Comet assay genotoxicity evaluation of occupationally exposed tea-garden workers in northern West Bengal, India

Publication date: Available online 18 June 2019Source: Mutation Research/Genetic Toxicology and Environmental MutagenesisAuthor(s): Susmita Dutta, Min BahadurAbstractTo assess possible genotoxic effects of pesticide exposure in occupationally exposed tea-garden workers, DNA damage in peripheral blood lymphocytes was evaluated with the comet assay. The effects of smoking and alcohol consumption were also examined. The comet tail length, % tail DNA, and Olive tail moment were significantly higher in pesticide-exposed workers compared to non-exposed controls. None of the damage parameters differed when control smokers and control alcohol consumers were compared with controls. However, pesticide-exposed individuals had significantly higher comet tail length, % tail DNA, and Olive tail moment than control smokers and control alcohol consumers, suggesting that the DNA damage may be associated with pesticide exposure.
Source: Mutation Research Genetic Toxicology and Environmental Mutagenesis - Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Source Type: research