Immunohistochemical quantitation of 4-aminobiphenyl-DNA adducts and p53 nuclear overexpression in T1 bladder cancer of smokers and nonsmokers

An immunoperoxidase method, using a monoclonal antibody which recognizes 4-aminobiphenyl (4-ABP)-DNA adducts, was developed for the detection and quantitation of DNA damage in bladder tissue and applied to stored paraffin blocks of transurethral resection specimens of 46 patients with T1 bladder cancer. Mean relative staining intensity for 4-ABP-DNA adducts was significantly higher in current smokers (275 \uc2\ub1 81, n = 24) compared to nonsmokers (113 \uc2\ub1 71, n = 22) (P < 0.0001). There was a linear relationship between mean levels of relative staining and number of cigarettes smoked with lower levels in the 1-19 cig./day group (205 \uc2\ub1 30, n = 5), compared to the 20-40 (289 \uc2\ub1 40, n = 7) and the > 40 cig./day group (351 \uc2\ub1 57, n = 3)(P < 0.001). Nuclear overexpression of p53, analyzed by immunoperoxidase staining, was observed in 27 (59%) of the 45 stage T1 tumors analyzed. There was a significant correlation between p53 overexpression and recurrence of disease (odds ratio = 12.3, P < 0.01). Nuclear staining of p53 was also correlated with smoking status, cig./day and 4-ABP-DNA adducts. This work demonstrates that the immunohistochemical method has sufficient sensitivity for detection of 4-ABP-DNA adducts in human bladder samples. The method has several advantages including small sample size, the possibility of retrospective analysis of stored paraffin blocks, the ability to analyze binding in specific cell types, and a relatively low cost

L’ecocardiografia nella diagnosi di alcune masse intracardiache non trombotiche: 4 casi clinici.

Abstract The authors present three cases of cardiac tumors: two primary ; one secondary to osteogenic sarcoma and a case of echinococcus granulosus. Three of the patients were examinated by mono and two dtmensional echocadiography; only one by mono-dimensional echocardiography. Echocardiography was diagnosticallv resolutiue in all the cases, so it allowed to prexise the clinical diagnosis and to direct the patients to the cardio surgeon, if it was the case, supplying with informations that could not have been obtained by other non inoasiue methods. It is clear how, suspecting an intracardiac tumor,: it is nexessary to extend the routine echocardiographic examination also to the four apical chambers, thus obtaining a wider source of informations

Assessment through environmental and biological measurements of total daily exposure to volatile organic compounds of office workers in Milan, Italy

Personal exposure to total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs), benzene and toluene of 100 Milan office workers was assessed through personal air monitoring at home, in the office, and during commuting. Biological monitoring was performed by measuring blood benzene and toluene concentrations together with urinary trans-trans-muconic acid (t,t-MA) and cotinine at the end of the monitoring period. The geometric means of the total 24-h personal exposure were 514 mug/m(3) for TVOCs, 21.2 mug/m(3) for benzene and 35.2 mug/m(3) for toluene. Daily exposure to the volatile organic compounds was almost totally determined by indoor exposure at home and in the office, with a minor contribution in the transport means. An important factor determining exposure to benzene was found to be tobacco smoke, both for active smokers and for non-smokers exposed to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS). All the mean levels of the biological indicators were significantly higher in active smokers than in nonsmoking subjects non-exposed to ETS; urine cotinine and t,t-MA levels were also significantly higher in non-smokers exposed to ETS than in non-smokers non-exposed to ETS

Seasonal effect on airborne pyrene, urinary 1-hydroxypyrene, and benzo(a)pyrene diol epoxide-hemoglobin adducts in the general population

Exposure to airborne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in 65 employees (40 sampled both in summer and winter, 15 sampled in summer only, and 10 sampled in winter only) with no occupational exposure to PAHs was assessed by measuring: personal exposure to pyrene, urinary excretion of 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP), and benzo(a)pyrene diol epoxide adducts to hemoglobin (BPDE-Hb). Overall, office employees were exposed to significantly higher levels of pyrene in winter (4.54 +/- 2.35 ng/m(3), mean +/- SD) than in summer (1.67 +/- 1.92 ng/m(3), mean +/- SD; P < 0.001), but no such seasonal variability was observed in 1-OHP excretion. Tobacco smoking was the major determinant of 1-OHP excretion. BPDE-Hb adducts were measured by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry as benzo(a)pyrene tetrols (BPT) released from adducted hemoglobin. In the 65 employees analyzed, mean BPT levels +/- SD were higher in winter (0.14 +/- 0.38 fmol/mg Db) than summer (0.031 +/- 0.022 fmol/mg Db), This difference was not statistically significant, probably because of the small proportion of subjects with detectable adducts (11% in summer and 16% in winter). BPDE-Hb adducts were not significantly associated with sex, age, diet, smoking habits, or with pyrene levels and 1-OHP excretion. This is the first report providing reference BPDE-Hb adduct values for the general population not occupationally exposed to environmental PAHs and shows a tendency to seasonal variability, with higher BPT levels in winter when environmental PAHs are also high

Seasonal effect on airborne pyrene, urinary 1-hydroxypyrene, and benzo(a)pyrene diol epoxide-hemoglobin adducts in the general population

Exposure to airborne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in 65 employees (40 sampled both in summer and winter, 15 sampled in summer only, and 10 sampled in winter only) with no occupational exposure to PAHs was assessed by measuring: personal exposure to pyrene, urinary excretion of 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP), and benzo(a)pyrene diol epoxide adducts to hemoglobin (BPDE-Hb). Overall, office employees were exposed to significantly higher levels of pyrene in winter (4.54 +/- 2.35 ng/m(3), mean +/- SD) than in summer (1.67 +/- 1.92 ng/m(3), mean +/- SD; P < 0.001), but no such seasonal variability was observed in 1-OHP excretion. Tobacco smoking was the major determinant of 1-OHP excretion. BPDE-Hb adducts were measured by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry as benzo(a)pyrene tetrols (BPT) released from adducted hemoglobin. In the 65 employees analyzed, mean BPT levels +/- SD were higher in winter (0.14 +/- 0.38 fmol/mg Db) than summer (0.031 +/- 0.022 fmol/mg Db), This difference was not statistically significant, probably because of the small proportion of subjects with detectable adducts (11% in summer and 16% in winter). BPDE-Hb adducts were not significantly associated with sex, age, diet, smoking habits, or with pyrene levels and 1-OHP excretion. This is the first report providing reference BPDE-Hb adduct values for the general population not occupationally exposed to environmental PAHs and shows a tendency to seasonal variability, with higher BPT levels in winter when environmental PAHs are also high