Epigenetic and Transcriptional Modifications in Repetitive Elements in Petrol Station Workers Exposed to Benzene and MTBE

Federica Rota, Anastasia Conti, Laura Campo, Chiara Favero, Laura Cantone, Valeria Motta, Elisa Polledri, Rosa Mercadante, Giorgio Dieci, Valentina Bollati and Silvia Fustinoni
Additional contact information
Federica Rota: EPIGET, Epidemiology, Epigenetics and Toxicology Lab, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università Degli Studi di Milano, via San Barnaba 8, 20122 Milan, Italy
Anastasia Conti: Department of Life Sciences, University of Parma, 43124 Parma, Italy
Laura Campo: Occupational Medicine Unit, Fondazione Cà Granda, IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy
Chiara Favero: EPIGET, Epidemiology, Epigenetics and Toxicology Lab, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università Degli Studi di Milano, via San Barnaba 8, 20122 Milan, Italy
Laura Cantone: EPIGET, Epidemiology, Epigenetics and Toxicology Lab, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università Degli Studi di Milano, via San Barnaba 8, 20122 Milan, Italy
Valeria Motta: EPIGET, Epidemiology, Epigenetics and Toxicology Lab, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università Degli Studi di Milano, via San Barnaba 8, 20122 Milan, Italy
Elisa Polledri: Occupational Medicine Unit, Fondazione Cà Granda, IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy
Rosa Mercadante: EPIGET, Epidemiology, Epigenetics and Toxicology Lab, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università Degli Studi di Milano, via San Barnaba 8, 20122 Milan, Italy
Giorgio Dieci: Department of Life Sciences, University of Parma, 43124 Parma, Italy
Valentina Bollati: EPIGET, Epidemiology, Epigenetics and Toxicology Lab, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università Degli Studi di Milano, via San Barnaba 8, 20122 Milan, Italy
Silvia Fustinoni: EPIGET, Epidemiology, Epigenetics and Toxicology Lab, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università Degli Studi di Milano, via San Barnaba 8, 20122 Milan, Italy

IJERPH, 2018, vol. 15, issue 4, 1-14

Abstract: Benzene, a known human carcinogen, and methyl tert -butyl ether (MTBE), not classifiable as to its carcinogenicity, are fuel-related pollutants. This study investigated the effect of these chemicals on epigenetic and transcriptional alterations in DNA repetitive elements. In 89 petrol station workers and 90 non-occupationally exposed subjects the transcriptional activity of retrotransposons (LINE-1, Alu), the methylation on repeated-element DNA, and of H3K9 histone, were investigated in peripheral blood lymphocytes. Median work shift exposure to benzene and MTBE was 59 and 408 µg/m 3 in petrol station workers, and 4 and 3.5 µg/m 3 , in controls. Urinary benzene (BEN-U), S -phenylmercapturic acid, and MTBE were significantly higher in workers than in controls, while trans,trans -muconic acid ( tt -MA) was comparable between the two groups. Increased BEN-U was associated with increased Alu-Y and Alu-J expression; moreover, increased tt -MA was associated with increased Alu-Y and Alu-J and LINE-1 (L1)-5′UTR expression. Among repetitive element methylation, only L1-Pa5 was hypomethylated in petrol station workers compared to controls. While L1-Ta and Alu-YD6 methylation was not associated with benzene exposure, a negative association with urinary MTBE was observed. The methylation status of histone H3K9 was not associated with either benzene or MTBE exposure. Overall, these findings only partially support previous observations linking benzene exposure with global DNA hypomethylation.

Keywords: benzene; petrol station workers; transcriptional activity of retrotransposons; methylation of DNA; methylation of histones (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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