title: Molecular biomarkers of oxidative stress and role of dietary factors in gasoline station attendants.
abstract: Exposure to benzene promotes oxidative stress through the production of ROS, which can damage biological structures with the formation of new metabolites which can be used as markers of oxidant/antioxidant imbalance. This study aims to assess modifications in circulating levels of advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP), advanced glycation end-products (AGE) and serum reactive oxygen metabolites (ROMs) in a group of gasoline station attendants exposed to low-dose benzene and to evaluate the influence of antioxidant food intake on these biomarkers of oxidative stress. The diet adopted by the population examined consisted of compounds belonging to the classes of terpenoids, stilbenes and flavonoids, notably resveratrol, lycopene and apigenin. Ninety one gasoline station attendants occupationally exposed to benzene and 63 unexposed male office workers were recruited for this study. Urinary trans, trans-muconic acid (t,t-MA) concentration, determined to assess individual exposure level, resulted significantly higher in exposed workers. In subjects exposed to benzene, we observed a significant increase (p < 0.001) in ROMs and AOPP levels, which were also negatively correlated with fruit and vegetables consumption. By contrast, AGE did not show a significant increase and consequently any relation with antioxidant food intake. Only ROMs, representing a global biomarker of oxidative status, resulted correlated to t,t-MA levels (p < 0.01), probably due to low-dose exposure. Increase of ROS induced by reactive benzene metabolites may promote specific biochemical pathways with a major production of AOPP, which seem to represent a more sensitive biochemical marker of oxidative stress in workers exposed to benzene compared to AGE. Furthermore, this is the first study demonstrating ROMs increment in subject exposed to benzene. These biomarkers may be useful for screening purposes in gasoline station workers and other subjects exposed to low-dose benzene. Moreover, a diet rich in fruits and vegetables demonstrated an inverse association with the levels of oxidative stress markers, suggesting a protective role of antioxidant food intake in workers exposed to oxidant agents.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina. University Hospital "G. Martino", 98125 Messina, Italy. Electronic address: ccosta@unime.it.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Istanbul University, Turkey.
authors.forename: Eren
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ozcagli
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morpho-functional Imaging, Occupational Medicine Section - University of Messina, University Hospital "G. Martino", 98125 Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gangemi
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morpho-functional Imaging, Occupational Medicine Section - University of Messina, University Hospital "G. Martino", 98125 Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Schembri
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morpho-functional Imaging, Occupational Medicine Section - University of Messina, University Hospital "G. Martino", 98125 Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Giambò
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Toxicology, Medical School, University of Crete, Voutes, 71409 Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
authors.forename: Vasilis
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Androutsopoulos
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Toxicology, Medical School, University of Crete, Voutes, 71409 Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
authors.forename: Aristidis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tsatsakis
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morpho-functional Imaging, Occupational Medicine Section - University of Messina, University Hospital "G. Martino", 98125 Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Concettina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fenga
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001554:Benzene / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D004032:Diet; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity; D005638:Fruit; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D010578:Petroleum / Q000032:analysis*; D014675:Vegetables
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D010578:Petroleum; D001554:Benzene
keywords: AGE; AOPP; Benzene; Gasoline station attendants; Mediterranean diet; Oxidative stress; ROMs