Negative association between serum dioxin level and oxidative DNA damage markers in municipal waste incinerator workers.

Objectives: To investigate the effect of dioxin on the formation of oxidative DNA damage and urinary mutagenicity, we measured the concentrations of serum dioxins and lymphocytic 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OH-dG) in 57 male waste incinerator workers, urinary 8-OH-dG and urinary mutagenicity in 29 male waste incinerator workers.

Methods: Information about the subjects was obtained from a questionnaire. Concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin (PCDD), polychlorinated dibenzofuran (PCDF), and coplanar-polychlorinated-biphenyl (Co-PCB) in serum samples from the workers were measured with a high-resolution gas chromatograph /high-resolution mass spectrometer. Lymphocytic and urinary 8-OH-dG levels were measured with a high-performance liquid chromatography-electrochemical detector system. The urinary mutagenicity was measured with umu assay.

Results: The lymphocytic 8-OH-dG level showed a negative association with the serum dioxin level (total value of TEQ-PCDD, PCDF, and Co-PCB). Urinary 8-OH-dG did not show correlation with serum dioxin level, but showed positive correlation with the smoking index.

Conclusions: With respect to the subjects' serum dioxin level, dioxin did not increase the urinary 8-OH-dG level by oxidative DNA damage, but upregulation of the primary defenses with oxidative damage and/or DNA repair system activity might have occurred.