Differences in micronucleus frequency and acrylamide adduct levels with hemoglobin between vegetarians and non-vegetarians.

Abstract

PURPOSE:

Nutrients and food constituents can prevent or contribute to genotoxicity. In this study, the possible influence of a vegetarian/non-vegetarian diet on genotoxic effects was investigated in 58 non-smoking healthy vegetarians (V) and non-vegetarians (NV), age 21-37 years from the Stockholm area in Sweden.

METHODS:

Physical activity and dietary habits were similar in both groups, with the exception of the intake of meat and fish. Using flow cytometry, we determined the formation of micronuclei (MN) in transferrin-positive immature peripheral blood reticulocytes (Trf-Ret) (Total: n = 53; V: n = 27; NV: n = 26). Dietary exposure to acrylamide was measured through hemoglobin (Hb) adducts in peripheral erythrocytes (Total: n = 53; V: n = 29; NV: n = 24). Hb adducts of both acrylamide and its genotoxic metabolite glycidamide were monitored as a measure of the corresponding in vivo doses.

RESULTS:

Our data demonstrated that compared with the non-vegetarians, the vegetarians exhibited lower frequencies of MN (fMN) in the Trf-Ret (p < 0.01, Student's t test). A multivariate analysis demonstrated that there was no association between the fMN and factors such as age, sex, intake of vitamins/minerals, serum folic acid and vitamin B12 levels, physical activity, and body mass index. The mean Hb adduct levels of acrylamide and glycidamide showed no significant differences between vegetarians and non-vegetarians. Furthermore, there were no significant relationships between the adduct levels and fMN in the individuals. The ratio of the Hb adduct levels from glycidamide and acrylamide, however, showed a significant difference (p < 0.04) between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONS:

These data suggest that the vegetarian diet might be beneficial in lowering genomic instability in healthy individuals. The measured Hb adduct levels indicate that the total intake of acrylamide does not differ between the two studied groups and does not contribute to the observed difference in fMN, although an influence of the diet on the metabolic rates of acrylamide was indicated. In addition, the observed significant difference in the background fMN in the two groups demonstrated that the MN analysis method has a sensitivity applicable to the biomonitoring of human lifestyle factors.

• Authors: Natalia Kotova, Cecilia Frostne, Lilianne Abramsson-Zetterberg, Eden Tareke, Rolf Bergman, Siamak Haghdoost, Birgit Paulsson, Margareta Törnqvist, Dan Segerbäck, Dag Jenssen, Jan Grawé
• Journal: European journal of nutrition (Eur J Nutr) Vol. 54 Issue 7 Pg. 1181-90 (Oct 2015) ISSN: 1436-6215 [Electronic] Germany
• PMID: 25399061 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Epoxy Compounds
• Hemoglobins
• Transferrin
• Acrylamide
• glycidamide
• Folic Acid
• Vitamin B 12

Topics

• Acrylamide (blood)
• Adult
• Body Mass Index
• DNA Damage (drug effects)
• Diet, Vegetarian
• Epoxy Compounds (blood)
• Erythrocytes (drug effects, metabolism)
• Feeding Behavior
• Female
• Folic Acid (blood)
• Genomic Instability
• Hemoglobins (metabolism)
• Humans
• Life Style
• Linear Models
• Male
• Micronucleus Tests
• Motor Activity
• Sensitivity and Specificity
• Sweden
• Transferrin (metabolism)
• Vegetarians
• Vitamin B 12 (blood)
• Young Adult