Abstract
BACKGROUND: Formaldehyde has been classified as a human myeloid leukemogen. However, the mechanistic basis for this association is still debated.
OBJECTIVES: We aimed to evaluate whether circulating immune/inflammation markers were altered in workers occupationally exposed to formaldehyde.
METHODS: Using a multiplexed bead-based assay, we measured serum levels of 38 immune/inflammation markers in a cross-sectional study of 43 formaldehyde-exposed and 51 unexposed factory workers in Guangdong, China. Linear regression models adjusting for potential confounders were used to compare marker levels in exposed and unexposed workers.
RESULTS: We found significantly lower circulating levels of two markers among exposed factory workers compared with unexposed controls that remained significant after adjusting for potential confounders and multiple comparisons using a false discovery rate of 10%, including chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 11 (36.2 pg/ml in exposed versus 48.4 pg/ml in controls, P = 0.0008) and thymus and activation regulated chemokine (52.7 pg/ml in exposed versus 75.0 pg/ml in controls, P = 0.0028), suggesting immunosuppression among formaldehyde-exposed workers.
CONCLUSIONS: Our findings are consistent with recently emerging understanding that immunosuppression might be associated with myeloid diseases. These findings, if replicated in a larger study, may provide insights into the mechanisms by which formaldehyde promotes leukemogenesis.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 852-857 |
Number of pages | 6 |
Journal | Carcinogenesis |
Volume | 36 |
Issue number | 8 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Aug 2015 |