Biomonitoring of pathology and anatomy workers using genotoxic assays
Laboratoire de Biogenotoxicologie et Mutagenese Environnementale, Faculté de Medecine, Universite de la Méditerranee, Marseille, France
AIM: The aim of our study was the detection of DNA lesions and/or chromosome mutations in peripheral lymphocytes of subjects working in pathology and anatomy laboratories, these workers being mostly exposed to formaldehyde.METHODS: Fifty nine subjects working in 5 pathology and anatomy laboratories and 37 controls (C), matched for the main confounding factors related to the micronucleus test, were included. All the workstations and all the activities were investigated. Concentrations of ambient air formaldehyde at the workplace were monitored using passive badges (ACS TM)during 15 minutes and 8 hours. DNA lesions repaired by base excision repair (BER) and/or nucleotide excision repair (NER) were quantified using 3D TM-assay (Damaged DNA Detection, SFRI, France). Chromosomal damages were assessed using the micronucleus assay. Fluorescent in situ hybridization of a pan-centromeric DNA probe were performed to discriminate between structural and numerical chromosome abnormalities in subgroups (n=18) of exposed subjects (ES) and controls (C). RESULTS: The averaged formaldehyde concentrations at the workplace were 2.2 ± 1.1 ppm and 0.1 ± 0.1 ppm for 15-minute sampling time and 8-hour sampling time, respectively. Micronucleated lymphocytes rates were significantly higher in ES (16,9‰ ± 9,3) than in C (11,5‰ ± 6,2. Lymphocytes rates harboring centromeric and acentromeric micronuclei were 17,6‰ ±10,8 and 3,9‰ ± 4,2 in ES and 11,9‰ ± 7,0 and 4,4‰ ± 2,7 in C, respectively. Ex vivo DNA synthesis due to BER or NER processes was not increased after exposure. CONCLUSIONS: Occupational exposure in pathology and anatomy laboratories, involving namely formaldehyde, do not increase the DNA lesions which, (i) are directly repaired by BER and NER in peripheral lymphocytes, and (ii) are converted to double strand breaks in phytohemagglutinin-activated lymphocytes . In contrast, this occupational exposure leads to chromosomal damages; most of these chromosomal damages are chromosome loss. These chromosomal damages could be due to alterations of proteins involved in chromosome migration; this confer to formaldehyde aneugenic properties.
Paper presented at the International Symposium on Predictive Oncology and Intervention Strategies; Nice, France; February 7 - 10, 2004; in poster session 1096 (Risk & assessment).