Ferrea Linda, Durando Paolo, Dini Guglielmo, Montecucco Alfredo, Rahmani Alborz, D'Agostini Francesco, La Maestra Sebastiano
Department of Health Sciences (DISSAL), University of Genoa, Via A. Pastore 1, 16132, Genoa, Italy.
Occupational Medicine Unit, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy.
Arch Toxicol. 2025 Sep 1. doi: 10.1007/s00204-025-04161-6.
Occupational exposure to air pollutants poses a serious health concern for workers, particularly due to potential genotoxic effects. The micronucleus (MN) test is widely recognized as a reliable biomarker of early genetic damage. Although commonly applied to lymphocytes or buccal epithelial cells, the nasal mucosa, being the first site of contact for inhaled toxicants, has received relatively limited attention. This review aims to evaluate the scientific literature on the use of MN in exfoliated nasal epithelial cells as a biomarker of early genotoxic effects in workers exposed to air pollutants. We conducted a comprehensive literature search using PubMed and gray literature sources. Seventeen studies were identified that examined the frequency of MN in nasal cells of exposed workers, with or without comparison with other biomarkers, such as buccal or blood cells. Most studies have reported a significant increase in MN frequency in nasal cells following exposure to substances, such as FA, heavy metals, wood dust, and industrial chemicals. In some cases, nasal MNs appeared more sensitive than other cellular targets. However, data heterogeneity, lack of standardized protocols, and limited control for confounding factors (e.g., smoking, diet) hinder in-depth comparisons and meta-analyses. Nasal MN testing offers a promising, non-invasive tool for biomonitoring genotoxic exposure in occupational settings. However, further research is needed to develop standardized protocols, control for confounding factors, and clarify the relationship between MN frequency, exposure characteristics, and other biomarkers of effect.
职业性接触空气污染物对工人的健康构成严重威胁，尤其是潜在的基因毒性影响。微核（MN）试验被广泛认为是早期遗传损伤的可靠生物标志物。虽然MN试验通常应用于淋巴细胞或颊黏膜上皮细胞，但作为吸入毒物的首个接触部位，鼻黏膜受到的关注相对较少。本综述旨在评估关于将脱落鼻上皮细胞中的MN用作接触空气污染物工人早期基因毒性影响生物标志物的科学文献。我们使用PubMed和灰色文献来源进行了全面的文献检索。共确定了17项研究，这些研究检测了接触工人鼻细胞中MN的频率，有的还与其他生物标志物（如颊细胞或血细胞）进行了比较。大多数研究报告称，接触甲醛、重金属、木尘和工业化学品等物质后，鼻细胞中的MN频率显著增加。在某些情况下，鼻微核似乎比其他细胞靶点更敏感。然而，数据异质性、缺乏标准化方案以及对混杂因素（如吸烟、饮食）的控制有限，阻碍了深入比较和荟萃分析。鼻微核检测为职业环境中的基因毒性接触生物监测提供了一种有前景的非侵入性工具。然而，需要进一步研究来制定标准化方案、控制混杂因素，并阐明MN频率、接触特征和其他效应生物标志物之间的关系。
