Investigation of micronucleus frequencies in lymphocytes of inhabitants environmentally exposed to chrysotile asbestos

Abstract

Exposure to asbestos minerals has been associated with a wide variety of adverse health effects including lung cancer, pleural mesothelioma, and cancer of other organs. Many of the regions of Turkey have asbestos deposits. People in Doğanli village - one of these regions - have been environmentally exposed to chrysotile asbestos since they were born. In this study the effects of asbestos on micronucleus (MN) frequencies of inhabitants exposed to chrysotile asbestos have been examined. Thirty subjects who had been environmentally exposed to chrysotile asbestos and living in Doğanli village, and 25 controls were studied to assess the MN frequency. The control group was selected from healthy individuals with no exposure to asbestos and living in similar geographic conditions to Doğanli village. Peripheral blood samples were collected from each subject and cultured for MN assay. Cytochalasin-B was added to lymphocyte cultures for evaluation of MN in binucleated (BN) cells. The differences between those exposed to chrysotile asbestos and controls were not statistically significant in terms of BN cells with MN (p > 0.05). There was not a significant relationship between MN frequencies and age, sex, smoking, both in chrysotile asbestos-exposed subjects and in controls (p > 0.05). Although the detection of calcified pleural plaques found in the inhabitants has indicated environmental exposure to chrysotile asbestos, our results show that chrysotile asbestos was not an inducer of MN in subjects exposed to chrysotile asbestos.

Elevated micronucleus frequencies in patients with pleural plaque secondary to environmental exposure to asbestos

“…Baran (2004) reported no difference in MN frequency but decreased NDI counts in Doğanlı village of Sivas. Likewise, Donmez-Altuntas et al (2007) did not find any change in MN frequency in those exposed to the chrysotile/serpentine group (white asbestos) in Doğanlı village of Sivas.…”

“…The serpentine and amphibole group asbestos may cause a different damage level and decrease in NDI. However, chrysotile/serpentine group (white asbestos) damage could be repaired more easily than that of the asbestos/amphibole group and might not have caused increased MN frequency in the studies of Baran (2004) and Donmez-Altuntas et al (2007). MN frequency is affected by several factors.…”

“…MN, which occurs during the mitotic division of the cell, is not part of the main nucleus and originates from complete chromosomes or acentric chromosome pieces. The technique of MN determination in lymphocyte cultures was first developed and performed by Stich et al (1982) Asbestos formations are extensively found in our country, and their genotoxic effects and associated harmful effects on public health are assumed (Tug and Tug, 2005;Metintas et al, 2012) but have been examined only in a limited number of studies (Donmez et al, 1996;Tug et al, 2006;Donmez et al, 2007). The objective of this study was to investigate the genotoxic effects in lymphocytes using the cytokinesis-block micronucleus (CBMN) assay, in patients with pleural plaques who live in Bekilli and Suller districts of Denizli in Turkey and who have been environmentally exposed to asbestos.…”

Role of Mutagenicity in Asbestos Fiber-Induced Carcinogenicity and Other Diseases

“…The average rate of chromosomal aberrant cells in the peripheral blood lymphocytes in 31 Russian asbestos workers (both <1.5 yr and >10 yr of exposure groups) was not statistically different from that in the control (Bochkov et al, 1991). The frequency of MN in lymphocytes of 30 Turks (average 59.97, range 32–80 yr) environmentally exposed to chrysotile (exposure since born and terminated at 10 yr before the study was conducted) was not different from those in unexposed controls (Donmez-Altuntas et al, 2007). In mesothelioma patients, the MN frequency in blood lymphocytes was significantly increased, in comparison with lung cancer patients and patients with benign asbestos diseases (Bolognesi et al, 2002).…”

Diferentes abordagens para o entendimento da aneuploidia: interferindo na mitose com o uso de crisotila e vincristina

“…A quebra dos cromossomos, observada em diversos estudos por técnicas citogenéticas, pode ser o principal responsável pela formação de micronúcleos, que ocorrem em diversos tipos celulares expostos a fibras (Dopp et al, 1997;Dönmez-Altuntas et al, 2007;. A presença de células com mais de um núcleo também é característica marcante de células expostas especificamente a fibras de crisotila, evidenciando que alterações nucleares são frequentes após o tratamento com esse tipo de fibra .…”