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DNA adducts in granulocytes of hospital workers exposed to ethylene oxide
Author(s) -
Yong Lee C.,
Schulte Paul A.,
Kao ChiYu,
Giese Roger W.,
Boeniger Mark F.,
Strauss Gary H.S.,
Petersen Martin R.,
Wiencke John K.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
american journal of industrial medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.7
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1097-0274
pISSN - 0271-3586
DOI - 10.1002/ajim.20443
Subject(s) - medicine , adduct , carcinogen , ethylene oxide , dna adduct , guanine , toxicology , occupational exposure , dna damage , confounding , dna , nucleotide , biochemistry , chemistry , organic chemistry , emergency medicine , biology , copolymer , gene , polymer
Background Ethylene oxide (EtO), an important industrial chemical intermediate and sterilant, is classified as a human carcinogen. Occupational EtO exposure in many countries is regulated at 1 ppm (8‐hr TWA), but levels of EtO‐DNA adducts in humans with low occupational EtO exposures have not been reported. Methods We examined the formation of N7‐(2′‐hydroxyethyl)guanine (N7‐HEG), a major DNA adduct of EtO, in 58 EtO‐exposed sterilizer operators and six nonexposed workers from ten hospitals. N7‐HEG was quantified in granulocyte DNA (0.1–11.5 µg) by a highly sensitive and specific gas chromatography‐electron capture‐mass spectrometry method. Cumulative exposure to EtO (ppm‐hour) was estimated during the 4‐month period before the collection of blood samples. Results There was considerable inter‐individual variability in the levels of N7‐HEG with a range of 1.6–241.3 adducts/10 7 nucleotides. The mean levels in the nonexposed, low (≤32 ppm‐hour), and high (>32 ppm‐hour) EtO‐exposure groups were 3.8, 16.3, and 20.3 adducts/10 7 nucleotides, respectively, after the adjustment for cigarette smoking and other potential confounders, but the differences were not statistically significant. Conclusions This study has demonstrated for the first time, detectable levels of N7‐HEG adducts in granulocytes of hospital workers with EtO exposures at levels less than the current U.S. standard of 1 ppm (8‐hr TWA). A nonsignificant increase in adduct levels with increasing EtO exposure indicates that further studies of EtO‐exposed workers are needed to clarify the relationship between EtO exposure and N7‐HEG adduct formation. Am. J. Ind. Med. 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.