[Study on blood and buccal mucous related genes expression in the patients suffering from coal-burning arsenism].
OBJECTIVE
To observe the oxidative stress and skin disease related genes expression in cells exfoliated from buccal mucous and blood in patients with arseniasis caused by coal-burning pollution in Guizhou.


METHODS
Buccal and blood cell samples were collected from arsenicosis patients and healthy subjects residing in Guizhou. Total RNA was isolated for related genetic transcript analysis. Real-time PCR (RT-PCR) was employed to detect the change of related gene expression. Serum indicators of liver injury, such as serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), were detected.


RESULTS
Serum levels of ALT in arsenic patients were significantly higher than those in controls (36.9 +/- 17.4 / 25.8 +/- 2.4, t = 0.019, P < 0.05) even when no symptom was found in these patients. Buccal K10 gene was overexpressed (3.6 +/- 0.9 / 1.8 +/- 0.7, t = 0.041, P < 0.05) and MT-1 expression was significantly lower (0.8 +/- 0.5 / 3.9 +/- 0.4, t = 0.028, P < 0.05) in arsenic patients than that in control while the expressions of other genes were the same as those of controls.


CONCLUSIONS
The expressions of MT-1 and K10 gene in buccal mucous cells may be regarded as sensitive molecular markers for skin and hepatic pathologic changes in arsenic patients. Protection of liver function should be considered as an important step in arseniasis prevention and control.
Yang
Qin
Q
Department of Pathophysiology, Guiyang Medical College, Guiyang 550004, China.
Han
Bing
B
Wu
Jun
J
Zhao
Yan
Y
Cheng
Ming-liang
ML
D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D020261:Arsenic Poisoning / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D001798:Blood Proteins; D003031:Coal; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006801:Humans; D008668:Metallothionein / Q000235:genetics*; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000737:chemistry*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics
D015415:Biomarkers; D001798:Blood Proteins; D003031:Coal; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D008668:Metallothionein; D000410:Alanine Transaminase