Association of marginal folate depletion with increased human chromosomal damage in vivo: demonstration by analysis of micronucleated erythrocytes.
Recent studies have demonstrated that in the absence of spleen function, frequencies of micronuclei (Howell-Jolly bodies) in peripheral blood rbcs can be used to measure in vivo cytogenetic damage. Among 20 subjects studied greater than or equal to 6 months after splenectomy, 1 had a frequency of micronucleated rbcs more than an order of magnitude higher than rates for the others. Initial data suggested that this subject was mildly folate-depleted, and a therapeutic trial with folate rapidly reduced the frequency of micronucleated rbcs to normal values. These observations suggest a need to evaluate further the contribution of mild levels of folate depletion to spontaneous chromosomal damage. The approach used here provides a sensitive index of clastogenic damage and offers unique opportunities for investigating the determinants of cytogenetic damage in humans.
Everson
R B
RB
Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709.
Wehr
C M
CM
Erexson
G L
GL
MacGregor
J T
JT
D000328:Adult; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D005494:Folic Acid Deficiency / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008297:Male; D013156:Splenectomy