[TH1/TH2 type cytokine expression and DNA aberrant methylation analysis in peripheral blood of coke oven workers]

To understand the exposure levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAHs) and the expression of interleukin-2(IL-2), interferon-γ(IFN-γ), interleukin-4(IL-4), interleukin-10(IL-10) in peripheral blood of coke oven workers exposed to coke oven emissions(COEs). The other purpose of this study was to understand the performance of IFN-γ and IL-10 epigenetic mechanisms in COEs exposure damage.

The 85 workers exposed to COEs in a coking plant were randomly selected as the exposure group. The 47 workers who were exposed to non-COEs in the coking plant were used as the control group. The morning urine of the exposure group and the control group were subjected to detection of 1-OHPyr levels with alkaline hydrolysis High-performance liquid chromatography fluorescence, urine creatinine correction. The peripheral venous blood were subjected to detection of the expression of IL-2, IFN-γ, IL-4 and IL-10 with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. And methylation levels of IFN-γ and IL-10 were analyzed by time of flight mass spectrometry.

The urine 1-hyroxy-pyrene(1-OHPyr) content of coke oven workers was higher than that of the control group(F=12. 446, P<0. 05). The urine 1-OHPyr content of the furnace side and the furnace top were higher than the control group, and the differences were statistically significant. Compared with the control group, serum IL-2 content of coke oven workers decreased(F=14. 774, P<0. 05), and serum IFN-γ content of coke oven workers decreased(F=46. 379, P<0. 05), the serum IL-4 content of coke oven workers increased(F=17. 426, P<0. 05), the serum IL-10 content of coke oven workers increased(F=33. 515, P<0. 05), and the TH1/TH2 ratio of coke oven workers decreased(F=21. 677, P<0. 05). In the exposed group, the level of IFN-γ in the top of the furnace was higher than that in the bottom of the furnace. The difference was statistically significant. The level of IL-10 in the top and bottom of the furnace was lower than that in the furnace. The difference was statistically significant. The IL-10 CpG-11, CpG-15 and mean methylation rates in the exposed group were lower than those in the control group, and the differences were statistically significant. The methylation rate of IFN-γ CpG-5 in the exposed group was higher than that in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant. The urine 1-OHPyr content of coke oven workers was negatively correlated with TH1/TH2 ratio and IFN-γ expression level, and positively correlated with IL-4 and IL-10 levels. The IL-10 CpG-11, CpG-15 methylation rate decreased with increasing urine 1-OHPyr concentration.

The side and top of the furnace worker exposed to COEs were the key targets for occupational health. The exposure of coke oven workers to COEs affected the expression of immunoregulatory cytokines. The exposure of COEs caused the change of IL-10 methylation rate.