Heat shock proteins 90α level and oxidative stress status in workers occupationally exposed to low-level benzene

Objective To investigate the level of heat shock proteins 90α(Hsp90α) and oxidative stress conditions of workers occupationally exposed to low-level benzene.

Methods From May to August 2021, all 35 workers in a gas station as the exposure group were studied by a cluster sampling method, while 37 workers without any exposure to benzene were studied as the control group.The basic information of the workers was collected by a questionnaire survey, and peripheral venous blood samples were collected to test the blood routine parameters, the total glutathione concentration in cells, and the Hsp90α level in plasma.The concentration of benzene in the air of the workplace was measured by gas chromatography.

Results The airborne concentration of benzene at this gas station was below the detection limit.The white blood cell count and the absolute value of neutrophils in the exposure group were higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05), but all values were within the normal reference range.The ratio of reduced glutathione (GSH) to oxidized glutathione (GSSG) in exposed workers was significantly lower than that in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05).The results of multiple linear regression analysis showed that the Hsp90α level of exposed workers increased by 79.43 ng/mL compared with that in the control group (P < 0.05).

Conclusions Occupational exposure to low-level benzene may have an impact on human health.Hsp90α could be considered a potential biomarker of the effect.The combined use of blood routine examination and plasma Hsp90α level detection has a certain predictive value for timely discovering the health damage caused by occupational exposure to low-level benzene.