Author(s)

Liping Zhang^1,2*, Huawei Duan¹, Xiaomei Zheng¹, Ping Bin¹, Yuxin Zheng^1,3*

¹Key Laboratory of Chemical Safety and Health, National Institute for Occupational Health and Poison Control, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China.
²Weifang Medical University, Weifang, China.
³School of Public Health, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.

Objective: To assess the association between circulating C-reactive protein (CRP), and CRP polymorphisms in the diesel engine exhaust (DEE)-exposed workers. Methods: In 137 DEE-exposed workers and 127 unexposed comparable control workers, six urinary mono-hydroxylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (OH-PAHs) and serum CRP levels were assayed. Genotyping of four CRP single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) was measured. Results: Serum CRP levels increased in exposed versus control workers (all p < 0.001). In the DEE-exposed workers, two CRP polymorphisms were associated with serum CRP levels, the subjects of rs1205 TT genotype had lower serum CRP levels (p < 0.05 compared to TC or CC). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that polymorphisms in CRP and circulating CRP involved in the inflammatory process may play significant roles in human sensitivity to lung function injury caused by DEE exposure. This study will help investigate the underlying mechanisms of adverse respiratory effects induced by DEE.

Diesel Engine Exhaust, C-Reactive Protein, Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms, Long-Term Exposure

Zhang, L. , Duan, H. , Zheng, X. , Bin, P. and Zheng, Y. (2020) C-Reactive Protein Gene Polymorphisms Correlated with Serum CRP Levels of Diesel Engine Exhaust-Exposed Workers. Health, 12, 629-637. doi: 10.4236/health.2020.126047.