[Mutagen sensitivity in peripheral blood lymphocytes among coke-oven workers].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the sensitivity to bleomycin (BLM) in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) among coke-oven workers.


METHODS
Ninty-four coke-oven workers with exposure to a high level of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and 64 non-coke-oven workers (control) were recruited into this study. PBL was challenged by 8 microg/ml BLM, a known carcinogen, to induce certain amount of DNA damage, the difference of olive tail moment (TM) measured by comet assay before and after BLM treatment reflected the sensitivity towards mutagens.


RESULTS
The distribution of age, sex, and prevalence of smoking and drinking were not significantly different between these two groups. The geometric mean of urinary 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP) was significantly higher in coke-oven workers than in controls (9.0 versus 1.5 microg/L, t = -9.317, P < 0.01). The coke-oven workers showed significantly higher sensitivity to BLM than controls (17.7 versus 14.9, t = -2.583, P = 0.01). A large inter-group difference in sensitivity to BLM was observed in both controls and coke-oven workers. Stratification analysis revealed the significant association between high 1-OHP level (> 9.0 microg/L) and increased sensitivity to BLM (F = 4.001, P = 0.05) among coke-oven workers. Smoking subjects showed a significant higher value of sensitivity than nonsmokers in controls but not in coke-oven workers. No significant difference was observed between age, drinking status, coking history or external exposure class and BLM sensitivity.


CONCLUSIONS
Exposure to coke oven emission could increase the sensitivity to mutagens, which might be a reason of high incidence of lung cancer among coke-oven workers.
National Institute of Occupational Health and Poison Control, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China.
Juan
J
Cheng
Shu-guang
SG
Leng
Hai-shan
HS
Li
Yong
Y
Niu
Yao-feng
YF
Sun
Hua-wei
HW
Duan
Ping
P
Bin
Lin-yuan
LY
Zhang
Xue-miao
XM
Liang
Han
H
Lin
Zhong-xu
ZX
Wang
Yu-fei
YF
Dai
Bin
B
Li
Yu-xin
YX
Zheng
D000328:Adult; D001564:Benzo(a)pyrene / Q000633:toxicity; D001761:Bleomycin / Q000633:toxicity*; D003077:Coke; D020552:Comet Assay; D004249:DNA Damage; D004260:DNA Repair; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009153:Mutagens / Q000633:toxicity*; D016273:Occupational Exposure
D003077:Coke; D009153:Mutagens; D001761:Bleomycin; D001564:Benzo(a)pyrene