Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of nasal and bronchoalveolar lavage fluids after occupational exposure.

Human nasal lavage fluids (NLFs), and bronchoalveolar lavage fluids (BALFs) were analyzed with two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) and the protein patterns were evaluated with a computerized imaging 2-DE system. With silver staining about 1000 spots were detected in 10 microgram samples of NLF or BALF. Both BALF and NLF 2-DE patterns showed similarities to a reference plasma pattern and about 25 plasma proteins were identified in NLF as well as in BALF. Comparison showed that the levels of albumin and transferrin appeared to be slightly higher in BALF than NLF, while the levels of IgA, IgG and haptoglobin beta were higher in NLF than in BALF. In contrast to BALF and blood plasma, NLF contained large amounts of a cluster of acidic proteins (pI 4.5-5.5) with molecular masses of 15-30 kDa. Distinct alterations in the NLF 2-DE patterns were found in a worker who developed an asthmatic condition with bronchial hyperreactivity after exposure to organic acid anhydrides. After exposure, 14 protein spots were increased and one decreased by a factor of > 3 as compared to the levels before exposure and compared to healthy individuals. This is the first study indicating that 2-DE of NLF may be used to investigate early changes in airway protein patterns induced by occupational exposure to irritating chemicals.