Cytogenetic biomonitoring of carpet fabric workers using micronucleus frequency, nuclear changes, and the calculation of risk assessment by repair index in exfoliated mucosa cells

• Published in: DNA and cell biology Vol. 30; no. 10; p. 821
• Main Authors: Diler, Songül Budak, Çelik, Ayla
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.10.2011
• Subjects: Adult; Case-Control Studies; Cell Nucleus - genetics; Cell Nucleus - pathology; Chromosome Aberrations - chemically induced; Cytogenetics - methods; Epithelial Cells - cytology; Female; Floors and Floorcoverings; Humans; Karyotyping - methods; Male; Micronuclei, Chromosome-Defective - chemically induced; Micronucleus Tests - methods; Mouth Mucosa - cytology; Occupational Exposure - adverse effects; Risk Assessment; Smoking - adverse effects; Textiles - adverse effects; Turkey; Turkey
• ISSN: 1557-7430
• DOI: 10.1089/dna.2011.1216

The micronucleus (MN) assay in exfoliated buccal cells is a minimally invasive method for monitoring genetic damage in human populations and is used as an indicator of genotoxic exposition, as it is associated with chromosome aberrations. In this study, we evaluated MN frequencies and other nuclear changes (NCs), such as karyorrhexis (KR), karyolysis (KL), broken egg (BE), and binucleus in buccal mucosa cells of 50 carpet fabric workers (25 smokers and 25 nonsmokers) and 50 healthy control subjects (25 smokers and 25 nonsmokers). Microscopic observation of 2000 cells per individual was performed in both workers and control subjects. In both the control group and the exposed group, for each person a repair index (RI) was calculated via the following formula: (KR+KL)/(BE+MN). The results showed a statistically significant increase in the frequency of MN in buccal epithelial cells of exposed group compared with control group. There is a significant difference between worker and control groups (p<0.001) for RI. We believe that the calculation of RI values, in addition to nuclear changes, presents a new approach in risk assessment in relation to occupational exposure.