VARIATIONS OF SOME PARAMETERS OF ENZYME INDUCTION IN CHEMICAL WORKERS

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Abstract
Several parameters related to mono-oxygenase activity were followed in a population of chemical workers and controls. Workers exposed to toluene and xylene had a significant increase of urinary glucaric acid, that was correlated with hippuric acid excretion. On the other hand, workers exposed to pigments showed a marked increase of antipyrine half-life. A dose-related decrease of liver N -demethylase was induced in rats by the administration of a mixture of three of the pigments in use in the plant. Serum gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase was decreased in the workers exposed to pigments, but this variation was not statistically significant. The exposure to different chemicals in the workplace seemed to induce a complicated variation of mono-oxygenase levels, some enzyme being inhibited and others induced in the same group of workers. The sensitivity of these workers to toxic effects of chemicals, carcinogenic compounds and drugs seems to differ markedly from the control population.