Changes of serum levels of neuron-specific enolase andneuronal light chain protein induced by exposing to n-hexane and their relationships with nerve conduction velocity
MA Zheng1, PENG Xiao-yue2, PENG Jian-mei1, WANG Zhi-hua1, CHEN Man-lian1, CAI Mu-wei1
1. The Sixth People's Hospital of Dongguan, Dongguan, Guangdong 523008, China; 2. Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510310, China
Abstract：Objective To study the characteristics of changes of early levels of serum neuron-specific enolase (NSE), neuronal light chain protein (NF-L) induced by exposing to n-hexane, to compare the above-mentioned changing characteristics with the changes of peripheral nerve conduction velocity (NCV), and to explore their feasibilities as effective biomarkers. Methods Employees with n-hexane poisoning in an enterprise were analyzed according to different exposure time of n-hexane. Variance analysis and correlation analysis were used to study the changes of the indicators and their interrelations. Results When the employees were exposed to the concentration-time weighted average of n-hexane of 223.0 mg/m3, the levels of NSE and NF-L increased gradually with time. There was a statistically significant difference in the NSE level among groups (F=5.96, P=0.001), but no significant difference was found in the NSE level among groups (F=0.99, P=0.40). There were statistically significant differences in the level of NSE between the control group and the groups with 1-3, 6-9 and ≥12 months exposure (P<0.05), but no statistically significant differences was observed in the level of NF-L between the control group and the groups with 1-3, 6-9 and ≥12 months exposure (P>0.05). The levels of NCV of all groups exposed to n-hexane decreased with the increase of the time of exposure to n-hexane; moreover, the changes showed statistically significant differences among all groups (P<0.01). The decrease showed statistically significant differences between the control group and the groups with 6-9 and ≥12 months exposure (P<0.05), and the changes in sensory nerve conduction velocity (MNCV) of median nerve and common peroneal nerve were significant. The level of NSE was significantly negatively correlated with MNCV of median nerve and common peroneal nerve (P<0.05) as well as sensory nerve conduction velocity(SNCV)of sural nerve (P<0.05). The level of NF-L was negatively correlated with NCV of median nerve (P<0.05). Conclusions NSE can be used as an effective biomarker of peripheral nerve damage causedby n-hexane, and it changes earlier than NCV. It has a certain application value to serve as a large-scale occupational health surveillance index in population exposed to n-hexane.
马争, 彭小粤, 彭建梅, 王治华, 陈满连, 蔡木蔚. 接触正己烷致血清中NSE、NF-L水平改变及与NCV关系研究[J]. 实用预防医学, 2020, 27(6): 678-680.
MA Zheng, PENG Xiao-yue, PENG Jian-mei, WANG Zhi-hua, CHEN Man-lian, CAI Mu-wei. Changes of serum levels of neuron-specific enolase andneuronal light chain protein induced by exposing to n-hexane and their relationships with nerve conduction velocity. , 2020, 27(6): 678-680.
2020, Vol. 27 
