Biomarkers for Pulmonary Inflammation and Fibrosis and Lung Ventilation Function in Chinese Occupational Refractory Ceramic Fibers-Exposed Workers

Xiaojun Zhu, Yishuo Gu, Wenjun Ma, Panjun Gao, Mengxuan Liu, Pei Xiao, Hongfei Wang, Juan Chen and Tao Li
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Xiaojun Zhu: National Institute of Occupational Health and Poison Control, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, No. 29 Nanwei Road, Xicheng District, Beijing 100050, China
Yishuo Gu: Department of Occupational and Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
Wenjun Ma: Department of Occupational and Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
Panjun Gao: Department of Occupational and Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
Mengxuan Liu: National Institute of Occupational Health and Poison Control, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, No. 29 Nanwei Road, Xicheng District, Beijing 100050, China
Pei Xiao: National Institute of Occupational Health and Poison Control, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, No. 29 Nanwei Road, Xicheng District, Beijing 100050, China
Hongfei Wang: National Institute of Occupational Health and Poison Control, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, No. 29 Nanwei Road, Xicheng District, Beijing 100050, China
Juan Chen: Department of Occupational and Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
Tao Li: National Institute of Occupational Health and Poison Control, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, No. 29 Nanwei Road, Xicheng District, Beijing 100050, China

IJERPH, 2017, vol. 15, issue 1, 1-12

Abstract: Refractory ceramic fibers (RCFs) can cause adverse health effects on workers’ respiratory system, yet no proper biomarkers have been used to detect early pulmonary injury of RCFs-exposed workers. This study assessed the levels of two biomarkers that are related to respiratory injury in RCFs-exposed workers, and explored their relations with lung function. The exposure levels of total dust and respirable fibers were measured simultaneously in RCFs factories. The levels of TGF-β1 and ceruloplasmin (CP) increased with the RCFs exposure level ( p < 0.05), and significantly increased in workers with high exposure level (1.21 ± 0.49 ng/mL, 115.25 ± 32.44 U/L) when compared with the control group (0.99 ± 0.29 ng/mL, 97.90 ± 35.01 U/L) ( p < 0.05). The levels of FVC and FEV 1 were significantly decreased in RCFs exposure group ( p < 0.05). Negative relations were found between the concentrations of CP and FVC (B = −0.423, p = 0.025), or FEV 1 (B = −0.494, p = 0.014). The concentration of TGF-β1 (B = 0.103, p = 0.001) and CP (B = 8.027, p = 0.007) were associated with respirable fiber exposure level. Occupational exposure to RCFs can impair lung ventilation function and may have the potential to cause pulmonary inflammation and fibrosis. TGF-β1 and CP might be used as sensitive and noninvasive biomarkers to detect lung injury in occupational RCFs-exposed workers. Respirable fiber concentration can better reflect occupational RCFs exposure and related respiratory injuries.

Keywords: refractory ceramic fibers (RCFs); pulmonary ventilation function; transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1); ceruloplasmin (CP); forced vital capacity (FVC); forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV 1 ) (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
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