Welders working in a confined space, like in the shipbuilding industry, are at risk of being exposed to high concentrations of welding fumes and developing pneumoconiosis or other welding-fume exposure related diseases. Among such diseases, manganism resulting from welding-fume exposure remains a controversial issue, as the movement of manganese into specific brain regions has not been clearly established. Accordingly, to investigate the distribution of manganese in the brain after welding-fume exposure, male Sprague Dawley rats were exposed to welding fumes generated from manual metal arc stainless steel (MMA-SS) at concentrations of $63.6{\pm}4.1$ $mg/m^3$ (low dose, containing 1.6 $mg/m^3$ Mn) and $107.1{\pm}6.3$ $mg/m^3$ (high dose, containing 3.5 $mg/m^3$ Mn) total suspended particulates for 2 hrs per day, in an inhalation chamber over a 60-day period. Blood, brain, lungs and liver samples were collected after 2 hr, 15, 30, and 60 days of exposure and the tissues analyzed for their manganese concentrations using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Although dose- and time-dependent increases in the manganese concentrations were found in the lungs and livers of the rats exposed for 60 days, only slight manganese increases were observed in the blood during this period. Major statistically significant increases in the brain manganese concentrations were detected in the cerebellum after 15 days of exposure and up until 60 days. Slight increases in the manganese concentrations were also found in the substantia nigra, basal ganglia (caudate nucleus, putamen, and globus pallidus), temporal cortex, and frontal cortex, thereby indicating that the pharmacokinetics and distribution of manganese inhaled from welding fumes would appear to be different from those resulting from manganese-only exposure.

Quercetin and naringenin are representative flavonoids that not only exert anti estrogenic, cholesterol-lowering and antioxidant activities but also can modulate the metabolism of many xenobiotics. The activity of the specific form(s) of CYP450 is likely to be a major determinant of susceptibility to chemically induced carcinogenesis between which varies among between individuals due to different dietary habits as well as genetic characteristics. People consume cooked meat or fish together with various vegetables containing substantial amounts of quercetin and naringenin that can modify the enzyme activity of CYP1A2 to stimulate or to inhibit the mutagenic activities of HCAs. Heterocyclic amines (HCAs) produced by cooking meat products at high temperatures are promutagens that are activated by cytochrome P450 (CYP) lA2. Using a newly developed Salmonella typhimurium TA1538/1A2bc-b5 strain, we tested the effect of quercetin and naringenin on the mutagenicity of 2-amino-3,4-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (MeIQ). TA1538/1A2bc-b5 bears two plasmids, one expressing human CYP1A2 and NADPH-P450 reductase (NPR), and the other plasmid which expresses human cytochrome b5 (cyp b5). TA1538/1A2bc-b5 cells showed high activities of 7-ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD) and methoxyresorufin O-demethylase (MROD) associated with CYP1A2 and are very sensitive to mutagenesis induced by several HCAs. MeIQ was found to be the strongest mutagen among the HCAs tested in this system. Mutagenicity of MeIQ was enhanced 50 and 42% by quercetin at 0.1 and 1 mM, respectively, but suppressed 82% and 96% at 50 mM and 100 mM. Naringenin also increased the MeIQ-induced mutation about 37% and 22% at 0.1 and 1 mM, but suppressed it 32% and 63% at 50 mM and 100 mM concentrations, respectively, in TA 1538/1A2bc-b5 cells. Thus, they stimulated the MeIQ induced mutation at low concentrations, but strongly suppressed it at high concentrations. This biphasic effect of flavonoids was due to the stimulation or the inhibition of CYP1A2 activity in a dose-dependent manner judging by the activities of EROD or MROD in the Salmonella cells. Collectively, it is likely that the biphasic effects of quercetin and naringenin on the MeIQ-induced mutagenesis in S. typhimurium TA1538/CYP1A2bc-b5 were due to their differential modification of the CYP1A2 activity in these cells.

IARC classified areca quid as a human carcinogen. Areca quid chewed in Taiwan includes Piper betle inflorescence, which contains high concentrations of safrole (15 mg/fresh weight). Safrole is a documented rodent hepatocarcinogen, and chewing areca quid may contribute to human exposure (420 $\mu$m in saliva). The carcinogenicity of safrole is mediated through 1'-hydroxysafrole formation, followed by sulfonation to an unstable sulfate that reacts to form DNA adducts. Using human liver microsomes and Escherichia coli membranes expressing bicistronic human P450s, CYP2E1 and CYP2C9 were identified as the main P450s involved in the activation of safrole. We have demonstrated the presence of stable safrole-dGMP adducts in human oral tissues following areca quid chewing using $^{32}$ P-postlabeling and HPLC mass spectrometry methods. By studying 88 subjects with a known AQ chewing history and 161 matched controls, we have demonstrated that the presence of safrole-DNA adducts in peripheral blood cells was correlated to AQ chewing, and CYP2E1 seemed to play an important role in the modulation of safrole-DNA adduct formation. We have also shown that safrole can form stable safrole-DNA adducts as well as oxidative damages in rodent liver. However, the stable safrole-DNA adducts may represent a more significant initial lesion as compared to the rapidly repaired safrole-induced 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine. This oxidative DNA damage is mediated through the formation of hydoryxchavicol, the major safrole metabolite in human urine. Hydroxychavicol may have gone through two-electron oxidation to the o-quinone; then via one-electron reduction to semiquinone radicals to generate oxidative DNA damage. However, these reactive metabolites can be efficiently conjugated by GSH. These data suggest that safrole may contribute to the initiation of oral carcinogenesis through safrole-DNA adduct and not oxidative DNA damage. In addition, CYP2E1 may modulate this adduct formation.