Inhalative exposure to vanadium pentoxide causes DNA damage in workers: results of a multiple end point study.
BACKGROUND
Inhalative exposure to vanadium pentoxide (V(2)O(5)) causes lung cancer in rodents.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of the study was to investigate the impact of V(2)O(5) on DNA stability in workers from a V(2)O(5) factory.


METHODS
We determined DNA strand breaks in leukocytes of 52 workers and controls using the alkaline comet assay. We also investigated different parameters of chromosomal instability in lymphocytes of 23 workers and 24 controls using the cytokinesis-block micronucleus (MN) cytome method.


RESULTS
Seven of eight biomarkers were increased in blood cells of the workers, and vanadium plasma concentrations in plasma were 7-fold higher than in the controls (0.31 microg/L). We observed no difference in DNA migration under standard conditions, but we found increased tail lengths due to formation of oxidized purines (7%) and pyrimidines (30%) with lesion-specific enzymes (formamidopyrimidine glycosylase and endonuclease III) in the workers. Bleomycin-induced DNA migration was higher in the exposed group (25%), whereas the repair of bleomycin-induced lesions was reduced. Workers had a 2.5-fold higher MN frequency, and nucleoplasmic bridges (NPBs) and nuclear buds (Nbuds) were increased 7-fold and 3-fold, respectively. Also, apoptosis and necrosis rates were higher, but only the latter parameter reached statistical significance.


CONCLUSIONS
V(2)O(5) causes oxidation of DNA bases, affects DNA repair, and induces formation of MNs, NPBs, and Nbuds in blood cells, suggesting that the workers are at increased risk for cancer and other diseases that are related to DNA instability.
Ehrlich
Veronika A
VA
Institute of Cancer Research, Department of Medicine I, Medical University of Vienna, Borschkegasse 8, Vienna, Austria.
Nersesyan
Armen K
AK
Atefie
Kambis
K
Hoelzl
Christine
C
Ferk
Franziska
F
Bichler
Julia
J
Valic
Eva
E
Schaffer
Andreas
A
Schulte-Hermann
Rolf
R
Fenech
Michael
M
Wagner
Karl-Heinz
KH
Knasmüller
Siegfried
S
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004249:DNA Damage; D006801:Humans; D019570:Inhalation Exposure; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D017968:Vanadium Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*
D017968:Vanadium Compounds; C066075:vanadium pentoxide