[Application of micronucleus test of buccal mucosal cells in assessing the genetic damage of workers exposed to acrylonitrile].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the application of micronucleus test of buccal mucosal cells in monitoring the genetic effect of acrylonitrile in the population exposed to the acrylonitrile. METHODS: Forty-one healthy male workers in a chemical factory in Shanghai were selected as the low concentration acrylonitrile exposed group while forty-seven healthy male workers in an acrylonitrile factory in Shanghai were selected as the intermediate concentration acrylonitrile exposed group. At the same time, thirty-one male workers who had no toxicant exposure and lived in the same community were selected as the control group. The micronucleus test in buccal mucosal cells and lymphocytes were used respectively for assessing the genetic damage status of these men. RESULTS: The rate of micronucleus in buccal mucosal cells in both acrylonitrile groups (the low concentration group: 3.68% +/- 2.72%; the intermediate concentration group: 4.00% +/- 2.38%) was significantly higher than that in the control group (2.03% +/- 2.20%) (P < 0.05). The rate of micronucleus in the intermediate concentration group (4.23% +/- 3.34%) was significantly higher than that in the control group (2.48% +/- 1.46%) (P < 0.05). There was the correlation between the micronucleus test of buccal mucosal cells and the micronucleus test of the lymphocytes in the peripheral blood in the acrylonitrile exposed population (r = 0.299-0.359, P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The micronucleus test of buccal mucosal cells replacing the micronucleus test of the lymphocytes in the peripheral blood can be used as one of the screening indexes in the surveillance of the genetic damage in the acrylonitrile exposed population.

[Effects of acrylonitrile in drinking water on monoamine neurotransmitters and its metabolites in male rat brains].

OBJECTIVES: To elucidate the possible involvement of monoamine neurotransmitters in the development of neurobehavioral damage produced by acrylonitrile in drinking water in male rat brains. METHODS: Totally 30 male SD rats were randomly divided into three groups, the control group (n = 10), low dosage group (n = 10), and high dosage group (n = 10), which were respectively administered 0 mg/L, 50 mg/L, 200 mg/L acrylonitrile (AN) in drinking water. The treatment was lasted for 12 weeks. Seven animals were randomly selected from each group for determination of monoamine neurotransmitters in striatum and cerebellum by high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detector and activities of monoamine oxidase in cortex. RESULTS: The contents of dopamine in the striatum of low and high dosage groups were decreased to (2.2 +/- 0.7) and (3.2 +/- 2.0) microg/g wet tissue, respectively, and compared with that of control group (9.0 +/- 4.2) microg/g wet tissue, the differences were statistically significant. There were no statistical differences among the contents of dopamine in the cerebellum of all rats, and the levels of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC), the major metabolite of dopamine in the cerebellum were (186 +/- 41), (245 +/- 90) and (115 +/- 65) ng/g wet tissue in the control, low and high dosage groups, respectively and in low-dosage group they were significantly higher than those in other groups. There was dosage-dependently decreasing of the contents of serotonin of striatum in the control (249 +/- 34) ng/g wet tissue, low dosage (155 +/- 95) ng/g wet tissue and high dosage groups (128 +/- 101) ng/g wet tissue. CONCLUSION: This study underlines the importance of alterations in the monoamine neurotransmitters system as a possible causative mechanism behind the behavioural and functional changes produced by acrylonitrile.

[Study on mitochondrial DNA damage in peripheral blood nucleate cells of the workers exposed to acrylonitrile].

OBJECTIVE: To study the potential aging effect on workers exposed to acrylonitrile (ACN). METHODS: The deletion rates of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in peripheral blood nucleate cells of 47 exposed workers and 47 non-exposed workers (as control), as well as 12 old people and 12 young people were measured with polymerase chain reaction (PCR). RESULTS: The positive rates of mtDNA deletion in peripheral blood nucleate cells were 17.02% in the workers exposed to ACN and 25.00% in group of old people. However, the mtDNA deletion was not detected in the control group and young people. CONCLUSIONS: ACN could induce mtDNA deletion in peripheral blood nucleate cells of the exposed workers. There may be a potential molecular effect of occupational ACN exposure on workers' aging.