Detection of acute and chronic genotoxic damage in an occupationally-exposed population

Abstract

Worldwide studies in people occupationally exposed to genotoxic agents have shown a strong correlation of the exposition with cancer incidence and reproductive dysfunctions. This research evaluated, in laboratory personnel at the Universidad Nacional, Medellín, Colombia, the effect of exposition to potentially genotoxic agents, by means of sister chromatids interchange tests (SCI) and electrophoresis in single cells gel (comet assay).

Standardization of methodological tools to quantify the damage produced by exposition to potentially genotoxic agents was achieved, in order to implement them in occupational health monitoring programs. Evaluation was carried out in two populations, exposed and control, using paired samples. Age, sex and habits were used as criterions for pairing. Comet assay showed punctual damage in the exposed population, while SCI test did not reveal chronic damage. On the other hand, neither habits nor sex showed relation with SCI index, but age did. The usefulness of the comet assay to measure the effect of punctual expositions, and that of SCI as an excellent test to quantify the effect of chronic expositions, makes them indispensable as part of the battery used in genotoxic monitoring studies.

As part of the benefits of this research, infrastructure was adapted and some personnel was qualified to carry out occupational health genotoxic monitoring, with the aim of extending this service to the University community and to the private and public sectors.