Valutazione della genotossicita’/mutagenicita’ indotti dal pm0.5 di 5 citta’ italiane in due stagioni: risultati dello studio MAPEC

INTRODUZIONE Il PM è l’inquinante atmosferico che maggiormente influenza la salute umana. La IARC ha classificato l’inquinamento dell’aria e il PM fine come cancerogeni per l’uomo (Gruppo 1). L’obiettivo principale del progetto MAPEC è valutare l’associazione tra inquinamento dell’aria ed effetti biologici precoci in cellule della mucosa orale di 1000 bambini della scuola primaria in 5 città italiane (Brescia, Lecce, Perugia, Pisa e Torino). METODI Per valutare l’esposizione dei bambini, nei pressi delle scuole sono stati raccolti campioni di PM0.5 (n=36) in due differenti stagioni. Gli estratti organici sono stati testati per valutare l’effetto genotossico (Saggio Comet e test del micronucleo su A549) e mutageno (test di Ames su TA98-TA100-TA98NR-YG1021). Sugli estratti organici è stata effettuata l’analisi degli IPA e dei Nitro-IPA. RISULTATI I risultati hanno evidenziato che il PM0.5 rappresenta una percentuale molto variabile del PM10. In inverno la concentrazione di PM10 è risultata generalmente inferiore ai 50μg/m3 con valori più alti nelle città del Nord. Livelli più bassi sono stati osservati in primavera. Tutti gli estratti di PM0.5 hanno mostrato almeno una dose mutagena con il ceppo TA98 in inverno. I risultati ottenuti con i ceppi TA98NR e YG1021 hanno mostrato la presenza di composti nitroaromatici come confermato anche dall’analisi chimica. Un minor effetto e una minore contaminazione chimica sono stati osservati in primavera. Non è stato invece rilevato alcun effetto genotossico degli estratti in entrambe le stagioni eccetto alcuni campioni sporadici. Il basso effetto biologico osservato in inverno potrebbe essere legato ai bassi livelli di inquinamento monitorati legati ad una elevata instabilità atmosferica. CONCLUSIONI L’alta variabilità del PM0.5 osservata in questo studio dovrebbe essere ulteriormente indagata. Inoltre i RISULTATI ottenuti suggeriscono di indagare l'effetto biologico anche di altre frazioni del PM (es. PM0.5-1)

Monitoring air pollution effects on children for supporting public health policy: The protocol of the prospective cohort MAPEC study

Introduction: Genotoxic biomarkers have been studied largely in adult population, but few studies so far have investigated them in children exposed to air pollution. Children are a high-risk group as regards the health effects of air pollution and some studies suggest that early exposure during childhood can play an important role in the development of chronic diseases in adulthood. The objective of the project is to evaluate the associations between the concentration of urban air pollutants and biomarkers of early biological effect in children, and to propose a model for estimating the global risk of early biological effects due to air pollutants and other factors in children. Methods and analysis: Two biomarkers of early biological effects, DNA damage by the comet assay and the micronuclei (MN) test, will be investigated in oral mucosa cells of 6–8-year-old children. Concurrently, some toxic airborne pollutants (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) and nitro-PAH) and in vitro air mutagenicity and toxicity in ultra-fine air particulates (PM0.5) will be evaluated. Furthermore, demographic and socioeconomic variables, other sources of exposures to air pollutants and lifestyle variables will be assessed by a structured questionnaire. The associations between sociodemographic, environmental and other exposure variables and biomarkers of early biological effect using univariate and multivariate models will be analysed. A tentative model for calculating the global absolute risk of having early biological effects caused by air pollution and other variables will be proposed. Ethics and dissemination: The project has been approved by the Ethics Committees of the local Health Authorities. The results will be communicated to local Public Health Agencies, for supporting educational programmes and health policy strategies. LIFE+2012 Environment Policy and Governance. LIFE12 ENV/IT/ 000614

The MAPEC_LIFE study (LIFE12 ENV/IT/000614): monitoring air pollution effects in children for supporting public health policy

The use of genetic biomarkers has been studied largely in adult population exposed to air pollution, but few studies have investigated genetic damage in children. The aim of the project is to evaluate the associations between the concentration of urban air pollutants and early biological effects in children. The study will be carried out on 1000 children 6-8 years old living in five Italian towns in two different seasons by analyzing two biomarkers of early biological effects: DNA damage detected with the comet assay and frequency of micronuclei in buccal cells. A questionnaire will be used to collect the details of children diseases, socio-economic status, exposures to other pollutants and life-style. Ultra-fine particulate samples (PM 0.5) collected in the school areas will be analyzed for PAHs and nitro-PAHs concentrations, lung toxicity and in vitro genotoxicity on bacterial and human cells. All data will be statistically tested to investigate the possible associations between levels of air pollutants, air mutagenicity and early effect biomarkers. The final purpose of the project will be to elaborate a model for calculating the global absolute risk of early biological effects

Are 6-8 year old Italian children moving away from the Mediterranean diet?

The Mediterranean diet (MD) is considered one of the healthiest dietary models, as it decreases the risk of chronic diseases and may modulate the organism's early response to environmental pollution. In recent decades, Mediterranean countries have been replacing their traditional diet with other less healthy eating habits, especially among children and teenagers

Air pollution biological effects in children living in lecce (Italy) by buccal micronucleus cytome assay (the mapec-life study)

The aim of the MAPEC_LIFE (Monitoring Air Pollution Effects on Children for Supporting Public Health Policy) study is to evaluate the associations between the concentrations of air pollutants and early biological effects in children living in five Italian towns (Brescia, Torino, Lecce, Perugia and Pisa) characterised by varying levels of air pollution. This paper presents the results of micronucleus cytome assays performed on the oral mucosa cells of subjects living in Lecce (Puglia, Italy) and their relationship to factors associated with indoor/outdoor exposure and lifestyles. The study was conducted on 6-8-year-old schoolchildren living in Lecce. The micronucleus cytome assay was performed on exfoliated buccal cells collected from the oral mucosa of children using a soft-bristled toothbrush. Micronuclei were evaluated only in normal differentiated cells. Overall, 43.0% of the samples tested were positive, with an average frequency of 0.28 MN/1000 differentiated cells. Data analysis shows positive associations between the frequency of MN in the children’s buccal mucosa cells and obesity, heavy traffic and smoking mothers, while outdoor sports seem to have the opposite effect. These data will be integrated with data from the other cities involved in the MAPEC_LIFE study and could be used to build a model for estimating global genotoxic risk