Gene Expression Network Analyses in Response to Air Pollution Exposures in the Trucking Industry. Homo sapiens

To investigate the cellular responses induced by air pollution exposures, we performed genome-wide gene expression microarray analysis using whole blood RNA sampled at three time-points across the work weeks of 63 non-smoking employees in the trucking industry. Our objective was to identify the genes and gene networks differentially activated in response to micro-environmental measures of occupational exposure to three pollutants: PM2.5 (particulate matter ≤ 2.5 microns in diameter) and elemental carbon (EC) and organic carbon (OC). Overall design: Subjects were recruited from 10 trucking terminals in the northeastern US. The participants included workers whose job duties were characterized by different patterns of exposure: pick-up and delivery (P&D) drivers, dock workers, and office workers. Whole blood samples were collected using PaxGene RNA tubes, three times from each subject: (1) before the first shift of the workweek (first day, AM draw); (2) at the end of the first shift (8-12 hours later) on the same day (first day, PM draw); and (3) at the end of the last work shift of the same workweek (last day, PM draw). Micro-environmental samples of PM2.5, and EC and OC in PM1.0 were collected over the full workweek (24 hours/day for 6-9 days) at each of the 10 terminals. The final data set included 165 samples from 63 subjects.