Traffic-related air pollution and DNA damage: a longitudinal study in Taiwanese traffic conductors

• Published in: PloS one 2012-05, Vol.7 (5), p.e37412
• Main Authors: Huang, Han-Bin, Lai, Ching-Huang, Chen, Guan-Wen, Lin, Yong-Yang, Jaakkola, Jouni J K, Liou, Saou-Hsing, Wang, Shu-Li
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 1-Hydroxypyrene; 8-Hydroxydeoxyguanosine; Adult; Air Pollutants - urine; Air Pollution; Atmospheric pollution; Bioindicators; Biological activity; Biology; Biomarkers; Brain; Breathing; Cancer; Conductors; Correlation analysis; Damage accumulation; Deoxyguanosine - analogs & derivatives; Deoxyguanosine - urine; Deoxyribonucleic acid; DNA; DNA Damage; Environmental health; Enzymes; Epidemiology; Etiology; Exhausts; Exposure; Female; Glucuronates - urine; Health aspects; Health Surveys; Humans; Illnesses; Life sciences; Longitudinal studies; Male; Medical research; Medicine; Metabolites; Middle Aged; Mitochondrial DNA; Mutation; Occupational health; Organic chemicals; Outdoor air quality; Oxidative stress; Particulate emissions; Particulate Matter; Particulates; Pollutants; Pollution; Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; Population; Public health; Pyrenes - urine; Regression analysis; Regression models; Samplers; Statistical analysis; Statistical methods; Stillbirth; Studies; Surveys and Questionnaires; Taiwan; Traffic; Traffic models; Tumors; Urine; Vehicle Emissions; Workers
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0037412

There is accumulating epidemiologic evidence that exposure to traffic-related air pollutants, including particulate matter (PM) and polyaromatic hydro carbons (PAHs), plays a role in etiology and prognosis of a large scale of illnesses, although the role of specific causal agents and underlying mechanisms for different health outcomes remains unknown. Our general objective was to assess the relations between personal exposure to traffic exhausts, in particular ambient PM(2.5) and PAHs, and the occurrence of DNA strand breaks by applying personal monitoring of PM and biomarkers of exposure (urinary 1-hydroxypyrene-glucuronide, 1-OHPG) and effect (urinary 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine, 8-OHdG and DNA strand breaks). We recruited 91 traffic conductors and 53 indoor office workers between May 2009 and June 2011 in Taipei City, Taiwan. We used PM(2.5) personal samplers to collect breathing-zone particulate PAHs samples. Spot urine and blood samples after work shift of 2 consecutive days were analyzed for 1-OHPG, 8-OHdG and DNA strand breaks, respectively. Statistical methods included linear regression and mixed models. Urinary 8-OHdG levels and the occurrence of DNA strand breaks in traffic conductors significantly exceeded those in indoor office workers in mixed models. Particulate PAHs levels showed a positive association with urinary 1-OHPG in the regression model (β = 0.056, p = 0.01). Urinary 1-OHPG levels were significantly associated with urinary 8-OHdG levels in the mixed model (β = 0.101, p = 0.023). Our results provide evidence that exposure to fine particulates causes DNA damage. Further, particulate PAHs could be biologically active constituents of PM(2.5) with reference to the induction of oxidative DNA damages.