Chromosomal aberrations in coal mine workers with lung diseases

Introduction. It is known that despite the achievements of modern science and technology and the introduction of modern safe technologies in coal mining enterprises, working in coal mines remains one of the most dangerous for health. It is established that one of the most important and signifi cant causes of occupational diseases in miners is respiratory pathology. Miners working in underground conditions are exposed to a long-term set of harmful physical and chemical factors that contribute not only to increasing the risk of various chronic occupational diseases, but also to genotoxic risk. Accounting for chromosomal aberrations is one of the most highly sensitive methods of biological indication, which allows us to assess the General patterns and specifi cs of the impact of genotoxic exposure.

The aim of the study is to conduct a chromosomal analysis of somatic cells of workers of Kuzbass coal mines who are suffering from occupational pulmonary pathologies.

Materials and methods. To assess the genotoxic impact of the production environment of coal mines, a cytogenetic analysis of chromosomal aberrations in the blood lymphocytes of 169 miners with lung diseases was performed. Of these, 93 people were diagnosed with “chronic dust bronchitis”, and 76 people — “anthracosilicosis”. For comparison, we used data from cytogenetic analysis of 376 conditionally healthy miners, without signs of lung diseases. As a control, 250 male individuals who did not work in industrial enterprises were studied. The material for the study was whole peripheral blood. Blood cells were cultured using a standard semi-micrometer method. The proportion of aberrant metaphases was determined by calculating the frequency of metaphases with chromosome aberrations (as a percentage of the studied number of cells).

Results. It was found that the frequency of chromosome aberrations in the group of miners with lung diseases (5.04±2.40%) and healthy miners (4.12±2.32%) was signifi cantly higher than in the group of individuals who did not work in production (1.78±1.26%, p<0.00001). There was a signifi cant increase in aberrant cells, single fragments, and chromatid-type aberrations in miners with pulmonary pathologies compared to healthy miners.

Conclusions. The results of the study indicate a high genotoxic hazard of working conditions in coal mines. Chronic lung diseases in miners caused by prolonged contact with production factors are accompanied by a statistically signifi cant increase in chromosomal instability in peripheral blood lymphocytes. The highest values of the frequency of chromosomal abnormalities were recorded in  miners performing basic production operations. Data were obtained on the modifying eff ect of work experience on the frequency of certain types of chromosomal aberrations in miners. It is shown that smoking miners with more than 20 years of experience registered an increase in the level of chromosomal aberrations.  

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