Protein-energy malnutrition contributes to increased structural chromosomal alteration frequencies in Argentinean children.

The relationship between protein-energy malnutrition and genetic damage has been studied in human beings and laboratory animals, but results are still conflicting. The aim of the present study was to assess the induction of structural chromosomal aberrations in peripheral blood lymphocytes of children with primary protein-energy malnutrition. A case-control study was performed. Samples were obtained from 25 primary malnourished infants (mean age, 22 months; range, 1-66 months). The control group consisted of 25 eutrophic children from the same population who were matched 1:1 by age and sex. Anthropometric and clinic evaluations were performed to assess nutritional condition. Before blood collection, we interviewed each individual's parent to complete a semi-structural survey specifying age, dietary habits, viral or bacterial diseases; previous exposure to diagnostic x-rays; and use of therapeutic drugs. After 48 hours, 100 cultured lymphocytes were analyzed per patient. Statistical analysis was performed using the Epi Dat 3.0 program (P < or = .05). The chromosomal aberration frequency was nearly 7 times higher in malnourished infants than in controls (14.61% vs 2.2%, respectively). This difference was statistically significant (P < .001) and may be explained by the occurrence of achromatic lesions, breaks, and telomeric associations. DNA damage could be attributed to several factors: severe deficiency of essential nutrients (ie zinc, iron, and vitamin A) required in the synthesis of DNA maintenance factors; deterioration of repair mechanisms allowing the persistence of an unusually high number of structural chromosomal aberrations; and/or the absence of specific factors needed to protect the cell against oxidative DNA damage.