Contents:
The key words "gene and environment interaction" describe the cross-talk between environmental information and genetic information.
For most of the history of life, chemical substances and physical factors have been naturally occurring, but industrialization since the early 20th century has resulted in the use of more convenient man-made chemicals. Societies now release artificial mutagens into the environment. Because we tend to think of pollution as concluded issue, we have tended to give increasingly less consideration to the health impacts posed by the environment.
But unidentified mutagens still exist and there may be numerous unidentified challenges ahead, as demonstrated by the recent classification of outdoor air pollution as an IARC Group 1 carcinogen carcinogenic to humans. Research into environmental mutagens may be the bioscience of the 21st century. From a health science perspective, it is important to identify mutagenic chemical substances or physical factors that people may be exposed to or ingest.
We also need to evaluate the risks and demonstrate whether intake levels are within the safety margins. This is also a matter for regulatory science, where society intersects with natural sciences. JEMS has a significant role to play in these efforts. The development of mutagenicity test methods for identification of mutagen and for basis of mutagenic risk assessment is a key aspect of securing safety. Test methods should not be developed by countries in isolation, but should be advanced through collaborative and harmonious efforts between countries.
Test methods developed through the cooperation of JEMS members have been adopted for test guidelines of the OECD or ICH, the international body responsible for harmonizing pharmaceutical regulatory affairs. JEMS members have also participated in efforts to define test guidelines and have made significant contributions in this regard.
We have now entered an age when it is possible to sequence the entire genome of an individual, because of the increased use of next-generation DNA sequencers over the past few years. I expect new fields of environmental mutagen research to open up because of such advances in analytical technologies and genetic engineering.
I also expect various unforeseen challenges to emerge in relation to science for genome safety, owing to the changes in society and human activities.
Economically developing countries are experiencing the same environmental pollution problems that we experienced in Japan. Research by JEMS members is also helping to overcome these problems. JEMS is engaged in a wide range of activities involving mutagens, from basic biosciences to applied research on task solutions such as new test methods.
These activities now involve close ties between academia, public research bodies, and industry. JEMS membership has well-balanced representation from all three sectors and much collaborative research is underway. In the future, we welcome the participation of researchers from related fields and hope to further our activities as a scientific body to support and promote research environmental mutagen research. Since the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident, accompanying The Great East Japan Earthquake, many problems have arisen. As ionizing radiation is an environmental mutagen, we must continue our efforts in our responsibility as members of the JEMS.
The most important point is to stop the release of radioactive materials into the atmosphere and the marine environment.
We conducted an in vitro study in TK6 cells to characterize gene expression signatures of exposure to 15 genotoxic carcinogens frequently used in European industries. Estimation of total aromatic adduct levels in exposed individuals gave values of 1 adduct in 10 6 8 DNA nucleotides. Chronic gastritis inflammation caused by H. To establish a NOAEL, the toxicologist must determine what is and what is not adverse effect, which can be defined differently by different scientists. History of poison Toxinology.
On the other hand, the neighbors of the Fukushima atomic power plant are concerned about accumulated radioactivity in the soil. As researchers, we need to confirm the following two items and release accurate information. We are living with a wide variety of environmental mutagens. Among the group 1 carcinogens sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in humans identified by IARC that people frequently encounter, such as sunlight, cigarette smoke main stream, side stream , and ionizing radiation, etc.
However, ionizing radiation is now considered as an extremely dangerous agent, since the Fukushima accident. We should calmly realize that the radioactive materials released by the accident correspond to only part of the entire risk from a variety of environmental mutagens. When I read the abstracts of the JEMS Annual Meeting from 30 years ago, I noticed that many researchers had studied the chemical components of mutagens in air, earth, river, foods, ink, hair dye, etc. Recently, research on gene mutations and toxicogenomics using modern technology has shown remarkable developments and is the predominant focus in the meeting abstracts.
I think that in addition to these frontier fields, we should still continue chemical studies on environmental mutagens, because it is difficult to prevent cancer without identifying unknown mutagens. In the future, we need to collaborate especially with Asian countries, because we have many common subjects, such as yellow sand, photochemical smog, ocean pollution, and antimutagens in Asian foods. The purpose of environmental mutagen research is to defend humans from mutagens; therefore, it is important to conduct human biomonitoring studies on exposure to mutagens, including their absorption and excretion, as well as analyses of DNA adducts and gene mutations, using human blood, saliva and urine samples.
It is also important to publish experimental data in a journal. I hope that many important papers will be submitted to this journal, to maintain its high scientific quality. Submissions from foreign researchers are welcome. Ideally, these research data will be useful for human health. Environmental mutagens are chemical or physical agents present in the environment that cause genetic variations regardless of inheritability.
However, the authors encountered severe data limitations which imply that the results of the impact assessment cannot be considered robust. A qualitative assessment of the benefits of including reprotoxic substances under legislation to implement the Carcinogens and Mutagens Directive in two Member States France and Germany identified benefits in terms of reductions in workers' exposure to reprotoxic substances [29]. Employers must take measures to reduce the use of carcinogens or mutagens by replacing them with a substance, mixture or process that is not hazardous or less hazardous.
If this is not feasible other measures should be used to lower the exposure as much as possible. Measures that have to be implemented are in order of hierarchy : elimination and substitution, engineering controls e. Stricter measures than for less hazardous substances apply to CMR substances. Measures should also be taken in case of non-routine activities e. Practical recommendations are provided for record keeping on exposure and medical surveillance of workers, which are to be maintained 40 years after exposure.
Health surveillance should be made prior to exposure and at regular intervals thereafter. If there are any abnormalities found that might be due to exposure to CMRs for one worker, other workers that have been similarly exposed should also be submitted to health monitoring.
The risks due to CMRs should be reassessed in such cases. Health surveillance should take into consideration the long latency of cancers and the limited possibilities in early detection of CMR effects. At EU level, constraining OELs are established as atmospheric concentrations of substances to be measured at the workplace in the breathing zone of the worker for the following carcinogenic substances:.
Exposure to CMRs at the workplace may cause diseases that are compulsory to be declared according to regulations of many EU countries [21]. According to the related guidelines, in carrying out risk assessments, employers should have regard for women who are pregnant, or who have recently given birth. Prevention of exposure to CMRs must be the first priority. This directive is not only restricted to chemicals but includes all possible risk factors, whether physical, biological, organisational or psychosocial.
The general approach for chemical risk prevention and control is also applicable to CMRs. Legislation compliance is mandatory and should form the basis of measures. An inventory of chemicals used or produced should be kept, updated and correlated with data on CMRs from labels, SDS and other sources of reliable information. Identification of CMRs should also be done for emissions that may contain such substances or may be generated in the technological process, and for known carcinogens that do not fall under the chemicals legislation e.
Substances that are not identified as carcinogens by EU legislation, but are considered as such by IARC or national authorities should also be considered. Prioritisation of identified CMRs for prevention and control should consider classification categories and may be taken into account when planning the risk assessment.
To get a correct representation of the evaluated situation risk assessment should be based on a coherent methodology supported by information collected systematically and measured data. Non-occupational factors that may increase the risk e.
The results of the risk assessment should support decision making in terms of type and priority of control measures. Elimination is the most effective measure to avoid exposure to CMRs. This can be achieved by changing the technology or the characteristics of the final product that will make the use of CMR unnecessary. Substitution means replacing the CMR with safer substance s.
Such measures should not induce unacceptable risks for other hazards. See also tools designed for the risk management of dangerous substances , where specific tools for substitution are presented, e.
It is generally easier to implement engineering controls in the planning phase of the working process. Automated systems can eliminate human exposure, at least in some technological phases. Changes in operating parameters may reduce the level of emissions, for example lower temperature reduces the level of emission of volatile CMR.