Lung epithelium injury biomarkers in workers exposed to sulphur dioxide in a non-ferrous smelter

Abstract

Serum Clara cell protein (CC16) and surfactant-associated protein D (SP-D) were measured in 161 workers exposed to sulphur dioxide (SO₂) in a non-ferrous smelter. Seventy workers from a blanket manufacture served as referents. Exposure to SO₂ and tobacco smoking were associated with a decrease of CC16 and an increase of SP-D in serum. Tobacco smoking and exposure SO₂ interacted synergistically to decrease serum CC16 but not to increase serum SP-D. While further illustrating the potential of serum CC16 and SP-D, our study confirms that SO₂ can cause airways damage at exposure levels below current occupational exposure limits.

Keywords::

• Clara cell protein
• surfactant-associated protein D
• sulphur dioxide exposure
• lung epithelium
• pneumoprotein

Acknowledgements

Alfred Bernard is Research Director of the National Fund for Scientific Research, Belgium. This work was supported by the Faculty of Science, University Abou Bekr Belkaid, Tlemcen, Algeria.

Conflicts of interest: The authors report no conflict of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writhing of the paper.