Chromosome aberrations in workers exposed to organic solvents: Influence of polymorphisms in xenobiotic-metabolism and DNA repair genes

Organic solvents are widely used as diluents or thinners for oil-paints, gasoline and other organic mixtures. We evaluated chromosome aberrations (CAs) in lymphocytes of 200 workers exposed to organic solvents and 200 referents and the influence of polymorphisms in xenobiotic-metabolism (CYP2E1, GSTM1 and GSTT1) and in DNA repair genes (XRCC1194 Arg/Trp, XRCC1280 Arg/His, XRCC1399 Arg/Gln and XRCC3241 Thr/Met). Polymorphisms were determined by PCR–RFLP. Poisson regression analysis indicates a significant CA frequency increase in exposed workers, representing a higher risk in relation to the matched referent (RR 2.15, 95% CI 1.21–1.53, p < 0.001). The CA frequency in exposed workers was influenced by the polymorphic genotypes: GSTM1 null (RR 1.33, 95% CI 1.31–1.69, p < 0.001), XRCC1194 Arg/Trp, Trp/Trp (RR 1.23, 95% CI 1.08–1.40, p < 0.001) and by the wild genotypes CYP2E1 C1/C1 (RR 1.20, 95% CI 1.05–1.37, p < 0.001), GSTT1 positive (RR 1.49, 95% CI 1.31–1.69, p < 0.001), XRCC1280 Arg/Arg (RR 1.44, 95% CI 1.26–1.64, p < 0.001) and XRCC1241 Thr/Thr (RR 1.54, 95% CI 1.34–1.76, p = 0.001). We contribute to the follow-up predictive value of individual susceptibility biomarkers and their CA frequency influence during occupational organic solvent exposure. We provide tools for surveillance and prevention strategies to reduce potential health risks in countries with a large population of car painters not using protection devices and limited organic solvents use control.