Concentration of hydroxylated polychlorinated biphenyls (OH-PCBs) in the blood of Yusho patients in 2010.

Hydroxylated polychlorinated biphenyls (OH-PCBs) are formed as major metabolites of PCBs by cytochrome P450 enzyme-mediated oxidation. It has been reported that their total concentration in serum samples of Yusho patients ranged from 390 to 1300 pg/g. We measured the concentration of OH-PCBs in blood collected from 183 Yusho patients living in Japan in 2010. The major OH-PCB metabolites were 4-OH-CB187 (ND-1300 pg/g-wet), 4-OH-CB146 + 3-OH-CB153 (8.4-1200 pg/g-wet), 4-OH-CB109 (ND-530 pg/g-wet) and 4'-OH-CB172 (ND-380 pg/g-wet). The total OH-PCBs ranged from 36 to 3800 pg/g-wet. A positive relationship between the concentrations of OH-PCBs and PCBs was observed, but no significant relationship between the concentrations of OH-PCBs and PCDD/DFs was observed.