Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention, Vol 5, Issue 4 297-301, Copyright © 1996 by American Association for Cancer Research

ARTICLES

Human metallothionein gene expression determined by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction as a biomarker of cadmium exposure

S Ganguly, E Taioli, B Baranski, B Cohen, P Toniolo and SJ Garte
Nelson Institute of Environmental Medicine, New York University Medical Center, New York 10016, USA.

Expression of the metallothionein (MT) gene in frozen human lymphocytes has been developed as a new molecular biomarker of heavy metal exposure. Workers at a Polish battery factory with high exposure to cadmium were monitored for airborne exposure and blood cadmium levels. A novel quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) technique, making use of a homologous internal standard, was used to assess the level of MT-specific mRNA in frozen stored aliquots of blood samples taken from exposed and control workers. Results from this assay showed a statistically significant 2.5-fold increase in MT mRNA in exposed compared to control workers. The RT-PCR results also showed significant correlation with airborne cadmium, as registered on personal monitors and with blood cadmium levels. The results suggest that gene induction measured by quantitative RT-PCR is a promising approach for application as a biomarker of biologically effective dose in small samples of frozen tissues or cells.