title: A combination of micronucleus assay and fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis to evaluate the genotoxicity of formaldehyde.
abstract: A genotoxic effect of formaldehyde (FA), particularly micronucleus (MN) induction, has been shown in several previous studies. The aim of the present study was to assess the frequency of micronuclei and to identify the type of chromosomal damage in Tunisian staff members working in the Pathologic Anatomy Laboratory of Farhat Hached hospital (Sousse, Tunisia) who were exposed to FA. Assessment of chromosomal damage was performed in peripheral lymphocytes of 31 FA-exposed employees compared with 31 control employees working in the administrative department of the same hospital. The clastogenic/aneugenic effect of FA was evaluated using the standard MN assay in combination with fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) using pan-centromeric probes. The mean level of exposure to FA was 3.4 ppm. The results showed a significant increase of MN frequency in lymphocytes of exposed workers compared with the control group (25.35 ± 6.28 ‰ vs. 7.08  ± 4.62 ‰, p < 0.05). As assessed by FISH, the frequency of centromeric micronuclei (C+MN) was greater in exposed subjects than in controls (18.38 ± 5.94 ‰ vs. 5.03 ± 3.64 ‰). Among the C+MN, the frequency of MN containing one centromere (C1+MN) was significantly greater in pathologists and anatomists than in controls (15.35 ± 6.0 ‰ vs. 3.33 ± 2.74 ‰, p < 0.05). The results showed an effect of sex and time of FA exposure with significantly increased frequencies of all end points measuring aneuploidy (C+MN, C1+MN, and Cx+MN [more then one MN]). The increased frequency of C1+MN observed in the exposed group may suggest a slight aneugenic effect of FA exposure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cytogenetic and Reproductive Biology, Farhat Hached University Teaching Hospital, Ibn EL JAZZAR Street, 4000 Sousse, Tunisia. sana_bouraoui@yahoo.fr
authors.forename: Sana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bouraoui
authors.forename: Soumaya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mougou
authors.forename: Aicha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brahem
authors.forename: Faten
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tabka
authors.forename: Hela
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ben Khelifa
authors.forename: Imed
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Harrabi
authors.forename: Najib
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mrizek
authors.forename: Hatem
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Elghezal
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saad
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D004249:DNA Damage; D005260:Female; D005557:Formaldehyde / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D006801:Humans; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D008297:Male; D015162:Micronucleus Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D009153:Mutagens / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018570:Risk Assessment
chemical_list: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D009153:Mutagens; D005557:Formaldehyde