Transcriptomic Changes in the Nasal Epithelium Associated with Diesel Engine Exhaust Exposure

Diesel engine exhaust (DEE) is one of the major contributors to air pollution around the world, and exposure to DEE is associated with lung cancer and other airway diseases. Although recent studies have investigated the effects of exposure to DEE, the mechanisms by which it leads to lung cancer pathogenesis are not well understood. We have previously investigated the transcriptomic changes that occur due to exposure to cigarette smoke and burning of bituminous (smoky) as well as anthracite (smokeless) coal in the airway epithelium, and in this study we assess the gene expression alterations in the nasal epithelium that are associated with chronic DEE exposure of diesel engine factory workers to better understand which molecular changes may lead to pathogenesis of lung cancer. Nasal brushings were collected from workers in diesel engine factories with diesel engine exhaust exposure (n=41) as well as from workers in factories without any known diesel engine exhaust exposure (n=38). RNA was isolated and profiled using Affymetrix Human Gene 1.0ST GeneChips.