Urinary naphthol metabolites and chromosomal aberrations in 5-year-old children.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Exposure to naphthalene, an International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC)-classified possible carcinogen and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), is widespread, though resulting health effects are poorly understood. Metabolites of naphthalene, 1- and 2-naphthol, are measurable in urine and are biomarkers of personal exposure. Chromosomal aberrations, including translocations, are established markers of cancer risk and a biodosimeter of clastogenic exposures. Although prenatal (maternal) PAH exposure predicts chromosomal aberrations in cord blood, few studies have examined chromosomal aberrations in school-age children and none has examined their association with metabolites of specific PAHs.

METHODS:

Using Whole Chromosome Paint Fluorescent in situ Hybridization, we documented chromosomal aberrations including translocations, in 113 five-year-old urban minority children and examined their association with concurrent concentrations of PAH metabolites measured in urine.

RESULTS:

We report that in lymphocytes, the occurrence and frequency of chromosomal aberrations including translocations are associated with levels of urinary 1- and 2-naphthol. When doubling the levels of urinary naphthols, gender-adjusted OR for chromosomal aberrations are 1.63 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.21-2.19] and 1.44 (95% CI, 1.02-2.04) for 1- and 2-naphthol, respectively; and for translocations OR = 1.55 (95% CI, 1.11-2.17) and 1.92 (95% CI, 1.20-3.08) for 1- and 2-naphthol, respectively.

CONCLUSION:

Our results show that markers of exposure to naphthalene in children are associated with translocations in a dose-related manner, and that naphthalene may be a clastogen.

IMPACT:

Indoor exposure to elevated levels of naphthalene is prevalent in large regions of the world. This study is the first to present an association between a marker of naphthalene exposure and a precarcinogenic effect in humans.

• Authors: Manuela A Orjuela, Xinhua Liu, Rachel L Miller, Dorothy Warburton, Deliang Tang, Vaidehi Jobanputra, Lori Hoepner, Ida Hui Suen, Silvia Diaz-Carreño, Zheng Li, Andreas Sjodin, Frederica P Perera
• Journal: Cancer epidemiology, biomarkers & prevention : a publication of the American Association for Cancer Research, cosponsored by the American Society of Preventive Oncology (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev) Vol. 21 Issue 7 Pg. 1191-202 (Jul 2012) ISSN: 1538-7755 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 22573794 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.)
• Copyright: ©2012 AACR

Chemical References

• Air Pollutants
• Biomarkers
• Mutagens
• Naphthols

Topics

• Air Pollutants (adverse effects, urine)
• Biomarkers (urine)
• Child
• Child, Preschool
• Chromosome Aberrations (chemically induced)
• Cohort Studies
• Female
• Humans
• In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence
• Longitudinal Studies
• Lymphocytes (drug effects, metabolism)
• Male
• Mutagens (adverse effects)
• Naphthols (adverse effects, urine)
• Prognosis