Carbon Disulfide (CS2) Induced Chromosomal Alterations and Apoptosis in Circulated Blood Lymphocytes of Personnel Working in Viscose Industry

Background and objective: Carbon disulfide (CS ) is a naturally occurring chemical substance in the environment and also an important endogenous substance in the human body. This study was done to collect data on the effects and to find a possible relationship between in-vivo CS induced apoptosis and genotoxic effects. Material and method: Circulated blood lymphocytes (PBL) of 41 workers occupationally exposed to Carbon disulfide (CS ) in viscose industry were investigated. The participants involved three groups. The first group included 41 participants exposed to CS together with various confounding factors; the second group comprised of 41 participants who were inhabitant of viscose industry and were partially exposed to CS in long periods; and third group consisting 41 participants as control group who were not exposed to any kind of chemicals and radiation hazards. Ambient air concentrations of CS were measured in different workplaces. Measures of genotoxicity included the determination of the frequencies of chromosomal aberrations (CA), sister-chromatid exchange (SCE), HPRT mutations (variant frequency, VF), and measurement of UV-induced unscheduled DNA-repair synthesis (UDS). The percentages of premature centromere division (PCD) and of cells with a high frequency of SCE (HF/SCE) were also scored. Apoptosis and c ll proliferation were determined by flow cytometry. Results: In both CS exposed groups, the apoptotic activity and the CA levels in PBLs were significantly higher than in controls. CA was mostly breaks of the chromatid type. In group II, CA was slightly lower in comparison with group I, which can be attributed to a different rate of elimination of damaged lymphocytes as a consequence of CS induced apoptotic activity. Conclusion: The results demonstrate that exposure to CS induced apoptosis and CA, indicating an excess cancer risk among participants occupationally exposed to CS . The results also emphasized the importance of the measurement of occupationally exposed pollutants such as CS in order to avoid genotoxic effects in the workers.