The Sex Differences Of The Early Healthy Damage Effects Caused By Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Exposure In Coke Oven Workers

According to the reports of death cause form China and American, lung cancer hasoccupied the first place of cancer death. The cardiovascular disease is the leading cause ofdisease death. Many epidemiologic studies have shown that occupational PAHs exposure isassociated with an increasing risk of lung cancer and cardiovascular disease. And therewere enough evidences which have proved that obvious sex differences of the pathologicaltypes, pathogenesis and the susceptibility existed in lung cancer and cardiovascular disease.But we have little knowledge about its mechanism. The investigation on the sex differencesof early healthy damage effects caused by PAHs exposure in the coke oven workers couldprovide new valuable ideas and clues to interpret this mechanism and theoretical basis forthe sex related prevention and treatment of Lung cancer and cardiovascular diseases.This study recruited330non-smoking and non-drinking workers （192males and138females）as the research objects in a coke oven plant. We done health examination for eachresearch object and collected their blood and urine samples.12kinds of PAHs metabolites（OH-PAHs）concentration were determined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometryto assess PAHs exposure. The levels of8-isoprostane and8-OHdG were determined withELISA and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) respectively, to assess lipid per-oxidation and oxidative DNA damage. The cytoplasm division block of the nuclearmethod is used to test CBMN in order to assessment the individual genetic damage level.Short-duration HRV indices including standard deviation of NN intervals (SDNN), rootmean square of successive differences in adjacent NN intervals (rMSSD), low frequency(LF), high frequency (HF) and total power (TP) from all subjects were determined with DelMar Medical systems.Firstly, the workers were divided into three exposure areas according to the distancesfrom their workplaces to the coke oven. Our results showed that the8-OHdG and8-iso-PGconcentration among female workers were higher than males in low, intermediate and highexposure areas with statistically significant (P<0.01) result in the low exposure areas andintermediate exposure areas. The micronucleus rate among female workers was lower thanmale in low, intermediate and high exposure areas with statistically significant (P<0.01)result in low and intermediate exposure areas. HRV index among female workers was lowerthan the most males, and LF among females was lower than males with statisticallysignificant (P<0.01) result only in intermediate exposure areas. HF among females washigher than males with statistically significant (P<0.01) result only in low exposure areas,LF/HF among females was lower than males with statistically significant (P<0.01) result inintermediate and high exposure group areas.Secondly, the workers were divided into three concentration groups by trisections ofeach individual OH-PAHs and ΣOH-PAHs. Our results showed that8-OHdG and8-iso-PGconcentration among the females were higher than males in all concentration groups. The8-OHdG concentration among female workers was higher than males with statisticallysignificant (P<0.01) result in T1and T2concentration groups trisections by2-NAP,1-,2-and3-,4-,9-PHEN and2-FLUO. Females was higher than males with statistically significant(P<0.01) result in T3concentration groups trisections by1-NAP. Females was higher thanmales with statistically significant (P<0.01) result in T2concentration groups trisections by 1-PRP and ΣOH-PAHs. The8-iso-PG concentration among female workers was higher thanmales with statistically significant (P<0.01) result in T2concentration groups trisections by1-NAP,1-,2-,4-,9-PHEN.The micronucleus rate among female workers was higher than males in allconcentration groups. Female workers was higher than males with statistically significant(P<0.01) result in all of the concentration groups trisections by1-NAP and1-,9-PHEN.Female workers was higher than males with statistically significant (P<0.01) result in T1andT2concentration groups trisections by2-NAP,9-FLUO and3-,4-PHEN. Female workerswas higher than males with statistically significant (P<0.01) result in T1concentration grouptrisections by2-PHEN，2-FLUO and ΣOH-PAHs.The OTM value among female workers was lower than males in almost all theconcentration groups. The OTM value among female workers was higher than males withstatistically significant (P<0.01) result in T2concentration groups trisections by1-NAP.The HRV index among females was lower than male in almost all concentration groups.The LF among female workers was lower than males with statistically significant (P<0.01)result in T3concentration groups trisections by2-NAP,1-,3-,9-PHEN and9-FLUO.Female was lower than males with statistically significant (P<0.01) result in T2concentration groups trisections by1-NAP,1-,2-PHEN,1-PRP, and ΣOH-PAHs. Femalewas lower than males with statistically significant (P<0.01) result in T3concentration groupstrisections by2-FLUO. The LF/HF among female workers was lower than males in T2concentration groups trisections by1-,2-NAP,1-PRP,1-,2-,9-PHEN and ΣOH-PAHs.In conclusion, the oxidative and genetic damage among females were more serious thanmales. Females were more sensitive than males in PAHs exposure. And females may bemore susceptible to lung disease and heart disease.There are a number of strengths in this study. First, this is the first epidemiologicstudy to investigate the sex differences of the early healthy damage effects caused by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons exposure in coke oven workers. Second, we determinedten urinary OH-PAHs to assess PAHs exposure, which provided accurate PAHs exposure.And the research objects is non-smoking and non-drinking workers, which will increase thecredibility of the study. There are also some limitations in the study. The analysis of therelevant indicators between male and female is conducted with adjusting potentialinfluence factors of age, working years and BMI. These potential factors are moresignificance to analyze in the future.