Objective: To explore the relationship between genetic polymorphism of P53, P21, CCND1 and susceptibility of chromosomal damage induced by vinyl chloride monomer (VCM).
Methods: 183 workers occupationally exposed to VCM were involved in our study. Cytokinesis-block micronucleus (CB-MN) assay was used to detect chromosome damage in peripheral lymphocyte. PCR-RFLP technique was applied to detect polymorphisms in P53 gene (exon4, intron3 and intron6), P21 gene (exon2 and exon3) and CCND1 (exon4).
Results: The risk of chromosomal damage for VCM-exposed workers with more than 30 yr was 1.2202 (95% CI: 1.0580 approximately 1.4072, P = 0.0062) compared with the younger workers, and the risk of female workers was 1.1491 (95% CI: 0.9841 approximately 1.3416, P = 0.0772) compared with male workers. The MN frequency in subjects with P53 intron6 mutant homozygous and heterozygous was higher than their wild-type homozygous counterparts (OR = 1.3032, 95% CI: 1.1285 approximately 1.6405, P = 0.0285). P53 exon4, intron3 and intron6 haplotype pairs of BBB/AAA and BAB/AAA were associated with the increased frequencies of micronucleus.
Conclusion: Among VCM-exposed workers, more than 30ys, female, carrying P53 intron6 mutated allele and BBB/AAA and BAB/AAA haplotype pairs have higher risk of chromosomal damage.