Aneuploidy in Workers Occupationally Exposed to Electromagnetic Field Detected by FISH

Abstract

Exposure to power frequency electromagnetic fields (EMF) may cause adverse health effects in humans. Some epidemiological studies support an association between exposure to EMF and the incidence of different types of cancer, which may be associated with the presence of chromosomal aneuploidy. In this study, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was used to detect numerical chromosomal aberrations induced by occupational exposure to EMF. The labeled probes used in this study were repetitive α-satellite probes for chromosomes 7, 12, 17 and heterochromatic region of the Y chromosome. This study was conducted using 23 male individuals, 18 of which are occupationally exposed to EMF whereas the other 5 individuals are used as controls. Our study shows monosomy of chromosomes 7 and 17 in 4 and 3 exposed individuals, respectively. The mean percentages of nuclei with monosomy of chromosomes 7 and 17 in these affected individuals are 18.3% and 16.1%, respectively. The loss of Y chromosome was detected in 6 exposed individuals and the mean percentage of nuclei showing this aberration is 15.8%. In control individuals, the mean percentages of nuclei with monosomy of chromosomes 7, 17 and loss of the Y chromosome were 3.2%, 3.7% and 4.5%, respectively. The increase in monosomy of chromosomes 7 and 17 and the loss of Y chromosome compared to the control is statistically significant (P<0.001). No significant increase in numerical aberrations of chromosome 12 was observed in exposed individuals.