Occupational exposure of workers to pesticides: Toxicogenetics and susceptibility gene polymorphisms.
Farm workers are often exposed to pesticides, which are products belonging to a specific chemical group that affects the health of agricultural workers and is mostly recognized as genotoxic and carcinogenic. The exposure of workers from Piauí, Brazil, to these hazardous chemicals was assessed and cytogenetic alterations were evaluated using the buccal micronucleus assay, hematological and lipid parameters, butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) activity and genetic polymorphisms of enzymes involved in the metabolism of pesticides, such as PON1, as well as of the DNA repair system (OGG1, XRCC1 and XRCC4). Two groups of farm workers exposed to different types of pesticides were evaluated and compared to matched non-exposed control groups. A significant increase was observed in the frequencies of micronuclei, kariorrhexis, karyolysis and binucleated cells in the exposed groups (n = 100) compared to controls (n = 100). No differences were detected regarding the hematological parameters, lipid profile and BChE activity. No significant difference was observed either regarding DNA damage or nuclear fragmentation when specific metabolizing and DNA repair genotypes were investigated in the exposed groups.
Laboratório de Toxicogenética, Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia do Piauí, Teresina, PI, Brazil. ; Programa de Pós-graduação em Genética e Toxicologia Aplicada, Universidade Luterana do Brazil, Canoas, RS, Brazil.
Lúcia Maria de Miranda
LM
Adad
Laboratório de Estomatologia, Hospital das Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
Heloísa Helena Rodrigues
HH
de Andrade
Programa de Pós-graduação em Genética e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
Kátia
K
Kvitko
Programa de Pós-graduação em Genética e Toxicologia Aplicada, Universidade Luterana do Brazil, Canoas, RS, Brazil. ; Programa de Pós-graduação em Biologia Celular e Molecular Aplicada à Saúde, Universidade Luterana do Brazil, Canoas, RS, Brazil.
Mauricio
M
Lehmann
Centro Universitário UNINOVAFAPI, Curso de Medicina, Teresina, PI, Brazil.
Ana Amélia de Carvalho Melo
AA
Cavalcante
Programa de Pós-graduação em Genética e Toxicologia Aplicada, Universidade Luterana do Brazil, Canoas, RS, Brazil. ; Programa de Pós-graduação em Biologia Celular e Molecular Aplicada à Saúde, Universidade Luterana do Brazil, Canoas, RS, Brazil.
Rafael Rodrigues
RR
Dihl
DNA repair genes; PON 1; buccal micronucleus test; human monitoring; pesticides