Interaction of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) polymorphisms and occupational hazards increases the risk of hypertension in coke oven workers

SMAD4 rs10502913 is Significantly Associated with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in a Chinese Han Population: A Case-Control Study

Background

COPD is a respiratory disease caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Polymorphism, as a genetic factor, can affect the susceptibility of the disease of COPD. In this study, we assessed the relationship between the polymorphisms of three genes and COPD risk in a Chinese Han population.

Patients and Methods

A total of 376 patients diagnosed with COPD and 284 control subjects were enrolled in this study. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the association between three polymorphisms (SMAD4 rs10502913, IL-4 rs2070874, HSPA1L rs2227956) and COPD susceptibility.

Results

The SMAD4 rs10502913 GG and AG genotype significantly increased COPD risk (adjusted OR = 2.235, 95% CI 1.198–4.104; adjusted OR = 2.218, 95% CI 1.204–4.151, respectively) compared with the AA genotype. In the stratification analyses, the GG genotype significantly increased the risk of COPD in subjects aged 60 and over (adjusted OR = 2.519, 95% CI 1.266–5.015) and with a smoking history of less than 30 years (p=0.009; adjusted OR = 3.751; 95% CI 1.398–10.062). This increased risk was more pronounced in the group of GOLD I and GOLD II (adjusted OR = 3.628, 95% CI 1.022–12.885; adjusted OR = 2.394, 95% CI 1.004–5.710, respectively). In addition, AG genotype was associated with an increased COPD risk in subjects aged 60 and over (adjusted OR = 2.599, 95% CI 1.304–5.176) and in smokers (p=0.021; adjusted OR = 2.269; 95% CI 1.132–4.548). This increased risk was more obvious in the group of GOLD III COPD (p=0.047; adjusted OR = 2.532; 95% CI 1.012–6.336).

Conclusion

Our present study indicated that the genotype GG and AG of SMAD4 rs10502913 are associated with an increased risk of COPD in a Chinese Han population. Further validation studies with large-scale populations are needed to confirm our findings.

Environmental Monitoring of PAHs Exposure, Biomarkers and Vital Status in Coke Oven Workers

A follow-up study of a cohort of workers from a coke plant compared with a control group from the same industrial area was conducted in 2019. The recruitment and environmental and biomarker measurements were performed during 1993/1994. The environmental concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), B(a)P, pyrene and nitro-PAH were measured. Personal data were collected via an individual semi-structured questionnaire by a trained physician. All biomarkers were measured after a specific blood drawing for every test. Significant risks (ORs) were observed for nitro-PAH (≥0.12 µg/m³) [OR = 7.96 (1.01–62.82)], urinary 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHpy) (≥0.99 µmoles/moles of creatinine) [OR = 11.71 (1.47–92.90)], PAH DNA adducts (P³²) (≥2.69 adducts/10⁸ nucleotides) [OR = 5.46 (1.17–25.58)], total nitro-PAH hemoglobin adducts (≥161.68 fg/µg of Hb) [OR = 5.92 (1.26–27.86)], sister chromatid exchange (SCE) with TCR (≥377.84 SCE/cell chromosomes) [OR = 13.06 (3.95–93.10)], sister chromatid exchange with T (≥394.72 total SCE) [OR = 13.06 (3.95–93.10)], and sister chromatid exchange with X (≥8.19 mean SCE) [OR = 13.06 (3.95–93.10)]. Significant risk of death for all causes and chromosomal aberrations (48 h) (OR = 7.19 [1.19–43.44]) or micronuclei in culture at 48 h (OR = 3.86 [1.04–14.38]) were also found.

HSPA1L rs1061581 polymorphism is associated with the risk of preeclampsia in Han Chinese women

Preeclampsia (PE) is an excessive systemic inflammation response with dysfunction of endothelial. As a stress protein, heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) plays a pivotal role in protecting cells against apoptosis, oxidative damage and genetic damage. In humans, three genes encode members of the HSP70 class: HSPA1A, HSPA1B and HSPA1L. Our study was to investigate the association between genetic variations of HSPA1L and the susceptibility for PE in Chinese Han population. The polymorphisms of rs2227956, rs1043618 and rs1061581 in HSPA1L were genotyped by TaqMan allelic discrimination real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in 929 PE patients and 1024 healthy pregnant women. Statistic difference of the genotypic and allelic frequencies were found in HSPA1L rs1061581 between PE patients and controls (χ2 = 29.863, P < 0.001 by genotype; χ2 = 27.298, P < 0.001, OR = 1.874, 95%CI 1.476-2.379 by allele) and HSPA1L rs1061581 A alleles occurred more frequently in PE patients compared with healthy controls (PE vs. controls 10.28% vs. 5.76%). Furthermore, we divided the PE cases into early-onset/late-onset PE and mild/severe PE subgroups and found statistical differences in genotypic and allelic frequencies of the HSPA1L rs1061581 between early-onset PE, late-onset PE, mild PE, severe PE and controls, respectively. Moreover, HSPA1L rs1061581 A alleles were more frequent in early-onset PE, late-onset PE, mild PE and severe PE than controls respectively. Therefore, we concluded that HSPA1L rs1061581 polymorphism is associated with the risk of PE in Han Chinese women and A alleles may play a role in the susceptibility for PE.

Heat-shock protein 70 (HSP70) polymorphisms affect the risk of coke-oven emission-induced neurobehavioral damage

OBJECTIVES

Epidemiology studies indicated that coke-oven workers with long-term exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) often have some neurobehavioral abnormalities especially impairment for cognitive function, while the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. Numerous studies have indicated the antioxidant and anti-apoptosis roles of heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70). The genetic polymorphisms in HSP70 genes are associated with multiple diseases including neurotoxicity. However, it is unclear whether HSP70 polymorphisms are related to the neurotoxicity of PAH. We, therefore, investigate the possible association between HSP70 polymorphisms and neurobehavioral abnormalities.

METHODS

188 coke-oven workers and 137 control workers were recruited in this study. Emotional and cognitive function was assessed using the WHO/NCTB. HSP70 polymorphisms (HSP70-1 G190C, HSP70-2 G1267 A and HSP70-hom T2437C) were checked by PCR-RFLP.

RESULTS

The results indicated that HSP70-1 CC genotypes in coke-oven workers were associated with poor neurobehavioral performance such as the attention /response speed and visual perception/memory, while the HSP70-2 AA genotypes were associated with lower short-term auditory memory.

CONCLUSIONS

HSP70-1 CC and HSP70-2 AA genotypes in coke-oven workers may increase the risk for neurobehavioral damage, especially attention, learning and memory.