title: Hydrocarbons and kidney damage: potential use of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin and sister chromatide exchange.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Millions of workers are exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and it is known that the kidney is a target for toxic chemicals. We have evaluated neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) as a potential marker of tubular damage and have used it, with sister chromatid exchange (SCE) analysis, to evaluate carcinogenic risk in a group of workers from an oil refinery.
  
  
  METHODS
  NGAL and SCE analysis were evaluated in 160 subjects. Exposed subjects were divided into three groups, according to levels of exposure to PAHs: 40 highly exposed workmen (WM), 40 less exposed office workers (OW), and 40 subjects (GE) living in Gela. The control group included 40 healthy subjects (HS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  WM, OW and GE showed higher NGAL levels than HS. WM had higher levels of NGAL than the OW and GE groups; in ROC analysis, serum NGAL showed a good diagnostic profile (sensitivity 87.5%; specificity 100.0%), as did urinary NGAL (sensitivity 90.0%; specificity 92.5%). Moreover, regarding SCE analysis, WM showed higher values than HS. A direct correlation between SCE and serum NGAL was found in WM, the group most exposed to PAHs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The high values of NGAL are an expression of damage to the renal tubule determined by exposure to PAHs. Compared to the other groups studied, chromosomal aberrations - expressed as SCE - were increased in WM, the group most exposed to PAHs, indicating genotoxic damage. NGAL may also play a role in the process of carcinogenesis having a direct correlation with the number of SCEs.
authors.affiliation: Section of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lacquaniti
authors.forename: Concettina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fenga
authors.forename: Vincenzo Alessio
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Venuti
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pernice
authors.forename: Saverio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Catanzariti
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sirna
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pernice
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arena
authors.forename: Rosaria
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lupica
authors.forename: Carmelo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Abbate
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Buemi
mesh_terms: D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins / Q000652:urine; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000633:toxicity; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004249:DNA Damage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics; D007684:Kidney Tubules / Q000473:pathology*; D000071068:Lipocalin-2; D054834:Lipocalins / Q000097:blood* / Q000652:urine; D008297:Male; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000633:toxicity*; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000097:blood* / Q000652:urine; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012854:Sister Chromatid Exchange
chemical_list: D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins; D015415:Biomarkers; D002273:Carcinogens; C489506:LCN2 protein, human; D000071068:Lipocalin-2; D054834:Lipocalins; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins