Karin Broberg Palmgren

Polymorphisms in Genes Encoding Potential Mercury Transporters and Urine Mercury Concentrations in Populations Exposed to Mercury Vapor from Gold Mining

Background: Elemental mercury (Hg0) is widely used in small-scale gold mining. Persons working or living in mining areas have high urinary concentrations of Hg (U-Hg). Differences in genes encoding potential Hg-transporters may affect uptake and elimination of Hg. Objective: We aimed to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in Hg-transporter genes that modify U-Hg. Methods: Men and women (1,017) from Indonesia, the Philippines, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe were classified either as controls (no Hg exposure from gold mining) or as having low (living in a gold-mining area) or high exposure (working as gold miners). U-Hg was analyzed by cold-vapor atomic absorption spectrometry. Eighteen SNPs in eight Hg-transporter genes were analyzed. Results: U-Hg concentrations were higher among ABCC2/MRP2 rs1885301 A–allele carriers than among GG homozygotes in all populations, though differences were not statistically significant in most cases. MRP2 SNPs showed particularly strong associations with U-Hg in the subgroup with highest exposure (miners in Zimbabwe), whereas rs1885301 A–allele carriers had higher U-Hg than GG homozygotes [geometric mean (GM): 36.4 µg/g creatinine vs. 21.9; p = 0.027], rs2273697 GG homozygotes had higher U-Hg than A–allele carriers (GM: 37.4 vs. 16.7; p = 0.001), and rs717620 A–allele carriers had higher U-Hg than GG homozygotes (GM: 83 vs. 28; p = 0.084). The SLC7A5/LAT1 rs33916661 GG genotype was associated with higher U-Hg in all populations (statistically significant for all Tanzanians combined). SNPs in SLC22A6/OAT1 (rs4149170) and SLC22A8/OAT3 (rs4149182) were associated with U-Hg mainly in the Tanzanian study groups. Conclusions: SNPs in putative Hg-transporter genes may influence U-Hg concentrations.

Urinary 8-oxo-7, 8-dihydro-2′-deoxyguanosine concentrations after frying of bacon, a pilot study

ABSTRACT Cooking fumes contain compounds that may give rise to oxidative stress and mutations when inhaled. The aim of this study was to evaluate if cooking fumes from frying of bacon induce oxidative stress by measurement of urinary 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2 deoxyguanosine, a marker of oxidatively damaged DNA. Three non-smoking women fried bacon for 3 h. Urine samples were taken as early morning void at the same time on four days; the morning before frying, the morning after first frying, the morning after three days of frying and one week after first urine sample. 8-Oxo-7,8-dihydro-2 deoxyguanosine, 1-hydroxypyrene and 2-hydroxyphenanthrene, metabolites of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, were measured by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). 8-Oxo-7,8-dihydro-2 deoxyguanosine correlated weakly with concentrations of 1-hydroxypyrene (r = 0.31, p = 0.042), but it did not correlate with 2-hydroxyphenanthrene (r = −0.074; p = 0.64). Average urinary 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2 deoxyguanosine concentrations increased from the day before frying (16.3 ± 4.2 nmol/L) to the third day of frying (26.2 ± 10.2 nmol/L), although not statistically significantly. Our pilot study shows that frying of bacon may result in increased oxidative stress which further emphasises the possible carcinogenic potential of cooking fumes.

0253 Hairdressers are occupationally exposed to ortho- and meta- toluidine

Objectives Hairdressing work is classified as carcinogenic based on excess risk for bladder cancer. We aimed at evaluating if current hairdressers are exposed to established/suspected bladder carcinogens (aromatic amines) and indicate possible sources of exposure. Method Hairdressing salons listed in the telephone book were contacted for personal visits, 295 hairdressers were recruited (an estimated half of the eligible invited subjects). For comparison we included 32 consumers and 60 controls employed at our hospital. The study was restricted to female non-smokers. Questionnaires including frequency of performed work tasks were filled in by the hairdressers, and all subjects reported personal hair dye use, and exposure to environmental tobacco smoke. Blood samples were taken for analysis (gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry; GC-MS/MS) of ortho (o)-, meta (m)-, and para (p)-toluidine; 2-, 3-, and 4-ethylaniline, 2,3- and 3,4-dimethylaniline as haemoglobin adducts. Results Adduct concentrations did not differ significantly between hairdressers, consumers and controls. However, for hairdressers, o- and m-toluidine concentrations increased with the weekly performed number of permanent hair dyeings (p = 0.026), and hair waving treatments (p = 0.020). o- and m-Toluidine concentrations also tended (p = 0.076 and 0.080, respectively) to increase with the frequency of light colour permanent hair dyeings. The results were not driven by personal hair dye use, or smoking (key subjects additionally evaluated for cotinine). Analysis of a randomly chosen hair waving product confirmed the presence of o-and m-toluidine. Conclusions Our observations indicate that hairdressers are currently exposed to an established (o-toluidine), and a suspected (m-toluidine), human carcinogen from permanent hair dyes (including light colours) and unexpectedly also from hair waving.