Factors distinguishing couples at risk for nondisjunction

Micronucleus frequencies were determined on 24 young parents of trisomic infants, 21 individuals with recurrent unexplained abortions, and 42 control individuals with proven reproductive success. In addition to measurements of spontaneous micronucleus frequencies, mitomycin C induced frequencies were determined at two doses (2.5 and 5.0 ng/mL). Using the 95% confidence limits established from control data as an arbitrary upper limit, 16 of 24 parents of trisomics and 5 of 21 recurrent aborters were detected by the micronucleus assay to above this cutoff. The effects of sex, age, pregnancy status, and a variety of environmental exposures were studied by comparing the micronucleus frequencies of the exposed and unexposed populations. The data suggested that vitamins were associated with a lower micronucleus frequency and tea drinking with an increased micronucleus frequency in parents of trisomics, an effect not seen in controls. These results suggest that a biologic basis for nondisjunction may be associated with elevation in spontaneous and induced micronuclei. In addition, tea and vitamins may modulate micronucleus frequencies in parents of trisomics who appear to be more sensitive to these influences than the controls.