medigraphic.com
ISSN 1991-9395 (Electronic)
ISSN 1608-6384 (Print)

2012, Number 3

<< Back

Revista Cubana de Salud y Trabajo 2012; 13 (3)

Blood cholinesterase activity as a biomarker of exposure to organophosphorus compounds and carbamates. A critical review

Ibarra FEJ, Linares FTM

Language: Spanish
References: 28
Page:
PDF size: 94.10 Kb.


ABSTRACT

Today, the determination of blood cholinesterase activity is the best biomarker of environmental exposure to organophosphorus compounds, organic sulfates and sulfonates, and carbamates. However, their analytical determination has particular characteristics depending on the type of cholinesterase in question -acetylcholinesterase (AChE), pseudocolinesterase (EC) or total cholinesterase (ACE + EC)-, the specific environment where it is determined -erythrocytes, serum or plasma or whole blood-, the principle which is based analytical method and specific substrate to be used for the measurement of enzyme activity in question. The AChE activity in erythrocytes is arguably the most appropriate due to its analytical sensitivity, precision and specificity, being the Ellman’s spectrophtometric method the most internationally recommended. However, for purely practical reasons fundamentally (speed, simplicity and economy), the determination of cholinesterase activity in whole blood is used quite often in the monitoring of exposure to cholinesterase inhibitor compounds. Another important aspect of this analytical determination is how to evaluate the results of its measurements, taking into account as a reference the individual value of each worker before exposure, or, in the absence of such value, ​​ the so-called ‘normal values ​​', obtained from a sample as representative as possible in a given territory of healthy subjects with no known exposure the corresponding environmental pollutants.


REFERENCES

  1. Organización Internacional del Trabajo. Enciclopedia de salud y seguridad en el trabajo. Ginebra: OIT; 1998. p. 27.20-27.22.

  2. Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors. En: Greim H, Lehnert G, eds. Biological exposure values for occupational toxicants and carcinogens. V. 2. Weinheim: VCH Verlagsgescllschaft mbH; 1995.

  3. World Health Organization. IPCS International Programme on Chemical Safety. Environmental health criteria 63. Organophosphorus insecticides: a general introduction. Geneva: WHO; 1986.

  4. World Health Organization. Biological monitoring of chemical exposure in the workplace. Guidelines. V. 1. Geneva: WHO; 1996.

  5. World Health Organization. IPCS International Programme on Chemical Safety. Environmental health criteria 6: Carbamate pesticides: a general introduction. Geneva: WHO; 1986.

  6. George PM, Abernethy MH. Improved Ellman procedure for erytrocyte cholinesterase. Clin Chem. 1983;29(2):365-8.

  7. Ellman GL, Courtney KD, Andres V, Featherstone RM. A new and rapid colorimetric determination of acetylcholinesterase activity. Biochem Pharmacol. 1961;7:88-95.

  8. Worek F, Mast U, Kiderlen D, Diepold C, Eyer P. Improved determination of acetylcholinesterase activity in human whole blood. Clin Chim Acta. 1999; 288(1-2):73-90.

  9. Reiner E, Bosak A, Simeon-Rudolf V. Activity of cholinesterases in human whole blood measured with acetylthiocholine as substrate and ethopropazine as selective inhibitor of plasma butyrylcholinesterase. Arh Hig Rada Toksikol. 2004;55(1):1-4.

  10. 10.Bellino M, Ficarra M, Frontali N, Ghezzo F, Guarcini AM, Orecchio F, Serpietri LA, Traina ME. A quick and simple method for the routine determination of acetyl- and butyrylcholinesterase in blood. Br J Ind Med. 1978;35(2):161-7.

  11. 11.Bissbort SH, Vermaak WJ, Elias J, Bester MJ, Dhatt GS, Pum JK. Novel test and its automation for the determination of erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase and its application to organophosphate exposure. Clin Chim Acta. 2001;303(1-2):139-45.

  12. 12.Augustinsson KB, Eriksson H, Faijersson Y. A new approach to determining cholinesterase activities in samples of whole blood. Clin Chim Acta. 1978;16; 89(2):239-52.

  13. 13.Oliveira-Silva JJ, Alves SR, Inacio AF, Meyer A, Sarcinelli PN, Mattos RC, Ferreira MF, Cunha JC, Moreira JC. Cholinesterase activities determination in frozen blood samples: an improvement to the occupational monitoring in developing countries. Hum Exp Toxicol. 2000;19(3):173-7.

  14. 14.Barenghi L, Ceriotti F, Luzzana M, Ripamonti M, Mosca A, Bonini PA. Measurement of erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase and plasma cholinesterase activity by a differential pH technique. Ann Clin Biochem. 1986;23(Pt 5):538-45.

  15. 15.Harlin KS, Ross PF. Enzymatic-spectrophotometric method for determination of cholinesterase activity in whole blood: collaborative study. J Assoc Off Anal Chem. 1990;73(4):616-9.

  16. Lewis PJ, Lowing RK, Gompertz D. Automated discrete kinetic method for erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase and plasma cholinesterase. Clin Chem. 1981;27(6):926-9.

  17. 17.Reiner E, Sinko G, Skrinjaric-Spoljar M, Simeon- Rudolf V. Comparison of protocols for measuring activities of human blood cholinesterases by the Ellman method. Arh Hig Rada Toksikol. 2000;51(1): 13-8.

  18. 18.Da Silva ES, Midio AF, Garcia EG. A field method for the determination of whole blood cholinesterase. Med Lav. 1994;85(3):249-54.

  19. 19.Ahmed OAH, Mohammad FK. A simplified electrometric technique for rapid measurement of human blood cholinesterase activity. The Internet Journal of Toxicology. 2005;2(1) [Citado 11 May 2007] [11 p.]. Disponible en: http://www.ispub.com/ostia/index.php?xmlFilePath=journals/ijto/vol2n1/che.xml.

  20. Technical Bulletin. Occupational and Environmental Health. Red blood cell-cholinesterase testing and quality assurance. Washington: Headquarters, Department of the Army; 2001.

  21. 21.Birman S. Determination of acetylcholinesterase activity by a chemoluminiscence assay with the natural substrate. Biochem J. 1985;225:825-8.

  22. Thetkathuek A, Keifer M, Fungladda W, Kaewkungwal J, Padungtod C, Wilson B, Mankhetkorn S. Spectrophotometric determination of plasma and red blood cell cholinesterase activity of 53 fruit farm workers pre- and postexposed chlorpyrifos for one fruit corp. Chem Pharm Bull. 2005;53(4):422-4.

  23. 23.Comité Estatal de Normalización. Sistema de Normas de Protección e Higiene del Trabajo. Determinación de colinesterasa en sangre total. Análisis químico. NRSP 115:1983. La Habana: CEN; 1983.

  24. Serum cholinesterase activity. En: Keip TJ, Crable JV, eds. Methods for biological monitoring. A manual for assessing human exposure to hazardous substances. 1st ed. Washington: American Public Health Association; 1988.

  25. 25.Michel HO. An electrometric method for determination of red blood cell and plasma cholinesterase activity. J Lab Clin Med 1949;34:1564–1568.

  26. Ibarra EJ. Ambiente químico y salud en el trabajo. La Habana: Editorial Ciencias Médicas; 2007.

  27. 27.Augustinsson KB. The normal variation of human blood cholinesterase activity. Acta Physiol Scand. 1955;35:40-52.

  28. Gage JC. The significance of blood cholinesterase activity measurements. Residue Rev. 1967;18:159-67.




2020     |     www.medigraphic.com