Objective: To explore the correlation between the expression of tumor suppressor gene p15 and the hematotoxicity from benzene exposure.
Methods: Twenty cases of patients with chronic benzene poisoning (BP), 17 benzene-exposed workers engaged in the same job with the patients but without BP and 19 matched unexposed controls from Tianjin were recruited. The expression of tumor suppressor gene p15 mRNA was detected by qRT-PCR.
Results: Comparing with the unexposed controls, the expression levels of p15 mRNA were significantly down-regulated in BP patients (P < 0.01) and also in benzene-exposed workers (P < 0.01). The expression of p15 was down-regulated with the increased severity of BP (P < 0.01). The expression of p15 mRNA is positively correlated with white blood cell counts and neutrophil counts (r = 0.42, P = 0.002, r = 0.44, P = 0.002, respectively).
Conclusion: The expression of p15 mRNA is significantly down-regulated in BP patients. The transcriptional repression of p15 is associated with benzene hematotoxicity.