Occupational health hazards of trichloroethylene among workers in relation to altered mRNA expression of cell cycle regulating genes (p53, p21, bax and bcl-2) and PPARA

AbstractTrichloroethylene (TCE) is widely used as a metal degreaser in industrial processes. The present study reports on the effects of TCE exposure on workers employed in the lock industries. To ensure exposure of the workers to TCE, its toxic metabolites, trichloroacetic acid (TCA), dichloroacetic acid (DCA) and trichloroethanol (TCEOH) were detected in the plasma of the subjects through solid phase microextraction-gas chromatography-electron capture detection. TCA, DCA and TCEOH were detected in the range of 0.004–2.494μg/mL, 0.01–3.612μg/mL and 0.002–0.617μg/mL, respectively. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis revealed up-regulated expression of p53 (2.4-fold; p<0.05), p21 (2-fold; p<0.01), bax (2.9-fold; p<0.01) mRNAs and down-regulated expression of bcl-2 (67%; p