title: Investigation of the genotoxic effect of pesticides on greenhouse workers' lymphocytes.
abstract: In the present study, the genotoxic effects of commonly applied pesticides were evaluated using the alkaline comet assay (pH > 13). The amount of DNA damage (% DNA in tail) in peripheral lymphocytes of 49 male agricultural workers from Southern Poland were measured and compared to 50 men from the same area who had no previous occupational exposure to pesticides. No statistically significant differences in basal DNA damage were found between the study groups. In addition, exposure of peripheral blood lymphocytes to hydrogen peroxide (100 and 150 microM) or gamma-irradiation (2.5 or 4.2 Gy) led to a similar degree of additional DNA damage and subsequent repair (for 2 hr) for all studied populations. In conclusion, our results indicate that the greenhouse workers who participated in this study had no detectable increased DNA damage or alteration in their cellular response to DNA damage in comparison to our control population.
authors.affiliation: Biology Unit, Department of Pre-School Education, Faculty of Human Sciences, University of Thessaly, Volos, Greece. piper@uth.gr
authors.forename: Stylianos M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Piperakis
authors.forename: Konstantia
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kontogianni
authors.forename: Georgia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Karanastasi
authors.forename: Zafiroula
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Iakovidou-Kritsi
authors.forename: Antonina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cebulska-Wasilewska
authors.forename: Michael M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Piperakis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000383:Agriculture; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000633:toxicity*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D020552:Comet Assay; D004249:DNA Damage; D004260:DNA Repair; D005720:Gamma Rays; D006801:Humans; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000494:pharmacology; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009153:Mutagens / Q000633:toxicity*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis; D010575:Pesticides / Q000633:toxicity*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D017132:Workplace / Q000592:standards
chemical_list: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D009153:Mutagens; D010575:Pesticides; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide