Abstract
Genotoxic exposure to chemical substances is common, and nursing mothers could transmit harmful substances or their metabolites to their offspring through breast milk. We explored the possibility of determining genotoxic effects in the erythrocytes of breastfeeding rat pups whose mothers received a genotoxic compound while nursing. Ten groups of female rats and five pups per dam were studied. The control group received sterile water, and the experimental groups received one of three different doses of cyclophosphamide, colchicine, or cytosine-arabinoside. Blood smears were prepared from samples taken from each dam and pup every 24 h for six days. There were increased numbers of micronucleated erythrocytes (MNEs) and micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes (MNPCEs) in the samples from pups in the experimental groups (P < 0.02) and increased MNPCE frequencies in the samples from the dams (P < 0.05). These results demonstrate the vertical transmission of the genotoxic effect of the compounds tested. In conclusion, assessing MNEs in breastfeeding neonate rats to assess DNA damage may be a useful approach for identifying genotoxic compounds and/or cytotoxic effects. This strategy could help in screening for therapeutic approaches that are genotoxic during the lactation stage and these assessments might also be helpful for developing preventive strategies to counteract harmful effects.
Highlights
The genetic integrity of the human population has been compromised by exposure to genotoxic agents
The average basal values (‰) obtained for the analyzed parameters in the peripheral blood derived from the dams were 1.28 ± 0.76 micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes (MNPCEs) and 81.4 ± 26.1 polychromatic erythrocytes (PCEs), whereas the baseline values from all pups were 2.39 ± 0.7 micronucleated erythrocytes (MNEs), 3.61 ± 1.7 MNPCEs, and 603.3 ± 137.7 PCEs
In samples taken from adult rats, there were significant differences (P < 0.05) in the MNPCE values (Table 1) in the groups exposed to any of the three compounds compared with the baseline values
Summary
The genetic integrity of the human population has been compromised by exposure to genotoxic agents. Several factors, such as lifestyle and medical treatments, could influence or induce damage to genetic material. Genotoxicity testing is necessary routine screening in populations that may be at risk to exposure [1]. Newborns can be exposed to drugs or other genotoxic agents, through breast milk, and they are prime candidates for such testing approaches [2, 3]. Other substances need to be recognized or tested for their teratogenic potential in humans during the perinatal period [9]. Since breast milk is the first way through which newborns may be exposed to toxins, it is a very important factor to consider
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