BACKGROUND: It is inaccurate to reflect the level of dust exposure through working years. Furthermore, identifying a predictive indicator for lung function decline is significant for coal miners. The study aimed to explored whether club cell secretory protein (CC16) levels can reflect early lung function changes. METHODS: The cumulative respiratory dust exposure (CDE) levels of 1,461 coal miners were retrospectively assessed by constructed a job-exposure matrix to replace working years. Important factors affecting lung function and CC16 were selected by establishing random forest models. Subsequently, the potential of CC16 to reflect lung injury was explored from multiple perspectives. First, restricted cubic spline (RCS) models were used to compare the trends of changes in lung function indicators and plasma CC16 levels after dust exposure. Then mediating analysis was performed to investigate the role of CC16 in the association between dust exposure and lung function decline. Finally, the association between baseline CC16 levels and follow-up lung function was explored. RESULTS: The median CDE were 35.13 mg/m³-years. RCS models revealed a rapid decline in forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV₁), and their percentages of predicted values when CDE exceeded 25 mg/m³-years. The dust exposure level (<5 mg/m³-years) causing significant changes in CC16 was much lower than the level (25 mg/m³-years) that caused changes in lung function indicators. CC16 mediated 11.1% to 26.0% of dust-related lung function decline. Additionally, workers with low baseline CC16 levels experienced greater reductions in lung function in the future. CONCLUSIONS CC16 levels are more sensitive than lung indicators in reflecting early lung function injury and plays mediating role in lung function decline induced by dust exposure. Low baseline CC16 levels predict poor future lung function.
Uteroglobin/blood* ; Humans ; Dust/analysis* ; Occupational Exposure/analysis* ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Retrospective Studies ; Lung Injury/chemically induced* ; Coal Mining ; Biomarkers/blood* ; China/epidemiology* ; Air Pollutants, Occupational ; Female

Aged ; Alcohol Drinking ; blood ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Biomarkers ; Dust ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Occupational Exposure ; Silicon Dioxide ; toxicity ; Silicosis ; blood ; Smoking ; blood ; Uteroglobin ; blood

OBJECTIVETo study the expression of serum Clara cell secretory protein 10 (CC10) and total IgE concentration in wheezing children under 5 years old.

METHODSFifty-nine children with recurrent wheezing under 5 years old were classified into two groups: wheezing group 1 with atopic high risks (n=33) and wheezing group 2 without atopic high risks (n=26). Twenty-three children without infectious diseases served as a control group. Serum levels of CC10 and IgE were measured using a solid-phase sandwich ELISA.

RESULTSThe serum levels of CC10 in wheezing group 1 (3.95 ± 1.26 ng/mL) and wheezing group 2 (5.41 ± 1.64 ng/mL) were significantly lower than those in the control group (8.72 ± 2.23 ng/mL; P<0.01). The wheezing group 1 showed more decreased serum levels of CC10 compared with wheezing group 2 (P<0.05). The serum IgE levels in wheezing group 1 were significantly higher than those in wheezing group 2 and the control group (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in serum IgE levels between the wheezing group 2 and control group. There was a negative correlation between serum levels of CC10 and IgE in wheezing group 1 (r=-0.912, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSSerum CC10 levels decrease remarkably in wheezing children, and more significant decrease is noted in patients with atopic high risks. Serum CC10 levels are negatively correlated to serum IgE levels in patients with atopic high risks.

Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; blood ; Infant ; Male ; Respiratory Sounds ; immunology ; Uteroglobin ; blood

Adolescent ; Asthma ; blood ; Bronchitis ; blood ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Uteroglobin ; blood

OBJECTIVETo explore changes of Clara cell protein (CC16) and surfactant protein-D (SP-D) in the serum of patients with silicosis.

METHODThe concentrations of CC16 and SP-D were measured in the serum by sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. The subjects consisted of 30 healthy volunteers and 90 silica-exposed workers including silica-exposed group, the silicosis of suspects group (0(+)) and the silicosis phase I group, 30 subjects each groups.

RESULTSThe concentrations of CC16 in the serum was significantly decreased in silica-exposed workers compared to controls (P < 0.01); The concentrations of CC16 in the serum were higher in lifelong nonsmokers than the current smokers in control subjects (P < 0.05), but they were no differences between lifelong nonsmokers and current smokers of 90 silica-exposed workers. Compared with control subjects, the levels of SP-D in the serum of silicosis suspects (0(+)) and silicosis phase I groups were significantly elevated (P < 0.01, respectively), which were also higher than silica-exposed group (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively), Discriminant equations set by CC16 and SP-D were used in diagnosis of silicosis, and the rate of accuracy in healthy volunteers, the silica-exposed group and the silicosis phase I group were 86.7%, 86.7% and 76.7%, respectively, The total rate of correct classification hit 84.2%.

CONCLUSIONThe serum CC16 of long-term silica-exposed workers is decreased, and SP-D is increased gradually.

Adult ; Case-Control Studies ; Epithelial Cells ; metabolism ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein D ; blood ; Silicosis ; blood ; Uteroglobin ; blood

OBJECTIVETo study the expression of human mammaglobin (hMAM) mRNA in the peripheral blood of breast cancer patients and its implication.

METHODSThe expression of human mammaglobin mRNA was determined by using RT-PCR method in 56 patients with peripheral blood breast cancer, 8 patients with breast hyperplasia and 8 women with normal breast. The expression of hMAM mRNA was compared with biological significance and change of hMAM mRNA in chemotherapy after operation.

RESULTSThe expression of hMAM mRNA was negative in 8 patients with breast hyperplasia, 8 women with normal breast and 56 patients with breast cancer, The positive rate was 30.4% (17/56) (chi(2) = 19.766, P < 0.01). The expression of hMAM mRNA in peripheral blood was not correlated with clinical stage, primary tumor size and patients age (chi(2) = 1.256, P > 0.05). After short-term large dose of chemotherapy, 41.2% (7/17) patients turned positive before operation to negative hMAM mRNA expression and negetive expression before operation positive expression after chemotherapy.

CONCLUSIONSThis study suggests that hMAM is sensitive and specific for breast cancer. Detection of the expression of hMAM mRNA in peripheral blood of breast cancer is of value in the diagnosis and judgement of prognosis of breast cancer.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; blood ; Breast Neoplasms ; blood ; diagnosis ; Female ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear ; metabolism ; Mammaglobin A ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Proteins ; blood ; genetics ; Prognosis ; RNA, Messenger ; blood ; Uteroglobin ; blood ; genetics