[Investigating genetic damage of workers occupationally exposed to methotrexate].
OBJECTIVE
To study genetic damage of workers alone occupationally exposed to methotrexate (MTX) with three end-points.


METHODS
The blood samples from 21 workers exposed to MTX and 21 controls were detected with micronucleus test, comet assay, hprt gene mutation test and TCR gene mutation test.


RESULTS
The mean micronuclei rate (MNR) and mean micronucleated cells rate (MCR) in 21 workers were 10.10 per thousand +/- 0.95 per thousand and 8.05 per thousand +/- 0.75 per thousand, respectively, which were significantly higher than those (5.48 per thousand +/- 0.82 per thousand and 4.38 per thousand +/- 0.58 per thousand) in control (P < 0.01). The mean tail length (MTL) of 21 workers and 21 controls were (1.30 +/- 0.06) microm and (0.07 +/- 0.01) microm, respectively, there was significant difference between workers and controls (P < 0.01). But the difference between workers and controls for mean tail moment (MTM) was not significant (P > 0.05). The average mutation frequency (Mf-hprt) of hprt and (Mf-TCR) of TCR in workers were 1.00 per thousand +/- 0.02 per thousand and (6.87 +/- 0.52) x 10(-4), respectively, which were significantly higher than those [0.86 per thousand +/- 0.01 per thousand and (1.67 +/- 0.14) x 10(-4)] in control (P < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
The genetic damage to some extent appeared in workers occupationally exposed to methotrexate.
Deng
Hong-ping
HP
Istitute of Occupational and Enviromental Health, Medical College, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310006, China.
Zhang
Yun-tao
YT
He
Ji-liang
JL
Zhang
Mei-bian
MB
Jin
Li-fen
LF
Zheng
Wei
W
Lou
Jian-lin
JL
Wang
Bao-hong
BH
D000328:Adult; D020552:Comet Assay; D004249:DNA Damage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007041:Hypoxanthine Phosphoribosyltransferase / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000633:toxicity*; D015162:Micronucleus Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation; D016273:Occupational Exposure
D007041:Hypoxanthine Phosphoribosyltransferase; D008727:Methotrexate