Effects of genetic polymorphisms of CYP1A1, CYP2E1, GSTM1, and GSTT1 on the urinary levels of 1-hydroxypyrene and 2-naphthol in aircraft maintenance workers

This study was undertaken to investigate the effects of genetic polymorphisms of the cytochrome P450 1A1 (CYP1A1) and 2E1 (CYP2E1), and glutathione S-transferases mu (GSTM1) and theta (GSTT1) on urinary 1-hydroxypyrene and 2-naphthol levels, and to estimate the level of exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in aircraft maintenance workers. In 218 Korean aircraft maintenance workers, the geometric means of urinary 1-hydroxypyrene and 2-naphthol were 0.32 and 3.25 micromol/mol creatinine, respectively. These urinary concentrations were approximately at the upper limit of the general population. Mean urinary 2-naphthol concentrations were significantly different between smokers and non-smokers. CYP1A1 and GSTM1 were statistically significant in analyses on both 1-hydroxypyrene and 2-naphthol levels among smokers. The results suggest that smoking has more profound effects on urinary PAH metabolites than does genetic polymorphisms in this population, and that CYP1A1 and GSTM1 activity might be related to the metabolism of 1-hydroxypyrene and 2-naphthol.