Cytogenetic analysis of residents of North Ossetia contacting with toxic factors

Background. The use of cytogenetic assays in the surveillance of populations occupationally exposed to a variety of xenobiotics originates from the assumption that chromosomal alterations might be causally involved in early stages of carcinogenesis. Materials and methods. This study was designed to assess genotoxic damage in somatic cells of workers contacting with harmful factors after the accident in metallurgical plant. The study was conducted on 29 workers (with the mean age of 44 ± 2.5) performing various jobs with harmful factors. Control group was recruited from occupationally unexposed individuals and comprised 18 persons with the mean age of 30 ± 2.2 and inplant control was 5 employees from metallurgical plant (accountants) with the mean age of 32 ± 5.9. Chromosome aberration analysis was performed on peripheral blood lymphocytes, cultures were incubated for 48h. Results. Among the residents with occupational hazards, a statistically significant increase of the frequency of the cells with chromosome aberrations in comparison with the control group (5.2 ± 0.3 and 2.4 ± 0.3, respectively). The highest frequency of cells with structural abnormalities was observed among steel plant workers (6.3 ± 0.6). Conclusion. Our findings suggest that in peripheral blood lymphocytes of residents contacting with harmful factors may induce clastogenic effects, indicating a potential health risk in populations of workers. A high average frequency of metaphases with aberrations and characterization of quality spectrum of cytogenetically violations is an indication of adverse environmental conditions which have developed after the accident.

chromosomal aberrations, clastogenesis, mutagenesis, risk factors, heavy metals