Genotoxic Damage and microRNA Dysregulation in Firefighters: An Integrated Biomonitoring Case Study

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Genotoxicology
• Epigenetics

Background:

• Firefighter activities involve exposure to carcinogens, posing significant health risks.
• Early detection of cellular damage is crucial for understanding long-term health outcomes in firefighters.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess early genotoxic damage using comet assay and buccal micronucleus cytome (BMCyt) assays.
• To investigate epigenetic alterations by analyzing circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) in firefighters.
• To compare biomarkers of damage between firefighters and a non-exposed control group.

Main Methods:

• Recruited 35 firefighters and 45 non-exposed workers.
• Assessed genotoxicity via fpg-comet and BMCyt assays.
• Analyzed seven circulating miRNAs and correlated findings with exposure and damage markers.

Main Results:

• Firefighters showed significantly higher genotoxic DNA damage (%DNA tail, Tail moment) and apoptosis biomarkers.
• Downregulation of specific miRNAs (mir-16, mir-15a, mir-29a, mir-125b, mir-142) was observed in firefighters.
• Significant correlations were found between miRNAs, comet assay parameters, and BMCyt indicators.

Conclusions:

• An integrated approach reveals a relationship between genotoxic and epigenetic effects in firefighters.
• Exposure duration appears to influence these observed biological changes.
• Further research with larger cohorts is warranted to confirm these findings.