Neopterin as a new biomarker for the evaluation of occupational exposure to silica

Silica is one of the most documented workplace contaminants. Long-term occupational exposure to silica is associated with an increased risk for respiratory diseases such as silicosis, tuberculosis, chronic bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer. Furthermore, a variety of i...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International archives of occupational and environmental health 2003-05, Vol.76 (4), p.318-322
Main Authors: ALTINDAG, Zeynep Zubeyde, BAYDAR, Terken, ISIMER, Askin, SAHIN, Gonul
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Air Pollutants, Occupational - adverse effects
Biological and medical sciences
Biomarkers
Biomarkers - blood
Biomarkers - urine
Biomonitoring
Chemical and industrial products toxicology. Toxic occupational diseases
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Contaminants
Humans
Immune system
Inorganic dusts (pneumoconiosises) and organic dusts (byssinosis etc.)
Liquid chromatography
Lung cancer
Lung Diseases - chemically induced
Lung Diseases - diagnosis
Male
Medical sciences
Neopterin - blood
Neopterin - urine
Occupational Diseases - chemically induced
Occupational Diseases - diagnosis
Occupational exposure
Occupational hazards
Respiratory diseases
Risk exposure
Silica
Silicon Dioxide - adverse effects
Silicosis
Spectrophotometry
Toxicology
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Summary:Silica is one of the most documented workplace contaminants. Long-term occupational exposure to silica is associated with an increased risk for respiratory diseases such as silicosis, tuberculosis, chronic bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer. Furthermore, a variety of immune-dysfunction-related diseases has been reported in silicotic individuals. Preliminary studies indicating enhanced levels of autoantibodies and several cytokines reflect an involvement of the immune system in the pathogenesis of silicosis and resulting complications. As an early and valuable biomarker of cellular immunity, neopterin is a low-molecular-mass compound belonging to the class of pteridines. It is produced by guanosine triphosphate via interferon-gamma, following the activation of T cells. The aim of the present study was to observe the alteration of neopterin in silica exposure, and also to show whether screening of neopterin levels may be of use for assessment of occupational exposure to silica. In this study, serum and urinary neopterin levels, both in silica-exposed workers ( n=22) and healthy volunteers ( n=20), were investigated by ELISA, spectrophotometry and HPLC techniques. Serum neopterin levels of control and exposed groups were measured as 5.98+ or -0.44 and 7.86+ or -1.97 nmol/l, respectively ( P
ISSN:0340-0131
1432-1246
DOI:10.1007/s00420-003-0434-9