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Assessment of genotoxic and humoral immune system alterations in silica exposed workers from pottery industries in South India

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Abstract

Chemicals, especially silica, have been suspected to cause genetic alterations in pottery industry workers. The present study aims to analyze the frequency of chromosomal aberrations (CA), micronucleus (MN) and DNA damage (comet assay) in the peripheral blood lymphocytes and the immunological alterations workers chronically exposed to silica and in control subjects. In our study, 50 silica exposed workers and 35 control subjects were recruited and silica level was measured by respirable dust and respirable quartz concentrations of badge dosimeter. The serum immunoglobulins (IgM, IgG, and IgA) of all the subjects were measured by using ELISA method. The individuals exposed to silica have a significant increase in the frequency of CA, MN and the total DNA damage (p < 0.05). Immunoglobulin elevation on silica exposed workers was statistically significant (p < 0.05) on comparison with their respective controls. Investigation of the smoking and alcohol habitats coupled with silica exposure in exposed and control subjects represents alcohol consumption and smoking as additional risk factors and must be avoided. Multiple linear regression analysis obtained for CA, MN and comet assay confirm these tests as biomarkers for silica exposed pottery workers. Some confounding factors also showed significant influence on exposed subjects. These results indicate the mutagenic risk in the working environment has a high probability of association with the silica dust exposure in pottery industries. Nevertheless, the present study will create awareness and public concern not only among the silica exposed workers but also to the welfare of their progeny.

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Abbreviations

CA:

Chromosomal abnormalities

MN:

Micronucleus

Group I:

Below and equal 40 years and below and equal 13 years working duration

Group II:

Above 40 years and above 13 years working duration

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to the Human Molecular Genetics laboratory, Department of Zoology, School of life sciences, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India for supporting this study and providing technical facilities for the work and also thank the subjects who voluntarily take part in this study.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

The studies were approved by the local ethics committees.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Human Molecular Genetics Laboratory, Department of Zoology, School of Life Sciences, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, 46, Tamil Nadu, India

    Balasubramanian Balamuralikrishnan, Vellingiri Balachandar, Mohana Devi Subramaniam, Karthick Kumar Alagumuthu, Shanmugam Sureshkumar, Meyyazhagan Arun, Sundaramoorthy Arun, Krishnan Padmavathi, Abdul Hakkim Razeena, Mohan Gomathi & Keshavarao Sasikala

  2. Research & Development, Selvam Educational Institution, Namakkal, India

    Palanivel Velmurugan

  3. Department of Zoology, K.L.E’s. S. Nijalingappa College, KLE Medical University (Health), Bangalore, Karnataka, 560010, India

    Shahnaz N. Dharwadkar

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  1. Balasubramanian Balamuralikrishnan
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  2. Vellingiri Balachandar
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  3. Mohana Devi Subramaniam
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  4. Karthick Kumar Alagumuthu
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  5. Shanmugam Sureshkumar
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  6. Meyyazhagan Arun
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  7. Sundaramoorthy Arun
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  8. Krishnan Padmavathi
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  9. Abdul Hakkim Razeena
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  13. Keshavarao Sasikala
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Correspondence to Balasubramanian Balamuralikrishnan or Vellingiri Balachandar.

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Balamuralikrishnan, B., Balachandar, V., Subramaniam, M.D. et al. Assessment of genotoxic and humoral immune system alterations in silica exposed workers from pottery industries in South India. Stoch Environ Res Risk Assess 28, 1801–1814 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00477-013-0843-6

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