RESUMO
Genetic instability plays a crucial role in cancer development. The genetic stability of the cell as well as DNA methylation status could be modulated by folate levels. Several studies suggested associations between polymorphisms in folate genes and alterations in protein expression and variations in serum levels of the folate. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of folate pathway polymorphisms on modulating genetic instability and lung cancer risk. Genotyping of 5 SNPs in folate pathway genes and cytokinesis-blocked micronucleus cytome assay analysis (to determine the genetic instability at baseline and following NNK treatment) was conducted on 180 lung cancer cases and 180 age-, gender-, and smoking-matched controls. Our results showed that individually, folate pathway SNPs were not associated with cytogenetic damage or lung cancer risk. However, in a polygenic disease such as lung cancer, gene-gene interactions are expected to play an important role in determining the phenotypic variability of the diseases. We observed that interactions between MTHFR677, MTHFR1298, and SHMT polymorphisms may have a significant impact on genetic instability in lung cancer patients. With regard to cytogenetic alterations, our results showed that lymphocytes from lung cancer patients exposed to the tobacco-specific carcinogen 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone [NNK] had considerably increased frequency of cytogenetic damage in presence of MTHFR 677, MTHFR 1298, and SHMT allelic variants. These findings support the notion that significant interactions may potentially modulate the lung cancer susceptibility and alter the overall the repair abilities of lung cancer patients when exposed to tobacco carcinogens such as NNK.
Assuntos
Ácido Fólico/genética , Ácido Fólico/metabolismo , Neoplasias Pulmonares/genética , Neoplasias Pulmonares/metabolismo , Idoso , Estudos de Casos e Controles , Feminino , Ferredoxina-NADP Redutase/genética , Redes Reguladoras de Genes , Predisposição Genética para Doença , Instabilidade Genômica , Glicina Hidroximetiltransferase/genética , Glicina Hidroximetiltransferase/metabolismo , Humanos , Desequilíbrio de Ligação , Neoplasias Pulmonares/enzimologia , Masculino , Redes e Vias Metabólicas/genética , Metilenotetra-Hidrofolato Redutase (NADPH2)/genética , Metilenotetra-Hidrofolato Redutase (NADPH2)/metabolismo , Testes para Micronúcleos , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Razão de Chances , Fenótipo , Polimorfismo de Nucleotídeo Único , Análise de Regressão , Células Tumorais CultivadasRESUMO
Lindane is a chlorinated hydrocarbon pesticide, currently used in prescription shampoos and lotions to treat scabies and lice infestations. Lindane is known to be nephrotoxic; however, the mechanism of action is not well understood. In other organ systems, lindane produces cellular damage by generation of free radicals and oxidative stress. Morphological changes were observed in lindane-treated Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells indicative of apoptosis. Lindane treatment induced time-dependent reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. Onset of ROS generation correlated with an initial increase in total glutathione (GSH) levels above control values, with a subsequent decline in a time-dependent manner. This decline may be attributed to quenching of free radicals by GSH, thereby decreasing the cellular stores of this antioxidant. Necrotic injury was assessed by measuring lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) leakage from the cell after lindane exposure. No significant LDH leakage was noted for all concentrations tested over time. Generation of ROS and alterations in cellular protective mechanisms did not result in necrotic injury in MDCK cells, which corresponds with our morphological findings of lindane-induced apoptotic changes as opposed to necrosis in MDCK cells. Thus, lindane exposure results in oxidative damage and alterations in antioxidant response in renal distal tubule cells, followed by cell death not attributed to necrotic injury.