DNA and chromosomal damage in individuals occupationally exposed to coal mining residues have repeatedly been reported in lymphocytes and epithelial cells, suggesting a systemic exposure-response in which generation of oxidative damage may play a major role. Nevertheless, the understanding of this mechanism is still incomplete, particularly in regard to environmental exposures. This study aimed to evaluate DNA damage using the cytome assay (BMN-cyt) in buccal cells and its relation to primary and oxidative DNA damage in lymphocytes, assessed by the high-throughput alkaline and modified (FPG-ENDO III) Comet assay in individuals with environmental exposure to coal mining residues in northern Colombia. Considering metals from coal mining activities as the main source of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, the concentrations of inorganic elements in blood samples was also assessed. The analysis revealed that frequencies of BMN-cyt parameters related to DNA damage (micronuclei), cytokinesis (binucleated cells) and cell death (condensed chromatin, karyorrhexis, pyknosis and karyolysis) were significantly higher in individuals that were environmentally exposed to coal compared to the unexposed group. The level of % Tail DNA in the alkaline and the modified Comet assay was 4.0 and 4.3 times higher among exposed individuals than in unexposed controls respectively. Increased MN frequencies in buccal cells were correlated with increased %Tail DNA in alkaline and FPG Comet assay. Additionally, exposed individuals had higher concentrations of Cr, Ni, Mn, and Br in the blood compared to unexposed controls. %Tail DNA in alkaline Comet assay was highly correlated with Al, Mn, and Br concentrations, while %Tail DNA in the FPG Comet assay correlated with Mn levels. These results suggest that oxidative damage, particularly purine oxidation, may play an essential role in DNA damage in individuals exposed to coal residues and that some inorganic elements are related to this effect.

中文翻译：

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环境暴露人群对露天煤矿开采残留物的遗传损害：颊微核细胞因子（BMN-cyt）分析以及碱性，Endo III和FPG高通量彗星分析的分析。

在淋巴细胞和上皮细胞中已经多次报道了职业性暴露于采煤残渣的个体的DNA和染色体损伤，这表明系统性的暴露反应在其中氧化损伤的产生中可能起主要作用。然而，对这种机制的理解仍然不完整，特别是在环境暴露方面。这项研究的目的是通过高通量碱性和修饰（FPG-ENDO III）彗星测定法评估口腔细胞中的细胞学测定（BMN-cyt）对DNA的损伤及其与淋巴细胞原发性和氧化性DNA损伤的关系哥伦比亚北部的煤矿开采残留物暴露于环境中。考虑到煤炭开采活动产生的金属是产生活性氧的主要来源，还评估了血液样本中无机元素的浓度。分析显示，与环境暴露于煤炭的个体相比，与DNA破坏（微核），胞质分裂（双核细胞）和细胞死亡（浓缩的染色质，核型渗出，致密化和核解）有关的BMN-cyt参数频率显着更高。未曝光的组。在碱性和改良彗星试验中，尾巴中％尾巴DNA的水平分别是未接触者的4.0和4.3倍。在碱性和FPG彗星试验中，颊细胞中MN频率增加与％Tail DNA增加相关。此外，与未暴露的对照组相比，暴露的个体在血液中的Cr，Ni，Mn和Br浓度更高。碱性彗星测定中的％Tail DNA与Al，Mn和Br浓度高度相关，而FPG彗星测定中的％Tail DNA与Mn水平高度相关。这些结果表明，氧化损伤，特别是嘌呤氧化，在暴露于煤残渣的个体的DNA损伤中可能起重要作用，并且某些无机元素与此作用有关。