title: Evaluation of chromosomal aberrations caused by air pollutants in some taxi drivers from two polluted districts of urban Tehran and its comparison with drivers from rural areas of Lahijan: a pilot study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chromosome instability is the most common form of genomic instability. Genomic instability can lead to tumorogenesis. High level of chromosomal aberrations in peripheral blood lymphocytes can be used as a biomarker for cancer. Air pollution is one of the most important factors that cause chromosomal instability (CIN). In this comparative study we used classic Cytogenetic technique to analyze the effects of air pollutants on chromosome stability. We collected peripheral blood from 30 taxi drivers of two polluted districts (districts 6 and 7) in Tehran and 30 taxi drivers from rural areas of Lahijan, north of Iran.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Comparison of the level of chromosome breakage in the two groups showed an increased level of chromosome breakage in the drivers from polluted districts of Tehran, although not significant, using Fisher exact test (p-value = 0.300). However, the overall chromosome aberration rate (including both chromosome and chromatid gaps), the difference was significant using Chi-square test (p-value = 0.012).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An increased level of chromosome aberration was present in the drivers from polluted districts of Tehran compared to drivers from non-polluted areas in Lahijan.
authors.affiliation: Genetics Research Center, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Taghizadeh
authors.affiliation: Genetics Research Center, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Hossein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Najmabadi
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, School of Public Health, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran.
authors.forename: Koorosh
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kamali
authors.affiliation: Genetics Research Center, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Farkhondeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Behjati
keywords: Air pollution; Chromosome aberration; Lahijan; Taxi drivers; Tehran