Interference of DEHP on the key genes of glucose and lipid metabolism in HepG2 cells / 中国职业医学

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of di-( 2-ethylhexyl) phthalate( DEHP) on the expression of the key genes involved in glucose and lipid metabolism,and explore the toxicity of DEHP on the glucose and lipid metabolism in HepG2 cells cultured in vitro. METHODS: HepG2 cells in logarithmic growth phase were divided into DEHP exposure group and control group. The exposure group was exposed to DEHP with different final concentrations( 5,10,50,100,500 and1 000 μmol / L),and the control group was exposed to dimethyl sulfoxide of corresponding concentrations. After 24 hours of DEHP exposure,real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction( Q-PCR) was applied to detect the level of mRNA transcription of peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor α( PPARα), which is an endogenous marker indicating the success of DEHP exposure. In addition,the level of mRNA transcription of key genes involved in glucose and lipid metabolism were also measured by Q-PCR,including glucose-6-phosphatase( G-6-Pase),phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase( PEPCK),stearoyl-coenzyme A desaturase 1( SCD1),fatty acid synthase,sterol regulatory elementbinding protein 1c and acetyl Co A carboxylase 1. P ≤0. 008 was considered as statistical significance. RESULTS: After DEHP exposure,the mRNA transcription level of PPARα was significantly elevated in all exposure groups( P < 0. 008)except for 5 μmol / L DEHP exposure group,which indicated the successful establishment of DEHP exposure model. The mRNA transcription level of G-6-Pase was significantly increased in 100 and 500 μmol / L DEHP exposure groups( P ≤0. 008) when compared with the controls; the PEPCK mRNA transcription level of showed no significant differences between the 6 DEHP exposure groups and their corresponding control groups( P > 0. 008). The mRNA transcription level of SCD1 was significantly down-regulated in 100 μmol / L DEHP exposure group( P < 0. 008) when compared with its control. The mRNA transcription level of other key genes involved in the lipid metabolism were not significantly altered after DEHP exposure( P > 0. 008). CONCLUSION: The effect of DEHP on glucose metabolism was mainly manifested by promoting G-6-Pase gene expression,which is the rate-limiting enzyme for gluconeogenesis. The effect of DEHP on the lipid metabolism of HepG2 cells was limited.

Association between genetic polymorphisms in pre-miR-146a and pre-miR-196a2 and genetic damage levels among coke oven workers / 中华预防医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the association of rs2910164 G > C polymorphism and rs11614913 T > C polymorphism in pre-miR-146a and pre-miR-196a2 with genetic damage levels in coke oven workers.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 575 nonsmoking workers who have worked for more than one year in a coke-oven plant at Wuhan, Hubei Province were enrolled in this study in September to October, 2010. The general characteristics as well as blood and urine samples were collected. The genetic damage levels were detected by cytokinesis-block micronucleus cytom assay and represented as micronucleus (MN) frequencies of binucleate cells in peripheral blood lymphocytes. The rs2910164 G > C polymorphisms in pre-miR-146a and rs11614913 T > C polymorphisms in pre-miR-196a2 were genotyped by using TaqMan assay. The plasma concentrations of benzo[a]pyrene-diolepoxide (BPDE)-albumin adducts were determined by using ELISA. All data were analyzed, the frequency ratio (FR) and 95%CI were calculated.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Totally, 575 workers were taken into consideration. The rs2910164 C allele was associated with increased MN frequencies in the coke oven workers (P trend = 0.025), and the MN frequencies were higher in rs2910164 CC genotype carriers (4.38 ± 3.46) than in wild-type rs2910164 GG genotype carriers (4.02 ± 3.09) (FR = 1.18, 95%CI:1.04-1.34). The further stratified analyses by working years, gender, alcohol consumption, and the levels of BPDE-albumin adducts showed that the effects of rs2910164 C allele in increasing MN frequencies were robust in subjects who were males (FR = 1.11, 95%CI:1.02-1.20), nondrinkers (FR = 1.07, 95%CI:1.00-1.14), working years less than 20 (FR = 1.12, 95%CI:1.03-1.22), and workers with lower BPDE-albumin adducts levels (FR = 1.11, 95%CI:1.02-1.21) (P trend = 0.011, 0.044, 0.006 and 0.020, respectively). In addition, the MN frequencies were higher in workers with rs11614913 TC genotype (4.27 ± 2.91) than workers with rs11614913 TT genotype (3.90 ± 3.32) (FR = 1.12, 95%CI:1.02-1.23).Workers carried both rs2910164 GG and rs11614913 TT genotypes were set as a control, and the MN frequencies of workers with both rs2910164 CC and rs11614913 CC genotypes (5.32 ± 4.94) were 1.51 (1.21-1.89) times higher than the control (3.75 ± 3.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The rs2910164 C allele in pre-miR-146a and rs11614913 C allele in pre-miR-196a2 were associated with increased genetic damage levels in coke oven workers.</p>

The dose response decrease of lung function associated with the urinary polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons metabolites in coke oven workers / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To analyze the relationship between metabolites of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and lung function in coke oven workers, and to provide scientific basis for further exploring the potential mechanism and developing the preventing strategies of the workers' early lung damage.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We measured carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, benzene soluble matter, particulate matters, and PAHs at different workplaces of a coke oven plant. Detailed information on demography and occupational health condition of 912 workers were collected. We divided these workers into control group and coke oven group according to their workplaces and the different concentrations of COEs in the environment. We detected 10 urinary PAH metabolites and lung function using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and spirometric tests, respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>FEV(1.0) (91.12 ± 13.31) and FEV(1.0)/FVC (108.61 ± 20.37) of the coke oven group is significantly lower than the control group (94.16 ± 15.57, 113.45 ± 19.70). In the coke oven group, the hydroxyphenanthrene and 1-hydroxypyrene are negatively correlated with FEV(1.0)/FVC (β = -0.136, β = -0.100), Ptrend < 0.05 for all.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The dose response decrease of lung function is associated with the urinary PAH metabolites in coke oven workers. Indicated that the long exposure to PAHs may cause the early lung damage in coke oven workers, phenanthrene and pyrene may be the main factors.</p>

Using the stable HSPA1A promoter-driven luciferase reporter HepG2 cells to assess the overall toxicity of coke oven emissions / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>Using the stable HSPA1A (HSP70-1) promoter-driven luciferase reporter HepG2 cells (HepG2/HSPA1A cells) to assess the overall toxicity of coke oven emissions.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The stable HepG2/HSPA1A cells were treated with different concentrations of coke oven emissions (COEs) collected from the top, side, and bottom of a coke oven battery for 24 h. After the treatments, luciferase activity, cell viability, malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration, Olive tail moment, and micronuclei frequency were determined, respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The bottom COEs induced significant increases (P < 0.01) in relative luciferase activity up to 1.4 times the control level at 0.15 µg/L. The low dose of side COEs (0.02 µg/L) led to a significant increase (P < 0.01) in relative luciferase activity that progressively increased to 2.1 times the control level at 65.4 µg/L. The top COEs produced a strong dose-dependent induction of relative luciferase activity up to over 5 times the control level at the highest concentration tested (202 µg/L). In HepG2/HSPA1A cells treated with the bottom COEs, relative luciferase activity was positively correlated with MDA concentration (r = 0.404, P < 0.05). For the three COEs samples, positive correlations were observed between relative luciferase activity and Olive tail moment and micronuclei frequency.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The relative luciferase activity in HepG2/HSPA1A cells can sensitively reflect the overall toxicity of COEs. The stable HepG2/HSPA1A cells can be used for rapid screening of the overall toxicity of complex air pollutants in the workplace.</p>