title: DNA damage and cholinesterase activity in occupational workers exposed to pesticides.
abstract: The present study was designed to evaluate genotoxicity, acetyl cholinesterase (AChE) activity, hepatic and renal toxicity in occupational workers exposed to mixture of pesticides (n=70) with same number of healthy subjects as controls. The mean comet tail DNA % (TD %) and tail moment (TM) were used to measure DNA damage, while AChE activity and other biochemical parameters such as markers of nephrotoxicity (urea and creatinine) and hepatotoxicity (AST, ALT and ALP) were measured as biomarkers for toxicity due to exposure of pesticides. The occupational workers were continuously exposed to mixture of pirimiphos methyl, chlorpyrifos, temephos and malathion on a regular interval as per usage and activity. The comet assay using lymphocytes of exposed workers showed significantly higher TD percentage value (60.43% vs. 31.86%, p<0.001) and TM value (14.48 μm vs. 6.42 μm, p<0.001) in occupational workers as compared to controls. AChE activity in erythrocytes was found to be decreased (3.45 KAU/L vs. 9.55 KAU/L in controls, p<0.001) and associated with the duration of exposure to pesticides used by the workers. Enzyme levels for hepatic and renal functions were also found significantly different in occupational workers than healthy controls (p<0.001). These results suggest that the exposure to mixture of pirimiphos methyl, chlorpyrifos, temephos and malathion may induce DNA damage, decrease in AChE activity, hepatotoxicity as well as nephrotoxicity. Periodic biomonitoring of these biomarkers along with imparting education and training to occupational workers for safe application of pesticides is recommended for its potential hazards.
authors.affiliation: Division of Biochemistry & Biotechnology, National Centre for Disease Control (Formerly NICD), 22, Sham Nath Marg, Delhi 110054, India.
authors.forename: Satyender
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Vivek
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Sachin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Thakur
authors.forename: Basu Dev
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Banerjee
authors.forename: Sudhir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chandna
authors.forename: Rajender Singh
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Rautela
authors.forename: Shyam Sunder
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Grover
authors.forename: Devendra Singh
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Rawat
authors.forename: Syed Tazeen
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Pasha
authors.forename: Sudhir Kumar
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Jain
authors.forename: Rattan Lal
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Ichhpujani
authors.forename: Arvind
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rai
mesh_terms: D000110:Acetylcholinesterase / Q000097:blood*; D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000097:blood; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D020552:Comet Assay; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D004249:DNA Damage; D004522:Educational Status; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009943:Organophosphorus Compounds / Q000633:toxicity*; D010575:Pesticides / Q000633:toxicity*; D011482:Protective Devices; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis; D014508:Urea / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D009943:Organophosphorus Compounds; D010575:Pesticides; D012709:Serum Albumin; D014508:Urea; D003404:Creatinine; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D000110:Acetylcholinesterase; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase