[The investigation of DNA double-strand breaks of lymphocytes in workers exposed to lead and DNA double-strand breaks of human lymphocytes induced by lead in vitro].
OBJECTIVE
To study DNA double-strand breaks of human peripheral lymphocytes exposed to lead with flow cytometry (FCM).


METHODS
The lymphocytes were obtained from 36 workers occupationally exposed to lead and 70 residents without occupational exposure to lead. DNA double-strand breaks were detected by flow cytometer assay. The lymphocytes from health people were incubated with lead at different doses and time, FCM assay was used to detect DNA double-strand breaks.


RESULTS
DNA double-strand breaks and fluorescence intensity of high exposed group and low exposed group were 41.76% ± 28.57%, 9.90 ± 3.35 and 33.18% ± 30.64%, 9.39 ± 4.83, respectively, which were significantly higher than those (0.28% ± 0.28% and 6.95 ± 2.93) of control group (P<0.05). The results of in vitro experiment indicated that DNA double-strand breaks of lymphocytes exposed to Pb at the dose of 125.0, 250.0, 500.0 µmol/L for 1 and 2 h were significantly different from those of the negative control group and positive control group (P<0.01). DNA double-strand breaks increased at beginning and then decreased with lead doses.


CONCLUSIONS
Lead can induce DNA double-strand breaks, γH2AX detected using flow cytometer assay can be used to measure the DSBs of DNA in large samples.
Medical School, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
Ming-jin
MJ
Luo
Xiao-jun
XJ
Hu
Chen
C
Li
Jun
J
Yang
Jing
J
Wang
D000328:Adult; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D053903:DNA Breaks, Double-Stranded; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007854:Lead / Q000633:toxicity*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D016273:Occupational Exposure
D007854:Lead