Biomonitoring of agricultural workers exposed to pesticide mixtures in Guerrero state, Mexico, with comet assay and micronucleus test

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the genotoxic effect of pesticides in exfoliated buccal cells of workers occupationally exposed in Guerrero, Mexico, using the comet assay and the micronucleus test. The study compared 111 agricultural workers in three rural communities (Arcelia 62, Ajuchitlan 13, and Tlapehuala 36), with 60 non-exposed individuals. All the participants were males. The presence of DNA damage was investigated in the exfoliated buccal cells of study participants with the comet assay and the micronucleus (MN) test; comet tail length was evaluated in 100 nuclei and 3000 epithelial cells of each individual, respectively; other nuclear anomalies such as nuclear buds, karyolysis, karyorrhexis, and binucleate cells were also evaluated. Study results revealed that the tail migration of DNA and the frequency of MN increased significantly in the exposed group, which also showed nuclear anomalies associated with cytotoxic or genotoxic effect. No positive correlation was noted between exposure time and tail length and micronuclei frequencies. No significant effect on genetic damage was observed as a result of age, smoking, and alcohol consumption. The MN and comet assay in exfoliated buccal cells are useful and minimally invasive methods for monitoring genetic damage in individuals exposed to pesticides. This study provided valuable data for establishing the possible risk to human health associated with pesticide exposure.

Genetics and metabolic deregulation following cancer initiation: A world to explore

“…For this reason, mutagen identification has been explored [13][14][15][16], since to avoid the long term exposure to these mutagens can be considered a protective method against cancer. Currently, it is known that several drugs [16][17][18], organic [19][20][21][22] and inorganic chemical compounds [23,24] and biological agents, including viruses [12,[25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33] are able to induce DNA damage.…”

Assessment of DNA damages in lymphocytes of agricultural workers exposed to pesticides by comet assay in a cross-sectional study

“…Agricultural workers involved in tobacco collection are regularly exposed to large quantities of pesticides; Alves et al (2016) demonstrated, through the comet assay and micronucleus test, that genetic damage and changes in oxidative balance were induced by workers' exposure to complex mixtures of pesticides in the presence of inorganic compounds. DNA damage was investigated in the exfoliated buccal cells of workers exposed to pesticides in Guerrero, Mexico, using the comet assay and the micronucleus test: the results of the study revealed that DNA migration in the tail and the frequency of micronuclei increased significantly in the exposed group (Carbajal-L opez et al 2016). Paddy farm workers chronically exposed to mixtures of organophosphates reported a significant increase in DNA damage, as assessed by measuring comet tail length in the exfoliated buccal mucosa (How et al 2015).…”

Comet Assay on Toxicogenetics; Several Studies in Recent Years on Several Genotoxicological Agents

“…The damage frequency, damage index, the MN frequency, and the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity were elevated in pesticides exposed agricultural workers than the unexposed group [14]. Another study on genotoxic effect of pesticides led by Carbajal-Lopez, Gomez-Arroyo et al, in Guerrero, Mexico using the comet assay and the micronucleus test in exfoliated buccal cells demonstrated that the tail migration of DNA and the frequency of MN increased significantly in the exposed group, which also nuclear anomalies associated [35]. Employing human hepatoma cell lines (HepG2) Cabral-de-Mello et al, assessed the genotoxic effect of two pesticides (the imidacloprid, sulfentrazone) alone and mixed, they employee comet assay, micronucleus (MN) test, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) abd Salmonella/microsome assay as a mutagenicity test.…”