title: Biomonitoring with the comet assay of Greek greenhouse workers exposed to pesticides.
abstract: The pesticides in use in Greek greenhouses include a number of agents known to be mutagens and carcinogens. In the present study, we evaluated whether occupational exposure of agricultural workers to a complex mixture of pesticides resulted in a significant increase in DNA damage in human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs). A total of 116 healthy individuals were divided into groups based on exposure to pesticides, smoking status, and gender. Alkaline comet assays performed on PBLs from these individuals indicated no statistically significant differences in basal DNA damage between the study groups. In addition, exposure of PBLs to a dose of hydrogen peroxide led to a similar degree of DNA damage and subsequent repair for all the study populations. The results of the study indicate that the agricultural workers who participated in this study had no detectable increase in DNA damage or alteration in the cellular response to DNA damage.
authors.affiliation: DNA Repair Lab, Institute of Biology, National Center for Scientific Research Demokritos, Athens, Greece. piper@mail.demokritos.gr
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Piperakis
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Petrakou
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tsilimigaki
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sagnou
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Monogiudis
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Haniotakis
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Karkaseli
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sarikaki
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D020552:Comet Assay; D004249:DNA Damage; D004260:DNA Repair; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece; D006801:Humans; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000494:pharmacology; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D016877:Oxidants / Q000494:pharmacology; D010575:Pesticides / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D016877:Oxidants; D010575:Pesticides; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide