the comet assay.


RESULTS
Levels of HSP90 in peripheral blood lymphocytes in three groups were 0.24 +/- 0.32, 0.12 +/- 0.30 and 0.06 +/- 0.33 respectively. They increased significantly compared with that of the control. But levels of HSP60 and HSP27 were not significantly different among those groups. Compared with the control group, there was significant difference in tail length, olive tail moment et al of SCGE (G +/- s(G)) of occupational exposure workers. High-dose group > low-dose group > control group (P < 0.05). The degree of DNA damage increased with the rise of exposure BaP dose (Spearman r = -0.345, P < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Levels of HSP90 in peripheral blood lymphocytes and the degree of DNA damage increase with the rise of exposure polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) dose.
Zhang
Jun-hong
JH
Taiyuan Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Taiyuan 030001, China.
Zhang
Jun
J
Sun
Jian-ya
JY
Tian
Lin
L
Niu
Qiao
Q
D000328:Adult; D018834:Chaperonin 60 / Q000097:blood*; D003077:Coke / Q000009:adverse effects; D020552:Comet Assay; D004249:DNA Damage / Q000187:drug effects*; D055551:HSP27 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D018841:HSP90 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D018832:Molecular Chaperones; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000009:adverse effects*
D018834:Chaperonin 60; D003077:Coke; D055551:HSP27 Heat-Shock Proteins; D018841:HSP90 Heat-Shock Proteins; C057725:HSPB1 protein, human; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins; D018832:Molecular Chaperones; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons