title: Modulatory role of GSTM1 null genotype on the frequency of micronuclei in pesticide-exposed agricultural workers.
abstract: In this study, we aimed to investigate the extent of genotoxic risk and the association between null GSTM1/GSTT1 and GSTP1 Ile105Val variants and cellular DNA damage, as measured by micronucleus (MN) assay in a group of agricultural workers from Denizli, Turkey. Peripheral blood samples were collected from 116 subjects, including 58 workers who were occupationally exposed to pesticides and 58 healthy unexposed controls. The MN frequencies of each individual were assessed by cytokinesis-blocked micronuclei assays on lymphocytes. Genotypes for different GST variants were determined using polymerase chain reaction-based methods. A significant 3.4-fold increase in MN frequency was observed in workers compared with the controls (p < 0.001). Among the GST genotypes, only the GSTM1 null genotype was found to be significantly associated with an increased MN frequency in workers (p = 0.01). Individuals with a concomitant null GSTM1/GSTT1 genotype demonstrated a significant (p = 0.01) increase in MN frequency compared with those with functional isozymes in the exposed worker group. The association of the GSTM1 null genotype with higher MN frequency suggests that it may be a modifier of genotoxic risk in individuals exposed to pesticides and may thus be a candidate susceptibility biomarker for human biomonitoring studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Çanakkale, Turkey tumertb@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Tugba Boyunegmez
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Tumer
authors.affiliation: Graduate Program of Biology, Institute of Natural and Applied Sciences, Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Çanakkale, Turkey.
authors.forename: Seda
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Savranoglu
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Pamukkale University, Denizli, Turkey.
authors.forename: Pelin
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Atmaca
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Pamukkale University, Denizli, Turkey.
authors.forename: Gulsum
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Terzioglu
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Pamukkale University, Denizli, Turkey.
authors.forename: Alaattin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sen
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Pamukkale University, Denizli, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sevki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arslan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004249:DNA Damage; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D000067565:Farmers; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D005819:Genetic Markers; D005838:Genotype; D060005:Genotyping Techniques; D051549:Glutathione S-Transferase pi / Q000235:genetics; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D015162:Micronucleus Tests; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010575:Pesticides / Q000097:blood / Q000633:toxicity*; D014421:Turkey; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D005819:Genetic Markers; D051549:Glutathione S-Transferase pi; D005982:Glutathione Transferase; D010575:Pesticides; C413545:glutathione S-transferase T1; C496556:GSTP1 protein, human
keywords: Agricultural workers; GSTs; MN frequency; pesticide; polymorphisms