title: Chromosomal aberrations in peripheral lymphocytes of abstinent alcoholics.
abstract: The frequency of structural and/or numerical chromosomal aberrations in human metaphasic cells of lymphocyte cultures from abstinent alcoholics who were abstinent for 1 month up to 32 years was compared with those from controls not selected for alcohol consumption. Cytogenetic analyses revealed a significant increase of the frequencies of cells with structural aberrations in the abstinent alcoholics (7.1%), compared with controls (2.4%). The frequency of numerical aberrations showed a significant regression on ages in abstinent alcoholics and controls. These results suggest specific action of chronic alcohol consumption impairing biological repair with aging. The increased frequency of chromosome-type aberrations associated with alcohol consumption, even after long withdrawal, could be due to an action of ethanol or its metabolites on primordial leukopoietic cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Legal Medicine, Medical Ethics, and Social/Labor Medicine, Medical College, University of São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Gattás
authors.forename: P H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Saldanha
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000235:genetics* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations / Q000235:genetics*; D004260:DNA Repair / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013695:Temperance