PRESENCE OF ANTIBODIES TO HEAT-STRESS PROTEINS IN WORKERS EXPOSED TO BENZENE AND IN PATIENTS WITH BENZENE POISONING

Heat shock or stress proteins (Hsps) are a group of proteins induced b y a large number of xenobiotics, many of which are common in the worki ng and living environment. The biological significance of the presence of antibodies against Hsps in humans is presently unknown. In the pre sent study, 112 workers were selected and divided into four groups on the basis of their level of occupational exposure to benzene: a contro l group, two groups of workers exposed to either low (< 300 mg/m(3)) o r high concentrations of benzene (> 300 mg/m(3)) and a group of worker s who had experienced benzene poisoning. Blood samples from these work ers were assayed for the number of peripheral white blood cells, conce ntration of hemoglobin, activities of serum superoxide dismutase (SOD) , lymphocyte DNA damage and finally for the presence of antibodies to different human heat-shock proteins (Hsp27, Hsp60, Hsp71 and Hsp90). B enzene-poisoned workers showed a high incidence of antibodies against Hsp71 (similar to 40%) which was associated with a decrease in white b lood cells (3.84 +/- 1.13 x 10(9) versus 7.68 +/- 1.84 x 10(9) in cont rols) and with an increase in activities of serum SOD (138.43 +/- 23.1 5 mu/ml) and lymphocyte DNA damage (18.7%). These data suggest that an tibodies against Hsps can potentially be useful biomonitors to assess if workers are experiencing or have experienced abnormal xenobiotic-in duced stress within their living and working environment.