Genotoxicity in humans exposed to arsenic and lithium in drinking water
in the Bolivian Andes
Abstract
Elevated concentrations of arsenic, lithium and boron in drinking water
have already been reported in the Bolivian Andes. Arsenic causes
genotoxicity but that caused by lithium and boron is less well known.
The aim of the present study was to evaluate associations between
arsenic, lithium and boron exposure and genotoxicity, while taking
genetic susceptibility into account. Women (n=230) were recruited in ten
villages around Lake Poopó. Arsenic exposure was determined as the sum
of concentrations of arsenic metabolites (iAs, MMA, and DMA) in urine.
Exposure to lithium and boron was determined based on their
concentrations in urine. Genetic susceptibility was determined by GSTM1
and GSTT1 null genotypes and AS3MT rs3740393,. Genotoxicity (DNA strand
breaks) was measured peripheral blood by the comet assay. Median
arsenic, lithium, and boron concentrations were 60 µg/L, 989 µg/L, and
3929 µg/L, respectively. GSTM1 and GSTT1 null carriers showed more DNA
strand breaks than gene carriers (p=0.008, p=0.005). We found no
correlation between urinary arsenic and DNA strand breaks (rS=0.03,
p=0.64), and only a weak non-significant positive association in the
multivariate analysis (β=0.09, p=0.14). Unexpectedly, increasing
concentrations of lithium in urine were negatively correlated with DNA
strand breaks (rS=-0.24, p=0.0006), and the association persisted in
multivariate analysis after adjusting for arsenic (β=-0.22, p=0.003). We
found no association between boron and DNA strand breaks. The lack of
genotoxic effect of arsenic could be associated with the specific
metabolic adaptation to arsenic previously reported in this population.
The apparent protective effect of lithium against genotoxicity merits
further investigation.