US EPA

1510368 

Journal Article 

Association of serum levels of polychlorinated biphenyls with IL-8 mRNA expression in blood samples from asthmatic and non-asthmatic Japanese children 

Tsuji, M; Vogel, CFA; Koriyama, C; Akiba, S; Katoh, T; Kawamoto, T; Matsumura, F 

2012 

Yes 

Chemosphere
ISSN: 0045-6535
EISSN: 1879-1298 

87 

11 

1228-1234 

English 

22326254 

10.1016/j.chemosphere.2012.01.022 

WOS:000303640200006 

BACKGROUND: One of the suggested health outcomes of PCB exposure is childhood asthma.

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to find health relevant biomarkers providing the molecular epidemiological evidence for the positive relationship between exposure to PCBs and childhood asthma.

METHODS: Blood samples from fifteen asthmatic children as well as an equal number of non-asthmatic children (average 2 year old) were collected, and were analyzed for PCBs and their select marker expression by using qRT-PCR.

RESULTS: Among biomarkers examined IL-8 expression was significantly correlated to serum levels of PCB #163+164 (P=0.022), #170 (P=0.046), #177 (P=0.022), #178 (P=0.022) and #180+193 (P=0.046) in a dose-dependent manner, which was found only among asthmatic children. In contrast, COX-2 correlations to individual congener levels were recognized only among control subjects, not among asthmatic subjects.

CONCLUSION: Serum concentrations of PCB#163+164, #170, #177, #178 and #180+193 correlate significantly with IL-8 mRNA expressions among asthmatic children. 

Young children; PCBs; IL-8; Asthma; AHR