AIR POLLUTION BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS IN CHILDREN LIVING IN LECCE (ITALY) BY BUCCAL MICRONUCLEUS CYTOME ASSAY (THE MAPEC_LIFE STUDY)

摘要

The aim of the MAPEC_LIFE (Monitoring Air Pollution Effects on Children for Supporting Public\udHealth Policy) study is to evaluate the associations between the concentrations of air pollutants and\udearly biological effects in children living in five Italian towns (Brescia, Torino, Lecce, Perugia and\udPisa) characterised by varying levels of air pollution. This paper presents the results of micronucleus\udcytome assays performed on the oral mucosa cells of subjects living in Lecce (Puglia, Italy) and their\udrelationship to factors associated with indoor/outdoor exposure and lifestyles. The study was conducted\udon 6-8-year-old schoolchildren living in Lecce. The micronucleus cytome assay was performed on\udexfoliated buccal cells collected from the oral mucosa of children using a soft-bristled toothbrush.\udMicronuclei were evaluated only in normal differentiated cells. Overall, 43.0% of the samples tested\udwere positive, with an average frequency of 0.28 MN/1000 differentiated cells. Data analysis shows\udpositive associations between the frequency of MN in the children’s buccal mucosa cells and obesity,\udheavy traffic and smoking mothers, while outdoor sports seem to have the opposite effect. These data\udwill be integrated with data from the other cities involved in the MAPEC_LIFE study and could be used\udto build a model for estimating global genotoxic risk.