A multibiomarker approach to evaluate the effect of polyaromatic hydrocarbon exposure on oxidative and genotoxic damage in tandoor workers

Abstract

We conducted a cohort study of tandoor workers to evaluate the relationship between the biomarkers of oxidative and genotoxic damage and exposure to polyaromatic hydrocarbons. A series of oxidative and genotoxic damage biomarkers, including urinary 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), malondialdehyde (MDA) content, and tail moment (TM) by comet assay, was studied. A total of 76 tandoor workers and 79 demographically matched healthy individuals as controls were included. Our results showed that the tandoor workers had significantly higher urinary levels of 1-hydroxypyrene, urinary 8-OHdG, MDA content, and TM compared with the control population. The concentration of all these biomarkers increased with age in the control population as well as tandoor workers. In tandoor workers, significant variation in MDA, 8-oxodG (8-oxo-2′-deoxyguanosine) and TM concentration was detected between smokers (5.08 ± 1.72 nmol/mL, 16.01 ± 4.94 ng/mg creatinine, and 5.87 ± 0.98 µm, respectively) and nonsmokers (3.84 ± 0.98 nmol/mL, 13.74 ± 3.60 ng/mg creatinine, and 5.32 ± 0.69 µm, respectively). A similar pattern was obtained for the control population. We did not obtain significant variations for alcoholics and tobacco chewers. A significant increase in all these three biomarkers was observed with the increase in the period of work exposure in tandoor workers. Multivariate regression analysis also revealed that urinary 8-oxodG, MDA, and TM were statistically significantly related to age and period of work exposure. Overall, the present study showed that the exposure to wood smoke in tandoor workers under occupational conditions led to increased DNA damage because of oxidative stress and genotoxicity. These biomarkers, therefore, are good indices to assess oxidative DNA damage in these workers exposed to occupational genotoxicants. It is also necessary to make preventive changes in work conditions and lifestyle, which will help these occupational workers to lead a healthy life.