TY - JOUR
T1 - Biomonitoring a human population inhabiting nearby a deactivated uranium mine
AU - Lourenço, J
AU - Pereira, R
AU - Pinto, F
AU - Caetano, T
AU - Silva, A
AU - Carvalheiro, T
AU - Guimarães, A
AU - Gonçalves, F
AU - Paiva, A
AU - Mendo, S
N1 - Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
PY - 2013/3/8
Y1 - 2013/3/8
N2 - Environmental exposure to uranium and its daughter radionuclides, has been linked to several negative effects such as those related with important physiological processes, like hematopoiesis, and may also be associated with genotoxicity effects. Herein, genotoxic effects, immunotoxicity, trace elements and C reactive protein (CRP) analyses, were performed in peripheral blood samples collected from individuals of a population living near a deactivated uranium mine. C reactive protein analysis was performed to exclude candidates with active inflammatory processes from further evaluations. DNA damage and immunotoxicity (immunophenotyping and immune cell counts) were evaluated by comet assay and flow cytometry, respectively. Significant DNA damage was observed in the peripheral blood samples from volunteers living in the Cunha Baixa village. A significant decrease of NK and T lymphocytes counts were observed in the individuals from the Cunha Baixa village, when compared with individuals from the reference site. Uranium and manganese levels were significantly higher in the Cunha Baixa village inhabitants. On the other hand, zinc levels were significantly lower in those individuals when compared with the volunteers from the control village. Results suggest that inhabitants from Cunha Baixa have a higher risk of suffering from serious diseases such as cancer, since high DNA damages were observed in peripheral blood leukocytes and also decreased levels of NK and T cells, which play an essential role in the defense against tumor growth.
AB - Environmental exposure to uranium and its daughter radionuclides, has been linked to several negative effects such as those related with important physiological processes, like hematopoiesis, and may also be associated with genotoxicity effects. Herein, genotoxic effects, immunotoxicity, trace elements and C reactive protein (CRP) analyses, were performed in peripheral blood samples collected from individuals of a population living near a deactivated uranium mine. C reactive protein analysis was performed to exclude candidates with active inflammatory processes from further evaluations. DNA damage and immunotoxicity (immunophenotyping and immune cell counts) were evaluated by comet assay and flow cytometry, respectively. Significant DNA damage was observed in the peripheral blood samples from volunteers living in the Cunha Baixa village. A significant decrease of NK and T lymphocytes counts were observed in the individuals from the Cunha Baixa village, when compared with individuals from the reference site. Uranium and manganese levels were significantly higher in the Cunha Baixa village inhabitants. On the other hand, zinc levels were significantly lower in those individuals when compared with the volunteers from the control village. Results suggest that inhabitants from Cunha Baixa have a higher risk of suffering from serious diseases such as cancer, since high DNA damages were observed in peripheral blood leukocytes and also decreased levels of NK and T cells, which play an essential role in the defense against tumor growth.
KW - Adolescent
KW - Adult
KW - Aged
KW - Aged, 80 and over
KW - C-Reactive Protein/metabolism
KW - Cell Count
KW - Comet Assay
KW - DNA Breaks/drug effects
KW - DNA Damage
KW - Dendritic Cells/immunology
KW - Environmental Exposure
KW - Environmental Monitoring
KW - Female
KW - Humans
KW - Immunity/radiation effects
KW - Immunity, Cellular/radiation effects
KW - Industrial Waste/adverse effects
KW - Inflammation/epidemiology
KW - Leukocyte Count
KW - Leukocytes/immunology
KW - Lymphocyte Count
KW - Male
KW - Middle Aged
KW - Mining
KW - Phenotype
KW - Radioactive Pollutants/adverse effects
KW - Trace Elements/analysis
KW - Uranium/adverse effects
KW - Young Adult
U2 - 10.1016/j.tox.2013.01.011
DO - 10.1016/j.tox.2013.01.011
M3 - Article
C2 - 23370006
VL - 305
SP - 89
EP - 98
JO - Toxicology
JF - Toxicology
SN - 0300-483X
ER -