PIG-A gene mutation as a genotoxicity biomaker in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon-exposed barbecue workers

BACKGROUND: The PIG-A gene mutation assay is a valuable tool for measuring in vivo gene mutations in blood cells. The human PIG-A assay, used as a potential genotoxicity biomarker, is minimally invasive, sensitive, and cost-efficient; however, the relationship between carcinogen exposure and PIG-A mutations is not well understood. METHODS: We investigated the genotoxic effect of red blood cells using PIG-A assay and lymphocyte cytokinesis-block micronucleus test in barbecue restaurant workers (N = 70) exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and self-identified healthy control subjects (N = 56). Urinary PAH metabolites were measured to evaluate internal exposure levels. RESULTS: Multivariate Poisson regression showed that the PAH-exposed workers exhibited significantly higher PIG-A mutant frequency (MF) (8.04 ± 6.81 × 10(− 6)) than did the controls (5.56 ± 5.26 × 10(− 6)) (RR = 0.707, 95% CI: 0.615–0.812, P < 0.001). These results indicate that PAH exposure is a risk factor for elevated PIG-A MF. The frequencies of micronuclei (MN) and nuclear buds (NBUD) in the PAH-exposed workers (MN: 3.06 ± 2.07 ‰, NBUD: 1.38 ± 1.02 ‰) were also significantly higher than in the controls (MN: 1.46 ± 0.64 ‰, P < 0.001; NBUD: 0.70 ± 0.60 ‰, P < 0.001). Additionally, PIG-A MFs showed better associations with several urinary hydroxylated PAH metabolites (P(2-OH-Flu) = 0.032, r(2-OH-Flu) = 0. 268; P(2-OH-Phe) = 0.022, r(2-OH-Phe) = 0.286; P(3-OH-Phe) = 0.0312, r(3-OH-Phe) = 0.270; P(4-OH-Phe) = 0.018, r(4-OH-Phe) = 0.296), while the increase in MN, NPB, and NBUD frequencies was not associated with any OH-PAH metabolites; and high-PAH-exposed workers showed the highest PIG-A MFs. Furthermore, there was a significant association between PIG-A MF and PAH exposure levels (Chi-square test for trend, P = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that an increase in PIG-A MF in barbecue workers could reflect the response to PAH exposure, providing evidence of its potential as a genotoxicity biomarker in human risk assessment. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s41021-021-00230-1.