The purpose of this study was to examine the potential determinants of serum neopterin, malondialdehyde (MDA), and erythrocyte glutathione (GSH) as potential markers of oxidative stress, resulting in cellular immune response to inhaled silica particles. This descriptive analytical study was conducted on two groups of exposed workers (n = 55) and unexposed office workers (n = 38) of an insulator manufacturing plant. The sampling of airborne silica in the breathing zone of participants was done on the basis of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Method 7601. The blood samples were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography to determine the level of serum neopterin. A ZellBio GmbH assay kit was used for the quantitative assays of GSH and MDA on the basis of the colorimetric assay. The results of this study show that the measurements of serum neopterin, MDA, and GSH can be considered as potential biological markers of silica exposure for undertaking further comprehensive studies in this area.
AltindağZŞahinGInaniciF. (1998) Urinary neopterin excretion and dihydropteridine reductase activity in rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatology International18: 107–111.
2.
AltindagZZBaydarTIsimerA. (2003) Neopterin as a new biomarker for the evaluation of occupational exposure to silica. International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health76: 318–322.
3.
AminianOSharifianSMehrdadR. (2008) Humoral Immune system alterations in silica exposed workers. Iranian Journal of Public Health37: 142–145.
4.
AydinSAralIKilicN. (2004) The level of antioxidant enzymes, plasma vitamins C and E in cement plant workers. Clinica Chimica Acta341: 193–198.
5.
AzariMRRamazaniBMosavianMA. (2011) Serum malondialdehyde and urinary neopterin levels in glass sandblasters exposed to crystalline silica aerosols. International Journal of Occupational Hygiene3: 29–32.
6.
BaydarTYukselOSahinTT. (2009) Neopterin as a prognostic biomarker in intensive care unit patients. Journal of Critical Care24: 318–321.
7.
BerdowskaAZwirska-KorczalaK (2001) Neopterin measurement in clinical diagnosis. Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics26: 319–329.
8.
BoazMMatasZBiroA. (1999) Serum malondialdehyde and prevalent cardiovascular disease in hemodialysis. Kidney International56: 1078–1083.
9.
BormPBasteAWoutersE. (1986) Red blood cell anti-oxidant parameters in silicosis. International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health58: 235–244.
10.
CastranovaVVallyathanV (2000) Silicosis and coal workers’ pneumoconiosis. Environmental Health Perspectives108: 675.
11.
CavarianiFCarneiroALeonoriR. (2004) Silica in ceramic industry: exposition and pulmonary diseases. Giornale Italiano di Medicina del Lavoro ed Ergonomia27: 300–302.
12.
EveloCBosRPBormP (1993) Decreased glutathione content and glutathione S-transferase activity in red blood cells of coal miners with early stages of pneumoconiosis. British Journal of Industrial Medicine50: 633–636.
13.
FrankelABlakeLYatesD (2015) Late-breaking abstract: complicated silicosis in an Australian worker from cutting engineered stone countertops: an embarrassing first for Australia. Eur Respiratory Soc46: PA1144.
14.
GhioAJJaskotRHHatchGE (1994) Lung injury after silica instillation is associated with an accumulation of iron in rats. American Journal of Physiology-Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology267: L686–L692.
15.
GreenbergMIWaksmanJCurtisJ (2007) Silicosis: a review. Disease-a-Month53: 394–416.
16.
GulumianMBormPVallyathanV. (2006) Mechanistically identified suitable biomarkers of exposure, effect, and susceptibility for silicosis and coal-worker’s pneumoconiosis: a comprehensive review. Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part B9: 357–395.
17.
HalliwellB (1999) Antioxidant defence mechanisms: from the beginning to the end (of the beginning). Free Radical Research31: 261–272.
18.
HertzbergVSRosenmanKDReillyMJ. (2002) Effect of occupational silica exposure on pulmonary function. CHEST Journal122: 721–728.
19.
HetlandRCasseeFRefsnesM. (2004) Release of inflammatory cytokines, cell toxicity and apoptosis in epithelial lung cells after exposure to ambient air particles of different size fractions. Toxicology in Vitro18: 203–212.
20.
KamalAAMGomaaAEl KhafifM. (1989) Plasma lipid peroxides among workers exposed to silica or asbestos dusts. Environmental Research49: 173–180.
21.
KaskiJCArroyo-EspligueroR (2003) Neopterin-a forgotten biomarker. Journal of the American College of Cardiology42: 1142.
22.
LimbachLKWickPManserP. (2007) Exposure of engineered nanoparticles to human lung epithelial cells: influence of chemical composition and catalytic activity on oxidative stress. Environmental Science & Technology41: 4158–4163.
23.
LiuHHLinMHLiuPC. (2009) Health risk assessment by measuring plasma malondialdehyde (MDA), urinary 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OH-dG) and DNA strand breakage following metal exposure in foundry workers. Journal of Hazardous Materials170: 699–704.
24.
Lombard-GilloolyKHubbardAK (1993) Modulation of silica-induced lung injury by reducing lung non-protein sulfhydryls with buthionine sulfoximine. Toxicology Letters66: 305–315.
25.
MayeuxR (2004) Biomarkers: potential uses and limitations. NeuroRx1: 182–188.
26.
MengeshaYABekeleA (1998) Relative chronic effects of different occupational dusts on respiratory indices and health of workers in three Ethiopian factories. American Journal of Industrial Medicine34: 373–380.
27.
MohammadiHAlimohammadiIRoshaniS. (2016) The effect of occupational noise exposure on blood and biochemical parameters: a case study of an insulator manufacturer in Iran. Electronic Physician8: 1740.
28.
MohammadiHDehghanSGolbabaeiF. (2017a) Pulmonary functions and health-related quality of life among silica-exposed workers. Tanaffos16: 60–67.
29.
MohammadiHGolbabaeiFDehghanS. (2017b) Occupational exposure assessment to crystalline silica in an insulator industry: determination the risk of mortality from silicosis and lung cancer. JHSW7: 45–52.
30.
MohammadiHGolbabeiFAnsariM. (2017c) Evaluation of serum and urinary neopterin levels as a biomarker for occupational exposure to crystalline silica. Annals of Medical and Health Sciences Research6: 274–279.
31.
MurrCFuithLWidnerB. (1998) Increased neopterin concentrations in patients with cancer: indicator of oxidative stress?Anticancer Research19: 1721–1728.
32.
National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) (2003) Silica, Crystalline, by VIS. Method 7601, issue 2. In: NIOSH Manual of Analytical Methods. Atlanta, GA: NIOSH.
33.
Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) (2016) OSHA’s Final Rule to Protect Workers from Exposure to Respirable Crystalline Silica. Available at: https://www.osha.gov/dsg/topics/silicacrystalline/(accessed April 2018).
34.
OrmanAKahramanAÇakarH. (2005) Plasma malondialdehyde and erythrocyte glutathione levels in workers with cement dust-exposure silicosis. Toxicology207: 15–20.
35.
PadurariuMCiobicaALefterR. (2013) The oxidative stress hypothesis in Alzheimer’s disease. Psychiatria Danubina25: 0–409.
36.
PingleSKTumaneRGJawadeAA. (2008) Neopterin: biomarker of cell-mediated immunity and potent usage as biomarker in silicosis and other occupational diseases. Indian Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine12: 107.
37.
PrakovaGGidikovaPSlavovE. (2005) The potential role of neopterin as a biomarker for silicosis. Trakia Journal of Sciences3: 37–41.
38.
RossiRDalle-DonneIMilzaniA. (2006) Oxidized forms of glutathione in peripheral blood as biomarkers of oxidative stress. Clinical Chemistry52: 1406–1414.
39.
SchaferFQBuettnerGR (2001) Redox environment of the cell as viewed through the redox state of the glutathione disulfide/glutathione couple. Free Radical Biology and Medicine30: 1191–1212.
40.
ShiXMaoYDanielLN. (1994) Silica radical-induced DNA damage and lipid peroxidation. Environmental Health Perspectives102: 149.
41.
SteenlandKWardE (2014) Silica: a lung carcinogen. CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians64: 63–69.
42.
YamanoYKagawaJHanaokaT. (1995) Oxidative DNA damage induced by silica in vivo. Environmental Research69: 102–107.
43.
YangHLiuCYangD. (2009) Comparative study of cytotoxicity, oxidative stress and genotoxicity induced by four typical nanomaterials: the role of particle size, shape and composition. Journal of Applied Toxicology29: 69–78.
44.
ZhangZShenHMZhangQF. (1999) Critical role of GSH in silica-induced oxidative stress, cytotoxicity, and genotoxicity in alveolar macrophages. American Journal of Physiology-Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology277: L743–L748.
