Abstract
BackgroundExperimental evidence suggests that inhaled particles from vehicle exhaust have systemic effects on inflammation, endothelial activation and oxidative stress. In the present study we assess the relationships of short-term exposures with inflammatory endothelial activation and oxidative stress biomarker levels in a population of trucking industry workers.MethodsBlood and urine samples were collected pre and post-shift, at the beginning and end of a workweek from 67 male non-smoking US trucking industry workers. Concurrent measurements of microenvironment concentrations of elemental and organic carbon (EC & OC), and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) combined with time activity patterns allowed for calculation of individual exposures. Associations between daily and first and last-day average levels of exposures and repeated measures of intercellular and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1 & VCAM-1), interleukin 6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP) blood levels and urinary 8-Hydroxy-2′-Deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) were assessed using linear mixed effects models for repeated measures.ResultsThere was a statistically significant association between first and last-day average PM2.5 and 8-OHdG (21% increase, 95% CI: 2, 42%) and first and last-day average OC and IL-6 levels (18% increase 95% CI: 1, 37%) per IQR in exposure. There were no significant findings associated with EC or associations suggesting acute cross-shift effects.ConclusionOur findings suggest associations between weekly average exposures of PM2.5 on markers of oxidative stress and OC on IL-6 levels.
Highlights
Experimental evidence suggests that inhaled particles from vehicle exhaust have systemic effects on inflammation, endothelial activation and oxidative stress
Vehicle exhaust related particulate air pollution has been associated with cardiovascular health outcomes, including, ventricular arrhythmias, onset of myocardial infarction and increased cardiovascular mortality [1,2,3,4,5,6,7], while occupational exposures to vehicle exhaust have been shown to be associated with ischemic heart disease [8,9]
Occupational air pollution exposures in the trucking industry are relevant to the general population due to overlap with levels experienced during daily activities such as commuting [11,12]
Summary
Experimental evidence suggests that inhaled particles from vehicle exhaust have systemic effects on inflammation, endothelial activation and oxidative stress. In the present study we assess the relationships of short-term exposures with inflammatory endothelial activation and oxidative stress biomarker levels in a population of trucking industry workers. Occupational air pollution exposures in the trucking industry are relevant to the general population due to overlap with levels experienced during daily activities such as commuting [11,12]. Potential pathways for these outcomes include systemic inflammation, endothelial dysfunction and oxidative stress, which experimental animal and human studies suggest are associated with traffic-related particulate matter (PM). Urinary 8-Hydroxy-2′Deoxyguanosine (8-OHdg) is a DNA lesion repair product [31], suitable as an oxidative damage biomarker that has been shown to be associated with particulate exposures [15,32,33]
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