Evaluation of Genotoxic Effects of Formaldehyde in Adult Albino Rats and Its Implication In Case of Human Exposure

Background: Formaldehyde is a reactive chemical that is commonly used in the production of industrial, laboratory, household, and cosmetic products. Formaldehyde (FA) is a potential carcinogen and mutagen. Objectives: This study was designed to evaluate the systemic genotoxicity of formaldehyde in experimental animals and in subjects exposed to FA. Material, Subjects and Methods: The animal study included twenty one rats that were divided into Group (1): Negative control rats, Group (2): Positive control rats: received daily intraperitoneal injected with distilled water, Group (3): Formaldehyde group, received single intraperitoneal injection of Formaldehyde (0.2 mg/kg/day) after 4 weeks of treatment, rats were sacrificed then submitted to cytogenetic examination by detection of their chromosomal pattern and mitotic index in bone marrow cells. The human study comprised two groups: 30 individuals occupationally exposed to formaldehyde in Zagazig University (cases) and 15 unexposed individuals (controls), from whom peripheral blood were collected and used for evaluation of the chromosomal aberrations (CAs) frequency and the comet assay for detection of DNA damage. Results: This study revealed increased frequency of structural chromosomal aberrations and decreased mitotic index of bone marrow cells of rats exposed to FA. Individuals exposed to FA also showed high frequency of chromosomal aberrations and increased levels of DNA damage in the Comet assay in terms of tail length and tail moment in peripheral blood lymphocytes compared to controls. Conclusion: Exposure to formaldehyde induced Chromosomal aberrations and DNA damage in peripheral blood lymphocytes of exposed subjects and bone marrow cells of albino rats. [Mie Sameer Gomaa; Ghada E. Elmesallamy and Maha Mohamad Sameer. Evaluation of Genotoxic Effects of Formaldehyde in Adult Albino Rats and Its Implication In Case of Human Exposure. Life Sci J 2012;9(4):3085-3093] (ISSN:1097-8135). http://www.lifesciencesite.com. 453