Nonlinear low dose hematotoxicity of benzene; a pooled analyses of two studies among Chinese exposed workers.
Environ Int
; 177: 108007, 2023 07.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-37290291
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Impairment of the hematopoietic system is one of the primary adverse health effects from exposure to benzene. We previously have shown that exposure to benzene at low levels (<1 ppm) affects the blood forming system and that these effects were proportionally stronger at lower versus higher levels of benzene exposure. This observation is potentially explained by saturation of enzymatic systems.METHODS:
Here we extend these analyses by detailed modeling of the exposure response association of benzene and its major metabolites (i.e. catechol, muconic acid, phenol, and hydroquinone) on peripheral white blood cell (WBC) counts and its major cell-subtypes (i.e. granulocytes, lymphocytes, and monocytes) using two previously published cross-sectional studies among occupationally exposed Chinese workers.RESULTS:
Supra-linear exposure response associations were observed between air benzene concentrations (range â¼ 0.1 - 100 ppm) and WBC counts and its cell-subtypes, with a larger than proportional decrease in cell counts at lower than at higher levels of benzene exposure. The hematotoxicity associations were largely similar in shape when the analyses were repeated with benzene urinary metabolites suggesting that enzymatic saturation is not a full explanation of the observed non-linearity with WBC endpoints.DISCUSSION:
We hypothesize that the flattening of the exposure response curve especially at higher benzene exposure levels may reflect a response by the bone marrow to maintain hematopoietic homeostasis. Toxicity to the bone marrow and an induced hyper-proliferative response could both contribute to risk of subsequently developing a hematopoietic malignancy. Additional work is needed to explore this hypothesis.Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Benzeno
/
Exposição Ocupacional
Tipo de estudo:
Observational_studies
/
Prevalence_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Limite:
Humans
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Environ Int
Ano de publicação:
2023
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Holanda