Results of buccal micronucleus cytome assay in pesticide-exposed and non-exposed group.

Since many different pesticides have been used occupationally, there have been inconsistent results regarding DNA damages among greenhouse workers. Thus, the aim of the study is to evaluate DNA damages, cell death, and chromosomal instability by using the buccal micronucleus cytome (BMcyt) assay in greenhouse workers and to compare those with a non-exposed group. The BMcyt assay was applied to the exfoliated buccal cell samples collected from 66 pesticide-exposed and 50 non-exposed individuals. We evaluated the frequency of micronucleus (MN), nuclear bud (NBUD), binucleated (BN) cells, and karyolitic (KL), pyknotic (PY), and karyorrhectic (KH) cells. The results showed that the MN, BN, PY, and KH frequencies of the pesticide-exposed group were significantly higher than those of the controls (P Ë‚ 0.05, P Ë‚ 0.05, P Ë‚ 0.01, and P Ë‚ 0.05, respectively). We observed that the MN, BN, PY, and KH frequencies in the autumn were statistically different compared with those in the control group (P = 0.037 for MN, P = 0.001 for BN, P = 0.016 for PY, and P = 0.033 for KH). The same comparison was done in the spring for the control, and there was a statistically significant difference for MN (P = 0.046) and PY (P = 0.014). We can conclude that pesticide exposure in greenhouse workers was one of the factors that altered DNA damages, cell death, and chromosomal instability in oral mucosa cells.

Genotoxic damage in end-stage renal disease.

End-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients are at increased risk for cardiovascular events and cancer, possibly due to genomic instability associated with renal disease and/or its therapy. Prognostic biomarkers of genomic instability may prove useful for initiating appropriate intervention strategies. We conducted a case-control study, performing the single-cell gel electrophoresis assay (circulating leukocytes) and the micronucleus cytome assay (buccal epithelial cells). Cases (ESRD patients; n = 55) were on weekly/fortnightly dialysis therapy and controls (n = 39) were healthy adults. The patients had significantly elevated levels of DNA damage and micronucleated cells. DNA damage showed higher validity and sensitivity than did chromosome damage, for discriminating patients from controls. The patient group showed significant increases in cell proliferation, cytokinetic defects, and cell death, and a decrease in repair index. Correlations were seen between genetic damage and both time-on-medication and time-on-dialysis; between condensed chromatin cells and sex; and between pyknotic cells and dietary pattern. Following stratification by age, gender, and dialysis frequency, significantly elevated DNA damage and MN frequency were seen in the fortnightly dialysis patients, perhaps due to accumulated uremic toxicants. DNA and chromosome damage may be useful prognostic biomarkers for initiating timely interventions against co-morbidities in ESRD patients.

Evaluation of genetic damage in tobacco and arsenic exposed population of Southern Assam, India using buccal cytome assay and comet assay.

Ground water is the principal source of drinking water in Assam. Ground water contamination of arsenic in drinking water is a great concern for human health and considered as a human carcinogen. The present cytogenetic biomonitoring study was undertaken to investigate the genotoxic effects associated with people of southern Assam consuming arsenic contaminated water and chewing tobacco. Employing the buccal cytome assay, exfoliated cells were analyzed in 138 individuals of age range 22-42 years and divided into four groups. Group I (n=54) are participants residing in localities where ground water contains arsenic concentration below the permissible limit (<10µg/l) and without any tobacco chewing history. Group II (n=32) participants from the same area but they are tobacco chewers. Group III (n=24) participants from localities where significantly high arsenic contamination in ground water were observed. Whereas the Group IV (n=28) consists of participants from the arsenic contaminated area and also tobacco chewers. Body mass index (BMI) in all the groups are found to be nearly same and in normal range. Statistically significant (P<0.001) increase in genotoxic, cell death parameters and cell proliferation biomarkers were observed in the Group IV compared to other groups. In the comet assay, percent of tail DNA gradually increases among the groups and has statistical significance. Spearman correlation revealed strong positive correlation between the arsenic exposed peoples and the binucleated cells (r=0.4763; P<0.001). Amount of chewing tobacco had significant positive correlation with micronucleus frequency (r=0.268; P<0.05) and karyolitic cells (r=0.217; P<0.05) and also in the percentage of tail DNA (r=0.5532, P<0.001). A statistically significant increase in glucose content and decrease in hemoglobin content as well as acetylcholine esterase in the blood of exposed individuals was observed. Our preliminary study indicate that population exposed to arsenic through drinking water may become more susceptible towards chewing tobacco induced nuclear damage as evaluated by buccal cytome assay and comet assay.

Exposición a plaguicidas, desnutrición crónica y daño genotóxico en menores de tres años. Luribay / Pesticide exposure, chronic malnutrition and genotoxic damagein children under three years. Luribay

OBJETIVO: Evaluar si la exposición a plaguicidas y la desnutrición crónica son factores de riesgo para daño genotóxico en menores de tres años del municipio de Luribay del departamento de La Paz. Noviembre ­ 2008. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: estudio de casos y controles. 155 niños y niñas menores de tres años estudiados, habitantes de ocho poblaciones de Luribay, La Paz - Bolivia de las 15 intervenidas por el Programa de Crecimiento Comunitario (Save the Children). Se aplicó a las madres una encuesta validada y adaptada al lugar para medir la exposición a plaguicidas y se realizó a los niños(as) la técnica de citoma bucal para determinación del daño genotóxico. RESULTADOS: un 61% de las madres se dedicaba a la agricultura, de ellas un 33% fumigó al menos una vez estando embarazada y 85% no utiliza equipo de protección completo. 83% de los niños presentan daño genotóxico, de ellos 84% se encuentran expuestos a plaguicidas. Los niños no desnutridos y expuestos a plaguicidas con daño genotóxico alcanzan un total de 35%. No se encontraron diferencias significativas entre los grupos de no desnutridos y expuestos a plaguicidas con Daño Genotóxico y los niños desnutridos crónicos y expuestos a plaguicidas también con Daño Genotóxico, (no desnutridos p=1,00) (desnutridos crónicos p=0,70). Los resultados en relación a la diferencia de edad en los pacientes con y sin daño genotóxico, son significativos (p=0.05).

OBJECTIVE: to assess whether exposure to pesticides and chronic malnutrition are risk factors for genotoxic damage in children under three years of age, of the municipality of Luribay, Department of La Paz. November -2008. METHODS: case study and control. 155 boys and girls were studied from eight Luribay towns, La Paz -Bolivia out of 15 involved by the Communitarian Development Program (Save the Children). A survey was applied, validated and adapted to the location in order to measure pesticide exposure, and the buccal cytome technique was applied on children for determining genotoxic damage. RESULTS: 61 percent of the mothers dedicated themselves to agriculture, out of them a 33 percent had fumigated at least once being pregnant, and 85 percent did not use appropriate protective gear. 83 percent of the children have genotoxic damage, out of them 84 percent are exposed to pesticides. Non-malnourished children and exposed to pesticides with genotoxic damage reach 35 percent. No meaningful differences were found between the group of Non-malnourished children and exposed to pesticides with genotoxic damage and the chronic malnourished children and exposed to pesticides with genotoxic damage, (Non-malnourished p=1,00) ( chronic malnourished p=0,70). Results concerning age difference in patients with and without genotoxic damage are meaningful (p=0.05).