Pasquini R, Scassellati-Sforzolini G, Angeli G, Fatigoni C, Monarca S, Beneventi L, DiGiulio A M, Bauleo F A
Department of Hygiene, University of Perugia, Italy.
J Environ Pathol Toxicol Oncol. 1996;15(1):29-39.
The frequency of sister chromatid exchanges (SCE) and micronuclei in peripheral blood lymphocytes was evaluated in 48 agricultural workers and 50 control subjects living in central Italy. No difference in SCE frequency was found between the control and the exposed populations with respect to age, smoking habits, and duration of exposure, although smokers, both farmers and controls, had a higher SCE frequency than nonsmokers. However, the comparison of proliferative rate index values found in the two groups revealed a significant decrease in the activation capability of lymphocytes in the pesticide-exposed workers, probably related to the toxic properties of chemicals to which the farmers were exposed. On the contrary, the analysis of micronuclei frequency indicated that there were differences between the exposed and control subjects with respect to smoking habits, age, and duration of exposure. Our results indicate that, in the study population occupationally exposed to a complex mixture, including insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides, there is clear, although slight, evidence of clastogenic activity in peripheral blood lymphocytes but no corresponding effects on SCE induction. Moreover, our data show clear evidence of cell proliferation delay relatable to chemical compounds used in agriculture.
对居住在意大利中部的48名农业工人和50名对照者外周血淋巴细胞中的姐妹染色单体交换（SCE）频率和微核进行了评估。在对照人群和暴露人群之间，就年龄、吸烟习惯和暴露时长而言，未发现SCE频率存在差异，不过，无论是农民还是对照者中的吸烟者，其SCE频率均高于不吸烟者。然而，两组中增殖率指数值的比较显示，农药暴露工人淋巴细胞的激活能力显著下降，这可能与农民所接触化学物质的毒性特性有关。相反，微核频率分析表明，暴露组和对照组在吸烟习惯、年龄和暴露时长方面存在差异。我们的结果表明，在职业性暴露于包括杀虫剂、杀菌剂和除草剂在内的复杂混合物的研究人群中，虽然外周血淋巴细胞中有明显但轻微的致断裂活性证据，但对SCE诱导没有相应影响。此外，我们的数据显示出与农业中使用的化合物相关的细胞增殖延迟的明确证据。
