Working during the night can disrupt the normal circadian rhythm by altering the melatonin level. A low level of melatonin is associated with an increased risk of cancer, possibly by decreasing the expression of tumor-suppressor genes, such as p53. To determine whether nighttime work is associated with melatonin level in serum as well as the expression of related genetic markers, we enrolled 100 female nighttime medical technologists employed at a hospital in South Korea. Melatonin concentration and melatonin receptor 1 (MT1) expression were significantly lower in nighttime than in daytime workers (1.84 pg/mL versus 4.04 pg/mL; 1.16 versus 1.61, respectively). However, p53 expression showed no difference between the groups. In summary, nighttime work could be an important risk factor for circadian disruption, but not a direct risk factor for cancer in medical technologists in South Korea.
Keywords: circadian rhythm; medical technologist; melatonin; melatonin receptor 1; p53; shift workers.