DNA SINGLE-STRAND BREAKS AND DNA-REPAIR IN THE LYMPHOCYTES OF WOODEN FURNITURE WORKERS

DNA single-strand breaks (DNA SSB) in peripheral lymphocytes of wooden furniture workers and a control group, including smokers and nonsmoke rs, were detected by the microfiltration method. Our results show that cigarette smoking significantly increases the fragmentation of DNA si ngle strands in the wooden furniture workers (by nearly two times) but not in the control group. Moreover, occupational exposure to wood dus t and other wooden plant substances significantly induced DNA SSB only in the lymphocytes of smokers (by about two times). DNA repair in the lymphocytes was investigated as H-3 incorporation into DNA. High H-3 incorporation in the unstimulated lymphocytes of both smoking and nons moking workers, as compared to the references, suggests that besides D NA SSB other DNA damage can be caused by occupational exposure in the wooden plant. Since DNA repair is not always perfect, the possibility is high that the low level of DNA repair in the study group may lead t o irreversible DNA damage. We think that the workers exposed to wood d ust and the substances emitted by furniture coating materials in the p lant may be at higher risk for mutagenesis and/or carcinogenesis than the unexposed population. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights re served.