Mônica Valeria Marquezini
University of São Paulo Medical School, Brazil
Title: Sao Paulo workers exposed to air pollution: Evaluation of genotoxicity
Biography
Biography: Mônica Valeria Marquezini
Abstract
The goal of this study was to evaluate the genotoxic effects of air pollution (PM2.5) on exposed individuals, from Sao Paulo City. The study involved 58 male workers of two different exposition groups: 1) 26 taxi drivers (TD) and 17 traffic controllers (TC), high exposure and 2) 15 workers from the Forest Institute (FI), low exposure. Each voluntary used a Personal Environmental Monitoring Sampler to collect PM2.5 particles mass. The sampler were operated continuously at 4-LPM over 24-hours. Particles were collected on a polycarbonate membrane filter (37 mm diameter). The frequency of Micronuclei (MN) in buccal exfoliated cells and peripheral blood lymphocytes were determined. The average the MN in lymphocytes and buccal exfoliated cells was significantly higher on group 1 (PM2.5 p < 0.001). There is a significant correlation between MN measured in xfoliated cells and in lymphocytes (correlation coefficient of 0.80; p<0.001). So the determination of MN buccal exfoliated cells is as efficient as the determination of MN in lymphocytes, a classic biomarker for the assessment of genotoxicity. Our results have shown that individuals exposed to the highest concentrations of PM2.5 have a higher level of micronucleus. However, we found in our study some individuals that even exposed to lower concentrations of pollutants, showed higher levels of micronuclei which allowed us to identify them as individuals more susceptible to PM2.5. Thus, in order to understand this susceptibility, the methylation study of genes promoters related to inflammatory response, will be carried trough in these individuals.